Improvements in Targets for Rifle Shooting and Apparatus connected therewith.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left. 23rd Sept.. 1890-Accepted, 8th Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Targets for Rifle Shooting and Apparatus connected
therewith.
I WILLIAM EDWIN HEATH of 3 Canonbury Square Islington Major (retired) do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The objects of this invention are
1. To provide targets or objects of aim more nearly resembling the objects a
soldier would see in actual warfare surrounded by apparently the ordinary landscape-
and more particularly adapted to miniature or indoor ranges.
2. To provide by what may be called the mantlet and butt portion of the apparatus
for the perfect protection of the marker.
3. To provide by the rovolving target record a complete check marker.
The object of aim is the representation of a soldier standing kneeling or lying down
the apparent rise in the landscape for the distance for which the backsight.of
the rifle is raised. The model soldier appearing in the landscape remaining a
given time when the apparatus fires a cartridge and the soldier disappears. I provide
a butt or screen having a perpendicular opening in its centre behind the object of
aim. This opening ends in a pocket of iron for catching the bullets. The pocket is
intersected near its end by a transverse slot allowing the circle or wheel on which
the paper targets are fixed to revolve through it at right angles. The paper target
intercepting the bullet in its flight through the pocket and by perforation recording
the value of the hit on its face on which the outline of the miniature soldier or
bulls eye is printed.
The paper targets can be fixed at any radial distance from the centre.
In front of the butt I paint a landscape and form a foreground or stage on which
the miniature soldier appears.
Below the stage I fix a shaft in bearings preferably at right angles with the face
of the butt. On the front end of this shaft I mount an eccentric-cam-or lever
operating on an upright bar on being revolved and giving a perpendicular motion to
the bar on the upper end of which I form the miniature soldier the object of aim and
which is made to appear on the stage and disappear at will. On the other end of
the shaft I fix one or more light iron frames at right angles to it and similar to the
sails of a windmill, these frames revolve through and intersect the iron pocket in the
butt and to them the paper targets are attached.
The marker by a lever operates the shaft causing the targets to revolve and the
miniature soldier to appear & disappear.
The wheel or segment which carries the paper target can be so adjusted as to
move the target out of the line of fire simultaneously with the disappearance of the
object of aim and before it moves the cam or eccentric causes a hammer to explode
a blank cartridge apparently fired by the miniature soldier representing the enemy―
or the cartridge is fired by the marker at will or regulated for time by a fan similar
to a striking clock.
The marker who is placed behind the butt when lowering the object of aim at the
same time brings the paper target into his view either for patching or replacing-
signalling the value of the hit, on releasing the lever the target resumes its position
and the miniature soldier reappears.
As an alternative I mount the miniature soldier on the spoke of a wheel to bring
him into sight by a revolution or part of a revolution of the shaft in. the same
manner as the target is moved into position.
02-1 December 1980

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Targets for Rifle Shooting and Apparatus connected
therewith.
I WILLIAM EDWIN HEATH of 3 Canonbury Square Islington Retired Major King's
Royal Rifles 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 :-
My invention has for its object to provide for rifle practice intended more particu-
larly for short or miniature ranges an improved target and apparatus_connected
therewith whereby objects closely resembling those aimed at in actual war are
provided and a record of the accuracy of the firing is obtained.
According to my invention I provide a screen or butt made of steel or other
bullet proof material having therein an opening oxtending from near the
bottom towards the top and communicating with a box or receptacle projecting
from the back of the butt. At the bottom of and projecting in a horizontal direction
from the face of the butt is a platform having therein an opening through which
the object to be aimed at is caused to appear and disappear at required intervals.
The object to be aimed at may be of any desired form for example a bulls eye target
as shewn but I prefer to make it represent (on a small scale) a soldier in the act of
firing a rifle in either a standing kneeling or lying position. This object or figure is
attached to the upper end of a bar or rod arranged to slide in a vertical direction
beneath and through the hole in the platform it being connected to mechanism
operated mechanically at definite intervals or by an attendant or marker stationed
behind the butt in a position to be protected from injury by shots fired from the
rifles at the figure or object. An opening is provided transversely through the box
for the reception thereinto or passage therethrough of a frame carrying a target or
targets made of any suitable material such for example as cardboard or paper capable
of being easily penetrated by the bullets a figure being painted or marked on the
target corresponding to the object in front of the butt. This paper target is capable
of being placed in any desired position in the holding frame to correspond to different
ranges at which the back sight of the rifle is adjusted so that when aiming at the
object in front of the butt the bullet will strike and mark or penetrate the paper
target and thereby indicate the degree of accuracy of the aim. The butt and paper
target are concealed from the view of the marksman by a screen interposod between
the object aimed at and the butt, the said screen being preferably painted to represent
a landscape or battlefield.
