Firearms, air guns, crossbows, and other projectile launching devices typically use sights to align the devices with the intended targets, i.e., the intended point of impact of the projectile. Sighting systems may be classified in various ways, for example into sight systems using only mechanical structures, sight systems using basic optics components, and sight systems using electronic components along with mechanical structures, optics components, or both. This disclosure will use the term “iron sights” to refer to sighting systems using only mechanical structures, and the term “optic sights” to refer to sighting systems using optics or electronics, or both.
Within the taxonomy used in this disclosure, the term “iron sight” comprises traditional open sights and aperture sights, as well as open sights and aperture sights further comprising enhancements such as optical fiber components, radioluminescent components, paint-marked components, and similar aides to perception not using electronics or optics. In addition to sights made of iron, the term “iron sight” also comprises sights comprising or composed of materials other than iron, for example aluminum, titanium, brass, polyester, nylon, PVC, and other metal, plastic, and similar materials.
Also within the taxonomy used in this closure, the term “optic sight” comprises telescopic sights, holographic sights, reflex sights, and similar devices. The term “optic sight” comprises devices having electrical powered light emission components, such as LEDs, as well as devices having passive light emission components, such as optical fiber or radio luminescent structures, or both.
A firearm, air gun, crossbow, and other projectile launching device also typically comprises a frame or receiver that provides a housing for internal action components such as a hammer, firing pin, extractor, trigger, and bolt or breechblock mechanism. Often, a barrel or other projectile directing component is mounted to the frame or receiver. In some configurations, such as many rifles, shotguns, and revolvers, the sighting system comprises a front sight mounted proximal to the muzzle and a rear sight mounted on the frame or receiver. In some configurations, such as many pistols, both front and rear sights are mounted on a slide that reciprocates when the pistol is fired. In some configurations, front or rear sight components, or both, are mounted on accessory rails or retainers, for example a Picatinny rail, a rail interface system, or a rail integration system. Regardless of any particular sight mounting system, the discussions in this disclosure will use the term “sight receiver” to refer to a component of a firearm, air gun, crossbow, or other projectile launching device, upon which a sight component is directly or indirectly mounted. As used in this disclosure, a sight receiver may be integrally formed in a firearm component, such as a frame, receiver, or slide, or may be a separate component attached to the projectile launching device, such as a Picatinny rail.
When used in this disclosure with respect to surfaces, edges, protrusions, recesses, or other geometries, unless clearly used differently the terms “compatible” and “complementary” mean that the items are configured to abut, fit together, or otherwise engage in a way that restrains relative translation or rotation, or both, in one or more directions, for example by having matching profiles mated together. As used in this disclosure, unless clearly used differently the term “interfitting parts” shall refer to plural structures having compatible or complementary surfaces, edges, protrusions, recesses, or other geometries.
When used in this disclosure with respect or reference to a projectile launching device, unless clearly used differently the term “longitudinal” is used to refer to a direction substantially in alignment with the direction in which a projectile is ejected from a projectile launching device when the device is activated, for example by pulling a trigger. In addition, when used in this disclosure with respect or reference to a projectile launching device, unless clearly used differently the term “lateral” is used to refer to a direction that substantially deviates from the longitudinal direction, for example substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. Unless clearly used differently, the terms “up,” “upper,” “top,” “vertical,” “down,” “lower,” “bottom” and “horizontal” are used with reference to a sight system of a projectile launching device when the projectile launching device is oriented in the normal, most common position in which such device is operated by a person having ordinary or better skill using such device. For example, for a projectile launching device normally held at an angle to upright for operational use of a sight system, the terms “up,” “upper,” and “top” are oriented away from the projectile launching device, and the terms “down,” “lower,” and “bottom” are oriented toward the projectile launching device. An example would be an iron sight system mounted on a Picatinny rail of a rifle at on offset angle, with the rifle held at that angle to use the sights.
When used in this disclosure with respect to a structure or component, unless clearly used differently the correlative terms “attachable” and “detachable” indicate that such structure or component is capable of being attached or fastened to another structure or component, or correlatively detached or unfastened from another structure component, by use of fastening means such as screws, pins, detents, springs, pawls, clips, low-tack removable adhesives, compatible or complementary surfaces, and similar readily engageable and disengageable means, and the terms “fastening means” and “fasteners” shall be used in this disclosure to refer to any such items and any combination of such items. The terms “attaching” and “detaching” as used in this disclosure mean, respectively, attaching or fastening, and detaching or unfastening, structures or components that are “attachable” and “detachable.” Structures and components that are integrally formed, or that are welded, bonded with high-tack permanent adhesives (such as cyanoacrylates and epoxies), or joined with similar difficult-to-disengage means, are not “attachable” or “detachable” as those terms are used in this disclosure. In this disclosure, the term “driving means” with respect to screws or other threaded fasteners means any of the various shaped cavities and protrusions on a screw head that allow torque to be applied to a screw, including but not limited to recesses having a slot, cross, Phillips, frearson, French recess, JIS B 1012, Mortorq, Pozidriv, Supadriv, torq-set, or combination phillips/slotted shape, and also recesses or protrusions having a square, pentagonal, hex, 12-point, tri-angle, Robertson, hex socket, security hex, double-square, triple-square, XZN, 12-spline flange, double hex, torx, T & TX, security torx, TR, torx plus, Polydrive, torx ttap, line head, line head, tri-point, tri-groove, tri-wing, clutch A, clutch G, one-way, Bristol, Quadrex, pentalobular, or spanner shape. Also, in this disclosure the term “screw head” means the end of a threaded fastener comprising the driving means, which may have various shapes, including but not limited to pan head, button or dome head, round head, mushroom or truss head, countersunk or flat head, oval or raised head, bugle head, cheese head, fillister head, socket head, and which may be configured with or without flanges or shoulders or both.
