US2571511A - Aiming drill target and system - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 16, 1951 J. G. WINTER AIMING DRILL TARGET AND SYSTEM 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 26, 1949 ATTORNE1 Oct. 16, 1951 J. G. WINTER 2,571,511

AIMING DRILL TARGET AND SYSTEM Filed Sept. 26, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Oct. 16, 1951 wlNTER AIMING DRILL TARGET AND SYSTEM 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 26. 1949 INVENTOR ATTORN E Y5 Oct. 16, 1951 3. W E 2,571,511

AIMING DRILL TARGET AND SYSTEM Filed Sept. 26, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 j; 7 a o: fi 5,2

yg If 6% 4% INVENTOR ATTORNEY5 Patented Oct. 16, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to an aiming drill target and system, and has for its primary object the provision of a device for use in the instruction of soldiers, and others, in the aiming of a rifle or other firearm.

In teaching a recruit to use firearms, he first receives instruction in sighting, and later he receives a distinctly different form of instruction intended to improve his ability to aim the rifle. This invention provides a device especially adapted for use in instructing one to aim a rifle. The distinction between instruction in sighting and instruction in aiming will now be more fully explained to further illustrate the objects of this invention.

In my United States Letters Patent 1,507,223 granted September 2, 1924, as well as in the booklet The Winter Sighting Drill Target, U. S. Marine Corps, 1942 published by the United States Government Printing Office in 1942, there is fully shown and described a system of instruction designed to aid in sighting. Under resent practice a recruit is first given instruction in sighting as outlined in said publications, and then he proceeds to the target range to test his marksmanship with ball ammunition. His accuracy in aiming is indicated by hits on a distant target. This training on the target range is necessarily limited since the number of shots is small, the conditions of light and weather are variable, and there is no way of determining the causes of errors the soldier makes. As a result of these circumstances, the firing of ball ammunition is far from a perfect test of aiming but is little more than a test of the previous instruction in sighting.

The present invention provides for instruction and practice in aiming, which eliminates range conditions and which at the same time permits practice in aiming in barracks or on the drill field. At present there is no satisfactory machine for providing adequate instruction in aiming. The present invention simulates target range practice. The soldier may assume a natural firin position, either sitting or kneeling, and may hold the rifle at his shoulder. He is able to move the rifle freely in an angular direction to bring the line of sight in coincidence with the line of aim and he may then pull the trigger and have his line of sight accurately recorded on a miniature target nearby. When a soldier has used the present invention until he can make good scores, he is then prepared to proceed to the target range to fire ball ammunition.

In my new aiming drill target and system therefor, hereinafter claimed, there is a stationary upright standard with a cradle for holding the rifle, a miniature target, a marker, a transmission device between the rifle and the marker for varying the position of the latter relative the miniature target according to variations in the angular position of the rifle, and a latch for releasing the marker for movement toward the miniature target when the trigger is depressed. As a result the marker always moves parallel to the axis of the rifle and indicates on the miniature target any errors in aiming existing when the trigger is depressed. Full details of the invention are set forth in the following description, and the several combinations of elements that I believe constitute my invention are set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention.

Figure 1a, is a face view of the miniature target employed in the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1b is a face view of the distant target that may be employed in connection with Figure 1.

Figure 2 is a side view of the device of Figure 1 but with the lower portion of the device cut away.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of Figure 2, taken along line 3-3.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but in which the rifle has been removed from the cradle and moved laterally.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of certain details of the new device.

Figure 6 is a detail View of certain apparatus associated with the trigger of the rifle.

Figure '7 is a plan view of the latch, marking device and miniature target.

Figure 8 is a sectional view of the apparatus shown in Figure 7, taken along line 88 of Figure '7.

Figure 9 is a detail view of the crank used in the trigger line.

Figure 10 is a plan View of the device showing the positions of the parts when the rifle has been given angular movement about pivot 48.

Figure 10A shows certain parts of Figure 10 when the rifle has been given angular motion about a vertical axis passing through 42.

Figure 11 is a sectional view along line ll--ll of Figure 1 and shows the relative position of the marker, miniature target, and upright, when the rifle has been given clockwise rotation about a horizontal axis.

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken along line l2l2 of Figure 11.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 1b there is a target 28 which may be, for example, fifty yards remote from the rifle 2|. A cradle 22 is adapted to hold the rifle 2|, but the rifle may be removed from the cradle and moved independently thereof, if desired. The cradle 22 is supported by upright 23 which has a hinge 24, 25, 28, connecting the two together. The plate 24 of the hinge is rigidly fastened to upright 23 and is connected by pivot 25 to the plate 25 which is rigidly fastened to the underside of cradle 22. To prevent the cradle from rocking about the hinge during certain training operations another hinge 21, 28, 29 may be employed. It has a plate 21 fastened to upright 23, and a pivot-28 joining plate 21 to plate 29. The latter plate has a hole therein which may be inserted abouta vertical bolt 39 extending down from cradle .22, and the plate 29 may be secured to the cradle by wing nut 3|. The broken lines show plate "29 when it is not in use.

