IMPROVEMENTS IN MANUFACTURE AND CONSTRUCTION OF FLYING TARGETS
Year: 1885

page_text: THE
I, NATHAN GRIER MOORE, Lawyer, of Peoria, Illinois, United States of America,
do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MANUFACTURE AND CONSTRUCTION OF FLYING TARGETS," and 'in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
In the annexed Drawings making a part of this Specification, in which like
letters of reference refer to like parts, Figure 1 represents a plan view of the target
manufacturing apparatus; Fig. 2, a sido elevation of the same; Fig. 3, a detail
plan view of one of the target-forming molds; Fig. 4, vertical, central section of
said mold; Fig. 5, plan view of a flying target; Fig. 6, view of the target as
grasped by the throwing mechanism; Fig. 7, plan view of a modified form of the
flying target; Fig. 8, vertical, central section of two flying targets, the one
superimposed upon the other.
The name kr
flying target" I use to designate a fragile, approximately saucer-
shaped missile designed to be thrown into the air and take the place of pigeons,
for practice in marksmanship. This application pertains first to an improved process
and apparatus for manufacturing such flying targets; and secondly, to an improved
form in which to make the same.
The process consists essentially in pouring into a rapidly revolving circular mold
a liquid solution, or fusion, of a suitable material, and in keeping up such rotation
until said solution or fusion shall have hardened in the shape into which it was
impressed and retained by the centrifugal force engendered by the rotation.
I especially design this process for compositions fusible at a comparatively low
temperature; and make the molds of metal, forming them with thick sides to
enable them, when previously cooled, to more quickly chill the fused composition
poured therein.
The apparatus which is designed for manufacturing flying targets, and similar
objects, by this process, is constructed as follows.
In the Drawings accompanying this Specification, a represents the circular
mold; b, a pulley by which rotation is communicated to said mold; c the vertical
axis of said pulley.
To enable the mold to be removed from the pulley, and a fresh, cooled one
substituted therefor, the lower edge of the mold a is made partially conical and the

page_text: upper face of the pulley b is recessed to receive the same, as shown in Fig. 4. The
pulley b may be adapted to be revolved by gearing, by having a flat belt
communicate motion thereto; or a circular groove b' may be made in said pulley,-
as in Fig. 4, to fit the same for a cord or round belt.
The mold is arranged to form the edges of the flying-targets, by means of the
removable cover d. This cover has a portion of its center removed and is provided
with the annular downwardly projecting flange d¹. When the liquid fusion is
poured through the cover onto the bottom of the mold a,-the same being in
rapid rotation, the centrifugal force impresses said fusion into the annular space
included between the cover d, its flange d¹ and the upper portion of the interior
surface of the mold a; and retains it thereat until it has hardened sufficiently to
keep its shape. The mold and cover are cooled to hasten this-hardening. The
quantity of the solution or fusion poured into the mold is proportioned to leave a
sufficiently thick central portion to the target when the remainder of the material
is thrown into the space between the mold and its cover.
The apparatus set forth in Figs. 1 and 2 shows the means devised for
manufacturing the flying targets upon a commercial scale. This apparatus
consists of a table adapted to be turned upon its center; of a series of molds
arranged concentrically about said center of turning; of an endless cord or belt
passing about said molds and an exterior pulley kept constantly revolving. In the
Drawings, m represents the table having a central shaft upon which it inay turn,
and a pawl or brake p by which the table can be held stationary when desired.
The pulleys bare rotatively secured to this table at equal distances from the shaft
of the same.
The drive-pulley n just to one side of the table m has a belt passing
about it and all the pulleys b which it can touch, as in Fig. 1. As here shown,
three of the molds are not made to revolve, as are the rest of them, by the belt ;
but by turning the table m, the quiet molds can be set revolving and the revolving
ones brought to rest.
In using this apparatus, the table m is either kept slowly turning, or is moved.
intermittently in the same direction. Each empty mold, as it comes in contact-
with the swiftly moving belt r and is revolved thereby, is filled with the fused
composition; and is kept in such motion until the table has turned sufficiently to
bring such mold around near the pulley n and therefore out of reach of the belt r.
The time of completing the rotation of the table being long enough to enable the
fused contents of the molds to be firmly hardened, each mold can be at once
removed from its pulley b as soon as the same is out of contact with the belt. An
empty, cooled mold can be substituted at once for the removed one, and the process
of filling, removing and returning the molds, be made therefore continuous.
There can, of course, be other ways devised for operating the molds upon a
cominercial scale; but the table, and endless belt seem to be the simplest and most
desirable means for accomplishing the purpose.
The flying target which is designed to be manufactured by the above described
apparatus, is constructed as follows: A slightly conical annular ring t has formed
at its edge, of smaller diameter, a partial spherical shell t'. At the conjunction of
said ring t and shell is left a shoulder t2, the object of which is to enable the
targets to be piled upon each other, as in Fig. 8,--the edge of one target resting.
upon the said shoulder 2 of the target next beneath. By this means however
fragile the material of which the flying targets are made, they can be packed upon
each other without danger of fracture.
To enable the flying targets to be thrown into the air by the throwing-arm of
the trap, there must be a means whereby to hold the target to the throwing-arm
until sufficient velocity has been given thereto to impell it swiftly through the air
when let go by the said arin. The throwing-arm employed for this purpose is
provided with two fingers adapted to grip the flying target between thein' and to
separate and release the same, at the proper moment. To render such grip sure on
the target, the latter is provided with the two diametrically opposite lugs s. The
same side of each lug is made continuous with the radius of the target, to form a