Sight systems disclosed herein comprise a sight receiver and a base attachable to and detachable from a sight receiver. Various means of attaching a base to a sight receiver may be used, including one or more discrete fastening means, with or without the use of distributed interfitting parts.
A base carries a sighting component, such as an iron sight or optic sight. A sighting component may be attachably and detachably mounted to a base. Alternatively, a sighting component may be made integrally with or be permanently bonded to a base. For example, a portion of an optic sight or iron sight may be configured and function as a base. A base may carry plural sighting components. Sight systems may include plural sight receivers, bases, and/or sighting components, some or all of which may be interchangeable.
In some embodiments, interfitting structures form means to at least partially restrain or retain a base and a sight receiver in longitudinal alignment and lateral alignment when assembled together, with such structures being longitudinally oriented. In some embodiments, interfitting structures form means to at least partially restrain or retain a sighting component and a sight receiver in longitudinal alignment and lateral alignment when assembled together, with such structures being longitudinally oriented. Some embodiments provide a fastener operable with a compatible and/or complementary surface, together used as a means to urge interfitting parts together tightly.
For convenience of description, the embodiments described in this section of the disclosure are configured for use on a conventional pistol slide, but deployment of sighting systems may be similarly configured for other types of projectile launching devices and/or for use on other components of a projectile launching device, for example a frame, a receiver, or an accessory rail.
With respect to the slide embodiment shown in
As shown in
Front sight receiver 110 and rear sight receiver 120 each have generally planar surfaces forming floors. With the slide mounted to a pistol held in normal operating orientation, the normal to the front sight receiver floor 115 and the normal to rear sight receiver floors 140 and 160 would each be oriented vertically. Each, all, or some combination of floors 115, 140, and 160, however, may be non-planar and/or oriented differently. For example, any of the floors may be curvate or multifaceted, and/or be tilted front, back, to a side, or a combination thereof
In the depicted embodiment, front wall 130 is curved and generally oriented transverse to the longitudinal direction. As discussed below with respect to the embodiment depicted in
The embodiment depicted in
In the depicted embodiment, the normals to front wall 130 and back wall 150 are generally parallel to the plane of first rear sight receiver floor 140. In other embodiments, however, different orientations of either or both of the walls may be advantageous. For example, in some embodiments it may be preferred to have front wall 130 lean backwards, or back wall 150 lean forwards, so as to cooperate with a complimentarily oriented wall of a base for attachment of that base to the slide and limit vertical movement of the base with respect to the sight receiver.
In this embodiment, rear sight receiver 120 employs several means to attach and/or stabilize a base. For example, this embodiment comprises a first slot 135 disposed on one side of front wall 130 and a second slot 135 disposed on the other side of front wall 130. Each slot 135 forms a section of a cylinder cut into front wall 130 above first rear sight receiver floor 140. This configuration, arrangement, and orientation of slots 135 is preferred, as it provides stabilization of the base on both sides of the longitudinal axis of the slide. In addition, in this embodiment the tool used to cut slots 135 in front wall 130 is elevated above first rear sight receiver floor 140, thus avoiding tool marks on that floor incurred during the machining of slots 135. Also, slots 135 may be machined in this configuration with a simple keyway cutting tool. In this embodiment, raising slots 135 above first rear sight receiver floor 140 also provides a means for tightening a base in the rear sight receiver, as discussed more fully below with respect to the embodiment of
As depicted in
This embodiment uses plural tapped borings in the attachment of a base to the slide. As shown in
In this embodiment, base 210 comprises dovetail key 240. Dovetail key 240 comprises dovetail bevels 244 disposed lateral sides of the key, and dovetail key bottom 248. Dovetail key 240, bevels 244, and bottom 248 are sized and arranged complementary to front sight receiver 110. In some deployments of this embodiment, dovetail key 240 is impacted into front sight receiver 110 and held in place by a releasable adhesive, with or without the use of a set screw. Other embodiments, however, may use alternative means to attach a front sight base to a front sight receiver. For example, a front sight receiver may configured as a boring, with a front sight base comprising a threaded protrusion extended through the boring and held in place by a complementary threaded fastener, such as a nut. In yet other embodiments, a front sight base may be held in a front sight receiver by force applied by one or more set screws or similar devices. In still other embodiments, a ball detent or other form of resilient catching means may be used.
Front sight base 210, in this embodiment, uses additional elements to attach front sighting component 250 and retain it in alignment. For example, the depicted embodiment comprises pedestal 220 disposed on pedestal rim 230 above dovetail key 240. Pedestal 220 comprises top surface 222 and perimeter surface 224. Boring 226 extends longitudinally through pedestal 220, and has countersink tapers 228 at each end. Pedestal rim 230 comprises flat surface 234 and perimeter surface 238. Pedestal rim 230 is sized such that flat surface 234 provides a “shelf” like structure around the bottom of pedestal 220. Pedestal 220 and pedestal rim 230 are each elongated and oriented in the longitudinal direction.
Sighting component 250, in this embodiment, comprises base housing 255. As depicted, housing 255 is configured complementary to pedestal 220 and pedestal rim 230 to provide interfitting of those components, thus enhancing the attachment and stabilization of the sighting component to the base. For example, base housing 255 comprises upper cavity 260 and lower cavity 266. Upper cavity 260 comprises top wall 261 and side wall 262, which respectively are sized and configured to match pedestal top surface 222 and pedestal perimeter surface 224. Thus, upper cavity 260 and lower cavity 266 are each elongated and longitudinally oriented, forming interfitting parts with pedestal 220 and pedestal rim 230 respectively, and thusly providing means to at least partially restrain or retain base 210 and sighting component 250 in longitudinal alignment and lateral alignment when assembled together.
