Sighting system and method of using thereof
A sighting system and method of using thereof, comprising: front 24 and rear sights 18, wherein center points of each opening D and E of each sight 24 and 18 are aligned on a line 61 parallel to a longitudinal axis 52 of the barrel 14 of a firearm. Surfaces of the front 24 and rear sight 18 facing a viewer 2 may have optional radially located marks, which are not illuminated by artificial light. The method of using the sighting system, comprising: providing a target and a barrel of a firearm; providing front and rear sights having first surfaces facing a viewer and oppositely directed second surfaces; and aiming the firearm at the target by aligning the points “D” and “E” of the front and rear openings of the front and rear sight, respectively, at the center T′ of the target T.
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to sighting devices for targeting and more specifically to sighting devices mounted on a weapon to improve the accuracy of hitting a target.
2. Related Art
There is a need for a sighting device that may be used to assist aiming a firearm at a target.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA first aspect of the present invention is a sighting system for mounting on a barrel of a firearm, comprising: front and rear sights having front and rear casings, wherein a first surface of each of the front and rear casings face a viewer and wherein a second surface of each of the front and rear casings faces away from the viewer, wherein each of the casings encloses an opening, wherein center points of the front opening D and the rear opening E lie on a first line, wherein the first line extends from a point F on a surface G of an at least one eye K of the viewer to the center point D of the front opening of the front sight to a point B that is a proximal end of the first line, with respect to a target, wherein the point B defines an end of a second line that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the barrel and extends from the point B to a point A that is a proximal end of the longitudinal axis of the barrel of the firearm, with respect to the target, wherein a segment of the first line that extends from a point F on the surface G of the at least one eye K of the viewer to the center E of the rear sight of the firearm has a length from about ⅓ to about ⅔ of a length of the first line;
A second aspect of the present invention is a method of using a sighting system mounted on a barrel of a firearm, comprising: providing front and rear sights having front and rear casings, wherein a first surface of each of the front and rear casings face a viewer and wherein a second surface of each of the front and rear casings faces away from the viewer, wherein each of the casings encloses an opening, wherein center points of the front opening D and the rear opening E lie on a first line, wherein the first line extends from a point F on a surface G of an at least one eye K of the viewer to the center point D of the front opening of the front sight to a point B that is a proximal end of the first line, with respect to a target, wherein the point B defines an end of a second line that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the barrel and extends from the point B to a point A that is a proximal end of the longitudinal axis of the barrel of the firearm, with respect to a target, wherein a segment of the first line that extends from a point F on the surface G of the at least one eye K of the viewer to the center E of the rear sight of the firearm has a length from about ⅓ to about ⅔ of the length of the first line, and aiming the firearm at the target by aligning the points “D” and “E” of the front and rear openings of the front and rear sight, respectively, at the center T′ of the target T, wherein aligning the points “D” and “E” of the front and rear openings of the front and rear sights, respectively, include having the viewer superimpose the points D and E of the front and rear openings of the front and the rear sights over the center T′ of the target T;
A third aspect of the present invention is a sighting system for mounting on a barrel of a firearm, comprising: front and rear sights having front and rear casings, wherein a first surface of each of the front and rear casings face a viewer and wherein a second surface of each of the front and rear casings faces away from the viewer, wherein each of the casings encloses an opening, wherein center points of the front opening D and the rear opening E lie on a first line that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the barrel of the firearm, wherein a proximal end of the first line with respect to a target lies on a second line, wherein the second line is defined by the proximal end of the first line and a proximal end of the longitudinal axis of the barrel, with respect to a target, wherein a proximal end of a segment of the first line, with respect to the target, that extends from the center point D to the center point E of the front and rear sights is from about 0.1 inch to about 4 inches from the proximal end of the first line, such that when the target has a longest dimension less than or equal to 36 inches, an area of an image of the target, as viewed through the front and rear sights, along the first line, does not exceed a total area of the front sight, and wherein both the front and the rear sights are operably coupled to a track or railing, and wherein the track or railing is operably coupled to a first surface of the barrel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe features of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The rear sight 18 comprises: a rear casing 50, a rear opening 16, a rear stem 15, a rear upper shim 27 and a rear lower shim 19. The front sight 24 comprises: a front casing 20, a front opening 17, a front stem 29, a front upper shim 97 and a front lower shim 119. In some embodiments, the rear opening 16 may have a longest dimension from about 0.016 in. to about 0.75 in. Alternatively the rear opening 16 may have a longest dimension from about 1 inch to about 3 inches. In some embodiments, the front opening 17 of the front sight 24 may have a longest dimension from about 0.016 in. to about 0.75 in. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the front opening 17 of the front sight 24 may have a longest dimension from about 1 inch to about 3 inches. In some embodiments, the rear opening 16 of the rear sight 18 may be smaller in it's longest dimension than the front opening 17 of the front sight 24. The rear opening 16 of rear sight 18 and the front opening 17 of the front sight 24 may be any shape selected from the group consisting of cylindrical, square, rectangular, triangular or rhomboid.
