U.S. patent application number 11/341386 was filed with the patent office on 2006-08-03 for sighting telescope.
Invention is credited to Thomas Wagner.
Application Number | 20060168871 11/341386 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38109279 |
Filed Date | 2006-08-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060168871 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wagner; Thomas |
August 3, 2006 |
Sighting telescope
Abstract
A sighting telescope has an inner tube that moves transversely
of the telescope axis relative to an outer tube and has
operator-controlled elements arranged mutually at an angle for
transversely displacing the inner tube. The outer tube has an
enlarged inner diameter in the region of the operator-controlled
elements. A leaf spring is arranged for applying a restoring force
to the inner tube and extends in a substantially radial direction
and has radially offset support locations, both on the outer tube
and on the inner tube. The leaf spring is preferably arranged in
the neighborhood of the enlarged inner diameter.
Inventors: |
Wagner; Thomas; (Wettenberg,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WALTER OTTESEN
PO BOX 4026
GAITHERSBURG
MD
20885-4026
US
|
Family ID: |
38109279 |
Appl. No.: |
11/341386 |
Filed: |
January 30, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10679096 |
Oct 3, 2003 |
6995905 |
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11341386 |
Jan 30, 2006 |
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PCT/EP02/03723 |
Apr 4, 2002 |
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10679096 |
Oct 3, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
42/122 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G02B 23/14 20130101;
G02B 23/145 20130101; F41G 3/323 20130101; F41G 1/38 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
042/122 |
International
Class: |
F41G 1/38 20060101
F41G001/38 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 5, 2001 |
DE |
101 16 997.3 |
Claims
1. A sighting telescope comprising: an outer tube defining an
optical axis; an inner tube disposed within said outer tube and
being mounted in said outer tube so as to be moveable transversely
with respect to said optical axis; first and second
operator-controlled operating elements arranged in said outer tube
spaced at an angle from each other for acting laterally on said
inner tube to displace said inner tube transversely to said optical
axis; at least one leaf spring disposed between said inner and
outer tubes for resiliently biasing said inner tube against said
operator-controlled elements; and, said leaf spring being confined
to lie substantially in a single plane transverse to said optical
axis and being configured so as to be in contact engagement with
said inner and outer tubes substantially only in said plane.
2. The sighting telescope of claim 1, wherein said one leaf spring
or a plurality of said leaf springs are supported in or are
attached to said outer tube.
3. The sighting telescope of claim 2, wherein said single plane is
perpendicular to said optical axis and said one leaf spring or said
plurality of said leaf springs are disposed essentially in said
single plane.
4. The sighting telescope of claim 2, wherein said outer tube
comprises an enlarged inner diameter in a region of said
operator-controlled elements.
5. The sighting telescope of claim 4, wherein said inner diameter
of said outer tube in said region of enlarged inner diameter
comprises at least 95% of the minimum external diameter of said
outer tube.
6. The sighting telescope of claim 4, wherein said outer tube has
an enlarged inner diameter in which the leaf spring or the leaf
springs are placed.
7. The sighting telescope of claim 6, wherein said outer tube has
an inner wall surface and a recess formed in said inner wall
surface; said operator-controlled elements act upon said inner tube
within an adjusting region; and, said one leaf spring or said
plurality of said leaf springs are so configured that they can be
pressed partially or entirely into said recess for increasing said
adjusting region.
8. The sighting telescope of claim 1, further comprising an optics
displaceable in a direction of said optical axis; and, an
adjustment device for displacing said optics arranged in or in the
neighborhood of a plane of said operator-controlled elements for
transversely displacing said inner tube.
9. The sighting telescope of claim 2, wherein said leaf spring or
said leaf springs are supported at at least three peripherally
offset locations on said outer tube.
10. The sighting telescope of claim 2, wherein said leaf spring or
said leaf springs are supported at at least two peripherally offset
locations on the inner tube.
11. The sighting telescope of claim 10, wherein two of the support
locations of said leaf spring or said leaf springs on the inner
tube are arranged respectively opposite one of said
operator-controlled elements for transverse displacement of said
inner tube.
12. The sighting telescope of claim 11, wherein a third support
location of the leaf spring or said leaf springs are situated on a
bisector of the angle subtended by the two other support locations
of the leaf spring or said leaf springs on the inner tube and said
optical axis.
13. The sighting telescope of claim 2, wherein said one leaf spring
or said plurality of said leaf springs comprise three or four free
ends.