Lower cavity 266, in this embodiment, comprises shoulder surface 264 and side wall 268, which respectively are sized and configured to match pedestal rim flat surface 234 and pedestal rim perimeter surface 238. Housing 255 also comprises, as shown, tapped boring 280 oriented longitudinally. Tapped boring 280 receives set screw 282, which comprises drive means 284 (in this case a hex recess) and taper 286, which is disposed on the opposite end of set screw 282 from drive means 284.
As depicted in
When the depicted embodiment is assembled, front base 210 is attached tightly to front sight receiver 110, and sighting component 250 is firmly attached to front base 210 and securely restrained in longitudinal alignment. Upper cavity 260 and its component walls 261 and 262 fit closely to pedestal 220 and its component surfaces 222 and 224, respectively. Similarly, lower cavity 266 and its component wall 268 and shoulder surface 264 fit closely to pedestal rim 230 and its component surfaces 238 and 234, respectively. When tightened, set screw countersink taper 286 closely engages taper 228 in boring 226, thereby enhancing attachment and retention of sighting component 250 to front base 210 in longitudinal, lateral, upper, and lower directions.
As depicted, the rounded cuboid shapes of pedestal 220, pedestal rim 230, upper cavity 260, and lower cavity 266, are preferred, but other configurations may be used. For example, instead of interfitting rounded cuboid forms, the forms may generally take many other complimentary or compatible interfitting forms, such as other prism shapes (e.g., triangular, hexagonal, octagonal), cylindrical shapes, full or partial conical shapes, or semi-spherical shapes. Similarly, complementary pedestal rim flat surface 234 and lower cavity shoulder surface 264 are preferably planar and orthogonal to the adjacent walls and surfaces, but other configurations, arrangements, and/or orientations may be used in other embodiments. For example complementary shoulder surfaces may be tapered with respect to the adjacent walls and surfaces, may be curvate instead of flat, or may extend partially or intermittently around a base. In yet other embodiments, additional stabilizing and restraining means may be used, for example using complementary and compatible keys and keyways oriented around the base, which may be oriented vertically, longitudinally, laterally, or curvately.
As shown, front sight 200 uses set screw 282, boring 262, and compatible beveled or countersunk elements 284 and 244 to attach and restrain sighting component 250 to base 210. In alternate embodiments, however, another set screw may be used at the opposite end of boring 226 to increase retention. Alternatively, fastening means may be located and/or oriented in other or additional places. For example, a screw may be deployed obliquely through a sight component into a base, a pin may be disposed through both a sight component and a base (e.g., extending longitudinally, transversely, or obliquely), or a releasable adhesive may be used. In addition, interfitting structures may be used in addition to or instead of other fasteners. For example, an inwardly leaning wall inside a sight component housing may engage an outwardly leaning wall of a base to aide attachment and stabilization. In yet other embodiments, compatible dovetails may be deployed in the base and sighting component.
The embodiment of a sight system depicted in
As illustrated, base 310 comprises rear base body 320. Depicted rear base body 320 comprises front face 322, first bottom surface 324, rear face 326, and second bottom surface 328, which respectively are configured to be compatible and complementary with front wall 130, first rear sight receiver floor 140, back wall 150, and second rear sight receiver floor 160, of slide 100. Bevel surface 332, however, meets front face 322 and first bottom surface 324 at obtuse angles, so that the lower portion of front wall 130 and the front portion of first rear sight receiver floor 140 have no directly adjacent counterparts on rear base body 320. Nevertheless, substantial portions rear base body 320 match corresponding portions of rear sight receiver 120, which is sufficient to render those parts interfitting. Thus, front face 322 has curvature and orientation substantially similar to front wall 130, first bottom surface 324 and second bottom surface 328 have substantially planar surfaces similar to first rear sight receiver floor 140 and second rear sight receiver floor 160, and rear face 326 is substantially planar similar to back wall 150. Similarly as described above with respect to rear sight receiver 120, though, front face 322, first bottom surface 324, rear face 326, and second bottom surface 328 may have different shapes, configurations, arrangements, and/or orientations, but preferably the surfaces on a base body and the surfaces on a sight receiver that are closely adjacent will be compatible and complementary. Preferably, the tolerances of the interface of front face 322 to front wall 130 and the interface of rear face 326 to back wall 150 are tight enough to substantially reduce or eliminate longitudinal translation and rotation of rear base 310 with respect to rear sight receiver 120.
