Year: 1887

page_text: I, HIRAM STEVENS MAXIM, of 57" Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
-
My invention relates to the pointing or aiming of machine-guns and other fire-arms,
and to apparatus therefor.
An important feature of my said invention is the provision which I make for
enabling the gunner to adjust the sight accurately and elevate the gun correctly
without previously ascertaining the distance between the gun and the object at which
it is aimed.
This part of my said invention is based upon the fact that the greater the distance
of an object from a given point, the less will be the angle at this point subtended by..
the said object. I take advantage of this fact in the following manner, viz. :—I
provide a sight comprising two plates or other pieces so arranged that they may be
simultaneously adjusted either towards or away from each other, and I provide means
whereby the required relative adjustment of the said plates or pieces and the raising
or lowering of the sight will be effected simultaneously, that is to say :-Assuming
these adjustable pieces to be arranged in the back sight, the said pieces will be moved
towards each other simultaneously with the raising of the sight and away from each
other simultaneously with the lowering thereof.
When I construct the back-sight as above described, I make the fore sight' with an.
eye or hole, and with two pins or pointed rods which extend horizontally from
opposite sides of the said eye or hole nearly to the centre thereof. Or I make the
said fore sight in any other suitable manner.
The aforesaid plates or pieces may be arranged to slide towards and away from

page_text: each other, and to be operated by a lever bearing against a curved or inclined surface
projecting vertically from the gun-barrel or from a casing around the same.
In pointing the gun, the adjustment of the sighting apparatus and the elevation of
the gun must be so regulated that the bottom of the object aimed at will be in a
straight line extending from the lower edge of the upper sliding piece through the
centre of the space between the aforesaid pins or rods, (which I will hereinafter term
the centre of the fore sight) while the top of the object aimed at will be in a straight
line extending from the upper edge of the lower sliding piece through the centre of
the fore sight. For instance, if the object to be aimed at be a man, the gun will be
correctly pointed for any range, when the man's head is in a straight line with the
upper edge of the lower sliding piece and the centre of the fore sight, and his feet are
in a straight line with the lower edge of the upper sliding piece and the centre of the
fore sight.
It is evident that the smaller the range, the greater must be the distance between
the adjacent edges of the said sliding pieces. For this reason the back sight is, as
above stated, so constructed that the act of raising or lowering the sight will effect the
relative adjustment of the said sliding pieces, and the height of the sight will always
bear the proper ratio to the distance between the said pieces. I thus provide for
ensuring the correct elevation of the gun according to the distance between the same
and the object at which it is aimed.
The sights above described may be reversed, if desired, that is to say, the sliding
pieces may be arranged in the fore sight and the back sight be made with the eye or
hole and provided with the pins or pointed rods. In this case, the gun will be
correctly pointed when the top of the object aimed at is in a straight line with the
centre of the back sight and the lower edge of the upper sliding piece, and the bottom
of the said object is in a straight line with the centre of the back sight and the upper
edge of the lower sliding piece.
To provide for the pointing of the gun at objects of different height, I employ an
adjustable device whereby the gunner is enabled, when he has ascertained or estimated
the height of the object to be aimed at, to determine the relative adjustment of the
said sliding pieces and the raising or lowering of the same according to the height of
the said object.
It will be seen from the foregoing description that, by my invention, a fire-arm can
be accurately pointed at an object within either long or short range without the
necessity for ascertaining or estimating the said range.
I sometimes provide for the raising and lowering of the sight and the adjustment of
the said sliding pieces by means of a rack and pinion, and I employ a milled wheel
whereby the said pinion may be turned by the finger and thumb. In this case I
prefer to make the said wheel of hardened steel and to form the same with notches
and I provide a spring pawl which is adapted to enter one or other of the said notches
and thus prevent accidental alteration in the adjustment of the sight by vibration or
otherwise. When I construct a sight in this manner, I sometimes provide means
whereby the said spring pawl may be moved out of engagement with the said wheel
before the latter is turned to adjust the sight. For instance, I arrange in combination
with the said wheel, a cap or cover which fits over the same and which may be
pressed towards the said wheel to disengage the spring pawl therefrom and may then
be turned with the said wheel to adjust the sight. A supplementary spring is preferably
combined with the said cap or cover for returning the same to its normal position
when released.
I sometimes combine with the sight, a peculiarly constructed telescope. This
telescope is constructed with pins or pointed rods which extend horizontally from
opposite sides of the tube of the telescope to near the centre of the said tube. These
pins or rods are provided with means whereby they may be adjusted simultaneously
with the raising or lowering of the sight to suit different ranges, so that, in looking at
an object through the telescope, the extremities of the said object will correspond with
the points of the said pins or rods.
