Adjustable night sight for a pistol

Abstract

An adjustable night sight for a pistol includes a sight base, a vertical tilt member and a horizontal windage slide. The three components form the adjustable night sight which can be mounted on a slide of a pistol. Sources of luminescence are used to define a rear sight notch. The adjustable night sight horizontal windage slide is supported very securely on the vertical tilt member so that it will not fail under high stress loads. The overall sight assembly is very smooth and compact. It provides much greater resistance to snagging than has been exhibited in prior sight assemblies.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This U.S. patent application claims the benefit, under 35 USC 119e and 120 of U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/748,179, filed Dec. 8, 2005. That provisional patent application is related to pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/922,918. The disclosures of these applications are expressly incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed generally to a rear sight assembly that is adapted for use with a pistol. More specifically, the present invention is directed to an adjustable rear sight assembly which is adjustable for both elevation and windage. More specifically the present invention is directed to an elevation and windage adjustable night sight for a pistol.

The adjustable night sight in accordance with the present invention includes a sight base that is configured to be received in a Novak-type notch on the upper surface of the pistol's slide. The windage adjustment slide of the sight is movable transversely to the slide and is very durable. Night sighting capability is provided by the use of tritium, or tritium-type vials that can define the sighting notch in the shiftable windage adjustable slide.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A typical handgun or pistol has optical alignment fixtures or sights including a front sight and a rear sight which are aligned with one another to form a sight picture for aligning the pistol's point of aim on a target. Prior art pistol sights are usually mounted along the top edge of the pistol. Traditional semi-automatic pistols (such as the well known Colt model 1911, caliber .45) include a grip or handle carrying a lower receiver and a trigger mechanism, with a slide member slidably supported on the lower receiver and surrounding the barrel.

The traditional front sight is a vertically projecting blade, post or ramp-like member mounted at the front of the slide and the rear sight is adapted for mounting to the rear of the slide using a dovetail shaped transverse protrusion that mates with a corresponding transverse dovetail shaped slot in the pistol's slide.

Police officers and members of the military require especially rugged sights on their weapons and so a genre of firearms and accessories adapted for “combat carry” has evolved to serve their special needs.

The applicant developed a fixed sight intended to provide a smooth and snag-free draw, a clear sight picture and rugged service; the applicant's fixed sight design is shown in Design Patent D447,205. Others, including gunsmith Wayne Novak, have also developed a number of designs for sights intended to provide rugged service, and such sights are often fitted in a transverse dovetailed notch having standardized dimensions known in the industry as the “Novak notch” dimensions. By “transverse” is meant in a direction at a right angle to the pistol bore and lying in a horizontal plane when the pistol is held in a standard vertically aligned grip with the bore centerline in a horizontal plane. Generally, the standard notch will slidably receive and support a dovetail-like projection that is 12.5 millimeters (mm) in fore-aft length along a planar bottom surface and tapers inwardly at a selected angle (e.g., 60 to 70 degrees) from horizontal on front and back wall surfaces; the bottom planar surface of the sight's dovetail shaped projection is preferably 3 mm in vertical height from the upper surface of the notch opening, within customary gunsmithing tolerances.

While the combat sights of the prior art do provide a smooth and snag-free draw, a clear sight picture and rugged service, they do not provide the adjustability many have come to enjoy when using target pistols equipped with adjustable target sights.

Pistol sights are often used in a variety of situations. A sight is customarily optically aligned along the axis of the bore and used to align the bore of the firearm with the target. Target sights are usually adjustable in the left and right direction for “windage” and in the up and down direction for “elevation.” Usually, a shooter will mount a sight to a firearm and then immediately “zero” the sight by a procedure of adjusting windage and elevation settings so that the sight's point of aim corresponds with the projectile's point of impact for a selected target at a desired range.

Traditional combat carry sights, as described above, are usually not adjustable for windage, and so shooters have turned to permanently altering the front sight post by filing it down (to raise the point of impact) or substituting a taller front sight blade (to lower the point of impact). Adjustments for windage have required the shooter to strike the side of the sight with a pin punch and hammer, to force the sight laterally in the notch, a procedure which does not permit fine adjustment.

If a target sight is mounted to a large caliber firearm generating large recoil forces, the zero may change after firing several rounds and the sight must then be adjusted for proper zero again. Target sights are also relatively fragile, and may move out of adjustment if a pistol is dropped or struck. Both of these results present an unsatisfactory result if the firearm is to be used in life-threatening situations.

It is known to provide adjustable windage and elevation rear sights for use with various popular pistols. The applicant has invented several such rear sight assemblies that have gained wide acceptance in the market, both with sport users; law enforcement personnel and military forces. These sights provide the ability to adjust and to re-adjust the rear sight to compensate for different elevational requirements dictated by shooter to target distance changes, and to compensate for different windage requirement which can vary as quickly as the weather changes.

