IMPROVEMENTS IN MOVING TARGENTS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Morris of N° 29 Cleopatra Grove Blackheath
$5
in the County of Kent for an invention of · IMPROVEMENTS IN MOVING
TARGENTS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Morris at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th June 1882.
RICHARD MORRIS of No 29 Cleopatra Grove Blackheath in the County of Kent
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MOVING TARGETS"
In practising with fire arms it is often desirable to have a moving target such as
the representation of a man or animal moving across an open space of the target.
My invention relates to a simple construction of targets of this kind whereby I am
enabled to vary the speed of the moving object. For this purpose I attach the
object to a belt or band which moves over pullies, the object presenting itself above
the belt which as well as the pullies is shielded by the target. To this belt or to a
pulley on the same axis with one of the belt pullies I attach a vertical plunger
which works in a barrel or tube. The lower end of this barrel is immersed in
water and has a valve opening upwards and an outlet governed by an adjustable
cock or valve. When the plunger is raised the barrel becomes filled with water
entering through the valve and the object is then on a part of the belt shielded,
but when the plunger is left free to descend, it descends at a speed determined by
the extent to which the outlet cock or valve is opened, thereby causing the object
to pass the open space of the target at a corresponding speed. The moving object
may be made to various scales to represent the natural size at different ranges.
Several targets such as I have described may be placed side by side with one belt
common to them all, and the several objects fixed on different parts of the belt,
corresponding with the several targets.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Richard Morris in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th December 1882.
RICHARD MORRIS of No 29 Cleopatra Grove, Blackheath in the County of Kent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MOVING TARGETS"
--
In practising with fire arms it is often desirable to have a moving target such as
the representation of a man or animal moving across an open space of the target.
My invention relates to a simple construction of targets of this kind whereby I am
enabled to vary the speed of the moving object. For this purpose I attach the
object to a belt or band which moves over pullies, the object presenting itself above
or both above and below the belt which as well as the pullies is shielded by the
target. To this belt or to a pulley on the same axis with one of the belt pullies I
attach a vertical plunger which works in a barrel or tube. The lower end of this
barrel is immersed in water and has a valve opening upwards and an outlet
governed by an adjustable cock or valve. When the plunger is raised the barrel
becomes filled with water entering through the valve and the object is then on a
part of the belt shielded, but when the plunger is left free to descend, it descends
at a speed determined by the extent to which the outlet cock or valve is opened,
thereby causing the object to pass the open space of the target at a corresponding
speed. The moving object may be made to various scales to represent the natural
size at different ranges... Several targets such as I. have described may be placed
side by side with one belt common to them all, and the several objects fixed on
different parts of the belt, corresponding with the several targets.
Fig. 1 is a front view partly in section and Fig. 2 is an end view of a moving
target according to my invention. It consists of a frame on which are mounted
two pullies A and B having an endless band C passing round them. On the axis
of the pulley A are two other pullies D and E. A band passing round D is attached
to a plunger F which works in a vertical cylinder G. At the bottom of this
cylinder there is a pipe dipping into water in a vessel, and provided with a cock or
valve which can be adjusted by hand to give more or less passage for the water.
A band or cord P passing round E is led by a guide pulley H along the ground
to the place where the marksmen stand. On the band C are fixed a number of
pieces of cardboard or other suitable material, on which are marked target lines or
figures of men or animals, or the cards could be cut to the outlines of the figures.
The framing of the target is made with a horizontal piece K to protect the band C
and with upright pieces L to conceal the target cards at each end of their stroke.
This apparatus is worked in the following manner. An attendant pulling the band
or cord P causes the pulley A to turn, and the band C is thus caused to move so as
to bring all the targets behind the pieces L, at the same time the plunger F is
drawn up, water rising behind it into the cylinder G. On letting go the cord P the
plunger F descending by its weight causes the several target cards to move across
the spaces between the upright pieces L, and while they so move they are fired at.
The velocity of their movement can be adjusted as desired by more or less closing
or opening the cock or valve in the pipe of the cylinder G and so more or less
throttling the discharge, the speed being thus regulated so as to suit the scale
corresponding to any particular range.
Having thus described the nature of my invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, I claim :-
The construction of moving target wherein the speed of the moving obiect is

page_text: regulated by more or less throttling the issue of liquid from a cylinder fitted
with a piston or plunger connected to the object substantially as herein described.
In Witness whereof I the said Richard Morris have hereunto set my hand and
seal this eighth day of December in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
RICHARD MORRIS (LS.)