A NEW OR IMPROVED MARKERS'S BUTT OR MANTLET, TOGETHER WITH AN IMPROVED DANGER FLAG, AND SIGNALS FOR RIFLE SHOOTING
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS, PATENT to Robert Thomas Williams, of Frome, in the County
of Somerset, Highway Surveyor, for the Invention of "A NEW OR
IMPROVED MARKERS'S BUTT OR MANTLET, TOGETHER WITH AN IMPROVED DANGER
FLAG, AND SIGNALS FOR RIFLE SHOOTING."
Sealed the 18th April 1867, and dated the 23rd October 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Thomas Williams
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd October 1866.
I, ROBERT THOMAS WILLIAMS, of Frome, in the County of Somerset,
Highway Surveyor, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"A NEW OR IMPROVED MARKERS'S BUTT OR MANTLET, TOGETHER WITH AN IMPROVED
DANGER FLAG, AND SIGNALS FOR RIPLE SHOOTING," to be as follows:-
The first part of my Invention consists in the employment of a folding
butt or mantlet whereby the marker may be entirely covered in, or the door
of the said mantlet may be thrown open to form a screen. The back and a
portion of the sides of the mantlet are made of cast iron, the other part of
the sides and top may either be made of wood cased with iron or of sheet
iron on iron or wood framework.

page_text: The second part of my Invention consists in the construction and employ-
ment of a danger flag as follows:-I fit a flag, which may be red or other
color, upon a roller in front, above, or behind the target, and this roller I
connect with the mantlet by a cord, chain, or otherwise, so that it is under
the command of the marker in or behind the mantlet, and in such manner
that when he wishes to indicate danger the flag is caused to uncoil and to
cover or partially cover the front of the target.
The third part of my Invention consists in the employment of signals for
signalling shot constructed in the following manner :-To the end of a rod or
pole I connect by preference four discs, but of course less or more may be used
if desired, each disc bearing a different color or-mark, for example, No. 1 may
have a black centre and white rim to denote a "bull's-eye;" No. 2, a red
disc to denote a "centre"; No. 3, a white disc to denote an outer, and
No. 4 a black disc to denote a "miss." The pole may be fixed close to the
marker in order that he may show either of the signals as required, or the
pole is connected by means of an endless rope or chain with the mantlet, so
that by communicating motion thereto either signal may be exhibited as
required. By the arrangement before described the marker need not leave
his mantlet until all firing has ceased, and consequently many accidents may
be thereby avoided.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Thomas Williams in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 18th April 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
THOMAS WILLIAMS, of Frome, in the County of Somerset, Highway Surveyor,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Robert Thomas Williams, Her special licence that I, the said Robert
Thomas Williams, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Robert Thomas Williams, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of

page_text: Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "A NEW OR IMPROVED MARKER'S BUTT OR MANTLET, TOGETHER
WITH AN IMPROVED DANGER FLAG. AND SIGNALS FOR RIFLE SHOOTING," upou
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Thomas Williams, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the.said Robert Thomas Williams, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, that
is to say...
The first part of my Invention consists in the employment of a fulling
butt or mantlet, whereby the marker may be entirely covered in, or the door
of the said mantlet may be thrown open to forin a screen. The back and
a portion of the sides of the mantlet are made of cast iron, the other part
of the sides and top may either be made of wood cased with iron or of
sheet iron on iron or wood framework.
The second part of my Invention consists in the construction and employ-
ment of a danger flag as follows:-I fit a flag, which may be red or other
color upon a roller in front, above, or behind the target, and this roller I
connect with the mantlet by a cord, chain, or otherwise, so that it is under
the command of the marker in or behind the mantlet, and in such manner
that when he wishes to indicate danger the flag is caused to uncoil and to
cover or partially cover the front of the target.
The third part of my Invention consists in the employment of signals for
signalling shot constructed in the following manner :-To the end of a rod
or pole I connect by preference four discs, but of course less or more may be
used if desired, each disc bearing a different colour or mark; for example,
No. 1. may have a black centre and white- rim to denote & "bull's-eye;"
No. 2 a red disc to denote "a centre;" No. 8 a white disc to denote
an outer;" and No. 4 a black disc to denote "a miss." The pole may be
ixed close to the marker, in order that he may show either of the signals
s required, or the pole is connected by means of an endless rope or chain
with the mantlet, so that by communicating motion thereto either signal may
e exhibited as required. By the arrangement before described the markeri