In the prior sights, there has been an issue of durability, particularly among high volume users. The windage slide is typically supported by the sight base through the use of a threaded sleeve that is slidable in a transverse bore or chamber. A relatively thin web extends from the sleeve, through a slot in the base and connects to the bottom of the windage slide. In the course of thousands of violent reciprocations of the slide, to which the rear sight is attached, that web may fracture. Such a fracture is obviously unacceptable as it renders the sight non-functional.

Night sights have become available and are popular with professional users, such as law enforcement personnel and military forces. These night sights, which are often referred to as defensive night sights, are characterized by their use of a luminescent material to define the sighting notch in the rear sight. Similar luminescent sources have also been incorporated into the front sight assemblies of various pistols. Since these night sights are often used in pistols that are subjected to hazardous and often very rugged use, it is essential that the night sight be robust and able to withstand such use. Unfortunately, various ones of the night sights that are currently available have not been able to withstand the rigors to which they are subjected. Again the result has been a sight which has failed, thus rendering the weapon to which it is attached much less effective.

Previously available adjustable rear sights for pistols have been prone to not be smooth, compact and to present a low risk of snagging during unholstering or placement into a use position. The various screws, knobs and adjustment devices in prior adjustable rear pistol sights have tended to be somewhat delicate and snag-prone. It is readily apparent that such a structure is not acceptable for incorporation into a pistol that may be used by a person whose life may well depend on his ability to place the pistol in a use position.

It will thus be clear that there has been a need in the art for an adjustable night sight that is usable with a pistol and which overcomes the limitations of the prior devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable night sight for a pistol.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable night sight which is robust and which will not fail over thousands of duty cycles.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable night sight that is smooth in overall physical structure and which is thus not prone to snagging.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable night sight for a pistol which has superior night sighting capabilities.

The aforesaid objects are achieved individually and in combination, and it is not intended that the present invention be construed as requiring two or more of the objects to be combined unless expressly required by the claims attached hereto.

In accordance with the present invention, an optical aligning instrument, or sight, is adapted for use in a Novak-style dovetail, as is customarily seen on the slide of an automatic pistol. The sight assembly includes a rear notch, in the embodiments illustrated below, but could just as easily include a peep aperture or other optical alignment structure. The rear sight provides an easy click-detent adjusting mechanism for horizontal translation of the notch, as well as a second click-detent mechanism for vertical translation of the structure defining the notch, thereby providing for the customary adjustments of windage and elevation, without requiring the shooter to either file down the front sight or to strike his or her pistol with a hammer and drift pin.

In the adjustable pistol rear night sight of the present invention, the adjustable sight assembly includes a sight base which is provided with a downwardly-projecting, dovetail-shaped member that is adapted to fit in the pistol's transverse dovetail slot. The base carries a vertical tilt member which is hinged to rotate about an axis that is defined by an elevation-tilt hinge pin which is carried by laterally spaced bosses or vertical walls projecting up from the base. The vertical translation of the sighting notch, or other similar optical alignment structure, is accomplished by adjusting an elevation adjustment screw which is removably received in a threaded bore defined in the vertical tilt member and threadably received in the sight base. The elevation adjustment screw has a flanged head adapted to engage or to cooperate with a detent mechanism to provide positive click adjustment to give the user feedback, and to maintain the zero setting during rugged use of the firearm. The vertical tilt member is biased upwardly, away from the base by a coil spring or other elastic force-supplying structure referred to hereinafter as a “spring”.

In the adjustable sight assembly of the present invention, the vertical tilt member carries a horizontal slide which preferably includes or defines a sighting notch that is translatable in the horizontal, or windage, direction by use of a click-detent windage adjustment screw. The windage adjustment screw also has a flanged head adapted to engage or to cooperate with a detent mechanism to thereby provide a positive click adjustment, give the user feedback and to maintain a zero setting of the sight during rugged use of the firearm. The horizontal slide member has a lower slide sleeve. The interior of the cylindrical sleeve is threaded to receive and to cooperate with the threaded windage adjustment screw. The windage adjustment screw moves the cylindrical sleeve of the horizontal slide member left and right laterally through an adjustment range, as provided by a slot which is defined in the vertical tilt member. The windage adjustment screw is kept in place by a threaded member or nut which is received in a circular receiving socket or aperture on the side of the vertical tilt member. The depth of the socket is substantially equal to the thickness of the nut so that the nut is sunken within the side wall to provide a flush fit. The windage adjustment screw has first and second outer diameters, with the distal end of the windage adjustment screw having a smaller diameter than the majority of the length of the elevation adjustment screw body which is received in the threaded sleeve. The smaller distal portion of the elevation adjustment screw is threadably received in the retaining nut which, being round, spins freely within the socket which is defined in the side of the vertical tilt member. Rotation of the windage adjustment screw causes the cylindrical sleeve member carried by the horizontal slide to move left and right freely within the vertical tilt member tunnel. A substantially rectangular slot in the vertical tilt member provides clearance for the supporting segment of the horizontal slide which connects the horizontal slide member's cylindrical segment to the rest of the horizontal slide, defining the sighting notch.

