Year: 1886

page_text: We WILLIAM TROTMAN of the Caledonian Hôtel, Bridge Street, Hôtel keeper
and HENRY TROTMAN of 76 Northern Road, Marine Engineer, both of Southampton
in the County of Hants, do hereby declare the nature of said invention to be as
follows:-
Our invention has for its object a simple and cheap arrangement of moveable
target apparatus.
For this purpose we employ a target which may be of any desired form such as
that of a rabbit, hare, deer or other animal or object which is provided on its side
with a guide to receive a card or other tablet which would retain a record of the
shots striking the same and which can be renewed when desired.
This target we provide with a pair of supporting grooved rollers fixed thereto by
suitable connections from which the target depends, these rollers run on an inclined
wire strained between two posts or other supports. We preferably arrange these
inclined wires in pairs each of which is inclined in a contrary direction to the
other so that a target may be caused to run from each end at will.
At each end of the wires is a board or cover extending any desired length along
the wires for the purpose hereinafter described.
The targets are each provided with means whereby they may be made fast at the
upper ends of the strained wires and readily released therefrom when required.
The targets when released run by their own gravity along the wires and in order
to prevent their being shot at before they have attained a proper speed the said
covers or boards are employed to conceal the same during the first part of their
motion.

page_text: We WILLIAM TROTMAN of the Caledonian Hotel, Bridge Street, Hotel-keeper
and HENRY TROTMAN of 76 Northam Road, Marine Engineer, both of Southampton
in the County of Hants, 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 :--
Our invention has for its object a simple and cheap arrangement of moveable
target apparatus.
For this purpose we employ a target which may be of any desired form such as
that of a rabbit, hare, deer, birds or other animal or object which is provided on
its side with a guide to receive a card or other tablet which would retain a record
of the shots striking the same and can be renewed when desired.
This target we provide with a pair of supporting grooved rollers fixed thereto by
suitable connections from which rollers the target depends; these rollers run on an
inclined.wire strained between two posts or other supports.
We preferably arrange these inclined wires in pairs, each of which is inclined in
a contrary direction to the other so that a target may be caused to run from each
end at will.
At the upper end of each wire is a board plate or cover forming a kind of trap
extending any desired length along the wires, for the purpose hereinafter described.
The targets are each provided with means whereby they may be made fast at the
upper ends of the strained wires and readily released therefrom when required.
The targets when released run by their own gravity, or they may be propelled
along the wires and in order to prevent their being shot at before they have
attained a proper speed, the said covers, plates, boards or traps are employed to
conceal the same during the first part of their motion.
And in order that our said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, we will proceed aided by the accompanying drawings more fully
to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a front elevation representing our improvements in or connected with
moveable targets. Figure 2 is a sectional front elevation and Figure 3 is an eleva-
tion drawn at right angles thereto of the upper part of one of the posts. Figure 4
is a front elevation and Figure 5 is a top view or plan of the moveable target or
"rabbit." separately and Figures 6 and 7 are two elevations drawn at right angles
to each other, and Figure 8 is a plan or top view representing a slight modification.
In carrying our invention into effect we employ a target a which may be of any
desired form such as that of a rabbit, as shown in the drawings, or in the form of
a bare, deer or other animal or object which is provided on its side with a guide or
holder a¹ to receive a card or other tablet b which would retain a record of the
shots striking the same and which can be renewed when desired, the used card or
tablet being handed to the sportsman.
7

page_text: This target we provide with a pair of supporting grooved rollers a³ fixed thereto
by suitable connections and from which rollers as the target a depends; in the
drawing the target is represented to be formed of two plates fixed at a short
distance apart by suitable studs and rivets, and between the upper parts of which
the rollers a' are mounted on suitable studs or pins a³.
The rollers a³ run on an inclined strained wire c one end of which is supported
by passing over a pulley d carried at the upper end of a post d whence it descends
to and is connected to a peg stake or rod e driven at an angle into the ground, a
screw coupling c being interposed between the pulley d and the peg e to facilitate
the straining of the wire c.
The lower end of the wire is connected to a peg or bar f which is driven at an
angle into the ground.
We preferably arrange the inclined wires c in pairs as shown each of which is
inclined in a contrary direction to the other and the lower ends of both of which
are connected to the peg or bar f so that a target a may be caused to run from each
end at will.
At the upper end of each wire c is a board, plate, cover or trap g, extending any
desired length along the wires for the purpose hereinafter described.
The targets a are each provided with a pin or stud a* to act in combination with
a spring catch h mounted at the upper end of each post d to enable the targets to
be made fast at the upper ends of the strained wires c and such spring catches h
are provided with cords or wires h¹ by which they can be readily acted upon when
it is required to release the targets.
In the arrangement represented by Figures 1 to 5 the targets when released
from the posts d by unhooking the spring catches h from the pins or studs a ran
by their own gravity along the wires c and in order to prevent their being shot at
before they have attained a proper speed the said covers or boards g are employed
to conceal the same during the first part of their motion.
A board, plate, cover or trap i is also placed at the lower ends of the wires c to
form a screen to the moveable targets when they have arrived at the lower ends of
the wires c and thus prevent their being shot at when at rest in such position.
In the modification represented at Figures 6, 7 and 8 the posts d are each
provided with a spring lever or starter j which works in a guide ji and acts against
a block or stud as between the two plates of the target a by which means as soon
as the spring catch h is pulled so as to liberate the target from the post d the spring
lever or starter; will at once give a considerable impetus to the target.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that
what we claim is :-
The improved moveable target apparatus substantially as herein shown and
described.
WILLIAM TROTMAN.
HENRY TROTMAN.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings,
Agents.