Dec.

25, 1951

v. E. CARBONARA

2,579,903

PERISCOPIC SEXTANT
Filed June 16, 1948

6 Sheets-Sheet l

INVENTUR.

Vzcf for Jfd'arioward.

Dec. 25, 1951

v. E. CARBONARA

2,5 79,903

PERISCOPIC SEXTANT

Filed June 16, 1948

6 Sheets-Sheet 2

'

WC {0 7'
BY

INVEN TOR.

CarZarrara
/

Dec. 25, 1951

v_ E_ ARBONARA

2,579,903

PERISGOPIC SEXTANT

'

Filed June 16, 1948

a Sheets-Sheet 5

\ \\

Dec. 25, 1951

v_ E_ CARBONARA

2,579,903

PERISCOPIC SEXTANT
Filed June 16, 1948

6 Sheets~$heet 4

4a

INVENTOR.

)/z'cz7ar IC'arZavara.

Dec. 25, 1951

2,579,903

v. E. CARBONARA
PERISCOPIC SEXTANT

Filed June 16, 1948

6 Sheets-Sheet 5

INVENTOR.

WCZa/ l'arzan'ara

. BY/?

Dec. 25, 1951

'

'

v, E, CARBQNARA

2,579,903

PERISCOPIC SEXTANT

Filed June 16, 1948

$279,171 [%

6 Sheets-Sheet 6

*l-v/

IN VEN T0R.

Wc for lC'arZa?ara,

17' 7a P/VIX

Patented Dec. 25," 1951

2,579,903

UNITED ss TAT-ES PATENT or arcs

by me's'ne assignments, to vKcllsman Instrument
Corporation, Elmh-urst, N. Y., a corporation of
NeweYork

Application June '16, 1948, SerialNo.'33,345

2 Claims.

This invention relates to aperiscopic sextant

adapted to be projected-through the'skinof an
aircraft to permit a navigator to make-observa~~
tions from within the cabin.
object of the invention is to *providelanperi
scopic sextant with a simple and accurate me-chanical connection between the operatinglknob
andthe index prism.

Another'obj'ectiof the iiiventionis the'p'rovision

of a p'eriscopic sextant 1in accordance with the

preceding object inwhich'thereis provided ad

justing 'means to properly correlate the rotation
of the prism land they instrument counter Iin'dica
'tion.

Another object of the inventioniisithe provision

of a .periscopic sextant in accordance with the

preceding object in which the adjusting means

will not onlytake-care'of cumulative mechanical
error in the - gear portion - of r the 1 mechanical - oper

ating train, but will also serve'to reduce'any error >'

which may be present in theprism surfaces.
Another object of the invention-isithe provision
of a periscopic "sextantlwith a :mechanicaloper
ating train between thelindex prism and (the oper
ating knob which does not require the Ppresence '

'o'f gearing at the "index prism s'o ithatv a' minimum

sized head may be used with _I'a< corresponding

small opening through which iitmay "be-passed.

(Cl.~">88'2l7)

2
shown as comprising a 1main body portionl2

and atubulariperiscope section 'I. "The main body

'portionincludes the operating knob 3 and-a sec

ond high speed operating knob 4 for rotatingithe

index prism and the counter 5. The eyepiecelfor
the observer is indicatedlat'?.

'

The optical system illustrated inFigure 2 com

prises an entrance window I through which-the
light from the observed body passes to the index
*gpris'm 8 and thence through ?rst and second
objective lenses Sand l'l andobjective-?eldGlens
i2. From the objective .?eld lens 12, the "light

passes throughan erecting system vformedlbylth'e

lenses i3, M, throughia vwindow I 5 and thence
to a prism i3 from whence the lightis re?ected

and passes through alvpartially reflecting pellicle

'i-lto form a real image of the observed bodyin

the 5focal plane of the erecting system at whichris

disposed ltheeyepiece '?eldllens 1! 8. The eyepiece
through which the image is observed further. in
cludes an intermediate l?eld lens [9 and. anieye

lensZI.
The arti?cial 'horizonris obtained by the light
of an illuminated line re?ected from a ,pendulous
mirror. The light source is indicated at 22,lpass
ing throughcondenser lenses 23 and 24 and then
through a ?lter {and reticle "25 which has a thin
line thereon through which light from the source