The adjustable night sight, in accordance with the present invention overcomes a number of the limitations of prior devices of this general type. The attachment of the horizontal slide to the vertical belt member is accomplished using a much larger layer bearing surface that was provided in the prior devices. In addition, the cooperating engagable faces of the horizontal slide and of the vertical tilt member each have cooperatively angled or inclined faces. These cooperating inclined faces effectively prevent the pivoting or shifting movement which has been apt to characterize prior horizontal slide portions of the windage adjustment sections of adjustable rear sights. The provision of somewhat inclined bearing surfaces is effective to prevent this pivoting or rocking motion that has been apt to cause the horizontal slide to fracture or break under strenuous usage.

In the adjustable night sight in accordance with the present invention, the sources of luminescence, which are typically tritium vials, are placed in purpose specific receptacles on the body of the horizontal slide. Such a positioning does not detract from the smooth, snag-free overall robust and durable structure of the adjustable night sight for a pistol, in accordance with the present invention.

In use, the adjustable night vision sight assembly is installed by inserting its dovetail-shaped base into the Novak-style transverse dovetail-shaped slot in a pistol slide or firearm receiver. The gunsmith or shooter estimates an appropriate central location for the sight assembly. A base set screw is then tightened, preferably with an Allen wrench or hex key, to at least preliminarily fix the lateral position of the sight assembly in the slide notch. Once the sight assembly has been installed, the user may twist the elevation adjustment screw against its detent to adjust the vertical translation of the vertical tilt member, which swings through an arc about the hinge pin. The elevation adjustment of the sight is held steady by the elevation tilt bias spring, which may provide some shock-absorbent qualities in the event the pistol is dropped. The user then turns the windage adjustment screw against its spring-biased detent to laterally translate the horizontal slide to adjust the lateral position of the sighting notch and the point of impact for a given point of aim.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A full and complete understanding of the adjustable night sight for a pistol, in accordance with the present invention, may be had by referring to the detailed description of the preferred embodiments, as set forth subsequently, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a typical pistol showing a first embodiment of the adjustable night sight in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the slide portion of the pistol depicted in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the pistol slide shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of the adjustable night sight in accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 5a-5f are views of the assembled adjustable night sight of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a horizontal slide portion of the first embodiment of the adjustable night sight of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a rear elevation view of the horizontal slide;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of an adjustable night sight in accordance with the subject invention and depicting two alternative horizontal slides;

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a third preferred embodiment of an adjustable night sight in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a side elevation view of a portion of a slide of a pistol having the adjustable night sight of FIG. 10 installed;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the slide of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is an exploded projection view of a fourth preferred embodiment of a slide assembly in accordance with the present invention; and

FIGS. 14a-14f are views of the assembled adjustable night sight of FIG. 13.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring initially to FIG. 1, there may be seen, generally at 20 a pistol on which an adjustable night sight in accordance with the present invention could be mounted. It is to be understood that pistol 20 is not intended to be a depiction of any specific make of pistol. Instead, it is intended to be representative of a class of pistols, typically 45 caliber or 9 mm pistols that the adjustable night sight is intended for use with. Pistol 20 includes a pistol body 22, a trigger assembly 24, a handle 26 and a slide 28. As is well known to one of skill, the slide 28 reciprocates longitudinally with respect to the body 22 during firing of the pistol 20, as the spent casing is ejected and as a fresh round is chambered. This slide reciprocation is repeated for each firing cycle and creates large stress forces on the pistol.

Turning to FIG. 2 the slide 28 of the pistol is provided with front and rear, generally transversely extending Novak-style notches 30 and 32, respectively. Such Novak-style notches 30 and 32 are well known in the art and do not need a great deal of description. Each includes a generally planar notch base and front and rear angled notch walls, 36 and 38, respectively. A transverse axis of each such notch is generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the slide 28. The notch base 34 and the inclined front and rear notch walls 36 and 38 define a generally dovetail notch that has generally standard and well-known dimensions.

