Improvements in Shooting Saloons, Stands, Galleries or Structures for Rifle Practice and Public Amusement.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Mar., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 18th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 5th Oct.,
1888
Improvements in Shooting Saloons, Stands, Galleries or Structures
for Rifle Practice and Public Amusement.
L. ALBERT COLTMAN, of No. 3 Duncan Road Aylestone near Leicester in the county
of Leicester Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in shooting saloons, stands, galleries, or
sti uctures for rifle practice, and public amusement, and consists in the employment
of artificial objects, or imitations of animals, birds and the like, which are made to
run or jump in various directions, or any desired direction, upon a raised frame, or
floor, or stage at the end of the gallery, or sti ucture with set flies, or wings to represent
rual Scenes, underwood, rustic set scenes. or haunts of animals, the front sections of
the ground flies standing higher than the back, that the mechanical movement
imparted to the animals is not seen from the front, or shooting stand, or box, spaces or
troughs are left in the ground flies sufficient to allow of the free movement of the
driving belts, or ropes employed to move the contrivances upon which the animals are
mounted, the length of the structure is regulated by the kind of rifles, and pistols,
and shot to be employed, but conical balls cartridges are preferred so that when the
animals are stuffed with cotton wool and the like, the ball does not go through, only
penetrating the outer skin-to harmonize and add to the effect of looking on at a
scene with animals running or jumping in every direction, and birds constantly on
the move, the front may be made to represent a lawn, and at the outer end thereof
a shooting stand erected for the firing point, and having a barrier running across so
that the persons practicing cannot get nearer or go beyond, this part of the structure
will be some 18 inches or thereabouts lower than the other end, or stage portion.
The top of the stage consists of a frame with pulloy wheels mounted in brackets,
carrying an endless belt, or rope, from which are suspended at intervals imitations or
representations of birds, by a fine cord, and moved by the movement of the said belt,
or belts, the belts being hidden from view by the scenic effects, the birds will appear
to be moving or flying in all directions, in the air with a suitablo Scenic background
they can be made of any suitable material, so long as they can be broken, or knocked

page_text: out when struck by the infle shot, or balls, the back and sides of the structure are
built up of strong materials that no stray shots get through and having Scenery or
anything to harmonize or give effect to the scene, water may be represented and wild
fowl be made to fly, or run, as the case inay be. If it is preferred that the representa-
tions of any animal is to be stuffed, as before stated, cotton wool is preferred, they
are placed upon the uprights of angle pieces of iron, and are constructed that when
a ball strikes the animal it is either knocked over, or by an additional hinge and cam,
it can be automatically replaced, when knocked over it is passed on to the outside by
auxilliary belts fixed horizontally so that they can be put again on to the contrivances
or carriages, as they are moved by the revolution of the belt, or belts. I arrange on
the bottom frame a quantity of single flanged pulley wheels fixed in their castings at
different angles, that when the endless belt o rope is put the con, the animals aro
moved and appear, and disappear upon the ground scone in all directions, in or out of
holes, or behind projections. The animals, or representations of animals are fixed and
moved in the following manner-an angle piece of iron or T shaped piece of iron
carrying wheels, each wheel riding on the upper and lower face of a projecting strip
running longitudinally on the inner side of the front flies, or sections of the ground
floor, or Scenery, the outer edge of which is protected from the halls or bullets by
being edged with Iron, the animals may be represented in wood, or by stuffing the
skins of animals for the purpose. I obtain the jumping motion by placing them on a
plate, hinged, the part to rise and fall having a cam working on its under side from
the angle piece or carnage. The sliding motion is given to the carriages by a pro-
jecting piece of leather, or metal fixed on the upper edge of the driving belt, or rope
which catches against the side, or end of each carnage by the revolution of the belt
or rope, by this means all are kept moving, the belts are driven from one of the
pulley wheels in any desired manner, and speed wheels attached to give the speed
required.
TA

page_text: Improvements in Shooting Saloons, Stands, Galleries or Structures
for Rifle Practice and Public Amusement.
