Year: 1886

page_text: do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the construction of an improved apparatus for sighting or
aiming ordnance and the like.
With apparatus or devices as hitherto used for sighting or aiming ordnance it is
impossible to see whether the pointed end of the front sight on the muzzle of the
gun is at the right hand side or at the left hand side of the notch in the rear sight or
directly below it because the rear sight cannot be seen through, below or at the side
of the said notch and when the object aimed at is behind the body of the sight it
is concealed thereby. In darkness when the object aimed at is situated at a long
distance and consists as it frequently does only of a single light it is almost
impossible to take a correct aim with a gun notwithstanding that both the rear sight
and front sight are rendered more visible by means of lamps.
The object of my invention is to remedy the above mentioned defects and to render
aiming with guns much easier, independent of any light whatever, and also without
regard to the position of the gun or the object aimed at.
This invention consists essentially in substituting for the rear and front sights
hitherto in use for guns an arrangement of two devices placed in front of one another
and rendered partially incandescent by means of an electric current the rising figures
forming together one whole and serving to determine the line of sight.
In a suitable means for carrying out my invention I make the said devices of two
insulated platinum wires crossing each other and passing through pins fixed in a
metal ring, these wires being connected to a source of electricity by means of suitable
binding screws and wires.

page_text: One of the metal rings is firmly fixed upon the muzzle of the gun and serves for
the front sight while the other ring is arranged as a rear sight upon a slide moving
upon a gauge bar or rod. When the electric current is caused to flow through the
upper pins of one sight and through the lower pins of the other sight, the crossed
wires are partially rendered incandescent and forming opposite angles their points of
intersection can be plainly seen in both rings. Instead of employing two intersecting
wires other suitable devices may be used provided that they be accurately placed in
front of one another so that the figures made visible by the electric current form
together one whole, seen by the marksman and which at the moment of firing must
coincide with the object aimed at.
Dated the 8th day of November 1986

page_text: and the like.
I, MAX HEEREN, of Hanover, in the Empire of Germany, Doctor of Philosophy,
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 construction of an improved apparatus for sighting or
aiming ordnance and the like.
With apparatus or devices as hitherto used for sighting or aiming ordnance it is
impossible to see whether the pointed end of the front sight on the muzzle of the
gun is at the right hand side or at the left hand side of the notch in the rear sight or
directly below it because the rear sight cannot be seen through, below or at the side
of the said-notch and when the object aimed at is behind the body of the sight it
is concealed thereby. In darkness when the object aimed at is situated at a long
distance and consists as it frequently does only of a single light it is almost
impossible to take a correct aim with a gun notwithstanding that both the rear sight
and front sight are rendered more visible by means of lamps.
The object of my invention is to remedy the above mentioned defects and to render
aiming with guns much easier, independent of any light whatever, and also without
regard to the position of the gun or the object aimed at.
This invention consists essentially in substituting for the rear and front sights
hitherto in use for guns an arrangement of two devices placed in front of one another
and rendered partially incandescent by means of an electric current the two devices
when the gun
has been brought into the correct position for firing appearing to the
marksman like a single device covering the object aimed at and thereby serving to
determine the line of sight.
A. suitable moans for carrying out my invention is represented in the accompanying
drawing in which figure 1 illustrates by way of example an elevation of a device
which can with advantage serve as the front sight of my improved apparatus for
sighting or aiming ordnance and the like; figure 2 is a cross section and figure 3 an
elevation partly in section of the device which may serve as the rear sight of the same.
Similar letters in all the figures represent similar parts.
I make the said devices of two insulated platinum wires c, crossing each other and
passing through pins b, fixed in a metal ring, these wires being connected to a source
of electricity by means of suitable binding screws d, and wires e.
One of the inetal rings a, figure 1, is firmly fixed upon the muzzle of the gun and
serves for the front sight while the other ring a, figures 2 and 3, is arranged as a
rear sight upon a slide 9, moving upon a gauge bar or rod f. When the electric
current ss caused to flow through the upper pins b, of one sight and through the
lower pins b. of the other sight the crossed wires c, are partially rendered incandescent,

page_text: .
and, being placed at right angles to each other, their points of intersection can be
plainly seen in both rings. Instead of employing two intersecting wires other
suitable devices may be used provided that they be accurately placed in front of one
another so that the devices made visible by the electric current can be made to coincide
with each other and appear as a single device by the marksman when pointing
the gun the said devices at the moment of firing must also coincide with the object
aimed at.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I claim is :-
1. An improved apparatus for sighting or aining ordnance and the like consisting
of two devices formed of incandescent platinum wires, one of which devices is fixed
upon the front end and the other upon the rear end of the gun, and which, when the
gun has been brought into the correct position for firing, shall appear to the
marksman like a single device covering the object aimed at substantially as
hereinbefore described.
2. The improved apparatus for sighting or aiming ordnance and the like herein-
before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.