Improvements in Sights for Firearms.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Jan., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 24th Nov., 1895-Accepted, 24th Dec., 1896
Improvements in Sights for Firearms.
A communication to me from VORSLUND KJÆR, of 3, Holbergsgade, Copenhagen,
Doctor, JOHANNES CHRISTIAN JOHANSEN, of Jens Juelsgade, Copenhagen,
Student of Medicine, and JENS ZINN, of 9, Havnegade, Copenhagen, in the
Kingdom of Denmark, Architect.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the Firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 65 and 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates to improved arrangements of sights for aiming firearms-
that is to say, to improved means for aiming in making use of the rear-sight, the
front-sight, and of similar devices in which a shining surface is produced for
facilitating the aim, independent of the illumination of the back-ground, and solely
caused by the ordinary day-light.
The arrangement chiefly consists in providing the front-sight (the notch and the
like) with a transparent or semi-transparent device, or in providing both the sights,
the rear-sight and the front-sight, with such devices.
The transparent devices may be coloured or not. To the non-coloured device is
given (for instance) the shape of a lenticular glass or lens, through which the light
penetrating from the front is concentrated and forms a ray or beam; but the shape
of a prism and the like may also be given to the non-coloured transparent devices.
The light penetrating from the front (for example from shining surfaces next to
the front-sight) causes the production of lines or surfaces of peculiar brightness,
which may then be used for the purpose of aiming.
The non-coloured transparent devices should be made use of, only when these
peculiar rays or beams are caused by the penetrating or transmitted light from the
front; thus not taking into consideration entirely transparent bodies, which (as for
instance, diamonds and crystals or the like) are arranged in such a manner, that
the resulting effect is too immediate; these bodies reflect the light penetrating from
the rear and therefore cause glittering and uneven beams or shining surfaces, which
should be prevented, when an accurate and reliable aiming is desired.
To the coloured transparent device a shape may be given similar to that for a
non-coloured device, but it is preferable to make it quite plain The light falling
upon such a device causes a bordering effect, but at the same time the colour is
reflected, when the light is generated in the rear.
The devices considered to be semi-transparent are: e.g. glass of milk-colour, or
opaque and the like.
In accordance with its proximate transparency such a glass produces peculiarly
shining beams, the lighting power of which-especially when milky glass is made
use of may be caused by the light falling directly upon it, or by that in front
penetrating it.
The nature of the material by the use of which these glasses are made semi-
transparent or transparent is unimportant.
When bodies of such qualities are used for aiming purposes, the produced
surfaces of peculiar brilliancy are entirely independent of the light in the rear
(for instance white bands of metal, surfaces of crystal and the like). The

page_text: light from the rear is available (as e.g. in shooting from casemates), and they appear
with the same accuracy-no matter whether the target is dark or bright. The
true and exact aim is therefore distinctly ascertained-it may be on a black or on
a white background.
2. When the shining surfaces are produced in the front-sight and in the rear-
sight, the aiming is accurate and reliable, both as regards the elevation as well as
the direction (see Figures 9 and 10)-quite independently of whether the back-
ground is bright or dark-but only according to the relation established between
the various shining surfaces.
3. The elevation as well as the direction in aiming firearms can be effected just
as minutely as in making use of any other means for the same purpose, (see
Figures 9 to 12).
4. When shining surfaces are produced at both sides of the front-sight it is
rendered possible to improve the accuracy and delicacy of the ordinary aiming
devices (Figure 4).
5. If the shining surface upon the front-sight is very narrow, the accuracy of
aiming is greatest.
6. The disadvantageous glittering which occurs in aiming devices having small
notches, is prevented. The sights appear much clearer than when devices with
ordinary notches are made use of.
7. The change in the lighting is scarcely of any consequence.
8. When rear-sights or notches are made use of, as shewn in Figure 13, horizontal
shining surfaces at various levels determined beforehand may serve for accurately
finding the range.
9. When front-sights are made use of, as shewn in Figure 14, horizontal shining
surfaces at certain levels may be useful for aiming the gun for various ranges,
without re-adjusting the sight.
D
EDWARDS & Co.,
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.
