IMPROVEMENTS IN LONG RANGE SIGHTS, AND THE METHOD OF APPLYING THEM TO RIFLED SMALL- ARMS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George May Lowe, of James Street, in the City of
Lincoln, Doctor of Medicine, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LONG
RANGE SIGHTS, AND THE METHOD OF APPLYING THEM TO RIFLED SMALL-
ARMS. A communication from abroad by Major Arthur L'Estrange Hamilton
Holmes, of Meerut, Bengal Presidency, India.
33
Sealed the 15th April 1879, and dated the 16th October 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George May Lowe at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th October 1878.
GEORGE MAY LOWE, of James Street, in the City of Lincoln, Doctor of Medicine.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LONG RANGE SIGHTS, AND THE METHOD OF APPLYING THEM
TO RIFLED SMALL-ARMS." A communication from abroad by Major Arthur
L'Estrange Hamilton Holmes, of Meerut, Bengal Presidency, India.
The purpose of this Invention is fitting or attaching additional fore and back
sights of special construction to military rifles to be used for longer ranges or more
distant objects than the present sights are available.
In carrying the Invention into practice a hinged, a swinging, or a pivotted flap is
fitted to the side of a barrel, or it may be to the stock at about the same distance
from the breech as the existing back sight. This flap has a notch or "line" in it,
from which the line of sight can be taken. Near the fore end of the barrel, or it
may be the stock, on the same side, a fore sight is arranged, either permanently
fixed or removable, as desired, said sight having depending legs connected at the
lower parts by a cross bar. The two legs of this sight are graduated, and a sliding
bar is fitted to be moved up or down upon it to suit the elevation to which the
rifle muzzle has to be raised. This new fore sight, if removable, can be shipped
into and form a grooved plate, which is itself hinged to the barrel or to the stock.
By this means the additional fore sight can be detached and fitted within a recess
in the stock if necessary. If fitted permanently it can be swivelled and held in

page_text: position either closed or open by a spring, or it can be fitted to slide into and out
of a box and then opened out.
.
The two additional sights as above set forth are arranged, say at the right-hand
side of the rifle, at the distance of one inch, more or less, as to be clear of the
fingers of the left hand, which grasps the arm between those two parts.
The diagram, Figure 1, refers to the old sights; S, A, line of sight at point blank
range, and parallel to the axis of the barrel; P, the object aimed at; A, tip of fore
sight; C, notch of back sight; C, A, P, line of sight. The plane passing through
all the above points and lines is the vertical plane passing through the axis of the
piece.
Now, imagine a vertical plane of course parallel to the above plane at a perpen-
dicular distance from it to the right (of the firer) of one inch, and suppose all the
above points transferred to the new plane by rigid perpendiculars, and supposing
the lettering also transferred, we get the figure shown in Figure 2.
In this new
plan, from a conveniently situated point B in S, A, let fall a perpendicular cutting
S, P, in the point A. The new line of sight evidently gives the correct elevation
and direction to the axis of the barrel.
In practise it is of course impossible to aim at a point one inch to the right of
the distant object; it will therefore be necessary to aim at the object itself, and
this will cause the original sights to be directed on a point one inch to the left
(horizontally) of the line P, and this is the only error that the new sighting can
cause; it is constant for all ranges, and only amounts to hitting a man's right
eye when one aims at his left, which does not matter much to either party.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George May Lowe in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th April
1879.
GEORGE MAY LOWE, of James Street, in the City of Lincoln, Doctor of Medicine,
of the University of Edinburgh.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LONG RANGE SIGHTS, AND
THE METHOD OF APPLYING THEM TO RIFLED SMALL-ARMS." A communication
from abroad by Major Arthur L'Estrange Hamilton Holmes, of Meerut, Bengal
Presidency, India.
The purpose of this Invention is fitting or attaching additional fore and back
sights of special construction to military rifles to be used for longer ranges or more
distant objects than the present sights are available.
