An Improved Sight for Small Arms and Ordnance.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application. 22nd May, 1889-Accepted, 20th July, 1889
CUMI LEIN
An Improved Sight for Small Arms and Ordnance.
I, GOTTFRIED EMERICH, of No. 10 Museum-Ring Strasse, Budapest, in the Austro-
Hungarian Empire, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
can be
My invention relates to a sight for small arms and ordnance for stationary and
movable objects, the characteristic features of which are, that the same
adjusted for the lateral movement of the object aimed at and in accordance with the
rapidity of the movement of the same, and that the muzzle and rear sights are arranged
near each other and in one and the same device so that the same move together.
It is well known that the certainty of hitting the mark depends on the notch to the
near sight, the tip of the muzzle sight and the object aimed at being in perfect line.
The certainty of being able to hit the mark aimed at is attained by the precise and
ready adjustment of the notch in the rear sight to the muzzle or front sight, but the
further the sights are apart the more difficult it is to secure a good aim and adjust the
sights to each other, on the one hand on account of the distance between the two sights,
on the other hand on account of the action of the sun-light, wind etc.
In such cases where the sights are a considerable distance apart, for instance the one
near the breech, the other near the muzzle, the aiming for the various distances of the
object is not possible with the simple aiming devices or ordinary sights but make it
necessary to employ a combined arrangement of sights, as is for instance, the case with
the "Mannlicher Rifle," in which two muzzle sights are used, one for the shorter and
one for the longer ranges, one of the same being arranged on the side of the weapon,
the other at the end of the barrel, which renders the manipulation of the arm difficult
for unintelligent soldiers: The foregoing remarks also apply in part to ordnance.
The main object of the present arrangement of the sights, besides the arrangement
for lateral adjustment, which will be described later on in this specification, is that the
forward sight is distinctly visible and can be adjusted momentarily to the notch of the
rear sight by an extremely simple manipulation as well for the greatest as for the
shortest ranges, and thus fulfils the requirements of a good sight, which said result is
attained in the following manner.
In the accompanying drawings Figures 1 and 3 are side views of the improved device
Figures 2 and 5 are top views; Figure 4 is a longitudinal section; Figures 6, 7, 8, 9
and 10 represent details, and Figure 11 a perspective view of the device.
;
The notch plate a is, at the rear end of the base plate b, hinged to the plate d
arranged to move around the pivot c, to which said plate the stay f to the arms or
bifurcated plate e of the front sight k is also hinged, whilst the lower end of the
bifurcated plate e is hinged to the frame g, said frame being binged to the notch
plate a and guided at its foremost end on the base plate b.
In consequence of this arrangement and the connection of the notch plate with the
front sight a combined movement is attained. When the sight is placed in its lowest
position or folded down the front sight lies within the frame g and is, for half its
A slight
diameter, sunk into the recess h arranged for the same in the base plate b.
raising of the notch plate a also produces a slight rising of the front sight, and, when
the notch plate reaches an angle of 45 degrees to the base plate 6 the plate e, carrying
the front sight, assumes a vertical position.
If the notch plate a is raised further the front sight commences to sink towards the
barrel of the small arm or piece of ordnance, id est, moves in the opposite direction to
the movement of the notch plate in which position the sights are adjusted to the
longest distance. The height of the notch plate a and the plate e to the front sight,
the proportion of the one to the other and the graduations on the base plate 7, the
distance in yards is ascertained by calculations based on the trajectory.

page_text: Besides the straight movement my improved sight can, as previously mentioned, be
arranged to compensate for the lateral movement of the object ainied at. This is
attained by applying a movable plate d with axis or pivot c to the rear surface of the
base plate b, said plate d being connected by a hinge to the stays f and g for the notch
plate a and front sight k.
By moving the rotary plate d to the right or left the direction of the line of sight
and the longitudinal axis of the barrel of the weapon will stand at a given angle to
each other. The object of this arrangement is as follows.
If the object aimed at is moving laterally the aim, when using the present system of
sights, dare not be directed onto but in front of the said target or in advance of the
same into space, the point in advance of the target being taken such distance in advance
as will correspond with the distance travelled by the running object from the moment
of firing off the weapon to that in which the projectile will reach the target or object
aimed at.
The fact, however, (which has long been overcome by science), that it is impossible to
aim at a bodyless object renders 9 out of 10 shots fruitless, while the solution of the
question as to what distance must be shot ahead of moving objects depends on the
distance between the marksman and his target or aim and from the speed of
the object aimed at.
+
The exact calculations of all these points require a higher degree of intelligence and
experience than can be expected from ordinary soldiers or other persons.
My improved sight possesses the most important advantage that the aim is directed
immediately onto the target or object fired at consequently onto a visible body. In a
direction longitudinal to the sight and to the right and left of the same lines are
engraved and provided with numbers representing the various distances in straight
line. The aberration, as has already been determined, amounts at a distance of 200
paces to 1,840 Meter, 500 paces-2,750 Mtr., 800 paces-3,500 Mtr., 1000 paces-
5.400 Mtr., and so on. By employing this improved sight the marksman has nothing
to do but to determine the distance according to his own experience, or according to
the given command to turn the plate d and with this the sight so sidewards that the
lower corner of the frame g on that side towards which the moving target runs that
the same stands on the figure or figures representing the distance of the target.
'
The marksman now aims at the object, but the direction of the line of sight and the
trajectory form such an angle to each other that the aberration is compensated for,
id est, the marksman hits the mark which he really aimed at.
The sight represented in the accompanying drawing is only graduated to 1000
paces, but it will be evident to those versed in the art that the same can be readily
graduated for greater ranges without constructive alterations. The object of the
spring is to prevent the notch plate leaving its position in consequence of the recoil
in shooting.
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 :-
A sight for small arms and ordnance, in which the notch plate a and the front
sight k are connected together by means of the frame g, stay f and plate c, by means
of which the adjustment of the notch plate a at a given angle to the base plate b
necessarily causes an adjustment of the front sight corresponding to a straight line
with the target, said sight being capable of lateral movement in order that the same
can be so adjusted that the stay fand notch plate a attached to a movable plate d can
be turned laterally so that the line of sight and the longitudinal axis of the barrel to
the small arm or ordnance stand at a certain angle to each other, substantially as and
for the purpose set forth in the foregoing specification, and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
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