Upright 23 is rigidly secured .to a base :member .24 by angle iron 25. As shown in Figure 3, another upright 32 is pivoted to :base member :24 by hinge 33, 34, 35. Plate .33 of the latter hinge is rigidly fastened to "base member 24 and is pivoted atj34 to plate 35 which is rigidly fastened to upright 32. To avoid any play in the lastnamed hinge that would enable upright .32 to rotate in the plane of the paper of Figure 11, two hinges .33, 134, '35. are employed somewhat spaced. Both of these two hinges however rotate about the same axis.

Referring now to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and it is noted that a large heavy hinge 36, 3.1, 38, has a plate 86 rigidly attached to the rifle by bands 39. These bands are adapted to hold the plate 38 in fixed position relative to the rifle 2], but it is understood. that the bands 39 may be removed from the rifle to thus separate the latter from my new device as a whole. Substantially horizontal arms 40 and 4| are pivoted to hinge plate 38 by pivots 42 and 43 respectively, the pivots having axes substantially vertical as shown in Figure 10. Hence arms 48 and 4| can respectively rotate about vertical pivots when the angular position of the rifle is varied about a vertical axis. Therefore as shown in the plan view of Fig. A when the rifle is rotated clockwise about an axis passing through 42 the arms 48 and 4| do not materially change their angular positions but move lengthwise with arm 4| moving toward the top of the drawing and thereby rotating the marking device as will hereinafter appear. As shown in Fig. 12, and others, the arm 40 is connected to upright 32 by a universal joint. This joint comprises a hinge plate 44 arranged for rotation about a horizontal pivot 45, the hinge plate 44 being pivotally connected to hinge plate 46 by horizontal hinge pivot 41. The hinge plate 48 is in turn pivotally connected o arm 40 by substantially vertical pivot 48.

A substantially horizontal arm 49 is pivoted about pivot 48 and is therefore free to rotate in a normally substantially horizontal plane relative to arm 40 and hinge plate 46. The arm 4| is connected to arm 49 solely by a vertical pivot 58 which appears in several figures.

Referring now to Figure 5 it is clear that since arms 48 and 4| are of fixed length that angleiron arm 49 will always be parallel to the axis of hinge 35, 31, 38 and will therefore always be parallel to the axis of rifle 2|. Hence as the rifle is moved clockwise, arm 4| moves pivot 58 away from cradle 22 and rotates arm 49 about pivot 48.

The marking device includes any marking instrumentality 5| having a fine point, for example a pencil, mounted on a movable plate 52, the latter plate having a ledge 53 on the right end thereof. Latch member 54 normally engages ledge 53 and retains it away from the miniature target 55.

Extending through the horizontal base of arm 49 is a vertical bolt 84 which has the same diameter as the hole in arm 49 through which it extends. Therefore bolt 84 can not move with respect to arm 49. However, the marking instrumentality 5| is carried by angle-iron 52 and this member :has a slot 56 therein of greater width than the diameter of bolt 84 but of less width than the head of bolt 84. Therefore, the member 52 may slide longitudinally with respect to bolt 84 for a limited distance. There is another vertical bolt 51 which may be moved relative to both of members 48 and 52. Members 49 and 52 have slots 58 and 59 respectively of the same length and width and the vertical bolt '5] passes through both of these slots and keeps the slot 59 always above all or a part of slot 58. In the position shown, wherein the marking device is in latched position, the slot 59 extends to the right side of bolt 51' and slot 58 extends to the left of bolt 51 (see Figure 8). Moreover, slot 55 extends to the right of bolt 84. A heavy spring 68 has opposite ends thereof fastened to bolts 84 and 51 and this spring biases these bolts toward each other under strong force.

When the latch 54 releases ledge 53, as when latch 54 is rotated counterclockwise (see Fig. 7) the spring 69 pulls bolt 51 toward bolt 84 and bolt 5? therefore moves member 52 toward the left. This force continues until bolt 51 engages the left edge of slot 58 (see Fig. 8) after which time the spring 68 exerts no more force on member 52. However, since spring 68 is a strong one the member 52 moves very smartly and with considerable momentum, and therefore it continues to move after bolt 51 strikes the left edge of slot 58. As will hereafter appear, spring 6| opposes the forward motion of member 52, but spring BI is too weak to prevent the momentum of member 52 from carrying that member to the left until marking instrumentality 5| strikes target 55. The dimensions and adjustments are such that marking instrumentality 5| is spaced from the target a short distance when bolt 51 has been moved to its extreme left position by spring 88. Hence, the momentum of member 52 is necessary in order for any mark to be made on the target 55. Weak spring 6| is anchored at its left end to member 52 and at its right end to bolt 84. Its right end is therefore effectively anchored to member 49. Weak spring 6| is biased to contract itself and to therefore pull the marking instrumentality 5| away from target 55. After the momentum of member 52, during forward motion, has been expended, the weak spring 6| will pull the marker 5| away from the target 55 and thus avoid further marking in event the rifle is moved after the marker 5| engages the target 55. In view of the foregoing explanation, it is clear that when the latch 54 is operated, the marker 5| merely strikes the target 55 and is thereafter retracted from the target 55.