As illustrated, rear base body 320 comprises dovetail slot 336 sized, arranged, and oriented to accommodate dovetail key 346 on sighting component body 342 of sighting component 340. Preferably, dovetail key 346 is impacted into dovetail slot 336 and held in place by a releasable adhesive. Optionally, a set screw may be used to augment or provide retention of sighting component body 342 in place on rear base body 320, for example similar to screw 745 depicted in
Rear base body 320 depicted in
In the depicted embodiment, rear base body 320 also comprises tenon 334. The depicted tenon 334 forms a rounded cuboid elongated along the longitudinal direction and centered in the middle of rear base body 320. In this embodiment, tenon 334 is sized, located, and oriented to be compatible and complementary with mortise 144 of rear sight receiver 120 when base 310 is installed in rear sight receiver 120. Preferably, the sizing tolerances of tenon 334 and mortise 144 are tight enough to substantially reduce any lateral translation and any rotation of rear base 310 with respect to rear sight receiver 120. Preferably the length of tenon 334 closely matches the length of mortise 144 to further reduce any longitudinal translation of the parts, but this tolerance may readily be compensated by the interface of front face 322 to front wall 130, along with the interface of rear face 326 to back wall 150. Preferably, the height of tenon 334 closely matches the depth of mortise 144, but in applications where vibration may be a concern, the height of tenon 334 may be less than the depth of mortise 144 so as to accommodate a dampening agent (such as grease, foam, or an elastomeric compound) to fill the void between the bottom of mortise 144 in the bottom of tenon 334 when base 310 is assembled with sight receiver 120. As an alternative to having tenon 334 integral with rear base body 320, a tenon may be formed as a separate, independent element, with corresponding mortises machined in both rear sight receiver 120 and rear base body 320. In this embodiment, tenon 334 and mortise 144 are interfitting structures forming means to at least partially restrain or retain base 310 and sight receiver 210 in longitudinal alignment and lateral alignment when assembled together, with tenon 334 and mortise 144 being longitudinally oriented.
The downward forces against tops 331 of juts 330 imposed by tops 136 of slots 135 impose first moments about intersection line 333 in a first direction, and that the downward forces against base body 320 at the locations of borings 337 impose second moments about intersection line 333 in a second direction, and that the directions of the first moments are substantially opposite the directions of the second moments. These moments and the resulting stresses and strains imposed in base body 320 enhance the attachment and stabilization of base body 320 with rear sight receiver 120, for example by reducing translations and rotations of base body 320 with respect to rear sight receiver 120 and by reducing vibration of base body 320 caused by the reciprocation of slide 100.
To accomplish the above-described optional method of attaching and stabilizing base 310 with sight receiver 120, the height of tops 136 of slots 135 above first rear sight receiver floor 140 are slightly shorter than the height of corresponding tops 331 of juts 330 above the plane in which first bottom surface 324 lies. The differences in heights preferably are calibrated to the modulus of elasticity of base body 320, with a material having a higher modulus requiring less height difference compared to a material having a lower modulus. As an alternative to this optional method, embodiments may rely on tight tolerances of interfitting parts, releasable adhesives, elastomeric dampening components, and/or other means. Regardless of whether this optional method is used, the lower edge of rear face 326 and the upper edge of back wall 150, or both, may be round or chamfered to provide additional clearance of those edges when base 310 is rotated into rear sight receiver 120 thus enabling the use of a closer fit of back wall 150 with rear face 326.
In the depicted embodiment, the top external surfaces of rear base body 320 are contoured to match the adjacent surfaces of slide 100 and provide smooth transitions between those adjacent external surfaces.
In the depicted embodiment base 410 comprises base body 420. As shown, base body 420 comprises base top surface 421. In this example, bottom surface 452 of second sighting component 450 is substantially planar. Accordingly, base top surface 421 is preferably configured to be substantially planar and the sized compatibly and complimentarily with bottom surface 452. In other embodiments, base top surface 421 may have other configurations, arrangements, and orientations, but preferably still would be compatible and complementary with the bottom surface of the sighting component used in those embodiments.
In this embodiment, top surface 421 further comprises recess 423, pin borings 438, threaded boring 439, through boring 437, and dovetail slot 436, each configured, arranged, and oriented as depicted in
Pin borings 438, in this embodiment, are oriented and arranged to be adjacent to pin holes 453 in bottom surface 452 of sighting component 450 when sighting component 450 is attached to base body 420. Preferably, pin borings 438 and pin holes 453 are substantially cylindrical, and are substantially collinear when sighting component 450 is attached to base 410. In this embodiment, the ends 491 of pins 490 configured for insertion in pin holes 453 have a diameter larger than the diameter of the ends 492 of pins 490 configured for insertion in pin borings 438, with the transition between the two sizes forming a planar disk supported on base top surface 421 when the pin is inserted in base top surface 421, for example as shown in
In this example, threaded borings 439 are oriented and arranged to be adjacent to fastener through holes 454 of sighting component 450 when it is attached to base body 420. As shown, threaded borings 439 preferably extend through base body 420, primarily for ease of tapping the threads during manufacture, but blind threaded borings may be used in other embodiments. When sighting component 450 is attached to base body 420, screws 499 extend through holes 454 in sighting component 450 and thread into threaded borings 439. As shown, screws 499 have a hex drive in a countersunk head, but other driving means and screw heads may be used in other embodiments.
Through borings 437 of this embodiment extends through base body 420 and comprise upper and lower portions. The upper portions of through borings 437 have diameters larger than the diameters of the lower portions of through borings 437, with a planar disk formed at the junction of the upper portions and lower portions. The upper portions of through borings 437 are sized to fully accommodate the heads of screw screws 495, thus allow clearance of base top surface 421 without interference with the mounting of a sighting component 450 on base body 420. As shown, screws 495 are hex headed socket screws, but other driving means and screw heads may be used in other embodiments, perhaps with appropriate accommodations the configuration of through borings 437 to accommodate the selected screw head type. For example, if a countersunk screw head is selected, the transition between the upper portions of the through borings and the lower portions of the through borings may be tapered complimentarily to the configuration of the countersunk head.
