US2391659A - Firearm attachment - Google Patents

Description

Patentecl Dec. 25, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIREARM ATTACHMENT `Charles F. TraHord, Binghamton, N. Y. Application November 1, 1943, Serial No. 508,555

6 Claims. j, (Cl. 88-32) This invention relates generally to the class of rearms and is directed particularly to improvements in devices for facilitating the aiming of the same. i i i In the use of firearms in warfare it is of great importance that the soldier expose himself for as short a time as possible during the sighting and ring of his weapon and the present invention has Afor its principal object to provide a combined periscope and telescope sight adapted to be mountedV upon the side of a rifle so thateither of the two instruments can be brought into working position, the periscope to be used by the soldier in locating the enemy, while keeping his own body concealed, and the telescope then used in aiming lat the enemy after his position has been spotted."

Another` object of the invention is to provide a combination telescope and periscope unit to be secured to the side of a rifle and mounted so that the two instruments may be rotated on an axis extending transversely of the rifle so as to bring the periscope into working position or dispose the telescope lengthwise of the rie and in working positionfor use or the instruments may be turned as a unit to a position where they both extend lo'ngitudinallyof the riie in such a position that the rifle maybe shoulderedwithoutdiscomfort to the soldier.

The invention willbe best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, with' the understanding that minor changes or alterations may be made in the invention so long as the resultant structure does not depart from the structure defined in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the device embodying the present invention showing the same applied to a rile.l

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken substantially in the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing the numeral I generally designates a rifle, upon the side of which the device embodying the present invention is mounted, in advance of the trigger guard II.

The structure embodying the present invention comprises a base plate I2 which is secured to the side of the rifle in a suitable manner as, for example, by the use of the ears I3 which are formed integrally with the plate and through which suitable openings are formed for the extension of securing screws I4 into suitably tapped bores in the side of the rifle.

The plate I2 has a central threaded opening I5 and three smaller openings I6 disposed adjacent the periphery of the plate and on an arc concentric therewith, two of the openings I6 being arranged in a line extending lengthwise of the rifle and the third being disposed mid-way between the rst two below the opening I5.

The numeral II designates the top or rotatable plate. This latter plate is provided with a central opening I8 and is of substantially the same diameter as the plate I2 over which it positions. A pivot screw I9 passes through the opening I8 and is threaded in the opening I5 of the bottom plate, the head overlying the outer face of the rotatable plate Il to maintain it in position but permitting it free rotation.

Extending radially across the top plate Il is a strap spring 20 which is secured permanently at ZI to the rotatable plate I'I adjacent the periphery thereof and extends across the screw to and beyond the edge of the plate remote from the securing means 2| forming the extended end 22 which is designed to be used asa nger piece or lipto facilitate flexing the spring outwardly away from the plate ,I'I. Intermediate its ends the spring 2l] is off-set as indicatedV at 23 so as to be free from contactwith the pivot screw I9 across which it extends.

The rotatable plate I'I has an aperture 24 therethrough beneath the free end of the spring 20 and centered the same distance from the radial center of the' plate as the openings IB.

Adapted for extension through the opening 24 and for engagement in one of the openings I6 of the fixed bottom plate, is a holding stud 25 which is carried by the spring 2D.

Secured in spaced parallel relation to the outer face of the rotatable plate II, with the spring 20 therebetween and parallel therewith, are the two instruments 26 and 21 which are respectively a telescope and a periscope. The telescope is secured substantially mid-way between its ends to the rotary plate while the periscope is secured to this plate at one side of its transverse center and the lateral extension 28 at the end of the periscope remote from the rotatable plate, is disposed beyond the eye piece end 29 of the telescope and `directed across the telescope while the oppositely directed lateral extension 3i! of the periscope is inwardly of the sighting end of the telescope and is directed away from the telescope as shown.

In the use of the present device the retaining spring 20 is flexed outwardly to disengage the stud or keeper pin 25, if the instruments are disposed lengthwise of the rifle, so that the plate and the instrument carried thereby may be rotated in the correct direction to move the securing stud 25 down to the lower hole I6. 'I'his will bring the periscope upright in front of the telescope with the lateral extension 30 of the periscope directed forwardly. The user of the gun can then look over the surrounding territory by peering into the lower end of the periscope, while keeping his body under cover.

uppermost position parallel with the rifle barrel. The user of the rifle can then quickly rise `from his position and sight the rie through the tele-v scope at the quarry previously located. By this means only a. few seconds is required to, aim and nre the rifle, the user thereby avoiding exposing himself to enemy re for any length of time as would be necessary for him to dol itif he did nothave the periscope as an aid in locating` the quarry before he exposes himself to the enemys View.

I claim:

l The combination with a shoulder rifle of a telescope includingy a straighttube having coaxial lenses in its ends and a periscope including a straight tube terminating at its ends in oppositely directed right ,angularportiona supported as a unit in parallel relation upon the side ofthe rifleY for rotation together on an axis extending transversely of the ril-le for selective disposition in position for sighting in the direction in which the riie is aimed.

2. The combination with a shoulder rie, of a telescope including a straighttube having coaX- ial lenses in its ends and a periscope including a straight tube terminating at its ends inv oppositely directed right angular portions, the telescope and periscope being connectedtogether in parallel relation, andsmeans .for mounting the unit upon the rifle and for moving the unit upon the mounting for the selective disposition of the telescope and'pe'riscope in working position with respect to the barrel or the rifle. Y Y

f3. The combination with a shoulder rifle, of a plate adapted to be secured to one side of the rifle, a second plate pivotally attached to the first After the quarryl has been located the spring latch is, released and l the plate turned so as to bring the telescope to plate for rotation on an axis extending transversely of the barrel of the rifle, a telescope including a straight tube having coaxial lenses in its ends and a periscope including a tube terminating at its ends in oppositely directed right angular portions, secured in fixed parallel rela` tion to the second plate to be rotated thereby for bringing the telescope into parallel relation with the rifle barrel and for bringing the periscope into a vertical position perpendicular vto the barrel, and a shiftable latch means connecting the plates together for securing the second plate in a selected position with respect to the rst plate.

4. A combination structure as set forth in claim 3, in which said latching means comprises a resilientr spring member secured to the outer face ofn the second plate and having a portion extended across the periphery of the plate and a pin. carried by the spring member for extension through' an aperture in the second plate and for selective, engagement underlying .apertures in the rst plate.

5, A unit of the character stated, comprisinga plate body, means for securing the body toy a support, a second plate overlying the first plate, means coupling the second `plate with thev first plate, for rotation of the secondplate relative to thelst plate, a telescope including a straight tube, having c oaxial lenses in its ends and a. periscope including agstraight tube terminatingat its two ends in right, angleoppositely directed portions secured in Vparallel relation to` and across theface of the second plate, an end portion of the periscope being disposed beyond the adjacentend of the telescope anddirectedtowardthe axial center of the telescope whereby vthe View through the said end portion of the periscope will not be interrupted by the adjacent telescope, and a latching connection between the plates for secure() ing thesecond plate ina selected working position when rotated with respect to the first plate. 6. A unit as set forth in claim 5, in which said latching connection comprises avleaf kspring disposed across the outer face OrfY the second plate 45 and securedu thereto at one end and having its other end extended acrossthg periphery of the Second. Plate.. andafpin carried .bythe leaf spring adjacentv to` said other end and adjacentY the periphery of the second plate for; extension through an openingin the second plateand engagement in a keeper opening inthe underlying rst plate.

CHARLES F' .QR-D

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