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United States Patent Application	20090049734
Kind Code	A1
Storch; Troy ;   et al.	February 26, 2009

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Claims

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1. A sight assembly comprising:a base for securing the sight assembly to a firearm;a housing attached to the base;a first sight attached to the housing and constructed to rotate about an axis oriented in a crossing direction relative to an axis transverse to a bore of the firearm; anda second sight attached to the housing and constructed to rotate about the axis.

2. The sight assembly of claim 1 further comprising a third sight attached to the housing and constructed to rotate about the axis.

3. The sight assembly of claim 2 wherein the first sight is calibrated to align the firearm with a target within approximately 500 meters from the firearm, the second sight is calibrated to align the firearm with a target generally between approximately 500 and 800 meters from the firearm, and the third sight is calibrated to align the firearm with a target between approximately 800 meters and 1000 meters from the firearm.

4. The sight assembly of claim 1 wherein the first sight and the second sight are attached such that rotation of one sight rotates the other sight.

5. The sight assembly of claim 1 further comprising a loop extending from the housing and constructed such that the first sight and the second sight can rotate thereunder.

6. The sight assembly of claim 1 further comprising a windage adjuster constructed to translate the housing relative to the base in a direction generally transverse to a barrel of the firearm.

7. The sight assembly of claim 1 wherein the firearm is constructed to fire an approximately .50 caliber projectile.

8. The sight assembly of claim 1 wherein the housing is pivotably connected to the base such that the housing is movable between an in-use position and a stored position.

9. The sight assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first sight and the second sight includes a ring that is offset from the axis by a stem.

10. The sight assembly of claim 9 wherein the first sight is a ring of a first size and the second sight is a ring of another size.

11. A gun sight assembly comprising:a first portion for engaging a firearm;a second portion for engaging the first portion;a number of sights connected to a hub;a pivot engaged with the hub for rotationally connecting the number of sights to the second portion such that each of the number of sights can rotate between a use position and a stored position in a common plane.

12. The gun sight assembly of claim 11 wherein the common plane is generally transverse to a bore of the firearm.

13. The gun sight assembly of claim 11 wherein the number of sights includes a first sight associated with a first range to target, a second sight associated with a second range to target, and a third sight associated with a third range to target.

14. The gun sight assembly of claim 13 wherein the at least two of the first, second, and third ranges to target overlap.

15. The gun sight assembly of claim 11 further comprising a windage adjuster constructed to translate the second portion relative to the first portion such that the second portion translates laterally relative to a bore of a firearm.

16. The gun sight assembly of claim 11 further comprising an elevation adjuster constructed to vary a distance between the pivot and the first portion.

17. The gun sight assembly of claim 11 further comprising a hinge constructed to allow the second portion to rotate between an in-use position and a stored position.

18. The gun sight assembly of claim 17 wherein an axis of the pivot is generally transverse to a bore of the firearm when the second portion is in the stored position and the axis of the pivot is in a common plane with the bore of the firearm when the second portion is oriented in the in-use position.

19. A method of providing a firearm sight comprising:providing a frame for being connected to a firearm;providing a mount that engages the frame;providing a first and a second sight;connecting the first sight and the second sight to the mount such that a position of the first sight is fixed relative to the second sight and such that the first sight and the second sight can rotate about an axis generally aligned with a bore of the firearm.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the axis is parallel to and offset from the bore.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising connecting a third sight to the mount such that a position of the third sight is fixed relative to the first and second sights.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the first, second, and third sights are formed as one-piece having a spoke and hub configuration.

23. The method of claim 19 further comprising a providing a pivotable connection between the mount and the frame such that the first and second sights rotate about another axis.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising providing a translatable joint between the mount and the frame generally aligned with the another axis.

25. The method of claim 19 further comprising extending a band from the mount about the first and second sight.

26. The method of claim 19 further comprising forming a channel in the mount for receiving at least one of the first and second sights during rotation.

27. The method of claim 19 further comprising attaching the firearm sight to a firearm.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising constructing the frame to orient the firearm sight relative to one of a forward position or a rear position of the firearm.

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Description

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001]The present invention relates generally to a firearm sight and, more particularly, to a sight assembly having multiple independent oculars or sights.

[0002]Fire arm sight assemblies generally include an ocular or sight that is attached to the firearm to assist the shooter with aligning the bore of the firearm with an intended target. Commonly, the shooter adjusts either the sight relative to the firearm, or the orientation of the sight relative to the target, to accommodate different shooting conditions. For example, if a projectile will be subjected to a crossing wind during the travel of the projectile to the target, the shooter can lateral translate the sight relative to the bore of the firearm, or simply aim the firearm at a sight that is offset from an intended projectile impact area. These variations in lateral alignment of the sight and/or the firearm with the intended target are commonly referred to as windage adjustments.