An arrangement may be attached to the back of the butt for firing blank cartridges
which may be operated at certain intervals by suitable timing mechanism or by the
attendant or otherwise the discharge taking place just before the object of aim
descends below the platform so as to give the effect of the object having fired at the
marksman on account of his exceeding the time allowed for taking aim.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I will describe the same
with reference to the accompanying drawings premising however that I do not restrict
myself to the precise details of construction and arrangement of the parts herein-
after referred to as variations may be made therein without departing from the nature
of my invention.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a buit for rifle practice constructed according to
my invention. Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same shewing the arrangement of
mechanism for operating the movable object to be aimed at and the target frame or
holder and Figure 3 is a view looking towards the back of the butt shewing the
position the marker or attendant occupies and also the arrangement of the blank
cartridge firing mechanism.
The butt A which may be made in one piece or of several pieces of steel or other
suitable bullet proof material has projecting from its face a horizontal stage or plat-
form B above which the object or figure C to be aimed at is caused to appear. This
•

page_text: object is carried on the upper end of a bar D fitted to slide in guides attached to
the butt A beneath the platform B. The bar D is connected by a link a to one arm b
of a bell crank lever contred at c to the butt A the other arm d of the bell crank,
being connected by a rod e to one arm of another bell crank lever centred to the
butt at g. The arm h of this latter bell crank is operated as hereinafter described by
a pin or projection i on a crank arm or disc k fast on a horizontal rocking shaft
carried in bearings in the butt A and in the standards or supports k³ of a box or
chamber F which is attached to and extends some distance behind the butt A. An
opening A³ is provided in the butt A communicating with the interior of the box or
chamber F the said opening extending in a vertical direction from near the platform B
towards the top of the butt to a distance corresponding to the height of the box or
chamber F. Transversely through the box or chamber F, and at some distance from
the butt A there is provided an opening or passage to admit of the entrance and
withdrawal of a frame G carrying the targots which receive the bullets aimed at the
object C. This frame is mounted so as to turn on the horizontal rocking shaft E
and is normally retained in position in the box F by a counter weight m or equivalent
means.
Fast on the rock shaft E is a crank arm or disc H provided with a lever K by
which the shaft may be partially rotated in either direction by the attendant so as to
cause the target frame or holder G, and the object C in front of the butt to be
moved into and out of position as required. Or if desired the shaft E may be
automatically operated at suitable intervals by clockwork or other timing apparatus.
The attendant or marker is stationed at X behind the butt by which he is protected
from danger of being struck by the bullets fired from the rifles. By moving the
lever K. from the normal position in the direction of the arrow in Figure 3 the shaft E
will be partially rotated whereapon the pressure of the pin or projection on the
crank arm or disc k will be removed from the arm h of the bell crank centred at g
in front of the butt, and permit the descent by gravity of the bar D, and so cause
the object C to disappear below the platform B, after which by a further movement
of the lever K in the same direction, the pin or projection I on the crank or disc H
by pressing against the lower end of the target frame or holder G will force the said
frame out of the box into the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 3.
To return the frame G into position in the box the lever K is moved in the reverse
direction thereby removing the pressure of the pin I from the edge of the frame G
which will then be caused by the counter weight m (assisted if necessary by the
pin 1' on the disc H) to resume its normal position in the box F after which by a
further movement of the lever in the same direction the figure C will be raised above
the platform B by the pin i pressing on the arm h of the bell crank hereinbefore
referred to and thereby transmitting motion through the connecting rode and the
bell crank lever c, d to the vertically sliding bar D to which the object is attached.
It will be seen that the object O is never in position above the platform B except
when the target frame or holder G is in position in the box F. The paper or like
targets carried in the holder G are preferably copies of the object or figure in front
of the butt and are secured in the frame G at any required elevation, above the axis
in which the frame turns, according to the range at which the back sight of the rifle
is adjusted. For example if the back sight of the rifle be set to aim at an object
500 yards distant the target is fixed in the frame G at such a height as to be in
the trajectory line of the bullet fired at the object in front of the butt. If the back
sight of the rifle be set at 800 yards range the target must be placed higher in the
frame and so with any other range the target must be accordingly arranged in
position. To facilitate the adjustment of the target the frame G may be provided
with a scale corresponding to the different ranges. The object C and the corresponding
target aro made of about the size that the full sized object or figure represented
thereby would appear when at the distance from the marksman at which the rifle sight
is adjusted, for example if the rifle sight is set to 500 yards range the object Cand
the corresponding target in the holder should be about the size that a full size similar
object would appear at 500 yards distance from the marksman, and similarly with any

page_text: other range at which the sight of the rifle is adjusted; the paper target a being also
adjusted in position in the frame G accordingly so that by aiming at the object C in
front of the butt the bullet will strike and penetrate the paper target and thereby
provide a record of the degree of accuracy of the aim.