page_text: need not leave his mantlet until all firing has ceased, and consequently many
accidents may thereby be avoided.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a view in horizontal section of
a mantlet constructed according to my Invention; it is shown open and
ready for the firing at a target or targets to commence, and this mantlet is
particularly designed for rifle ranges where the butts of different classes are
placed on both sides; Figure 2 is a view in horizontal section of a mantlet
for ranges where the butts. or targets are placed on one side only, in other
respects it is similar to that shown at Figure 1; Figure 3 is a view also in
horizontal section of a double mantlet adapted for ranges where two targets
of the same class are used one on each side. The Drawing shows the mantlet
closed or when not in use, the doors being shut up and locked and the iron
plates for protecting the glass closed and bolted. Figure 4 is a longitudinal
section of a mantlet similar to that shown at Figures 1 and 3, showing
openings left by the door when ready for working the wiping-out rod, also
showing my improved signal in position; Figure 5 is a vertical section of a
similar mantlet, also showing my signal, but set in a different position to that
in which it is placed in the previous view; Figures 6 and 7 are views of my
improved danger flag fitted to a target, Figure 6 showing the position of the
flag at commence, firing," and Figure 7 its position at "cease firing;"
Figures 8 and 9 are views of a wiping-out rod and brushes and signal disc
for special signals. Similar letters of reference refer to like parts in all the
Figures.
A is the mantlet, which I prefer making of a square or oblong shape to
form a box or hut and roofed. I prefer to make the back and sides or that
part enclosing the marker of cast or wrought iron or stone, the remainder
may be made of iron, or as shown of wood cased with iron; I prefer to form
the roof of iron. B, B, are the doors hinged to the mantlet, as best shown at
Figure 4, which I prefer to keep open when the mantlet is in use, and in
the positions shown at Figures 1, 2, and 4; C, C, are pieces of glass inserted
in apertures formed in the sides of the mantlet, as shown. I prefer to use
two pieces of glass on each side, in order that should the outer become
broken by accident the marker will not be injured by splinters from the glass,
nor need the shooting be stopped; D, D, are metal plates hinged to the
sides of the mantlet to form shutters and protect the glass when the mantlet
is not in use; E is the signal pole, which in some cases is placed at or about
the centre of the mantlet, as shown at Figures 1, 2, 4, and 5, and in other
cases at the sides, as in Figure 3; it is worked by the marker, who is
provided with a scat F. The lower end of the pole is stepped in 'the base

page_text: of the mantlet, and is surrounded. by a metal pillar with a notch or notches'
formed in the top thereof; four arms or handles are inserted in the pole for
communicating motion thereto. There is a bearing G, by preference of
brass, at the top of the mantlet through which the rod passes. The top
of the pole carries two plates H, I, varying in size according to the ranges.
for which they are required, by preference circular, and forming four discs,³
each being colored differently to represent the four different values of the
slots, for example, "bull's-eye," black centre, white rim; "centre" red /
"outer" white; "miss" black. The bandles are colored to correspond with
the color of the discs with which they are parallel, and the marker in moving
the handle of the required color and placing it in the notch in the block,
at the same time moves and exposes to the view of the shooter and score-
keeper or others, the corresponding colored disc, thus indicating the value
of the last shot fired, and this is done without the necessity of the marker
leaving his seat within the mantlet: If the last shot fired is of similar value
to the previous shot, the signal is shifted and returned to its original position,'
but if not a bandle of another color is placed in the notch and another
value represented.
The danger flag for signalling danger, shown at Figures 6 and 7,-is con-
structed and acts in the following manner :-a is the flag, which may be red
or other color; it is united at one end to a roller b, and weighted at the
other. The roller is united to a quadrant c centred at d; e is a cord in
connection with the roller b, and the mantlet f is a weighted chain or cord
passing over a roller 9, and connected to the quadrant cat c; h is the butt
or target. The action is as follows:-By releasing the cord's the roller b is
raised over the face of the butt or target by the action of the weight at the
end of the chain f, and the flag a descends and covers the whole or a 'portion
only of the face of the target or butt, but at the same time does not touch
it. The danger signal being thus given the firing ceases, the marker can
repaint the target, and on returning to the mantlet and pulling the string the
reverse action takes place, the flag is furled behind the target and out of the
reach of the shots.
The poles shown at Figures 8 and 9 are used for wiping out marks on
the target, and making certain signals such as "high right," "low left," the
pole with the brush or signal attached is put out through the joint of the
door, as shown in Figure 1, and in this Figure a target is shown on each
side of the mantlet.
By the use of these mantlets, flags, and signals for rifle shooting, the value
of the shots are better signalled than heretofore, and the disputes which

page_text: often arise by the present method of signalling with discs and flags are pre-
vented, and great protection is at the same time afforded to the makers
at the butts.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I do not limit myself
to the particular arrangements, as, for example, of the discs or signals herein-
before given, or to the colours marked thereon, as it is obvious the same may
be varied without departing from the essential features of the Invention ;
but I claim,-
First, the construction of folding butts or mantlets, substantially in manner
herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Second, the construction, employment, and method of acti n of danger
flags for showing whether the butt is clear or not for firing, substantially as
herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Third, the employment of signals for telegraphing the value of shots from
targets to the shooters or others, constructed and acting substantially in
manner berein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Thomas Williams, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.