Improvements in Automatic or Self-indicating Targets.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 17th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 22nd Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic or Self-indicating Targets.
We JOHN MULLINEUX of 19 Ringford Road, West Hill, Wandsworth, in the
County of Surrey, Clerk, and ANDREW SELLAR JEHU, of 31 Santos Road, West
Hill aforesaid, Cashier, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to targets which indicate the values of the shots striking
them; and chiefly to those used at short ranges.
The face of the target is divided into separate values by concentric rings, each
value being in one or more separate sections according to the size of the target
required. There may be any number of values, three or four being usually
sufficient.
The sections are suspended upon bars centred upon a common rod, above the
face of the target, and are allowed a limited swinging motion from front to rear.
A guide plate is fixed above the target having a slot for each suspending bar to
act as guide and to limit the forward movement. In some instances we use two
bars to suspend one section.
Each suspending bar is carried backward from the section, then curved upward
and forward, to a point just in rear of the target face, and is then continued upward
to the axis, the latter point being some inches above the top of the target. The
sections of the "outer
value may
be carried outwards to right and left of the
target face and then upwards; instead of backward and curved. The object of
the curve in the bars is to allow a free backward movement without coming in
contact with the suspending bars of other sections.
In rear of the curved part of the suspending bars we fix a series of weighted
levers from front to rear, having a catch protruding on one side of the weighted
end. This catch engages with a pin fixed into the curved part of the suspending
bar, thereby supporting the weighted end of the lever. At the opposite end of the
lever, a disc fixed upon one or more vertical rods is connected having free vertical
movement through the guiding plates.
When the target is struck by a shot, the section struck moves momentarily
backwards, dislodging the weighted lever by removing the pin supporting it; the
lever falling raises the opposite end bringing the disc into view.
A lever centred upon the framework raises the weighted end of the disc lever,
pressing the section momentarily backward in transit by an inclined plane on the
upper side of the catch; the latter again engaging with the pin. The target is
then "all clear" for the next shot.
In another form of our invention we place the axis of the suspending bars below
the target; the suspending bars forming upright standards supporting the sections,
inclining slightly towards the guide plate when in their normal position; the line
of gravity falling to the front of the axis so that the standards will remain upright.
In this case the suspending bars or standards are continued below the axis so as to
form levers.
The rod forming the axis of the standards may be fixed in a horizontal slot, so
that the rake or inclination given to the standards may be increased or reduced at
will this being particularly serviceable when the target is used for ammunition
giving greater or lesser impact.
A series of levers are fixed from front to rear of framework with fulcrums upon a
transverse rod a little higher than the lower end of the standards and in front, so
that the ends of the levers may be turned downwards to engage with the lower
ends of standards. The opposite end of each lever is connected with a vertical rodˇ·

page_text: on which the discs for signalling the values of the shots are placed. Each disc may
have two rods in order to keep it in position and is allowed a free vertical move-
ment. The discs when in their normal position are hidden behind a protecting
plate.
'
Instead of a lever to each standard we may combine those of one value so that
only one disc will be necessary.
The action of the target is as follows viz.:-When the face of the target is struck
by a shot it falls backward to a stop-block limiting the movement; the lower end of
the standard moves forward simultaneously lifting the forward end of the disc
lever, and raising the disc into view. As soon as released of the pressure of the
section by a lever, as before explained, the disc will fall again into its hidden
position by its own weight.
"
We may also use the following method of shewing the values of the shots. A
square white disc is let into the protecting plate in front of the framework so that
it may be clearly seen from the firing point. This disc is divided into four equal
squares each swinging upon a separate hinge. To the top left-hand square we
attach a cord which is carried to the lower end of the standards of the "outer
value, being first passed over a roller in rear of the standards. The top right-hand
square is similarly connected with the "magpie" value; the lower left square with
the "inner value;
and the lower right with the "bull's eye" value.
section is displaced by a shot the lower end of the standard will move forward
lifting up the square relating to that value by the cord, which will thus shew the
vacant square black to the firing point. As scon as the section is replaced, the
square will fall again into its normal position. Instead of cords to lift up the squares
we may use levers similar to those described above.
"
When a
In another form of our invention we place the rod forming the axis in a vertical
position about the middle of the target in rear. The values are then divided into
two sections at least, a cut being required down the centre to divide the target into
two parts. The half of each value, or where divided into more than two sections,
then each section, is placed on an arm carried to the vertical rod, the latter forming
a hinge on which the whole of the sections swing, when struck, outwards from the
centre of the target. Instead of one vertical rod we may use two, one on each side
of the target.
Dated this Sixteenth day of November 1891.
JOHN MULLINEUX.
ANDREW SELLAR JEHU.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic or Self-indicating Targets.
We JOHN MULLINEUX of 19 Ringford Road, West Hill, Wandsworth, in the'
County of Surrey, Clerk, and ANDREW SELLAR JEHU of 114 High Street, Putney
aforesaid Cashier 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 targets which indicate automatically the values of the
shots striking them and chiefly to those used at short ranges. The face of the
target is divided into separate values A, A1, A2, A3, by concentric rings, each value
being in one or more separate sections according to the size of the target required.
There may be any number of values three or four being usually sufficient; the
whole shewing a compact flat surface to the firing point with the exception of the
bull's-eye As, which is placed a little in rear of the other sections, the vacant space
shewing a black spot to the marksman.
Each section is suspended on one or more hanging bars B having a common
axis B2 upon a rod fixed in the framework, and is allowed a limited swinging motion

