Improvements in Rifle Range Targets and Marking Apparatus in connection therewith.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 30th July, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Dec., 1892-Accepted, 17th June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rifle Range Targets and Marking Apparatus in
connection therewith.
FREDERICK ATTWOOD Ketired Captain Royal Engineers Kings Arms Hotel
Redland Bristol in the County of Gloucestershire do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
A combination trolley to either carry ordinary targets a running man vanishing
figures also marking apparatus in connection therewith which gives the whole of
the value and signals, also gives exact position of shot. The trolleys are worked with
wire rope this being a great advantage over chain gear making it much lighter to
work, the trolleys are made in open order so that any size target can be immediately
placed in them the whole working rapidly and interchangeably also embodying all
that is required on the same range. The targets are worked in the following
immediately
manner in double form, one target out for firing the other under cover,
shot pierces target, by turning a windlass the target is immediately shifted and
another one takes its place the value and position being given by a traversing
spotting disc which is worked by the marker from inside and under cover of the
mantlet, the disc is worked in the following manner, by moving a handle with two
sliding arms to which is fixed a guide which goes through a revolving arm and is.
connected to a sliding block that carries the disc, the block working to and fro on
a rod on outside of mantlet, on the mantlet is painted a dummy target the revolving
arm and the sliding block allowing the position of any shot to be shown.
The vanishing targets are fitted in a revolving shaft which is worked in sockets.
fitted on the trolleys which works forwards or backwards by pulling or releasing a
lever or rope. The utility of this system is that all styles can be used on the same
range. A great saving of time is also effected as whilst one target is out to be
aimed and fired at the value and position of the last shot is being given in the
meantime.
FREDERICK ATTWOOD.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rifle Range Targets and Marking Apparatus in
connection therewith.
FREDERICK ATTWOOD Captain Royal Engineers retired Kings Arms Hotel
Redland Bristol Gloucestershire do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and.
ascertained in and by the following statement :—
In the drawing
Fig. 1 represents front view of machinery for working targets, also front view of
marking apparatus.
Fig. 2 represents a birds eye view of machinery and marking apparatus.
The construction and working of the aforesaid is as follows:-
:-
The targets either fixed or running man are placed in the sockets marked A which
are made to fit in the open spaces of trollies marked B so that they can be used at
any distance according to width of target required.
For ordinary targets."
Two trollies are required each carrying a target.
These are connected together by a wire rope passing round a pulley wheel marked C
on pedestal D and round a winch E inside the mantlet F arranged so that on the

page_text: handle of winch being turned one target will run out and the other into the mantlet,
the trollies running on two sets of rails and parallel to one another.
Wire rope
being used in place of chain and all geared wheels done away with thereby
making the work as light as possible.
3:
For running man or moving target. The wheel C must be removed from
pedestal D and by altering the lead of hauling wires, one trolly can be drawn
backwards and forwards across the space between two adjacent mantlets by the
same winch E and a second trolly can be worked on the other line of rails
(as required) by a corresponding winch E in an opposite mantlet.
For vanishing targets see Fig. 2. On the trolley marked B. G is fitted a
horizontal shaft H capable of turning in bearings and carrying sockets marked J
for the vanishing figures to fit in, secured to the centre of this shaft is a lever K
for rotating it, thus causing the figures to appear and disappear, the lever being
worked by a line L or a lever from the mantlet, arranged so as to bring the
target up when the line is hauled and drop them on being let go. An adjustable
counterweight can be attached to the shaft Kas requisite to counteract the effect
of wind on the working of these targets.
The traversing spotting disc marked N on Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 is used to denote
exactly where the shot has gone through the target. It is worked by a marker
inside mantlet and is arranged to shew on a dummy target O. painted on the
face of mantlet F. On a shot passing through the target the marker moves
handle P through arm Q which is itself free to revolve, so that the disc N can
be immediately placed to any position desired the marker having a corresponding
target and register inside mantlet. The spotting disc N which is free to slide
on the arm R outside is connected by a guide S passing through the mantlet
and connected to the handle P the rods of which are free to slide in the arm Q:
as the position of the rods always correspond the spotting disc is thus made to
follow every movement of the handle P this instantly shews exact position of
each shot, a great saving of time is thus effected.
In Fig. 1 in the drawing the bullet proof plate of mantlet F is left open at
bottom to shew the full working.
The arrow on drawing represents the ground line.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim are
1stly. The combination trolly as specified for the use of either :—
(1) Ordinary fixed canvas targets
(2) "Running man
33
or
(3) Vanishing figures etc.
on the same range, also the use of wire rope gear and the winch as specified.
2ndly. The traversing spotting disc and all its working being wholly new and
original.
Dated this 21st day of December 1892.
FREDERICK ATTWOOD.