Improvements in Indicating Apparatus for Targets.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 18th June, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 17th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 28th May, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Indicating Apparatus for Targets.
I, JOHN DALRYMPLE BELL, of Clifton Hall, Ratho, in the County of Mid
Lothian, North Britain, Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows, that is to say :-
:-
My said invention has for its object to provide improved apparatus for auto-
matically indicating target shots at the firing station in a rapid and accurate
manner.
In carrying out my invention in the case of a canvas target I cause metallic
contacts to be made through the perforations made by bullets, such contacts causing
actions in one or more electric wires extending from the target to indicating
apparatus at the firing station in a manner to show the positions of the shots on a
miniature indicating target. In one modification of the apparatus, the target being
on a frame which descends after each shot, the canvas passes between a horizontal
metal bar and a row of spring wires fixed in a metal bar on the other side and
forming a kind of electrical brush. The two bars are connected with the electrical
apparatus and when a bullet hole reaches the brush wire projects through it and
makes a contact between the bars. Whilst the target is descending a contact piece
moving with it passes down a notched metal bar or strip and makes a series of
contacts and breaks. At each contact on the notched bar an electrical current or
impulse is transmitted to the firing station and, there, causes a line index to move
up the indicating target in exact concert with the downward movement of the
canvas target. When, however, a contact is made between the brush and bar
between which the canvas descends the transmission of the impulses from the
notched bar is stopped by means of an electro-magnetic switch and the line index
remains stationary.
.
The contact through the bullet hole whilst bringing about the stoppage of the
horizontal-line index, also by means of an electro magnet sets agoing a mechanical
or electrical movement which causes an electrically connected feeler to move from
one side along the horizontal brush bar, and on this feeler reaching the bullet hole
it makes through it a contact which causes the stoppage of a vertical-line index_at
the firing station, such index having been moved correspondingly with the feeler
at the target by means similar to that for moving the horizontal-line index. The
intersection of the two line indexes shows on the miniature indicating target the
exact position of the bullet hole as on the canvas target. The line indexes may be
arranged to mark lines on the miniature target which may be a changeable paper
one, and they may be moved by means of screws or pinions and racks acted on by
ratchet wheels and pawls actuated by electro magnets excited by the currents or
impulses transmitted from the target.
In order that a perforation in the canvas target may not act a second time on the
electrical apparatus, there is combined with the target a piece of canvas carried
on rollers and which at each ascent of the target is moved sufficiently to cover the
hole last made. Or there may be two plies of the additional canvas arranged to
move step by step in opposite directions, or there may be a single endless piece of
canvas behind the target the two plies of which will move in opposite directions.
With this arrangement a large number of shots may be fired at one target without
it being likely that perforations made through the three plies of canvas will
coincide a second time.
In carrying out my invention in the case of a metal target, I have the target
made in separate pieces or circles corresponding to the different numbers of points
for the various positions of shots. Each target piece is suspended in a manner to

page_text: receive a small movement from the impact of a bullet; and an arm fixed to each
piece carries a spring contact piece which when moved back passes over a stationary
notched contact bar and causes the transmission of one or more electric impulses or
currents according to the number of notches passed over. The lengths of the arms
having the contact pieces are varied to correspond with the different parts of the
target so that the number of electric impulses transmitted in each case will indicate
what part of the target has been struck. Or instead of or in addition to differences
in the length of the arms the stationary contact bars may be made with a different
number of notches for each target part. The electric impulses transmitted as
described may be arranged to act in various ways at the firing station. Thus an
electro-magnetically actuated pawl may act on a ratchet wheel to turn a disk
behind an aperture so as to show a color or number corresponding to the shot
indicated.
Dated this Seventeenth day of June 1891.
EDMUND HUNT,.
Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Indicating Apparatus for Targets.
1, JOHN DALRYMPLE BELL, of Clifton Hall, Ratho, in the County of Mid
Lothian, North Britain, Electrician, 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, that is to say:—
My said invention has for its object to provide improved apparatus for auto-
matically indicating target shots at the firing station, in a rapid and accurate
manner. In my Provisional Specification relative hereto 1 described two modifica-
tions of apparatus adapted respectively to canvas targets and to metal targets, but
having worked out the modification for metal targets more satisfactorily than the
other one I have decided not to make any claim respecting canvas targets in the
present Specification.
I hereunto append three sheets of explanatory drawings to be hereinafter referred
to in describing my automatic target indicating apparatus.
Figure, 1, Sheet, 1, is a front elevation of the target;
Figure, 2, is a vertical section as at right angles to Figure, 1, through the vertical
central row of the target pieces; and
Figure, 3, Sheet, 2, is a back elevation.
Figure, 4, is an enlarged sectional detail explanatory of a modification differing
from that shown in the other figures.
Figure, 5, Sheet, 3, is a plan of the electrical contact apparatus for transmitting
the indications; and
Figure, 6, is a sectional elevation of the indicating apparatus at the firing
station.
In these drawings the parts of the target are marked with numerals and letters
indicative of the points and positions, and the same numerals and letters are marked
on the indicating disk shown in Figure, 6; whilst other reference letters and
numerals are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
The target is made in separate pieces, which in Figure, 1, have marked on them
numerals representing the points to be scored for the various positions of the shots,
together with letters (excepting for the central piece or "bull's eye") showing
when a shot is to the right (R), or to the left (L), or high (H), or low (B). Each
target piece is suspended by parallel links, A, jointed to stems or projections, C, at
the back of it, from arms, D, projecting from a vertical back plate, E, in a manner
to allow of its receiving a small movement from the impact of a bullet. The move-
ment of any target piece causes a number of electrical contacts to be made and a
corresponding number of electric impulses to be consequently transmitted through

