IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAPS AND BALLS FOR GUN PRACTICE
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Wellington Greener, of St. Mary's Works,
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, and 68, Haymarket, in the County
of Middlesex, Gun Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAPS
AND BALLS FOR GUN PRACTICE."
Sealed the 12th December 1879, and dated the 18th June 1879,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Wellington Greener
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th June 1879.
WILLIAM WELLINGTON GREENER, of St. Mary's Works, Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, and 68, Haymarket, in the County of Middlesex, Gun Maker.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAPS AND BALLS FOR GUN PRACTICE."
This Invention relates to ball traps used for purposes of throwing up balls for
shooting practice, and improved balls for the same.
My improvements consist in combining the three systems employed in the
American traps. I take the coil spring of the "Huber" pattern with his method of
arresting same, and gradiating scale to regulate distance of ball to be thrown.
I take the spring catch which has three or four catches instead of one, thus
obtaining a graduating scale at each end of trap.
This catch is a modification of the "Bogardus" patterns.
I take the centre pivot of the "Hatch" pattern, which enables the trap to revolve
and to be set in any direction by means of a tightening screw on centre pivot.
The balls are prevented from breaking by jar caused by the spring when released
by means of a coating of indiarubber or like material cemented around the spring
or wire that forms the cup.
The combination of the three above patterns enables a far more efficient result,
and is susceptible of great variations.
My Invention relates to improvements in the card revolving trap, and I so con-
struct it that the spring cannot be released when in a position to throw the ball
towards the shooter; this is accomplished by leaving a projecting swell on one side
of the centre tube, round which the arms revolve on a sleeve, and which swell
prevents the trap from being released when in a position to throw the ball towards
the shooter.
To prevent the ball from falling off spring when trap is rotating, I affix on to
spring an indiarubber or flexible socket that grips the ball with an even pressure,
or leave it as ears which has same effect.

page_text: My improvement in balls for the said trap consists in making a ball of wood or
other suitable material on which I place two caps of paper, canvas, or suitable
material in envelopes, half spherical in form, and these caps are steeped in or coated
with an explosive mixture, or the mixture may be inserted between the paper or
suitable material, so that upon the shots striking the said caps, they explode and
show smoke, but the wooden hall is not destroyed, and may be recapped and used
over several times. The balls may also be made of papier machie, pulped wood, or
other material rendered explosive, and not requiring the paper or linen caps.
To increase the graduating throw of trap, and to convert into a double trap to
throw two balls at one and the same time, I make the spring with a space between
the two sides, forming it instead of binding them together, and into which I aflix
a metal, wood, or composite cap, through the bottom of which passes a pin, the
diameter of which is the same as the breadth of the space between the two sides of
spring, and the cup is allowed to be moved up and down, the spring being kept in
place by a leg, or cap, or pin passing through the bottom. The cup is fixed in any
position on the spring by a small thumb scrow, by a washer on said pin.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Wellington Greener in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th December 1879.
WILLIAM WELLINGTON GREENER, of St. Mary's Works, Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, and 68, Haymarket, in the County of Middlesex, Gun Maker.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAPS AND BALLS FOR GUN PRACTICE."
My Invention relates to ball traps used for purposes of throwing up balls for
shooting practice, and improved balls for the same.
My improvements consist in combining the three systemis employed in the
American traps; I take the coil spring of the "Huber" pattern with his method of
arresting same, and gradiating scale to regulate distance of ball to be thrown; I
take the spring catch, which has three or four catches instead of one, thus obtaining
a gradinting scule at each end of trap.
This catch is a modification of the Bogardus patterns; I take the centre pivot of
the Hatch pattern which enables the trap to revolve and to be set in any direction
by means of a tightening screw on centro pivot.
The balls are prevented from breaking by jar caused by the spring when released,
by means of a coating of india rubber or like material cemented around the spring
or wire that forms the cup.
The combination of the three above patterns enables a far more efficient result,
and is susceptible of great variations.
My Invention relates to improvements in the card revolving trap, and I so con-
struct it that the spring cannot be released when in a position to throw the ball
towards the shooter; this is accomplished by leaving a projecting swell on one
side of the centre tube, round which the arms revolve on a sleeve, and which swell
prevents the trap from being released when in a position to throw the ball towards
the shooter.
To prevent the ball from falling off spring when trap is rotating, I affix on to
spring an indiarubber or flexible socket that grips the ball with an even pressure,
or leave it with ears which has same effect.

