SELF INDICATING TARGET
Year: 1885

page_text: JAMES HARVEY JACK Blacksmith Viewforth Park Edinburgh do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for a SELF INDICATING TARGET to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object the formation of a Target by means of a number
of segments shaped in such a manner that they when placed together in possition -
will form the whole face of the Target, the segments are kept in their proper
possition by means of guides and springs, each segment when struck will register
the blow which will be shown on an Indicator placed at the firing point, this result
is obtained by means of an electric apparatus placed in rear of the Target and
connected to the Indicator by a line wire, each segment may also be raised to
prevent the bullet stricking two parts at the same time, the centre or bulls eye
being the highest.
And my Invention further consists in the electrical apparatus which is placed in
rear of the Target and may be described as follows-the apparatus consists of as
many electro-magnets placed in a circle or circles as there are segments in the
target with their Armatures projecting inwards and having in the end of each
armature a pin or stud, each electro-magnet is connected by a wire to the corre-
sponding terminal of its particular segment on the Target and also to its own
armature, while the other end is led to an extra Electro Magnet & Armature which
is used to govern the motions of clockwork. In the centre of the series of electro-
magnets there is placed a lever and star head fixed on the same spindle and driven
by the clock work above refered to, this starhead has as many teeth and spaces as
there are segments in the Target. On the clockwork being released by the
armature of its Electro Magnet the starhead begins to revolve and can in one
revolution make and break contact with a spring as often as there are segments in
the Target and as there are teeth and spaces in the starhead. The starhead is
connected to one pole of a Battery the other pole of which is led to the earth, while
the spring which makes and breaks contact with this starhead is connected by a
line wire leading to the indicator coils placed in the interior of the indicator, and
thence to the earth. Any segment of the Target will make contact with this
apparatus whenever it is struck by closing an electrical circuit and putting two
springs in contact, there will be as many sets of springs as there are segments in
the Target, one spring of each set being connected to a terminal to which terminal
one of the electro-magnets is also connected, the other spring being connected to

page_text: one pole of a Battery the other pole being led to the earth. When any armature is
brought down by the current its pin or stud makes contact with a spring connected
to the same pole of the Battery as the Target Springs and it will remain down till
the line is broken at the range or firing point. And my Invention further consists
in the Indicator which is placed at the firing point consisting of a coloured dial
representing the discs presently in use and made with as many divisions as there
are segments in the Target, and having a vane or needle travelling over it and
fixed to the spindle of an excapement having half the number of teeth as there are
segments in the target, on the escapement I place a pallet having an armature fixed
to its spindle allowing the escapement on contact being made by the line wire from
the spring & starhead to move forward half the distance between two teeth and
on the current being broken to move a similar distance and so on.
This vane or needle is always brought back to zero before another shot is fired at
the Target. And my Invention further consists in placing beside the Indicator a
reference Target lined off and numbered to correspond with the Target fired at and
also with the Indicator.

page_text: JAMES HARVEY JACK of Viewforth Park, Edinburgh, Blacksmith do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for SELF INDICATING TARGET and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
My invention has for its object the formation of a Target by means of a number
of segments shaped in such a manner that they when placed together in position
will form the whole face of the Target, the segments are kept in their position by
means of guides and springs, each segment when struck will register the blow
which will be shown on an indicator placed at the firing point, this result is
obtained by means of an electric apparatus placed in rear of the Target and
connected to the Indicator by a line wire, each segment may also be raised to
prevent the bullet from striking two at the same time, the centre or bull's eye
being the highest; and my invention further consists in the electrical apparatus
which is placed in rear of the Target and may be described as follows:-The
apparatus consists of as many Electro Magnets placed in a circle or circles as there
are segments in the Target with their Armatures projecting inwards and having in
the end of each Armature a pin or stud, each Electro Magnet is connected by a
wire to the corresponding terminal of its particular segment on the Target and also
to its own Armature, while the other end is led to a releasing Electro Magnet and
Armature which is used to govern the motions of clockwork. In the centre of the
series of Electro Magnets there is placed a leaver and starhead fixed on the same
spindle and driven by the clockwork above referred to, this starhead has as many
teeth and spaces as there are segments in the Target; on the clockwork being
released by the armature of its electro magnet the starhead begins to revolve and
can in one revolution make and break contact with a spring as often as there are
segments in the Target and as there are teeth and spaces in the starhead. The
starhead is connected to one pole of a battery, the other pole of which is led to the
earth, while the spring which makes and breaks contact with the starhead is
connected by a line wire leading to the Indicator Coils placed in the interior of the
Indicator and thence to earth, any segment of the Target will make contact with
this apparatus whenever it is struck by closing. an electrical circuit; and forcing
two springs into contact, there will be as many sets of springs as there are segments
in the Target, one spring of each set being connected to a terminal, to which
terminal one of the Electro Magnets is also connected, the other spring being
connected to one pole of a battery, the other pole being led to earth. When any
armature is brought down by the current its pin or stud makes contact with a
spring connected to the same pole of the battery as the Target springs and it will
remain down till the line is broken at the range or firing point. And my
invention further consists in the Indicator which is placed at the firing point
consisting of a coloured dial representing the discs presently in use and made with
as many divisions as there are segments in the Target and having a vane or needle
travelling over it and fixed to the spindle of an escapement having half the
number of teeth as there are segments in the Target on the escapement I place a
pallet having an armature fixed to its spindle allowing the escapement on contact
being made by the line wire from the spring and starhead to move forward half
the distance between two teeth, and on the current being broken to move a similar

page_text: distance and so on this vane or needle is always brought back to zero before
another shot is fired at the Target. And my invention further consists in placing
beside the Indicator a reference Target lined off and numbered to correspond with
the Target fired at and also with the Indicator.
Having thus stated the nature of the said invention I will proceed to describe
more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed by the aid of the
accompanying drawings in which are represented the Target and the manner of
working the same herein before referred to.