Optical sighting devices

Abstract

Optical sights for long guns and handguns. The representative, disclosed optical sight has: a fiber optics assembly which includes an outer, hollow, tubular optical fiber and an optical fiber insert; an optical fiber assembly support comprising integral, spaced apart, assembly-associated support units; magnets for securing the fiber optics assembly support to a rib at the muzzle end of a shotgun barrel; interchangeable mounting/sight alignment brackets assembled to the fiber optics assembly support and configured to match the configuration of the rib of the shotgun barrel; and magnetically engaged plates for clamping the support and the mounting/sight alignment bracket to the rib.

1 . An optical gun sight which comprises:
 a fiber optics assembly;   the fiber optics assembly comprising a hollow, elongated, optical fiber.   
   
   
       2 . An optical gun sight as defined in  claim 1  which further comprises an optical fiber insert in, and surrounded by, the hollow optical fiber. 
   
   
       3 . An optical gun sight as defined in  claim 2  wherein the hollow optical fiber and the optical fiber insert are essentially the same color. 
   
   
       4 . An optical fiber insert as defined in  claim 3 , wherein the color is red, green, or yellow. 
   
   
       5 . An optical gun sight as defined in  claim 2  wherein the hollow optical fiber and the optical fiber insert are different colors. 
   
   
       6 . An optical gun sight as defined in  claim 5  wherein the hollow optical fiber and the optical fiber insert have contrasting colors. 
   
   
       7 . An optical gun sight as defined in  claim 5  wherein the hollow optical fiber and the optical fiber insert have one of the following combinations of colors: 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
                   
                   
               
                   
                 Outer optical fiber 
                 Optical fiber insert 
               
                   
                   
               
                   
                 green 
                 red 
               
                   
                 red 
                 green 
               
                   
                 red 
                 yellow 
               
                   
                 yellow 
                 red 
               
                   
                   
               
           
              
              
              
             
             
              
              
              
              
              
             
          
         
       
     
   
   
       8 . An optical gun sight which comprises:
 a fiber optics assembly (FOA);   a support for the FOA; and   an interchangeable mounting/sight alignment bracket which is fixable to the FOA support with the bracket being configured for mounting to a particular complementary firearm component.   
   
   
       9 . An optical gun sight as defined in  claim 8  in which the FOA support comprises an elongated rail and integrated FOA support units located at intervals along the rail; and
 the support units having through bores configured to match the external configuration of the FOA.   
   
   
       10 . An optical gun sight as defined in  claim 9  wherein:
 there is an aperture in the rail;   the mounting/sight alignment bracket has a first component mountable to the complementary firearm component and a second component protruding from the first component; and   the FOA support rail is seated on the first bracket component and the second bracket component extends into the aperture in the rail.   
   
   
       11 . An optical gun sight as defined in  claim 10 :
 which has a FOA attachment component;   the elongated rail of the FOA support having a well bounded by upstanding flanges at the opposite sides of the rail; and   the FOA attachment component being seated in the well of the elongated rail.   
   
   
       12 . An optical gun sight as defined in  claim 11 :
 wherein there is a magnet-receiving aperture through the elongated FOA support rail, that aperture opening onto the well in which the FOA attachment component is seated;   the FOA attachment component being fabricated of a magnetizable material;   the optical gun sight further comprising a permanent magnet; and   the magnet being magnetically engageable with the firearm component and extending through the rail into magnetic engagement with the FOA attachment component.   
   
   
       13 . An optical gun sight as defined in  claim 12  wherein:
 the magnets each have integral, concentric, first and second elements providing an exposed shoulder on the first element; and   the elongated rail of the FOA support being seated on the shoulder and one element of the magnet extending through the complementary aperture in the rail.   
   
   
       14 . An optical gun sight as defined in  claim 8 :
 wherein the FOA comprises:   a hollow, elongated, optical fiber and   an optical fiber insert in, and surrounded by, the outer optical fiber.   
   
   
       15 . An optical gun sight as defined in  claim 14  which further comprises an optical fiber insert in, and surrounded by, the hollow optical fiber. 
   
   
       16 . An optical gun sight as defined in  claim 14  wherein the hollow optical fiber and the optical fiber insert are essentially the same color that color being red, green, or yellow. 
   
   
       17 . An optical gun sight as defined in  claim 14  wherein the hollow optical fiber and the optical fiber insert are different colors. 
   
   
       18 . An optical gun sight as defined in  claim 14  wherein the outer optical fiber and the optical fiber insert have contrasting colors. 
   
   
       19 . An optical gun sight as defined in  claim 16  wherein the outer optical fiber and the optical fiber insert have one of the following combinations of colors: 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
                   
                   
               
                   
                 Outer optical fiber 
                 Optical fiber insert 
               
                   
                   
               
                   
                 green 
                 red 
               
                   
                 red 
                 green 
               
                   
                 red 
                 yellow 
               
                   
                 yellow 
                 red 
               
                   
                   
               
           
              
              
              
             
             
              
              
              
              
              
             
          
         
       
     
   
   
       20 . The combination of a shotgun barrel and an optical gun sight:
 the shotgun barrel having a rib;   the optical gun sight being mounted to the rib; and   the optical gun sight comprising:
 a FOA; 
 a support for the FOA; and 
 a mounting bracket for the FOA support; 
 the mounting bracket having: a configuration matching the configuration of the rib and side and top elements which overlie complementary top and side surfaces of the rib. 
   
   
   
       21 . A combination as defined in  claim 20  in which the FOA support comprises an elongated rail and integrated FOA support units located at intervals along the rail;
 the support elements having through bores configured to match the external configuration of the FOA.   
   
   
       22 . A combination as defined in  claim 20  wherein:
 there is an aperture in the rail;   the mounting/sight alignment bracket has a first component mountable to a complementary firearm component and a second component protruding from the first component; and   the FOA support rail is seated on the first bracket component and the second bracket component extends into the aperture in the rail.   
   
   
       23 . A combination as defined in  claim 21 :
 which has a FOA attachment component;   the elongated rail of the FOA support having a well bounded by upstanding flanges at the opposite sides of the rail; and   the FOA attachment component being seated in the well of the elongated rail.   
   
   
       24 . A combination as defined in  claim 23 :
 wherein there is a sight-mounting aperture through the elongated FOA support rail, the aperture opening onto the well in which the FOA attachment component is seated;   the FOA attachment component being fabricated of a magnetizable material;   the optical gun sight further comprising a permanent magnet; and   the magnet being magnetically engageable with the firearm component and extending through the rail of the sight-mounting component into magnetic engagement with the the FOA attachment component.   
   
   
       25 . A combination as defined in  claim 24  wherein:
 the magnet has integral, first and second concentric elements providing an exposed shoulder on the first element; and   the elongated rail of the FOA support is seated on the shoulder and the second element of the magnet extends through the complementary aperture in the rail.