CPC Definition - Subclass F41G
This place covers:
Sighting devices.
Aiming or laying means.
Elevating or traversing control systems for weapons.
Direction control systems for missiles or projectiles.
F41G is an application-oriented subclass.
Specificities relating to functions involved for achieving sighting and aiming are to be classified in the corresponding functional classification subclasses, e.g. G01 for measuring aspects, G02 for optical aspects, G05 for control and regulation aspects, G06 for computers aspects, G09 for simulation aspects.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Optical aspects of weapon sights or aiming |
In this place, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
aiming | bringing a weapon to a direction differing from the sighting direction by corrections in order that the projectile may hit the target |
laying | setting a weapon in the correct position for hitting a target |
sighting | bringing into visual coincidence a direction defined by a so-called "sighting" device with the direction of a target |
This place covers:
Mechanical aspects of sighting devices, which are either fixedly or detachably mounted on weapons, i.e. iron sights, telescopic sights, periscopic sights as well as tube and bar sights. The group further includes means for protecting, adjusting and for testing of such mechanical sighting devices. This group further includes weapon mounted means for illuminating the sights or the target.
This place does not cover:
Structural association of sighting devices with laser telemeters | |
Indirect laying of fire | |
Bombsights |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Aiming or laying means | |
Optical aiming or sighting devices | |
Optical systems or apparatus not provided for by any of the groups G02B 1/00 - G02B 26/00, G02B 30/00 | |
Shooting or aiming glasses |
This place does not cover:
Tube sights; Bar sights |
This place covers:
Sights mounted at the distal end of the weapon and having a small dimension parallel to the barrel axis.
This place does not cover:
Tools for adjustment of sights |
This place covers:
Mechanical protection of foresights, e.g. against damage.
This place covers:
Sights mounted at the proximal end of the weapon and having a small dimension parallel to the barrel axis.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Tools for adjustment of sights |
This place covers:
Sights with light source projecting the image of an aiming point or a reticle into the eye of the shooter either via a half-mirror or direct.
Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this place:

Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Illumination of the sights | |
Projected or displayed reticles in telescopic sights | |
Periscopic sights for smallarms | |
Reflecting sights in general |
This place covers:
Daylight sights with active illumination of target.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Means for mounting sighting or aiming devices on firearms | |
Optical systems or apparatus not provided for by any of the groups G02B 1/00 - G02B 26/00, G02B 30/00 |
This place covers:
Includes active illumination of the sights by a powered light source.
Includes passive illumination of the sights by gathering and guiding ambient light to the sights.
Includes fluorescent and chemoluminescent markers on iron sights.
This place does not cover:
Virtual image of a reticle or an aiming point projected in the eye of the shooter |
This place covers:
Night sights combined with light source for illuminating the target, e.g. flash lights or laser sights.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Laser pointers |
This place does not cover:
Means for mounting sighting or aiming devices on firearms |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Optical elements, systems or apparatus | |
Optical aspects of telescopes |
This place does not cover:
Projected reticles in reflecting sights |
In this place, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
displayed reticles | reticles that are created within the optical axis of the telescopic sight, e.g. by a transparent LCD screen |
projected reticles | reticles that are created outside of the optical axis and then projected onto an element within the optical axis, e.g. onto a half-mirror |
This group is not in use.
CPC classification is to be given in group F41G 11/001 or subgroups thereof.
This place covers:
Sights enabling shooting around the corner.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Sighting devices adapted for indirect laying of fire using a TV-monitor | |
Periscopic sights in general |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Means for mounting sighting or aiming devices on firearms |
This place covers:
Tubular sights or cylindrical sights, the cross section not being necessarily circular, functioning by the tunnel effect, void of any optical components.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Telescopic sights specially adapted for smallarms or ordnance |
This place covers:
Open sights (as opposed to the tubular sights) with a substantial longitudinal dimension with respect to the barrel length. Either single sight so as to aim along its lenght or combination of fore and rear sight.
If it is a combination of bar and tube sight, classify in F41G 1/42 and F41G 1/425.
This place covers:
Means for indicating the spacial orientation of the firearm, the adjusting is done by the shooter himself.
The present group is an application group, a document classified here should have parallel entries in F41G 1/01-F41G 1/425.
This place covers:
Devices and tools to test the function of the sights and/or the parallelity of sight and barrel.
This place does not cover:
Arrangements for checking the straighness of gun barrels |
This place covers:
Arrangements for the aiming of weapons.