"
In carrying the Invention into practice a hinged swinging flap is fitted to the
side of a barrel, or it may be to the stock at about the same distance from the
breech as the existing back sight. This flap has a notch or
" line in it, from
which the line of sight can be taken. Near the fore end of the barrel, or it
may be the stock on the same side a fore sight is arranged either permanently
fixed or removable, as desired, said sight having depending legs connected at the
lower parts by a cross bar. The two legs of this sight are graduated, and a sliding
bar is fitted to be moved up or down to suit the elevation to which the rifle muzzle
has to be raised. This new fore sight, if removable, can be slipped into and from
a grooved plate, which is itself hinged to the barrel or to the stock. By this means
the additional fore sight can be detached and fitted within a recess in the stock if
necessary. If fitted permanently it can be swivelled and held in position either
closed or open by a spring, or it can be fitted to slide into and out of a box, and
then opened out. The two additional sights as above set forth are arranged say
at the right-hand side of the rifle, and at a distance more or less of one inch as
to be clear of the fingers of the left hand, which grasps the arm between those two
parts.
The annexed Sheet of Drawings clearly represents the rifle sights Invention as
above set forth.
Figure 1 is a perspective view from the back end of a rifle barrel A with the
usual sliding bar back sight B and the usual fore sight C upon it; D is the newly
invented back sight hinged to the side of the barrel A; and E is the new fore sight
hinged to the side of the muzzle end of the barrel in order that the line of sight
for longer distances than the ordinary sights are available for can be obtained.
These two sights D and E, when not in use, can be folded inwards against the
barrel as not to project beyond the stock.
The order of the new sights is reversed to that of the old ones, that is to say,
the sliding bar sight is at the muzzle end instead of at the breech end.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a "Martini" actioned rifle with the new long
distance sights on the side of the stock F of the rifle, and occupying positions
similar to those on the barrel before explained.
Figures 3 and 4 are views of the new back sight D hinged to a plate G, which,
when the sight D is folded back against the plate, can be pushed down into the
the box H or into a chamber, formed in connection with the barrel or with the
stock as desired, to hide the sight from view, and also to preserve it from injury.
The sight D, when the plate G is lifted, is opened out as to lodge across the top
edge of the box to keep the sight in the position shown.
Figures 5 and 6 represent the new fore sight E hinged to a plate I attached to
the side of the stock F. The sight is pivotted to the plate I to enable it to be
turned from the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 5 to that shown by the
full lines. The plate I may be recessed into the stock that the sight when out of
use as indicated in Figure 6 may be flush with the stock F as not to interfere with
any drill movements of the soldier should the rifle be a military arm.
The pivot

page_text: portion of this new back sight is provided with a spring catch to retain the sight
in the position shown in Figure 5 or in the position shown in Figure 6.
The two
legs a, b, of the new fore sight may be graduated for ranges from 1000 yards to
3000 yards, the ordinary sights A, B, being alone applicable up to the 950 yards
range.
The two sights D and E may be temporally fitted in position upon the barrel
or upon the stock of a rifled arm if desired, that, when not in use, they may be
carried in the pocket or within a chamber or recess provided for them in the butt
of the stock or in other convenient manner.
Figure 7 is a side view of a "Martini" rifle with the muzzle elevated for a long
range. This rifle has the old sight and the new sights.
With existing rifles the line of sight L, M, P, for the long distance is through
the top of the old back sight and over the tip of the old fore sight, while by the
new method the line of sight C, A', P₁, for the same distance is through the notch
of the new back sight and tip of the new fore sight on the sliding bar J, as
indicated by Figures 8 and 9.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as the Invention communicated
to me as aforesaid,-
The two sights (fore sight and back sight) applicable to the sides of a rifle to
facilitate aiming at longer distances than the usual sights are available for, as set
forth, and substantially as shown in the annexed Drawings.
Secondly. I claim arranging the back sight to the side of a rifle that it may be
slid into and drawn out of a recess between the stock and barrel for the purpose
herein-before explained.
.
Thirdly. I claim arranging the fore sight with a sliding bar to the side of a rifle
that the sight may, when opened out from the rifle, be turned downwards and be
held in the position for the aim at a long distance to be taken as described with
reference to Figures 5 and 6 of the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said George May Lowe, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
Witness to signature,
J. G. HAM. HOLMES,
Lt. Colonel H. P., 12th Royal Lancers.
GEORGE MAY LOWE. (LS.)