page_text: a conducting wire to the indicator at the firing station, the number of the impulses
so transmitted being different for the several target pieces. In order to obtain a
sufficient range or extent of movement for the several numbers of impulses which
have to be transmitted, it is necessary to increase the extent of movement primarily
imparted by the target pieces. For this purpose the target pieces have fixed.to
them rods, F, which pass through holes in the back plate, E, and which act on
levers, G, centered on studs, J, on the back of the back plate. The rods, F, are
not fixed to the centres of the several target pieces but in positions to suit the
arrangement of the levers, G, and other parts yet to be referred to, but as the
target pieces are suspended so as to have parallel motions, the horizontal movements
of the rods, F, are the same as if they were at the centres of the target pieces.
The lower ends of the vertical levers, G, all act on one horizontal lever, K,
centered on a stud, M, and the vertical levers, G, are severally proportioned as
regards their centres and the distances therefrom at which they are acted on by the
rods, F, of the target pieces, in a manner to give the bottom lever, K, extents of
movement varying as the numbers of impulses which have to be transmitted. The
horizontal or bottom lever, K, part of which is shown enlarged in Figure, 5, has its
outer end connected to a rod, N, which is guided upon a frame, P, and which has
fixed on it a collar, Q, of a partly bevilled and partly cylindrical form. The
cylindrical part of the collar, Q, is of non-conducting material but the bevilled part
is of metal, and when the rod, Ñ, is moved to the right (as seen in Figure, 5) the
collar touches and passes a series of spring contact blades, S, fixed in two insulated
metal bars, S1, S2, one of which is connected to the line wire and the other to
earth or a return wire. After each movement of the rod, N, to the right it is
returned to the left by the action of a spring, N 1, connected to a toothed
quadrant, N 2, which gears with rack teeth on the rod, N. As the rod, N, moves
back the nonconducting part of its collar, Q, moves the contact springs aside
without making electric connection.
The indicating apparatus is contained in a box, T, the front of which is supposed
to be removed in Figure, 6, and comprises a light disk, T 1, having the indications
marked on it, and carried on a central spindle mounted so as to have as little
friction as possible. On the spindle of the disk, T 1, there is fixed a small ratchet
wheel, T 2, with which there engages a pawl, U, fixed to the armature, U 1, of an
electro magnet, V, through the exciting coils of which are passed the impulses
received from the target. Each impulse causes an action of the pawl, U, on the
ratchet wheel, T 2, to the extent of a tooth, and the ratchet wheel is prevented from
turning back between the impulses by a retaining pawl, U 2. The disk, T 1, is
turned more or less according to the number of impulses transmitted, and brings
to the topmost part the corresponding indication, which is seen through an opening
in the front of the box, this opening being indicated by the dotted lines, T 3. For
restoring the disk, T 1, to the position indicating zero, the retaining pawl, U2, has
connected to it a rod and button, U 3, on pushing in which the ratchet wheel, T 2,
is released and then a spring, U 4, acting on a crank on the spindle of the disk
turns the disk to zero.
The apparatus which has been described may be used for long or short rifle
ranges; but a simpler modification having a number of wires between the target
and the firing station may be used for short ranges. In this modification each
target piece makes one or more direct electric contacts when moved inwards by the
impact of a bullet. A convenient mode of making a single contact is shown in
Figure, 4. The back projection, C, of a target piece carries a small block, W,
of non-conducting material having fixed to it curved contact springs, W 1, one of
which is electrically connected to a line wire the other communicating with earth.
When the target piece is struck it carries back the contact springs, W 1, into
contact with a stationary metal stud, W 2, and thereby causes the transmission of
an impulse. Every one of the high target pieces in addition to making a contact
with its special wire, will also make a contact with what may be termed the " high
wire and similarly "low" wire, "right" wire and "left" wire contacts are provided
"

page_text: in connection with the various target pieces. With this arrangement the number
of line wires required will be only about half of the number of target pieces. At
the firing station there may be separate indicators for the several line wires, these
indicators being arranged and moved as in ordinary electrical multiple communi-
cating apparatus.
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:
1-Combining with targets automatic electrical indicating apparatus substan-
tially such as is hereinbefore described.
2 Transmitting several different target indications by one wire by means of
mechanism arranged to effect different numbers of contacts for the several indications
and by means of electro-magnetic motor apparatus to move an indicating disk or
equivalent to corresponding extents substantially as hereinbefore described.
3-The modified arrangement with a number of wires substantially as herein-
before described with reference to Figure, 4, of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Sixteenth day of March 1892.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.