No. 694,904. W. YOULTEN, Patented Mar. 4, 1902. SGHTING DEVICE FOR FIREARMS. (Application filed May 13, 1901.) (No Model.) 4. Sheets-Sheet .

Inventor.

Vailorne yS. No. 694,904. Patented Mar. 4, 1902. W. YOULTEN. SGHTING DEVICE FOR FIREARMS. (Application filed May 18, 1901.) (No Model.) 4. Sheets-Sheet 2.

hitnesses. Zee Inventor: a s vittorneys. No. 694,904. Patented Mar. 4, 1902. W. YOULTEN. SIGHTING DEVICE FOR FIREARMs. (Application filed May 18, 1901. (No Mode.) 4 sheets-Sheet 3.

7fitnesses: Anventor 2...took 87%uchun, 22e.23. 77ttorn e/s. No. 694,904. Patented Mar. 4, 1902. W. YOULTEN. SIGHTING DEVICE FOR FIREARMS. (Application filed day 18, 1901.) (No Model.) 4. Sheets-Sheet 4.

WILLIAM YOULTEN, OF WESTMINSTER, ENGLAND. SIGHTING DEVICE FOR FIREARMs. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 694,904, dated March 4, 1902, . Applination filed May 13, 1901, serial No. 60,114. (No model.) to all whom it may concern: , With reference to Figs. 1 to 5the reflect Beit known that I, WILLIAM. YoULTEN, a ing instrument is shown made in two parts a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ire and b, fitting together by means of cylindrical 5 land, residing at 159 Victoria street, West flanges or projections atc. a. and b are tubes 5 minster, in the county of London, England, square in cross-section. The tube a contains have invented Improvements Relating to the two mirrors die, Fig. 4, and the tube b two Sighting of Rifles and other Firearms, of mirrors fg. Each tube has an aperture, the which the following is a specification. aperturel in the tube a being for the admis This invention relates to an improved, re sion of the rays of light from the object aimed: Io flecting instrument by the use of which cer at and the aperture in the tube b for the tain well-known principles in the science of emission of such rays after reflection from optics are adapted to the sighting of rifles, the mirrors d, e,f, and g. A dovetail pro small-arms, machine-guns, and the like from jection i is formed on the under side of the behind walls, boulders, and the like without tube a. This projection slides in the groove S 15 enemy.the gunner being exposed to the view of the k on the rifle, (see Fig. 5,) thereby holding According to this invention I mount two or the reflecting instrument near the back sight more mirrors or other reflecting-surfaces in a m. n and p, Fig. 1, show two strips of metal tube or otherwise in such a manner that the hinged together at o and attached to the butt 7o 20 first of these reflecting-surfaces may come be of the rifle by clips. The part p forms a false hind the sights and in the line of aim of the butt to rest against the shoulder of the per gun, while the last reflector comes in front of son using the rifle. The strips in and pare. the gunner's eye and enables him to aim the readily detached from the rifle and packed in : without exposing himself to the enemy's a small compass. . - . . 75 2 e. , With reference to Fig. G the reflecting in In order that my invention may be under strument is shown attached in a vertical po stood, I will describe several ways of apply sition to the butt of the rifle. The instru ing it to a rifle...... ment in this case consists of a single tube.g., Figure 1 shows an elevation of rifle, illus provided with two parallel mirrors aforesaid. 8o .3o trating one method of attaching the reflect r shows a skeletonbutt attached to the rifle ing instrument. Fig. 2 is a front elevation by clips, enabling the marksman to take the of the reflecting instrument shown at Fig. 1. recoil of the rifle upon his chest. S shows Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same instru a wire proceeding from the trigger, so that ment, and Fig. 4 is a plan of same; Fig. 5, a the marksman may fire the rifle by pulling on 85 35 plan of part of rifle shown at Fig.1. Fig. 6 trigger.the wires . instead. . of having to reach to the shows a modification of the manner of attach ing the reflecting instrument to a rifle. Fig. With reference to Fig. 7, t shows a false 7 shows a further modification. Fig. 8 shows butt suitably clipped to the butt of the rifle. a detail hereinafter referred to. Fig. 9 is an This false butt tis in the form of a box, and 9o 40 elevation showing a fourth method of fitting the instrument q is contained in this box, be the instrument to a rifle. Fig.10 shows a de ing hinged at u, so that upon raising the lid. ) tail hereinafter