As depicted, first sighting component 440 is attached to base body 420 by means of dovetail slot 436. The descriptions of the configuration, arrangement, orientation, and attachment of sighting component 340 provided above with respect to the embodiment of
Base body 420 of this embodiment further comprises front face 422, first bottom surface 424, rear face 426, second bottom surface 428, juts 430, bevel surface 432, intersection line 433, and tenon 434. The description provided above with respect to the embodiment of
Sighting component 550, in this embodiment, comprises integral base 510 that in turn comprises base body 520, and front face 522, bottom 524, pin borings 525, rear face 526, and through borings 537 formed in base body 520. Integral base 510 may be made integrally with sighting component body 551, or as in this embodiment be bonded to sighting component body 551, for example using high-tack or permanent adhesives, welding, riveting, or other non-detachable meets. Front face 522 and rear face 526 preferably are configured, arrange, and oriented to be compatible and complementary with front wall 130 and back wall 150, respectively, thereby providing a substantially tight fit to help reduce translation and rotation of base 510 about sight receiver floor 140. Bottom 524 preferably is configured, arrange, and oriented to be compatible or complementary with sight receiver floor 140 to help reduce vibration of base 510 and mitigate any potential bending or warping of base 510. For example, in the depicted embodiment base 510 is substantially planar to interfit with substantially planar sight receiver floor 140. As discussed above with other embodiments, however, a front face, bottom, and/or rear face of a base may be configured, arrange, and/or oriented in other ways.
As depicted, pin borings 525 and through borings 537 are configured and arranged to be oriented substantially adjacent to pin holes 148 and tapped holes 146 of sight receiver 120, respectively. Preferably pin borings 525 and through borings 537 are substantially perpendicular to base body 520, but other orientations may be used, and in fact, may be preferable in different embodiments. In the depicted embodiment, through borings 537 continue the passage created in sighting component body 551 by through holes 554, which preferably are formed collinearly with through borings 537.
In this embodiment, sighting component 550 is attached to sight receiver 120 using screws 598, securing both sighting component 550 and its integral base 510. Two screws 598 are used, arranged laterally with one on each side of the longitudinal axis, but other embodiments may deploy a different quantity of screws and/or a different configuration, arrangement, and/or orientation of screws. For example, an embodiment may use four screws, for example arranged in a rectangular pattern on the base, or use three screws, for example arranged in a triangular pattern on the base. Screws 598 are disposed through holes 554 in sighting component body 551 and threaded into tapped holes 146.
This embodiment also uses pins 590 to stabilize the attachment of sighting component 550 to sight receiver 120, helping to mitigate translation and rotation of base 510 about sight receiver floor 140. Two pins 590 are used, arranged laterally with one on each side of the longitudinal axis, but other embodiments may deploy a different quantity of pins and/or a different configuration, arrangement, and/or orientation screws. For example, an embodiment may use four pins, for example arranged in a rectangular pattern on the base, or use three pins, for example arranged in a triangular pattern on the base. In this embodiment, each of pins 590 is dual-sized, with large-diameter end 591 disposed in a pin boring 525 and small-diameter end 592 disposed in a pin hole 148 when sighting component 550 is attached to sight receiver 120. Dual-sized cylindrical pins are used in this embodiment for the reasons discussed above with respect to pins 490, which will not be repeated here, but other embodiments may use alternatives as discussed above with respect to pins 490.
Sighting component body 551 as depicted comprises rear face 555 disposed at the longitudinal end of sighting component 550 opposite the muzzle or projectile ejection end of the projectile launching device. In this embodiment, rear face 555 comprises a generally planar surface having a normal substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. Auxiliary sight mount 560 is configured in rear face 555. In this embodiment, auxiliary sight mount 560 comprises a rectangular channel oriented vertically along the vertical centerline of rear face 555. Each side of the channel comprises vertically-oriented groove 562 located at the bottom of the channel and forming flange 561 on rear face 555. Accordingly, the channel forming auxiliary sight mount 560 has a “T” shaped cross-section in a horizontal plane, as visible from above in
Depicted sighting component 540 comprises body 542 and mounting base 545. Body 542 in turn comprises a grip enhancement 541 formed in this embodiment as a flute, a bottom surface 543 formed in this embodiment as substantially planar and oriented substantially parallelly with base bottom 524, and sighting notch 544.
Mounting base 545, in this embodiment, is disposed longitudinally to the front of body 542. In this embodiment, base 545 is formed integrally with body 542, but in other embodiments may be attachable to body 542 (for example using fasteners) or be non-detachably bonded to body 542 (for example using high-tack or permanent adhesives, or welding). Mounting base 545 as depicted is formed as a rectangular cuboid oriented with top and bottom surfaces disposed horizontally and side surfaces disposed vertically. A rectangular groove 547 is formed on each vertical side face adjacent to body 542, thus forming vertical flanges 546 on each side of mounting base 545. The flanges 546 are configured, arranged, and oriented to fit grooves 562 in sighting component 550 when second sighting component 540 is attached to first sighting component 550. Correspondingly, flanges 561 of sighting component 550 are configured, arranged, and oriented to fit grooves 547 in mounting base 545 when second sighting component 540 is attached to first sighting component 550. As discussed above with respect to auxiliary sight mount 560, different configurations, arrangements, and/or orientations of a mounting base may be used in different embodiments, but preferably the elements of the mounting base will be configured, arranged, and oriented to be compatible and complementary with the elements of the auxiliary sight mount, thus forming interfitting parts.
