AMetford or other Powerful Rifles, and Service Cartridges.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Jan., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 20th Oct., 1898-Accepted, 21st Jan., 1899
A Safety Range, for Full Ranges, for use with the Lec-Metford or
other Powerful Rifles, and Service Cartridges, which Range may
be built in the heart of London.
I, ERNEST ALFRED WILLIAM PHILLIPS, Assoc, Member Institute Civil Engineers
(London), an Executive Engineer, in the service of the Indian Government, in the
Public Works Department, at present stationed at Rangoon, Burma (Ferndell,
No. 7, Fytche Road, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
1. Firing platform to be fixed.
2. Firing platform to be arranged in a bullet-proof tunnel or room, lined with
splinter-proof guards or wainscotting, so that the accidental discharge of a rifle away
from apertures will do no harm to either shooters (from splinters) or to the public.
There is no reason why the tunnel or room, in which the firing platform lies, should
not be on wheels, and run on rails, to be shifted froin point to point, as necessary,
and safe.
3. Bullet-proof mantlets arranged at appropriate distances, or intervals
("geometrical" intervals), in front of the mouth of the tunnel, described in
para. 2.
These mantlets to entirely cover the mouth of the tunnel, and each other.
Each mantlet to have one large aperture, so that through all the apertures,
as through a telescope, at all times, a full view will be afforded to all persons
standing, kneeling, or lying, on the firing platform, of the stop-butt, and targets, and
of all butts and targets, between stop-butt and mouth of tunnel, on line of fire.
Each mantlet will be of sufficient size, outer dimensions, to catch any bullet
escaping from mouth of tunnel, or any aperture, in a wrong direction.
The sizes of apertures to be so calculated, that (i) the shot of greatest elevation
possible through the last mantlet aperture, shall not pass over the stop-butt, at
extreme range; nor (ii) the shot of greatest possible deviation, through the last mantlet
aperture, pass beyond ends, of stop-butt, or of any of the check-butts. Plan of range,
butts & screens, &c. fan-shaped.
4. The descriptions in above paras. may be generally explained thus: Imagine a
vast telescope, the shooter being in the eye-piece. Then it is plain the sides of the
telescope will catch every bullet discharged against them. Remove the object &
intermediate glasses. Then it is plain that only those bullets, escaping through the
opening left by the removal of the object glass, have an opportunity of flying freely
through the open air to their destination. As the course of every possible shot
through this aperture can be calculated, it is clear that every person beyond their
lines of flight, can be considered to be in safety.
In this invention, the tunnel takes the place of an eye-piece, the mantlets, or
cross screens, with their apertures, forming the body. The dimensions of tunnel and
mantlets can be modified, to any extent, to suit funds.
5. The only dangers to be guarded against, once the line of flight of every bullet;

page_text: escaping the tunnel and mantlets, is known, are possible ricochets. These can be.
entirely prevented by not permitting the bullets to touch the ground, or any surface
not inclined enough, or strong or thick enough, to break up a bullet, or otherwise
stop it. This can be done by arranging screens or check-butts, across the range, at
right angles to line of fire. (a)-Their heights must be carefully calculated, so that
a bullet just grazing or missing the top of any one screen, shall be caught by the
next screen or check-butt, in order. (This, it will be seen, imposes a limitation on
extent of possible movement of tunnel). The screens, or check-butts, may be
arranged to serve as target platforms for intermediate ranges. They may be of any
height, and any distance apart, so long as the condition noted above (4) is fulfilled;
and so long as they extend sufficiently for both sides of centre line of range. The
top edges of screens must be of steel or iron plate, or other hard substance, to
break up bullets striking them. The bodies of screens may be banks of earth.
6. The extreme limit of range will be the stop-butt, placed at 1000 standard
yards, or less or inore, from the firing platform. Beyond this stop-butt no bullet
can pass.
7. Advantages claimed.
(i) Absolute security to the public. The range may be built in the heart of
a great town.
(ii) Suitability for all the usual ball practices, except field firing.
(iii) The range lends itself to a variety of practices, not attainable on an ordinary
range. These are: (a) Moving & disappearing targets, at unknown
intermediate ranges, between 200 & 600 yards, the firer using a fixed
sight; and (b) charging or retreating screen-targets, &c.