referred to. Fig.11 shows the said instrument may be swung up into a the construction of rifle-butt which I prefer vertical position, as shown in the figure. The to employ. Fig. 12 shows a rifle cut through bottom u of the box is also hinged, so that the 95 45 the stock behind the lock and fixed in the said box may be used to contain other ar cranked form in order to facilitate the appli ticles. The lid v may be used to support the cation of the reflecting instrument. Fig. 13 instrument when raised. In this case...an. is a back view of same on a larger scale. aperture would be provided in the said lid 2. for the purposes of observation. - O Figs. 14 and 15 show modified forms of the In Fig. 8, a shows a slot or groove cut in 50 reflecting and telescopic instruments, respec the rifle, and y shows a metal plate fixed over tively. Figs. 16 and 17 show details herein such slot or groove. This forms a means for after referred to. attaching the reflecting instrument to the - s 694,904...... m rifle, a projection from the instrument fitting prismatic reflector 15. The ring 17 is formed tightly in the slot ac. . . . . with a fine-wire grid, as shown, and it will With reference to Fig. 9, which shows an be obvious that the fixed point-blank back other method of applying the instrument, 2 sight of the rifle will be exactly in line with shows short tube or socket attached in a the front sight on an undefined position on vertieal position behind the butt of the rifle. the reflector. The fine grid seen through 1 and 2 are telescopic tubes, the tube 1 being from the center of the eyepiece will show provided with a mirror 3 at its outer end and that spot through the grid at a rather uncer 75 the tube 2 with a mirror 4. The lower tube tain relative position with the intended zero o 2 is pivoted at 5 to the socket 2. 6 is a curved point-say the lower angle of one of the rod fixed to the tube land projecting there squares in the grid at dir near the bottom of from, as shown in side view at Fig. 10. The the vertical diagonal line of squares. This curve of the rod-6 is very slight, and in prac relative position is converted into the coin tice an inclined straight rod may be employed. cident position by adjusting the grid to it. is 7 shows an eye or ring fixed to the socket 2. This may be done by the maker of the appa The rod 6 works in the eye7. 8shows a small ratus by means of accurate measurement, or telescope attached to the tube 2 at the emis if the ring is fixed in the tube by means of sion-aperture opposite to the mirror 4. In four screws tapped into the ring after pass 85 order to adjust the instrument to various ing through four plain holes in the tube ranges, the telescopic tube 1 is raised or low (which is slightly larger in diameter than the ered in the tube 2, and at the same time the ring) the ring 17 can be readily adjusted, so rod 6, engaging in the fixed eye 7, cants the that the intended 'point-blank” point of tubes 1 and 2 over about the pivot 5, thus sight on the grid is regulated to the actual keeping the center line of the instrument al coincidence of the two sights on the barrel. ways at right angles to the line of...aim. The . This once done will enable the marksman to socket 2 must be attached to the butt of the ignore the adjustable back sight on the rifle rifle in such a way that when the reflecting and simply elevate or lower the stock as many instrument is telescoped down into its lowest squares as will bring the object the proper 95 position the center line of the said instrument number of squares above zero or point-blank 3) shall be at right angles to the line of aim for spot to correspond with the known or indi the shortest range. To effect this, I mark cated range. The indication of range is ap lines on the butt of the rifle and other lines proximately given by the relative size of a on the sides of the socket, and in placing the man, for example, compared with the size of CC socket in position I adjust the said socket so the squares. The horizontal lines of squares 35 that the lines on the butt and socket are par will serve in a similar manner for making the allel, or other means may be employed to ef requisite allowance for wind. 18 shows a fect this object. . knob or button by means of which the wire In the case of an instrument fitted to the grid17 may be dropped clear as its normal fo5 rifle in the mannershown at Fig. 9 I propose position, and interposed between the eye and 40 to mark the scale of ranges on the instru the object (or sights on the barrel) when de ment to show where the telescopic tubes must sired by pressure of the thumb while the fore be set for a given range. The use of such a finger is in command of the trigger. The an scale would enable the back sight to be dis nular grooves 19 and 20 receive the two con IC pensed with. Apertures are in each case necting-pieces 12 and 13. Fig. 16 shows the 45 provided in order that the rays of light may shape of these connecting-pieces. 