Improvements in Apparatus for Instructing in Gunnery Practice.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 24th May, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 1 th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 23rd May, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Instructing in Gunnery Practice.
I, THOMAS JAMES DONALD Drill Hall Ninfield near Battle, Sussex, Comp.
Sergt. Major R.A. do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This instructional moving target is an apparatus by means of which the Royal
Artillery, and Volunteer Artillery can receive instruction in a gun shed in laying
ordnance on a moving object.
The apparatus consists of the following viz.—Ship with cords & 2 weights, lamp,
a graduated sliding board, pivot, graduated arc & tripod, 5 dials, dial stand &
tripod.
The ship is a pattern of H.M.S. Benbow of 10600 tons, made of brass 8" long
at water line, painted as a man of war having 5 port holes open, and is attached to
a tongue of wood 8" long 1" deep fitting in a groove on the sliding board, at the
back of ship is a lamp made of block tin fitted so as to cover the open port holes of
ship, through which the light is seen when using target in a badly lighted shed or
other place, two loops are attached to the ship, one at bows, and the other at the
stern, having cords made fast and passing over flanged wheels let into the ends of
sliding board, on the end of each cord is a 1 lb. weight.
The sliding board (is fitted on its edge) of polished wood 5' 4" long " thick,
2" deep at centre, tapered to 1* at each end, having a groove deep in edge (to
take tongue of ship) and a scale 4' long representing 1000 yds. let in a groove
wide and deep on the side of the board, the ends are fitted with flanged
wheels covered with brass mountings, the board is screwed to the brass flanged
pivot, and supported on either side by slight ribs of metal " high and 4" long
cast on the upper side of flanged pivot.
The pivot is two discs of gun metal working together, the upper one being 4′ in
diameter, and the lower one 4", on the upper one is fitted a small pointer, on the
lower one is graduated with degrees & minutes, reading from zero to 90° each way,
the lower disc is let into a polished disc of wood 8" in diameter attached to the top
of an ordinary tripod, the pivot being released or tightened by means of a thumb
nut on a bolt passing through the tripod.
Dials. There are 5 dials each 8" in diameter white enamelled, letters & figures
in black, Nos. 1, 2, 3 & 4 dials having a brass pointer 3" long pivoted in the centre
of dials.
No. 1. is a dial for showing range of ship from the gun in yards, also if it is
stationary, increasing or decreasing.
No. 2. will register the angle which the ship will make as regards its position
with the gun when on the move.
No. 3. will register the speed of the ship from 5 to 20 miles per hour.
No. 4. will register the force of wind and its direction which will be shown by
Dieans of a brass arrow 4" long pivoted at the top of dial.
No. 5. is a group officers distance dial, taking the place of a range finder,
showing the distance the ship will make when going at different angles from the
gun, being calculated at 1000 yds. from the gun, this dial will not be fixed to the
stand, but be in the possession of the person making the necessary calculation.
9.1

page_text: Dial stand & tripod. Nos. 1, 2, 3 & 4 dials are attached by means of stud and
screw to two strips of metal, made in the form of a cross, length of horizontal strip.
about 2', the length of the vertical strip 2' 6" and fixed at the lower end to a
round roll of metal, which slides vertically through a socket fixed in the centre of
a tripod stand about 5' high. The dials are fixed by means of their pointers, the
pointers having a brass screw attachment passing through the dials, and the holes
in the arms of the stand being tightened by means of nuts, the dials are kept from
revolving by having a brass stud let into the back of each and passing through a
small hole in the arm of stand.
Dated this 14th day of June 1895.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Instruoting in Gunnery Practice.
THOMAS JAMES DONALD, Drill Hall Ninfield near Battle, Sussex, Company
Sergeant Major Royal Artillery, Sergt. Instructor No. 3 Comp. 2nd C.P. Artillery 1
Volunteers, 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 :-
The apparatus consists of the following viz.-Ship a with cords & two weights.
Lamp, b. a graduated sliding board, c. pivot, d. graduated arc, E. & tripod stand, f
black board and easel, G. Fig. 1. 2. 3 & 4.
Ship. The ship a is a pattern of H.M.S. Benbow, made of brass 8" long at water
line, painted as a man of war having 5 port holes open, and is attached to a tongue
of wood 8" long, " deep, fitting in a grove H. on the sliding board, at the back of
ship is a lamp 6 made of tin fitted so as to cover the open port holes of the ship,
through which the light is seen when using the target in a badly lighted shed or
other place, two loops are attached to the ship, one at the bows, and the other at
the stern, having cords made fast and passing over flanged wheels let into the ends
of the sliding board, I. on the ends of each cord is a one lb. weight.
The sliding board (is fitted on its edge) of polished wood 5' 4" long, thick,
2" deep at centre, tapered to 1" at each end, having a grove " deep in edge (to
take tongue of ship) and a scale 4' long representing 1000 yards let in a grove
"wide and 1 deep on the side of the board, J. the ends are fitted with flanged
wheels covered with brass mountings, the board is screwed to the brass flanged
pivot, and supported on either side by slight ribs of metal §" high and 4" long cast
on the upper side of flanged pivot, K.
The pivot is two discs of gun metal working together, the upper one being 4" in
diameter, and the lower one 4*, on the upper one is fitted a small pointer, on the
lower one is graduated with degrees and minutes, reading from zero to 90 degrees
each way, the lower disc is let into a polished disc of wood 8" in diameter attached
to the top of an ordinary tripod stand, L. the pivot being realeased or tightened
by means of a thumb nut on a bolt passing through the tripod, M.
The blackboard & stand. The blackboard G is 2' square sub-divided into
5 divisions, having headings painted in white from which the calculations are
made viz. "Angle of Ship's Course." Speed of Ship.' "The Direction &
This is mounted on au ordinary
66
Force of Wind." "Range." "Final Range.'
easel, Fig. 5.
"
"
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
.claim is :
1. That by the use of this appliance the artillery service rules for making

page_text: predictions, and the necessary calculations on a moving object can more easily
be explained to those who are to receive instruction.
2. The point of impact or, part of the ship that would be struck by a projectile
fired from a gun can be shown, therefore, the accuracy of a gun layer's, laying,.
can be tested.
3. The instruction that the artillery receive at a sea front on a moving object.
can be given with this appliance in a drill shed, either by day or night.
Dated this 18th day of February 1896.
T. J. DONALD, Co. Sergt. Major, R.A.