(4). The stop-Dutt.
(d). Any open piece of land will contain the range, if of sufficient length and breadth
to contain all the above, with a margin all round, to act as a splinter-ground, beyond
which splinters will have no power to fly. The entire ground, with the margin, 4
should be fenced in.
(c). There will be only one firing platform for all distances.
(f). The stop-butt, of usual construction, will lie at such extreme distance, of from
800 to 1300 yards, or more, from the firing-platform, as may be decided upon.
(g). The check-butts will lie parallel to the stop-butt, and across the range, between 5

page_text: the stop-butt and the firing-platform; and will serve, or some of them, as target-
platforms for intermediate distances-marker's butts, targets, &c., &c., being of the
usual military patterns. The check-butts will be banks of earth, sufficiently thick to
stop a bullet. The side-slopes will be 1 to 1; the crest slope 1 in 10, falling towards
the stop-butt. The higher edge of crest will carry a continuous line of vertical iron
plates, upper edges steeled and chisel shaped in section, and the plates will be thick
enough to stop a bullet. These plates will rise 3" above highest crest, & descend
at least 9" into the bank below. Their use is to prevent a richochet off the crest of
the bank; but design may be modified to almost any extent to suit circumstances.
(h). The firing platform will lie at the mouth, of the tunnel, fire being directed
towards the opposite opening, the mantlets, the check-butts, and the stop-butt, in
the order stated.
The arrangement is best explained this way:-Make two card-board boxes, or
square pipes, open at the ends, the one measuring 3" x 2" x 2", the other 3" x 1" x 1".
Place the smaller within the larger, forming a "double pipe." Cut out two card-
board "squares," 2" x 2", and exactly in centre of each, & square to sides, cut square
holes, 1" x 1". Complete the ends of the "double pipe" with these two card-board-
"squares," and paste all the parts firmly together. The result will an annular pipe,
or "box," 3" x 2" x 2", with a square hole, 1" x 1", along the long axis. Now lay
this "box" on one of its sides, with its long (3') axis at right angles to the edge of a
table, and as close to edge as possible. Leave it there.
66
"
Make several screens, or "mantlets," in exactly the same way in which the card-
board "squares" above-mentioned were made. But make these squares into
"mantlets" by rendering them self-supporting, to stand on one edge. (Slightly
bent wires, or pins, driven through one edge, will do).
Place the eye against the hole in the "box," and arrange the "mantlets" at
opposite end, one behind the other, so that, seen from any corner of the opening
against which the eye is placed, each mantlet just covers the opening next nearest
the eye. It will be found that the first mantlet must be placed 1" : 3″ :: \":1}" = 1}"
from the box. The second mantlet must be placed 1" (3 + 1) :: 1" : 24* = 24*
from the first mantlet. The third mantlet 1": (3* + 11″ + 24″) :: " : 33″ = 33" from
the second mantlet. And so on, to any required extent.
It will be readily understood, that, if the lines of sight of the eye represent paths
of imaginary missiles, that the only missiles, which can escape, must pass through
the square opening in the last screen, or mantlet furthest from the eye.
(k). In the above description, the "box" will represent the tunnel of this inven-
tion; and the "mantlets" the bullet-proof mantlets. The outer skin and ends of
the box will represent the bullet-proof casing of the tunnel; the inner skin the
splinter-proof lining. The design may be modified to any extent in practice. It is
only necessary that the splinter-proof lining may not be strong enough, or inclined
enough, to deflect bullets; and that the first mantlet may be far enough from the
firers to obviate danger from splinters, or be lined in same manner as tunnel. The
lining towards the stop-butt end of the tunnel nay take the form of wooden
"mantlets" placed inside the bullet-proof casing. The tunnel lining should be hung
with plenty of loose sacking to deaden sound.
(). The number of mantlets, in practice, will depend on distance of stop-butt, &
on size of openings in the mantlets. In practice too, the paths of bullets (represented
in above description by lines of sight of eye), will not be exactly right lines. Some
allowance will have to be made for the deviation (due to wind or rifling) and trajectory.
After passing through the last opening, the imaginary missiles would fly, subject only
to known laws, precisely as they would do over an open range. In practice, this
would be for the entire length of range, less length of tunnel.