21 and 22 enter aid leave the instrument. When the show flexible india-rubber eyepieces, which instrument is applied to the butt of the rifle, if quite flexible. and of suitable diameter a suitable skeleton butt, such as that shown say one and a half inches-will be sufficient 1 i5 at Fig. 6 or such as the folding projection protection against concussion, provided the shown at Fig. 11, is provided in order that rifle butt-end is brought well up against the the marksman may take the recoil either upon shoulder. the chest or shoulder. The extending or With reference to the telescopic finder false butt shown in Fig. 11 folds into a shown at Fig. 15 the achromatic object-lens groove in the under side of the rifle, as indi 23 and the double-concave eyepiece-lens 24, 55 cated in dotted lines in the figure referred to. if of the best make, are all that is necessary With reference to Figs. 12 to 17, 9 shows a for magnifying power and good definition up plate, preferably of steel, to which the sight to, say, two thousand yards; but a complete ing-glass 10 is fixed. 11 is a telescopic or telescopic series for a 'one-draw' action may I25 single-barrel field-glass attached to 10 by the be used. This, like the sighting-glass shown pieces 12 and 13. 14 is the butt-end- of the at Fig. 14, is all in one-piece in outward ap stock. 15 and 16 are prismatic reflectors, such pearance, as the piece of toothed rack 25, as are used in the best long-distance field fixed to the inner tube which carries the “oc glasses,by the use of which in turning an angle culaire' (double-concaye) lens and the inner there is no error of refraction, and the loss of screw-thread on the outer section of tube, are illumination is considerably less than five out of sight in the real instrument; but the wide gap (shown at 26) in the main tube al pereent.in front view17 is at a metalFig. 17)ring placed (shown behind detached the lows the movable inner tube to show through 694,904 . . . -: 8 s the wide gap (which is covered dust-tight by near the rear end thereof and adapted to move a piece of transparent celluloid or the like) there with, reflecting devices carried by said as the glass needs focusing to ranges of five attachment, one of said reflectors being in hundred yards and upward and the divisions line with the object, and a second reflector of focal distances on the marked scale come below the first, upon which the object is to into view through the celluloid-covered gap. be observed, substantially as described: 27 and 28 are annular grooves similar to those 2. In a small-arm, the combination with a marked 19 and 20 in Fig. 14; but I propose rifle or the like; of an attachment secured to modify the method of fixing. The pieces near the rear end thereof and adapted to move 75 O 12 and 13 are shown in Fig. 16 as having one there with, reflecting devices carried by said end gapped out, (29.) The ends 30 are perma attachment, one of said reflectors being in nently attached to the telescopic glass, Fig. line with the object, a second reflector below 15, at 27.28; but the ends 29 are slipped into the first, upon which the object is to be ob the grooves 1920, Fig. 14, and held tight b served, and an extension or false butt secured a half-turn of the screw-nozzle, thus enabling to the rear end of the rifle and extending the rifleman to instantly unship and pocket downwardly therefrom, substantially as de the glass when occasion requires, scribed. . . . . - Referring again to Figs. 12 and 13, it will 3. In a small-arm, the combination with a be seen that the plate 9 is the connecting and rifle or the like; of an attachment secured 20 supporting base to which all the pieces named near the rear end of the rifle, and adapted to are attached. It is about one-sixteenth inch move there with, a reflector mounted in the thick with a side edging about one-eighth upper part of said attachment, in line with inch wide turied over at right angles toward the sights of the rifle, and a second reflector the barrel from 31 to 32 to stiffen and give mounted below the first upon which the image 9c. 25 rigidity to the crank fittings. The portions is to be observed, substantially as described. 