Improvements in and relating to Rifle Targets.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Apr., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Nov., 1890-Accepted, 7th Feb., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Rifle Targets.
We Toм BELL BURNS of the Town of Camelford in the County of Cornwall,
Ironmonger and Manufacturer, and RICHARD HENRY LEE, of Manley Terrace,
Liskeard in the County of Cornwall, Draper and Commission Agent, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to trench marking targets and consists in improved means
of fitting the target in the uprights between which it is to be raised and lowered
and in means of signalling the value of the hits made by the marksmen.
The grooved uprights in which the target works are each provided with a pulley
over which the cords from the target pass and these pulleys are fitted in slots open
at the upper end to allow the cords to be lifted off from the pulleys.
The extremities of the cords are fitted in open slots at the lower ends of the
target frame. By these means targets may be readily removed and replaced by
others enabling the rifle practice to be expeditiously changed as from “practice” to
"class firing."
In other respects the target we employ is of the usual type of canvas target fitted.
in grooves or guides and being provided with balance weights in order that it may
be lowered to insert a "spotting patch" in the shot hole produced and to repair the
previous shot hole by pasting a patch over the same; a supply of black, white, and
line patches being provided as usual for this purpose.
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The "spotting patch" indicates the actual position of the hit either upon the
bullseye" or in the "inner," the "magpie" or the "outer" spaces and our further.
improvements consist in providing means of signalling the value of such hits,
immediately before lowering the target, by raising a signal of a value corresponding.
either to the "bullseye," the "inner," the "magpie or the "outer" spaces to.notify.
approximately the position of the hit.
The foregoing signals we make each in the form of a disc at the extremity of an
arm extending horizontally below the target when it is in the position for firing.
They may be painted in distinctive colours such as white for "bullseye" red for
"inner" half black and half white for "magpie" and black for "outer."
These signals are pivoted upon a fulcrum pin passing through their arms near the
extremity removed from the disc and are operated to bring them into view by means
of connecting rods or wires connecting their extremities beyond the fulcrum point
each with a weighted slide which as a guide to the operator are coloured in the
same way as the signal to which they relate. Or the end of the disc handle may
be counterbalanced so as to rest in either position up or down; india rubber or
other suitable washers being provided if necessary, by their frictional contact to act
as brakes to steady the signals in any position in which they may be placed.
In addition to the above mentioned signals we provide a further signal, rectangular
in shape to distinguish it from the disc signals hereinbefore described. This special
signal may be employed to denote danger or ricochet firing; being raised once for
danger and three times successively for ricochet.
The signals may be arranged to be operated all at one side of the target or they
may be fitted in a manner to operate some of them from one side and the others
from the other side of the target as may be desired.
Dated this 1st day of April 1890.
AYRTON & THOMAS,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Rifle Targets.
We, TOM BELL BURNS of the Town of Camelford in the County of Cornwall,
Ironmonger and Manufacturer, and RICHARD HENRY LEE of Manley Terrace
Liskeard in the County of Cornwall Draper and Commission Agent 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 mantlet or trench targets and consists in improved
means of fitting the target in the uprights between which it is to be raised and
lowered and in means of signalling the value of the hits made by the marksmen.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the target and signals hereinafter
described.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the target in position in a trench.
Figure 2 is an elevation of the target and signalling apparatus the target being
raised and the danger signal exhibited.
Figure 3 is a plan of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is an elevation of the target and signalling apparatus the target being
lowered and the value of the hit signalled by raising the "magpie" disc signal.
Figure 5 represents the five distinctive signals removed from the target.
The grooved uprights A in which the target Q slides are each provided with a
pulley N over which the cords from the target pass and these pulleys N are fitted
in slots open at the upper end to allow the cords to be lifted off from the
pulleys.
.
The extremities of the cords are passed through open slots E and looped over
the hooks F at the lower part of the target frame. By these means targets may be
readily removed and replaced by others enabling the rifle practice to be expeditiously
changed as from "practice" to "class firing."
To give stability to the target, the uprights A are fitted in cross pieces B at their
lower extremities and are held apart by cross stays A¹ and A³ the cross pieces B
being also held apart by bed stays C and D connected therewith at C¹ and D'.
In other respects the target Q is of the usual type of canvas target fitted in
grooves or guides by metal runners P and provided with balance weights M in
order that it may be lowered to insert a spotting patch in the shot hole produced
and to repair the previous shot hole by pasting a patch over the same; a supply of
black, white, and line patches being kept in readiness in a partitioned box La
paste pot K being secured to the frame of the apparatus for use in the repairing
operation.
66
"
The spotting patch indicates the actual position of the hit either upon the
bullseye or in the "inner," the "magpie" or the "outer" spaces and our further
improvements consist in providing means of signalling the value of such hits,
immediately before lowering the target, by raising a signal of a value corresponding
either to the "bullseye," the "inner," the "magpie" or the "outer" spaces to notify
approximately the position of the hit.
The foregoing signals we make each in the form of a disc at the extremity of an
arm extending horizontally below the target when it is in the position for firing.
They may be painted in distinctive colours such as 1 White for "bullseye,'
2 Red for "inner," 3 Black for "outer" and 4 Half black and half white for
"magpie."
These signals are pivotted upon a fulcrum pin passing through their arms near
the extremity removed from the disc and are operated to bring them into view by
means of rods or wires depending from their extremities beyond the fulcrum point
each wire carrying an indicator plate which as a guide to the operator is coloured
in the same way as the signal to which it relates; vulcanite, wood or other suitable
washers being provided, by their frictional contact to act as brakes to steady the

page_text: signals in any position in which they may be placed. In order to maintain this
frictional contact we provide support brackets H for the fulcrum pin which carries
the signals and blocks, strips such as G and washers so that each signal has its
allotted space to work in and has a washer at each side of it upon which pressure
may be brought to bear by means of the handle nut R to increase the frictional
contact with the signal.
In addition to the abovementioned signals 1, 2, 3 and 4, we provide another
signal 5, rectangular in shape to distinguish it from the disc signals hereinbefore
described. This special signal may be employed to denote danger or ricochet
firing; being raised once for danger and three times successively for ricochet.
The signals may be arranged to be operated all at one side of the target or they
may be fitted as shown in the accompanying drawings in a manner to operate some
of them from one side and the others from the other side of the target as may be
desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1. In rise and fall targets the metal runners P to retain the target in the grooved
standards substantially as described.
2. In rise and fall targets the means of removing and replacing the target
provided by the open slots in the uprights A to contain the pulleys N and the
slotted openings E in the target frame through which to pass the cords for connecting
with the hooks F substantially as described.
3. The mode of signalling the approximate value of hits by means of distinctive
signals secured in position substantially as described and illustrated by the accom-
panying drawings.
Dated this 3rd day of November 1890.
AYRTON & THOMAS,
Agents for the Applicants.