Other objects and features of the" invention

'22._passes. Light from the illuminated line passes
willibe readily apparent to those skillediini theiart 30 through the .pellicle I! and a lens 26 to the .re
from the speci?cation and appended drawings
?eeting surface of a lpendulous mirror 21 from
illustrating ic'e'r-tain preferred. l embodiments; 1 in
which. thelightis re?ected again through thelens
which:
'
~26 tothelpellicle .I'lfrom WhiChit is re?ectedlinto
Figure .1 i is :a lfrontielevational" view it of 'a aperi
the.optical path from the observed body. The
scopic sextant :in accordance with the present
lens 26 has its focus coincident with that ofthe
invention.
opticahsystem of the sextant so that it forms a
Figure 52 i'sw'a-diagrammatic representation of
real image on the illuminated line at the t ?eld
the optical system through the instrumentis'howe
lens'1'8. 'With the magnifying ocular focusedupo'n
ing 'both the main optical system through the
thereal images of the observed body and illumi
instrument rand the optically produced. arti?cial
nated line, it views them projected to in?nity.
h'orizon.

I
Thealtitudenangleof a-celestial body is obtained
Figure 1'3 is aesectional wiew through 'i'the imam
when the instrument is. adjusted so that the
bodyl'portion 1of the instrument.
images of the body and the illuminated line coin;
@Figure "4 a-sectional view through'nthe 'tperi
cide; as will be explained.
_
scope-portion of the >-instrument.
Referring (to Figures 4 and 5, it will be :seen
Figure 5 is a detailed view of the body bf the
that the periscopesection of the instrument ri's
index prism in the periscope-h'eadion line :'IV--V
comprised of. an outer tube 28. within whichris
disposed asecond tube 29 carrying thEOPtiCSJOf
Figure 6 is Ia sectional view showing apart of
the periscope portion of the sextant. At "the head
theiioperating mechanism.
50 of the :peris'cope there is provided the entrance
Figure 7 'iislase'ctional view Ton thelline VIL-VII
window 1 and index prism 8 previously described.
of Figure v6.
At the upper end of the tubular portion 129 is
offFigure-lil

4 Figure 8 i's'a sectional View on the line VIII->

VIII #of Figure 6;

m'tneelevationai viewer-leisure-isthelsextant

mounted a platform 13! upon which are supported

a'pair of posts 32 to'w'hich is pivotally mounted,

by the bearing-studs 33, a frame '34 to Whichtis

2,679,908

3
adjustably connected the mount 35 carrying the
prism 8, as by means of resiliently opposed studs
36. The frame 34 is biased in a clockwise direc
tion as viewed in Figure 4 by a tension spring 31
and has an integral arm 38 carrying a ball 39
engaging the square end surface of a vertical

operating rod 4| guided for reciprocable move

ment in. openings in the head 3| and in a lower

a post 81. This pendulous mirror is disclosed and

claimed in applicants co-pending application

Serial No. 31,928, filed June 9, 1948, for Horizontal
Reference, now Patent No. 2,557,340, issued June
19, 1951.

The shaft 58 is provided with a gear 18 mesh- '

ing with a gear (not shown) on the high speed

knob 4 for .quick movement of the index prism.
It is seen that the operating mechanism for the

?ange 42 (Figure 3) rigidly connected to the

10 index prism 8 does away entirely with the neces
lower portion of the tube 29,.
sity for gearing in the periscopic head and per
Referring to Figure 3, into the lower end of the

