Non-telescoping riflescope adjustment mechanism

• US 6,691,447 B1
• Filed: 09/17/2002
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leupold & Stevens Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leupold & Stevens Incorporated
• Inventors: Otteman, Rodney H.
• Primary Examiner(s): JOHNSON, STEPHEN
• Application Number:
  US10/246,505
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 421/19, 421/20, 421/22, 421/29, 359/429
• US Class Current: 42/122
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/38 Telescopic sights specially adapted for smallarms or ordnance telescopic sights in general G02B; Supports or mountings therefor

Abstract

A non-telescoping adjustment mechanism for adjustment of a riflescope or other sighting device includes a core that is rotatable about a central axis of the adjustment mechanism and an adjustment knob, which is rigidly coupled to the core and which extends from a housing of the riflescope to a protrusion distance. Rotating the adjustment knob causes the core to rotate for adjusting an adjustable member within the riflescope. An index slide, threadably coupled to the adjustment knob, reciprocates along the central axis between the adjustment knob and the core in response to rotation of the adjustment knob. A scale, positioned on the adjustment mechanism, provides a visual indication of the degree of adjustment applied to the riflescope through multiple turns of the adjustment knob. The indication is achieved without increasing the protrusion distance of the adjustment knob.

Claims

1. In a riflescope of the type that includes a housing, an adjustable member movably mounted within the housing, and an adjustment mechanism having a core mounted to the housing for rotation about an axis of rotation, the core restricted from moving along the axis of rotation, and the core in operative association with the adjustable member for adjusting the riflescope in response to rotation of the core, the improvement comprising:

an adjustment knob coupled to the core for rotation therewith and extending from the housing a protrusion distance, the adjustment knob prevented from moving along the axis of rotation relative to the core;

an index slide slidably supported on the adjustment mechanism for movement along a slide path extending along the axis of rotation between the adjustment knob and the core, the index slide threadably coupled to the adjustment knob for movement of the index slide along the slide path in response to rotation of the adjustment knob;

a scale including a set of indicia arranged on the adjustment mechanism; and

a datum located on the adjustment mechanism, the datum and the scale moving relative to each other in response to the movement of the index slide along the slide path and cooperating to thereby indicate to a user of the riflescope the amount of adjustment of the adjustment mechanism through multiple turns of the adjustment knob without increasing the protrusion distance.

2. The improved riflescope of claim 1, further comprising an adjustment plunger threadably coupled to the core and extending within the interior of the housing toward the adjustable member, the adjustment plunger being restricted from rotating and driven along the axis of rotation in response to rotation of the core.

3. The improved riflescope of claim 1 in which the adjustment knob includes a dial and a retaining cap adjacent the dial, the dial being threadably coupled to the index slide such that rotation of the dial about the axis of rotation causes the index slide to move alone the slide path, and further comprising a fastener for securing the retaining cap to the core, wherein tightening of the fastener causes the retaining cap to frictionally engage the dial for rotation therewith, and wherein loosening of the fastener allows the dial and the retaining cap to be independently rotated for adjusting a zero setting of the adjustment mechanism.

4. The improved riflescope of claim 3, further comprising a fine adjustment scale including multiple indicia spaced apart around the dial.

5. The improved riflescope of claim 1 in which the housing includes an opening through which the adjustment mechanism extends and further comprising:

a gas-impermeable seal surrounding the opening of the housing and positioned between the housing and the adjustment mechanism to seal the opening of the housing.

6. The improved riflescope of claim 5, further comprising a mounting nut that retains the core against the housing to thereby allow the adjustment knob and the index slide to be uncoupled from the core for replacement of the adjustment knob and the index slide without unsealing the opening of the housing.

7. The improved riflescope of claim 1, further comprising a means for providing non-visual sensory feedback to the user when the adjustment knob is rotated, thereby allowing the user to determine the extent of adjustment of the adjustment mechanism without averting his eye from a target viewed through the riflescope.

8. The improved riflescope of claim 1 in which the index slide is an index tube centered on the axis of rotation.

9. The improved riflescope of claim 1, further comprising a flange secured to the housing, the index slide being keyed to the flange for preventing rotation of the index slide around the axis of rotation in response to rotation of the adjustment knob.

10. The improved riflescope of claim 1 in which:

the scale is marked on the index slide; and

the adjustment knob includes an edge that overlaps the index slide, the edge serving as the datum.

11. The improved riflescope of claim 1 in which the datum includes a window formed in the index slide and the scale is positioned for viewing through the window.

12. The improved riflescope of claim 9, in which:

the scale is marked on the flange; and

the index slide includes an edge that overlaps the flange, the edge serving as the datum.

