US2743525A - Telescope sight mount - Google Patents

Description

y 1956 M. LEUPOLD TELESCOPE SIGHT MOUNT Filed Jan. 7, 1954 IN V EN TOR.

L E U POLD ATTORNEYS m u a z 2 FIG 2 atent 2,743,525 Patented May 1, 1956 thee TELESCOPE SIGHT MOUNT Application January 7, 1954, Serial No. 402,525

8 Elaims. (Cl. 33-50) Leupold & a corpora- The present invention relates to a telescope sight mount for a rifle or other firearm, the invention comprising an improvement upon the inventions disclosed and claimed in my prior Patents Nos. 2,493,254, issued January 3, 1950, and 2,548,031, issued April 10, 1951, particularly the latter.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a telescope sight mount comprising two mounting rings adapted to embrace the telescope and hold the same in adjusted relation to the bore of the rifle, one of said mounting rings being associated with means for elevating the mounting ring to provide sight adjustment in the vertical plane, and means to move the mounting ring laterally to provide sight adjustment in the horizontal plane, such adjustments being referred to as elevation and windage adjustments, respectively.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable telescope mount of the foregoing character in which the elevation adjustment means comprises a capstan headed screw adapted to be adjusted by use of a rod-like instrument.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a construction of the foregoing character comprising a split clamping ring for embracing the barrel of a telescope sight and including a clamping screw, windage adjustment screws, and an elevation adjustment screw, all of which screws may be rotated by means of a single rod-type wrench. A disadvantage of the construction illustrated and claimed in my prior Patent No. 2,548,031 is that three rod-type wrenches were required, thus increasing the cost of the package sold to the consumer and increasing the likelihood of being unable to make adjustments when required through loss of one or more of the wrenches.

A further object of the present invention is to provide click means associated with the elevation adjustment screw which is positive in operation to hold the adjusted position of the elevation adjustment screw, and which gives a loud audible signal at each adjustment of one click, thereby facilitating the measured adjustment of elevation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a construction of the foregoing character which is simplified, the number of parts being reduced and the number of machining operations likewise being reduced.

The objects and advantages of the present invention may be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings,

Fig. l discloses a portion of a rifle having a telescope sight mounted thereon by the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the present invention taken from the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a partial vertical section taken substantially along line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section looking upward from the plane of the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 illustrates the receiver portion of a rifle including the usual stock 10 and barrel 11, the barrel being integral with a receiver ring 12 and receiver bridge 13, between which there is the usual receiver opening 14. A bolt 15 having a handle 16, and the conventional trigger 17 and trigger guard 18, are illustrated. The sighting of the rifle is accomplished through the telescope sight 19 illustrated as mounted thereon in accordance with the present invention. It is to be appreciated that the present invention may be associated with many types of telescopes and rifles or firearms other than those herein illustrated.

In my prior Patent No. 2,548,031 I illustrate a telescope mounting bar made in a single piece. It is preferred in accordance with the present invention that the base for the telescope comprise a forward section 20 and a separate rear section 21, such separate sections being easier to mount and less likely to be strained by improper mounting. However, it is to be appreciated that the base may be an integral piece properly shaped to accommodate the present invention. The forward end of the telescope barrel is mounted by means of a split ring 22, pivotally and rotatably, as well as adjustably, secured to the forward section 20, as illustrated and described in the aboveidentified Patent No. 2,548,031.

