Improvements in Target Apparatus to Facilitate Rifle Practice or for like purpose.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Jan., 1894-Accepted, 24th Feb., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Target Apparatus to Facilitate Rifle Practice or
for like purpose.
I, ROBERT HARRISON DIXON of No. 32 King Street Sudbury in the County
of Suffolk, Quarter Master 2nd V. B. Suffolk Regiment do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention consists of a frame preferably iron on edge, with bars fitted on
top and with slots running lengthways, the same being formed by spaces between
the top bars. Pulleys are fixed underneath to these top bars at each end and iron
guides along the centres of and underneath the slots; round the pulleys passes
an endless wire rope, with stops in the rope to retain feet of targets in position.
The rope is moved either by a standard winch let into centre of right hand end
pulley, or instead of right hand end pulley are fixed two pulleys over which the
rope is passed on to a wheel fixed on a standard immediately on the right of the
frame, or the wheel is fixed on the inside of a marker's hut-in either case about
one turn of the wheel or winch moves the targets to their required position.
The target proper is wood-framed with canvas covering applied in the usual
manner, but the feet are preferably shod with light iron shoes resting across the
wire rope, the chief idea throughout being simplicity of fixing, both for base
frame, as well as target. The wooden or dummy target is designed to do away
with long-handled discs, and loose parts, and not only so but the permanent position
of each disc in the targets will add greatly to the ease with which the value of
the shots can be distinguished in a bad light.
The dummy is preferably of wood, but with the bull's eye cut out and a metal disc
inserted, which revolves or swings on an arm or spindle carried to the (preferably)
right side of target, the handle being a small edition of the bull's eye, and
painted to represent the proper colour when marking-an "inner" disc is inserted
66 outer "disc
at the top left corner, a "magpie" disc at the top right corner, an
at the bottom left corner, and a "ricochet" disc at the bottom right corner.
These discs are painted so as to form part of the target in the ordinary way
but the backs of the discs represent the value of the hit, so that on turning the
required handle, the disc revolves, shewing the value of the hit, which has just
been made on the canvas target, a turn of the wheel then sends out the recording
dummy and brings in the canvas target to be patched, the wheel is then again
turned, sending the canvas target out, and on bringing the dummy in, the marker
turns the disc which has recorded the last shot, and awaits the next hit.
The spindles of the revolving discs may each be held by a clamp or spring so
that in the same it shall be prevented from stopping in any other position than
that desired that is to say in the back or the front position.
Shields may be provided for the stand wheel and covers for the slots, to protect
same when the targets are lifted out and stowed away in the marker's huts.
The relative positions of the parts may be altered as desired without departing
from the peculiar character of the invention.
Dated the 22nd day of April 1893.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Target Apparatus to Facilitate Rifle Practice or
for like purpose.
I ROBERT HARRISON DIXON, of No. 32 King Street, Sudbury, in the County
of Suffolk, Quarter Master 2nd V. B. Suffolk Regiment 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 consists of apparatus adapted to facilitate rifle practice or for
like purpose.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the target and dummy target.
Fig. 2 is a side view of the winch and parts operated thereby.
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the target apparatus.
Fig. 4 shews an arrangement of winch fixed on the side of a mantlet with pullies
leading the ropes or wires to the targets and
Figs. 5 and 6 shew by edge view and front view one of the metal shoes fitted to
the base of the targets.
a is a frame preferably iron on edge, with bars or plates fitted on top and with
slots 6 6¹ running lengthways the slots being formed by spaces between the top
plates or bars. Pulleys cc are fixed underneath to these top bars say one at each
end, and iron guides are provided as required along the centres of and underneath
the slots bb; around the pulleys cc¹ passes an endless wire-rope or equivalent
connection d with stops d d¹ in the rope to retain the feet ele¹ f1f1 of targets e and f
in position. The rope d is moved either by a standard winch let into centre
of right hand end pulley, or instead of right band end pulley are fixed two
pulleys gg, see Fig. 4, over which the rope d is passed on to a wheel fixed on a
standardi immediately on the right of the frame or at other suitable distance or
the wheel is fixed on the inside of a marker's hut, see Fig. 4, in either case about
one turn of the wheel or winch h moves the targets to their required position.
care auxiliary pulleys.
The target proper e is wood-framed with canvas covering applied in the usual
manner, but the feet e' are preferably shod with light iron shoes e³, resting across
the wire rope d, the chief idea throughout being simplicity of fixing, both for the
base frame a, as well as for the target.
The wooden or dummy target f is designed to do away with long-handled discs,
and loose parts, and not only so but the permanent position of each disc klm or n
in the targets will add greatly to the ease with which the value of the shots can
be distinguished in a bad light.
The dummy fis preferably of wood, but with the bull's-eye f cut out and a
metal disc inserted, which revolves or swings on an arm or spindle f³ carried to the
(preferably) right side of target, the handle f being a small edition of the bull's-
eye, and painted to represent the proper colour when marking-an "inner" disc k
is inserted at the top left corner, a "magpie" disc at the top right corner, an
"outer
disc m at the bottom left corner, and a "ricochet" disc n at the bottom
right corner.
"
These discs k l m n are painted so as to form part of the dummy target fin the
ordinary way but the backs of the discs k l m n represent the value of the hit, so
that on turning the required handle k¹ I'm¹ or n¹ the corresponding disc k, l, m or n
revolves, shewing the value of the hit, which has just been made on the canvas
target e, a turn of the wheel h then sends out the recording dummy target fand
brings in the canvas target e to be patched, or renovated the wheel h is then again
turned sending the canvas target e out, and on bringing the dummy target f in, the

page_text: marker turns the disc k, l, m or n which has recorded the last shot, and awaits the
next hit.
The spindles of the revolving discs k, l, m, n may each be held by any suitable
clamp or spring so that in the same it shall be prevented from stopping in any
other position than that desired that is to say in the back or the front position.
Shields of any suitable form may be provided for the stand wheel and covers
for the slots, to protect same when the targets are lifted out and stowed away
in the markers huts.
The relative positions of the parts may be altered as desired without departing
from the peculiar character of the invention.
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 :-
The combination or arrangement and use of parts of target apparatus for use in
rifle practice, or for like purpose, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated the 22nd day of January 1894.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.