In some embodiments, a straight line length from the center “D” of the opening 17 of the front sight 24 to a point B on the line 61 may be equal to a length of a segment 23 of the line 61. In some embodiments, the point B may be a proximal end of the line 61 with respect to the target T, wherein a line 68 extending from point B to a point A located on a longitudinal axis 52 of the barrel 14 of the firearm 25 may be perpendicular to the surface I of the barrel 14 of the firearm 25. In some embodiments, the point A may be a proximal end of the longitudinal axis 52 of the barrel 14 of the firearm 25, with respect to the target T. In some embodiments, a length of the line 68, when the points B and A lie on the line 68 and the line 68 forms a right angle with the longitudinal axis 52 of the barrel 14 of the firearm 25, and when the points B and A may be proximal ends of the line 61 and the longitudinal axis 52, respectively, may be preferably from about 0.1 inches to about 3 inches, more preferably from about 0.1 inches to about 2 inches and most preferably from about 0.1 inches to about 1 inch.
In some embodiments, a length of the segment 22 may be a straight line distance from the center “D” of the opening 17 of the front sight 24 to a center E of the rear sight 18, along the line 61, wherein the length of the segment 22 may be preferably from about 3 to about 7 inches, more preferably from about 3 to about 5 inches and most preferably from about 3 to about 4 inches.
In some embodiments, a segment 21 of the line 61 may extend from a point F on a surface “G” of an at least one eye “K” of a viewer 2 to the center E of the rear sight 18 of the firearm 25 on the line 61. As such, the point F is at a proximal end of the line 61 in relation to the at least one eye K of the viewer 2. Hereinafter, “proximal” means physically located near a point of reference, such as the target T. In some embodiments, the point F may be a starting point of the segment 21 of the line 61. In some embodiments, when the barrel 14 is 22 inches long, as measured as a straight line distance between points A and C of the longitudinal axis 52, the segment 21 may be from about 0 to about 18.9 inches, preferably from about 0 to about 9 inches and most preferably from about 0 to about 6.0 inches. In some embodiments, the at least one eye “K” of the viewer 2 may be both eyes of the viewer 2. Alternatively, when the barrel 14 is 29 inches long, as measured as a straight line distance between points A and C of the longitudinal axis 52, the segment 21 may be from about 0 to about 25.9 inches, preferably from about 0 to about 12 inches and most preferably from about 0 to about 8 inches.
In some embodiments, a straight line distance from a point “J” on an underside surface “M” of a chin “L” of the viewer 2 may be separated from a point H located on a surface I of the barrel 14 of the firearm 25, wherein the points J and H lie on a line 29, and wherein separation may be equal to a length of a line 29, extending from the point “J” on the surface M of the chin L, to the point “H,” on the surface I of the barrel 14. The length of the line 29, when the line 29 between the points H and I forms a right angle with the surface I of the barrel 14 of the firearm 25 may be preferably from about 0 to about 3 inches, preferably from about 0 to 2 inches and most preferably from about 0 to 1.5 inches.
In some embodiments, a viewer 2 may use the marks 78 on the front sight 24 and the marks 38 on the rear sight 18 to aid the viewer 2 in determining the respective center points D and E of the respective front and rear sights 24 and 18. In these embodiments, a viewer 2 may be taught to estimate the center points D and E for any pair of two marks 78 or 38 that may be oppositely located on the front surfaces 55 and 85 of the sights 24 and 18, respectively, by locating the center point D or E at a point that may be equidistant between the pair of marks 78 or 38. Alternatively, the viewer 2 may be taught to estimate the center points D and E for any four marks placed radially at 90° increments on the front surfaces 55 and 85 of the sights 24 and 18, respectively, by locating the center points D or E where lines between oppositely placed marks 78 and 38 may intersect.
