US-20260126271-A1 - Sighting systems, components, and methods

US20260126271A1US 20260126271 A1US20260126271 A1US 20260126271A1US-20260126271-A1

Abstract

Sight systems comprise a sight receiver and a base attachable to and detachable from a sight receiver. A base carries a sighting component, such as an iron sight or optic sight. A sighting component may be attachably and detachably mounted to a base, or a sighting component may be made integrally with a base. A base may carry plural sighting components. Sight systems may include plural interchangeable sight receivers, bases, and/or sighting components. In some embodiments, interfitting structures at least partially restrain or retain a base and a sight receiver in longitudinal and lateral alignment, with such structures being longitudinally oriented. In some embodiments, interfitting structures at least partially restrain or retain a base and a sighting component in longitudinal alignment and lateral alignment, with such structures being longitudinally oriented. Some embodiments provide a fastener operable with a compatible and/or complementary surface, together used to urge interfitting parts together tightly.

Inventors

David J. Dawson, JR.

Assignees

David J. Dawson, JR.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20260105

Claims (20)

1 . A sight system for a projectile launching device, the sight system comprising: a base comprising a pedestal comprising a first surface and a first perimeter surface, a pedestal rim disposed around a lower portion of the pedestal and comprising a second surface and a second perimeter surface, and a boring extending longitudinally in the pedestal and comprising a female taper; a set screw comprising a male taper; and a sighting component comprising a housing having an upper cavity comprising a top wall and an upper side wall, a lower cavity comprising a shoulder surface and a lower side wall, and a tapped boring oriented longitudinally and that is arranged and configured to receive the set screw; the sight system having an assembled configuration in which the pedestal interfits within the upper cavity with the first surface adjacent to the top wall and the first perimeter surface adjacent to the upper side wall, the pedestal rim interfits within the lower cavity with the second surface adjacent to the shoulder surface and the second perimeter surface adjacent to the lower side wall, and the set screw is disposed in the tapped boring with the male taper engaging the female taper.
2 . The sight system of claim 1 in which the pedestal rim comprises a generally planar flat surface extending laterally outward from the pedestal to provide a shelf around a bottom of the pedestal.
3 . The sight system of claim 2 in which the shoulder surface is generally planar and oriented substantially orthogonally to the lower side wall.
4 . The sight system of claim 1 in which the pedestal and the pedestal rim are each elongated and oriented in a longitudinal direction, and the upper cavity and the lower cavity are each elongated and oriented in the longitudinal direction.
5 . The sight system of claim 1 in which the male taper engaging the female taper restrains the sighting component with respect to the base in each of longitudinal, lateral, and vertical directions.
6 . A firearm comprising: a sight receiver comprising a generally planar first surface, and a slot disposed in a wall of the sight receiver; a base comprising a generally planar second surface comprising a recess, and a protrusion disposed at an end of the base; a fastener arranged and configured to retain the base proximal to the sight receiver; and an elastomeric mounting pad sized to fit the recess; the firearm having an assembled configuration in which the elastomeric mounting pad is compressed to exert a separating force against the sight receiver and the base; and the protrusion is disposed in the slot with the separating force exerted by the elastomeric pad causing the protrusion to exert a force against a wall of the slot.
7 . The firearm of claim 6 further comprising a sighting component mounted to the base.
8 . The firearm of claim 7 in which the sighting component is an iron sight.
9 . The firearm of claim 7 in which the sighting component is an optic sight.
10 . The firearm of claim 9 further comprising an iron sight.
11 . The firearm of claim 6 , wherein the recess is disposed toward a first end of the base and the elastomeric mounting pad is disposed toward the first end of the base.
12 . The firearm of claim 6 which, in the assembled configuration: the first surface is adjacent and generally parallel to the second surface; the elastomeric mounting pad is disposed in the recess; and the fastener at least partially counters the separating force and holds the base proximal to the sight receiver in the assembled configuration.
13 . The firearm of claim 6 in which the elastomeric mounting pad comprises a resilient O-ring and the recess is cylindrical and sized to accept the O-ring.
14 . The firearm of claim 6 comprising plural elastomeric mounting pads and plural recesses, with each of the recesses configured to receive at least a portion of a single one of the plural elastomeric mounting pads.
15 . The firearm of claim 14 comprising two elastomeric mounting pads and two recesses, with the recesses arranged laterally about a centerline of the base.
16 . The firearm of claim 6 in which the base comprises a generally planar third surface that intersects the second surface along a first intersection line, and the force exerted by the protrusion against the wall of the slot acting about the first intersection line imposes a moment on the base.
17 . A sight system for a projectile launching device, the sight system comprising: a sight receiver comprising a generally planar first surface, and a slot disposed in a wall of the sight receiver; a base comprising a generally planar second surface comprising a recess, and a protrusion disposed at an end of the base; a fastener arranged and configured to retain the base proximal to the sight receiver; and an elastomeric mounting pad sized to fit the recess; the sight system having an assembled configuration in which the elastomeric mounting pad is compressed to exert a separating force against the sight receiver and the base; and the protrusion is disposed in the slot with the separating force exerted by the elastomeric pad causing the protrusion to exert a force against a wall of the slot.
