Improvements in or relating to Targets.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 24th May, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 17th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 21st Mar., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Targets.
I, ALEXANDER ADAM, of 6, Windsor Street, Edinburgh, in the County of
Midlothian, Lieutenant-Colonel, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in or relating to targets whereby certain
advantages may be obtained and it is designed to facilitate instruction in sighting
and aiming drill, and to increase the interest taken in such drill by persons
practising it.
In carrying my invention into effect I employ targets which are so supported
arranged and disposed as to be capable of movement in any desired direction :
and the said movement may be produced by hand through the agency of mechanical
or electrical transmitting replacing and or adjusting devices or automatically by
suitable mechanical or electrical devices and in some instances by the impact of
the projectile employed. The said movement may be continuous or intermittent
and rectilinear or angular.
The targets may be of any convenient material and in some cases of such
material as to be perforated impressed or otherwise marked by the projectiles so as
to record the effects of the shooting practice.
I may employ my targets in connection with suitable containing cases bounding
walls or mantlets for the purpose of arresting and or breaking up the projectiles
and also in connection with suitable screens for the purpose of shielding the targets
or other objects from view and or persons shooting or other objects from the splash
or rebound of the projectiles.
The said cases walls or mantlets may be replacable and also adjustable as to
size and or position.
I sometimes adapt to my target or use in connection therewith a separate mark
or scale or the like which may be adjustable if desired, in order to admit of
practice with sights fixed for different distances.
Dated this 24th day of May 1900
J. G. LORRAIN, M.I.E.E., M.I.M.E.,
Norfolk House, Norfolk Street, Strand, London,
Patent Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Targets.
I, ALEXANDER ADAM, of 6, Windsor Street, Edinburgh, in the County of
Midlothian, Lieutenant-Colonel, 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 :-—
My invention consists of improvements in or relating to targets by which certain
advantages, such as the capability of carrying out certain features of practice
hereinafter to be referred to, and which have not hitherto been obtained in other
cognate inventions, as well as convenience and facility of operation, are obtained:
and it is designed to facilitate instruction in sighting and aiming drill, and to
increase the interest taken in such drill by persons practising it.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I shall proceed to

page_text: describe it with reference to the accompanying sheets of drawings in which similar
letters of reference apply to similar parts. In these drawings,
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the supporting frame with the range-frame and
the counterweight in mid position or nearly so, the said range-frame showing both
second and third class targets.
Figure 2 is a similar figure but with the range-frame at the lowest position of
the supporting frame and showing second class and running man targets.
Figure 3 is a front elevation of the range-frame.
Figure 4 is a right end elevation (left hand end as seen looking at Figures 1
and 2).
Figure 5 is a left end elevation (right hand end as seen looking at Figures 1
and 2).
Figure 6 is a plan and Figure 7 a transverse section of the range-frame.
Figure 8 is a front elevation,
Figure 9 is a side elevation and
Figure 10 a section of the jockey clip hereinafter referred to.
Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 are drawn to a similar scale, namely one-fourth of the size
of an actual apparatus constructed under my invention, Figures 1 and 2 to a
scale of one-eighth of actual size, Figure 7 to a scale of one-half of actual size.
Figures 8, 9, and 10 are full size. The range-frame shown is one adapted for a
squad of four men. To adapt the range-frame to a larger squad of men it is only
necessary to extend the length of the range-frame and increase the number of
targets.
desire it to be understood that the apparatus illustrated is to be accepted
merely as a type or example of my invention. I do not limit myself to the said
apparatus as set forth. It might be modified to a large extent without departing
from the spirit of my invention. The apparatus illustrated constitutes however
the best form of my invention with which I am acquainted at this date.
a similar cord for
D', Figures 3 to 7,
Each of these butts
Referring to Figures 1 and 2 A A is the supporting frame in which the range-
frame B slides in a vertically reciprocating direction. The said range-frame is
sustained by a cord or chain passing over the pulleys a a and is balanced in any
desired position by the counterweight C. The movement of the range-frame is
effected by means of a chain and sprocket wheel or by any other convenient
equivalent device. ¹¹are cords employed for moving the running man target.
12 is a cord for operating the third class target bar and
operating the pool target bar as hereinafter to be described.
represents what I term the lower butt and D2 the upper butt.
I construct of a back piece d' of sheet iron or steel and a front piece of wood.
This construction is advantageous for the reason that the back piece resists
penetration of the missile whilst the front piece being easily penetrable without
being too weak prevents back-splash. The said front pieces, which can be readily
replaced when worn out, are kept at a distance of about half an inch in front of
the back piece. The upper butt may frequently be dispensed with, as for example
when there are other screens behind the targets. The lower butt serves to protect
and screen the devices presently to be described.
Upon the said front-piece of the lower butt I place or mark the second class
targets E.
Behind the said lower butt is the third class target barf which carries the
third class targets F. This bar, which consists of two pieces of wrought iron
strip, attached together by screws placed at intervals, constitutes a clip for the
third class paste board targets, which are thrust between the two strips and there
held as in a clip. The said bar is sustained in bearings at both ends, and is free to
move in the said bearings through an angular distance of 90 degrees or there-
abouts. At the right hand bearing is a lever f¹ to which the cord is attached.
f2 is a counterweight attached to the same end of the bar f. When the cord b³ is
pulled by the instructor or operator the parts F, f₁, take up the positions shown