page_text: To increase the gradiating throw of trap, and to convert into a double trap to throw
two balls at one and the same time, I make the spring with a space between the
two sides forming it, instead of binding them together, and into which I affix a
metal, wood, or composite cup, through the bottom of which passes a pin, the
diameter of which is the same as the breadth of the space between the two sides of
spring, and the cup is allowed to be moved up and down, the spring being kept
in place by a peg cup or pin passing through the bottom. The cup is fixed in
any position on the spring by a small thumbscrew and a washer on said pin.
My improvement in balls for the said traps consists in making a ball of wood or
other suitable material, on which I place two caps of paper, canvas, or suitable
material in envelopes of half spherical or other suitable form, and these caps are
steeped in or coated with an explosive mixture, or the mixture may be inserted
between the paper or suitable material, so that upon the shots striking the said
caps, they explode and detonate, or shew smoke or flame, but the wooden ball is
not destroyed, and may be recapped and used over several times. The balls may
also be made of papier machi, pulped wood, or other material rendered explosive,
and not requiring the paper or linen caps.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows the combination of the "Huber," " "Bogardus," and "Hatch"
pattern traps. A is the coil spring for projecting the ball; Bis the gradiating catch
into which the spring engages when the trap is set; it may have one, two, or more
notches, according to the amount of variation required; C is the pivot with
tightening thumbscrew which will enable the trap to be fixed to project the balls
in any desired direction; D is the gradiated stop for arresting spring A when
released from catch B, by placing the stop or arresting pin E in either of the holes
P, P, P; the spring is stopped at various distances, and the flight of the ball regu-
lated thereby; an india rubber washer is put on the stop pin E to lessen the jar of
the spring when it strikes against it; G, G, is the india rubber cushion cemented
upon and around the eye of the spring A, forming the socket for the ball, the
object of which is to prevent the breaking when the spring jars by coming into .
contact with the stop.
Figure 2 shews the card rotating trap; A is the swell upon the centre tube, around
which the arms and lever catch revolve. To release the spring catch C, the lever
catch b has to be depressed; this cannot be done when the lever catch B is over
the swelling A, and the trap being fixed with the swelling A on the side most
distant from the shooter, it is impossible for the ball to be projected in that direction;
D is the india rubber socket for the balls, and E, E, are the ears of india rubber or
other suitable material to prevent the ball falling off when the trap is revolving.
Figure 3 shews the spring with the hollow space; the sides A, A, are set apart,
leaving a space b, b, between them, the cups or socket C for holding the ball is
flattened at the bottom, or the base suitably shaped to fit upon or between the
sides of the spring a, a. D is the centre pin upon which the set pin E turns, and
by which the cup E is kept in its place upon the spring; by releasing the set screw
E the cup may be moved either up or down the spring, and fixed again in any
required position by tightening it.
Figure 4 shews a wooden ball enveloped in a covering of paper previously rendered
explosive.
Figure 5 shows the ball A of wood or other suitable material before being covered
with the envelope b, b; ears or elongated extremities c, c, are left upon the
explosive envelope b, b, to keep it from coming off the wooden ball a when being
handled or when flying through the air.
Figure 6 shews the extremities c, o, twisted, to prevent the envelope b, b, slipping
from the wooden ball until shot.
Figure 7 shews another form of envelope and method of attaching same. a is the
wooden ball; 6 is one half of the explosive cap or envelope, it being made in two

page_text: hemispheres; c is an elastic band or strap to prevent the envelope b, b, from
slipping off the wooden ball a, until struck by the shot.
Figure 8 shews similar form of envelope in which the envelopes b, b, are of the
same sliapo as those described in Fig. 7, and fit upon the wooden ball a; one cap is
larger than the other, and when fixed upon the wooden ball a, the odges overlap.
Figure 9 shews the envelopes and wooden ball in section and method of over-
lapping; a is the wooden ball; b is the larger cap; c, the smaller one; the smaller cap c
being first placed upon the ball a, the larger cap b is forced over the edge of the
cap c, presenting the appearance at D, D; this overlap is sufficient to prevent the
caps or envelopes B, &c., from slipping away from the ball A during its flight
through the air.
Having thus fully described and illustrated the nature of my Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. The combination of the coil spring, the gradiated stop for arresting
the same, and the gradiated spring catch and the centre pivot, or the combination
of any two or three, the whole arranged and operating substantially as and for the
purposes hereuntofore described.
Second. The coating of indiarubber upon the spring, for the purposes hereuntofore
described.
Third. The swell upon one side of the centre tube of the "card" rotating ball
trap, the rubber socket fixed upon spring, and the rubber ears upon same, the
whole arranged and operating substantially as and for the purposes hereuntofore
described.
Fourth. The form of spring with hollow space between the sides, the sliding or
movable cup, the pin through the said cup, and the thumbscrew and washer upon
the said pin, all arranged and operating substantially as and for the purposes
hereintofore described.
Fifth. A covering or envelopes rendered explosive, that by being fixed upon a
ball (not in itself explosive), will, when struck by shot, detonate or emit flame, or
shew forth smoke, the whole arranged and operating substantially as and for the
purposes hereintofore described.
Sixth. A ball that will, upon being struck with shot, explode and cause a report,
or shew a flame, or emit smoke, the whole arranged substantially as and for the
purposes hereintofore set forth and described.
•
In witness whereof, I, the said William Wellington Greener, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
WIL.T.TAM WELLINGTON ABAYTAN