I do not confine myself to any special device for simultaneously effecting the

page_text: raising or lowering of the sight and the relative adjustment of the aforesaid plates or
pieces or of the pins or pointed rods in the telescope. Moreover I can substitute for
the said pins or pointed rods, wires stretched across the tube of the telescope, or
equivalent devices.
1
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Pointing or Aiming of Fire-arms and
to Apparatus therefor.
I, HIRAM STEVENS MAXIM, of 57" Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Mechanical Engineer, 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 :-
My invention relates to the pointing or aiming of machine-guns and other fire-arms,
and to apparatus therefor.
An important feature of my said invention is the provision which I make for enabling
the gunner to adjust the sight accurately and elevate the gun correctly without
previously ascertaining the distance between the gun and the object at which it is
aimed.
This part of my said invention is based upon the fact that the greater the distanco
of an object from a given point, the less will be the angle at this point subtended by
the said object. I take advantage of this fact in the following manner, viz.:-I provide
a back-sight or a fore-sight comprising two plates, wires, pointed rods or other pieces
arranged one above the other in such a manner that they may be simultaneously
adjusted either towards or away from each other, and I provide means whereby the
required relative adjustment of the said plates or pieces and the raising or lowering of
the sight will be effected simultaneously. For example, assuming these adjustable
pieces to be arranged in the back-sight, the said pieces will be moved towards each
other simultaneously with the raising of the sight and away from each other
simultaneously with the lowering thereof.
In combination with a sight ibus constructed, I use another sight made with an eye
or hole, and with two pins or pointed rods which extend horizontally from opposite
sides of the said eye or hole nearly to the centre thereof, or constructed in any other
suitable manner.

page_text: Another feature of my said invention is the provision of means for preventing
accidental displacement of the sight by vibration or otherwise from any position to
which it may be adjusted.
My said invention, moreover, comprises other improvements hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly in vertical section, and
Figure 2 a side elevation, partly in vertical section, showing a back-sight
constructed in accordance with my invention.
Figure 3 is a rear elevation, and
Figure 4 a vertical section on the line x, x, Figure 1, illustrating details of
construction.
Figure 5 is a side elevation, and
Figure 6 a rear elevation of a fore-sight hereinafter described.
Figure 7 is a horizontal central section of part of a telescope-sight¸constructed
according to my said invention.
Figure 8 is a transverse section on the line ¹, ¹, Figure 7.
Figure 9 is a side elevation illustrating details of construction.
Figure 10 is a vertical longitudinal central section illustrating another form or
modification of my telescope-sight.
2,
3,
2, Figure 10.
Figure 10.
,
Figure 11 is a transverse section on the line
Figure 12 is a transverse section on the line
Figure 13 is a transverse section on the line a,, Figure 10.
Figure 14 is a longitudinal section on the line y, y, Figure 10.
Figure 15 is a side elevation partly in vertical section, and
Figure 16 a transverse section on the line a, a, Figure 15, illustrating another
modification of the said telescope-sight.
Figure 17 is a side elevation, partly in vertical central section, illustrating another
modification of my telescope-sight attached to a gun.
Figure 18 is a side elevation illustrating a further modification of my telescope-
sight.
Figure 19 is a side elevation and
Figure 20 a rear elevation, partly in vertical section, showing another sight
embodying some of my present improvements.
Figures 21 and 22 are views hereinafter referred to illustrating details of
construction.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
Referring to Figures 1 to 4, a is the bar or leaf of the sight, which is formed with
a rack a¹ and is to be pivoted or otherwise suitably attached to the gun. b is a frame
fitted to slide up and down on the said bar or leaf and adjustable thereon by means of
a pinion c in a well-known manner.
d, d' are bent plates or bars which are pivoted at d², d³ to the said frame or slide b
and are enclosed at the front and sides by a casing 6¹ formed with or attached to the
said frame or slide. The said plates or bars are formed with sighting notches and the
..said casing 6' has an aperture in its forward end, in which corresponding sighting
: notches are formed at the upper and lower edges of this aperture. The said plates or
bars are so arranged that, when their notched edges are in contact with each other,
they will close the said aperture 62 with the exception of the hole formed by their
.notches.
Each of the plates or bars d, d' is provided with a short arm or projection d*; the
extremities of these arms or projections bear against each other as more clearly shown
in Figure 4. The plate or bar d is, moreover, provided with an arm or lever d³. A
rib or projection e having a curved (or inclined) surface e¹ is provided upon the bar or
The plate or bar d' is acted upon by a spring f which tends to move the
said plates or bars towards each other and to keep the extremity of the lever d³ in
contact with the curved (or inclined) surface e¹ of the rib or projection e.