page_text: from front to rear. The motion forward is limited by a stop C, being a rod
stretched across the framework in front of the hanging bars B, and so placed as to
cause the line of gravity to fall to the front. This stop C may take the form of a
plate having a slot for each hanging bar, to act as guide. The hanging bar may be
in the form of a figure 5 without the tail at top, being carried backward from the
target section A &c., then curved upward & forward to a point just in rear of
target face, and is then continued upward to the axis B². The object of the curve
in the bars B is to allow a free backward movement to the sections A, A' &c.
without coming in contact with the hanging bars of other sections.
In rear of the curved part of the hanging bars B, falling levers D are fixed one
of each value, having fulcrums upon a transverse rod D'. This rod is placed in a
slot E in the framework so that it may be moved slightly backward or forward;
the object being to cause a greater or less movement of the target section to release
the dropping lever D as explained hereafter, and so allowing the target to be made
more or less sensitive. Each lever D has a projection D2 on one side at the end
having an inclined plane on the upper side. The levers D are placed so as, in
describing an arc, to pass between the hanging bars B; the inclined plane on the
projection D' coming in contact with a pin B₁ fixed in one of the hanging bars B
of each value A, A', &c.
A crank lever F with fulcrum upon the rod D' having an arm extending at right
angles to the dropping levers D raises the latter by means of a cord to the firing
point; the inclined planes on the projections D2 engaging with the pins B¹ on the
hanging bars B pressing the sections momentarily backward in transit, the dropping
levers D, when released, resting in a horizontal position upon the pins B'.
A small chain or cord G connects each dropping lever D with the power end of
another lever H fixed above and at right angles to the levers D. At the weight end
of the levers H, a disc K is fixed to signal the values of the shots. These levers. H
are weighted so as to fall into a horizontal position when relieved of the weight of
the dropping lever D, thus placing the disc out of view.
A whitewash brush is caused to pass over the face of the target, to obliterate the
shot marks, by means of a sliding rod L to which the brush is attached. This
brush is worked by a cord from the firing point, and it may be so arranged, by
means of a block and pulley, that one cord will work both the replacing lever F
and the whitewash brush by a double stroke; the first stroke raising the lever F
by reason of its being much the easier to move, and a further pull drawing up the
brush.
The operation of the target is as follows:- When a shot strikes the target the
section receiving the impact is forced momentarily backward, dislodging the dropping
lever D by removing the pin B' supporting it; the dropping lever D in falling
draws with it the connected end of the disc lever H, thus raising the disc K into
view. The replacing lever F is drawn up by the cord to the firing point raising
the dropped lever D; when the inclined plane on the projection D³ meets the
pin B' the section is pressed momentarily backward, allowing the dropping lever D
to pass to the upper side of the pin. If the cord be drawn beyond this point the.
whitewash brush will pass over the face of the target and obliterate the shot mark.
When the cord is released the lever D will again rest upon the pin B¹, and the
target will be "all clear" for the next shot.
In another form of our invention we cause the indication of the values of the
shots to be made at the firing-point by means of electricity. We attach one wire
to the framework and one to a contact spring M under each of the dropping
levers D; the latter falling upon the contact spring M completes the circuit,
causing the discs to appear at an indicator at the firing-point. The replacing
lever F is brought into use in the same way as hereinbefore described. The
indicator may be the same as those in use for electric house bells.
In another form we cause the momentary backward movement of the sections to
complete the circuit, by placing the contact springs M so as to form contact with
the hanging bars B in their backward movement. In this case, no replacing lever

page_text: is required as the section falls back to its normal position by reason of the line of
gravity being to the front. When the whitewash brush is used in this form, a
stay O is allowed to fall behind the target sections to prevent them moving back-
ward, and causing the discs to appear during the process of whitewashing. The
stay O takes the form of a crank lever, a bend in the rod L pressing it away from
the target as the former resumes its normal position after passing over the face of
the target.
In the accompanying drawings like letters distinguish like parts throughout.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the target.
Fig. 2 is a detail of hanging bar and dropping lever shewing the mechanical
movement in dotted line.
Fig. 3 shews the method of forming the electric contact by the dropping levers.
Fig. 4 is a plan of Fig. 3..
Fig. 5 shews the method of forming the electric contact by the backward move-
ment of the sections.
Fig. 6 is a plan of Fig. 5.
The parts of the hanging bars &c. not covered by the face of the target are'
protected by cover plates N.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that
what we claim is :-
1. A self-indicating target having each value or section of a value swinging
independently and so constructed that when struck the section receiving the impact
is forced back releasing a dropping lever which causes a disc to appear in view
substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. A dropping lever in connection with the foregoing constructed so as to require
a greater or less movement to indicate, thereby rendering the self-indicating target
more or less sensitive, as desired, substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. An electric indicating target constructed to indicate by completing the electric
circuit substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 16th day of August 1892.
JOHN MULLINEUX,
ANDREW SELLAR JEHU,
Applicants.