I, ALBERT COLTMAN of No. 3 Duncan Road Aylestone near Leicester in the
county of Leicester Engineer, 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:-
This invention has for its object improvements in shooting saloons, stands, galleries,
or structures for rifle practice and public amusement and consists in the employment
of artificial objects, comprising imitations of animals, birds and the like that are
made by mechanical means to appear as though they were running, climbing or
jumping in various directions, or in any desired direction upon a tack fixed on an
angular frame, raised to any height inclining from the front, which will form the
floor or stage of the shooting gallery or structure in conjunction with scenery
consisting of ground rows, side wings, back scene and top flies painted upon sheet
iron to represent rural oi forest scenes rustic set scenes depicting the ordinary
haunts of animals, using representations of any kind of ground game or the like
for the purpose of shooting at arranged and actuated in the manner hereafter
described and set forth That my invention may be clearly understood reference is
made to the drawings accompanying this specification and to which I will now refer.
Figure 1 is a front view of the stage of the shooung saloon, stand or structure A.
having a proscenium B with any design painted thereon, the ground rows C c¹ c²
cande being arranged between each track or raceway upon which the animals are
caused to travel so hiding the carrying mechanism or action impai ted to the animals.―
It will be well observed that in the drawings the ground rows are shown in
perspective half across only in order that the arrangement of the internal part of
the angular stage can be seen, the remainder being continued in dotted line, the
on track or raceway D is bent to any angle according to the diameter of the
driving pulleys and will give the animals the appearance of moving in different
directions The inclines E. are arranged and secured upon the pins e¹ outside the
track in that position where it is desired the rocking or jumping motion to the animals
shall take place by the aid of the carrying device F. to which the representation of
the animals G (a rabbit and squirrel shown,) is affixed the shape of the animal is
made or cut out of sheet ion, or sheet steel "see figure 3 sheet 2 and cover
with fur, plush, or the skin of the animal which it is dosired to represent, and sewn
together after stuffing with cotton wool which prevents the discharge from the rifle or
pistol going through only penetrating the skin or covering which is pulled over the
iron or steel shape the lower end of the shape is then tuined up and attached to
the cross bar of the carriors F. by screws. The rocking movement of the animals
is regulated upon the inclines by the fixed cam the apparatus working upon the
central pivot of the shaft the animal when struck by the rifle or pistol shot falls
over out of sight while on the move which is effected by the top or vertical arms
portion of the carrier fitting loose on the short shaft the outer end carrying the
cam the slotted upper end of which is to receive the end of the spring which
is sufficiently strong enough that the shot striking the animal it falls over and the
spring is lifted out of the slot, the guides H. are fixed in any suitable position parallel
with, or attached to the track or raceway that when the animals are knocked down
they are again automatically lifted into the upright position while out of sight the
:

page_text: spring again entering the slot in the cam f³ secures it until it is again struck by a
shot from the rifle or pistol, the carriers ride upon the upper edge of the track D. and
moves easily by the rubber wheels 1. fitting to each side of the track as shown in
figures 4 and 5 Sheet 2. and the rollers J and K acting on the upper and
lower faces of the track, the lower projecting end of the carriers being slotted at L to
secure it to the driving bolt to carry it along or by a pin catching against a strip of
leather sewn upon the driving belt M. the cord being put through the slot L. and
into the hole m in the driving belt M. the carriers being moved along the track in the
direction in which the driving belt is moving, the single flanged pulley wheels N. ride
in sockets' secured upon any of the cross beams O of the franie P-that the move-
ment of the ammals appear to be in different directions, movement is imparted to the
driving belt by the spur wheel Q and pinion R. upon the horizontal shaft S. which is
provided at its outer end either with the hand wheel T. or pulleys placed thereon to be
driven by power. The frame constructed in the manner described may form the top if
desired, without the track or raceway, an endless ropo or rubber band",
500 U
figure 6," to which is suspended by wires stuffed birds V the rope or band running
round the pulleys the buds will appear to fly in all duections at varying heights, the
driving belt connecting the top of the stage to the bottom may carry upon its edge
representations of climbing animals such as squirrels and the like, the mechanism all
being hidden from view by top wings or borders. The side wings W. are constructed
to fit between each, or every other ground row and are faced with sheet iron the back
ground or back scene X. is also faced with sheet iron It will be observed that in
figure 1 the clump of a tree Y is arranged to divert the track into another direction.