14. The sighting telescope of claim 1, wherein the leaf spring(s)
comprise the following structure: a first spring segment with a
central portion and two outer portions adjoining thereto on either
side, the outer portions being curved by the same amount and
direction but curved oppositely in direction to the central
portion; a second spring segment, extending to one side from the
central portion and curved corresponding to the inner diameter of
the outer tube; and, a third spring segment running from an outer
edge of the second spring segment in a direction toward the central
portion of the first spring segment, and in the neighborhood of a
location where it joins the second spring segment, curved in the
same direction as the second spring segment but with greater
curvature than the second spring segment, and thereafter curved in
an opposite direction.
15. A sighting telescope comprising: an outer tube; an inner tube
moveable transversely to a telescope axis (A) relative to the outer
tube; operator-controlled elements arranged at an angle to one
another for transversely displacing the inner tube; and, said outer
tube having an enlarged inner diameter in a region of said
operator-controlled elements.
16. The sighting telescope of claim 15, comprising one or more leaf
springs arranged between the outer tube and the inner tube in said
region for producing a restoring force on said inner tube.
17. The sighting telescope of claim 16, wherein said one or more
leaf springs are supported on or attached to said outer tube.
18. The sighting telescope of claim 16, wherein said one or more
leaf springs are essentially arranged in a plane extending
perpendicularly to said telescope axis (A).
19. The sighting telescope of claim 16, wherein said
operator-controlled elements are adjustable and apply respective
forces to said inner tube; and, said one or more leaf springs apply
at least two return forces to said inner tube for acting in
opposition to the force directions of said forces applied by said
operator-controlled elements.
20. The sighting telescope of claim 16, wherein said
operator-controlled elements are for adjusting elevation and
windage, respectively; and, said sighting telescope defines an at
least almost quadratic adjusting region for making adjustments with
said operator-controlled elements.
21. The sighting telescope of claim 16, wherein said one or more
leaf springs are arranged essentially in a plane which runs
parallel to said telescope axis (A).
22. The sighting telescope of claim 16, wherein said one or more
leaf springs extend substantially in a radial direction.
23. The sighting telescope of claim 15, wherein said enlarged inner
diameter is formed by a recess formed in said outer tube.
24. The sighting telescope of claim 23, wherein said sighting
telescope comprises one or more leaf springs arranged between said
outer tube and said inner tube of said region for producing a
restoring force on said inner tube; and, said recess has a depth
which corresponds to the thickness of said one or more of said leaf
springs taken together.
25. The sighting telescope of claim 23, wherein said outer tube
comprises two parts; and, said recess arises when said two parts
are connected to each other.
26. The sighting telescope of claim 25, wherein said two parts are
threadably connected to each other.
27. The sighting telescope of claim 23, wherein said recess has a
depth of less than 5 mm.
28. The sighting telescope of claim 22, wherein said recess has a
depth of less than 0.5 mm.
29. A sighting telescope comprising: an outer tube defining an
optical axis; an inner tube disposed within said outer tube and
being mounted in said outer tube so as to be moveable transversely
with respect to said optical axis; first and second
operator-controlled operating elements arranged in said outer tube
spaced at an angle from each other for acting laterally on said
inner tube to displace said inner tube transversely to said optical
axis; at least one leaf spring disposed between said inner and
outer tubes for resiliently biasing said inner tube against said
operator-controlled elements; said leaf spring being confined to
lie essentially in a plane parallel to said optical axis and being
configured so as to be in contact engagement with said inner and
outer tubes; and, said leaf spring being symmetrical to a plane
perpendicular to said optical axis and passing through said first
and second operator-controlled elements.
30. The sighting telescope of claim 29, wherein said outer tube has
a recess formed in the inner wall surface thereof and said leaf
spring is disposed in said recess.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application of
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/679,096, filed Oct. 3, 2003,
which is a continuation application of international patent
application PCT/EP02/03723, filed Apr. 4, 2002, and claiming
priority from German patent application 101 16 997.3, filed Apr. 5,
2001, all incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Sighting telescopes usually have an inner tube which is
displaceable transversely of the telescope axis relative to an
outer tube, and a lens or lens group which is displaceable in the
direction of the telescope axis. The transverse displacement of the
inner tube acts to displace a sighting mark for elevation and
windage adjustments, and the longitudinal displacement of the lens
or lens group acts for so-called parallax compensation, that is,
for adjustment of the telescope for different target distances.
