FIREARM AIMING DEVICE AND ATTACHMENT MECHANISM THEREFOR

Abstract

A firearm aiming device and attachment mechanism is an aiming device or gun sight for firearms and an attachment mechanism therefor. The aiming device and attachment mechanism are particularly useful for aiming/using hand-held guns, such as pistols and revolvers or short range rifles. In accordance with embodiments of one aspect of the present invention there is provided an aiming device to aid a shooter of a firearm having a barrel, an aiming device attachment member receiving slot of the tapering type, and a front aiming sight. The aiming device includes an elongated housing having a tunnel therein, the tunnel configured so it is parallely arrangeable with the firearm's barrel and alignable with the front sight. The housing has at least one light admitting opening to the tunnel and an inwardly tapering groove that is generally crosswise to the longitudinal axis of the elongated housing.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present invention claims priority from Israel patent application IL 225266 entitled “Firearm aiming device and attachment mechanism therefor”, filed on 17 Mar. 2013.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to firearms, in particular aiming devices therefor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Fire arms, particularly hand-held fire arms are conventionally aimed by aligning a front sight with a rear sight and pointing the front sight to the target point. The ease and speed of the alignment of such aiming devices can be critical. As well, ease of assembly and adjustment of the aiming device is an important factor.

It is believed that the technology relevant to the present invention is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,161,675 (Sne et al.); US 2011/249,428 and AU 2010/326,607 (Profus); U.S. Pat. No. 6,385,855 (Tymianski); U.S. Pat. No. 1,852,875 (Endrezze); U.S. Pat. No. 7,562,486 (LoRocco); US 2012/151,817 (Howe et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 6,360,471 (Stein); US 2007/107,292 (Bar-Yona et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 7,627,976 (Olson); US 2013/185,983 (Glimpse); US 2010/088,944 (Callihan); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,519 (Bindon).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an aiming device or gun sight for firearms and an attachment mechanism therefor. The aiming device and attachment mechanism are particularly useful for aiming/using hand-held guns, such as pistols and revolvers or short range rifles.

In accordance with embodiments of one aspect of the present invention there is provided an aiming device to aid a shooter of a firearm having a barrel, an aiming device attachment member receiving slot of the tapering type, and a front aiming sight. The aiming device includes an elongated housing having a tunnel therein, the tunnel configured so it is parallely arrangeable with the firearm's barrel and alignable with the front sight. The housing has at least one light admitting opening to the tunnel and an inwardly tapering groove that is generally crosswise to the longitudinal axis of the elongated housing. The aiming device further has an elongated optic fiber disposed inboard within the tunnel whereby at least a portion of the optic fiber is operably associated with the at least one light admitting opening. A translucent cylinder disposed within the tunnel between the optic fiber and the shooter of the firearm during shooting. A self-activating light source disposed coaxially within the translucent cylinder. The aiming device also has an attachment mechanism disposed in and corresponding in shape to the housing's inwardly tapering slot. The attachment mechanism has at least one screw and an attachment member having at least one respective threaded female screw receiving recess. The attachment member sliding disposed partially within the inwardly tapering slot of the housing and flares outward so as to correspond in shape and readily slide within the firearm's tapering aiming device attachment receiving slot for attaching the device to the firearm, whereby the tunnel is arrangeable to be parallel to the firearm's barrel.

The attachment mechanism is configured so the parallel arrangement is achieved by tightening of the at least one screw in the at least one respective threaded female screw receiving recess. Thus, the firearm can be conveniently aimed in a light or dark environment by aligning, with the front aiming sight of the firearm, the self-activating light source or the cylinder, which respectively provide a shooter of the firearm with an illuminated dot or illuminated annular surface produced by the optic fiber, as transmitted through the translucent cylinder.

In the specification and claims, the term “aiming device”, or derivatives thereof, may be used interchangeably with the term “gun sight” or derivatives thereof. Likewise, the terms “gun”, “firearm”, “pistol” and the like, and their derivatives, may be used interchangeably herein the specification and claims.

In accordance with embodiments of another aspect of the present invention there is provided an aiming device attachment mechanism for attaching the afore-defined aiming device to a firearm. The attachment mechanism includes at least one screw and an attachment member. The attachment member has at least one respectively threaded female screw receiving recess corresponding to the at least one screw. The attachment member is configured to be disposable within the firearm's tapering aiming device attachment receiving slot and configured to be receivable in the housing's inwardly tapering groove. Thus, the aiming device's tunnel is arrangeable to be parallel to the firearm's barrel and alignable crossways with respect to the firearm's front aiming sight.