[0003]Another type of alignment adjustment the shooter must accommodate is an inclination of declination of the firearm relative to the target to accommodate the differences between the generally linear sighting path and the occasionally more curved projectile path. For targets at close range, this is generally a negligible consideration for most shooters as the projectile will follow a substantially linear path. This becomes a greater consideration for accurate shooting as the target is moved further from the firearm. In such situations, the shooter must adjust the orientation of the sight relative to the firearm or sight the firearm generally above an intended impact area. Adjusting the orientation of the sight relative to the firearm manipulates the association between the line of sight and the projectile path such that the two lines cross at the intended impact area. Aiming above a target accommodates the arcing path of the projectile such that the projectile strikes the desired impact area even though the firearm sight indicates an elevated impact area.

[0004]Regardless of the shooting technique, alignment of the sight with the firearm or estimating the degradation of the projectile path to be able to repeatedly hit an intended target is much more a skill based on experience than the simply mechanical act of firing a projectile from a firearm. Accurate shooting at various ranges under varied conditions is a skill that few shooters master. The ability to accurately hit a target is complicated by both the ambient conditions and the range between the shooter and the target. Although many adjustable gun sights are available, accurate shooting with such sights is heavily dependent on the shooters ability to orient the sight relative to the firearm to strike the intended target. Accordingly, it is desired to provide a firearm sight that can quickly and repeatably align the firearm with an intended target.

[0005]The problems associated with the aiming of the firearm mentioned above are magnified as the operable range of the firearm increases. Small misalignments of the firearm relative to a distant target will yield unintended or undesired impacts. High-power firearms, such as a .50 caliber firearm, have the potential to accurately deliver a projectile generally in a range of approximately 2000 yards or approximately 1830 meters. Coupled with the ability to deliver various projectile types such as armor-piercing rounds, incendiary munitions, and explosive rounds, such firearms are an invaluable deterrent to malevolent activities. The ability to accurately deliver projectiles throughout the operable range of such firearms provides the additional advantage of maintaining a spacing between the intended target and the shooter thereby providing a degree of protection for the shooter from debris or other projectiles which may originate from the target independently or as a result of the impact of the shooters projectile.

[0006]Understandably, efficient utilization of such high-power firearms depends heavily on the ability to quickly and efficiently train new shooters in the shooting characteristics of such firearms. Depending on a given shooters prior experience, even with the assistance of known shooting aids, the ability to train a shooter to accurately acquire and fire upon a variety of targets within a 2000 yard operating range of a firearm can be a time consuming and expensive endeavor. Accordingly, it would also be desirable to provide a firearm sight assembly that is simple to use and whose operation can be quickly understood.

[0007]It would therefore be desirable to have a system and method for providing a firearm sight assembly that is easy to operate and capable of quickly and accurately aligning the firearm projectile path with targets at varying ranges.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008]The present invention provides a system and method of providing a firearm sight assembly that overcomes one or more of the aforementioned drawbacks. The firearm sight assembly includes a number of sights in a common assembly. The sight assembly according to one aspect of the invention is securable to a firearm and configured such that a shooter can selectively utilize one of the number of sights tailored for a number of respective distances. Preferably, the sights are connected such that moving one sight out of a shooting line of sight brings another sight into the shooting line of sight. Such a sight assembly allows a shooter to quickly configure a firearm for accurate shooting at a variety of distances.

[0009]Another aspect of the invention is disclosed as a sight assembly having a base, a housing, and a first and second sight. The housing is attached the base which is constructed to engage a firearm. The first sight is attached to the housing and is constructed to rotate about an axis oriented in a crossing direction relative to an axis transverse to a bore of the firearm. The second sight is also attached to the housing and is constructed to rotate about the same axis. Such a construction equips a user with a sight that is operable at a variety of distances with minimal adjustment.

[0010]A further aspect of the invention is disclosed as a sight assembly that includes a number of sights that are connected to a hub. The sight assembly includes a first portion for engaging a firearm and a second portion for engaging the first portion. A pivot is engaged with the hub and rotationally connects the number of sights to the second portion of the sight assembly such that each of the number of sights rotates between a use position and a stored position. The axis and hub are oriented such that the respective positions are oriented in a common plane. Such a construction provides a sight assembly that is simple to operate and can efficiently implemented across a range of firearm products.