33 and 34 not turned over form lugs, 34 form 4. In a small-arm, the combination with a ing front stays and 33 forming back stays rifle or the like; of an attachment secured pressing against the front of the slotted side near the rear end of the rifle arid adapted to pieces 35, Fig. 12, at 34 and at thaback at 33. move there with, a reflector mounted in the 95 The angle stay-rod 36, Fig. 12, hinges at 37 upper part thereof in line with the sights of and is forced into a spring-socket at the back the rifle, a second reflector mounted below of the plate 9 at 38, and when the cranking the first, upon which the image is to be ob gear is upset 36 folds back into a groove in served, and an extension or false butt secured the stock and is held close by a spring-clutch upon the end of the rifle-stockforming a shoul o 35 at 39. The slotted side pieces 35 are hol der below the stock of the rifle, substantially lowed and feather-edged toward the stock and as described. by the loosening of the screws 40 and 41 5. In a small-arm, the combination with a about two turns the bottom end of the plate rifle or the like; of an attachment detachably 9 drops into a slight narrow gap between a secured to the rifle behind the rear sight, a Ios steel face-plate and the wood at the front reflector mounted in the upper part of said end of the butt, and the lugs 33 pass behind attachmentin line with the sights of the rifle, the slotted side pieces 35. The screws 40 41 and a second reflector mounted below the first are then turned home nearly tight and the upon which the image is to be observed, sub stay-rod 36 is pressed into the spring-socket stantially as described. . O 45 on the plate at 38, and the screws are turned 6. In a small-arm, the combination with a tight home. The plates covering the cross rifle or the like; of an attachment detachably sections of the stock on the barrel end and secured to the rifle behind the rear sight, a butt-end, respectively, have side earpieces at reflector mounted in the upper part of said 42, Fig. 12, turned over at right angles on the attachment in line with the sights of the rifle, IIS so stock to help to give strength and rigidity to a second reflector mounted below the first the whole, . . upon which the image is to be observed, and The method of applying this invention to an extension or false butt detachably secured machine-guns is similar to that heretofore de upon the rear end of the rifle and forming a scribed for rifles, the only alterations being shoulder-rest below the stock of the rifle, sub those of detail. s stantially as described. 55 For use when required I provide a slide of in small-arm, the combination with a violet or other suitably-tinted glass to cover, rifle or the like, and the sights carried there say, the aperture, in order to prevent the by; of a perforated tube or casing detachably flashing of the mirror when the sun's rays are secured to the firearm, and oppositely-dis I 25 upon it and to enable the position of guns posed reflectors within said casing, one of said using smokeless powder to be readily located reflectors being in a direct line with the sights by increasing the visibility of the flash. of the rifle, and the other below the first re What I claim, and desire to protect by Ilet flector, substantially as described. ters Patent, is 8. In a small-arm, the combination with a 1. In a small-arm, the combination with a rifle or the like, and the sights carried there rifle or the like; of an attachment secured by; of a perforated tube or casing, oppositely 4 ...... 694,904 disposed reflectors within said easing, and said sights, and a lower reflector also mount means for detachably locking said casing to ed in said casing beneath the upper reflector, Io said firearm, substantially as described. upon which the image in line with the sights 9. In a small-arm, the combination with a may be observed, substantially as described. 5 rifle or the like, and the sights carried there a WM. YOULTEN. by; of a tube or casing, adapted to be detach Witnesses: ably locked upon said firearm, an upper re A. E. VIDAL, flector mounted in said casing in line with A. BROWNE.