Historical Document · 1935
Filed 1934-04-12. The light-projecting practice rifle: a gun that fires a beam at photocell targets, the first light gun.
emu! ml 55R GR 2909179082 July 2, 1935. c. w. GRIFFITH MARKSMANSHIP PRACTICING/MEANS Filed April 12, 1954 QNHH=M%Wx%%\QH %\M, 2,097,082 ' 'WW" 240. iLLUMlNA'l tum, all Fatented July 2, 1935 2,007,082 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,007,082 MARKSMANSHIP PRACTICING MEANS Charles W. Grif?th, Tulsa, Okla., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Rayolite Ri?e Range Company, Tulsa, Okla, a corporation of Oklahoma Application April 12, 1934, Serial No. 720,296 5 Claims. (Cl. 240-6.41) member 2| which is slidable in the step H of the proved means for practicing markmanship with casing l6, being guided by contact with the top The invention aims to provide a new and im out the necessity of shooting a projectile, and in and bottom walls 22 and 23 of said step. The attaining this end, the practice gun is provided insulating member 2| carries a contact 24 for co with means for projecting a ?ash of light against a light-sensitive target. In carrying out the above end, further aims are to provide a novel gun for projecting the ?ash of light when the trigger is pulled and to 10 provide a unique light sensitive target for receiv action with a ?xed contact 25 suitably mounted in the step IT. The member 2| is normally held 5 in a rear position by means of coiled springs or the like 26 but when said member is pushed for wardly, the contact 24 engages the contact 25 and completes the circuit of the bulb 29. The 10 ing the light ?ash, said target preferably includ light rays from this bulb pass through an ap ing a photo-electric cell for bringing indicating propriate lens 21 suitably mounted in the barrel I2, said lens being preferably adjustable with and/or recording means into play. With the foregoing in view, the invention re respect to the bulb. For adjusting purposes, I have shown screw threads 29. Wiring 30 is shown 15 sides in the novel subject matter hereinafter de scribed and claimed, description being accom conductively connected with the contacts 24 and pli‘shed by reference to the accompanying draw 25 and with the socket I9, and this wiring may receive current from either a storage battery or mg. an electric light socket or line. Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the gun and a ver Rotatably mounted in the casing l6 behind the 20 20 tical sectional view partly in elevation of the member 2|, is a ratchet wheel 3| which is co-axial . target. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view with and rigidly connected with a star-wheel 32, partly in elevation cut through the breech por a transverse shaft 33 being shown for mounting tion of the gun and. showing the normal relation the two wheels. The arms of the star-wheel 32 are equal in number to the teeth of the ratchet 25 of elements. Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 but showing wheel 3|, and said arms co-act with a push-pin the manner in which pulling the trigger effects 34 which is carried by and projects rearwardly illumination of an electric light bulb to produce from the member 2|. A suitable pawl 35 is pivot ally mounted upon the upper end of the trigger the ?ash of light. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view partly in l3 for co-action with the ratchet wheel 3| to ro 30 elevation, taken substantially on line 4—4 of tate the latter a predetermined distance each time the trigger is pulled, and during such rota tion, the star-wheel 32 pushes the pin 34 for wardly as seen in Fig. 3, thereby forwardly slid ing the member 2| and bringing the contact 24 illustration in the present application and while against the contact 25 to complete the circuit of this construction will be speci?cally described, the bulb 20. A suitable return spring 36 is provided for the it is to be understood that numerous variations may be made within the scope of the invention trigger l3 and another spring 37 is employed for allowing the pawl 35 to click over the teeth of 40 40 as claimed. A practice gun is shown having a stock It, al the ratchet wheel 3| when the trigger returns though it might well be provided with a pistol to its normal position. By the construction shown and described, each grip instead. At the front of the stock I0, is a casing II from which a barrel |2 projects for time the trigger | 3 is pulled, the circuit of the ‘ wardly. A pivoted trigger l3 projects down bulb 20 is completed, thereby illuminating said 45 wardly below the casing l l and provision is made bulb and causing projection of the light flash I5 for projecting a light ?ash forwardly from the against the light-sensitive target Ill. The target l4 preferably includes a photo gun against a light-sensitive target I4 whenever the trigger |3 is pulled, the path of the ?ash of electric cell 38 for bringing an indicator and/or a recorder into play to show whether or not the 50 50 light being denoted at l5 in Fig. 1. Suitably secured within the casing H, I have shot has been successful. To shield the cell 38 shown another casing I6 having a forwardly against light, I have shown an appropriate hood projecting step |‘! in which a slot | 8 is formed. A 39 having a small‘ light entrance opening 40 Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the movable switch member and light bulb carrier. One form of construction has been selected for 0: LI socket | 9 'for an electric bulb zil‘is received in this across which a light dispersing lens 4| extends. .55 slot, said socket being carried by an insulating If the aim is su?licently accurate to direct the 55 2 2,007,082 light ?ash I5 upon the lens 4|, said ?ash so acts barrel, ?xed and movable contacts for completing upon the photo-electric cell 38 as to give the de the circuit of said bulb, said contacts being car sired indication and/ or recording through the ried by said step and carrier respectively a trig instrumentality of any appropriate means form ger extending into said second casing, and means ing no part of the present invention. actuated by said trigger for forwardly sliding said It will be seen from the foregoing that novel carrier to engage the movable with the ?xed con and advantageous provision has been made for carrying out the objects of the invention, but at tention is again invited to the possibility of mak 10 ing numerous variations. 