Particular features of some embodiments of the present aiming device that it is conveniently used in both conditions of light and darkness; it is easy to manufacture and assemble; and it includes an attachment mechanism that is easy to use and allows easy and convenient adjustment, even in the field.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

FIGS. 1-3 are view of embodiments of an aiming device of the present invention,

FIG. 1 being an exploded perspective view;

FIG. 2 being an assembled view of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 being an bottom perspective view of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4-5 are views of a firearm with embodiments of the present aiming device attached thereto,

FIG. 4 being a rear view and

FIG. 5 being a perspective view; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view illustrating an embodiment of an attachment mechanism for the present aiming device.

The following detailed description of embodiments of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings referred to above. Dimensions of components and features shown in the figures are chosen for convenience or clarity of presentation and are not necessarily shown to scale. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the following description to refer to the same and like parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described below. In the interest of clarity, not all features/components of an actual implementation are necessarily described.

FIGS. 1-3 show embodiments of an aiming device of the present invention. The aiming device includes a housing 10, which in particular embodiments is opaque; an elongated optic fiber 12 disposed within the housing; a generally transparent or translucent light-transmitting cylinder 14 aligned with the optic fiber; a self-activating light source 16, disposed coaxially within the cylinder; and a gun sight attachment mechanism 18 for attaching the aiming device to a gun. Light source 16 may include or be constituted by a gaseous tritium light source (GTLS), for example a TRIGALIGHT®, which is particularly convenient as it is self-activating and requires no outside power source.

Housing 10 is typically an elongated structure with a generally flat bottom surface 20 that interfaces with the top of the gun's barrel, or slide in the case of guns with a slide. Optic fiber 12 typically fits inboard and typically snugly within an elongated recess or tunnel 22 within housing 10 and typically along the longitudinal axis 24 of the housing. Tunnel 22 has at least a portion thereof that faces generally upward and is open to the surrounding or significantly transparent for allowing ambient light to reach optic fiber 12, and will be referred to as a light admitting opening or window 26 (two illustrated).

Optic fiber 12 is disposed (inserted) a bit inboard within elongated tunnel 22 to allow space for the insertion of cylinder 14 within the tunnel. As mentioned, light source 16 is coaxially disposed (inserted) within cylinder 14. As such, the shooter will be provided an illuminated mark (a dot by way of the light source if at night/darkness; and an annular surface or circle via the cylinder 14 if during daylight) dot or thereby transferring light from optic fiber 12 toward the shooter. Thus, the aiming device can be conveniently used both in daylight and at night or other such low-light conditions.

An exemplary, and particularly utilitarian attachment mechanism 18 is illustrated that includes an outwardly flaring/angled dove-tail shaped attachment member 28 slidingly fitting into a correspondingly shaped tapering groove 30 that is generally transverse or crosswise to longitudinal axis 24. As such, attachment member has smoothly surfaced and flat sidewalls 31 that angle outwardly. Attachment mechanism 18 also includes at least one and typically two screws 32 passing through respective through-holes 34 in housing 10 at the location of groove 30. Screws 32 correspond to respective threaded female screw receiving recesses 36, in attachment member 28. As such, tightening screws 32 pulls attachment member 28 upward into groove 30. This tightening makes bottom surface 20 of housing 10 lay flush (flat) on the top of the gun, as can be seen. Prior to fully tightening screws 32, housing 10 can be is adjusted right/left (i.e. crossways with respect to the gun and front aiming sight 91) to align the illumination “marks” with the front aiming sight. Such attachment mechanism 18 is particularly convenient as it allows easy adjustment of the aiming device in the field, if required. And, no zeroing is required.

FIGS. 4-6 illustrate how the aiming device is mounted and the firearm is aimed. Tunnel 22 is parallel to the gun barrel. The aiming device is attached to the gun via attachment mechanism 18, which is typically accomplished as follows. Screws 32 are inserted into through-holes 34 and partially screwed into female screw receiving recesses 36 of attachment member 28. Attachment member 28, now with the remainder of the aiming device attached thereto, is slid into the aiming device attachment member receiving slot 90 of the tapering type, which is a common feature of such guns. Tunnel 22 is aligned with the front aiming sight 91 of the gun and then screws 32 are tightened to hold the aiming device securely and ensure also that bottom surface 20 rests flat on the top of the gun's barrel so that the tunnel is parallel to the gun's barrel. The just-mentioned attachment method is contrast to the typical pressure fit used and easily allows both assembly and adjustment.