page_text: shoulder against which the gripping fingers can hold the target without possibility
of escape; but the other sides of said lugs can be rounded off in any way until
they meet the periphery of the target. Instead of the lugs 8, the targets may be
notched at corresponding points; but the former way is preferable, as the notches
so weaken the targets that they are too liable to fracture during transportation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. A concave, circular mold and a removable, centrally apertured cover therefor,
in combination with means for rotating the same upon a vertical axis, whereby
liquid solutions or fusions poured into said mold are made to conform thereto by
centrifugal force until sufficiently hardened to retain the impressed shape,
substantially as set forth.
2. The mold a and the removable, centrally-apertured cover d therefor, having
the annular flange d¹, in combination with means for rotating the same upon a
vertical axis, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.
3. The concave, circular mold a, and the cover d therefor, in combination with
the pulley b adapted to hold removably said mold, and a vertical axis for sail
pulley, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
4. The mold a somewhat conical at its lower edge, and the removable cover d
for said mold, in combination with the pulley b suitably recessed in its upper face
to receive the conical edge of said mold, and the vertical axis c for said pulley, as
and for the purpose set forth.
с
5. A horizonal table adapted to be turned upon a central pivot or shaft, and
molds arranged upon said table equidistant from said pivot or shaft and capable of
revolving on individual, vertical axes, in combination with mechanism whereby the
majority of said molds are kept in rapid rotation and as said table is turned, those
molds which were quiet are made to revolve, and those previously in motion are
brought to rest, for the purpose described.
6. The circular, centrally pivoted table m, pulleys b rotatively fixed on said table
equidistant from the center thereof, and the molds a adapted to be held on and
removed from said pulleys, in combination with a pulley having bearings without
said table, and an endless belt or cord passing about said pulley and the majority
of said pulleys b, for the purpose set forth, and substantially as described.
7. The within described flying target t formed of some fragile material and
having the diametrically opposite lugs 8 projecting from the periphery of the target,
as and for the purpose set forth.
8. The within described flying target t formed of some fragile material and
having the slightly conical periphery joining the spherical shell t¹ thereof with the
shoulder at the conjunction, whereby the targets can be imposed the one upon
the other, without danger of fracture.
9. The within described flying target t formed with the slightly conical periphery
meeting the spherical shell in a shoulder t² and having the diametrically opposite
lugs & projecting from the exterior of said periphery, as and for the purposes
described.
10., The fragile, approximately saucer-shaped flying target having two or more
lugs or notches on its periphery, whereby the target can be gripped and thrown.
י
1000
NATHAN GRIER MOORE.