Referring again to FIG. 1, a front sight 40 is positioned in the front notch 30. Such a font sight 40 will typically include a front sight blade 42 which is alignable with a sighting notch in a rear sight assembly, generally at 50, again as seen in FIG. 1. It is to this rear sight assembly, generally at 50 that the subject invention is directed. The front sight 40 cooperates with the rear sight 50 of the present invention. However, the rear sight 50 of the present invention, as its several embodiments will be discussed in detail subsequently, does not require a specific type of front sight 40 to be used with. Since the adjustable rear sight, in accordance with the present invention is provided with a source of luminescence, as will be described in detail subsequently, the front sight blade 42 will typically also have some type of luminescent tip or blade edge, usually at 44. The specific nature of this front sight luminescence is not an essential aspect of the present invention.

Turning now to FIG. 4 there may be seen, generally at 100 a first preferred embodiment of an adjustable night sight in accordance with the present invention. Adjustable night sight 100 is comprised of three primary components, a sight base 102, a vertical tilt member 104 and a horizontal windage slide 106. These three components, when assembled as will be described in detail shortly, form an operational adjustable rear sight 100 that can be attached to the rear Novak-style notch 32 of a typical pistol 20, as depicted in FIG. 1.

The sight base, generally at 102 is somewhat in the shape of a truncated pyramid and includes a sight base bottom surface 108. That base bottom surface 108 is dimensioned to be receivable in the Novak-style front notch 30 of the pistol 20. A front sight base wall 110 and a rear sight base wall 112 extend upwardly from the front sight base. These walls 110 and 112 are both inclined at angles which are complementary to the front and rear walls 36 and 38 of the rear Novak-style notch 32 of the pistol slide 22. Spaced first and second sight base side walls 114 and 116 extend up from the sight base bottom 108 and are generally parallel to each other. Each of these walls 114 and 116 is somewhat trapezoidal in side view, due to the upward and inward inclinations of the front and rear sight base walls 110 and 112, respectively.

As may be seen in FIG. 4, the sight base 102 is generally channel-shaped with the bottom 108 forming the channel base and with the side walls 114 and 116 defining the channel sides. A pair of threaded sight base securement bases 118 and 120 extend through the sight base bottom. These are sized to receive a pair of threaded sight base securement set screws, generally at 122. A central sight base threaded bore 124 is placed in the middle of the sight base bottom 108 between the two threaded sight base situation bases 118 and 120.

Sight vertical tilt member, generally at 104 has a generally cuboid body that is defined by a planar bottom 130, as seen in FIG. 5b, first and second side walls 132 and 134, a rear wall 136, a top surface 138 and a front wall 140. A tilt member tongue generally at 142 extends forwardly from the front wall 140 of the vertical tilt member 104. That tongue 142 has a transverse tongue hinge bore 144. Tongue 142 is sized to fit into the channel space provided in the sight base 102 between the two sight base side walls 114 and 116. Each of these sight base side walls has a hinge pin receiving aperture 146, 148, respectively. When the vertical tilt member base tongue 142 is placed in the sight base channel, a hinge pin 150 can be inserted through the aligned base apertures 146 and 148 and the tongue bore 144. The pin 150 will be retained in place by a suitable means, not specifically shown.

A shouldered vertical bore 152 is formed in the vertical tilt member tongue 142. This shouldered bore 152 receives an elevation adjustment screw 154 which has an enlarged head 156 and a threaded shank 158. The threaded shank 158 has a distal end 100, remote from the enlarged head 156, that is sized to be received in the sight base central threaded base 124. A pair of biasing coil springs 162, or similar resilient members are interposed between the upper surface of the sight base bottom 108 and the bottom 130 of the vertical tilt member 104. The bottom 130 of the vertical tilt member could be provided with shallow bores, not specifically shown, into which upper ends of these biasing coil springs 162 could be inserted.

Once the vertical tilt member 104 has been connected to the sight base 102 by use of the hinge pin 150, the elevation adjustment screw 156 will be threaded into place. The biasing springs 162 will urge the vertical tilt member's rear portion up off the sight base. This will be effective to vary the elevation of the horizontal slide 106 to vary the elevation of the rear sight. An undersurface of the enlarged head 156 of the elevation adjustment screw 154 has a plurality of radially extending scallops or grooves 164. A detent ball 166 is included in the shoulder portion 168 of the shouldered vertical bore 152. The detent ball 166 will engage an aligned one of the scallops or grooves 164 on the undersurface of the screw head 156 of the elevation adjusting screw 154. It provides an audible click that allows the sight's user to determine a magnitude of sight vertical adjustment. It also provides a brake or retainer capability so that the elevation adjustment screw 154 will not rotate unintentionally.

