Improvements in and relating to Sights for Fire Arms.
Year: 1886

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in and relating to Sights for Fire Arms.
I ROBERT GASKIN senior of the City of Portland in the County of Saint John
in the province of New Brunswick of the Dominion of Canada Millwright do
hereby declare the nature of said invention for THE ACCURATE SIGHTING OF
FIRE ARMS AND ORDINANCE and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of my invention is to supply a better method of leveling and
adjusting small arms and ordanance so that greater accuracy of aim may be
obtained. To attain this end I attach to the breech of the gun an upright
standard or bolt of any desired shape this is fitted into a hole which has been
drilled vertically into and towards the centre of the bore of the gun traversely.
The standard is fitted into a socket piece which can be driven or screwed in-to the
hole in breech of the gun and it the standard is elevated or depressed by use of a
rack and pinion or other suitable device, across the top of the standard a hollow
pipe is attached contained in which is a spirit level and a screw, which is worked
paralleled with the spirit level but traversely across the gun, to this threaded
screw a sight point which may be a projection or a depression is attached, the
bubble in the level will show if the gun is level, and by raising or lowering either
end of the level allowance can be made for the latteral force of the wind, or the
sight point can be traversed by the screw. To attain the same object, the scale cut
in front of the bubble on case of level will fix the point of correct range, the
socket piece and standard are secured in a riggid position by the use of pinching
screws. This machine may be attached to the side of the gun on a line per-
pendicular with the centre of the bore. For use on rifles or other small arms
I attach the level to existing sight bar, by a slide and the cylinder containing
spirit level is fitted into a case which has at either end points or pivots on which
the cylinder revolves the object being to protect the glass by revolving it beneath
As an alternative method of affixing the level to a rifle a plate is
attached in the usual way on the outer edges are cut ratchet teeth, a bar which
carries a level secured across the outer end is fitted so as to woork between or on
the side of the plate or plates; on the face of this bar a slide is fitted, beneath the
slide a spring is fixed which spring is for the purpose of keeping the slide pressed
into the teeth of the ratchet plates so as to keep the bar in a rigid position at any
desired elevation. The scale cut on side of ratchet plate shows the elevation.
A supplementary slide with sight point is fixed in the end of the main bar this is
the case.

page_text: a provision for adjusting the sight to a very fine point. Reference is to be had to
the accompaning drawings forming part of this specification in which Figure 1 is
a rear view of my machine as attached to the breech of a cannon. 2 is a plan of
top, 3 shows action of section of the traversing screw. 4 is a view of right end
elevation. 5 is a view of a side elevation fastened to cannon. 6 a left hand
elevation detached. 7 is a side view of level as applied and attached to the sight
bar of an Enfield rifle. 8 is a rear elevation of machine in position on and over
breech of a rifle. 9 is a side elevation of ratchet, sliding bar spring and level in
position. 91 is a view of cylinder showing pivots on which the same revolves.
A is the sight point, Al is a traverse scale.
B is the glass globe of spirit level.
C is the opening into which the level is inserted and screw plug for closing
same,
D is the screw for traversing or shifting sights.
E is an end elevation in square form.
F is the pinching screw for holding socket; which socket is driven or screwed
into cannon.
H is the pinching screw for keeping standard rigid at any desired elevation.
G is a rack and pinion shown in position for lowering or raising the standard,
and level. J is the socket into which the bolt or standard L is fitted which socket
can be driven in to or attached to the gun by any suitable device. R is the main
bar carrying level in ratchet gear as attached to rifles. S is an elevation of plates
showing ratchet teeth.
T is the slide plate and spring for keeping main bar in ratchet gear at any
desired elevation. W is the extra sight point on outer end of main bar. X is the
rivet or bolt at base of ratchet plates for securing main bar in position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of iny said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1st. A form of spirit level of any desired shape as shown and described.
2nd. The methods of attaching the same to cannon or small arms as shown and
described and for the purposes set forth.
3rd. For the combination of parts as designated by the figures named from 1 to 9
and 9 inclusive, and the letters A B-C-D-E-F-G-H-J-L-R-S-T-
W-X inclusive for the purposes described and set forth.
Dated this sixteenth day of April one thousand eight hundred and eighty six.