[0003] The adjustment devices for elevation and windage adjustments
are usually arranged about in the middle of the telescope, on
so-called adjustment knobs; as a rule, two such adjustment knobs
are disposed at an angle to one another, one for elevation
adjustment and the other for lateral or windage adjustment of the
sighting mark.
[0004] On ergonomic grounds, it is desirable to also arrange the
operating device for parallax compensation in the neighborhood of,
ideally in the same plane as, the operating (operator controlled)
elements for elevation and windage adjustments. Such sighting
telescopes are known from, for example, German patent publication
DE 297 20 737 or U.S. Pat. No. 6,005,711. In the telescope
described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,005,711, a leaf spring is provided in
the region of the adjustment knobs and extends substantially in the
direction of the telescope axis. The leaf spring produces a
restoring force on the inner tube acting against the elevation and
windage adjustments.
[0005] It has now been found that in such sighting telescopes,
because of the required firing stability and the resulting required
wall thicknesses of the inner and outer tubes, the free aperture
diameter for a sufficiently large visual field cannot be maintained
if simultaneously an external diameter of the outer tube of one
inch or less is to be maintained, particularly if the telescope is
also to make different magnifications possible and if,
simultaneously, the sighting marks are to have a square adjustment
region.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention therefore has as its object to make
possible, in a sighting telescope with operating elements for both
parallax compensation and elevation and windage adjustments
substantially in one plane, an outer diameter of the outer tube of
a maximum of 25.4 mm. Here, an at least approximately square
adjustment region for elevation and windage adjustments is also to
be possible.
[0007] This object is attained with sighting telescopes of the
invention with the following features:
[0008] A sighting telescope with an inner tube movable transversely
of the telescope axis (A) relative to an outer tube, and operating
elements arranged mutually at an angle for transversely displacing
the inner tube, wherein one or more leaf springs are arranged
between the outer tube and the inner tube for producing a restoring
force on the inner tube, and wherein the leaf spring(s) extend(s)
substantially in a radial direction.
[0009] The invention also includes the following features: A
sighting telescope with an inner tube movable transversely of the
telescope axis (A) relative to the outer tube, and operating
elements arranged at an angle to one another for transversely
displacing the inner tube, the outer tube having an enlarged
internal diameter in the region of the operating elements.
[0010] According to an embodiment of the invention, one or more
springs are provided between the outer and inner tubes, act to
produce a restoring force on the inner tube for elevation and
windage adjustments, and are formed as one or more leaf springs
which extend in a substantially radial direction. Sufficient space
for a parallax compensation mechanism is thereby left seen in the
radial direction of the telescope axis laterally of the leaf
spring(s).
[0011] According to a second embodiment of the invention, the outer
tube of the sighting telescope has, in the region of the adjusting
elements, a short region in the direction of the telescope axis
with an enlarged internal diameter. In order for sufficient
mechanical stability to be nevertheless ensured, the outer diameter
of the outer tube in this region, and thus in the immediate
surroundings of the operating elements, is also greater than in the
remaining regions, particularly in a respective region before and
behind the plane of the operating elements which act to receive the
sighting telescope on a rifle.
[0012] The enlargement of the internal diameter is not limited here
to recesses for operating elements for elevation adjustment to pass
through, but the distance of the outer tube from the mid-axis of
the outer tube is, in the region with enlarged internal diameter,
greater in all directions than in the regions before and after the
plane of the operating elements for mounting the sighting telescope
on the rifle.
[0013] Due to the enlarged internal diameter of the outer tube, it
is possible to arrange the mechanism required for adjustment of the
parallax compensation and for elevation and windage adjustments
between the inner tube and the outer tube, with an internal and
external diameter of the inner tube required for a large visual
field.
[0014] In the extreme case, the internal diameter of the outer tube
may be larger than, or equal to, the outer diameter of the outer
tube.
[0015] The spring or springs which act to produce a restoring force
on the inner tube for elevation and windage adjustments are
preferably formed as one or more leaf springs which extend
substantially in the radial direction and are arranged in the
region between the outer tube and the inner tube in which the
internal diameter of the outer tube is enlarged. Sufficient space
thereby remains seen in the direction of the telescope axis
laterally of the leaf spring(s) for the parallax compensating
mechanism. In the extreme position of the elevation adjustment,
with completely stressed spring, this dips completely into the
enlargement region of the outer tube, so that the spring does not
limit the adjustment range of the elevation and windage
adjustments.