Again referring to FIG. 4, the body of the vertical tilt member, generally at 104, has an enlarged transverse chamber 170. This chamber does not extend completely from the left side wall 134 to the right side wall 132 of the vertical tilt member 104. While the chamber 170 is open at the left side wall 134, it is closed at the right side wall 132. A shouldered horizontal bore 172 is formed in the right side wall 132 of the vertical tilt member 104 and is adapted to receive a windage adjustment screw 174. That windage adjustment screw 174 has an enlarged head 176 and a threaded shank. An undersurface of the enlarged head 176 is provided with channels or scallops 180. These engage a detent ball 182 for the same purpose as was described in connection with the elevation adjustment screw 154. An elongated upper slit 184 is formed in the body of the vertical tilt member and as may be seen in FIG. 4, extends from the interior transverse chamber 170 to the surface of the body of the vertical tilt member 104. A windage bias spring 185 which is typically provided as a coil spring, is situated in the chamber 170 and has a purpose as will be discussed shortly.

The third element of the adjustable night sight in accordance with the present invention, is the horizontal windage slide 106. As may be seen in FIG. 4, this horizontal windage slide 106 has an upper slide body 186, and a lower slide sleeve 188. The upper slide body 180 includes a sight notch 190 which extends from a front wall 192 longitudinally through the slide body upper body to a slide body rear wall 194. The slide sleeve 188 is provided with a threaded sleeve bore 196 as may be seen most clearly in FIG. 8. This sleeve 188 is sized so that it will be slidably receivable in the vertical tilt member chamber 170. A connection web 198, again as seen most clearly in FIG. 8, is sized to be slidably received in the vertical tilt member elongated slot 184.

The upper or top surface 138 of the vertical tilt member is, as seen in FIG. 4 defined by a front facet 200 and a rear facet 202. These two facets 200 and 202 are angled with respect to each other. The first facet 200 terminates at a front vertical stop wall 204. The upper slide body 186 of the horizontal windage slide 106 has a lower first facet 206 and a lower second facet 208. These may be seen in FIG. 7 and are structured so that they will be complementary in shape and size to the respective front and rear facets 200 and 202 of the top surface of the vertical tilt member 104.

The horizontal windage slide 106 is assembled with the previously joined together sight base 102 and vertical tilt member 104. This is accomplished by first sliding the windage bias spring 185 into the transverse chamber 170. The lower slide sleeve 188 of the horizontal windage slide 106 is then slid into the chamber 170 with the connecting web 198 being received in the elongated slot 184. Once this has been done, the shank 178 of the windage adjustment screw 174 is threaded through the threaded sleeve bore 196 of the lower slide sleeve 188. The threaded shank 178 of the windage adjustment screw 174 can have a distal end 210 whose threads are of a reverse hand, or which can be of reduced diameter. This distal end 210 is received in a retainer 212. As may be seen in FIGS. 5b and 5f, the retainer 212 is received in a cooperatively shaped retainer recess 214 in the side wall 134 of the vertical tilt member 104 opposite to the shouldered horizontal bore 172 in the other side wall 132 of the vertical tilt member 104.

The retainer 212 will rotate with the rotation of the windage adjustment screw 174. That rotation of the windage adjustment screw 174 causes the threaded sleeve 188, through which the threaded shank 178 of the windage adjustment screw 174 passes to move transversely in the chamber 170 of the vertical tilt member 104 against the force exerted by the windage bias spring 185. The rotation of the retainer 212 on the distal end 210 of the windage adjustment screw 174 means that the windage adjustment screw 174 cannot be turned enough to move the lower slide sleeve 188 out of its channel 170.

The horizontal windage slide 106 is supported on the vertical tilt member 104 by the cooperative engagement of the tilt member upper facets 200 and 202 with the lower facets 206 and 208 of the horizontal windage slide 106. These cooperating supporting facets are, as seen in FIGS. 4 and 5b cooperatively inclined so that they support the horizontal slide 106 on the vertical tilt member in a manner which will ensure that the horizontal slide 106 cannot rock or pivot fore or aft in response to the almost violent reciprocation of the slide 28 during firing of the pistol 20. In prior devices, the connecting web 198, or its equivalent structure, in previous configurations, was the sole support of the upper portion of the horizontal windage slide; i.e. the upper slide body 186. When the pistol slide 28 reciprocated, that connecting web was subjected to substantial force. Even though it is made, at least in applicant's device, of a high grade steel alloy, it was possible, after repeated cycles of use, that the web could fracture. In the present device, as depicted in the first embodiment discussed above, and as will be discussed shortly in connection with the several other prepared embodiments, the cooperation of the vertical tilt member facets with the horizontal windage slide facets and the first stop wall 204 with the slide body front wall 192 means that the horizontal windage slide body 106 will not flex or shift in response to the rapid reciprocating movements of the pistol slide 28. This ensures that the adjustable night sight of the present invention will be much more durable and robust, and will provide a much greater service life than has been provided by similar devices.

