Adjustable zero-stop turret

• US 10,190,848 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2017
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vista Outdoor Operations LLC (Vista Outdoor Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vista Outdoor Operations LLC (Vista Outdoor Inc.)
• Inventors: VanBecelaere, Jacob C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gomberg, Benjamin S
• Application Number:
  US15/593,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20170328674A1
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 42119-120, 42122, 42135-139, 359399, 359421-432
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/38 Telescopic sights specially adapted for smallarms or ordnance telescopic sights in general G02B; Supports or mountings therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/105 Sighting devices with light source and collimating reflector reflecting sights for small arms having light source F41G1/34
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/14 Viewfinders for photographic apparatus G03B13/02
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/36 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/004 Manual alignment, e.g. micromanipulators

Abstract

An adjustable zero-stop turret assembly for an optical firearm scope, the turret assembly defining an axis and including: a turret housing with a cavity to receive a head portion of a main turret screw and including a wall portion defining an opening; a rotatable zero-stop element carrier including a base portion, an upper portion and a first zero-stop element coupled to the base portion; an adjustable set screw adjacent the opening; a second zero-stop element receiving the screw, a first portion of the second zero-stop element positioned within the opening, and a second portion of the second zero-stop element projecting outside the opening and into the turret-housing cavity. The second zero-stop element travels axially along the screw from a first position to a second position. In the second position, portions of the first zero-stop element and the second zero-stop element reside in a common plane perpendicular to the axis.

Claims

1. A locking turret for an optical firearm scope, the turret defining a central vertical axis and comprising:

a main screw rotatable about the central vertical axis;

a turret cover configured to be grasped by a user, the turret cover including a locking ring;

a turret housing including a locking-ring receiving portion configured to receive and engage the locking ring of the turret cover in a first, locked position, such that rotational movement of the turret cover is limited;

a linking structure comprising a base portion coupled to the main screw and an upper portion coupled to the turret cover, the upper portion being slidably coupled to the base portion so as to allow limited axial travel of the upper portion relative the base portion and the main screw, and thereby limit axial travel of the turret cover and prevent disengagement of the turret cover from the turret housing,

wherein the base portion of the linking structure defines a plurality of axial channels, and the upper portion is slidably coupled to the base portion by a plurality of slide fasteners, each of the plurality of slide fasteners having a portion projecting into one of the plurality of axial channels and a portion affixed to the upper portion such that both the plurality of slide fasteners and the upper portion are configured to travel axially together when the upper portion travels in an axial direction.

2. The locking turret of claim 1, wherein the locking-ring receiving portion of the turret housing includes a splined portion having a plurality of splines circumferentially distributed about an inner cylindrical surface, and the locking ring includes a plurality of splines distributed about an outer surface.

3. The locking turret of claim 2, wherein the turret cover comprises a cylindrical inner extension portion concentric with an outer portion of the turret cover, and the locking ring is attached to an end of the inner extension portion.

4. The locking turret of claim 1, wherein the axial travel of the upper portion is limited by the plurality of slide fasteners contacting portions of the base portion at axial ends of the plurality of channels.

5. The locking turret of claim 1, further comprising a turret cover screw, and wherein a head of the turret cover screw abuts a surface of the turret cover and a shaft of the turret screw is coupled to the upper portion of the linking structure, thereby connecting the turret cover to the linking structure.

6. The locking turret of claim 5, wherein the base portion of the linking structure is coupled to the main screw via a fastener aligned along the central vertical axis.

7. The locking turret of claim 1, wherein the turret cover is configured to move a distance axially to an unlocked position, wherein the distance is less than or substantially equal to a distance defined by the limited axial travel of the upper portion of the linking structure relative the base portion of the linking structure.

8. The locking turret of claim 1, wherein the linking structure includes a zero-stop mechanism for setting a zero stop.

9. The locking turret of claim 8, wherein the zero-step mechanism includes a first zero-stop element, a second zero-stop element and an adjustable set screw adjacent an opening of a wall portion of the turret housing, the adjustable set screw including a threaded shaft portion, the second zero-stop element receiving the threaded shaft portion, a first portion of the second zero-stop element positioned within the opening of the wall portion, and a second portion of the second zero-stop element projecting outside the opening of the wall portion and into a cavity of the turret housing;

and wherein the second zero-stop element is configured to travel axially along the threaded shaft portion of the adjustable set screw from a first axial position to a second axial position, and wherein in the second axial position, portions of the first zero-stop element and the second zero-stop element reside in a common plane, the common plane being perpendicular to the central vertical axis.