mits not only the use of a slender periscope tube

rod 4| there is adjustably threaded a head 43
l, but also minimum size head so that the in
having a square bottom surface engaging a ball
44 carried by an arm 45 rigid with a plate 46 V strument is not only smaller but requires but a
small opening through the aircraft skin. With
mounted upon a plate like hub 41 integral with a
the adjustment of the effective length of the rod
rotatable shaft 48 which is of conical form and
4| by rotation of the head 43, and of the length
mounted in a conical bearing 48 (Figure '1'). The
of the arm 45 by adjustment of the plate 46 on
plater46 is adjustably mounted on the hub 41
the hub 41, the angular position of the prism 8
through a plurality of locking studs 5| threaded
in the hub 4'! and with the openings through the 20 and the reading on the counter 5 may be brought
into proper relationship within allowable limits
plate 45 slotted so as to permit variation of the
over the ?eld of operation of the prism. The dis
effective length of the arm 45. A pair of adjust
tance between the axis of the shaft 48 and the
ing studs 52 are threaded into theplate 48 and
center of the ball 44 will be substantially the
bear upon a reduced extension 53 of the hub 48.
same as the distance between the axis of rotation
As shown in Figure 7, the shaft 48 passes
.of the prism 8 and the center of the ball 39.
through a dividing wall 54 of the main body por
The adjustment is ordinarily made by optical
tion 2 and carries at the end opposite the hub 41
collimation to give the correct readings on the
a sector 55 rigidly mounted on the shaft 48 by the

counter for the angular positions of the index

Referring to Figure 6, the sector 55 meshes 30 prism. Ordinarily the effective length of the rod
4l, is ?rst adjusted by the head 43 to secure op
with a worm gear 5'lrmounted upon a shaft 58

nuts 56.

extending to the exterior of the body portion of

posite sign variations on the counter for zero and

90 positions of the prism when the counter and

prism are in conformance for 45". Thereafter the
Provision is made for a limited rotative move
ment of the shaft 58 about a transverse axis 35 length of the arm 45 is adjusted byloosening the
screws 5| and rotating the screws 52 in opposite
through the ball portion 59 setting on one side in
directions until the prism and counter are in con
the socket 5| and spring biased therein by en

the sextant and carrying the operating knob 3.

formance at zero and 90 as well as at 45.

gagement at the opposite side with seats 62, 53
The foregoing adjustment of the length of'the
biased against the ball portion 59 by the springs
64 and 65 disposed against the stops 66, 81. The 40 rod 4| and of the arm 45 also takes care of cumu

inner end of the shaft 58 is journalled in a ?oat

ing bearing 68 biased upwardly, in a direction to
maintain the Worm and sector engaged, by means
of a spring .59 surrounding a limiting stud '||
threaded into a ?xed part I2.
As shown in Figures 6 and 8, the shaft 58 ter

minates in acoupling l3 engaging the operating

lative error which might occur between the sector

55 and the worm gear 51. Hence, this gearing
does not have to be as exact as in the case where
a cumulative error would be added into the in~
strument reading.

The adjustment above referred to can further

reduce any error which might arise due to the
fact that the planes of the prism are not at the

mechanism of an averager indicated generally

exact 45 angle.
.
at 14. This averager may or may not be used
The ball mount 59 and the spring biased bear
with the sextant construction and as it forms no 50
ing 58 shown in Figure 6 maintain the worm and
part of the present invention it has not been il
sector in engagement and take care of variations
lustrated herein. Its function, as is well known
in the relative height of the gears. The limit
in the art, is to provide for an instrument read

ing stud H is normally set to take care of the

ing which is an average taken over a continuous
period of time. Without the averager, the instru 55 highest gear condition and thereafter the spring
59 will move the bearing 68 to maintain ,the
ment is fully operative in the same manner as
worm and sector in engagement for lower'gear
other sextants with the observer taking either a
positions.
1
'
single observation or a plurality of observations
While a particular preferred embodiment of
in quick succession from which an average is
60 the invention hasbeen illustrated in the'draw
taken.
.
ings, it is understood that the invention is not
1 As shown in Figures 6 and 8, there is pinned to
limited thereto, as many variations will be readily
the shaft 56 a bevel gear 15 meshing with a bevel
apparent to those skilled in the art and the in
gear 16 at one end of a shaft 11 pivoted in an
vention is to be given its broadest possible in
arm 18 mounted on the bearing 58. To the end
of the shaft 11 is pinned a coupling 19 meshing 65 terpretation within the terms of the following
through a star plate 8| with a coupling 82 on the
What is claimed is:
r
counter 5. As this counter is a standard com
1. In a periscopic sextant, a main body por
mercial item, it is shown only in elevation in the
tion carrying an eye piece for viewing the image
drawings.
'
Referring to Figure 3, it is seen that the re 70 of an observed object, an elongated periscopic
portion projecting from said main body portion,
?ecting mirror 21 is disposed within a container
an index prism at the end of said periscopic por
83 having a spherical inner chamber ?lled with
tion, an optical system in said periscopic and
a damping liquid in which the mirror 2'! and its
main body portions for producing an image of
depending skirt 84 are disposed, the mirror hav
ing a pivot 85 seating in a cup seat 86 carried by 75 an object observed through said index, prism, a
claims.

