Ordnance – Mounts
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-25
2001-09-18
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3641)
Ordnance
Mounts
C089S037040, C042S111000, C042S079000, C033S231000, C033S277000, C033S277000, C033S277000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06289782
ABSTRACT:
ORIGIN OF THE INVENTION
The invention described herein was made in the performance of official duties by an employee of the Department of the Navy and may be manufactured, used, licensed by or for the Government for any governmental purpose without payment of any royalties thereon.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to gun aiming devices, and more particularly to a system for aligning and retaining a spotting rifle barrel.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Spotting rifles are used to determine range to a target. In general, the spotting rifle is set for a specific range and a tracer or burning round is fired to see if the selected range was accurate. If not, corrections are made until the correct range is achieved. Frequently, a spotting rifle is coupled to another launching device. That is, the spotting rifle is used to select the range for the launching device. Accordingly, it is desirable to align the boresight of the spotting rifle with that of the launching device. The advent of the ballistically matched spotting round has greatly reduced the difficulty and time required to align the spotting round impact with the launching device's round. However, it. is still necessary to accurately align the spotting rifle barrel with the launching device.
A preferred solution to this problem is to adjust the barrel of the spotting rifle without having to relocate the entire spotting rifle in relation to the main launch tube or rifle. One such spotting rifle barrel alignment mechanism is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,546 in which the breech end of the spotting rifle barrel floats in a seat where it engages the spotting rifle's receiver housing. The spotting rifle barrel is clamped at its muzzle end to a bracket depending from the muzzle of the launch tube. When a spotting round is fired, inertia of the round moving towards the muzzle end of the spotting rifle barrel tends to drive the spotting rifle barrel out of its floating breech end seat in the receiver housing. Once out of its breech end seat, the spotting rifle barrel tends to lose its boresight. Further, because the muzzle end of the spotting rifle barrel is clamped to the muzzle of the launch tube, the inertia of the round causes the launch tube to bow slightly as forces generated by the movement of the spotting rifle barrel are transferred to the muzzle of the launch tube. This is especially true when the launch tube is made from a material such as fiberglass.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system that can align and retain a spotting rifle barrel.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a spotting rifle barrel alignment system that retains its boresight upon the firing of a spotting round.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a spotting rifle barrel alignment and retaining system that prevents bowing of a launch tube to which the spotting rifle barrel is coupled.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious hereinafter in the specification and drawings.
In accordance with the present invention, a system aligns and retains a spotting rifle barrel relative to a launch tube and a spotting rifle receiver housing. A first annular lug is coupled to an outer portion of a breech end of the spotting rifle barrel. A second annular lug is coupled to an inner portion of the spotting rifle receiver housing. The spotting rifle barrel extends through the second annular lug so that a forward end of the first annular lug abuts an aft end of the second annular lug. The forward end of the first annular lug and the aft end of the second annular lug meet at a complementary radius of curvature. Further, means are provided to retain the forward end of the first annular lug in an abutting relationship with the aft end of the second annular lug. A boresight adjustment assembly depends from a muzzle of the launch tube and contacts a muzzle end of the spotting rifle barrel. The boresight adjustment assembly adjusts the boresight of the spotting rifle barrel while allowing for axial movement relative thereto.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2333514 (1943-11-01), Beresky
patent: 2645855 (1953-07-01), Ivy
patent: 2949825 (1960-08-01), Musser et al.
patent: 3098410 (1963-07-01), Giza
patent: 3476349 (1969-11-01), Smith
patent: 4212109 (1980-07-01), Snyder
patent: 4739559 (1988-04-01), Hohensee et al.
patent: 4791748 (1988-12-01), Leskinen
patent: 5092071 (1992-03-01), Moore
patent: 5355609 (1994-10-01), Schenke
patent: 5363559 (1994-11-01), McCarty
patent: 5428915 (1995-07-01), King
patent: 5531040 (1996-07-01), Moore
patent: 5657546 (1997-08-01), Canaday
patent: 5706599 (1998-01-01), Knight
patent: 5771595 (1998-06-01), Bell
patent: 6115952 (2000-09-01), Rigler
Bechtel, Esq. James B.
Bergen, Esq. Peter J. Van
Chambers Troy
Jordan Charles T.
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of
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