[0016] It is advantageous to support or to attach a leaf spring or
several leaf springs on the outer tube. Furthermore, it is
advantageous to arrange the one leaf spring or the several leaf
springs essentially in a plane which extends perpendicularly to the
optical axis. It can also be advantageous that the one leaf spring
or the several leaf springs generate at least two return forces on
the inner tube. The return forces are in opposition to the force
directions of the forces applied by the operator-controlled
elements for elevation and windage on the inner tube. Finally, it
is advantageous that the sighting telescope has at least an almost
quadratic adjusting region or a fully quadratic adjusting region of
the adjustment; that is, with both elevation and windage, a square
can be moved over when making adjustments for elevation and
windage.
[0017] In the sighting telescope of the invention, the
magnification of the outer tube is formed via a cut-in or a recess
in the outer tube. The cut-in or recess can have a depth which
corresponds to the thickness of the leaf spring or of the several
leaf springs together. The depth can be configured to be more or
less as required. The recess can be formed in the outer tube by a
groove which forms when two parts of the outer tube are connected
to each other, for example, when the two parts are threadably
connected. The depth of the groove is less than 5 mm and is
preferably less than 0.5 mm.
[0018] The leaf spring(s) is/are to be supported at at least three
places, offset in the radial direction, on the outer tube and at at
least two places, offset in the radial direction, on the inner
tube. The support places on the inner tube are then preferably
arranged respectively opposite the operator-controlled elements for
elevation and windage adjustments and mutually offset by about
90.degree. around the telescope axis. The support places of the
leaf spring(s) on the inner tube are then situated about in the
middle seen in the length direction of the leaf spring(s) between
two support places on the outer tube. It can thereby be achieved
that the directions of the restoring forces produced by the
spring(s) are substantially antiparallel to the force directions of
the forces exerted by the elevation and windage adjustment
operating elements on the inner tube.
[0019] In order to avoid dead places of the elevation and windage
adjustments, that is, positions of the inner tube in which the
restoring force of the leaf spring(s) is not sufficient, the leaf
spring(s) is/are preferably supported at a third place on the inner
tube, situated about in the middle between the two other support
places on the inner tube. This third support place for the leaf
spring(s) on the inner tube is also situated about in the middle
seen in the length direction of the leaf spring(s) between two
support places on the outer tube. It is thereby achieved that the
direction of the restoring force produced by the spring(s) and
transmitted by this third support place to the inner tube is
substantially antiparallel to the sum vector of the forces exerted
on the inner tube by both operating elements for elevation
adjustment.
[0020] The curvature of the leaf spring(s) at the various places is
chosen so that the required directions of the forces exerted on the
inner tube are attained.
[0021] The leaf spring, or each of the leaf springs, can be formed
with an integral slit so that it has three, preferably four, free
ends. However it is also possible to join together plural leaf
spring segments to give a corresponding leaf spring. Likewise, two
or three individual, thin leaf springs can be combined into a leaf
spring packet.
[0022] Particularly, the leaf springs have the following structure:
[0023] a first spring segment with a central portion and two outer
portions adjoining thereto on either side, the two outer portions
being curved by the same amount and direction but curved oppositely
in direction to the central portion, [0024] a second segment,
extending to one side from the central portion and curved
corresponding to the internal diameter of the outer tube, [0025]
and a third segment running from the outer edge of the second
segment in the direction toward the central portion of the first
segment, and in the neighborhood of the place where it joins the
second segment, curved in the same direction as the second segment
but with greater curvature than the second segment, and thereafter
curved in the opposite direction.
[0026] A thus shaped leaf spring can be arranged between the inner
tube and the outer tube such that the whole second segment abuts on
the outer tube and furthermore the two ends of the outer portion of
the first segment and the end of the third segment are supported on
the outer tube. The middle region of the outer portion of the first
segment and the middle region of the third segment are then
supported on the inner tube.
[0027] Advantages of the extension of the leaf spring(s) in radial
direction and the arrangement in a cut-in or groove are:
[0028] (a) little space is needed. The cut-in or recess for placing
the spring(s) has a depth of about 0.5 mm. This groove is
advantageously arranged in the region with widened diameter 13. The
mounting of the spring in the groove affords the advantage that the
region with the widened diameter need not be widened any farther.
Preferably, the leaf spring is made of hardened steel Ck 101 K (in
accordance with DIN 17222 having a diamond pyramid hardness
(Vickers hardness)=HV 580+30). The thickness of the leaf spring is
advantageously less than 0.30 mm, preferably less than 0.15 mm.