This surface
is so formed that the higher the frame or slide b is raised upon the bar or leaf a, the
nearer the plates or bars d, d¹ will be permitted to approach each other. The bar or
leaf a.

page_text: leaf a or the rib or projection thereon is graduated to indicate the range for which the
gun is being used.
g (Figures 5 and 6) is a fore-sight which I use in combination with the improved
back-sight above described. It has a pointed projection g¹ for use in the ordinary
manner in conjunction with a sighting, notch 63 in the frame 6 of the back-sight. It
is, moreover, formed with a hole g² from opposite sides of which project two pins or
pointed rods g³, these pins or rods meet, or nearly meet in the centre of the said hole.
In aiming or pointing the gun, the sighting apparatus is adjusted and the gun
elevated or depressed as may be required until the bottom of the object aimed at is in
a straight line extending from the notch in the lower edge of the plate or bar d through
the centre of the space between the pins or rods g³ of the foresight, (which I will
hereinafter term the centre of the fore-sight), while the top of the object aimed at is in
a straight line extending from the notch in the upper edge of the plate or bar d
through the centre of the fore-sight. For instance, if the object to be aimed at be a
man, the gun will be correctly elevated or pointed for any range, when the man's head
is in a straight line with the notch in the plate or bar d' and the centre of the fore-
sight, and his feet are in a straight line with the notch in the plate or bar d and the
centre of the fore-sight. As the sight is raised, the breech-end of the gun must be
lowered, and, as the said sight is lowered, the breech of the gun must be raised to keep
the object aimed at in the line of sight.
It is evident that the smaller the range, the greater must be the distance between
the adjacent edges of the said plates or bars d, d¹. For this reason, the back-sight is
constructed as above described so that the act of raising or lowering the sight will
effect the relative adjustment of the said plates or bars and the height of the sight
will always bear the proper ratio to the distance between the said plates or bars. I
thus provide for ensuring the correct elevation of the gun according to the distance
between the same and the object at which it is aimed, without the necessity for
previously finding the range.
The sights above described may be reversed if desired, that is to say, the adjustable
plates or bars may be arranged in the fore-sight, and the back-sight be made with the
eye or hole and provided with the pins or pointed rods. In this case, the gun will be
correctly pointed when the top of the object aimed at is in a straight line with the
centre of the back-sight and the lower edge of the upper plate or bar, and the bottom
of the said object is in a straight line with the centre of the back-sight and the upper
edge of the lower plate or bar.
To provide for the pointing of the gun at objects of different height,. I employ an
adjustable device whereby the gunner is enabled, when he has ascertained or estimated
the height of the object to be aimed at, to determine the relative adjustment of the
said plates or bars or equivalent devices and the raising or lowering of the sight
according to the height of the said object. For instance, I provide the bar or leaf
of the sight with two or more ribs or projections having differently shaped curved
or inclined surfaces to suit different heights of the objects to be aimed at. These ribs
or projections may be made adjustable or interchangeable. Or they may be fixed on
the said bar or leaf and the arm or lever d³ be provided with a roller or other device
which is adjustable so that it may be caused to bear upon either of the said ribs or
projections. The said ribs or projections are, in this case, graduated to indicate the
range.
It will be seen from the foregoing description that, by my invention, a fire-arm can
be accurately pointed or aimed at an object within either long or short range, and
that the pointing can, as above stated, be effected without the necessity for previously
ascertaining or estimating the said range.
I sometimes provide the sight shown in Figures 1 to 4, or other forms of my
improved sight, with means such as are hereinafter described for locking the sight in
any position to which it may be adjusted and thus preventing displacement of the
sight by vibration or concussion, and at the same time permitting the unlocking and
adjustment of the said site by a simple rotary motion.
In the sight shown in Figures 1 to 4, a disc or head h having a circular series or

page_text: ring of teeth or serrations (Figure 21) is formed or fixed on the frame or slide b,
and a milled wheel j is fitted on the axle or spindle c' of the pinion c, so that it can
be partially rotated thereon. A lever or catch is pivoted at A¹ to the spindle c¹ and
is acted upon at one end by a spring which keeps, or tends to keep its other end in
engagement with the teeth on the said disc or head h. The wheel is provided with
two cams or curved projections j¹, j, which are designed to act upon the ends of the
lever or catch k as, and for the purposes, hereinafter specified.
