IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYED FOR THE PROTECTION OF MARKERS AT RIFLE BUTTS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Hill, of Hampton House, Great Warley, in
the County of Essex, Brewer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYED FOR THE PROTECTION OF MARKERS AT RIFLE
BUTTS."
Sealed the 28th July 1863, and dated the 10th February 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Hill at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 10th
February 1868.
I, THOMAS HILL, of Hampton House, Great Warley, in the County. of
Essex, Brewer, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVE-:
MENTS IN THE ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYED FOR THE PROTECTION OF MARKERS AT RIFLE
BUTTS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the better protection of the markers when
engaged at rifle butts or targets, in combination with the means employed of
indicating the score and position of the shot mark upon the target whilst the.
marker is in the act of wiping out the same; for which latter purpose Letters
Patent were granted to me dated July 12th, 1862, No. 2007, in connection.

page_text: with pits of improved construction sunk in front of the target for the protection
of the marker.
My present improvements are applicable to rifle butts or targets where
"mantlets" or shields are employed for the protection of the markers, the
"mantlet" or shield being placed close to the target, and so arranged and
constructed that the marker can readily see where the target is struck, and
then by means of the brush and signal combined, wipe out the shot mark and at
the same time indicate its position to those at a distance, without exposing
himself to danger. For this purpose a "mantlet" is erected on one side of the
target of any suitable shot-proof materials, the side or edge nearest the target
being formed with a wing or wings placed at an angle inwards towards the
marker, and having a small window protected with strong plate glass, and if
necessary covered with wire gauze or other suitable material through which
the marker can readily see the face of the target. Near to the edge of the
target a "splash board" is placed, and between the wing of the "mantlet" and
this board a narrow space is left, so that the marker whilst looking through
the window or opening for the sight, can pass the combined brush and signal
through the space, and thus readily wipe out the shot mark, and at the same
time indicate its position upon the target, in the manner described in the
Specification of my former Patent before referred to, but in which arrange-
ment the marker is protected by a pit sunk in front of the target.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
the said Thomas Hill in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th
August 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
HILL, of Hampton House, Great Warley, in the County of Essex, Brewer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas Hill, Her special licence, that I, the said Thomas Hill,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Hill, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time
agree

page_text: with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYED FOR THE PROTECTION OF MARKERS AT RIFLE BUTTS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Hill, my execu-
tors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Hill, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object the better protection of the markers when
engaged at rifle butts or targets, in combination with the means employed of
indicating the score and position of the shot mark upon the target whilst the
marker is in the act of wiping out the same; for which latter purpose Letters
Patent were granted to me dated July 12th, 1862, No. 2007, in connection
with pits of improved construction sunk in front of the target for the protection
of the marker.
My present improvements are applicable to rifle butts or targets where
."mantlets " or shields are employed for the protection of the markers, the
"mantlet" or shield being placed close to the target, and so arranged and con-
structed that the marker can readily see where the target is struck, and then
by means of the brush and signal combined, wipe out the shot mark and at the
same time indicate its position to those at a distance, without exposing himself
to danger. For this purpose a "mantlet" is erected on one side of the target,
of any suitable shot-proof materials, the side or edge nearest the target being
formed with a wing or wings placed at an angle inwards towards the marker,
and having a small window protected with strong plate glass, and if necessary,
covered with wire gauze or other suitable material, through which the marker
can readily see the face of the target; near to the edge of the target a
splash board" is placed between the wing of the "mantlet" and this board,
a narrow space is left, so that the marker whilst looking through the window
or opening for the sight can pass the combined brush and signal through the

page_text: of a "mantlet" or shield, suitably arranged and constructed according to my
present improvements, to be employed in combination with a rifle butt or
target for the purpose of protecting the marker whilst in the act of wiping out
the shot mark, and at the same time indicating its position on the target by
means of a disc or other signal attached to the brush, the nature of which was
fully described in the Specification of the Patent granted to me, before
referred to.
is the target or rifle butt; 6 is a bank or mantlet of earth, turf, or other
shot-proof materials placed on one side of the target for the protection of the
marker, a covered hut or recess c, lined with timber or other suitable materials,
being formed at the front end thereof nearest the target. From the side
of the hut nearest the target a wing or shield d projects at an angle inwards
towards the marker; this wing or shield d may be made of wood, sheet iron,
or of wood covered with sheet iron, or other materials capable of repelling the
splashes or particles of metal produced by the shot on striking the target; e is
a plate glass window placed in the shield, by preference in such a position that
the marker can look through it at the face of the target whilst in the act of
wiping out the shot mark and indicating its position thereon. f is a narrow
slot or space (formed by preference in the wing or shield d, as shown),
through which the marker can pass the combined brush and signal g on to the
face of the target, to wipe out the shot mark and indicate its position whilst
looking through the window e; a moveable shield may be arranged to slide
on the handle g¹ of the brush g, to protect the hand of the marker, if desired.
The splash board or part d' of the wing or shield d may be formed separate
therefrom, if desired, in which arrangement a corresponding narrow space fis
left between the edge of the splash board and the end of the wing or shield d,
but I prefer the arrangement shown in the Drawing.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, I would have it

page_text: understood that I do not confine myself to the exact details herein shown and
described, so long as the peculiar character of my Invention be retained; but
what I claim is the arrangement of mantlets or shields for the protection of
markers at rifle butts when employed in wiping out the shot mark and at the
same time indicating its position on the target, as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Hill, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this First day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
THOMAS HILL. (L.8.)