A NEW OR IMPROVED AUTOMATIC SIGNALLING TARGET
Year: 1884

page_text: I LORENTZ ALBERT GROTH K.G.V. Civil Engineer and Managing Director of
the Universal Inventors and Patentees Financial Company Limited 30 Finsbury
Pavement London E.C. do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for "A NEW
OR IMPROVED AUTOMATIC SIGNALLING TARGET" a communication to me from
abroad by Pierre Ceroni of Firenza in the Kingdom of Italy, Captain in the
25th Regiment Italian Infantry and Gregoire Bregoli of Finale Emilia in the
Kingdom of Italy Lieutenant Colonel in the Italian Artillery to be as follows:-
The targets are made of tempered steel of various thicknesses according to the
force of the arms and the shooting distance The dimensions and shape may be
varied to suit any requirements Their object is to give exact indications of the
results obtained by each shot.
They are formed with moveable fronts which give way on being struck by the
ball but immediately return to their proper position and are able to transmit to
the place of shooting an exact record of the effect of the shot either by olectrical or
mechanical means.
The action is as follows:-
Part of the target will give way to the pressure of the projectile, but is brought
back to its proper position instantly by means of a helix or screw spring or the
target may be suspended and by force of gravitation and a spring at its lower part
be brought back to its proper position turning on the two axles of the hinge on
which the target hangs.
By the above described movements an electric current is closed in the usual way
and this transmits the result of. the shot on a board which can be inade on the
principle of any telegraphic sign board.
The signalling may also be effected without the aid of electricity by mechanical
means in which case instead of the button closing the circuit a wire holder is fixed
which transmits the signal The target swinging away from the impact of the
shot an eccentric lifts the wire holder and lets a conical ferule of the wire pass
through.
Each section or number of the target has its own eccentric and wire running
on pullies and going to the shooting station.
The wires are brought back to their position by means of levers.

page_text: Regiment Italian iniantry and Gregoire Bregoli of Finale Emilia, in the
Kingdom of Italy Lieutenant Colonel in the Italian Artillery, and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
The objects of this invention is to give exact indications of the results obtained
by each shot.
It consists of a target connected by means of electrical wires to an automatic
signboard or marker.
The Targets Figs 1 and 2 are composed of a frame made of three vertical bars a
of T iron crossed by three horizontal bars a' also of T iron while at the connecting
points are placed iron carriers to which the traverses are fixed.
Two or three supports q of round or T iron are attached to the back of this
frame by means of lugs while the lower ends are fixed in the saine manner to a
lock.
As many plates A. B. C &c as there are sections or parts of the target (are made
of tempered steel of various thicknesses (according to requirements) are supported
in a vertical position to the target by hinges.
These hinges shown to larger scale in Figs 3 and 4 are made of iron and consist
of three parts, the front fixed to the plate by four scrows vvvv, the middle held
in the hinge inside by a fixed bolt pp and outside by a lock p which is moveable
for fixing or taking out the plate This lock is fixed to the frame by 4 bolts v¹¹ v² vl
while the small carriers S are fixed in corresponding places on the frame by which
the back of the hinge is connected with v¹¹¹ v'.
The target is isolated from the ground by wooden socket pieces 6 which are
fixed in the stone bed T Figs 1 and 2.
The different plates are placed "a cuirasse" in such a way that the movement
of one does not interfere with the others.
The plate that has received the shot is driven back by its impact and completes
the electric circuit by means of a contact spring h on the frame where the
conducting wire from the battery ends and a projection at the back of the plate.
After each shot the plate will return to its normal position by the force of
gravity swinging on clutch Q assisted by the spring attached to the frame.
It is necessary that the battery should consist of a number of elements propor-
tional to the intensity of current required For one target up to 1200 ft distance
3 cells are sufficient.
The wire from the negative pole may be attached to any part of the target,
that from the positive pole should be connected with the contact spring of each
section or plate of the target.

page_text: The electric current marks the corresponding number or part on the signboard
to that struck on the target by the bullet The result of each successive shot is
thus easily read and may be written down.
The advantages of this target are
1 An exact record of the result of each shot.
2 Simplicity and facility of management.
3 Economy of cost wages of markers are dispensed with and
4 consequently no danger to such men.
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
A target the face of which is composed of swinging plates which are connected
by electric wires to a signboard in which each plate or section when struck is
driven back by the impact of the shot thus completing an electric circuit by means
of a contact spring and causing a corresponding part or number to appear on the
signboard.