In accordance with the present invention a split ring 23 identical to the forward split ring 22 embraces the rear portion of the telescope sight barrel. The split ring is slit at 24 whereby the ring may be clamped to the telescope sight barrel by means of a clamping screw 25 traversing the split 24 and provided with a polygonal socket adapted to receive a wrench bar of polygonal cross-section. The split ring is provided with a pair of laterally spaced cars 26 which depend therefrom and straddle a portion of the rear mounting member 21, the mounting member being provided with a pair of recesses 27 adapted to receive the ears. The spacing of the opposed inner surfaces of the ears 26 is much greater than the spacing of the opposed inner Walls of the recesses 27 whereby lateral shifting of the ring 23 for accomplishing windage adjustment is permitted. Each car 26 is provided with a threaded, transverse, aligned opening 28 in which is mounted a windage adjustment screw 29 having a polygonal socket. The sockets in the windage screws 29 are preferably of the same configuration and diameter as the socket in the clamping screw 25 whereby the same bar wrench may be utilized for effecting windage adjustment as is utilized for effecting the clamping of the telescope barrel. The inner ends of the adjustment screws are provided with conical tips 30 which are engaged in conical, diametrically opposed sockets 31 in a snap ring 32 which is snapped into an annular recess 33 in the enlarged cylindrical head of an elevation adjustment screw 34, the depending threaded stem of which is received in a threaded vertical opening 35 in the section 21. When one of the windage adjustment screws 29 is backed otf the split ring 32 is loosely retained in the annular recess 33 whereby the elevation screw 34 may be rotated to raise or lower the rear end of the telescope sight, and when the adjustment screws are tightened the snap ring 32 frictionaliy engages the walls of the recess to act as a brake shoe to prevent accidental displacement of the elevation screw. As so far described, the construction is substantially similar to the rear mounting of the telescope sight in my Patent No. 2,548,031.

The upper surface of the member 21 is provided with a pair of countersunk openings 36 for reception of head- 3 ed screws to mount the support member on the receiver bridge 13. It is also provided with a large cylindrical recess 37 in its upper surface which receives the large disc head 38 of the adjustment screw in the periphery of which the annular recess 33 is formed. A pair of transverse notches 39 join the recesses 27 to the recess 37 in order that the windage adjustment screws 29 may engage the elevation adjustment device. The recess 37 is almost tangential to the forward end surface of the support member 21 and an outwardly opening extension 40 thereof joins it to the end surface of the support member. The extension 40 is symmetrically located in the support member, its lateral edges being spaced apart at their inner ends a distance equal to the spacing of the end surfaces of the snap ring 32, the lateral edges being outwardly diverging so as to lie substantially radially with respect to the recess 37.

A central socket 41 is provided in the upper end of the adjustment screw 34 and a plurality of radial, equally spaced capstan openings 42 extend from the socket to the outer surface of the capstan screw. As illustrated, the openings are seven in number, this number of openings being such with respect to the width of the extension recess 40 that one opening will always be exposed to the end of the mounting member. An odd number of capstan openings is preferred since this results in a portion of thewall of the recess 41 being in line with each of the capstan openings 42 whereby a polygonal bar tool 43 inserted into any one of the openings is prevented from passing entirely through the head of the adjustment screw. In the invention as illustrated the capstan openings 42 extend radially and are equally spaced apart slightly over fifty-one degrees, while the sides of the recess extension 40 are spaced apart approximately sixty-five degrees, whereby one of the openings will always be accessible for insertion of the operating tool 43, and the screw may be rotated a substantial amount before it becomes necessary to reinsert the tool in another opening. From the foregoing it will be obvious that making the mounting for the telescope sight in two sections 20 and 21 is of advantage since it permits insertion of the tool and extensive angular shifting thereof through the open space above the bolt and below the telescope barrel. 7

The lower portion of the head 38 of the capstan screw supports a concentric, annular flange 44 which underlies the snap ring 32, the lower surface of the flange being provided with a plurality of radially extending click ridges 45. The click ridges are accurately machined to equal widths, the width of each being calculated to bear a definite relationship to the pitch of the threads of the elevation screw 34 and the distance between the fore and aft mounting rings 22 and 23 whereby angular displacement of the capstan headed screw by an amount equal to the width of one click ridge will achieve a define displacement of the line of sight. Such displacement is in an amount to achieve a definite displacement of the point of impact of the bullet fired from the rifle, for example one inch at one hundred yards, or a definite fraction of an inch at one hundred yards.

