Improvements in or Additions to Aerial or Thrown Targets.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Apr., 1991-Accepted, 16th May, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or Additions to Aerial or Thrown Targets.
We, WILLIAM PALMER JONES of Bath Street in the City of Birmingham,
Manufacturer, and EDWIN GEORGE ANSON of Slaney Street, Birmingham
aforesaid, Gun Manufacturer, 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 :-
This invention relates to aerial targets, or to targets directed into the air, for
practice in shooting, and is an improvement upon application for Letters Patent
dated the 5th day of May 1890 and No. 6897, and of which William Palmer
Jones am the assignee.
Our said invention relates 1st in an inflated target. 2ndly in a double target.
3rdly an addition to targets for steadying their flight.
The first part consists primarily in the employment of a naked and inflated
thin india-rubber ball, and the second and third parts, in providing a target with
a tail, having at its end an inflated india-rubber or other ball or target of any
configuration.
In carrying out one form of our invention we connect to the back or back part
of a target, which may be projected or directed into the air by various means, a
tail in the form of a length of string, having at its extremity, an inflated and
uaked india-rubber ball of any color, or other target, capable of being broken or
destroyed whilst in mid air, by the act of firing, which target if desired, may
contain dust, powder, liquid or gaseous matter, so that on the target being struck
by a missile or shot, in the case of an india rubber ball containing dust, the same
collapses or shrivels up, with a puff, indicating that it has been hit.
A target thus provided with an inflated attachment, is steadied and counter-
poised in its flight
The inflated target may be thrown or impelled into the air, by a ball, bolt,
bullet, snug or shaft, and which objects are impelled or projected into the air, either
by spring traps, cross hows, catapults, line-throwing guns and other throwing
devices.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, represents in elevation, a target or
bird target, provided with a tail, with an inflated rubber ball at its end, whereby
the flight of the said target, is steadied, and counterpoised, and further, by having
an inflated ball as the counterpoise to the tail, a simple and inexpensive second
target is obtained, so that a sportsman is enabled to have a double shot from a
single rise target, or a single throw of the trap, or throwing line; and further, by
the providing of the said target with a tail, the flight can be regulated and easy
or other shots or marks obtained.
The said Figure1, represents a throwing line, as described in the Specification
aforesaid.
By employing inflated thin rubber balls as flying targets or accessories of other
targets, which may be made in the form of a sphere, bird or other object, a con-
siderable advantage to a sportsman is obtained, as the said inflated balls when
struck, collapse, and when containing powder, a puff is emitted.
We propose that the rubber should be of a very attenuated character, and if
necessary, the same may be inflated with an inflammable gas, which would ignite
on the enclosing skin being penetrated. We may employ bladder, or any like
distensible material, or we may employ as a counterpoise, a tuft of paper, or any
other suitable material.
Figure 2 represents the target Figure 1, and its accessory inflated target, upon
an enlarged scale.
a is the primary target or bird target, and is the accessory or auxiliary

page_text: inflated one, and which latter as aforesaid, is made from thin rubber, of any size,
and blown out to the required dimensions: and which targets are connected
together, by a line or string c, of any suitable length, and which constitutes the
tail, which is connected respectively at its ends, to the rear of the primary bird or
target, and to the neck or front of the inflated one.
In the throwing line as represented in Figure 1, the line has only to be depressed
as represented in the dotted lines, and suddenly released, when the primary target
is impelled, drawing behind it, the inflated one, through the intervention of the
line or string e, which as aforesaid, forms the tail, and steadies the bird in its
flight.
Figure 3 represents a ball target, provided with a tail, having an inflated ball
target at its end.
a is the primary target, 6 the secondary and inflatod one, and c is the tail string
or line.
Our inflated target may if necessary be weighted, to admit of it being impelled
into the air by itself.
Thus the weight employed to give impetus to the target and overcome the
resistance offered by the air to its flight when impelled and liberated from the
trap, may be made in the form of a clip or holder, which embraces the said
inflated balloon, bag, bladder or the like across its middle, so that the same
resembles in form when held, the figure or shape of a bird, with open wings.
The said clip may be a spring one, or it may consist of gripping arms or jaws
pressed home by a spring, and drawn to by a screw or other device, and which
said clip and holder, may be arranged to give any desired figure to the inflated
balloon, bag, sack or the like, according to the shape and formation of branches or
arms.
The said clips, weights or counterpoising carriers, are, with the inflated targets,
thrown by traps usually employed in throwing free or liberated targets.
Figure 4 represents a primary target or carrier, with an inflated and secondary
target upon its back, or upon its top side, and secured thereon by a cord or clip
directed across the middle of the inflated one. a is a primary target or carrier,
b the inflated target, and c a string or cord, whose outer end or ends are secured
by tying or other means.
Figure 5 represents an air inflated target, consisting of an inflated india-rubber
or other bag, held by a clip directed across its middle, and which holder and clip,
constitutes both a holder, and a means for throwing or impelling the same through
the air. is the inflated target, divided about its middle by a clip, or a combined
clip and holder c.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
:-
First An inflated target, composed preferably of thin india rubber and of the
shape of a sphere, bird or other object, which when hit by a sportsman during
its flight through the air, collapses, or shrivels up, with the emission of a puff of
powdered material, if charged with dust, substantially as set forth.
Secondly In an aerial or thrown target, the combination with an inflated ball,
or other inflated shaped object, of a carrying weight, substantially as set forth.
Thirdly In an aerial or thrown target, for shooting purposes, the combination
with the said target, or a primary target, of a tail with an inflated ball or other
inflated object at its end, as a secondary target, and which said secondary target,
regulates the flight of the primary one for easy shots, substantially as set forth.
Fourthly-In an aerial or thrown target for shooting practice, the combination
with the primary thrown or projected object, of a tail, having at its end, a
secondary target, composed of glass, porcelain or other suitable material, whereby
double shots can be obtained on a single throw or projection, substantially as set
forth.

page_text: :-
Fifthly The combined means for clipping, holding and throwing the inflated
targets as herein described and set forth.
Sixthly In free or liberated aerial targets, and the means employed in using
them, holding and throwing them, substantially as described and set forth.
Dated this 11th day of April 1891.
WILLIAM PALMER JONES.
EDWIN GEORGE ANSON.
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.