A communication to me from VORSLUND KJÆR, of 3, Holbergsgade, Copenhagen,
Doctor, JOHANNES CHRISTIAN JOHANSEN, of Jens Juelsgade, Copenhagen,
Student of Medicine, and JENS ZINN, of 9, Havnegade, Copenhagen, iu the
Kingdom of Denmark, Architect.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the Firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 65 and 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, 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, that is to say :-
This invention relates to improved arrangements of sights for aiming firearms-
that is to say, to improved means for aiming in making use of the rear-sight, the
front-sight, and of similar devices-in which a shining surface is produced for
facilitating the aim, independent of the illumination of the back-ground, and solely
caused by the ordinary day-light.
The arrangement chiefly consists in providing the front-sight (the notch and the

page_text: like) with a transparent or semi-transparent device, or in providing both the sights,
the rear-sight, and the front-sight, with such devices.
The transparent devices may be coloured or not. To the non-coloured device is
given (for instance) the shape of a lenticular glass or lens, through which the
light penetrating from the front is concentrated and forms a ray or beam; but the
shape of a prism and the like may also be given to the non-coloured transparent
devices. The light penetrating from the front (for example from shining surfaces
next to the front-sight) causes the production of lines or surfaces of peculiar
brightness, which may then be used for the purpose of aiming.
The non-coloured transparent devices should be made use of, only when these
peculiar rays or beams are caused by the penetrating or transmitted light from the
front; thus not taking into consideration entirely transparent bodies, which (as for
instance, diamonds and crystals or the like) are arranged in such a manner, that
the resulting effect is tco immediate; these bodies reflect the light penetrating
from the rear and therefore cause glittering and uneven beams or shining surfaces,
which should be prevented, when an accurate and reliable aiming is desired.
To the coloured transparent device a shape may be given similar to that for a
non-coloured device, but it is preferable to make it quite plain. The light falling
upon such a device causes a bordering effect, but at the same time the colour is
reflected, when the light is generated in the rear.
The devices considered to be semi-transparent are: e.g. glass of milk-colour, or
opaque and the like.
In accordance with its proximate transparency such a glass produces peculiarly
shining beams, the lighting power of which-especially when milky glass is made
use of may be caused by the light falling directly upon it, or by that in front
penetrating it.
The nature of the material by the use of which these glasses are made semi-
transparent or transparent is unimportant.
When bodies of such qualities are used for aiming purposes, the produced
surfaces of peculiar brilliancy are entirely independent of the light in the rear
(for instance white bands of metal, surfaces of crystal and the like). The
illumination of these surfaces is simultaneously caused by the transmitted or
penetrating, and by the reflected light, but is not dependent upon the lighting
power of the target or object to be aimed at (as for example rays produced by a
light shining through notches and like devices). The shining surfaces of this
invention are solely dependent on daylight and the like.
It is of course of great importance how these transparent and semi-transparent
devices are arranged, because their arrangement must be such that the peculiarly
shining surfaces are really produced,-whilst the aiming is taking place.
It is evident that the dark, or opaque, parts of the rear of the front sight, in or
on the sides of which are seen the illuminated surfaces or lines produced by means
of the semi-transparent or transparent devices, may be formed very thin from the
front to the rear, and in some cases be reduced to dark lines or surfaces upon the
glass (or the like) itself.
The figures shown in the drawings lodged with the Provisional Specification
accompanying my application for Letters Patent, and their dimensions and
proportions, only serve to illustrate (as specimens) the application and disposition
of transparent and semi-transparent devices for the purpose required.
The words "front" and "rear" are used in this specification according to
custom, intending to relatively indicate the muzzle- and breech-part of the gun to
be aimed.
Figures 1, 2, and 3 show the front sight (upon the improved aiming device) in
connection with a semi-transparent device b, shewn in back view, in top view, and
in side view respectively.
The arrangement can be modified in various manners, but the condition that the
dark mass of one sight bears upon a bright background, should always be fulfilled.
This back-ground made artificially bright need not reach to the same level as the

page_text: top of the front-sight; on the contrary, it is of greater value if it is arranged as
shown in the drawings, viz.: in such a manner that it does not quite reach to the
highest point of metal at the breech, when aiming takes place.
Figure 4, in which the shining device is indicated by b, the front-sight by a, and
the rear-sight by K represents a front view, whilst the aiming is going on.