[0011]Yet another aspect of the invention discloses a method of providing a firearm sight. The method includes providing a frame for being connected to a firearm and providing a mount that engages the frame. A first and a second sight are provided and connected to the mount such that a position of the first sight is fixed relative to the second sight and such that the first sight and the second sight can rotate about an axis generally aligned with a bore of the firearm. Such a construction provides a sight assembly that can be efficiently produced and provides for repeatable sight positioning even when exposed to harsh operating conditions and environments.

[0012]These and various other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description and the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013]The drawings illustrate one preferred embodiment presently contemplated for carrying out the invention.

In the drawings:

[0014]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a firearm equipped with a sight assembly according to the present invention;

[0015]FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the sight assembly shown in FIG. 1;

[0016]FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the sight assembly of FIG. 1 with the sight assembly removed from the firearm;

[0017]FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the sight assembly shown in FIG. 3;

[0018]FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3 with the sight assembly in a stored configuration;

[0019]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the sight assembly shown in FIG. 3 and taken along line 6-6 shown in FIG. 3; and

[0020]FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the sight assembly shown in FIG. 3 and taken along line 7-7 shown in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0021]FIG. 1 shows a firearm 20 equipped with a sight system or assembly 22 according to the present invention. Firearm 20 includes a barrel portion 24 and a stock or action portion 26. It is appreciated that although firearm 20 is shown as a generally high-power, large caliber firearm, such as a .50 caliber firearm that can be configured for single shot, semiautomatic, or fully automatic operation, sight assembly 22 is operable with virtually any firearm assembly wherein sighting at varied ranges is desired. It is further appreciated that, although sight assembly 22 is shown as being positioned proximate a rearward portion 28 of firearm 20, sight assembly 22 could be secured to any portion of the firearm or supporting structure provided sight assembly 22 moves generally with firearm 20.

[0022]Firearm 20 includes an action 30 having a firing pin constructed to impact a primer cartridge of a shell. Upon discharge of the shell, a projectile is accelerated and travels through a bore 32 of firearm 20. The projectile exits bore 32 proximate a muzzle 34. Once fired, the projectile follows a projectile path to a intended target. As is commonly understood from projectile dynamics, after leaving bore 32, the projectile gradually slows until impact with interfering objects. As previously discussed, the ability to impact a desired target with the projectile depends greatly on a shooters ability to align bore 32 of firearm 20 such that the projectile follows a projectile path that crosses the intended target.

[0023]A shooter position 36 is located generally behind firearm 20 such that a shooters line of sight is generally aligned with a vertical plane associated with the desired projectile path. A shooter utilizes sight assembly 22 and a forward post sight 23 to align bore 32 such that the projectile impacts a desired target. As shown in FIG. 2, sight assembly 22 is secured to a bracket 38 that engages a top plate or an upper surface 40 of firearm 20. Sight assembly 22 includes a first portion, frame, or base 42 and a second portion, mount, sight mount, or housing 44 that is pivotably connected to base 42. An optional rail 46 is constructed to engage a forward portion 48 of bracket 38 such that optional rail 46 is also secured to firearm 20 and generally aligned with the bore thereof. Optional rail 46 is constructed to cooperate with other sighting accessories, such as magnifying scopes, laser aiming devices, etc. The operation and function of optional rail 46 is readily understood in the art. It is appreciated that optional rail 46 include one or more vertically oriented rail sections and/or one of more of a variety of additional aiming implements. It is further appreciated that sight assembly 22 be operable to interact with other supplemental sight systems such as a front sight post secured to the firearm or the like.

[0024]Referring to FIG. 3, housing 44 includes a hoop 50 that extends from a body 52 and generally forms a sight window 54 therebetween. Base 42 includes a first arm 55 in the second arm 55 that are positioned at generally opposite ends of base 42. A number of passages 56 formed through base 42 cooperate with fasteners to secure base 42 to bracket 38 and/or firearm 20. A dial or windage adjustment dial 58 is positioned proximate one of arms 55, 57. Manipulation of dial 58 translates housing 44 relative to base 42 in a lateral direction, indicated by arrow 60, with respect to bore 32 of firearm 20. Lateral translation of housing 44 relative to base 42 is commonly understood as providing a windage adjustment of sight assembly 22. Moving housing 44 to the right relative to base 42, translates bore 32 in the same direction relative to a shooters line of sight. Lateral translation of housing 44 relative to base 42 laterally aligns a shooters line of sight with a projectile path as a particular distance.

