Collimating Device For Telescopic Sights

Abstract

A collinating device for telescopic sights utilized in connection with a firearm is shown which includes a bore supported member and an upstanding member upon which sighting indicia are disposed. The sighting indicia preferably are in the form of a grid pattern disposed upon a film member. The bore supported member is formed with a tapered stem portion and a plurality of compressible oppositely laterally extending elements which are carried by the rear of the stem portion. The stem portion is tapered and includes the dimensions of 0.17 inches to 0.45 inches so that it can be accommodated within the bore of the generally utilized calibers of firearms. The sighting member is formed with a lower stem portion and an upper dished circular portion provided with an opening therewithin. The film member bearing sighting indicia is disposed across the opening. A method of utilizing the device of this invention is also shown.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a collimating device for principal utilization with a telescopic sight and a firearm to collimate the telescopic sight to the firearm to produce proper sighting on the part of the operator.

In utilizing any telescopic sight which is to be attached to a firearm, it is necessary to calibrate the telescopic sight to the firearm so that proper sighting will be provided. Unless proper calibration is performed the point of intersection of the cross-hairs of the recticle of the sight with the target will not necessarily indicate the point at which the bullet impacts the target.

It is therefore necessary, prior to utilizing the telescopic sight, to properly adjust or "collimate" the telescopic sight to the firearm so that the intersection of the cross-hairs of the recticle will in fact, indicate the correct point of impact. This is done by moving the telescopic sight with respect to its mount upon the firearm, the correct amount to compensate for the variations involved.

Collimating of the telescopic sight to the firearm, in this invention, is also improved by the use of a special type of sighting indicia upon the device of this invention. This sighting indicia consists of a grid pattern with marked indicia proportional to the elevational and windage adjustments required.

The invention also includes a specific size of the bore supported portion thereof which is tapered and contains the dimensions of 0.17 inch to 0.45 inch so that it can be supported within the bore portions of all of the common rifle calibers.

The invention also includes a specific structure of the upstanding member which includes an opening within which a film member bearing sighting indicia is disposed.

The invention also includes integral spring means upon the bore supported portion thereof so that it can be firmly supported within the bore of the firearm within which it is disposed.

The invention also includes a specific type of support structure for the film member of this invention which permits simple and easy assembly of the film member in the correct special position.

In utilizing this invention, in order to correctly sight on the indicia upon the upstanding member, it is necessary to reduce the light entering the telescopic sight by a light reducing member. The clarity of the view of the upstanding member is enhanced when a plano-convex lens is disposed about the reduced aperture of the light reducing member.

Means are also provided in this invention for convenient assembly of the bore support member to the upstanding member.

The above constitutes a brief description of this invention and some of the objects and advantages thereof. Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to the reader of this specification as the description proceeds.

The invention will be further described by reference to the accompanying drawings which are made a part of this specification.

FIG. 1 is a diagramatic view of a firearm and telescopic sight with the bore sight element of this invention disposed thereupon. Since the firearm and telescopic sight forms no part of this invention, they are set forth in phantom lines.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bore sight element of this invention as disposed within the barrel of a firearm. This view is on an enlarged scale with respect to the view shown in FIG. 1, the barrel of the firearm is shown in phantom lines.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a portion of the bore sight element shown in FIG. 2 taken along lines 3--3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the bore sight element of this invention taken along lines 4--4 of FIG. 3. In this view, also, the barrel of the firearm is shown in phantom lines.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the bore sight element of this invention as disposed within the barrel of a firearm which is indicated in phantom lines. In the case of FIG. 5 the caliber of the firearm within which the bore sight element of this invention is disposed, is far smaller than the caliber of the firearm shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of an alternative form of the upstanding member of this invention showing the means which can be utilized for rapid and simple assembly of the film member bearing sighting indicia in the correct special position.

FIG. 7 is a corss-sectional view of the form of invention shown in FIG. 6 taken along lines 7--7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the form of invention shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 taken along lines 8--8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of a form of the light reducing member utilized in connection with the device of this invention.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the form of invention shown in FIG. 9 taken along lines 10--10 of FIG. 9.

This invention will now be further described by reference to the specific forms thereof as shown in the accompanying drawings. In this connection, however, the reader is cautioned to note that the specific forms of this invention as shown in the specification herein are for illustrative purposes and for purposes of example only. Various changes and modifications could obviously be made within the spirit and scope of this invention.

Reference will now be made to the specific forms of this invention as shown in the drawings for such detailed description.

In the form of invention shown in FIGS. 1--5 and 9--10 a rifle 25 is shown which is formed with a barrel 26 which, on the rear portion thereof a mount 28 is disposed. Secured upon mount 28 is a telescopic sight 27 and, selectively disposed upon the front lens of the telescopic sight, is a light reducing member 30. Light reducing member 30 is formed with a side portion 31 and a forward portion 33 which includes an aperture 32 of very small size (no more than one-tenth of the forward portion 33 thereof) and a plano-convex lens 34 disposed behind aperture 32.