Only a small structural space is needed because the spring is
arranged in a recess. Of course, other materials, for example,
copper-beryllium alloys, plastic or other steel alloys are
possible.
[0029] (b) Another advantage is the large adjustable range of
elevation and windage indicated in FIG. 5 which is prior art known
from the "Victory Series" of sighting telescopes manufactured by
Carl Zeiss AG of Germany. Preferably, the adjustable range of
elevation and windage is formed roughly as a square. Nevertheless,
it can be formed differently, for example, as an oblong. With the
spring leaf arranged in the cut-in or the recess, a large and
preferably square adjustable range of elevation and windage can be
achieved; whereas, a spring, which is arranged in the classic way
parallel to the telescope axis, reduces the adjustable range of
elevation and windage as can be seen in FIG. 5.
[0030] (c) Preferably, the leaf spring is a leaf spring system,
that is, a spring packet which has at least two leaf springs
arranged one atop the other. Each single leaf spring preferably has
a thickness of about 0.10 to 0.20 mm, especially about 0.15 mm. In
lieu of a spring packet, also a single spring with adequately high
elasticity can be used. A high spring force can be achieved with
this high elasticity of the leaf spring system. Such a leaf spring
system can be placed in a cut-in or recess of shallow depth and a
large spring displacement path is realized. The leaf spring(s), for
example, a leaf spring system as described above, can be
pretensioned. The effective adjustment can, for example, be .+-.1
mm. This corresponds to a .+-.3.5 mm spring displacement path
because the spring is pretensioned. The cut-in has a depth of a
maximum of 5 mm. Preferably, the cut-in depth is <0.5 mm. This
affords the advantage that the middle tube does not have to be
increased in size in the bellied region thereof. With the term
"bellied region", that region of the sighting telescope is referred
to whereat the elevation and windage operator-controlled elements
are disposed. This thickened or bellied region is approximately
designed in sighting telescopes as a spherical form. Instead of
using a leaf spring system with two leaf springs, there can be
three, four or more leaf springs.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0031] The invention will now be described with reference to the
drawings wherein:
[0032] FIG. 1 shows a section through a sighting telescope
according to the invention, in a plane containing the telescope
axis;
[0033] FIG. 2 shows a section through the sighting telescope of
FIG. 1, in a plane perpendicular to FIG. 1 and taken along line
II-II;
[0034] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a leaf spring for
producing the restoring force for elevation adjustment;
[0035] FIG. 4 shows the mid portion of a sighting telescope from
the prior art;
[0036] FIG. 5 shows a schematic cross section of the mid portion of
a sighting telescope from the prior art;
[0037] FIG. 6 shows a longitudinal section of a mid portion of a
sighting telescope of the invention;
[0038] FIG. 7 is a perspective view looking into the mid portion of
a sighting telescope according to an embodiment of the
invention;
[0039] FIG. 8 shows a cross section of the mid portion of a
sighting telescope according to an embodiment of the invention;
[0040] FIGS. 9a, 9b and 9c show a first leaf spring of a leaf
spring system;
[0041] FIGS. 10a, 10b and 10c show a second leaf spring of a leaf
spring system;
[0042] FIG. 11 shows a leaf spring system;
[0043] FIGS. 12a to 12c show schematically the optical path or
light path in a sighting telescope for the erecting lens at
respective positions; and,
[0044] FIG. 13 is a detail view of the mid portion of a sighting
telescope.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0045] The sighting telescope in FIGS. 1 and 2 has an outer tube 1
whose inner and outer diameter respectively increase toward the two
ends. The objective 2 is arranged at the objective-side end of the
sighting telescope and the two-lens eyepiece (3, 4) at the
eyepiece-side end. The two components (3, 4) of the eyepiece are
displaceable in the direction of the telescope axis by rotating the
eyepiece portion, so that diopter compensation is possible.
[0046] A two-piece inner tube (5, 6) is arranged within the outer
tube 1. The objective-side inner tube 6 is accommodated,
displaceable coaxially along the telescope axis A, in the outer
tube 1, and holds a focusing lens 20. Parallax compensation, that
is, setting sharply to different target distances, takes place by
displacing the focusing lens 20 coaxially along the optical
axis.
[0047] An operating knob 18 with an eccentric 19 is arranged in the
outer tube 1 in a bearing washer 17, for displacing the
objective-side inner tube 6. On rotating the operating knob 18, the
eccentric 19 moves parallel to the telescope axis A and
correspondingly entrains the objective-side inner tube.
