US2331616A - Marksmanship instruction attachment for firearms - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 12, 1943. P. MINGHETTI 2,331,616

MARKSMANSHIP INSTRUCTION ATTACHMENT FOR FIREARMS v Filed July 11, 1941 INVENTOR. Paul Minjheiii BY I V W m A 'I'TORNEYS Patented Oct. 12, 1943 MAR-KSMAN SHIP INSTRUCTION ATTACH- MENT FOR FIREARIIS Paul Minghetti, Stockton, Calif. Application July 11, 1941, Serial No. 401,995

4 Claims.

This invention relates in general to an attachment for firearms and especially rifles; the invention being directed in particular to a marksmanship instruction or checking attachment.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an attachment for a firearm, which enables a person other than the marksman to visually observe and check the alinement of the gun sights simultaneously with the marksman taking aim; such attachment being arranged so that such other person can accomplish such check from a point laterally of the firearm and without interference to the marksman.

A further object of the invention is to provide a checking attachment as above which includes a transparent and yet reflecting medium disposed across the line of sight, and at such angle that the observer at a lateral point is able to see the front and rear sights of the firearm, together with the target, in the same relation as the marksman.

An additional object is to mount a spirit level on the attachment in such position that it is not only visible to the marksman but also to'the observer; such spirit level being positioned so as to indicate undesirable lateral cant of the firearm to one side or the other.

A further object of the invention is to produce asimple and inexpensive device, and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the attachment as applied to a rifle, the latter being shown somewhat diagrammatically.

Figure 2 is a top plan f the attachment as in use.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross section on line 33 of Fig. 1, showing the attachment removed from the rifle.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, the attachment is here shown in place on a rifle which includes, as usual, a barrel I, a stock 2, a hand grip 3, a front sight 4, and a rear sight 5; the rear sight, as is conventional, being mounted some distance ahead of the rear end of the barrel.

The attachment which comprises this invention is constructed and mounted as follows:

An elongated strip-like plate 6, which is con cave in cross section thus forming an elongated saddle, is seated on barrel I rearwardly of the rear sight 5. The concavity of the plate will of course depend on the sectional shape of the barrel, and if desired the plate may be fitted with a friction lining l.

The plate 6 may be attached to the barrel in any suitable and convenient manner, and, for the purpose of illustration, the plate is here se cured in place by a helical tension spring 8 which connects at its ends on headed pins 9 adjacent the sides of the plate and thence extends about the grip 3 ahead of trigger In. One end of the spring is releasable from the corresponding pin to permit removal of the attachment.

Adjacent its forward end plate 6 is fitted with a rigidly mounted, vertical, and transversely extending pane ll of transparent material such as heavy glass; such pane being substantially rectangular and having a horizontally disposed spirit level l2 formed therein in a plane above the normal line of sight along the gun sights.

Rearwardly of fixed pane H and in longitudinally spaced relation thereto, and to each other, I mount a pair of transparent panes l3 and [4 respectively; these panes preferably being of glass polished to produce a reflective surface, and being of a size so that the reflective surface thereof is substantially the same size and configuration as pane II. The reflector panes I3 and I4 are provided with a protective border or frame l5, and each of said panes is mounted on plate 8 by means of a ball and socket IS. The panes I3 and M are in substantial horizontal alinement with pane II, and when in use panes l3 and M are adjusted to opposed acute angles to the line of sight, as shown.

In use, it will be seen that observers to both sides of the rifle, as indicated diagrammatically at l3a and Ma respectively, and without interferin-g with the marksman, have a reflected view in the corresponding reflector pane of the same elements seen by the marksman; namely, the front and rear sights, the target, and the spirit level l2. It is thus possible for an observer on either side of the rifle, and upon proper adjustment of the corresponding reflector pane, to accurately check on the marksmans aim, timing, and concentration as well as his ability to hold the gun without lateral cant. In this way instruction of students is greatly facilitated, much time is saved, accuracy is assured, and errors otherwise diflicult to detect are soon ascertained and remedied.

The present invention also is useful in connecstill in practice such deviations fromcsuchxdetailz may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described myinvention; what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1 Incombination. with a firearmincluding, a barrel having. a front. and rean sight mounted thereon; an. elongated. supporting plate. resting,

lengthwise on top. the barrel rearwardl'yn of.v the rear. sight; means securingsaid plate on. the barrel, three upstanding, transverse panes of't iansparent materialidisposedabove. but adjacent said plat'eand inllongit'udinall'y spacedlrelation, means rigidly mounting the forward panein connection with the plate, a; normally. hori'zontalispirit level formed in saidforward; pane adjacent. but clear of the Erie of sight} means mounting the other. panes on-the plate for universal-adjiistment; the forwardl fa ce. of. said other. panes forming, reflecting s'urf'aces,.-andI said; other. panes. intersecting, the. line ofsightandbeing. disposed; at opposite acute angles thereto.

2'. In combination with a firearm including. a. barrel having. a. front and. rear sight mbuntied. thereon; apan'eof! transparenhmaterial', means. mounting, said pane in upstanding transverse. position on. topof the barrelireaiiwardly ot the. rear sight, theforward surface of sai'd pane forming. a reflecting surface, said Dane intersecting. and being disposed at an acute angle to the line of sight, another pane of transparent;- material, means mounting said'oth'er. pane in upstanding transverse position on top of the'barrel at right angles thereto intermediate said first named pane and the rear sight, said other pane intersecting the line of sight, and a normally horizontal transverse spirit level formed in said other pane within the field of vision of said reflecting surface of said first named pane and adjacent but above the line of sight, whereby an observer at a lateral point relative to said first named pane may simultaneously view an image of. said sights; and an image of-tliespirit level in said 'refiec-ting surface.

3. In combination with a firearm including a barreh having a.- front and rear sight mounted thereom'a pane of transparent material, means mounting said pane in upstanding transverse position on= top of the barrel rearwardly of the rear. sight theiorward surface of said pane forming a reflecting surface, said pane intersecting andbeing disposed at an acute angle to the line of sight,. a normally, horizontal transverse, spirit 1evel,',means. mounting; said" level. on. top oi. the. barrel. ahead of? said, pane within; thefield' of; vision. ofisaidireffecting, surface .thereofladiacent. but clearoftheline ofisiglitg whereby. an observer at alateral point relative t'osaid'panemay view an image of'saidl sights and. an. adjacent ima e offsaid spirit" level in saidlrefi'ecting surface; said,

name being, mountedlior. universal adjustment,

' 4;.In combination with a firearmjncluding a barrelihaving, a front. and rear sight, mounted

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