The latch 54 is controlled by the trigger 62 or rifle 2| as now described in detail. A wire line 53 is connected at one end to the trigger 62 and at the other end to crank arm 64. Arm 64 is pivoted at 65 to an arm 66 (see Fig. 9) and the arms 66 and 61 rotate about pivot 42 (see Figs. 2, 5 and 6). A Wire line 68 extends from arm 61 to latch member 54. The line 68 connects to arm 61 by a hook 69 enabling the device to be quickly disassembled. Interposed in wire line 68 is a trunbuckle HI to control proper tension in the line. It is obvious that when trigger 62 is depressed that the lines 63 and 68 operate to release the latch 54 and to allow spring 69 to move the marker 5| as aforesaid.

The pivot 65 is not essential and members 64 and 66 may be in one rigid piece, but pivot 65 is desirable when due to preference for compactness the member 66 is close to the lower portion of rifle 2!. When the hinge plate 36 is short, rotation of the rifle about its axis may cause member 64 to rub the rifle and interfere with trigger action. However, with pivot 65 the arm 64 is never forced against the rifle body with sufiicient force to interfere with trigger motion. The hinge 65 is made rather stiff so it will not move unnecessarily.

When the recruit believes his aim is perfect, he pulls trigger 62 which moves the latch 54 against the bias of its biasing spring 13 and releases marking instrumentality 5| so it strikes chart 55 momentarily as aforesaid.

It is noted that for accurate results under all conditions, the axis of the marker 5! as well as the point at which member'49 is pivoted to member 40, should be as close to in alignment with the axis of the pivot 41 of hinge 44, 45, 41 as possible.

I claim to have invented:

1. An aiming drill device comprising, in combination, a cradle for holding a rifle in a horizontal position spaced above the ground, said cradle 1 being adapted to hold the rifle in a predeter- The chart 55 is carried by an arm I and arm Operation Prior to the training operation, the target 2|! is positioned accurately in the line of aim of the rifle 2| when the latter is resting in the cradle. The recruit now positions himself, either kneeling or sitting, behind the rifle 2|. The hinge member 29 is disconnected from the cradle 22 and the recruit aims at the target either with or without raising the rifle 2| from cradle 22. Assume now that during this aiming process, the recruit inclines the front end of the rifle upwardly, he rotates arm 48 about pivot 45 and thereby causes the marker 5| to be rotated upwardly at the same angle as the rifle 2| rotated. Hence, if the trigger 62 is depressed while the rifle 2| is thus inclined, the marker 5| will strike miniature target 55 above its normal center. The reverse occurs throughout if the front end of the rifle 2| is inclined downwardly.

When the rifle 2| is removed from cradle 22 and moved to one side of the cradle, the action is shown in Figure 4. The upright member 32 rotates and carries the target 55, and the marker 5|, with it. Hence, assuming that the target is at a great distance no error is involved if the recruit fails to hold the rifle 2| directly over the cradle 22.

When the rifle 2| is removed from the cradle 22 and is rotated about a vertical axis the arm 49 follows these angular movements perfectly and therefore moves the marker 5| relative to the chart horizontally.

If the recruit moves the rifle 2| at an angle having both horizontal and vertical components, the marker 5| will follow that deflection perfectly and will produce a mark exactly according to the direction of the line of sight of the rifle 2|.