The butt A is preferably concealed from the view of the marksman by a screen M,
Figure 2, situated between the butt and the object C, the said screen being preferably
painted so as to represent a landscape or battlefield, the object representing one of
the enemy.
The bullets from the rifles pass through the screen M and through the opening A³
in the butt into the box or chamber F and may be removed therefrom when required
through a hinged flap or door N at the back end of the box.
At the back of the butt A in the position shown by dotted lines at a in Figure 2
I provide an arrangement for firing blank cartridges for the purpose of indicating to
the marksman that the time allowed him for taking aim at the object C has lapsed.
This firing apparatus which is shewn detached in Figures 4 and 5 may be operated
by the attendant or automatically by any suitable timing apparatus or by any other
convenient means. The blank cartridges are placed in a series of barrels or
chambers P provided in a toothed rack or bar arranged to slide in guides in a
frame m² fixed to the back of the hutt A and caused to move intermittently step by
siep so as to bring the cartridges successively and at suitable intervals into position
to bo struck by the luammer n of the firing mechanism. p is the operating lever
which may be connected by a lanyard or other suitable means to the lever K which
operates the target frame G and the object C so that when the lever K is moved for
the purpose of causing the object C to disappear a blank cartridge in the bar will
be discharged and thereby indicate that the time allowed for taking aim has expired.
Or the lever p may be operated by other convenient means.
The operating lever pis centred at g to the frame m² and carries a pawl which
engages with rack teeth S on the bar Q, a sliding piece being also connected by
a link u to the lever p so that when the lever is moved in the direction of the arrow
the pawl slides the bar Q one tooth forward so as to bring a cartridge into position
to be discharged opposite a tube or barrel v projecting from the frame m² through a
hole in the butt A and through the screen M as shewn in Fig. 2. At the same time
that the bar Q is moving forward to bring a cartridge into position to be fired, a
projection on the slide by coming against a hinged projection 2 on the hammer n
effects the raising of the said hammer against the resisting power of a spring w and
when the bar has completed its forward movement the projection t will have passed
out of engagement with the projection and thereby permit of the hammer descending
by the power of the spring w on to a striking pin so as to discharge the cartridge.
T is a spring for returning the lever p to its normal position after a cartridge has
been discharged and T is another spring acting on a detent R to prevent the bar Q
from moving backwards with the lever p.
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 is
1st. In or connected with targets for rifle practice a butt or screen (A) having
an opening therein in or in front of which is placed an object to be aimed at, the
target to be struck by the bullets aimed at the object being placed behind the butt
opposite the opening therein, and in such a position that if a true aim be taken at the
said object the bullet will strike and mark or penetrate the target, and thereby
produce a record of the degree of accuracy of aim substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2nd. In or connected with the targets for rifle practice the combination with the
butt A, (having an opening therein) of an object to be aimed at arranged in or in
front of the opening in the butt, and capable of being moved into and out of position
substantially as herein before described and illustrated.
3rd. In or connected with targets for rifle practice the combination with the

page_text: butt A, (having an opening therein) and moveable object of aim C, of a frame
carrying a target capable of being moved into position opposite and in rear of the .
opening in the butt, and away therefrom as required and means for operating the
said target frame substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated.
4th. In or connected with targets for rifle practice the combination with the butt A,
(having an opening therein) object of aim Ĉ arranged in or in front of the opening
in the butt, target frame or holder G arranged behind the butt, and means for
operating the target holder and the object of aim so that the object is never in
position to be aimed at except when the target is in position to receive the bullet
aimed at the object, substantially as herein before described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
5th. In or connected with targets for rifle practice the combination with the butt A,
(having an opening therein) object of aim arranged in or in front of the opening in
the butt, and target arranged behind the said opening in the butt to receive the
bullets aimed at the object; of a screen arranged between the butt and the object of
aim so as to conceal from the marksman's view the opening in the butt and the target
behind the butt substantially as hereinbefore described.
6th. In or connected with targets for rifle practice, the combination with the butt A
(having an opening therein), object of ain C, target frame or holder G, and removable
targets arranged substantially as hereinbofore described, of a box or receptacle F
arranged behind the butt to receive the bullets from the rifles and protect the marker,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
7th. In or connected with targets for rifle practice the combination with the butt A
(having an opening therein) moveable object C, moveable target frame or holder G,
and means for operating the same, of an arrangement for firing blank cartridges at
suitable intervals substantially as and for the purpose herein before described and
illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
8th. In connection with targets the devico illustrated by Figures 4 and 5 sub-
stantially as and for the purpose described.
9th. The general combination and arrangement of parts constituting an improved
target or range for rifle practice whether the arrangement for firing blank cartridges
be combined therewith or not substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of September 1800.
J. H. JOHNSON & CO.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.