Improvements in Moveable Targets and in Signalling Apparatus for use in connection therewith.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 12th Feb., 1890-Accepted, 15th Mar., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Moveable Targets and in Signalling Apparatus for
use in connection therewith.
I, WILLIAM HENRY GRASSAM, of 28, The Crescent, Spalding, in the county of
Lincoln, Agricultural Implement Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
My invention relates to moveable targets and to signalling apparatus for use in
connection therewith.
According to my invention the targets are fixed on endless belts, ropes or chains
to which are attached carriages upon which the targets are carried, the wheels of
the said carriages having guide rails at the top and botton. The endless belts, ropes
or chains are put in motion by the "marker in the mantlet by means of an endless
belt or of a spur wheel and pinion acting upon a windlass which collects the belt, rope
or chain in the movement of the targets.
The targets may be of any suitable form, for instance, they may represent
running deer, running men, flying dragoons or the like.
The value of the shot upon the target is indicated by means of endless belts, ropes, or
chains upon the back of the mantlet the said belts, ropes or chains having attached to
them plain or coloured dises or squares which are moved to certain positions upon the
back of the mantlet at the will of the marker, the value of the shot being at the same
time indicated inside the mantlet to the marker. The same result can also be
obtained by means of squares or discs attached to the sides, top or bottom of the
mantlet, or sliding in grooves thereon.
By the use of the above I can employ a double target on either side of the mantlet,
one target being in position ready for the firing party while the other is in the
mantlet. When the target is struck the marker sets the endless belts, ropes or
chains in motion and brings the outside target into the mantlet, the other target at
the same time being moved to the outside.
I sometimes work a single target on each side of the mantlet, one being in position
for the firing party while the other is in the mantlet.
I can when using a single target on either side of the mantlet mark the value
of the shot in front of the target struck by placing a moving recorder upon cach
of the carriages.
n L
1
-
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Moveable Targets and in Signalling Apparatus for
use in connection therewith.
I, WILLIAM HENRY GRASSAM, of 28, The Crescent, Spalding, in the county of
Lincoln, Agricultural Implement Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what inanner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to movable targets and to signalling apparatus for use in
connection therewith.
According to my invention the targets are fixed on carriages running upon or in
rails or guides and moved by means of ropes or chains wound upon a windlass, or
of a rack and pinion operated through the medium of suitable gearing by the
"marker
in a mantlet so that when a target on either side of the mantlet has been
"

page_text: struck the marker can without exposing himself bring it behind or within the
mantlet and by the same movement expose another target ready to be fired at on the
same or on the opposite side of the mantlet.
The targets may be of any suitable form, for instance, they may represent running
deer, running men, flying dragoons, or the like, or they may be the ordinary bull's
eye or class targets.
The value of the shot upon the target is indicated upon the back or at the sides or
top of the mantlet by means of plain or coloured discs, squares or slides which are
moved to certain positions by the marker.
To enable my invention to be fully understoot I will describe how it can be carried
into practice by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation of an arrangement of movable targets and
signalling apparatus constructed according to my invention, part of the platform front
being cut away to shew the carriages and rails.
Figure 2 is a sectional plan of the same the section being taken on the line A B
of figure 1.
Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line C D of figuro 1.
Figure 4 is an exterior view of a mintlet-back illustrating a modified arrange-
ment of signals.
Figure 5 is an interior view, and
Figure 6 is an edge view of the same.
Figure 7 is an exterior view of part of a mantlet-back illustrating another arrange-
ment of signals.
Figure 8 is a plan view of a modified arrangement of mechanism for giving motion
to the target-carriages.
Similar letters in all the figures indicate similar parts.
a, bare the targets and c, d are the carriages on which they are fixed; e, fare
the rails on which run the carriages c, d provided for this purpose with
wheels 9, 9, 9, 9 placed above and below the rails, whereby the targets are pre-
vented from being blown down. The wheels g are placed a considerable distance
from the ends of the carriages in order that the targets may, if required, be moved
beyond the ends of the rails.
h, h, i, are the ropes or chains for moving the carriages c, d, the ropes h, h
being attached to a windlass ; and to the two ends of the carriage c, and the
ropes i, i connect the two carriages c and d as clearly shown in figure 2; k, k, k, kare
pulleys for guiding the ropes h, h, i, i.
The shaft of the windlass has mounted thereon a chain wheel or pulley m over
which and over another chain wheel or pulley n in the mantlet o
,,passes an endless
chain, cord or band p. The pulley n is operated by the "marker" turning a hand
wheel q and motion is in this manner communicated through the windlass and ropes
to the carriages. The mantlet is advantageously made with adjustable Venetian
screen or louvre sides to enable the marker to plainly see the targets and the mantlet-
back extends beyond the sides and top as shewn so as to prevent bullets from striking
the said sides and to further protect the "marker" in front. Suppose the targets a
and b to be in the positions shewn in the drawing, when the outside target a has been
struck by a shot the "marker" turns the hand wheel q in the proper direction and
the carriages with their targets are thereby caused to move in opposite directions,
that is to say, the target will be exposed at one side of the mantlet o and the target a
will be brought behind the mantlet. By this means it will be seen that there is
always one target in position for the firing party while the other target is behind the
mantlet and is being spotted and marked by the "marker." It is obvious that where
pits are employed the windlass can be arranged to move the targets in a vertical
direction.
r, are the colored squares for indicating upon the back of the mantlet o the value
of each shot, the said squares being suspended upon endless cords passing over
pulleys t to the inside of the mantlet o where they are each provided with a counter-
weight u serving also to indicate to the "marker" the position to which he is to