A vertical click spring socket 46 extends downwardly into the base member 21 in such relation thereto that its axis is in line with an intermediate portion of the flange 44. A click element 47 in the form of a cylindrical cup is telecopically mounted in the socket 46, its upper end being closed and its cylindrical wall partially embracing a coiled click spring 48 retained under compression in the socket. The upper end wall of the click element 47 is provided with a central, upwardly projecting, conical click point 49 which engages the click ridges as the elevation screw is rotated. Preferably both the flange 44 and the click element are casehardened so that they will not wear from usage. The construction is such that the click element, being in the form of a relatively large cup-shaped member, acts as a sounding drum to magnify the audible click produced by the click point dropping into a valley between ridges whereby the number of clicks may be easily counted as the elevation screw is adjusted. Also, the spring 48 is sufiiciently strong that considerable force is required to depress the click point as a ridge is engaged, and after the crest of the ridge is passed the click point will force further and rapid rotation of the screw, whereby rotation of the screw is in the nature of a series of short, jerky movements which may be easily sensed by the hand holding the tool. A further advantage of the present construction is that the click parts do not need to be mounted by means of rivets or screws, as in my prior construction, and also the parts are so sturdy that long usage will not weaken the click construction. further advantage of the construction is that the parts may be easily assembled and new parts substituted for worn parts without the use of special equipment. A further advantage is that the click device itself is sufficiently strong to hold the elevation screw in adjusted position against accidental misplacement while the windage screws are being retightened to clamp the snap ring against the head of the elevation screw.

Having illustrated and described preferred embodiments of my invention, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the same permits of modification in arrangement and detail. I claim as my invention all such modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An elevation adjusting device for a telescope sight comprising an elevation screw having a threaded stem and a large head providing an overhanging flange, a plurality of radial click ridges on the lower surface of said flange, a base having a threaded opening for reception of said stem, a click spring socket extending into said base beneath the overhanging flange of said head, a coil spring compressed in said socket, and a click element slidably mounted in said socket and urged against said ridges by said spring, the head of said elevation screw having a plurality of radially extending capstan openings therein and a coaxial socket in the upper sur-, face thereof into which said capstan openings extend, said capstan openings being equally spaced and there being an odd number thereof, said base having a laterally open recess in the upper surface thereof into which the head of said screw may be depressed, the lateral opening of said recess having an angular width with respect to the center of said screw greater than the angu lar spacing of said capstan openings.

2. An elevation adjustment mounting construction for a rifle telescope sight comprising a split clamping ring adapted to embrace the barrel of a telescope sight, a clamping screw for drawing said clamping ring tight, at capstan headed elevation adjustment screw, a base adapted to be fixed to a rifle or the like and having a threaded socket therein for reception of the stem of said capstan headed screw, a pair of opposed windage adjustment screws mounted on said split clamping ring, a snap ring concentrically retained on the head of said capstan headed screw and provided with means cooperatively to engage the inner extremities of said windage adjustment screws, said capstan headed screw having a plurality of radially extending capstan openings in the head thereof, said clamping screw and said windage adjustment screw each having an axially extending, polygonal socket for reception of tools of the polygonal bar type, both of said sockets being of the same cross-sectional dimensions for reception of the same tool, and said capstan openings being capable of receiving the same tool, said snap ring covering the outer ends of most of said capstan openings but having its ends spaced apart an angular distance greater than the angular spacing of said capstan openmgs.

3. An elevation adjustment mounting construction for a telescope sight comprising a split clamping ring adapted to embrace the barrel of a telescope sight, a clamping screw mounted on said clamping ring for drawing said clamping ring tight, a capstan headed elevation adjustment screw, a base adapted to be fixed to a rifle or the like and having a vertical, threaded socket therein for reception of the stem of said capstan headed screw, a pair of opposed windage adjustment screws mounted on said split clamping ring, a snap ring concentrically retained on the head of said capstan headed screw and provided with means cooperatively to engage the inner extremities of said windage adjustment screws, said capstan headed screw having a plurality of radially extending capstan openings in the head thereof, said clamping screw and said windage adjustment screw each having an axially extending, polygonal socket for reception of tools of the polygonal bar type, both of said sockets being of the same cross-sectional dimensions for reception of the same tool, and said capstan openings being capable of receiving the same tool, said snap ring covering the outer ends of most of said capstan openings but having its ends spaced apart an angular distance greater than the angular spacing of said capstan openings, said base having an upright end Wall and a recess in its upper surface into which said head may be depressed, said recess being near said end wall and having an extension opening to said end wall, said extension having a width as great as the spacing of the ends of said snap ring, and said snap ring being retained by said windage adjustment screws with the open space between its ends in alignment with said extension.