[0025]Another dial or sight selection dial 62 is connected to a first sight 64 which extends into sight window 54. A number of fasteners 66 secure a cover 68 to body 52 of housing 44 generally between sight 64 and sight selection dial 62. A pivot or pin 70 passes through cover 68 and operatively engages a hub 72 connected to sight 64. Rotation of sight dial 62, indicated by arrow 78, rotates pin 70, hub 72, and sight 64 relative to housing 44. A chamber or channel 80 is formed between cover 68 and body 52 such that sight 64 can pass between cover 68 and body 52 of housing 44 during rotation of dial 62. Alternatively, a shooter could directly engage sight 64 to move the sight through channel 80 to expose other sights disposed therein.

[0026]FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of sight assembly 22. As shown in FIG. 4, pin 70 passes through an opening 83 formed in body 52 of housing 44. Pin 70 passes through channel 80 and operationally engages hub 72. First sight 64, a second sight 88, and a third sight 90 are secured to hub 72 such that the sights 64, 88, 90 move in unison. The positions of sights 64, 88, 90 are fixed relative to one another. Hub 72 includes an opening 92 constructed to engage pin 70 such that rotation of pin 70 rotates hub 72 relative to housing 44. A land 93 formed on pin 70 cooperates with a flat 95 formed in opening 92 such that pin 70, hub 72, and sights 64, 88, 90 are rotationally fixed relative to one another. Each sight 64, 88, 90 includes a target window 94, 96, 98, respectively, and a number of optional orientation arms 100. The target window 94, 96, 98 of each sight 64, 88, 90 is offset from the axis of rotation of pin 70 by an arm 102, 104, 106.

[0027]The length of arms 102, 104, 106 and the corresponding target window 94, 96, 98, defines an orientation of the shooters line of sight to a target and the inclination or declination of the bore of firearm 20. That is, arms 102, 104, 106 provide a varied offset of target window 94, 96, 98 relative to bore 32 of firearm 20 such that, when the shooters line of sight is aligned with the target, the projectile path and the line of sight intersect at the target. Each of sights 64, 88, 90 is associated such that sight assembly 22 can be utilized for accurate targeting of intended targets across a substantial portion or a majority of the operable range of firearm 20. Preferably, sight 64 is configured to accurately align firearm 20 with targets at approximately 1000 yards or roughly 915 meters from firearm 20, sight 88 is configured to accurately align firearm 20 with targets between 500 yards or 450 meters and 800 yards or 730 meters, and sight 90 is configured to accurately align firearm 20 with targets nearer than approximately 500 yards or 450 meters.

[0028]To configure firearm 20 for shooting at targets at any of these variable ranges, a shooter simply need position the desired sight 64, 88, 90 within sight window 84. It is appreciated that although three sights are shown, other sight configurations and constructions are envisioned. For example, it is envisioned that two or more sights may be provided and the sights provided may be configured with no or differing ranges of overlap. It is further envisioned that the sights and hub be separable but configured to interact when assembled. Such a construction allows a user to uniquely configure a sight assembly for a desired use.

[0029]Still referring to FIG. 3, an indexer 110 includes a spring 112 and a ball 114 that is constructed to cooperate with a detent 116, as shown in FIG. 6, formed in hub 72. Indexer 110 is constructed to be received in a cavity 118 formed in body 52 of housing 44. Indexer 110 is constructed to provide a tactile indication of the positioning of sights 64, 88, 90 relative to housing 44. Such a construction allows a shooter to repeatably orient any one of sights 64, 88, 90 for use.

[0030]Another indexer 120 is constructed to be received in a cavity formed in dial 58. Indexer 120 includes a biasing spring 124 and a ball 126. Ball 126 is constructed to cooperate with a number of detent or recesses 128 formed in arm 55 of base 42. Indexer 120 provides a tactile signal as to the adjustment of windage dial 58. Manipulation of dial 58 rotates a shaft 130 having a threaded portion 132 formed thereon. Shaft 130 is rotationally supported in a pair of bushings 134, 136 which engage respective openings 138, 140 formed in arms 55, 57. Threaded portion 132 is constructed to cooperate with a threading 142, as shown in FIG. 7, formed in a passage 144 formed through body 52 of housing 44. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 7, rotation of dial 58 rotates shaft 130 thereby rotating threaded portion 132 resulting in translation of housing 44 in lateral direction 60 relative to base 42. Recesses 128 and indexer 120 provide a tactile indication as to the degree of lateral translation of housing 44 relative to base 42.