50 is a back sight and 5| a front sight, both mounted on the barrel. These two sights de?ne a line of sight which is substantially coextensive with the axial line of the barrel. The light rays 5 tact each time said trigger is pulled. 2. A target gun having a barrel and a casing at the rear end of said barrel, a second casing se cured in the ?rst named casing and having a for 10 wardly projecting step, the upper part of said step being formed with a slot, a bulb carrier slid able forwardly and rearwardly in said step and normally disposed at the limit of its rearward F projected by the lens are not, of course, parallel movement, said carrier having a rearwardly pro 15 and the disk of light impinging upon the target jecting push-pin, a star-wheel mounted in saidv at a distance from the gun is larger in diameter second casing for forwardly pushing said push than the disk of light as it leaves the gun, so that pin and carrier to engage the movable with the while the line of sight is not absolutely coaxial ?xed contact each time said star-wheel is turned, 20 with the light ray, it is so nearly coaxial that the and pawl and ratchet means in said second casing 20 line of sight passes through the disk at a point for turning said star wheel, said pawl and ratchet adjacent the center thereof. Hence, if the line means having an actuating trigger extending ac of sight passes through the target the disk of cessibly therefrom. light ?ashed out from the light source will im 3. A target gun having a light beam projecting pinge upon the target and energize the photo bulb, a switch for said bulb, an actuating member electric cell. for said switch movable to a switch-closed posi It will be understood that the mechanism de tion and to a switch-open position, a rotary star scribed in the gun is such that upon each pull of wheel operatively related with said actuating the trigger the switch is operated to close the member for pushing said actuating member to circuit, but that unless the trigger has been pulled said switch-closed position and then immediately from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position releasing said actuating member each time said shown in Fig. 3 the switch is no longer under con star wheel is turned to a predetermined extent, trol of the trigger, being automatically released spring means for moving said actuating member therefrom, and when so released automatically to said switch open position each time said actu opening to break the circuit so that the light ating member is released by said star wheel, a source is instantaneously energized and deener trigger, and ratchet means operatively associ gized once upon each trigger pull whereby a ?ash ated with said star wheel and actuated by said of light is projected forwardly along the line of trigger for turning said star wheel to a predeter sight of the gun just as a physically weighted.’ mined extent each time said trigger is pulled. 4. In combination, a gun adapted to be sup 40 bullet is projected forwardly along the line of sight of a gun when powder is burned behind it ported and controlled exclusively by a shooter, in the conventional manner. It will be understood, of course, that it is es front and rear sights thereon de?ning a line of sight, 2. light source in the gun, a switch biased sential for the successful operation of the device to open position for controlling energization of said light source, switch actuating means includ 45 trigger manipulation. If the light stayed on for ing a rotary cam member operative when rotated anything more than a substantially instantane to close the switch and then immediately release ous ?ash period then the operator would be able the same for opening movement under the in?u to swing the gun around after the trigger was ence of said bias, and means responsive to actu 50 pulled and use the beam to help himself to guide ation of the trigger for intermittently driving 50 45 that only a ?ash of light be projected upon each the gun to cause the indication, much as a hose might be used. Such mechanism would be ut terly useless, of course, for the purpose here in question, which is to determine whether or. not at 55 the instant the trigger was pulled, and only at that instant, the gun was properly aimed. I claim: 1. A target gun having a barrel and a casing at the rear end of said barrel, a second casing 60 secured in the ?rst named casing and having a the cam, and. means for concentrating and pro jecting the ?ash of light along a line substantially concurrent with the line of sight of the gun. 5. In combination, a gun adapted to be sup ported and controlled exclusively by a shooter, front and rear sights thereon de?ning a line of sight, a light source in the gun, a trigger, and a switch biased to open position for controlling en 5 ergization of said light source, switch actuating means including a rotary cam member operative forwardly projecting step, the upper part of said when rotated to close the switch and then imme step being formed with a slot, a bulb carrier slid diately release the same for opening movement able forwardly and rearwardly in said step and under the in?uence of said bias, and means re normally disposed at the limit of its rearward sponsive to actuation of the trigger for inter 65 movement, a bulb socket secured upon said car mittently driving the cam. rier and received in saidslot, a bulb in said socket positioned to project a light beam through said CHARLES W. GRIFFITH. 65