[0048] A field lens 7, a two-lens image erecting system (8, 9), and
a reticle 10 are accommodated in the eyepiece-side inner tube 5.
The real intermediate image produced immediately on the objective
side of the field lens 7 by the objective 2 together with the
focusing lens 20 is imaged as a real image in the plane of the
reticle 10 due to the image erecting system (8, 9). The two lenses
of the image erecting system (8, 9) are oppositely displaceable in
a known manner by means of an adjusting ring (not shown) on the
eyepiece side, so that, for example, different magnifications
between 4.5 times and 14 times can be set. The image erecting
system (8, 9) consequently forms a variator, which permits a
magnification change by at least a factor of three.
[0049] The reticle 10 is displaceable perpendicularly of the
telescope axis A for setting different elevations and windage. For
this purpose, the eyepiece-side inner tube 5 is tiltably or
pivotably received in the outer tube 1. The outer tube has
projections 11 for this purpose in the neighborhood of the reticle
10, but spaced apart from the reticle 10 in the direction of the
telescope axis A, and the inner tube has corresponding projections
12, so that tilting of the eyepiece-side inner tube 5 carrying the
reticle is possible about the stop faces of the projections.
[0050] Two operating elements (14, 24), arranged mutually at
90.degree. on the outer tube 1, are provided for elevation and
windage adjustments at the objective-side end of the eyepiece-side
inner tube 5. Each of these operating elements (14, 24)
substantially consists of a threaded spindle threadably engaged in
a nut (15, 25) on the outer tube 1 and having on its inner end a
flange which presses against the eyepiece-side inner tube 5.
[0051] For latching the elevation and windage settings, a spring
tip (not shown) on each nut and toothing extending around each
threaded spindle are provided with which the spring tip meshes.
When a scale is provided on the operating elements, it can also be
possible to uncouple the operating elements (14, 24) from the
associated threaded spindle.
[0052] The operating elements (14, 24) for elevation and windage
adjustments and the operating element 18 for parallax compensation
are arranged, offset by about 90.degree. about the telescope axis
A, virtually in one plane in the direction of the telescope axis
A.
[0053] A leaf spring 16 for producing a restoring force on the
eyepiece-side inner tube 5 is arranged between the outer tube 1 and
the eyepiece-side inner tube 5. So that, on the one hand, a
sufficient space remains for movement of the eyepiece-side inner
tube 5 radially of the telescope axis A, with a simultaneously
sufficiently large free diameter of the inner tube (5, 6), the
outer tube 1 is configured thickened in the region 21 of the
operating elements (14, 18, 24), and the inner diameter of the
outer tube is increased in this region 13. The clear diameter of
the outer tube 1 in this region 13 with widened inner diameter is
about 98% of the external diameter of the outer tube 1 in the
intermediate regions for mounting the sighting telescope.
[0054] The leaf spring 16 for producing the restoring force on the
eyepiece-side inner tube against the force of the two operating
elements (14, 24) for elevation and windage adjustments extends
substantially in a radial direction within the region 13 in which
the inner diameter of the outer tube is increased. The leaf spring
extends by more than 90.degree. about the telescope axis A, and is
supported on the outer tube at at least three radially offset
points (30, 31, 32) and at three radially offset points (33, 34,
35) on the eyepiece-side inner tube 5. The support locations (33,
34) on the eyepiece-side inner tube 5 are then opposite
corresponding ones of the operating elements (14, 24) for elevation
and windage adjustments, and the third support point 35 is situated
in the bisector of the axes connecting the two other support points
(33, 34) on the inner tube to the telescope axis A.
[0055] The exact structure of the leaf spring 16 is shown in FIG.
3. The leaf spring 16 has a first spring segment 40 with a central
portion 41 and two outer portions (42, 43) adjoining thereto on
either side, the two outer portions being alike curved by the same
amount and direction, but curved less than, and oppositely in
direction to, the central portion. Furthermore the leaf spring 16
has a second segment 44, extending from the central portion 41 to
one side, and curved corresponding to the inner diameter of the
outer tube, and a third segment (45, 46) running from the outer
edge 47 of the second segment 44 in the direction of the central
portion 41 of the first segment 40, and curved in a region 45 in
the neighborhood of the junction to the second segment 44 in the
same direction as the second segment but more strongly than the
second segment 44, and thereafter curved in the opposite
direction.