[0031]Referring to FIGS. 4-6, arms 55, 57 of base 42 includes a number of recesses 150 constructed to cooperate with a number of positioning pins 152 that are slidably received within cavities 154 formed in body 52 of housing 44. A spring 156 is received within cavities 154 and bias positioning pins 152 into engagement with recesses 150 formed in base 42. Positioning pins 152 cooperate with recesses 150 such that housing 44 is rotatable relative to base 42. Housing 44 is rotatable between an in-use position 160, as shown in FIG. 6, and a stored position 162, as shown in FIG. 5.

[0032]Referring to FIG. 5, when orientated in stored position 162, an axis 164 of pin 70 is orientated in a generally transverse direction relative to a longitudinal axis, indicated by arrow 166, of the bore of the firearm. As shown in FIG. 6, when oriented in the in-use position 160, an axis 170 of housing 44 is orientated in a generally crossing direction with bore axis 166 and axis 164 of pin 70 is generally orientated in a substantially common plane with bore axis 166. Understandably, when positioned for use, the orientation of axis 164 relative to bore axis 166 may be skewed relative to the common plane to accommodate windage variations.

[0033]Still referring to FIG. 6, translation of housing 44, indicated by arrow 172 in FIG. 6, from the in-use orientation 160 (shown in FIG. 6) to the stored orientation 162 (shown in FIG. 5) translates pins 152 relative to the respective recesses 150 formed in arms 55, 57 of base 42 and provides a tactile indication that housing 44 has achieved the in-use position 160 and stored position 162, respectively. Pins 152 and recesses 150 allow sight assembly 22 to be repeatably oriented for use and/or storage. Pins 152, springs 156, and recesses 150 are further configured to be operable over the entire range of lateral movement housing 44 relative to base 42 associated with the windage adjustment. Accordingly, regardless of the instantaneous orientation of housing 44 relative to base 42, sight assembly 22 can be quickly converted for use and/or storage.

[0034]Referring to FIG. 6, body 52 of housing 44 includes a passage 180 that is in fluid communication with channel 80. Passage 180 is constructed to allow debris which may collect in channel 80 to be directed out of channel 80 so as to not interfere with the translation of sights 64, 88, 90 therethrough. The engagement between indexer 110 and detent 116 of hub 72 ensures that sights 64, 88, 90 can be readily and repeatably moved between the in-use position 182, occupied by sight 64 in FIG. 6, and the stored position 184, occupied by sights 88, 90 in FIG. 6. The cooperation of indexer 110 with detent 116 ensures that sights 64, 88, 90 can be quickly and repeatably moved between the in-use position 182 in the stored position 184 as shooting conditions vary.

[0035]The sight assembly 22 according to the present invention provides a gun sight system that allows a shooter to quickly and repeatably configure the firearm for shooting at various distances. Sight assembly 22 is further configured to for generally seamless integration into any of a number of firearm constructions. The sight assembly is can also be integrated or augmented and/or supplemented with the use of other sighting accessories such as scopes, lasers, target magnifiers, or the like. The robust construction of sight assembly 22 ensures product longevity and the ability to withstand the inhospitable conditions frequently associated with use of such firearms. Sight assembly 22 is further constructed to be simple to operate such that novice shooters can quickly become accurate marksman across at least a substantial portion of a tactical range of any firearm equipped with such a system.

[0036]Therefore, one embodiment of the invention includes a sight assembly having a base, a housing, and a first and second sight. The housing is attached the base which is constructed to engage a firearm. The first sight is attached to the housing and is constructed to rotate about an axis oriented in a crossing direction relative to an axis transverse to a bore of the firearm. The second sight is also attached to the housing and is constructed to rotate about the same axis.

[0037]Another embodiment includes a gun sight assembly having a first portion, a second portion, and a number of sights. The first portion is for engaging a firearm and the second portion is for engaging the first portion. The sight assembly includes a number of sights that are connected to a hub. A pivot is engaged with the hub for rotationally connecting the number of sights to the second portion such that each of the number of sights rotates between a use position and a stored position wherein the respective positions are oriented in a common plane.

[0038]A further embodiment includes a method of providing a firearm sight. The method includes providing a frame for being connected to a firearm and providing a mount that engages the frame. A first and a second sight are also provided and connected to the mount such that a position of the first sight is fixed relative to the second sight and such that the first sight and the second sight can rotate about an axis generally aligned with a bore of the firearm.

[0039]The present invention has been described in terms of the preferred embodiment, the several embodiments disclosed herein are related as being related to the assembly as generally shown in the drawings. It is recognized that equivalents, alternatives, and modifications, aside from those expressly stated, the embodiments summarized, or the embodiment shown in the drawings, are possible and within the scope of the appending claims. The appending claims cover all such alternatives and equivalents.

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