The stage and its accessories is also constructed as a van to be moved on wheels from
place to place without taking it to pieces and is constructed as shown in the drawings
excepting that the back scenery and front ground row are hinged to the frame and so
arranged on the angular frame that all closes up in a very compact form for travelling
purposes Figure 2 is a flat view of the frame P. the driving mechanism fixed upon
tho vertical bars O. and having the track or raceway D. and inclines E. as previously
described.
It will bo well understood that the single flanged pulleys N can be fixed at any
number of angles for the purpose desired.
Figure 3. is a pattern in shoot iron, or sheet steel of a rabbit G. other animals may
of course be represented.
Figure 4. is a side view of the carrier F. fixed to the track or race way D shown in
section; and driving belt N the cam riding over the incline E.
Figure 5. is a front view of the preceeding figure:
Figure 6. is a bit of cord or rope, or india rubber band U. having a stuffed bird V
attached; the ends of the wire being bent inwards that they enter a slot prepared for
them. When a shot strikes the bird the wires open and the bird falls between the
ground rows, and are easily replaced upon the empty wires when they are out of
shooting range behind the side wings.
***
"
To harmonize and add to the effect of the scene with representations' of animals
running or jumping in various directions, ground game suddenly emerging from a
hole or from behind a projecting bit of scenery, or other such like inutation of the
haunts of animals, with birds moving about in the air suspended by a fine wire
invisible almost to the eye, or I may also have a flat grass plateau, or forest
scenery with representations of wild animals or stags, or deer moving about-or
vertical bands up behind the side wings to which may be attached stuffed repre-
sentations of monkeys or a floor scene in front of the proscenium for a certain
distance and rats or other vermin can bo represented to move in the same manner
as the animals herein before described actuated from the same driving point, the
firing point, stand or platform is provided with a barrier across to keep the persons
practicing at the required shooting distance. As before stated the scenery is faced
with sheet iron before being painted to make it ball proof. Water may be repre-
sented and wild fowl be made as though they were running or flying actuated in
the manner set forth. A projecting strip to form the track or race way may be made

page_text: at the back of the ground rows upon which the carriers may ride instead of on
the track hereinbefore described and shown in the drawings if desired.
The speed at which the animals, or birds may travel is regulated by speed
wheels.
I do not confine myself to painting the scenery upon the sheet iron a cheaper way
can be adopted by having the scenery printed upon paper by a chromo-lithographic
or such like process, in sections, that when the bullets have defaced any section it can
be covered over, or any other suitable material can be employed so that the bullets
will only make a small mark instead of splitting or blistering the paint. It is well
known that running animal targets have been used in open space shooting and also
that metal rabbits fitted on the Hat side of a belt, and moving in a straight line have
been used for shooting practice, but imitations of animals, ground game, vermin or
birds and the like made so that they appear to move in all directions as herein
described has not hitherto been accomplished.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what [
claim 15:
1. In a shooting saloon, or structure for rifle or pistol practice the construction
and arrangement of scenery, representing a rabbit warren, or other wild haunts of
animals, or forest scenery and the like substantially as described and set forth.
2. The means and appliances for propelling imitations of animals upon a track or
race way the said track or race way D. being made of broad iron bars bent round
to the diameter of the driving pulleys N the carriors F. running on the edges thereof
in the same direction as the driving belt M. by the lower end of the carriers coming
in contact with a projecting piece of leather secured to the driving belt, or securing
the carriers at intervals to the driving belt in the manner set forth.
3. In combination with the track or race way D. the driving belt M. running on
single flanged pulleys N. mounted in brackets n¹ which can be fixed in any desired
position and at any distance from each other to alter and determine the direction in
which the animals may seem to travel.
4. In a shooting saloon of the character described the employment of imitations or
representations of birds, fixed upon wires from an endless rope, belt or india rubber
band mounted on grooved pulleys actuated in the manner and for the purpose set
forth.
5. The knocking over of the animals when struck, by the upper part of the
carriers F" to which the animals are affixed" falling over out of sight and are again
righted, or brought into the upright position by contact with the guides E.
6. The arrangement of the wheels I and rollers J and K. of the carriers F. relatively
to the track or race way D by which means they make their traverse.
7. Improvements in shooting saloons, stands, gallories, travelling vans, or structures
for rifle and pistol practice wherein imitations or representations of animals, birds, and
the like continually move in various directions upon a vertical edged track or race way
substantially in the manner and for the purpose loreinbefore described and set
forth.