18 . The sight system of claim 17 which, in the assembled configuration: the first surface is adjacent and generally parallel to the second surface, the elastomeric mounting pad is disposed in the recess, and the fastener at least partially counters the separating force and holds the base proximal to the sight receiver in the assembled configuration.
19 . The sight system of claim 17 in which the elastomeric mounting pad comprises a resilient O-ring and the recess is cylindrical and sized to accept the O-ring.
20 . The sight system of claim 17 comprising plural elastomeric mounting pads and plural recesses, with each of the recesses configured to receive at least a portion of a single one of the plural elastomeric mounting pads.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of currently pending U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 18/972,893 filed on December 7, 2024, and issuing as U.S. Patent No. 12,516,908 on January 6, 2026, which is a divisional of U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 17/958,628 filed on October 3, 2022, and issuing as U.S. Patent No. 12,163,763 on December 10, 2024, which is a continuation of U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 17/189,052 filed on March 1, 2021, and issuing as U.S. Patent No. 11,460,274 on October 4, 2022. This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62/983,986 filed March 2, 2020, through copending U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 18/972,893 and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 17/958,628 and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 17/189,052. U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 18/972,893 and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 17/958,628 and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 17/189,052 and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 62/983,986 are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND Firearms, air guns, crossbows, and other projectile launching devices typically use sights to align the devices with the intended targets, i.e., the intended point of impact of the projectile. Sighting systems may be classified in various ways, for example into sight systems using only mechanical structures, sight systems using basic optics components, and sight systems using electronic components along with mechanical structures, optics components, or both. This disclosure will use the term “iron sights” to refer to sighting systems using only mechanical structures, and the term “optic sights” to refer to sighting systems using optics or electronics, or both. Within the taxonomy used in this disclosure, the term “iron sight” comprises traditional open sights and aperture sights, as well as open sights and aperture sights further comprising enhancements such as optical fiber components, radioluminescent components, paint-marked components, and similar aides to perception not using electronics or optics. In addition to sights made of iron, the term “iron sight” also comprises sights comprising or composed of materials other than iron, for example aluminum, titanium, brass, polyester, nylon, PVC, and other metal, plastic, and similar materials. Also within the taxonomy used in this closure, the term “optic sight” comprises telescopic sights, holographic sights, reflex sights, and similar devices. The term “optic sight” comprises devices having electrical powered light emission components, such as LEDs, as well as devices having passive light emission components, such as optical fiber or radio luminescent structures, or both. A firearm, air gun, crossbow, and other projectile launching device also typically comprises a frame or receiver that provides a housing for internal action components such as a hammer, firing pin, extractor, trigger, and bolt or breechblock mechanism. Often, a barrel or other projectile directing component is mounted to the frame or receiver. In some configurations, such as many rifles, shotguns, and revolvers, the sighting system comprises a front sight mounted proximal to the muzzle and a rear sight mounted on the frame or receiver. In some configurations, such as many pistols, both front and rear sights are mounted on a slide that reciprocates when the pistol is fired. In some configurations, front or rear sight components, or both, are mounted on accessory rails or retainers, for example a Picatinny rail, a rail interface system, or a rail integration system. Regardless of any particular sight mounting system, the discussions in this disclosure will use the term “sight receiver” to refer to a component of a firearm, air gun, crossbow, or other projectile launching device, upon which a sight component is directly or indirectly mounted. As used in this disclosure, a sight receiver may be integrally formed in a firearm component, such as a frame, receiver, or slide, or may be a separate component attached to the projectile launching device, such as a Picatinny rail. When used in this disclosure with respect to surfaces, edges, protrusions, recesses, or other geometries, unless clearly used differently the terms “compatible” and “complementary” mean that the items are configured to abut, fit together, or otherwise engage in a way that restrains relative translation or rotation, or both, in one or more directions, for example by having matching profiles mated together. As used in this disclosure, unless clearly used differently the term “interfitting parts” shall refer to plural structures having compatible or complementary surfaces, edges, protrusions, recesses, or other geometries. When used in this disclosure with respect or reference to a projectile launching device, unless clearly used differently the term “longitudinal” is used to refer to a direction substantially in alignment with the direction in