4. An elevation adjustment mounting construction for a rifle telescope sight comprising a telescope clamping ring, a capstan headed elevation adjustment screw, a base adapted to be fixed to a rifle or the like and having a vertical, threaded socket therein for reception of the stem of said capstan headed screw, a pair of opposed windage adjustment screws mounted on said clamping ring, a snap ring concentrically retained on the head of said capstan headed screw and provided with means cooperatively to engage the inner extremities of said windage adjustment screws, said capstan headed screw having a plurality of radially extending capstan openings in the head thereof, said snap ring covering the outer ends of most of said capstan openings but having its ends spaced apart an angular distance greater than the angular spacing of said capstan openings, said base having an upright end wall and a recess in its upper surface into which said head may be depressed, said recess being near said end Wall and having an extension opening to said end Wall, said extension having a width as great as the spacing of the ends of said snap ring, and said snap ring being retained by said windage adjustment screws with the open space between its ends in alignment with said extension.

5. An elevation adjustment mounting construction for a rifle telescope sight comprising a telescope holding member, a capstan headed elevation adjustment screw, a base adapted to be fixed to a rifle or the like and having a vertical threaded socket therein for reception of the stem of said capstan headed screw, a pair of opposed windage adjustment screws mounted on said member, a

snap ring concentrically retained on the head of said capstan headed screw and provided with means cooperatively to engage the inner extremities of said windage adjustment screws, said capstan headed screw having a plurality of radially extending capstan openings in the head thereof, said snap ring covering the outer ends of most of said capstan openings, said base having an upright wall and a recess in its upper surface into which said head may be depressed, said recess being near said wall and having an extension opening to said wall, and said snap ring being retained by said windage adjustment screws with the open space between its ends in alignment with said extension.

6. An elevation adjusting device for a telescope sight comprising an elevation screw including a threaded stem and a large capstan head having a plurality of equiangularly spaced, radial openings therein for reception of a capstan bar, and a base having a threaded opening for reception of said stern and a coaxial recess into which said head may be depressed, said recess having a lateral extension to a wall of said base whereby a capstan bar may be inserted into one of said radial openings when the head is depressed into said recess, the width of said lateral extension being greater than the peripheral spacing of said radial openings by an amount such that one of said radial openings is always accessible for insertion of a capstan bar.

7. An elevation adjusting device for a telescope sight comprising an elevation screw having a threaded stem and a large head providing an overhanging flange, a plurality of radial click ridges on the lower surface of said flange, a base having a threaded opening for reception of said stem, a click spring socket extending into said base beneath the overhanging flange of said head, a coil spring compressed in said socket, and a click element slidably mounted in said socket and urged against said ridges by said spring, the head of said elevation screw having a plurality of radially extending capstan openings therein, said capstan openings being equally spaced, said base having a laterally open recess in the upper surface thereof into which the head of said screw may be depressed, the lateral opening of said recess having an angular width with respect to the center of said screw greater than the angular spacing of said capstan openings.

8. An elevation adjusting device for a telescope sight comprising an elevation screw having a threaded stem and a head, a base having a threaded opening for reception of said stem, said head having a plurality of equally spaced depressions therein, and a spring-urged click device mounted in said base and engaging said depressions, the head of said elevation screw having a plurality of radially extending capstan openings therein, said capstan openings being equally spaced, said base having a laterally open recess in the upper surface thereof into which the head of said screw may be depressed, the lateral opening of said recess having an angular width with respect to the center of said screw greater than the angular spacing of said capstan openings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,176,743 Loomis Oct. 17, 1939 2,548,031 Leupold Apr. 10, 1951 2,576,007 Fischer Nov. 20, 1.951

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