As shown, the mounting base 545 further comprises a rectangular front face oriented vertically and located on the end of mounting base 545 that is longitudinally opposite body 542. When sighting component 540 is attached to sighting component 550, rear face 555 is substantially parallel to the front face of mounting base 545. In this embodiment, the front face comprises channel 548 configured as a flute extending horizontally across the entire front face of mounting base 545. The depicted channel 548 comprises flare 549 at each end of channel 548, which has the form of a side of a truncated cone. Although channel 548 extends entirely across the front face of mounting base 545, other embodiments may be configured, arranged, and/or oriented in other ways. For example, an embodiment may comprise a channel disposed on one side of the face and a channel disposed on the other side of the face, each of which only extends partially across the face and does not meet the other. Alternatively, an embodiment may have no channel, but simply have two flares, one on each side of the face, for example having a conical surface, a frustoconical surface, or a frustoconical surface terminated in a partial spherical surface. In yet other embodiments, a boring may be used instead of a channel, with outer ends having countersink surfaces providing the flares. Other, less preferred, embodiments may have no flares or bevel set screw ends, or both, and simply rely on the lateral forces of the set screws against the mounting base to restrain movement of the mounting base in the sighting component. Manufacturing economy and efficiency may play a role in the selection of the particular configuration, arrangement, and/or orientation of flares and channels, provided the selection serves as a sufficient means for attaching sighting component 540 to sighting component 550, as described in more detail below.
In this embodiment, second sighting component 540 is attached to first sighting component 550 using auxiliary sight mount 560 and mounting base 545. Because the pairs of grooves 547 and flanges 561 and the pairs of grooves 562 and flanges 546 are configured as interfitting parts, when each of those pairs are correctly engaged, sighting component 540 may slide vertically down the back of sighting component 550 adjacent to rear face 555. The engagement of grooves 547 with flanges 561 and the engagement of grooves 562 with flanges 546 substantially limits lateral and longitudinal displacement of sighting component 540 and rotation of sighting component 540 around the longitudinal and lateral directions. Machining tolerances combined with the preference for easy detachability of sighting component 540, however, prevent the elimination of all translation and rotation of sighting component 540 by grooves 547, flanges 561, grooves 562, and flanges 546 alone.
To enhance the attachment and stabilization of sighting component 540 with sighting component 550, this embodiment uses set screws 563 disposed in tapped holes 566. A set screw 563 and its corresponding tapped hole 566 are disposed on each side of body 551, with tapped hole 566 oriented horizontally in a lateral direction, preferably orthogonally, and with each tapped hole 566 being collinear. In a preferred method of attaching sighting component 540 to sighting component 550, mounting base 545 slides down rear face 555 while engaged with auxiliary sight mount 560 until bottom surface 543 contacts second rear sight receiver floor 160. Then, set screws 563 are threaded into holes 565 until set screw beveled ends 564 engage flares 549. Preferably, in this position the centerline of channel 548 is slightly above and slightly forward (longitudinally) the collinear central axes of holes 565. Accordingly, as set screws 563 are tightened, beveled ends 564 exert forces having downward vertical components on the lower portions of channel flares 549 and rearward (longitudinally) components on the side portions of channel flares 549. The downward force components tighten the interface of bottom surface 543 against second rear sight receiver floor 160, and the rearward force components tighten the engagement of the inner sides of flanges 546 against the corresponding inner sides of flanges 561. Alternatively, in other embodiments, set screws, set screw holes, and flarings may be configured, arranged, and/or oriented to impose only a longitudinal force, only a vertical force, or no longitudinal and vertical force (in which case the beveled ends of the set screws engage the flares to simply resist relative vertical movement of the sighting components). In the depicted embodiment, however, set screws 563 with beveled ends 564 operate together with compatible and complementary flares 549 as a means to urge bottom surface 543 and floor 160 together tightly, and to urge flanges 546 and flanges 561 together tightly.
If mounting base 545 is made of a soft material, such as aluminum, strong tightening of set screws 563 may somewhat deform flanges 546, perhaps making removal of second sighting component 540 difficult. Accordingly, grip enhancements 541 are provided in this embodiment to aide with detachment of sighting component 540 from sighting component 550. As shown, each grip enhancement 541 comprises a single flute oriented horizontally across a lateral side of body 542, and thus oriented longitudinally. Optionally, one or more additional flutes may be provided, for example oriented parallel to grip enhancement 541. In other embodiments, grip enhancements may be formed in different configurations, arrangements, and/or orientations. For example, a grip enhancement may be formed as one or more grooves having triangular or rectangular cross-sections, or may be formed as a knurling or a checkering.
In this embodiment, channel 635 extends around tenon 634. The bottom of channel 635 is substantially planar and parallel to bottom surface 624 and the lower surface of tenon 634, which also are substantially planar and parallel. Channel 635 provides several advantages in this embodiment, and may provide one or more similar advantages in other embodiments including the other embodiments described in this disclosure. For example, if the manufacture of base 610 is performed using machine tool, forming channel 635 during the formation of tenon 634 may help avoid tool marks on bottom surface 624, resulting in a flatter, more consistent surface of bottom surface 624. In addition, channel 635 removes material from and thus lightens base 610. A lighter base 610 may be advantageous in various applications, including such as placement of base 610 on a reciprocating component such a slide 100. In addition, using channel 635 may reduce vibration of base 610, which may be enhanced by packing channel 635 with grease, foam, caulk, or other elastomeric compound prior to attaching base body 620 to rear sight receiver 120.
