Auxiliary Rifle Sights for Facilitating Instructions in Musketry.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 20th Mar, 1800 Accepted, 28th Sept., 1889
7000
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
7000
:-
Auxiliary Rifle Sights for Facilitating Instructions in Musketry.
WILLIAM HARRY GRINDLEY Earthenware Manufacturer Newfield Pottery Tunstall
North Staffordshire do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention consists essentially of two parts is. A fore-sight and a back-
sight. The fore-sight is rigidly attached to the barrel of the rifle projecting a distance
of 3 ins. on the right hand side of the rifle by a suitable arm or support and is at the
same distance from the muzzle as the permanent sight.
The back-sight is rigidly attached in a similar manner at the same distance from
the muzzle as the permanent sight, but the sight independently of the arm or support
is capable of a vertical & horizontal adjustment. These two sights are of the same
pattern & dimensions as those on the service rifle. This arrangement allows of two
men sighting the same rifle when the sights are adjusted so as to aim on the same
point thus enabling Instructors to detect the errors made by the recruits while
shooting.
Datad ibia 2nd day of November 1888
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Auxiliary Rifle Sights for Facilitating Instructions in Musketry.
1, WILLIAM HARRY GRINDLEY, Earthenware manufacturer, Newfield Pottery,
Tunstall, North Staffordshire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to the employment of auxiliary rifle sights for facilitating
instruction in musketry and has for its object to enable two persons to sight the same
rifle at the same time this being of special advantage in the training of recruits.
This invention consists essentially of two parts iz.: A fore sight and a back sight.
The fore sight is adapted to be rigidly attached to the barrel of the rifle projecting
a distance of about three and a half inches from the right hand side of the rifle by a
suitable arm or support and at the same distance from the muzzle as the permanent
fore sight.
The back sight is adapted to be attached in a similar manner at the same
distance from the muzzle as the permanent back sight and is arranged so that the
sight proper is capable of being vertically and horizontally adjusted.
In the accompanying drawings
Figs. 1 and 2 are front elevations of respectively the fore sight and the back sight
constructed according to my invention.
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are respectively a rear elevation, an end elevation and a plan of the
back sight and
Fig. 6 is a plan drawn to a smaller scale showing the said sights applied to a
Martini-Henri rifle this being shown merely by way of example as my invention is
equally applicable to rifles of other construction.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
A is the fore sight, which, as shown, is carried on one end of the arm A¹ the opposite
end of which is formed with the clamping ring or collar A² which is provided with
a clamping screw A³ to enable the arm A' to be firmly secured on the rifle barrel;
A' is a recess in the ring or collar A' for receiving the permanent or rifle fore
sight Z as shown in figure 6 hereinafter more particularly referred to.
B is the letter by which the auxiliary back sight is hereinafter generically referred

page_text: to. This back sight consists of the arm B' which is adapted to be fixed on the rifle by
means of the yoko B2 the hollow of which as shown in figure 2, fits over the
barrel Y and the two depending plates B³ of which pass down at the sides of fore
part X of the rifle stock. The plates B are slotted at B figure 4, near their lower
ends to receive the ends of the transverse bar B the lower edge of which as shown
clearly in detached view in figure 2.is shaped so that it will engage with the lower ends of
the slots B₁ so as to secure it against horizontal displacement. The bar B carries
the milled-headed clamping screw B the end of which is preferably adapted to
enter a recess formed in the underside of the concave clamping plate B7 which is
introduced between the said screw and the underside of the stock near the part X
thereof this arrangement of letting the end of the screw into the plate B² will prevent
displacement of the plate 17 by the recoil. As shown in figure 5 the yoke 13² is
provided with an opening B7 and two binding screws 13 the former for admitting the
rifle or permanent back sight W and the latter for enabling the auxiliary back sight
to be secured to the permanent back sight W these screws for the purpose being
screwed tightly against the side of the bed or block of the said back sight. Was shown
in figure 6.
