Firearms – Implements – Sight devices
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-28
2001-11-06
Carone, Michael J. (Department: 3641)
Firearms
Implements
Sight devices
C042S119000, C042S111000, C089S200000, C089S201000, C089S202000, C089S203000, C089S204000, C089S205000, C089S206000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06311424
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The invention relates to a telescope apparatus and system for use on rifles and other weapons, together with related devices.
PRIOR ART
Conventional telescopes for rifles and other weapons consist of a single long tube containing optics which magnify and display an image of a target by means of a forward objective lens and a rear viewing lens systems situated over the top centerline of the weapon. In this configuration, a user has to position his head against the weapon and generally has to use the eye closest to the weapon whether or not that eye is adequate for the purpose of viewing through the telescope, or alternatively to hold the weapon in an unnatural position.
When sighting through a conventional telescope on a rifle, the user has to “cock” and hold his head firmly against the weapon in order to view through the telescope, by bending the neck and head towards the weapon and moving the head down so that the image is focused through the optics system without distortion at a particular distance from the viewing lens to the retina of the eye. Due to the nature of the construction of conventional telescopes, a user has to simultaneously align the weapon and telescope, and his neck, head and eye, so the image of the target is fully round and in focus with the reticle (cross-hairs), without distortion of the image through the optics system and without interference or impingement on the image by internal portions of the telescope. Thus a person may have to assume an unnatural position, with movements of neck, head, eyes and body, and movements of the weapon, more so to accommodate use of the telescope and weapon when a person has diminished sight of one eye and/or diminished movements of the head and/or neck, particularly an eye closest to the weapon when held naturally by a person. (For example, a right handed person with impaired vision in the right eye).
Using a conventional telescope when firing a weapon, with the head held firmly against the weapon, results in recoil of the weapon being transmitted directly to the face, which may cause “flinching” or other protection motions of the face and eyes before firing, at moment of fining, and/or after firing the weapon, and corresponding loss of sight of the target and aiming devices in the telescope, and loss of focus though the optics system, sometimes at the critical moments of flight of the bullet towards and impact on the target.
Using a conventional telescope when firing a weapon, with the head held firmly against the weapon, results in recoil of the weapon being transmitted directly to the face, which may cause “flinching” or other protection motions of the face and eyes before firing, at moment of fining, and/or after firing the weapon, and corresponding loss of sight of the target and aiming devises in the telescope, and loss of focus though the optics system, sometimes at the critical moments of flight of the bullet towards and impact on the target.
For magnification and other purposes, conventional telescopes may also extend farther forward on the rifle, beyond the supporting hands of the person, increasing the distance of travel of the objective lens, horizontally and vertically, when the person is sighting through the telescope, and increasing the effects of motions, vibrations, and recoils of the weapon, before, during and after firing the weapon, causing loss or distortions of the image of the target. For that reason, the length of other telescopes and binoculars has been reduced for many years by means of mirrored surfaces.
Conventional telescopes do not incorporate automatic adjustments of the aiming systems to assure vertical and horizontal alignment of the weapon and telescope to avoid the effects of the position of the weapon and/or telescope from true vertical and/or horizontal positions.
Use of laser aiming devices in a conventional telescope may present difficulties as direct light from lasers may be transmitted or reflected into the eye of a person sighting through the viewing lens system of a telescope, and/or may not provide a preferred and accurate surface for display of aiming points of light together with electronic adjustments of the aiming points of light.
The use of mirrors to direct light through bent light tubes for use as rifle sights is known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 694,904 (Youlten) discloses a gun sight apparatus consisting of two or more mirrors or other reflecting surfaces mounted in a bent light tube in such a. manner that the first reflecting surface may come behind the sights of the gun and in the line of aim of the gun, while the last reflector comes in front of the gunner's eye and enables the gunner to aim the gun without exposing himself to enemy fire. (Col. 1, lines 17-25) The reflecting instrument is made of two tubes fitted together by means of a cylindrical flange or projection. The first tube has two mirrors and the second tube has two mirrors. (Col. 2, lines 53-64)
U.S. Pat. No. 1,371,964 (Yaggi et al). discloses a gun sight apparatus consisting of an adjustable tube or set of tubes, at least one of which is set in a vertical/perpendicular orientation relative to the line of fire. A set of cross hairs is set in the vertical tube. The tubes contain two or more reflecting or refracting mirrors or prisms. One of the reflecting or refracting surfaces is placed in an adjustable or non-adjustable frame at the upper end of the perpendicular tube and in line with the target. A second reflecting or refracting surface is set in an adjustable or non-adjustable frame at the lower end of the vertical tube, so that rays of light striking the upper reflecting or refracting surface are carried to the lower reflecting or refracting surface, and from there carried to the gunner's eye through an eye piece or tube. In this manner, the target can be seen by the gunner below the line of fire of the gun, the distance below being equal to the length of the vertical tube. The perpendicular tube may either be a one piece tube or a telescoping tube.
The aforementioned designs are intended primarily for allowing the gunner to conceal himself from his intended target. As such, they require a bracing apparatus depending below the gun to form a shoulder brace below the butt of the gun.
There is a need for an apparatus for aiming at a target along a firing line of a weapon; such as a rifle, bow, cross-bow or the like, that meets the following objectives.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
1. In order to avoid or minimize the above factors inherent to a conventional telescope, the basic objective of the present invention is to provide a telescope apparatus providing a means of sighting through a viewing lens systems situated at a preferred distance on either side of the weapon.
2. Another objective is to permit the rotation of the side optics system to either side of the weapon, to accommodate both right and left handed persons.
3. Another objective is to permit movement of the telescope forward and back on the weapon, and rotation of the side optics system of the telescope to any position, limited only by the body of the weapon, to accommodate the preferences of a person using the weapon when sighting through the telescope, with reduction of the time necessary to position an eye for viewing through the telescope and focusing and aiming at a target.
4. Another objective is to provide a means whereby a person might conveniently use either eye or both eyes when sighting through the telescope without assuming an unnatural position.
5. Another objective is to limit contact by the head of a person against a weapon, reducing the movements of the head and unnatural positions of the head and neck when sighting through a telescope.
6. Another objective is to reduce the tendencies of a person to “flinch”, or voluntarily or involuntarily to tighten facial and neck muscles or make other protective movements of the head and eyes, when firing a weapon, in order to assure continuous sighting of and aiming at a target through the telescope before, during and after firing the weapon.
7. Another objective is
Carone Michael J.
Richardson John
Sentilles Shawn D.
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