AN IMPROVED METHOD OF SUSPENDING AND MOVING MILITARY AND SPORTING TARGETS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
'I EDWARD THOMAS ST. LAWRANCE MCGWIRE of the Army and Navy Club, Pall
Mall, Middlesex, Colonel commanding the 87th Regimental District, do hereby
declare the nature of my said invention for AN IMPROVED METHOD OF
SUSPENDING AND MOVING MILITARY AND SPORTING TARGETS," to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to suspend targets in such a manner that they can
be carried by a frame composed of wheels and links hung to be moved freely by
cords chains or wires or mechanically from either end of a bar or rod supported by
vertical timbers or attachments from a wall so that an object representing a
running man, a running deer, or other such can be moved freely backwards and
forwards over any defined space for practice in shooting with fire-arms..

page_text: I EDWARD THOMAS ST LAWRANCE MCGWIRE of The Army and Navy Club, Pall
Mall, Middlesex, Colonel Commanding the 87th Regimental District do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF SUSPENDING
AND MOVING MILITARY AND SPORTING TARGETS" and in what manner the same
is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
The object of this invention is to suspend targets in such a manner that they can
be carried by a frame composed of wheels and links hung to be moved freely by
cords chains or wires or mechanically from either end of and along a bar or rod
supported by vertical timbers or attachments from a wall so. that. an object
representing a running man, a running. deer or other such can be moved freely
backwards and forwards over any defined space for practice in shooting with
fire arms.
'
My invention will be understood by the several examples shown on the annexed
drawings in which at Figure 1 I show two uprights A, B, to one of which A
a bar C is pivotted at D and the other end E of which is free to be moved up and
down within a slot of the upright B, said bar having the end E joined to a lever F
for that purpose.
The lever F is supported upon the upright G and is provided with a weight H
as a counterpoise to the bar C. The lever F is so arranged that it can be acted
upon by the cord or chain I from the markers butt or from the firing point to alter
the angle at which the bar C can be set or moved for the free travel of the target J
according to the speed at which said target J is desired to travel between the two
uprights-A, B, either to the right or left."
At each end of the bar C is an inclined plane K on which the target J can travel
when arriving at the end of its course in either direction and prevents shock by
arresting its speed from which position it also obtains a momentum for the return
travel when the bar C is raised or lowered from the end E.
The target J is supported by links L and wheels M to enable it to run on the
bar C and maintain a steadyness while travelling. The target when it arrives at
the end of its travel may be exposed or it may travel behind a screen as to be
hidden from view so that when the firer is practising the target is seen moving
when he is ready for aiming at it.
The upright B has holes at fixed distances apart into which keys.can be placed
to regulate the speed of the targets travel thus if the travel to and fro is to be slow
the keys are placed near the centre holes and if the target has to travel fast the
keys are placed in the highest and lowest holes respectively, this however can be
casily accomplished by the marker or at the firing point by the distance the cord
or chain I is pulled and let out.
The weight H of the lever F is adjustable to suit varying weights of targets
which may be placed upon the bar C as for a small target such as that represented
the weight would be nearer the fulcrum or support G but if the target be a heavy
one the weight would be put farther from the said pivot G,

page_text: If the targets are arranged to be permanently on the bar C the links L may be
from both sides of the target back and front but if the targets are changeable the
links may be connected to a box in which the rollers are fitted as at Figure 2 and
then be hung upon the bar C. By this means they are easily lifted on and off and
changed at will. The targets may be arranged singly to the links as at Figures 2
and 3 or two targets may be linked together as at Figure 4' which targets may
have different marks such as a running man or some object upon one of them and
the other may represent any of the known systems by which hits indicate different
scores according to the rifle employed.
Instead of double links as at Figure 1 and 2 single links and a single roller may
be employed as at Figure 5 the bar C of which may be moved up or down in its
slotted upright B by any couvenient means and instead of the lover F shown at
Figure 1 the upright B and the bar C may be provided with pulley blocks N
single or double as at Figure 6 for the cord or chain I to be operated from the
markers butt or from the firing point.
In Figure 6 I have shown a running deer target J arranged to be fired at when
moving in one direction only when the end E of the bar C is raised it being
returned by the end E of the bar C being lowered but if the deer be constructed
according to my Patent N° 1169 of 1885 it may be fired at when moving in either
direction each end of the target being provided with a head and neck which
disappears at the end of each course being at the same time replaced in the proper
direction and in proper form for the return course.
The target, heretofore described moves by gravitation from the altered angles of
the bar C but said bar C may be a fixture upon the uprights A, B, and be pulled
in one direction from the markers butt or firing point and be returned or caused
to travel in the opposite direction by the fall of the weight H as at Figure 7
which weight H may run in a tube, the thin wire rope I of which passes over the
pullies N.
PP are screens behind which the target can be hidden at the end of its travel.
The framework of the target J last referred to is of a portable character and
may be fitted at any desired place in a few minutes the uprights being retained in
position by guy ropes Q.
Figures 8 and 9 show my system of moving target where the bar C is attached
to a wall R by brackets A, B, which take the place of the uprights in the former
figures the target (a deer) being drawn in one direction by the wire cord I and
returned by the counterpoise H.
The foregoing examples are only indicative of the ways of which I prefer to
carry my invention into practice and I do not therefore limit myself exclusively to
the particular constructions or arrangements shown or to the dimensions or weight
of targets.
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
The method of suspending and moving Military and Sporting Targets as hercin-
before described and substantially as represented in the annexed drawings.
The 20th day of July 1885.
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said E. T. St L. MccGwire.