Referring now primarily to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, the horizontal windage slide 106 of the adjustable night sight is provided with a pair of luminescent vial receiving bores 220 and 222. Each such bore has a bore diameter which is adapted to receive a luminescent vial. Typically, these vials are thin-walled glass vials which have an inner surface that is coated with a phosphor. The vial is charged with tritium gas or a similar radioactive isotope that will cause the phosphors to glow. The thin-walled glass vials are placed in reinforcing sleeves, typically of metal. The vials, several of which are depicted schematically at 224 in FIG. 13, are inserted into the cooperating vial receiving bores 220 and 222. As may be seen most clearly in FIGS. 6 and 7, each vial receiving bore 220, 222 has an exhaust port 226, 228 respectively. These exhaust ports 226, 228 extend from an inner terminus of each such vial bore to an exterior surface of the horizontal slide 104. The luminescent vials 224 are held in their respective vial bores 220, 222 by a suitable adhesive which is placed into each vial bore before the insertion of the associated vial into the bore. Excess adhesive and any trapped air is forced out the exhaust port concurrently with the insertion of the corresponding vial. This means that each illuminating vial will be held securely in place in the respective vial base.

The rear wall 136 of the body of the vertical tilt member 104 is provided with a plurality of horizontally extending, v-shaped notches or serrations, generally at 230. The purpose of these serrations can best be understood by referring to FIGS. 5a and 5e. These serrations 230 are located just below the luminescent vials 224 which are situated on either side of the sighting 190 formed in the horizontal windage slide 106. Their purpose is to reduce, or to eliminate reflective glare that might result if this surface were provided with a smooth, reflective finish. The use of these serrations is exemplary of various reflection reducing surface configurations, such as cross-hatching and the like which could also be used. As will be understood by one of skill in the art, the luminous spots or dots created by the tritium-filled vials will border the rear surface 194 of the horizontal windage slide walls adjacent the sighting notch 190. They will cooperate with a similar luminescent spot or strip on the front right 40 to properly arm the pistol to which these sights are attached.

Referring again to FIGS. 5A to 5F, the first preferred embodiment of the adjustable night sight, generally at 100, in accordance with the present invention is remarkably smooth in overall appearance. The heads of both the elevation adjustment screw 154 and of the windage adjustment screw 174 are flush with the body of the vertical tilt member. The luminescent vials are embedded in the rear face of the horizontal windage slide 106. There are no projections or protrusions which would create a snagging problem. The overall appearance of the first embodiment 100 of the adjustable night sight in accordance with the present invention is very smooth, clean and robust.

Referring now to FIG. 9, there may be seen generally at 300 a second preferred embodiment of an adjustable night sight in accordance with the present invention. The sight base body 302 and the vertical tilt member 304 for this second preferred embodiment 300 of the adjustable night sight are the same as their counterparts which were previously described in connection with the first preferred embodiment 100. The various lead lines and reference numerals, which are common to both embodiments have been left off the second embodiment depicted in FIG. 9.

In the second embodiment 300, the horizontal windage slide 306 that was described and depicted in connection with the first embodiment, can be replaced with a fibert optic horizontal windage slide, generally at 310. This fiber optic horizontal windage slide 310 is the same in overall structure as the luminescent horizontal windage slide 306 with the exception of its sight notch 312. That sight notch 312 is formed by a front wall notch 320 in the front wall 322 of the windage slide 310 and by an aligned rear wall notch 324 in the horizontal windage slide rear wall 326. These notches are separated by a recess 328 which is formed in the body of the horizontal windage slide 310 and which extends into the body of the horizontal windage slide 310 from its upper body surface 330. Each of the front wall notch 320 and the rear wall notch 324 are bounded by generally horizontal through bores into which are secured fiber optic elements 332. These fiber optic elements 332 serve essentially the same purpose as the luminescent vials of the first preferred embodiment. They border the sight notch with spots or points of light. These spots or points of light combine with a source of luminescence, or the like, on the front sight blade, to add in the proper sighting of the pistol. While the first and second preferred embodiments depict dot or spot sources of illumination or luminescence, other patterns, such as “dash-dot-dash” or “ball in a bucket” are within the scope of the present invention. The uniqueness of the night sight capability of the present invention resides, to a large extent, on its ability to provide these sources of luminescence in a structure that has no protrusions or projections.