In the outer end of the arm B is mounted the horizontal adjusting screw B1 which
is capable of being rotated, yet incapable of being moved longitudinally in the arm B
The screw 18 engages with a nut or its equivalent carried in the vertical frame B³
which is capable of being moved by the screw B19 horizontally along the arm B. The
lower end of the frame B is provided with the projection or bearing B10 in which
the screw B is so carried so as to be capable of being rotated but secured against
motion in the direction of its axis. The screw B. engages with the nut 1312 formed
on the lower end of the adjustable sighting piece B10 the upper end of which carries
the shaped sighting notch B3. This sighting piece 130 is arranged so that by the
screw Bit may be moved vertically upon the frame 13. BH is a spirit level
mounted on the arm B' so as to enable it to be readily seen whether or not the rifle is
transversely canted, any other suitable form of level may however be used.
115 is a
notch in the top edge of the frame B2 which may correspond with the longest range-
notch Win the permanent back sight W, figure 6. On the frame, B' is marked a
scale B corresponding to those ordinary scale markings on the back sight W by
which is determined the elevations at which the rifle is to be held for different ranges
the sighting piece B₁ being raised and lowered to this scale according to the distance
between it and the target. The arm B preferably on its upper edge as shown in
fig. is also marked with a scale B2 to which the vertical frame B may be
horizontally adjusted this scale being so divided that lines drawn respectively
through the permanent and auxilary "sights will meet at the same point upon the
target when the frame B' is set to the point upon the scale B2 which corresponds
with the same range point upon the permanent and auxiliary sights.
When it is desired to fix the before described auxiliary fore-sight on to say a
Martini-Henri rifle as illustrated in figure 6, the screw A³ is removed from the
collar A² which is then slipped on to the muzzle-end of the barrel so that the rifle
fore-sight Z will be passed between the open part of the collar A². The fore-sight A
is then drawn forward so that the rifle fore-sight Z is received in the recess A*. The
screw A³ is then replaced and by its means the collar A will be tightened on the barrel
and the sight held as in figure 6.
The back sight B is placed on the rifle by slipping the plates B³ over the
barrel Y adjacent to the rifle back sight W and passing the opening B" in the
yoke B2 over the said back sight W.
The bar B is then introduced end-wise first
into and through one then backwards into the other of the slots B and when in its
correct position it is lowered onto the ends of the slots B' as before explained.
The concave clamping plate B' is then introduced between the end of the screw B
and the underside of the adjacent part of the stock X and the screw B is turned so as
to bear tightly against the back of the said plate B'.
The screws B are then tightened against the sides of the bed or block of the
permanent sight W and then the whole arrangement is ready for use.

page_text: Now supposing the recruit using the rifle is being instructed in firing at a target
say 300 yards distant he will adjust the sight W in the ordinary way according to
the 300 yards marking on that sight; he will also adjust the frame B horizontally
along the arm B¹ to the 300 yard mark and the sighting piece B¹³ vertically upon the
frame B also to the 300 yard mark. The instructor standing at the recruit's shoulder
will then after ascertaining by the spirit level B that the rifle is not canted be able
to see by the auxiliary sights A and B whether the recruit guided by the permanent
sights W and Z is directing his aim properly and if he is not so directing his aim to
explain to him in what manner it is incorrectly directed.
By the use of this apparatus it is obvious that besides other advantages inuch saving
of ammunition and time will be effected as the necessity of the recruit firing many
wasted shots before he finds the target will be obviated; for at the first shot the
instructor will be able to point out to the recruit the error which caused him to
miss the point aimed at.
The means for securing the improved sighting device are arranged to suit the rifles
to which they are to be attached.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is ;-
1. In an auxiliary sighting device a fore-sight such as A carried on an arm such
as A' adapted to be secured on a rifle abreast of its fore-sight substantially as and for
the purpose herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In an auxiliary sighting device a back-sight such as B consisting essentially of
an arm such as B' on which is capable of being horizontally adjusted a frame such
as B on which a sighting piece such as BD is capable of being vertically adjusted
substantially as and for the purpose herein described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
3. In an auxiliary sighting device a back-sight such as B having an arm such as B'
on which is a graduated scale B20 frame B° adapted to be moved horizontally thereon
sighting piece such as B vertical scale B and level B substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. In an auxiliary sighting device the means for securing to a rifle a fore sight such
as A consisting of a clamping ring such as A and clamping scrow A³ the ring A'
being recessed so as to receive the permanent fore-sight substantially as herein
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
5. In an auxiliary sighting device the means for securing to a rifle a back sight
such as B consisting of a yoke such as B2 slotted plates B3 bar B screws BB and B
and clamping plate B substantially as herein described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 11th day of March 1889
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents.