Patent GB-355971-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in target-practice apparatus
IPC: F41G3/26
Filed: 1930-09-16
Abstract: 355,971. Target-practice apparatus. NIER, E. R., Beierfeld, Saxony, Germany. Sept. 16, 1930, No. 27635. [Class 119.] Target practice apparatus, of the kind in which a dummy rifle mounted on a universal joint is directed at a projected light image of adiapositive which is perforated on " firing " so as to produce the effect of a " hit " on the projected image, is provided with a spring motor for actuating the perforating device. As shown in Fig: 2, a dummy rifle comprising a barrel 11, stock 16, butt 15 and trigger 24 is mounted on an upright member of a .carrier frame 18. The trigger is pivotally mounted on a pin 25 and is connected by a. double arm lever 29 to a rod 30 the lower end of which cooperates with a spring motor mounted in the elbow of the frame 18. As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the spring motor comprises a coil spring 31 arranged in a barrel 32 which is rotatable on a shaft 33, one end of the spring being connected to the shaft and the other end to the barrel 32. The spring barrel carries two wheels 34, 35, the former having ratchet teeth 41 and the latter having pins 42 arranged in a staggered position relative to the teeth 41. A stop 36 carried by a plate 39 which is connected to the lower end of the rod 30 is adapted to co-operate alternately with the teeth 41 and pins 42 but is normally held in engagement with the teeth 41 by a spring 38. The spring motor is wound by means of a handle 22 mounted on a slide 20 arranged in a cylinder 14 within the gunstock. The slide 20 is connected by a steel band 23 to a drum 45, Fig. 4, rotatably mounted on the shaft 33 and controlled by a spring 50. A pawl 47 within the drum is pressed by a spring 48 against a ratchet wheel 49 secured to the shaft 33, the wheel 49 having the same number of teeth as the wheel 34. The shaft 33 is retained in position when the spring 31 is stressed by a spring controlled pawl 54 which engages the teeth of a ratchet wheel 51 secured to the shaft. In operation, the spring 31 is stressed to the required extent by oscillating the handle 22. The trigger is then pulled to raise the stop 36 thus releasing the barrel 32 which rotates until the stop 36 engages with a pin 42. On releasing the trigger the stop 36 engages with the next tooth 41 of the wheel 34. The transmission of the motion of the spring motor to the perforating device is effected by the toothed rim 58 of the wheel 35 engaging a pinion 60 mounted on a shaft 59, pinion and shaft making a complete revolution at each operating step of the spring motor. The shaft 59 carries a cam 63 working in a frame 62 which is pivoted on a pin 61. An arm 92 on the frame carries the perforating needle 93, which is adapted, at each rotation of the cam 63, to puncture a target arranged within a carrier 99. The needle is secured against a conical seating by a nut 96. The target is optically projected on to a screen arranged in front of the dummy rifle by means of a light source 104, a condenser 105, and an objective 106, the projecting apparatus being mounted on a pivotally suspended platform 108. In order that the needle 93 may follow the movements of the rifle the frame 18 is supported within the casing 64 by a universal joint. Bridge-pieces 68, 69 are secured to the frame 18 by screws 67 and carry a shaft 70. Coaxial trunnions 71 secured to the shaft 70 engage in a ring 72 and this is held by trunnions 73, arranged at right-angles to the trunnions 71, in a fork 74 secured to a spindle 75. The latter is secured to the casing 64 by nuts 77, 78. The winding up and running down of the spring motor may be limited by a stop 56 secured to the wheel 35 against which an arm or sector on the shaft 33 is adapted to abut. The stock and barrel of the dummy rifle are detachable and may be replaced by the corre. sponding parts of a dummy pistol.