Within barrel 26 the bore supported element 12 of this invention is selectively disposed. Bore supported element 12 in turn bears integral spring portions 13 and 14 which surround an opening 15. Portions 13 and 14 are secured to one another at their rear portions 29 thereof. Element 12 also is tapered and includes the dimensions 0.17 inch and 0.45 inch. Element 12 bears a forward cap portion 16 which is wider than the widest dimension of element 12.

Upstanding member 17 is provided with an opening 18 which is designed to accommodate the forward portion of element 12 but is smaller than cap portion 16. Member 17 also includes a portion 24 and a dished portion 20 which is provided with a square opening 19. Adjacent to opening 19 and within dished portion 20 are pins 21. Pins 21 are adapted to retain the indicia bearing element 22 of this invention which is preferably a film upon which indicia 23 (here shown in the form of a target with concentric circles thereupon with superimposed cross-hairs) are either printed or have been previously photographed thereupon.

Now referring to the alternative form of this invention as shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 the stem member 24a of member 17a includes an opening 19a within dished portion 20a. A pair of V-shaped portions 21a and 21b which are of different size, are disposed within dished portion 20a. The indicia bearing element (a film strip) 22a bears sighting indicia 23a (which are in the form of a grid with numbered lines thereupon). Film 22a is secured to portion 21a by a pair of mating recesses provided within member 22a.

With the foregoing specific description the operation of this invention will now be described by reference to the principal form of this invention shown in FIGS. 1-5 and 9-10.

The telescopic sight 27 is secured to mount 28 upon the firearm 25. The cap 30 is disposed over the front lens of sight 27. The collimating device is assembled and portion 12 disposed within the bore of the firearm and pushed thereinto until stopped. The operator now sights through the telescopic sight 27 and adjusts the upstanding member of the collimating device by turning it until the vertical cross-hair of the telescopic sight reticle lines up with the vertical line of the sighting indicia upon the collimating device. If such alignment cannot be obtained then the vertical line of the collimating device is brought into parallel relationship with the vertical line of the reticle of the telescopic sight. The collimating device is then left in the position established.

The adjustment screws of the telescopic sight are now moved until the vertical and horizontal lines of the reticle of the telescopic sight are superimposed with the vertical and horizontal lines of the sighting indicia of the collimating device. At this point the collimating device is removed and the telescopic sight is properly collimated to the firearm.

In the form of invention shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 the method used is similar. However, the grid pattern is consulted to determine the amount that the adjustment screws of the telescopic sight need to be moved after the initial point is reached.

The foregoing sets forth the manner in which the objects of this invention are achieved.

Claims

We claim:

1. A collimating element for use in collimating a telescopic sight to a rifle comprising, in combination, a bore supported member having an integral body formed with a uniformly laterally outwardly projecting circular cap at one end thereof, a circular rearwardly and inwardly tapering intermediate portion and a pair of oppositely and outwardly tapering spring members at the opposite end thereof; an upstanding member connected to said bore supported member having an integral body formed with a support portion and a laterally projecting substantially circular base portion provided with a first opening therewithin adapted to accomodate said bore supported member and an upper laterally projecting substantially circular dished portion provided with a second opening therewithin, said dished portion projecting laterally to a greater extent than the lateral projection of said base portion, film securing means within said dished portion and a film member having sighting indicia thereupon disposed within said dished portion overlying said opening and secured therewithin by said securing means.

2. A device as described in claim 1 said film securing means comprising a pair of oppositely disposed prong members above and below said second opening.

3. A device as described in claim 1 said film securing means comprising a pair of V-shaped spaced portions oppositely disposed within said dished portion lateral to said opening therewithin.

4. A device as described in claim 3 said film also having a pair of mating recesses, each of said recesses adapted to accomodate one of said V-shaped portions.

5. A device as described in claim 4 each of said V-shaped portions and each of said recesses being of a different size so that the wrong recess cannot be utilized in assembly of the parts.

6. A device as described in claim 5 said sighting indicia upon said film member being in the form of a grid pattern.

7. A device as described in claim 6 the sighting indicia upon said film member comprising a series of spaced concentric circles and a set of cross-hairs upon said concentric circles.

8. A collimiating mechanism adapted to collimate a telescopic sight to a rifle comprising, in combination, a pair of elements, the first of said elements being a light reducing member adapted to fit over the objective lens of a telescopic sight, said light reducing member having a front face provided with an aperture therewithin, a plano-convex lens covering said aperture and said light reducing member also having a substantially circular lateral holding portion; the second of said elements being a sighting member having a portion thereof adapted to fit within the bore of a rifle and an additional portion adapted to extend upwardly from said rifle and in alignment with said light reducing member,said sighting member comprising a bore supported member having an integral body formed with a uniformly laterally and outwardly projecting circular cap member at one end thereof, a circular rearwardly and inwardly tapering intermediate portion and a pair of oppositely and outwardly tapering spring members at the opposite end thereof; an upstanding member connected to said bore supported member having an integral body formed with a support portion and a laterally projecting substantially circular base portion provided with a first opening therewithin adapted to accomodate said bore supported member, and an upper laterally projecting substantially circular dished portion provided with a second opening therewithin, said dished portion projecting laterally to a greater extent than the lateral projection of said base portion, film securing means within said dished portion, and a bearing sighting indicia thereupon disposed within said dished portion and held by said securing means.