It may
be observed, that a sufficient brightness is produced on both sides of the front-
sight, and that this brightness-depending upon the daylight-may be considered
as constant and fully independent of the illumination of the back-ground, and that
thus, the front-sight appears to be broader in the notch of the rear-sight, the rays
being more accurate and the means for aiming, taken as a whole, being more
delicate thau has heretofore ordinarily been the case.
Figure 5 is a view from the rear...
sight, and that this brightness-depending upon the daylight-may be considered
as constant and fully independent of the illumination of the back-ground, and that
thus, the front-sight appears to be broader in the notch of the rear-sight, the rays
being more accurate and the means for aiming, taken as a whole, being more
delicate than has heretofore ordinarily been the case.
Figure 5 is a view from the rear.
Figure 6 a top view,
Figure 7 a rear view,
Figure 8 a top-view,
all showing a shining surface at the bighest part of the rear-sight K or in the
highest part of a broad front-sight a, when a semi-transparent device is made use
of in a notch opening to the front. The arrangement is such that the shining
surface fills up the notch either entirely or partly-or that it slightly projects
above the notch.
Figure 9 shows an aiming device having a rear-sight in which the shining
surface appears to be of the same width as the shining surface b in the front-
sight, when aiming takes place.
Figure 10 shows an aiming device having a similar front-sight and rear-sight
whereby a is as broad as l, whilst aiming is going on.
Figure 11 a similar aiming device, but with a ball-shaped front-sight `c,
instead of a.
Figure 12 shows a rear-sight with a shining surface 1; this figure also shows an
aiming device, consisting of such a rear-sight (notch) and of a front-sight a with
the shining surface b.
Figure 13 is a back view of a rear-sight having shining surfaces at various
levels determined before-band.
Figure 14 is a back view of a front-sight having a perpendicular shining-
surface 6 and two others, crossing it at right angles, at determined levels.
When, in making use of the improved sights, aiming takes place, it may be
observed that :-
'
1. The shining surfaces appear with great accuracy, even in the case that no
light from the rear is available (as e.g. in shooting from casemates), and they
appear with the same accuracy-no matter whether the target is dark or bright.
The true and exact aim is therefore distinctly ascertained-it may be on a black
or on a white background.
2. When the shining surfaces are produced in the front-sight and in the rear-
sight, the aiming is accurate and reliable, both as regards the elevation as well as
the direction (see Figures 9 and 10)-quite independently of whether the back-
ground is bright or dark-but only according to the relation established between
the various shining surfaces.
3. The elevation as well as the direction in aiming firearms can be effected just
as minutely as in making use of any other means for the same purpose, (see
Figures 9 to 12).
4. When shining surfaces are produced at both sides of the front-sight it is
rendered possible to improve the accuracy and delicacy of the ordinary aiming
devices (Figure 4).
5. If the shining surface upon the front-sight is very narrow-the accuracy of
aiming is greatest.
6. The disadvantageous glittering which occurs in aiming devices having small
notches, is prevented. The sights appear much clearer than when devices with
ordinary notches are made use of.

page_text: 7. The change in the lighting is scarcely of any consequence.
8. When rear-sights or notches are made use of, as shown in Figure 13,
horizontal shining surfaces at various levels determined beforehand may serve
for accurately finding the range.
9. When front-sights are made use of, as shown in Figure 14, horizontal shining
surfaces at certain levels may be useful for aiming the gun for various ranges,
without re-adjusting the sight.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed; I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved means for aiming fire-arms-that is to say, the projecting
front-sight, notched rear-sight and parts connected with them-in combination
with coloured or non-coloured transparent or semi-transparent devices of any
material, the latter being arranged upon the said sights in such a manner, in the
projection or bead of the front sight or upon its sides-or in the notch of the back
sight or in other suitable positions, that peculiar shining surfaces are produced
thereby, which are entirely independent of the illumination of the back-ground,
but are solely dependent upon the daylight (for ordinary lighting), these surfaces
being used for aiming purposes, substantially in the manner described.
2. The use of transparent and semi-transparent bodies-as mentioned in the
first claim in the devices for aiming firearms, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
3. The devices for aiming fire-arms, arranged so that they receive the transparent
and semi-transparent bodies of the kind mentioned in Claim 1, substantially as
described and illustrated.
CT
1000
EDWARDS & Co.,
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.