Patent GB-190702883-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Rifle Gunnery and like Practice.
Inventor: MITCHELL FRANK
Filed: 1907-02-05
Granted: 1908-02-05
Abstract: 2883. Mitchell, F. Feb. 5. Rifle and gunnery practice, teaching.-Relates to sub-target apparatus. A ' planetary, member to which the gun or aiming- device is connected, moves over a spherical surface or equivalent guides having as centre a point on the target aimed at, so that a line on the planetary member which points to the target in any one position will always point to the target however the planetary member may be moved over the guides. Means are provided for indicating the movement of a pointer controlled by the gun with respect to the planetary member. In the construction shown in Fig. 1, the planetary member B is provided with studs B<1> sliding over the spherical surfaces A<2> having a point on the target as centre. A rod C, upon which the gun' D slides, is universally jointed at B<2> to the planetary member B, and engages at its former end with the indicating-pointer E, which moves over the miniature target F. In the form shown in Fig. 4, the planetary member B moves upon curved guide-rods G<2> carried by sleeves G' moving upon curved guides, the curvatures of the guides being such that the centre is a point in the target aimed at. In the form shown in Fig. 6, the planetary member is supported on a curved stem B<7> working in a sleeve K mounted on the axle K<1> directed to a point on the target aimed at The axle K<1> may be mounted to slide on guides or runners. The gun D is universally pivoted to a slide B<8> mounted on the planetary member, and the gun is connected to the pointer E by a spring L' having a recess L', Fig. 6<a>, to engage the end of the pointer. In the modification shown in Fig. 8, the curved stem B<7> moves with the gun in aiming, and slides in a sleeve K pivoted on trunnions K<3> attached to a sleeve K<6> mounted on the sliding axle K' carrying the miniature target F, the pointer E being pivoted to the arms K' of the sleeve K and moved with respect to the miniature target F by its engagement with the axle K<1>. In another construction, shown in Fig. 9, the spherical surface A<6> has a guide extension A<8> of equal curvature. The planetary member consists of a ring B" moving over the spherical surface A<6> and having an arm B<10> pivoted to an arm A<10> on a sleeve A<9> working on the guide extension A<8>. The gun D is universally pivoted to the arm B<10> and moves the pointer E, pivoted to the planetary member, by means of a rod L<3> universally pivoted to the gun and passing through a sleeve A<11> turning on the arm A<10>. Suitable means are provided for causing relative movement between the indicator or pointer and the miniature target in order to produce a record of the aim. The miniature target F, Fig. 11, is pushed forward by a wire P<8> passing through a tube P<7> and connected with the striker D' of the gun. Special means are described for indicating the movement of the gun in aiming with respect to the planetary member. In Fig. 12, the indicating pointer E<3> is shown connected by cords R' passing through tubes R over pulleys mounted on the planetary member to a rod E' moving with the gun. A system of pivoted rods resembling a pantograph may be employed.