Sighting component 640 is adjustable in this embodiment, allowing adjustment of both elevation and windage of sighting notch 644. Sighting component 640 comprises leaf 641, body 642, leaf pins 643, sighting notch 644, leaf screw 645, spring 646, tapped boring 647, windage block 648, and windage adjustment screw 649. Base body 620 may also be considered to be part of sighting component 640, in which case the base will be considered as integral with the sighting component such as in the embodiment depicted in
In this embodiment, leaf 641 is elongated in the longitudinal direction and is formed with substantially flat upper and lower surfaces. As shown in
Windage adjustments are accomplished in this embodiment by lateral movement of body 642 and sighting notch 644. As shown, body 642 comprises windage block 648, which extends into a lateral slot at the end of leaf 641. Windage block 648 comprises a threaded boring that extends laterally. Windage screw 649 extends laterally through the slot and through the threaded boring of windage block 648, and is captured to prevent movements with respect to leaf 641 except rotation about the longitudinal axis of windage screw 649. Accordingly, by rotating windage adjustment screw 649 in one direction, block 648 on body 642 and sighting notch 644 on body 642 are moved laterally in one direction, and by rotating windage adjustment screw 649 in the other direction, block 648 on body 642 and sighting notch 644 on body 642 are moved laterally in the other direction. In this way, sighting notch 644 may be moved laterally with respect to front sight blade 270, allowing the projectile launching device operator to compensate for wind effects on the trajectory of an ejected projectile.
As depicted in
In this embodiment, sighting component 740 comprises body 742, sighting notch 744 disposed on body 742, dovetail key 746, through hole 747, set screw 745, and set screw tapped hole 748. As shown best in
As shown, sighting component 740 is attached to base 720 by means of interfitting dovetail key 746 and dovetail slot 736. In addition, once sighting component 740 has been positioned correctly in base 720, attachment is enhanced by tightening set screw 745 in tapped hole 748, causing the end of set screw head 745 to exert a downward against the floor of dovetail slot 736, with resultant upward forces of the edges of dovetail key 746 against the edges of dovetail slot 736. Preferably, attachment of sighting component 740 to base 720 is enhanced by using a releasable adhesive in slot 736.
Dovetail slot 736 is disposed deep into body 720, compared to the disposition of dovetail slots 336 and 446 into sight bodies 320 and 420, respectively, as depicted in
In this embodiment, attachment of base 710 to rear sight receiver 120 may generally proceed substantially as discussed above with respect to the embodiment of
In embodiments where body 720 is made of aluminum or other material with a lower modulus of elasticity, the use of elastomeric or otherwise resilient mounting pads is preferred. When body 720 of the embodiment depicted in
During assembly of the depicted embodiment, following rotation of base body 720 about intersection line 733 until second rear bottom surface 728 abuts second rear sight receiver floor 160, the longitudinal rear end of base 710 is attached to sight receiver 120 by a single screw 795. As shown, screw 795 comprises a head comprising flat circular top 793, frustoconical side 794, base surface 796, and threaded shank 797. As shown base surface 796 is substantially planar and oriented substantially parallel to top 793 and substantially orthogonal to the central axis of threaded shank 797. Base body 720 comprises a through boring 737, comprising an upper inner surface having countersink portion 735 compatible and complementary with frustoconical side 794, planar shoulder portion 738 compatible with planar base surface 796, and shank portion 739 sized to accept shank 748 without interference. With base body 720 in final position, screw 795 is inserted into boring 737 until threaded shank 797 first engages the threads of tapped hole 166, and then rotated to thread shank 797 into hole 166 until base surface 796 contacts shoulder portion 738 and side surface 794 contacts countersink portion 735. Screw 795 is then tightened to specification. When screw 795 is tightened, the contact of base surface 796 with shoulder portion 738 enhances vertical force applied downward against body 720, while still allowing the contact of frustoconical head side surface 794 with countersink portion 735 to exert even radially directed forces to enhance lateral and longitudinal stabilization of the attachment of base 710 to sight receiver 120.
In this embodiment, when screw 795 is tightened to specification, screw top surface 793 is below the top surface of base 720, allowing clearance for sighting component 740 to slide laterally in dovetail slot 736 without interference with screw 795. When sighting component 740 is attached in final position, the driving means of screw 795 disposed on top surface 793 may be accessed through hole 747 for attachment or detachment of base 710 to sight receiver 120. Preferably, the diameter of the through hole 747 is smaller than the outer diameter of the head top surface 793. In that way, screw 795 becomes captured in boring 737 but still operable through hole 747. By capturing screw 795 in boring 737, use of this embodiment in a sight system having multiple, interchangeable sighting components becomes more convenient because screw 795 will not be lost or misplaced during interchange.
This embodiment has an additional benefit of partially hiding the head of screw 795 by using a smaller boring 747 to access the drive means of screw 795. In this embodiment, the head of screw 795 is somewhat further hidden by having access hole 747 recessed and disposed in the area created by the protrusions forming sighting notch 744. As screw 795 is the only operable means of attaching base 710 to sight receiver 120, the aesthetics of base 710 will be improved for projectile launching device operators that prefer an appearance uncluttered by exposed fasteners.
Base body 820 of this embodiment further comprises front face 822, first bottom surface 824, rear face 826, second bottom surface 828, juts 830, bevel surface 832, intersection line 833, tenon 834, dovetail slot 836, second sighting component 840, second sighting component body 842, sighting notch 844, and dovetail key 846. The description provided above with respect to the embodiment of
As depicted, sighting component 850 comprises body 851, bottom surface 852, pin hole 853, through hole 854, rear face 855, and rear face protrusion 856. This bottom surface 852 preferably is substantially planar with a normal substantially vertical when sighting component 850 is attached to sight receiver 120. Bottom surface 852 comprises blind pinholes 853 configured to receive large end 891 of pin 890. Body 851 comprises through holes 852 extending completely through body 851 and oriented substantially vertically, configured to receive screws 899 attaching sighting component 850 and base 810 to sight receiver 120.
