Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 4th May, 1887.
Specification Accepted, 7th June, 1887.
I, GEORGE ARTHUR FRENCH, of Victoria Barracks, Brisbane, in the Colony of
Queensland, Colonel, Royal Artillery 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 relates to improvements in targets for rifles and other small arms
which are constructed in such a manner that the following objects are attained.
1. The danger to markers from direct hits, and the risk of injury from the splashing
of bullets is entirely removed.
2. Simplicity of construction.
3. Smaller range accommodation required owing to the rapidity with which the
targets can be removed and others put in their places, thus using the whole width of
the butt for any range.
4. Butts do not take up space that might be occupied by targets, and no shadows
are thrown across the targets by mantlets.
These targets, which we may call double targets are made in different sizes, but the
construction in its leading features is the same; Fig. 1. Sheet 1, of the accompanying
drawings is a front elevation of one form of double target frame, which is constructed
entirely of wooden battens, varying in width and thickness according to the size of
targets. The centre batten A should be nearly double the width of the others, as a
hole B is made in the centre for the pin, on which it revolves.
The frames are made as shown in the drawings, that is to say, the centre and end
battens are tennoned into the side ones, the other battens being let in flush.
The frames of each target are covered with cheap well shrunk canvas, stretched
tightly and nailed with tinned tacks to the back or edge of the frame, the intermediate
batten D. is to fasten the canvas to, in order to prevent a rear wind from bulging it;
this batten is not required in small targets. The canvas being well secured is then
given a coat of size and afterward covered with brown or old news-paper, and white
paper, one bull's eye is then placed in the centre of each target.
Fig. 2. shows side elevation of targets, framework and top of mantlet. The frame-
work for the support of the targets consists of a top and bottom rail, supported by
posts and struts and tied diagonally, the top and bottom rails should be made of sawn

page_text: timber, that is least effected by the sun and weather, the rest of the frame work may
be made of saplings. At suitable distances apart the pins, C, are placed for the double
targets to revolve on, the targets are fixed as shown in Fig. 2. the pin is put through
the top rail with its head at the back, a wooden washer is next put on, then the double
target, another washer, and the whole held on by a wooden cotter.
It is obvious that no iron bolts, screws, nails, or other material likely to cause a
bullet to splash, should be used in making the targets or upper part of frame work.
The mantlet in front of the target is made as usual, but care must be taken that the
top of it is high enough to protect the wooden pins C from bullets.
Fig. 3. shows targets in two positions, and front elevation of frame work, with
mantlet removed; the line E represents top of mantlet.
The working of the targets is as follows, the target frame is turned round until in the
position shown by targets F & G, when, if necessary, the pins H are placed in holes in
the lower rail, one each side of the target frame, to hold it. Target F is now in position
for being fired at, and when it has been struck by a bullet, the place is marked by the
marker, the pins H are removed, and the frame turned half round bringing target G
into the position before occupied by target F, target G is then in position for being
fired at. The bullet hole in target F, which is now below the mantlet, is then covered
with paper, coloured according to the position of the bullet mark, viz. black for bull's
eye and white for any other part of target.
Fig. 4 Sheet 2. shows another form of double wooden target, the advantage of this
form being, that a shallower trench is required, making it suitable for large targets,
this form of target does not revolve but oscillates on centre K. on wooden pin as
before described.
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. The construction of targets of wood and other materials that do not cause bullets
to splash, in the manner described with reference to the drawings.
2. The double target suspended from the centre by a wooden pin on which it can
revolve, thus enabling one target to be in use while the other is having the bullet
mark in it covered with paper as described herein and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this Twenty eighth day of March 1887.