IMPROVEMENTS IN' THE. METHOD OF ARRANGING AND OPERATING DISAPPEARING TARGETS OR DUMMIES FOR MILITARY PURPOSES AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I, EDMUND CARTER PLANT, of Clifton College, Clifton, in the County of
Gloucester, Lieutenant-Colonel commanding Bristol Volunteer Engineers, do hereby
declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN' THE. METHOD OF
ARRANGING AND OPERATING DISAPPEARING TARGETS OR DUMMIES FOR MILITARY
PURPOSES AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR," to be as follows:-
Under this invention the targets or dummies; preferably made of papier mâché,
cardboard, mill-board or, wood, or consisting of skeleton frames covered with
canvas or other light and suitable material, are fitted to brackets hinged to chairs
secured to sleepers or beams embedded or partially embedded in earth behind a
parapet. The targets may be of varied form and dimensions and made to
represent human figures or objects of different kinds. The brackets supporting
them are capable of being intermittently raised and lowered by a marker or other
attendant operating them accordingly, from the butt or hut in which he is
sheltered, through the medium of a lever or rod. Each target may thus be made
to appear above the crest of the parapet and so become visible to a skirmisher, or
to disappear from view by being lowered behind the parapet, at will. The targets
may be arranged to act singly or they may be placed in a row or rows and the
brackets supporting them connected or coupled to cach other whereby several
targets may be simultaneously operated by one marker or attendant. The targets
may be readily unshipped and removed from the brackets for observing or
recording the effect or result of shooting, and fresh targets affixed. If desired the
targets may be made of metal.
The apparatus, is equally adapted for use on, low-lying ranges and on ranges
otherwise situated."
By its use labour is saved and economy in cost of construction and fitting is
effected.
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,

page_text: T
I, EDMUND CARTER PLANT, of Clifton College, Clifton, in the County of
Gloucester, Lieutenant Colonél commanding The Bristol Volunteer Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
METHOD OF ARRANGING AND OPERATING DISAPPEARING TARGETS OR DUMMIES FOR
MILITARY PURPOSES, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR," and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:—
.I
>
Under my said invention the targets or dummies, which may be composed of
papier mâché, cardboard, millboard, wood, iron or other suitable material, or which
may consist of skeleton frames covered with canvas or other, light and suitable.
substance, are carried in brackets hinged to chairs secured to posts, beams or
supports partially sunk in earth behind a parapet.
The targets may be of varied form and dimensions and be made to represent
human figures or objects of different kinds. The brackets in which they are
carried are capable of being intermittently raised and lowered by a marker or other
attendant operating them accordingly, from a butt or hut or from behind a mantlet,
through the medium of a lever and connecting rod or rods, chain or chains, or rope
or ropes. The targets may be arranged to act singly, or they may be placed in a
row or in rows and the brackets by which they are carried coupled to each other
so that several targets may be simultaneously operated by one marker or attendant.
Referring to the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings, Fig 1 represents
a front view of a row or series of vanishing targets A disposed behind a parapet B
and secured in place in accordance with my said invention. Fig 2 represents a
transverse section of the parapet B and shows a target in side elevation. The
targets shown in the drawing have flat faces bearing representations of human
'figures. They may be composed of papier 'mâché, cardboard, millboard, wood iron
or other suitable substance. Instead of being flat they may be made in the form
of skeleton frames and be covered with canvas or other suitable and light material.
They may be of varied form and dimensions and may represent dummy objects of
different kinds.
t
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L.
41
The targets are carried in brackets C hinged, as seen more clearly in the enlarged
side view Fig and the back view Fig 3, at e to chairs D secured to posts or
beams E partially sunk in earth behind the parapet B as shown. The targets may
be conveniently and readily secured in the brackets C'by means of thumb screws F
on the inner ends of which are carried clamping plates f between which and the
body of the brackets the targets are clamped. The brackets C of the targets A are
coupled together by connecting rods or wires g attached to the arms of the said
brackets. The brackets C are capable of being tilted on their pivots e to assume a
horizontal or vertical position as may be desired, and thus the targets A may be
made to disappear below or re-appear above the crest of the parapet B. The

page_text: targets are operated accordingly by a marker or other attendant sheltered behind a
mantlet H or in a butt or hut or other place of security.
The lever I preferably employed for operating the targets is pivotted at k in the
chair L, secured to the post E. Fig 5 represents' an enlarged view of the back of
this lever, and Fig 6 a side view. The lever is made in the form of a cam of
varying radius.
The rope or chain i by which the lever I is connected to the nearest target is
attached to the hook at the small end of the lever and is passed over the grooves
formed in the lever. When raised into the position shown in the drawing, the
lever I may be maintained in that position, keeping the targets in view, by the
sliding pin s fitting into a recess formed for its reception in the post or support E'.
By adopting a lever of this type a series of targets is easily and readily operated.
Other forms of levers may, however, be adopted for the purpose, and where a
target stands apart an ordinary hand lever may be employed.
The method of arranging and actuating disappearing targets, and the apparatus
therefor, above described is equally adapted for use in low lying ranges and ranges
otherwise situated. The targets may be readily unshipped and removed from the
brackets C for observing or recording the effect or result of shooting or for other
purpose and fresh targets affixed.
Under this invention labour is saved and economy in cost of construction and
fitting is effected.
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 arranging disappearing targets or. dummies, either singly or in
coupled series, under which each target is held in a bracket pivotted to a support,
or to a chair such as C secured to such support, placed behind a parapet, the said
bracket being capable of operation by means of a lever or its equivalent so as to
turn on its pivot to cause the target or dummy carried by the bracket to appear
above or disappear below the crest of a parapet or other screen as may be desired,
substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn in the 'accompanying sheet of
drawings.