Arrangements for teaching or practicing the aiming of weapons.
Arrangements for testing or checking weapon aiming means.
This place does not cover:
Structural details of sighting devices | |
Sighting devices for lead-indicating or range-finding |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Elevating or traversing control systems for guns | |
Elevating or traversing control systems for vehicle-borne guns | |
Systems for guiding a craft to a correct firing position | |
Means for mounting sighting or aiming devices on firearms | |
Aircrafts of the remote-controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV | |
Safety arrangements for inhibiting firing in a specified direction | |
Light- or radiation-emitting guns | |
Photo-electric hit-detector systems | |
Projectiles transmitting information to a remote location using optical or electronic means | |
Adaptation of rangefinders for combination with telescopes or binoculars | |
Projectile velocity measurements | |
Determining direction, distance or velocity by use of radio or other waves | |
Lidar systems specifically adapted for meteorological use | |
Optical aiming or sighting devices | |
Computing or calculating; Counting | |
Simulators for teaching or training purposes, for military purposes and tactics | |
Antennas |
This place covers:
Aiming arrangements wherein an observing position is remotely situated from the firing position, e.g. targeting using a remote observation platform.
This place covers:
Arrangements for aiming at multiple targets or for firing at one or more targets with multiple projectiles fired from one or more firing positions. This includes, in particular, the coordination of multiple firing platforms, the resolution of the weapon or target assignation problem and the control of the spread of a shot.
This place covers:
Aiming arrangements making use of range-finding sensors. In particular, this group contains the systems wherein the motion of a target or the ballistic trajectory of a projectile is compensated in accordance with the distance to the target estimated using a range-finding arrangement.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Rangefinders per se |
This place covers:
Arrangements for setting a weapon in a predetermined firing position.
Arrangements for maintaining the aiming direction of a weapon with respect to a moving target.
Arrangements for maintaining the aiming direction of a weapon mounted on a mobile platform.
Arrangements for testing or checking elevating or traversing control systems for weapons
Though the title of the group refers to elevating or traversing control systems for guns, this group applies to elevating or traversing control systems for weapons in general (e.g. missile/rocket launchers).
Specific details relating to sensing elements determining distance, direction and velocity are classified in the relevant groups of G01S.
This place does not cover:
Determining the aiming direction of a weapon | |
Gun mountings permitting traversing or elevating movement, e.g. gun carriages | |
Details of sensors for the tracking of targets |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Aiming means for vehicle-borne armament, e.g. on aircraft | |
Systems for guiding a craft to a correct firing position | |
Means for inhibiting firing in a specified direction | |
Rocket or torpedo launchers |
This place covers:
Arrangements for the determination of the relative position between a guided missile and a target.
Preparatory measures taken before the launching of the guided missiles.
Guided missiles training or simulation devices.
Devices or systems for testing or checking arrangements for the determination of the relative position between a self-propelled missile and a target.
Though the title of the group refers to self-propelled missiles, the group also relates to un-propelled guided projectiles such as guided artillery shells and glide-bombs.
Specific details relating to sensing elements determining distance, direction and velocity are classified in the relevant groups of G01S.
This place does not cover:
Flight control of aircrafts | |
Steering arrangements for missiles | |
The physical integration of arrangements for guidance or control in missiles | |
Proximity fuzes | |
Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles |
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Dropping, ejecting, releasing weapons in flight | |
Arrangements of military equipment, e.g. armaments, armament accessories, in aircraft | |
Rocket or torpedo launchers | |
Anti-guided missile defence installations or systems | |
Directed energy weapons, for blinding or dazzling, i.e. by overstimulating the enemy's sensor equipment | |
Spin stabilized missiles | |
Chaff dispensers | |
Testing of ammunition | |
Optical direction finders | |
Anti-jamming means for radars | |
Means for jamming radar | |
Counter-measures or counter-counter-measures using electronic or electro-optical means | |
Homing radars | |
Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications | |
Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications | |
Satellite radio beacon positioning systems receivers specially adapted for military applications |
This group contains guided missiles simulation devices, which can be used for training purposes or for the testing of launching platforms. Guided missile simulation devices, used for the testing of launching platforms should also be classified in the relevant subgroup of F41G 7/001.