The combination of the casing 50, the stem 15 and the upper shim 27 may be directly and physically coupled by welding if they are made of metal, or by molding if they are made of synthetic material such as plastic. Alternatively, the casing 50, the stem 15 and the upper shim 27 may be physically separate able, as individual pieces that are not physically coupled, i.e., because they have not been welded, glued or molded together. The combination of the casing 50, the stem 15 and the upper shim 27 may be directly and physically coupled to the sight mount 9 by drawing the upper shim 27 in the direction of the arrow 67 and the lower shim 19 in a direction opposite the direction of the arrow 67, resulting in drawing the upper and lower shims 27 and 19 together, thereby tightening the shims 27 and 19 against the sight mount 9, as depicted in
The casings 50 and 20 of the rear sight 18 and the front sight 24, respectively, may be made of any solid material having an index of refraction that is not the same as the index of refraction of air, such as carbon steel, brass, alloys of iron, chromium, nickel, zinc, cadmium, or aluminum or plastic, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), ultra high molecular weight (UHMW) copolymer polypropylene, high-density crosslink polyethylene, polycarbonate. The casing 50 may have a first surface 55 facing a viewer 2 and a second surface 70 facing oppositely away from the viewer 2. The casing 50 and 20 may have opening 16 and 17, wherein the opening 17 of the front sight 24 may extend from the first surface 85 of the casing 20 to the second surface 73′ of the casing 20 of the front sight 24, and the opening of the rear sight 18 may extend from the first surface 55 of the casing 50 to the second surface 70 of the casing 50 of the rear sight 18. The openings 16 and 17 may be made of a transparent material such as glass or polycarbonate. Alternatively, the openings 16 and 17 may be an opening in the casing 50. In some embodiments, a first aspect of the present invention is a sighting system 26 for mounting on a barrel 14 of the firearm 25, comprising: front and rear sights 24 and 18 having front and rear casings 20 and 50, wherein a first surface 55 and 85 of each of the front and rear casings 20 and 50 face a viewer 2 and wherein a second surface 73′ and 70 of each of the front and rear casings 20 and 50 faces away from the viewer 2, wherein each of the casings 20 and 50 encloses an opening 17 and 16, wherein center points of the front opening D and the rear opening E lie on a first line 61, wherein the first line 61 extends from a point F on a surface G of an at least one eye K of the viewer 2 to the center point D of the front opening 17 of the front sight 24 to a point B that is a proximal end of the first line 61, with respect to a target T, wherein the point B defines an end of a second line 68 that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 52 of the barrel 14 and extends from the point B to a point A that is a proximal end of the longitudinal axis 52 of the barrel 14 of the firearm 25, with respect to the target T, wherein a segment 21 of the first line 61 that extends from a point F on the surface G of the at least one eye K of the viewer 2 to the center E of the rear sight 18 of the firearm 25 has a length from about ⅓ to about ⅔ of a length of the first line 61. In some embodiments, the casings 50 and 20 may form solid rings around the openings 16 and 17. Alternatively, the solid shapes of the casings 50 and 20 may be any solid geometric shape such as a taurus or a rhombus or may be any shape selected from the group consisting of cylindrical, square, rectangular, triangular or rhomboid. Hereinafter “encloses” or “to enclose” means to surround on all sides; to close in.
The casing 50 may be seated in and directly and physically coupled to a stem portion 15 of the rear sight 18. The stem portion 15 may be seated in and directly and physically coupled to a surface 57 of an upper bracket 27 of the rear sight 18, and a second surface of the upper bracket 27 may be directly and physically coupled to a surface 58 of the rack or railing 9 of the sighting mechanism 26 of the firearm 25. In some embodiments, the rear sight 18 includes at least two bores 1, having openings 6, located adjacent to each side of a longitudinal axis 37 of the rear sight 18, extending from a surface A to a surface B of the casing 50 of the rear sight 18 in a direction of an arrow 7. In some embodiments, the rear sight 18 includes at least two bores 51, having openings 53; the at least two bores 51 being located adjacent to each side of the longitudinal axis 37 of the rear sight 18. The at least two bores 51 may extend from the surface B of the casing 50 to the openings 60, of an at least two walls 4 of the rear sight 18, wherein the at least two walls 4 may be located adjacent to each side of the longitudinal axis 37 of the rear sight 18. In some embodiments, the rear sight 18 includes at least two walls 54, having openings 56; the at least two walls 54 being located adjacent to each side of the longitudinal axis 37 of the rear sight 18. The at least two walls 54 may extend from the surface 57 to the surface 58 of the upper bracket 24 of the rear sight 18. In some embodiments, the rear sight 18 includes at least two walls 62, having openings 64; the at least two walls 62 being located adjacent to each side of the longitudinal axis 37 of the rear sight 18. The at least two walls 62 may extend from a surface 59 to a surface 66 of the lower bracket 19. In some embodiments, the rear sight 18 comprises at least two bolts 3, having heads 5, wherein the heads 5 may be wider in diameter than the openings 60, and wherein the bolts 3 have been inserted between the at least two walls, 4, 54, and 62, such that fastening the bolts 3 with nuts 2 may result in operably coupling the rear sight 18 to the track or railing 65. Alternatively, the walls 4, 54 and/or 62 and the bolts 3 may be appropriately threaded, such that the bolt 3 may be screwed or tightened into the at least two walls 4, 54 and/or 62, resulting in operably coupling the rear sight 18 to the track or railing 65. In some embodiments, a diameter of the at least two bores 1 and 51 may be greater than the diameter of the heads 5 of the bolts 3, such that the heads 5 of the bolts 3 may become recessed below the surface B of the casing 50 of the rear sight 18 when the bolts 3 and the heads 5 of the bolts 3 pass through the openings 6 and 53 of the bores 1 and 51 in the direction of the arrow 7.