Turning now initially to FIG. 10, there may be seen a third preferred embodiment of an adjustable night sight, generally at 400, in accordance with the present invention. The third preferred embodiment again uses the three primary components of a sight base 402, a sight vertical tilt member 404 and a horizontal windage slide 406 as were described in connection with the first and second embodiments 100 and 300. It will be understood that the fiber optic horizontal windage slide 306 of the second preferred embodiment could be used in connection with either, or both of the first and third embodiments.

As may be seen in FIG. 10, the sight base 402 is provided with a sight base bottom 408 which has been shortened in the longitudinal direction of the pistol slide. The sight base side walls 414 and 416 are cantilevered away from the sight base bottom 408 at their forward ends. The result is the provision of a pair of sight base cut-outs 418 and 420 at the lower, forward edges of the sight base side walls 414 and 416, respectively. The provision of these cut-outs 418 and 420 may shorten the longitudinal dimension of the sight base 402. This may be appropriate when the adjustable night sight of the present invention is to be used with a pistol slide 430, as seen in FIGS. 11 and 12 in which the rear transverse Novak-style notch 432 is either smaller in front to rear dimension, or wherein the cantilever structure of the sight base 402 will provide additional support for the sight 400 by having the notched-out portions of the two sight base side walls 414 and 416 engaging the top of the pistol slide 430. It could also be appropriate to use a sight base 402, as depicted in FIG. 10 to ensure that the rear wall 436 of the third embodiment 400 of the adjustable right sight is aligned with a rear wall 438 of the pistol slide. This type of alignment and overall integration of the adjustable night sight into the pistol slide is important, as discussed above, to insure that the adjustable night sight is smooth, durable, robust and does not give rise to any snagging problems.

A fourth preferred embodiment of an adjustable night sight assembly, in accordance with the present invention, is depicted generally at 500 in FIG. 13. This fourth preferred embodiment utilizes the same three primary components of a sight base 502, a vertical tilt member 504 and a horizontal windage slide 506. The sight base 502 is depicted in FIG. 13 as having the same structure as is shown in FIG. 10. It could also have the structure of the first and second embodiments, as depicted in FIGS. 4 and 9, respectively.

The vertical tilt member 504 of the fourth preferred embodiment has a transverse chamber 510 provided with a transverse elongated slot 512, which chamber 510 and slot 512 are the same, in function, as the chamber 170 and the elongated slot 184 discussed in connection with the first embodiment 100. However, in the fourth preferred embodiment, this elongated slot 512 is open to a rear wall 516 of the vertical tilt member 504. The elongated slot 512 is bounded by an upper, two component faceted portion of rear wall 516. An adjacent upper rear wall facet 518 and a remote upper rear wall facet 520 are located in the rear wall 516 of the vertical tilt member above the elongated slot 512. A lower section 522 of the rear wall 516 is situated below the elongated slot 512.

The horizontal windage slide 506 of the fourth preferred embodiment 500 of the adjustable night sight, in accordance with the present invention, has a windage slide body 526 that carries a sighting notch 530. While not specifically depicted in FIG. 13, it will be understood that the windage slide body 526 carries a slide sleeve 538 on a forward or front face 540. That slide sleeve 538 is the same in structure and function, as the slide sleeve 188 which was discussed in connection with FIG. 4. It is received in the transverse chamber 510 and is used to attach the horizontal windage slide 506 to the vertical tilt member 504.

As may be seen in FIG. 13, and also in FIG. 14, the horizontal windage slide 506 has a faceted front face 540. This front face has three facets 542, 544 and 546, as seen in FIG. 14. These three windage slide facets 542, 544 and 546 are complementary to the three vertical tilt member rear wall facets 518, 520 and 522. The result is again the secure support of the horizontal windage slide 506 on the vertical tilt member 504 of this fourth preferred embodiment of the adjustable night sight in a manner the same as was discussed in connection with the first preferred embodiment.

Again referring to FIG. 13, a rear wall 554 of the horizontal windage slide of the fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention has three elongated vial receiving recesses 556, 558 and 560. These are sized to receive the luminescent sources, such as the tritium vials 224 shown in FIG. 13. Since these vials are now placed in the elongated recesses 556, 558 and 560, they define the “bucket” portion of the “ball-in-a-bucket” sight pattern.

It will also be seen, by referring to FIG. 13, that the rear wall 554 of the horizontal windage slide 506 is provided with serrations or notches 550. The purpose of the serrations or notches 550 of the fourth preferred embodiment are the same as the serrations or notches 230 of the first preferred embodiment. They are used to reduce the likelihood of reflective glare interfering with the shooter's view of the rear sight notch that is a part of the horizontal windage slide 506.