mined position relative to the cradle when the rifle is being held by the cradle and being further adapted to permit the rifle to be freely removed therefrom, said cradle including a base for supporting the same on the ground, an upright member pivoted at said base for rotation about an axis that is parallel to the axis of the rifle, said upright member being spaced to one side of the rifle, a substantially horizontal elongated member, a hinge having a pivot substantially parallel to the axis of the rifle and pivotally connecting the horizontal member to the upright member, another hinge having its pivot substantially parallel to the axis of the rifle and pivotally connecting the horizontal member to the rifle, a chart comprising a miniature target, a supporting member mounted at one end on said upright and carrying said chart at its other end, said supporting member positioning the center of said chart perpendicular to and in substantial alignment with the axis of the first-named hinge, a second substantially horizontal elongated member in substantial alignment with the axis of the pivot of the firstnamed hinge, said second horizontal member being pivoted at a first end thereof to the first horizontal member and extending from the first one toward said chart, a third horizontal member extending parallel to the first one and pivoted to the second one, said third horizontal member being connected to the same part of the second hinge to which the first one is connected, a marking device mounted on the second horizontal member and extending beyond the free end thereof, a vertical pin closely adjacent the end of the second horizontal member and fixed thereto, said marking device defining an elongated opening therein about said pin and extending parallel to the second horizontal member, said marking device and said second horizontal member defining complementary elongated similar openings therethrough, a second vertical pin passing through said complementary openings and freely movable in the elongated openings, said complementary openings having substantially similar relative positions with respect to said second pin when the first pin is in the center of said first-named elongated opening, a spring connected at opposite ends thereof to said pins respectively and biasing them toward each other, a second spring exerting less bias than the first one and connected at opposite ends to the marking device and to the first-named pin, a latch engaging the marking device and holding the marking device in a position as far as it can be moved away from the chart, a control line for releasing the latch and extending therefrom in a direction substantially parallel to the firstnamed horizontal member, a member pivotally 7 mounted "on 'the second hinge, said last na'm'ed member being pivoted about a vertical axis and having one end fastened to said control line, and :a second control line extending from the other end of the last-named member and adapted to .be connected to the trigger of the rifle.

2-. The device defined in claim 1 in which said cradle is pivoted for rotation relative said base about a horizontal axis that is perpendicular to the axis of the rifle and which is also adjacent to the rifle, and means operable to secure the cradle in a fixed position relative to the base.

3. An aiming drill device comprising, in combination, a base adapted to be placed on the ground, a rifle cradle carried above the base for supporting a rifle in a horizontal position, an upright member pivoted at a first end to the base about a horizontal axis parallel to that of the rifle, a chart carried by the second end of said upright member, the plane of said chart being perpendicular to the axis of the rifle and said chart being located outside of the line of aim, means for moving the second end of the upright member in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the rifle to extents equal to movements of the rifle in such directions, a marking member normally extending along a horizontal axis, intersecting said chart, means for moving the axis of the marking member to maintain the same parallel to the axis of the rifle, said marking member including a marking element, means biasing the marking element toward the chart, and means cooperating with the trigger of the rifle and operable to lock the marking element away from the chart until the trigger is pressed and including means responsive to trigger pres sure to release the marking element for motion toward the chart.

4. The device defined by claim 3 including in addition means for moving the marking element L away from the chart immediately following motion thereof toward the chart.

5. An aiming drill device comprising, in combination, a distant target, a rifle having sights to enable one to aim at said distant target, a chart adjacent the rifle and in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the rifle, means for moving the chart horizontally when the axis of the rifle is displaced horizontally, a marking device normally out of engagement with the chart, means biasing the marking device toward the chart, a latch restraining motion of the marking device toward the chart, means for moving the marking device relative to the chart in accordance with angular changes of the axis of the rifle in a horizontal plane, and means operated by the trigger of the rifle for releasing said latch.

6. Ah aiming drill device comprising, in 'com- 'bination, a rifle, a chart adjacent the rifle and outside of the line of aim thereof, an elongated marking device having a marking element at one end thereof supported independently of the rifle, means mounting the other end of the marking device for universal movement, means for moving the marking device about its mounting means by angles proportional to and in directions complementary to movements of the rifle, means carrying both said chart and said mounting means to move both of them horizontally in accordance with horizontal displacements of the axis of the rifle, and means operated by the trigger of the rifle for moving the marking element into contact with the chart.

7. The device of claim 6 in which the lastnamed means includes means operable in response to pressure on the trigger to cause the marking element to strike the chart for a short time only and thereupon be immediately withdrawn from contact with the chart.

8. An aiming drill device for use with a rifle comprising, in combination, a base adapted to be placed on the ground, an upright member pivoted at a first end to said base about a horizontal axis, a chart carried by the second end of said upright member, elongated means pivoted to said second end about an axis parallel to said first-named axis and extending substantially horizontal, the elongated means having a free end adapted to be connected to a rifle whose axis is horizontal, a marking element carried by said second end, means biasing the marking element toward the chart, means connected to the rifle for moving the marking element relative to the chart to positions indicative of the angular position of the rifle, and means cooperating with the trigger of the rifle and operable to lock the marking element away from the chart until the trigger is pressed and including means responsive to trigger pressure to release the marking element for motion toward the chart.

JOHN G. WINTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,038,728 Cummings Sept. 1'7, 1912 1,269,374 Brodstrom June 11, 1918 2,350,750 Gerstenberger June 6, 1944

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