Side walls 31 of attachment member 28 are configured, flat and smooth as noted above, so that the sidewalls readibly slide upwardly in receiving slot 90 when attachment mechanism 18 is tightened (i.e. when the aiming device is assembled onto the firearm) whereby housing 10 firmly abuts the top face of the gun barrel. When screws 32 are tightened, attachment member 28 is pulled upward whereby side walls 31 abut the tapered groove in the firearm and also housing 10 is thus pulled downward toward the gun's barrel, to close the gap G (FIG. 6).

In some embodiments, the housing has a pair of channels 38 in the top side of the housing, parallel to optic fiber 12, one groove on each side of the optic fiber. These channels 38 make it easier for the shooter to see if the front sight is properly aligned, or more appropriately said, if not properly aligned. This alignment aid provided by channels 38 is particularly helpful if housing 10 is opaque. This alignment feature provided by channels 38 can be most readily understood with reference to FIG. 4 where one can understand that at least the sides of front aiming sight 91 would be visible via channels 38 if the gun was improperly aimed to the right or left.

The aiming system allows the use of only two reference points to align the firearm both side-to-side and up and down with a target, those reference points being the front aiming sight 91 and either a luminous dot produced by light source 16 or an illuminated annular surface/circle produced by optic fiber 12, as transmitted through cylinder 14. In use, during aiming, the gun is typically tilted upward just a bit so that the front sight is visible to the shooter, and aligned with the aforementioned luminous dot, or illuminated circle. By using only two reference points (the front aiming sight 91 and either the luminous dot or luminous circle) aiming is more easily performed, even when the shooter keeps both eyes open and is aiming at a relatively distant target. The just mentioned aligning of luminous dot, or illuminated circle, with the front aiming sight 91 also properly affects side to side alignment, as noted above.

It should be understood that the above description is merely exemplary and that there are various embodiments of the present invention that may be devised, mutatis mutandis, and that the features described in the above-described embodiments, and those not described herein, may be used separately or in any suitable combination; and the invention can be devised in accordance with embodiments not necessarily described above.

Claims

1. An aiming device to aid a shooter of a firearm, the firearm having a barrel, an aiming device attachment member receiving slot of the tapering type, and a front aiming sight, the aiming device comprising:

an elongated housing having a tunnel therein, the tunnel configured so it is parallely arrangeable with the firearm's barrel and alignable with the front sight and having at least one light admitting opening to the tunnel, the housing further having an inwardly tapering groove that is generally crosswise to the longitudinal axis of the elongated housing;

an elongated optic fiber disposed inboard within the tunnel whereby at least a portion of the optic fiber is operably associated with the at least one light admitting opening;

a translucent cylinder disposed within the tunnel between the optic fiber and the shooter of the firearm during shooting;

a self-activating light source disposed coaxially within the translucent cylinder; and

an attachment mechanism disposed in and corresponding in shape to the housing's inwardly tapering slot, the attachment mechanism having at least one screw and an attachment member having at least one respective threaded female screw receiving recess, the attachment member sliding disposed partially within the inwardly tapering slot of the housing and flaring outward so as to correspond in shape and readily slide within the firearm's tapering aiming device attachment receiving slot for attaching the device to the firearm whereby the tunnel is arrangeable to be parallel to the firearm's barrel,

wherein the attachment mechanism is configured so the parallel arrangement is achieved by tightening of the at least one screw in the at least one respective threaded female screw receiving recess, whereby the firearm can be conveniently aimed in a light or dark environment by aligning, with the front aiming sight of the firearm, the self-activating light source or the cylinder, which respectively provide a shooter of the firearm with an illuminated dot or illuminated annular surface produced by the optic fiber, as transmitted through the translucent cylinder.

2. The aiming device of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a pair of channels adjacently straddling the tunnel for aiding in side-to-side aiming of the firearm.

3. The aiming device of claim 1, wherein the housing is opaque.

4. The aiming device of claim 1, wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a pair of screws and the attachment member comprises a pair of respective threaded female screw receiving recesses.