[0056] In the sighting telescope in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inner
diameter of the outer tube 1 in the region 13 with widened inner
diameter is, for example, 25 mm, and the outer diameter of the
inner tube 5 in this region is, for example, 20 mm. With a wall
thickness of about 1.8 mm of the inner tube 5, even with a minimum
outer diameter of 25.4 mm of the outer tube 1 at the places
provided for fitting to the rifle, there thus also remains a free
diameter of the inner tube 5 which is sufficiently large that, with
an objective diameter of 40 mm and with three-fold magnification, a
visual field of the usual size of 10.36 m at 100 m, and with
nine-fold magnification, a visual field of 3.35 m at 100 m, are
achieved. With these dimensions, the radius of curvature of the
outer portions (42, 43) of the first segment 40 of the leaf spring
is 10 mm, and the radius of curvature at the end of the third
segment of the leaf spring, and thus in the region supported on the
inner tube 5, is 7 mm. Of course, other parameters can also be
used.
[0057] FIG. 4 shows a middle part of a prior art sighting telescope
with an optical axis A as produced by Carl Zeiss AG as part of the
Zeiss Victory Series. Light flows downstream from the left side or
ocular side (ocular not shown) to the right side or objective end
(objective not shown). There is an outer tube 1 and an inner tube
(5, 6) with one part being an ocular side inner tube 5 and another
part being an objective side inner tube 6. Further, a field lens 20
and a two-lens image erecting system (8, 9) are shown. In the
region of the operating elements (only the operating element for
adjusting elevation 14 is shown) and, opposite of the operating
element 14, a prior art leaf spring 100 is shown. In the region of
the operating element, the first image plane, that is, the
objective side image plane, can be found. This leaf spring 100 is
arranged parallel to the optical axis A. The leaf spring 100
requires a lot of space and therefore reduces the adjustable range
of elevation.
[0058] Furthermore, the leaf spring 100 is not arranged in a cut-in
or a recess but in the gap 101 between the outer tube 1 and the
inner tube (5, 6). Thus, the leaf spring 100 is an obstruction that
hinders the adjustment of the elevation as can be seen in FIG.
5.
[0059] FIG. 5 shows schematically a cross section of the middle
part of a sighting telescope which is prior art. In this part, the
outer tube 1 shows a portion 102 for fastening the sighting
telescope with fixing elements (not shown) to a gun (not shown).
Two operating elements (114, 124) for elevation and windage
adjustments are schematically indicated. A leaf spring 100 is
arranged in a way that it can act against both operating elements
(elevation and windage). The leaf spring 100 is arranged at an
angle of about 135.degree. to the operating element for elevation
adjustment and the operating element for windage adjustment. The
square adjustable range of elevation and windage 105 is indicated
in FIG. 5. The inner tube can be adjusted within these limits. As
can be seen, the leaf spring 100 projects into the square
adjustable range for elevation and windage thereby reducing the
adjustable range; whereas, with a leaf spring according to the
invention, the full square adjustable range can be used as will now
be explained.
[0060] FIG. 6 shows a longitudinal section of a middle part of a
sighting telescope defining a telescope axis A. Light travels
downstream from the objective (not shown) on the left hand side to
the ocular (not shown) on the right hand side.
[0061] In the region of the operating element (only element 14 is
shown), the diameter of the outer tube is widened. A recess 50 is
provided and a leaf spring 16 is arranged in this recess. Instead
of one leaf spring, a set of leaf springs could be provided. The
recess can be circumferentially arranged in a full circle or it can
be one or several parts of a circle or there can be one or several
recesses. The recess(es) need to be big enough to accommodate parts
of the leaf spring(s). The leaf spring(s) can be fixed inside the
recess with a welding spot, screw or otherwise. With the
arrangement of the leaf spring(s) in a recess, the elevation and
windage ranges can be greater than the elevation and windage ranges
provided in the prior art. The leaf springs are arranged in the
region of the first image plane, that is, the image plane of the
objective.
[0062] The adjustable range of elevation is preferably a square
adjustable range of elevation and windage. The invention allows an
enlargement of the adjustable range up to +20% to +30%. An edge
length of the square range of elevation and windage of up to 30 mm,
preferably 22 to 27 mm, can be achieved.