10. An optical firearm scope with a locking turret, comprising:

a scope body; and

the locking turret coupled to the scope body, the locking turret defining a central vertical axis and including;

a main screw rotatable about the central vertical axis and having a head portion and a shaft portion, the shaft portion extending into an interior of the scope body;

a turret cover configured to be grasped by a user, the turret cover including a locking ring;

a turret housing including a locking-ring receiving portion configured to receive and engage the locking ring of the turret cover in a first, locked position, such that rotational movement of the turret cover is limited;

a linking structure comprising a base portion directly coupled to, and in contact with, the head portion of the main screw and an upper portion coupled to the turret cover, the upper portion being coupled to the base portion so as to allow limited axial travel of the upper portion relative the base portion and the main screw, and thereby limit axial travel of the turret cover and prevent disengagement of the turret cover from the turret housing

wherein the linking structure includes a zero-stop mechanism for setting a zero stop, the zero-stop mechanism including a threaded adjustable set screw, a first zero-stop element, and a second zero-stop element, the threaded adjustable set screw engaged with the second zero-stop element such that adjustment of the threaded adjustable set screw causes the second zero-stop element to travel axially along the threaded adjustable set screw.

11. The scope of claim 10, wherein the threaded adjustable set screw is adjacent an opening of a wall portion of the turret housing, the threaded adjustable set screw including a threaded shaft portion, the second zero-stop element receiving the threaded shaft portion, a first portion of the second zero-stop element positioned within the opening of the wall portion, and a second portion of the second zero-stop element projecting outside the opening of the wall portion and into a cavity of the turret housing;

and wherein the second zero-stop element is configured to travel axially along the shaft of the threaded adjustable set screw from a first axial position to a second axial position, and wherein in the second axial position, portions of the first zero-stop element and the second zero-stop element reside in a common plane, the common plane being perpendicular to the central axis.

12. An adjustable zero-stop turret assembly for an optical firearm scope, the turret assembly defining a central vertical axis and comprising:

a turret housing defining a turret housing cavity and including a wall portion, the wall portion defining an opening;

a zero-stop element carrier configured to rotate about the central vertical axis and including a base portion, an upper portion and a first zero-stop element, the first zero-stop element affixed to the base portion and rotatable with the base portion;

an adjustable set screw adjacent the opening of the wall portion, the adjustable set screw including a threaded shaft portion;

a second zero-stop element receiving the threaded shaft portion, a first portion of the second zero-stop element positioned within the opening of the wall portion, and a second portion of the second zero-stop element projecting outside the opening of the wall portion and into the turret housing cavity;

wherein the second zero-stop element is configured to travel axially along the threaded shaft portion of the adjustable set screw from a first axial position to a second axial position, and wherein in the second axial position, portions of the first zero-stop element and the second zero-stop element reside in a common plane, the common plane being perpendicular to the central vertical axis.

13. The adjustable zero-stop turret assembly of claim 12, further comprising a main screw rotatable about the central vertical axis, the main screw including a head portion defining a recess, the recess configured to receive a portion of the base portion.

14. The adjustable zero-stop turret assembly of claim 13, further comprising a carrier-release fastener coupling the zero-stop element carrier to the head portion of the main screw.

15. The adjustable zero-stop turret assembly of claim 12, wherein the base portion of the zero-stop element carrier defines a plurality of axial channels, and the upper portion is slidably coupled to the base portion by a plurality of slide fasteners, each of the plurality of slide fasteners having a portion projecting into one of the plurality of axial channels.

16. The adjustable zero-stop turret assembly of claim 15, wherein axial travel of the upper portion is limited by the plurality of slide fasteners contacting portions of the base portion at axial ends of the plurality of channels.

17. The adjustable zero-stop turret assembly of claim 12, further comprising a turret cover coupled to the upper portion of the zero-stop element carrier and covering a portion of the turret housing.

18. The adjustable zero-stop turret assembly of claim 17, further comprising a turret cover screw, and wherein a head of the turret cover screw abuts a surface of the turret cover and a shaft of the turret screw is coupled to the upper portion of the zero-stop element carrier, thereby connecting the turret cover to the zero-stop element carrier.