Patent GB-633131-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in automatic totalizing targets
IPC: F41J5/20
Filed: 1946-08-09
Abstract: 633,131. Automatic targets. AMDUR, L. H. Aug. 9, 1946, No. 23688. Convention date, Aug. 9, 1945. [Class 20 (i)] [Also in Group XV] A target includes, in combination, a number of concentric target discs having point values and mounted for a limited extent of rearward movement, a movable totalizing member and mechanical means actuated by the rearward movement for advancing the totalizing member by amounts depending upon the point values of the respective target discs. The bullseye 10 and annular target discs 20, 30 have rearwardly extending arcuate flanges 11, 21, 31 which enter arcuate slots 2, 4, 6 and are slidably mounted on arcuate flanges 3, 5, 7 to revolve a limited amount determined by the length of the slots. The slots 2, 4, 6 and flanges 3, 5, 7 are formed in a front plate 1 which together with a back plate 40 forms a casing for the target. Each target disc 10, 20, 30 carries a pair of rigid radial arms, respectively 15, 25, 35, having at their tips projections 37 which abut a ring 70 in such a manner that when one of the discs e.g. 30 is moved backwards by the impact of a missile the ring 70 is also pushed back against a weak helical spring 79. The ring 70 is held against rotation by pins engaging slots in one of its flanges. It carries, by means of a bracket 72, a pawl 74 (Fig. 8) which normally obstructs one of the teeth 54 of an annular totalizing slide 51 and prevents motion of the slide. A tensioned helical spring 53 attached at one end to the slide 51 and at the other to the casing urges the slide in clockwise direction. The backward motion of the ring 70 causes withdrawal of the pawl 72 and interposition of a projection 38 of the arm 35 on the clockwise side of the tooth 54 so that the slide, now unobstructed, rotates and carries with it the arm 35. A further projection 39 on the arm 35 is, at the same time, moved backward and rotated to a position behind an arcuate shield 42 which is attached to the casing and is positioned on the clockwise side of the stationary position of arm 35. When the projection 39 has moved to the end of the shield 42 the spring 79 will return the pawl 74 back to its original obstructing position behind a tooth 54 and the projections 38, 39 back to their original unengaged positions. A weight 36 attached to the back of the disc 30 will then return the disc 30 and arm 35 to their original angular setting. The opposite tip of the pair of arms 35 and the tips of the other arms 15, 25 operate similarly. The totalizing slide 51 has numbers imprinted on its front face 50 spaced to correspond with the teeth 53, clockwise displacement of the slide, on hits being scored, causing a higher number to appear at an aperture 9x in the plate 1. The shields 42 corresponding to arms 35 are long enough to allow a displacement of the slide 53 equal to the distance between two adjacent teeth, causing an addition of twenty to the score, whilst those corresponding to the arms 25 are three times this length, causing an addition of sixty, and those corresponding to arms 15 are five times this length, causing an addition of one hundred. The spring 53 may be tensioned by turning a knob 59 attached to the slide 53 in an anticlockwise direction. An indicator slide 63 is attached by a pin 66 to one of the arms 35 so that when the disc 30 is hit and the arm 35 momentarily displaced, the slide is displaced with it and the number " 20 ", representing the addition to the total score, caused to appear momentarily at an aperture 19 in the plate 1. Slide 62, indicating an addition of sixty, is displaced back and forth by one of the arms 25 contacting, in turn, pins 601, 60 attached to the slide. Slide 61 is displaced to exhibit the additional score of one hundred when its pin 68 is hit by one of the arms 15. It returns to its original position under gravity. Flanges 20x, 30x ensure that the discs 20 and 30 are displaced and a score registered when the missiles penetrate the gaps between the discs. For indicating hits visually, horizontal and vertical bands may be painted across the faces of the discs, portions of the band being displaced out of alignment with the rest of the band when one of the discs revolves after being hit. A tray may be provided for catching the fallen missiles, this tray being hinged to the target and used also as a box for storage.