2,579,903

6
horizontal reference with respect to which the
ually operated means including a manually ro
image of said object is observed, means for in
tatable ?rst arm pivoted in said main body por
dicating the angular position of said index prism,
tion, said pivoted arm having a pair of position
and manually operated means interconnecting
said index prism and said angle indicating means U! ing screws for adjusting the effective length of
the arm, a second arm pivotally mounted near
for effecting rotation of said index prism and for
the outermost end of said periscopic portion, said
indicating its angular position and the angular
index prism being connected to said second arm,
height of said observed object, said manually op
spring means biasing said index prism in one di
erated means including a manually rotatable ?rst

arm pivoted in said main body portion, a second 10 rection, both of said arms having spherical sur
faces on oppositely directed sides thereof mount
arm pivotally mounted near the outermost end
ed so as to be directed toward each other, said
of said periscopic portion, said index prism con
positioning
screws enabling the effective lengths
nected to said second arm, a spring means biasing
of the arms to be brought into substantial con~
said index prism in one direction, both of said
formance, a reciprocable rod interconnecting said
arms having spherical surfaces on oppositely di
arms, said rod having right angle ?at end sur
rected sides thereof mounted so as to be directed
faces
engaging said spherical surfaces on said
toward each other, adjustment means provided
arms so as to engage said spherical surfaces
on the pivotal mounting of said ?rst arm so that
tangentially at all times, whereby rotation of said
the effective lengths of said arms can be brought
?rst arm not only effects rotation of said sec
into substantial conformance, a reciprocable rod 20 ond arm and index prism through reciprocation of
interconnecting said arms, said rod having right

angle ?at end surfaces engaging said spherical

said rod but also positions said angle indicating

means.

surfaces on said arms so as to engage said spheri

VICTOR E. CARBONARA.

cal surfaces tangentially at all times, whereby

rotation of said ?rst arm not only effects rota 25
tion of said second arm and index prism through
reciprocation of said rod but also positions said

angle indicating means.

REFERENCES CITED
The following references are of record in the
?le of this patent:

2. In a periscopic sextant, a main body por

UNITED STATES PATENTS
tion carrying an eye piece for viewing the image 30 Number
Name
Date
of an observed object, an elongated periscopic
725,570
Lake _____________ __ Apr. 14, 1903

portion projecting from said main body portion,

an index prism at the end of said periscopic por

826,155
988,279

tion, an optical system in said periscopic and

1,178,474
main body portions for producing an image of 35 2,229,855
an object observed through said index prism, a
2,280,798
horizontal reference with respect to which the
2,305,437
image of said object is observed, means for in
2,378,282
dicating the angular position of said index prism,
2,413,017
and manually operated means interconnecting 40 2,484,072
said index prism and said angle indicating
means for effecting rotation of said index prism
and for indicating its angular position and the
Number
angular height of said observed object, said man
544,217

Dudley ___________ __ July 17, 1906

Moller __________ __ Mar. 28, 1911

Becker ____________ __ Apr. 4,

Liebmann ________ __ Jan. 28,
Crane et a1. ______ __ Apr. 28,
Meyers et al ______ __ Dec. 15,
Brueske __________ __ June 12,

1916
1941
1942
1942
1945
Willcox __________ __ Dec. 24, 1946
Castedello ________ __ Oct. 11, 1949

FOREIGN PATENTS
Country

Date

Great Britain ______ __ Apr. 2, 1942