The front sight 24 and the rear sight 18 may be supported by a sighting support system 9, as depicted in
In this example, firearm 25 has a barrel 14, having a 22 inch length, from the points A to C along the longitudinal axis 52, as in
In this example, In this example, firearm 25 has a barrel 14, having a 22 inch length, from the points A to C along the longitudinal axis 52, as in
In some embodiments of the step 44, the first line 61 and the longitudinal axis 52 of the barrel 14 of the firearm 25 have proximal ends, B and A, with respect to the target T, such that each proximal end, B and A may be equidistant to the target T, i.e, that lines 100 and 105, as in
In some embodiments of the step 44, a first segment 23 of the first line 61 may extend from about 0.1 inches to about 3 inches from the proximal end B of the first line 61 to the center point D of the front opening 17 of the front sight 24, and a second segment 22 of the first line 61 may extend from about 0.1 inches to about 4 inches from the center point D to a center point E of the rear opening 16 of the rear sight 18. In some embodiments, the second segment 22 of the first line 61 may extend from about 0.1 to about 18.9 inches when the longitudinal length of the barrel from proximal end A to distal end C along the longitudinal axis 52 is 22 inches, or from about 0.1 inch to about 25.9 inches, when the longitudinal length of the barrel 14 from proximal end A to distal end C along the longitudinal axis 52 is 29 inches.
In some embodiments of the step 44, the first surfaces 85 and 55 of the front and rear sights, 24 and 18, may face a viewer 2 and may have optional radially located marks, 78 and 38. In some embodiments, the second line 68 may extend from about 0.1 inch to about 3 inches from the proximal end B of the first line 61 to the proximal end A of the longitudinal axis 52 of the barrel 14.
EXAMPLE 3Lengths of lines 100 and 105 in yards from the proximal ends B and A of the first line 61 and of the longitudinal axis 52 of the barrel 14 to a center T′ of the target T is equal to a product of the longest dimension of the target T, in inches, and 0.6, when the longest dimension in inches of the target T, as viewed by the viewer 2 through the front and rear sights, 18 and 24 is equal to a longest dimension, in inches, of the front opening 17 of the front sight 24. When the lengths of lines 100 and 105 from the proximal ends B and A of the first line 61 and of the longitudinal axis 52 of the barrel 14 to a center T′ of the target T was 22 yards, the longest dimension of the target T was 36 inches, the longest dimension of the target T in the front opening 17, as viewed by the viewer 2 through the front and rear sights, 18 and 24 was 36 inches.
The description of the embodiments of the present invention is given above for the understanding of the present invention. It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described herein, but is capable of various modifications, rearrangements and substitutions as will now become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that the following claims cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A sighting system for mounting on a barrel of a firearm, comprising:
- front and rear sights having front and rear casings, wherein a first surface of each of the front and rear casings face a viewer and wherein a second surface of each of the front and rear casings faces away from the viewer, wherein each of the casings encloses an opening, wherein center points of the front opening D and the rear opening E lie on a first line, wherein the first line extends from a point F on a surface G of an at least one eye K of the viewer to the center point D of the front opening of the front sight to a point B that is a proximal end of the first line, with respect to a target, wherein the point B defines an end of a second line that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the barrel and extends from the point B to a point A that is a proximal end of the longitudinal axis of the barrel of the firearm, with respect to the target, wherein a segment of the first line that extends from a point F on the surface G of the at least one eye K of the viewer to the center E of the rear sight of the firearm has a length from about ⅓ to about ⅔ of a length of the first line.
2. The sighting system of claim 1, wherein the first surfaces of each of the front and rear sights do not include a source of artificial light.