page_text: move the square; v is a screen behind which the squares are brought when nothing
is to be signalled by them. Each square can in this manner be made to indicate or
signal two different values of shot, for example, the right hand square when raised
might signify a "bulls eye" and when lowered a magpie" the left hand square
"inner" and "outer" and the middle square "ricochet" and "danger."
"
"
The middle square could be used also to indicate "nil" as well as ' ricochet" and
danger," for example, to indicate a ricochet the square could be moved up and down
several times, when raised to the top it could signify "danger" and when lowered to
the bottom "nil."
Or the value of the shot could, as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, be signalled by
means of slides we movable in guides a inside the mantlet and under the control of the
marker," each slide, when moved outwards on the right and left hand side.
indicating a different value of shot; y, y, y are knobs for manipulating the slides.
"
It will be obvious that, if desired, instead of placing the slides one above the other
as shown in Figures 4, and 6, they could be arranged one in front of the other in
pairs or all four in front of one another.
In this case the front slide could be operated by means of a knob or handle in its
centre, the second slide by a handle at the bottom extending downwards or towards
the front, the third slide by a handle at the top extending towards the front and the
fourth slide by a handle extending upwards. Or the slides could be operated by
means of two ropes or chains fixed to each slide, each rope running over a pulley in
the mantlet-top and having a weight attached to it so that when the "marker" desires
to exhibit a slide he would only have to pull the corresponding rope when the slide
would move outwards on either side of the mantlet, the slide moving back directly the
46 marker" lets
go the
rope.
Instead of the slides moving in guides they can be provided with
over rods arranged across the mantlet.
eyes sliding
Figure 7 shews a way of signalling by the use of coloured squares mounted upon
bars=
passing through the top of the mantlet o into the interior so that they can be
turned round into any required position by the "marker." These squares stand
edgewise with respect to the firing party until a shot has to be signalled when they
are turned round so as to present one or the other of their flat surfaces to view.
I have shewn and described the arrangements of signals and means for manipulating
them which I have found to be most advantageous in practice but I do not confine myself
to these as they will obviously admit of various modifications, for example, the squares
or slides could be arranged to move horizontally or obliquely instead of vertically and
they could be operated by means of racks fixed on the backs of the squares or slides
and gearing with pinions on the spindles of hand wheels placed inside the mantlet so
as to be under the control of the "marker."
Figure 8 shews another arrangement for giving the required simultaneous
movement in opposite directions to the carriages and targets. The windlass ; is in
this case located under the middle rail and has fixed thereto a pinion a' gearing with
a pinion on a shaft c carrying a windlass d¹. The ropes of each carriage pass
direct to and are wound around their respective windlasses.
Instead of employing ropes or chains and windlasses for moving the carriages I can
effect this movement by means of additional pinions fixed on the shafts and c¹ and
working in racks fitted to the undersides of the carriages.
When it is required to employ four targets worked from one mantlet I provide four
carriages and two sets of rails arranged parallel with each other, one target being
mounted upon each carriage; sufficient space must be left between the two sets of
rails to allow room for a second "marker" to work the rear set of targets by means
similar to those employed for working the front set and to manipulate a second set of
signals. The mantlet would of course in this case be made deep enough to protect
both the "markers."
By this means a target can always be exposed on each side of the mantlet at the
same time and a double mantlet is provided occupying no more lateral space than a
single one.

page_text: When using a single target on each side of the mantlet I sometimes signal the
value of the shots upon frames provided with rotatable or other signals one of the said
frames being placed upon each carriage so that while a target is being exposed its
signalling apparatus will be within the mantlet and can be manipulated by the
"marker" directly the target is struck, the act of bringing the target within the
mantlet causing the signals to be exposed.
The rails can if desired be made of other forms than that shown, for instance, the
outer or side rails can be made of channel iron or steel and the central rail be I shaped
in which case the upper pairs of wheels herein before described on the carriages would
not be required as the wheels would be confined in the channels of the rails and the
targets be thereby prevented from being blown over. Or I may dispense with the use
of rails and provide the carriages with flanges (instead of with wheels) running
edgewise between fixed rollers or upon a single roller.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
6
(1.) The improvements in movable targets consisting essentially in fixing the
targets on carriages adapted to be moved by means of suitable mechanism by a person
or marker" protected by a mantlet so that the act of bringing an exposed target or
targets within or behind the mantlet will cause another target or targets to be exposed
substantially as herein before described.
(2.) The arrangements of signals for indicating the value of the shots upon a
mantlet, substantially as herein before described.
(3.) The manufacture and use of the improved movable targets and signalling
apparatus as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated the 10th day of February 189().
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.