Turret cap apparatus and method for calculating aiming point information

Abstract

The present invention relates to target acquisition and related devices, and more particularly to telescopic gunsights and associated equipment used to achieve shooting accuracy at, for example, close ranges, medium ranges and extreme ranges at stationary and moving targets comprising an elevation turret cap with markings for windage and rate of travel aiming point correction.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A target acquisition device elevation turret cap, comprising:
 a) elevation markings; and   b) windage markings;   wherein said elevation markings and said windage markings align to account for the greater effect of windage at greater elevation.   
     
     
         2 . The target acquisition device elevation turret cap of  claim 1 , wherein said elevation markings are milliradian (Mil) elevation markings. 
     
     
         3 . The target acquisition device elevation turret cap of  claim 1 , wherein said windage markings are milliradian (Mil) windage markings. 
     
     
         4 . The target acquisition device elevation turret cap of  claim 1 , wherein said elevation markings are minute of angle (MOA) elevation markings. 
     
     
         5 . The target acquisition device elevation turret cap of  claim 1 , wherein said windage markings are minute of angle (MOA) windage markings. 
     
     
         6 . The target acquisition device elevation turret cap of  claim 1 , wherein said windage markings correspond to miles per hour (mph) windage markings. 
     
     
         7 . The target acquisition device elevation turret cap of  claim 1 , wherein said windage markings correspond to kilometers per hour (kph) windage markings. 
     
     
         8 . The target acquisition device elevation turret cap of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a) milliradian (Mil) elevation markings;   b) milliradian (Mil) windage markings;   c) minute of angle (MOA) elevation markings; and   d) minute of angle (MOA) windage markings.   
     
     
         9 . The target acquisition device elevation turret cap of  claim 1 , wherein said elevation turret cap aligns the elevation of said target acquisition device. 
     
     
         10 . A target acquisition device, comprising:
 a) a housing;   b) an objective lens mounted in one end of said housing;   c) an ocular lens mounted in the opposite end of said housing;   d) and elevation turret;   e) an elevation turret cap, comprising:
 1) elevation markings; and 
 2) windage markings, wherein said elevation markings and said windage markings align to account for the greater effect of windage at greater elevation; and 
   f) a reticle, comprising:
 1) a first horizontal cross-hair; 
 2) a first vertical cross-hair; 
 3) a plurality of elevation markings on said first vertical cross-hair below said first horizontal cross-hair; and 
 4) a plurality of second vertical cross-hairs intersecting, contacting or near said first horizontal cross-hair. 
   
     
     
         11 . The target acquisition device of  claim 10 , wherein said reticle further comprises rangefinder markings. 
     
     
         12 . The target acquisition device of  claim 10 , wherein said reticle further comprises unique markings for identification purposes on at least one of said plurality of secondary vertical cross-hairs. 
     
     
         13 . The target acquisition device of  claim 10 , wherein said reticle is configured in a first focal plane. 
     
     
         14 . The target acquisition device of  claim 10 , wherein said reticle is configured in the second focal plane. 
     
     
         15 . The target acquisition device of  claim 10 , wherein said reticle is configured in a combination of the first focal plane and the second focal plane. 
     
     
         16 . The target acquisition device of  claim 10 , wherein said reticle is configured in a fixed power target acquisition device. 
     
     
         17 . The target acquisition device of  claim 10 , wherein said target acquisition device is configured for shooting at a range of less than 500 yards. 
     
     
         18 . The target acquisition device of  claim 10 , wherein said target acquisition device is configured for shooting at a range of greater than 500 yards. 
     
     
         19 . The target acquisition device of  claim 10 , wherein said turret cap is configured for shooting at a windspeed of zero to 100 miles per hour (mph). 
     
     
         20 . A method for shooting a target, comprising:
 a) adjusting the elevation turret cap of the target acquisition device of  claim 1  and windage turret of said target acquisition device of  claim 1  affixed to a firearm such that a projectile strikes a zero point on a reticle of said target acquisition device at a specified distance;   b) measuring or obtaining the range to a target at a second distance;   c) adjusting said elevation turret cap in Mils or MOA such that the elevation of a projectile aimed at the zero point of said reticle is aligned with the elevation of said target at said second distance;   d) measuring or obtaining the windspeed and/or rate of travel of said target;   e) aligning an elevation marking on said elevation turret cap with a corresponding windage speed marking on said elevation turret cap to obtain a value for the number of second vertical cross-hairs intersecting said first horizontal cross-hair; and   f) adjusting the windage hold of the firearm thereby based on said value.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said second vertical cross-hairs intersecting said first horizontal cross-hair are evenly spaced at 0.2 Mils. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said elevation markings comprise units of inches, feet, yards, miles, centimeters or kilometers. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said windage markings comprise ratios of units of distance in inches, feet, yards, miles, centimeters or kilometers to units of time in milliseconds, seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months or years.