13. The improved riflescope of claim 2 in which the threaded coupling of the index slide to the adjustment knob has a first pitch and the threaded coupling of the core to the plunger has a second pitch different from the first pitch.

14. The improved riflescope of claim 1 in which rotation of the adjustment knob adjusts an elevation adjustment of the riflescope.

15. A non-telescoping adjustment mechanism for a sighting dice, the sighting device including a housing having an interior and an exterior, and further including an adjustable member positioned within the interior of the housing, the non-telescoping adjustment mechanism comprising:

a core operatively associated with the adjustable member and supported on the housing for rotation about an axis of rotation, the core being mounted such that, when rotated, the core remains stationary along the axis of rotation relative to the housing;

an adjustment knob coupled to the core for rotation therewith and extending from the housing a protrusion distance, the adjustment knob prevented from moving along the axis of rotation relative to the housing;

an index slide slidably supported on the adjustment mechanism for movement along a slide path extending along the axis of rotation between the adjustment knob and the core, the index slide threadably coupled to the adjustment knob for movement of the index slide along the slide path in response to rotation of the adjustment knob;

a scale including a set of indicia arranged on the adjustment mechanism; and

a datum located on the adjustment mechanism, the datum and the scale moving relative to each other in response to the movement of the index slide along the slide path and cooperating to thereby indicate to a user of the riflescope the amount of adjustment of the adjustment mechanism through multiple turns of the adjustment knob without increasing the protrusion distance.

16. The adjustment mechanism of claim 15, further comprising an adjustment plunger threadably coupled to the core and extending within the interior of the housing toward the adjustable member, the adjustment plunger being restricted from rotating and driven along the axis of rotation in response to rotation of the core.

17. The adjustment mechanism of claim 15 in which the adjustment knob includes a dial and a retaining cap adjacent the dial, the dial being threadably coupled to the index slide such that rotation of the dial about the axis of rotation causes the index slide to move along the slide path, and further comprising a fastener for securing the retaining cap to the core, wherein tightening of the fastener causes the retaining cap to frictionally engage the dial for rotation therewith, and wherein loosening of the fastener allows the dial and the retaining cap to be independently rotated for adjusting a zero setting of the adjustment mechanism.

18. The adjustment mechanism of claim 17, further comprising a fine adjustment scale including multiple indicia spaced apart around the dial.

19. The adjustment mechanism of claim 15 in which the housing further includes an opening through which the adjustment mechanism extends and farther comprising:

a gas-impermeable seal sized for surrounding the opening of the housing and for positioning between the housing and the adjustment mechanism to seal the opening of the housing.

20. The adjustment mechanism of claim 19, further comprising a mounting nut adapted for securing the core against the housing to thereby allow the adjustment knob and the index slide to be uncoupled from the core for replacement of the adjustment knob and the index slide without unsealing the opening of the housing.

21. The adjustment mechanism of claim 15 in which the adjustment mechanism further comprises a means for providing non-visual sensory feedback to the user when the adjustment knob is rotated, thereby allowing the user to determine the extent of adjustment of the adjustment mechanism without averting his eye from a target.

22. The adjustment mechanism of claim 15 in which the index slide is an index tube centered on the axis of rotation.

23. The adjustment mechanism of claim 15, further comprising a flange adapted to be secured to the housing, the index slide being keyed to the flange for preventing rotation of the index slide around the axis of rotation in response to rotation of the adjustment knob.

24. A riflescope comprising:

an outer tube adapted to be mounted onto a firearm;

an inner tube positioned within the outer tube and having a first end and a second end, the first end pivotally mounted within the outer tube and the second end being displaceable; and

an adjustment mechanism including;

a core having an axis of rotation and a set of drive threads centered on the axis of rotation, the core rotatably mounted to the outer tube such that, when rotated, the core remains stationary along the axis of rotation relative to the outer tube;

an adjustment plunger threadably coupled to the set of drive threads of the core and extending within the outer tube to operatively engage the second end of the inner tube, rotation of the core about the axis of rotation causing the adjustment plunger to move along the axis of rotation and to displace the inner tube;

an adjustment knob rigidly coupled to the core for rotation therewith, the adjustment knob restricted from moving along the axis of rotation relative to the housing;

an index slide having a set of indicator threads centered on the axis of rotation, the index slide keyed to prevent rotation of the index slide about the axis of rotation, and the index slide threadably coupled to the adjustment knob such that rotation of the adjustment knob causes the index slide to move along the axis of rotation;

a scale including a set of indicia arranged on the adjustment mechanism; and

a datum located on the adjustment mechanism, the datum and the scale moving relative to each other in response to the movement of the index slide along the slide path and cooperating to thereby indicate to a user of the riflescope the amount of adjustment of the adjustment mechanism through multiple turns of the adjustment knob.