In all of the above-described preferred embodiments of the adjustable night sight in accordance with the present invention, all of the components are preferably fabricated from tool steel or steels customarily employed in gunmaking. These components are preferably machined using spark erosion methods or EDM methods.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that the present invention makes available an optical alignment instrument or adjustable night sight providing reliable and stable position adjustability in two preferably orthogonal directions. Other combinations of these mechanisms can be envisioned which will provide the intended result, namely providing a compact, adjustable optical alignment device or adjustable night sight to permit a smooth and snag-free draw, a clear sight picture and rugged service.

Having described preferred embodiments of the adjustable night sight in accordance with the present invention, it is believed that other modifications, variations and changes will be suggested to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings set forth herein. It is therefore to be understood that all such variations, modifications and changes are believed to fall within the scope of the present invention, as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. An adjustable night sight adapted to be secured to a slide of a pistol, said adjustable night sight comprising:

a sight base including a sight base bottom and spaced upstanding sight base side walls, said sight base bottom and said sight base side walls defining a sight base channel;

a vertical tilt member securable to said sight base, said vertical tilt member including a tilt member body with a transverse chamber and a tilt member tongue, said tilt member tongue being securable in said sight base channel;

a hinge pin receivable in aligned sight base hinge pin apertures in said spaced sight base side walls and in a transverse tongue hinge bore in said tilt member tongue;

means for varying an angle of inclination of said vertical tilt member with respect to said sight base body;

a horizontal windage slide including a slide body and a slide sleeve, said slide sleeve being movable in said transverse chamber in said vertical tilt member;

means for adjustably positioning said horizontal windage slide in said vertical tilt member;

a plurality of angled facet walls on said tilt member body;

a plurality of complementary angled facet surfaces on said horizontal windage slide, said angled facet walls and said angled facet surfaces cooperating to support said horizontal windage slide on said vertical tilt member for movement in a direction transverse to a longitudinal barrel direction of the pistol while preventing movement of said horizontal windage slide in the longitudinal barrel direction.

2. The adjustable night sight of claim 1 further including a rear sight notch in said horizontal windage slide and sources of luminescence in said horizontal slide member adjacent said rear sight notch.

3. the adjustable night sight of claim 2 where each said source of luminescence is a tritium vial.

4. The adjustable night sight of claim 3 further including vial receiving bores in said horizontal windage slide, each said vial receiving bore having an exhaust port, each said exhaust port extending from an interior portion of said vial receiving bore to an exterior surface of said horizontal windage slide.

5. The adjustable night sight of claim 1 further including an elongated slot in said vertical tilt member body and extending from said transverse chamber to said faceted walls.

6. The adjustable night sight of claim 5 wherein a first one of said faceted walls is on a first side of said elongated slot and a second one of said faceted walls is on a second side of said elongated slot.

7. The adjustable night sight of claim 6 further including a connecting web extending from said slide sleeve to said slide body, said plurality of angled facet surfaces on said horizontal windage slide including a first facet surface on a first side of said connecting web and a second facet surface on a second side of said connecting web.

8. The adjustable night sight of claim 7 wherein said angled facet walls and said complementary angled facet surfaces define non-planar supports for said horizontal windage slide on said vertical tilt member.

9. The adjustable night sight of claim 2 further including a plurality of reflection reducing serrations on one of said vertical tilt member and said horizontal windage slide.

10. The adjustable night sight of claim 9 wherein said serrations are generally parallel to said transverse chamber.

11. The adjustable night sight of claim 9 wherein said serrations are beneath said rear sight notch.

12. The adjustable night sight of claim 1 wherein said horizontal windage slide positioning means includes a windage adjustment screw receivable in a threaded bore in said slide sleeve.

13. The adjustable night sight of claim 12 wherein said windage adjustment screw has a screw head receivable in a shouldered bore in said vertical tilt member.

14. The adjustable night sight of claim 13 further including a positional detent in said shouldered bore and engageable with said windage adjustment screw head.

15. The adjustable night sight of claim 1 further including a rear sight notch in said horizontal windage slide and sources of illumination in said horizontal slide member adjacent said rear sight notch.

16. The adjustable night sight of claim 15 wherein said sources of illumination are fiber optic elements.

17. The adjustable night sight of claim 1 further including at least one bearing spring between said sight base bottom and said vertical tilt member and adapted to pivot said vertical tilt member about said hinge pin.

18. The adjustable night sight of claim 17 wherein said means for varying said angle of inclination is an elevation adjustment screw connecting said sight base and said vertical tilt member.

19. The adjustable night sight of claim 1 wherein said slide sleeve is receivable in said transverse chamber.

20. The adjustable night sight of claim 19 further including a horizontal windage slide biasing spring in said transverse chamber.