Figure 21 is a face view of the disc or head showing the lever or catch k in
elevation and the axle or spindle c¹ in section, the wheel j being removed.
Figure 22 is a view of the inner face of the wheel j.
When the wheel j is turned in either direction, its cam acting upon the lever or
catch turns the same upon its pivot and disengages it from the teeth ; the two
cams,, then act upon the lever or catch k and thus turn the spindle c¹ and pinion c,
thereby adjusting the sliding frame on the bar or leaf a, and simultaneously moving
the plates or bars d, d towards or away from each other. As soon as the wheel j is
released, the spring k² causes the lever or catch to again engage with the teeth h³.
By these means displacement of the sight by vibration or concussion is effectually pre-
vented, whilst the required adjustment of the sight can be effected by simply turning
the wheel j in one or the other direction. Therefore no special knowledge of the
construction of the sighting device is necessary to enable the gunner to adjust the
same, it being adjusted in a similar manner to the sighting devices in common use.
I prefer to make the disc or head h of hardened steel to prevent rapid wear of the
teeth or serrations thereon.
In some instances, I make the wheel of hardened steel and form the same with
notches, and I provide a spring pawl which is attached to the frame or slide 6 and is
adapted to enter one or other of the said notches and thus prevent accidental altera-
tion in the adjustment of the sight by vibration or otherwise, but which will yield to
permit the adjustment of the sight by the rotation of the said wheel j.
I sometimes provide means whereby the said spring pawl may be moved out of
engagement with the said wheel before the latter is turned to adjust the sight. For
instance, I arrange in combination with the said wheel a cap or cover which fits over
the same and which may be pressed towards the said wheel to disengage the spring
pawl therefrom and may then be turned with the said wheel to adjust the sight. A
supplementary spring is preferably combined with the said cap or cover for returning
the same to its normal position when released.
In Figures 7, 8 and 9, I have shown one form of my telescope-sight. is the main
tube of the telescope, in which is fixed a dise or diaphragm having an elongated
aperture 2. m, m² aro slides which are formed with corresponding apertures and
which are free to be moved between guides 13 formed on, or attached to the said
dise or diaphragm . Each of these slides is provided with a pin or pointed rod m²,
which pins or rods extend horizontally from opposite sides of the said apertures in the
slides, to a short distance beyond the centre of the tube l. The slides m m¹ are pro-
vided with means whereby they may be adjusted to move the pins or rods m² towards
or away from each other simultaneously with the raising or lowering of the sight to
suit different ranges, so that, in looking at an object through the telescope, the
extremities of the said object will correspond with the points of the said pins or rods
as hereinbefore described, with reference to the plates d; d¹.
and
The slides m, m¹ are connected by a spiral spring n which tends to draw the pins or
rods m² towards each other. The adjustment of the said pins or rods simultaneously
with the raising or lowering of the sight is effected by means of the following device,
that is to say The slides m', m² are provided with lugs or projections m³, m³,
between these lugs or projections is arranged a sliding bar o formed with curved
surfaces o against which bear the said lugs or projections m³, m. This sliding bar is
connected by a spiral spring o* with the disc or diaphragm . The pinion c is geared
with a toothed wheel p fixed upon a short shaft p₁ fitted to rotate in a bearing
formed on the side of the tube. Z. A cam 9 is also fixed on the shaft p¹ and bears
against the sliding bar o.

page_text: The slides m, m¹ are shown at the outer extremity of their movement, that is to say,
in the positions which they occupy when the sight is adjusted for the shortest range
for which it is intended. By turning the wheel in the direction indicated by the
arrow 1 in Figure 9, the sight will he raised and the cam being also moved in the
direction indicated by the arrow 2, the sliding bar o will be caused by the spring o²
to follow the said cam and thus allow the spring n to draw the pins or rods on the
slides m, m² towards each other. As the sight is raised, the breech of the gun must
be lowered, and vice versa, as above stated, so as to keep in the line of sight the object
at which the gun is to be fired. By turning the wheel in the reverse direction to
that indicated by the said arrow, the sight will be lowered and the cam 7 caused to
push the sliding bar o between the lugs or projections m³, m³ and thus move the pins
or rods m² away from each other.
I can, if desired, substitute for the pointed rods m³, wires stretched across the tube
of the telescope or equivalent devices adjustable towards and away from each other
for the purpose above specified.