page_text: in Figure 4, so that the third class targets are in full view as shown in Figure 3,
the targets being upright. When however the cord is released, the counterweight f*.
descends, rotating the bar f and its attached parts through a quarter of a revolution
or thereabouts, so that the targets disappear from view, taking up the positions
shown in the dotted lines in Figure 7. In some cases it is desirable to lock the
said bar in such position that the targets shall be vertical, in which case the cord b
is pulled and a pin f, the ring shaped head of which is shown in Figures 3, 4
and 6, is passed through an orifice in the frame piece into a corresponding orifice
in the bar so as to lock the same.
1
In the rear of the third class target bar is the pool target barg which serves
to sustain the jockey clips which hold the pool targets G. The rod g is a square
one as shown and the jockey clips fit loosely thereon. The said jockey clips
consist of two pieces h², the riding piece having a square slot therein fitting
loosely over the rod and a threaded neck over which fits the rocking piece h³.
The rocking piece 2 has a projection extending downwards and serving as a
weight to retain the jockey clip in the position shown by the full lines in Figure 7.
Its upper part consists of a clipping device serving to grip the targets G. This
clipping device consists of a back piece against which the target G is pressed
and gripped by the thumb-screw h. To the riding piece is attached a pin or
projection, see Figures 6, 7, and 9, to which the cords are attached in order
to move the jockey clip longitudinally along the bar a when a jockey clip has the
running man target affixed therein. The bar g, like the bar f, is sustained so as to
be capable of an angular movement and is furnished with a lever and counter-
weight which fulfil the same functions with respect to the bar as the lever f
and the counterweight fulfil with regard to the bar. Similarly a locking pin,
whose head is shown in Figures 3, 6 and 7, fulfils the same function as does the
pin previously mentioned, the said pin passing through the frame piece 6.
When the bar is retained in the position shown in Figure 7, either by its being
locked by means of the pin g³ or through the cord being held tant by the
instructor at the firing point, and an iron or other resisting target is inserted in the
jockey clip, it will be seen that each time the said target is struck by a projectile
the target will be knocked over, the rocking piece 3 turning over the neck of the
riding piece /'. Immediately afterwards the target will be returned to its former
position, namely that shown by the full lines in Figure 7, by means of the weighted
projection ³, so that it can be fired at again. This recovery takes place steadily
without any objectionable wobbling (the screw-threaded parts tightening up) and
the target comes to rest at once, so that a great saving of time is effected. JJ are
guides attached to the range frame which slide in corresponding grooves in the
uprights of the supporting frame. The pins f³ and may serve not only to
retain the bars and in such position as to keep the targets upright, but also in
such position as to keep the targets down or out of sight.
It will thus be seen that the appearing and disappearing of the targets on bars f
and g as well as the movement of the running man target may be under the control
of the instructor. This is a great advantage over the usual plan of having the
movement of such targets controlled by a marker.
Another advantage due to the relative vertical positions of the second and third
class targets is that a shot aimed at a second class target, the necessary sighting
arrangements having been made, will strike a third class target above it or if a
key of the second class target be placed in the position of such third class target,
the said key will be struck when the second class target with which it corresponds
is aimed at. The arrangement of the second and third class targets with respect
to one another enables excellent practice to be obtained in rapidly and carefully
adjusting the sights of the rifles used when practice at the said two classes of
targets takes place alternately.
For the purpose of enabling field firing to be practised indoors I sometimes
place upon the lower butt a picture representing, for example, a military force in

page_text: a position on a height, having trees, houses, guns, cavalry and other objects drawn
thereon, to scale at say a thousand yards,, so that for example on the order being
given to a squad to fire a volley at the cavalry, it will aim at it at a thousand
yards adjustment, and the effect of the said fire will be registered through a paste
board key to the picture placed in the slit of the third class bar. I prefer to have
my second class targets in a fixed position as described; but, should it be desired,
such targets might easily be made movable after the manner set forth with reference
to third class targets.
In practice I sometimes find it convenient to attach pieces of lathing along the
tops and sides of the butts so as to close in the space between the front and back
pieces & so avoid splash emerging at such parts.
In my Provisional Specification I mentioned devices to which I have not
referred in this my Complete Specification. It is to be understood that I lay no
claim to the said devices unless they be mere equivalents of the novel devices set
forth in this Complete Specification.
It will of course be understood that my invention is primarily designed for use
with miniature ammunition.
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:-
1. The arrangement and combination of parts substantially as set forth with
reference to Figures 3, 4, 5, and 7.
2. The means of actuating the targets substantially as set forth.
3. The jockey clip substantially as set forth with reference to Figures 8, 9
and 10.
4. The specific apparatus set forth with reference to Figures 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.
Dated this Eleventh day of February 1891
ALEX. ADAM, Lt.-Col.
Per J. G. Lorrain, M. Inst. E.E., M. Inst. M.E.,
Norfolk House, Norfolk Street, Strand, London, W.C., Patent Agent.