In this embodiment, base body 820 further comprises top surface 821, top front internal face 823, top rear internal face 827, and top rear internal face recess 829. Preferably, top surface 821, rear face 827, recess 829, and front face 823 are configured, arranged, and oriented to be compatible and complementary, respectively, to bottom surface 852, rear face 855, rear face protrusion 856, and the front lower portion of sighting component body 851. Thus, these structures become interfitting parts, and may substantially reduce translations and rotations of sighting component 850 with respect to base body 820. That reduction of translations and rotations helps enhance the attachment and stability of sighting component 850 when installed on base body 820. The depicted configuration, arrangement, and orientation of these elements is preferred, but other embodiments may use different configurations, arrangements, and orientations.
A pair of screws 899 are used in this embodiment to attach sighting component 850 and base body 820 to sight receiver 120, passing through holes 854 in sighting component 850 and borings 837 in base body 820. In addition, attachment and stabilization of sighting component 850 to base body 820, and base body 820 to sight receiver 120, are enhanced by the use of two dual-sized pins 890. Preferably, pin borings 825, pin holes 853, and pin holes 148 are substantially cylindrical, are substantially normal to sight receiver floor 140 and base surfaces 821 and 824, and are substantially collinear when sighting component 850 is attached to base 810 and base 810 is attached to sight receiver 120. In this embodiment, the ends 891 of pins 890 configured for insertion in pin holes 853 have a diameter larger than the diameter of the ends 892 of pins 890 configured for insertion in pin borings 825 and pin hole 148. In each pin 890, the transition between the two sizes forms a planar disk supported on top surface 821 of base body 820 when that pin is inserted in base top surface 821, for example as shown in
The use of dual sized pins is optional, but in this embodiment and others may enhance the restraint of sighting component 850 against translation and rotation about base top surface 821 by providing a flat surface at the transition in size between ends 891 and 892 that rests on flat base top surface 821, thus reducing tilting of pin 890 that might otherwise result from slight differences in the diameters of pin ends 892 and pin borings 825 that may result from even relatively tight manufacturing tolerances.
The additional advantages of dual-sized pins and the various alternative embodiments discussed above with respect to the embodiment of
A full sighting system comprising multiple interchangeable individual sighting systems, for example some or all of the sighting component embodiments described in this disclosure, may enhance the utility of a projectile launching device. Preferably, interchanging individual sighting systems on a projectile launching device will be facilitated by using as few fasteners as possible, thus simplifying the interchange of components. For example, the individual sighting system embodiments described in this disclosure require no more than two fasteners to attach and detach the sighting system to the sight receiver. By providing both front and rear interchangeable sight systems, a wider variety of individual sighting components may be used in the full sighting system. To improve aesthetics in a sight system comprising multiple interchangeable individual sighting systems, aesthetics may be improved by contouring the outer surfaces of each of the sight bases to match the outer surfaces of the projectile launching device proximate to the sight receiver.
A full sighting system comprising multiple interchangeable individual sighting systems may be deployed, for example using all of the sighting component embodiments described in this disclosure. In a preferred way of producing such a full sighting system, the main sighting component is selected from the group of individual sighting systems to be deployed. A preferred way of selecting the main sighting component is to choose the sighting component with the largest footprint and/or with other advantageous features, such as a means for mounting an additional sighting component. For example, sighting component 550 has as large or a larger footprint than the other sighting components described in this disclosure, and also has means for mounting second sighting component 540. In this example, that selection is depicted in
In this example, after selecting the main sighting component and configuring a sight receiver for attachment of the main sighting component (either directly or indirectly using a separate base), the other individual system systems to be used, for example as depicted in
For various of those individual sighting system embodiments, it may preferable to use a different front sighting component, which may readily be accomplished by using the front sighting system depicted in
An individual sighting system may comprise plural sighting components attached, directly or indirectly, to the same base, for example as discussed above with respect to the embodiments of
In many embodiments, for example as variously and exemplarily described above, interfitting structures form means to at least partially restrain or retain a base and a sight receiver, or a sighting component and a sight receiver, in longitudinal alignment and lateral alignment when assembled together, with such structures being longitudinally oriented. Some examples of such interfitting structures are described above, such as tenon 334 together with mortise 144, tenon 434 together with mortise 144, tenon 634 together with mortise 144, tenon 734 together with mortise 144, tenon 834 together with mortise 144, and the combination of upper cavity 260 and lower cavity 266 together with the combination of pedestal 220 and pedestal rim 230. In preferred embodiments, for example as depicted above, the interfitting parts extend longitudinally a substantial length of the respective base or sighting component and the sight receiver, preferably more than half of the longitudinal length of the interface between the base or sighting component and the sight receiver. By having the interfitting parts extend longitudinally a substantial length of the respective base or sighting component and the sight receiver, in various embodiments the stability of the longitudinal alignment and lateral alignment of the interfitting structures may be increased. In preferred embodiments, for example as depicted above, the interfitting parts comprise a single male structure and single female structure, such as the single tenons and single mortices of
After appreciating this disclosure, those of skill in the art will recognize that the steps of the various methods, processes, and other techniques disclosed herein need not be performed in any particular order, unless otherwise expressly stated or logically necessary to satisfy expressly stated conditions. In addition, after appreciating this disclosure, those skilled in the art will recognize that other embodiments may have a variety of different forms of devices and systems, and that various changes, substitutions, and alterations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. The described embodiments are illustrative only and are not restrictive, and the scope of this disclosure is defined solely by the following claims and any further claims in this application or any application claiming priority to this application.
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/189,052 filed on Mar. 1, 2021. This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/983,986 filed Mar. 2, 2020, through copending U.S. application Ser. No. 17/189,052. Application Ser. No. 17/189,052 and application Ser. No. 62/983,986 are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62983986 | Mar 2020 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 17189052 | Mar 2021 | US |
Child | 17958628 | US |