3. The sighting system of claim 1, wherein the front and rear sights are made from materials selected from the group consisting of carbon steel, brass, alloys of iron, chromium, nickel, zinc, cadmium, or aluminum or plastic.
4. The sighting system of claim 3, wherein the plastic is selected from the group consisting of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), ultra high molecular weight (UHMW) copolymer polypropylene, high-density crosslink polyethylene, polycarbonate.
5. The sighting system of claim 1, wherein the front and rear sights are operably coupled to a track or rail.
6. The sighting system of claim 1, wherein longest dimensions of the front and rear sights are equivalent.
7. The sighting system of claim 6, wherein the longest dimension of the opening of the front and rear sights are from about one inch to about three inches.
8. The sighting system of claim 1, wherein a longest dimension of the opening of the rear sight is less than a longest dimension of the front sight.
9. The sighting system of claim 8, wherein the longest dimension of the opening of the rear sight is from about 0.016 in. to about 0.75 in.
10. The sighting system of claim 1, wherein, when dimensions of the front and rear openings are equal, and a length between the centers D and E of the openings of the front and rear sights is from about 3 in. to about 7 in.
11. The sighting system of claim 1, wherein radially located marks on the front surfaces of the front and rear sights are spaced at 90° increments.
12. A method of using a sighting system mounted on a barrel of a firearm, comprising:
- providing front and rear sights having front and rear casings, wherein a first surface of each of the front and rear casings face a viewer and wherein a second surface of each of the front and rear casings faces away from the viewer, wherein each of the casings encloses an opening, wherein center points of the front opening D and the rear opening E lie on a first line, wherein the first line extends from a point F on a surface G of an at least one eye K of the viewer to the center point D of the front opening of the front sight to a point B that is a proximal end of the first line, with respect to a target, wherein the point B defines an end of a second line that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the barrel and extends from the point B to a point A that is a proximal end of the longitudinal axis of the barrel of the firearm, with respect to a target, wherein a segment of the first line that extends from a point F on the surface G of the at least one eye K of the viewer to the center E of the rear sight of the firearm has a length from about ⅓ to about ⅔ of the length of the first line, and
- aiming the firearm at the target by aligning the points “D” and “E” of the front and rear openings of the front and rear sight, respectively, at the center T′ of the target T, wherein aligning the points “D” and “E” of the front and rear openings of the front and rear sights, respectively, include having the viewer superimpose the points D and E of the front and rear openings of the front and the rear sights over the center T′ of the target T.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein a longest dimension of the target is from about two inches to about 100 inches when the target is from about one to about thirty yards from the viewer.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein longest dimensions of the front and rear openings of the front and rear sights are equal.
15. The sighting system of claim 14, wherein a longest dimension of the front and rear openings of the front and rear sights are from about one inch to about three inches.
16. The sighting system of claim 12, wherein a longest dimension of the opening of the rear sight is less than a longest dimension of the front sight.
17. The sighting system of claim 16, wherein a longest dimension of the rear sight is from about 0.016 in. to about 0.75 in.
18. The sighting system of claim 12, wherein a segment of the first that extends from the center point D to the center point E of the openings of the front and rear sights is from about 4 inch to about 7 inches from the proximal point B of the first line, with respect to the target.
19. A sighting system for mounting on a barrel of a firearm, comprising:
- front and rear sights having front and rear casings, wherein a first surface of each of the front and rear casings face a viewer and wherein a second surface of each of the front and rear casings faces away from the viewer, wherein each of the casings encloses an opening, wherein center points of the front opening D and the rear opening E lie on a first line that is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the barrel of the firearm, wherein a proximal end of the first line with respect to a target lies on a second line, wherein the second line is defined by the proximal end of the first line and a proximal end of the longitudinal axis of the barrel, with respect to a target, wherein a proximal end of a segment of the first line, with respect to the target, that extends from the center point D to the center point E of the front and rear sights is from about 0.1 inch to about 4 inches from the proximal end of the first line, such that when the target has a longest dimension less than or equal to 36 inches, an area of an image of the target, as viewed through the front and rear sights, along the first line, does not exceed a total area of the front sight, and wherein both the front and the rear sights are operably coupled to a track or railing, and wherein the track or railing is operably coupled to a first surface of the barrel.
20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first surfaces of each of the front and rear sights of the sighting system do not include a source of artificial light.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 29, 2004
Publication Date: Jun 29, 2006
Inventor: Michael Castagnozzi (Poughkeepsie, NY)
Application Number: 11/025,500
International Classification: F41G 1/38 (20060101);