(m). Taking the scale, in above description, as 12' to an inch. The tunnel would be
36 feet long, and should be extended 10 feet towards the observer, to form a firing
platform, which need not be lined, provided the muzzles of the rifles take the positions
indicated by the various positions of the observer's eye. The mantlets would be 18',

page_text: 27', and 40 apart; the last being 36' + 18' + 27′ + 40' = 121 feet froin the
muzzles of the rifles. With the stop-butt 1400 yards away, its length would be
approximately 300 yards; and its height would be, assuming the ground to be a
level plain, 6' + 5' = 11 feet more than the height of the bullet from the ground
at 1400 yards, due to a trajectory of about 30 feet at the 100 yards distance.
(121: 12'300' 29'6'). If the height is thought excessive, a fourth mantlet may
be put in. The extreme heights of the check-butts, assuming the ground to be a
level plain, & the tunnel casing sunk a few feet into the ground, would be roughly:
At 200 yards, 2 feet; at 300 yards, 3 feet; at 400, 4 feet; at 500, 5 feet; and so
on, for the Lee-Metford rifle.
(n). Vide para. (f). From the above, it is clear that the stop-butt must be long
enough & high enough to effectually catch the bullet of greatest possible lateral
deviation, or greatest elevation, escaping the opening in the last mantlet. The length
of stop-butt can be readily determined by a simple proportion sum, adding necessary
allowance for wind & rifling. The height can be determined from a table of
trajectories for the rifle used, with an allowance for over-charged cartridgea.
(o). Vide para. (g). The check-butts prevent danger from richochets, by not per-
mitting the bullets to strike the ground, or any other surface likely to deflect, rather
than stop them. The lengths of check-butts will be calculated for each distance
exactly as for stop-butt. The height of any given check-butt will be such, that a
bullet just grazing its extreme top will be caught by the check-butt just beyond,
even if the missile be one of extreme lateral deviation. A table of trajectories will
be required. A liberal allowance must be made for slightly under-charged cartridges,
& for quicker-dropping of slightly crippled bullets. No fixed rules for calculation
can be laid down. With a liberal margin for safety, there will be absolutely no
danger.
(p). From the above descriptions it is clear that the tunnel and its attendant
mantlets can be made moveable, and moved, with safety, (within certain rigid limits,
to be calculated & allowed for before-hand) along the direction of the range, thereby
admitting of frequent practice at "unknown" ranges.
(9). Care will have to be taken, in designing the range, that all the intermediate
targets are distinctly visible from the firing platform; and this is the only point
likely to cause difficulty, as the ground must first be carefully surveyed and
contoured.
(7). From the above description, too, it is clear that the mantlets are really a
continuation of the bullet-proof tunnel, and are employed as a means of avoiding
unnecessary expense.
'
(8). For this novel & perfect co:nbination of ideas I claim the following
advantages:-
-
Absolute security to the public.
With ordinary precautions, absolute security to all men using the range, &
to markers etc., & others working it.
(c) The range may be built in the heart of a great town. All the ranges lately
abandoned near London, may be brought into use again.
(d). Suitability for all the usual range ball-practices.
The range lends itself to a variety of new & interesting practices.
Absolute non-interference with the rifle-men, who can use their weapons
precisely as they would do on an open range.
(g). The possibility, by the use of mantlets with specially small openings, of
training bad shots & recruits to become good shots, at the decisive distances.
(h). Better means of teaching the art of julging distances, at unknown ranges,
in all weathers, by the apparent size of object alone (the only true method).
G). Comparatively moderate cost.
(). And lastly, the saving & gain in every way caused by the possibility of building
ranges close to the quarters of both regular troops & volunteers, and by the men
being continuously instead of only periodically trained.

page_text: 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). The above application of the idea of a tunnel to an open range, to stop all
bullets likely to fly in any dangerous direction.
(2). The idea of making this tunnel of sufficient size and length to hold a squad of
men, in the manner stated.
(3). The idea of check-butts to prevent richochets, with the application stated.
(4). The novel combination of all the above ideas to form a perfect whole.
Dated at Henzada, Burmah, this 6th day of September 1898.
ERNEST PHILLIPS, A.M.I.C.E.,
Exec Engineer, P.W.D.