In the modification of my invention illustrated in Figures 10 to 14, the slides m, m¹
are formed with racks m³, m which are geared with a pinion so that the turning of
the said pinion will cause the movement of the said slides in opposite directions. An
arm or lever is formed or fixed upon the spindle 1 of the pinion r and is connected
by a link with a sliding bars provided with a roller s¹. The bar s is fitted to slide
in a guide way formed on the tube l, and the roller s¹ bears against the curved (or
inclined) surface e¹ of the rib or projection e on the bar or leaf a, so that the adjust-
ment of the pins or rods m² will be effected simultaneously with the raising and
lowering of the sight substantially as above described.
In the modification of my invention illustrated in Figures 15 and 16, the slides are
provided with racks geared with a pinion substantially as described with reference to
Figures 10 to 14; the link ³ and sliding bar s shown in these Figures are, however,
dispensed with, and the arm is provided with a stud or projection which bears
against the curved (or inclined) surface e¹ of the rib or projection e on the bar or leaf a.
This bar or leaf is connected by a link t¹ with a frame t, to which the telescope is
attached at its forward end by a hinge-joint as shown in Figure 18, or otherwise, and
which is to be attached in any convenient manner to the gun. The sight is, therefore,
a separate and distinct device which can be readily attached to, and detached from the
gun.
In Figure 17, I have shown a telescope-sight constructed substantially as described
with reference to Figures 15 and 16, with the exception that the bar or leaf a is
suitably curved and is coupled at a³ directly to a bracket 2 firmly attached to the gun,
so that the said bar or leaf will adapt itself to the angular changes of position of the
telescope.
2°
In the modification of my invention shown in Figure 18, the spindle r¹ of the pinion
has fixed thereon a curved arm or lever u which bears against a stud or projection t³
on the frame t so that, as the sight is raised, the spring acting upon the aforesaid
slides will draw them towards each other, and, when the sight is lowered, the said
lever u will, by means of the stud or projection 13, be caused to turn the pinion r and
thus move the said slides away from each other. I sometimes provide the lever u
with a spring which tends to keep the said lever in contact with the stud or projection t³
and assists in moving the slides towards each other when the sight is raised.
For raising and lowering the sight I sometimes provide a screw v connected with
the frame t by a link vl, to which it is secured in such a manner that it is free to
rotate about its axis. The said screw works in a nut v pivoted to the telescope-tube l,
and is provided with a milled wheel v³ for rotating it. The frame thas formed or
fixed thereon a curved guide w which extends through a bracket formed or fixed on
the tube l.
In Figures 19 and 20 I have shown an ordinary sight provided with my improved
device for locking the frame b upon the bar or leaf a and preventing its accidental
diplacement upon the said bar or leaf by vibration or otherwise, whilst allowing it
to be adjusted upon the said bar or leaf by a simple rotary movement.

page_text: I sometimes attach the sight to the gun in such a manner that it can be adjusted to
allow for deviation of the projectiles by the wind.
I do not confine myself to any special device for simultaneously effecting the
raising or lowering of the sight and the relative adjustment of the aforesaid plates or
rods or equivalent devices.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it understood that
I claim :-
First. The above described method of providing for the correct elevation or pointing
of a gun without the necessity for previously finding the range.
Second. A telescope or other sight wherein two plates, wires, pointed rods or
equivalent devices are arranged one above another and are provided with means
whereby the adjustment of the same towards and away from each other will be
effected simultaneously with the raising and lowering of the sight, as, and for the
purpose, above specified.
Third. The provision of suitable means whereby the relative adjustment of the
plates, wires or equivalent devices and of the sight may be varied to adapt the
apparatus for pointing or aiming at objects of different height, as above specified.
Fourth. The bar or leaf provided with one or more vertical ribs or projections
having curved or inclined surfaces, substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Fifth. The combination, with a telescope or other sight, of means for locking the
same in any position to which it is adjusted whilst permitting the unlocking and
adjustment thereof by a simple rotary movement, as, and for the purpose, above
specified.
Sixth. The combination, with the rack and pinion of a sight, of a lever or catch
pivoted to the axle of the pinion and acted upon by a spring which tends to keep it
in engagement with teeth or serrations on the frame or slide supporting the said
pinion, and a milled wheel fitted to rotate upon the said axle and formed with internal
cams or projections, substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Seventh. The combination, with the said pinion and rack, of a spring pawl attached
to the frame or slide which supports the said pinion and adapted to engage with teeth
or serrations on the milled wheel, with or without the means for disengaging the said
pawl, all substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Eighth. The improved apparatus consisting of the parts constructed and combined
substantially as described with reference to either of the forms or modifications shown
in the accompanying drawings for the purposes above specified.
Dated this 16th day of July 1888
Dated this 16th day of July 1888
HIRAM S. MAXIM.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.