This group relates to all procedures performed before the launching of the missile, such as for instance:
The pre-launch testing of a missile,
The in-flight verification of the proper firing condition of the missile,
The alignment or calibration of the missiles' sensors,
The acquisition of the target by the missile,
The transmission of data to the missile,
The weapon and target assignation in the case of multi-missile or multi-target systems.
This group relates to systems combining multiple different guidance systems (e.g. beam-riding and homing; passive infrared homing and semi-active laser homing, etc.).
Systems combining multiple guidance systems should also be classified in the groups corresponding to the guidance systems considered individually.
F41G 7/22 and F41G 7/2213
Passive homing system (e.g. passive infrared homing sensors, passive radio homing sensors) do not, for the time being, have a dedicated group
and should be classified in the top group F41G 7/22 or in the sub-group F41G 7/2213 if applicable.
F41G 7/2206 and F41G 7/30
The group F41G 7/2206 relates to homing systems (i.e. wherein the target tracker and the guidance computers are situated in the missile) establishing a communication link with a remotely situated system, for instance for:
the preliminary guidance in the case lock on after launch homing systems,
the remote designation of an aim point,
the remote processing of data picked up by the missile,
the transmission of assistance data.
Systems establishing a communication link with a remotely situated system, wherein the guidance computers or the target tracker are not situated in the missile, should be classified in the relevant subgroups of F41G 7/30.
F41G 7/226 and F41G 7/24
Semi-active homing systems are systems wherein the reflection by a target of a signal transmitted by a remotely situated designator is tracked.
Beam-riding systems correspond to systems wherein a missile is guided in relation to a reference direction defined by a beam projected from a remotely situated system and received directly by the missile.
Systems making use of satellite navigation systems (e.g. GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS) do not, for the time being, have a dedicated group and should be classified in the top group F41G 7/34. Systems making use of a satellite navigation system receiver hybridized with an inertial measurement unit should be classified in the F41G 7/36 group.
In this place, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:
Homing systems | Systems wherein the target tracker and the guidance computers are situated in the missile. |
Command-link systems | System wherein the target tracker and/or the guidance computers are remotely situated from the missile (e.g. command to line-of-sight systems) |
Beam-riding systems | Systems wherein a missile is guided in relation to reference direction defined by a beam projected from a remotely situated transmitter. |
In patent documents, the following abbreviations are often used:
SAL | Semi-Active Laser: Systems wherein the reflection by a target of a laser signal transmitted by a remotely situated designator is tracked |
PIR | Passive Infrared: Systems wherein the infrared signature of a target is tracked |
DIRCM | Direct Infrared Counter Measure: Counter measure system wherein the infrared seeker of a missile is dazzled or disabled using an infrared radiation source |
MWS | Missile Warning System |
CLOS | Command to line of sight guidance systems |
LOAL | Lock-on After Launch: Homing systems wherein the target is acquired and locked-on after the missile has been launched |
LOBL | Lock-on Before Launch: Homing systems wherein the target is acquired and locked-on before the missile is launched |
This place covers:
Arrangements for guiding a craft to a correct condition for firing or dropping a weapon.
Corresponding arrangements for training or teaching.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Aiming arrangements for vehicle-borne armament, e.g. on aircraft | |
Bombsights | |
Elevating or traversing control systems for vehicle-borne weapons | |
Preparatory measures taken before the launching of the guided missiles | |
Acoustic homing guidance systems, e.g. for torpedoes | |
Safety arrangements for inhibiting firing in a specified direction, e.g. at a friendly person or at a protected area | |
Torpedo launching apparatus |
This place covers:
Details and accessories relevant to sighting apparatuses, not covered in F41G 1/00.
This place does not cover:
Tools for adjustment of sights |
This place covers:
Means for mounting sighting or aiming devices on firearms, said devices being telescopes or other tubular optical, optronic, electronic or electric devices like cameras or lamps, e.g. flashlights.
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Mountings for rearsights | |
Miscellaneous attachments for smallarms; Accessories |
If the mounting means are also adapted for accessories other than sighting or aiming devices and is specifically for smallarms, classification in the generic accessories group F41C 27/00 should be considered.
This place covers:
Includes picatinny or weaver rails with integrated electric connections.
This place covers:
Mounting members where one (or at least one) of the left or right clamping components is movable relative to the rest of the mounting members.
Illustrative example of subject matter classified in this place:
1a.

1b.

Figures 1a and 1b illustrate the left clamping component (49) translating relative to the right clamping component (5) of the mounting member, allowing for the mounting member to engage the rail (19) and be retained in place.