[0063] FIG. 7 provides a view looking into the middle part of a
sighting telescope according to the invention. A part of the outer
tube 1 with the bores for the operating elements (14, 24) for
elevation and windage adjustment can be seen. A leaf spring system
51 is arranged in a recess 50. This leaf spring system consists of
two separate leaf springs (52, 53). The leaf spring 53 rests on
leaf spring 52. Leaf spring 53 can be made slightly shorter than
leaf spring 52. Both leaf springs are connected with each other and
to the outer tube by a screw 54. The recess 50 can have a width
matched to the width of the leaf spring, for example, a width of
0.3 to 1.5 cm, preferably about 1.0 cm. Reference numerals 55 and
56 identify those regions into which the respective operating
elements for elevation and windage adjustment are mounted.
[0064] FIG. 8 is a cross section of the middle part of the sighting
telescope with bores (55, 56) for the operating elements for
elevation and windage adjustment. The inner diameter of outer tube
1 is widened by recess 50 in which a part of the leaf spring system
51 is fixed by a screw 54. A self-stabilizing attachment of the
leaf spring(s) can be provided, for example, by means of a
forced-fit fixation. In contrast to FIG. 5, the leaf spring in FIG.
8 can recede completely into the recess 50, that is, spring 51 does
not project beyond the inner wall surface 57 of the outer tube
1.
[0065] FIGS. 9a to 9c show the leaf spring 53 of the leaf spring
system 51 and FIGS. 10a to 10c show the leaf spring 52 of the leaf
spring system 51.
[0066] FIGS. 9c and 10c show projections of the springs (53, 52),
respectively. In FIG. 9c, the large bore 53a is provided for screw
54 shown in FIG. 8 and the smaller 53b is needed during manufacture
of the leaf spring. The same applies to bores 52a and 52b of spring
52 shown in FIG. 10c.
[0067] FIG. 11 shows the leaf spring system 51. Both leaf springs
(52, 53) are connected to each other at one or two welding
spots.
[0068] FIGS. 12a to 12c show schematically the optical ray path in
a sighting telescope with image erecting lenses (8, 9) at different
positions. The light comes from the left and the optical axis is
identified by reference character A. The light passes first through
the objective 2. A first image plane (object end image plane) 60 is
disposed ahead of the field lens 7. The lenses (8, 9) of the image
erecting system are arranged downstream of the field lens 7.
Thereafter, the second image plane (ocular end image plane) is
identified by reference numeral 61. The light leaves the sighting
telescope through the objective lenses (3, 4). Reference numeral 62
identifies a lens for parallax compensation.
[0069] FIG. 13 is a detail view of a sighting telescope in the
region of the operating elements with the elevation operating
element 214 shown. Parts of the two-piece inner tube with the
objective end inner tube 206 and the eye-piece end inner tube 205
as well as a first image erecting lens 208 are shown. In this
example, the spring 200 is mounted in a recess 250, that is, there,
the inner diameter of the outer tube 201 is increased. In
conventional arrangements, the spring would be arranged in the gap
201 and so would reduce the region for elevation and windage
adjustment.
[0070] In contrast to the other embodiments of the springs
described above, the spring 200 is, for the most part, arranged
essentially in a plane parallel to the optical axis A. With the
arrangement in the recess 250, the spring 200 can be pressed
together in such a manner that it lies substantially or entirely in
the recess 250. In this way, the region for elevation and windage
adjustment is increased. The spring acts on the inner tube at
135.degree. with respect to each of the two operator-controlled
elements of which only the operator-controlled element 214 for
elevation is shown.
[0071] As shown in FIG. 13, the spring 200 is symmetrical to the
left and right of a plane passing through line 220 perpendicular to
the plane of the drawing and to the optical axis A. By way of
example, the spring can be 8 mm wide and 26 mm long.
[0072] Sighting telescopes have a middle tube which can best be
seen in FIG. 1 wherein the middle tube is that segment of the outer
tube 1 lying between the two ends whereat the diameter increases.
In the United States, the middle tube generally has a diameter of
25.4 mm (1 inch) and in Europe, the middle tube generally has a
diameter of 30 mm. The parallel spring 200 shown in FIG. 13 can be
preferable for sighting telescopes wherein the diameter is 30 mm
and the radial springs shown in FIGS. 9a to 9c and 10a to 10c are
preferable for sighting telescopes having a smaller or one inch
diameter middle tube.
[0073] The radial springs can also be used in the large diameter
middle tubes and that the parallel springs can be used in the small
diameter middle tubes.
[0074] It is understood that the foregoing description is that of
the preferred embodiments of the invention and that various changes
and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended
claims.
* * * * *