IMPROVEMENTS IN TARGETS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edmund Legh Morris, of the Firm of Woods, Cocksedge
and Company, of Stowmarket, in the County of Suffolk, Engineers and Iron-
founders, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TARGETS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edmund Legh Morris at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th April 1876.
EDMUND LEGII MORRIS, of the Firm of Woods, Cocksedge, and Company, of
Stowmarket, in the County of Suffolk, Engineers and Ironfounders. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TARGETS."
In addition to the straight marks which the target slabs in present use have
formed upon their surfaces the slabs of this improved target have upon their faces
certain sunk or raised marks which act as guides for the position and extent of
circular "bullseyes" and annular "centres." These marks are so arranged that
when the slabs of these improved targets are placed together side by side in any
sequence the position and extent of circular "bullseyes" and annular "centres" of
any predetermined sizes is clearly and accurately indicated according to the number
of slabs taken to form the target.
A set of four of these slabs can have upon their faces all the marks required by the
new Government regulations of A.D. 1876, and those required by the rifle volunteers,
the aforesaid marks being arranged in such manner that when four of these slabs
are taken to form one of these improved targets they may be placed together side
by side in any sequence, and the position and extent of the annular "centre" and
circular "bullseye" of a "first class" target will be clearly and accurately indicated.
If three such slabs are placed side by side in any sequence they give the position
and extent of the circular "bullseye" and annular "centre of a " second class "
target, and if two such slabs are used they give the position and extent of the
circular bullseye" and annular "centre" of a third class" target.
"
"
The face of the improved target is to be coated in the required places with a
temporary white or black wash, as is done to the targets at present in use, for the
easier distinction of the position of the bullseye" and "centre by distant
observers, and coloured washes as well as, or in place of, the white and black.
1
"

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edmund Legh Morris in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th
September 1876.
EDMUND LEGH MORRIS, of the Firm of Woods, Cocksedge, and Company, of
Stowmarket, in the County of Suffolk, Engineers and Ironfounders. "IMPROVE
MENTS IN TARGETS."
In addition to the straight marks which the target slabs in present use have
upon their surfaces the slabs of this improved target have upon their faces certain
sunk or raised marks which act as guides for the position and extent of circular
"bullseyes" and annular "centres." These marks are so arranged that when the
slabs of these improved targets are placed together side by side in any sequence the
position and extent of circular "bullseyes" and annular "centres" of any prede-
termined sizes is clearly and accurately indicated according to the number of slabs
taken to form the target.
A set of four of these slabs can have upon their faces all the marks required by
the new Government regulations of A.D. 1876, and those required by the rifle
volunteers, the aforesaid marks being arranged in such manner that when four of
these slabs are taken to form one of these improved targets they may be placed
together side by side in any sequence, and the position and extent of the annular
"centre" and circular "bullseye" of a first class" target will be clearly and accu-
rately indicated. If three such slabs are placed side by side in any sequence they
give the position and extent of the circular "bullseye" and annular "centre" of a
"second class target, and if two such slabs are used they give the position and
extent of the circular "bullseye" and annular "centre" of a "third class" target.
"
The face of the improved target is to be coated in the required places with a
temporary white or black wash, as is done to the targets at present in use, for
the easier distinction of the position of the "bullseye" and "centre" by distant
observers, and coloured washes may be used as well as, or in place of, the white and
black.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING.
Fig. 1 represents a target with bullseye and contre according to Government
regulations of 1876 for the third class.
Fig. 2 represents a target with bullseye and centre according to the same regu-
lations for second class.
Fig. 3 represents a target with bullseye and centre in accordance with the same
regulations for first class.
In each of these three Fig. 3 the bullseye and centre is represented by thick
shade lines. In actual practice these parts of the target are coated with a black
wash.
The target represented by Fig. 1 is made up of two slabs marked respectively
a, B, that represented by Fig. 2 is of three slabs marked y, 8, ‹, and that repre-
sented by Fig. 3, is of four slabs z, n, e, i.
The target slabs in use under regulations of earlier date than 1876, were crossed
by grooves which subdivided the face of the target into squares of six inches, and
under those regulations the bullseyes and centres were of rectangular form. Upon
the introduction of the new regulations, grooves were cut in circular form as
represented in Figs. 1 and 2.
The circles surrounding the shaded parts of Figs. 1 & 2, being the outline of the
third and second class targets. The arcs at top and bottom ends of slabs a, B,
together with arcs on any two other slabs, as shewn on y and, of Fig. 2, forming
an outline for the centre of the first class target. The bullseye of the first class
target having the same outline as the centre of the third class. The object of the
permanent outlines is that, in altering the slabs to form different class targets, an
outline for the bullseye and centre is readily obtained without the assistance of
rule and compass.

page_text: My improvements consist in having a sufficient number of parts of circular
outlines on each slab that in whatever sequence the slabs may be placed they give
the outline of any class of target the said slabs are intended and prepared to form a
part of. Thus saving a considerable expenditure of labor and loss of time in
shifting the slabs from one class of target to another.
Fig. 3 represents a first class target formed of four of these improved slabs,
marked respectively z, 2, 0, 1. It will be seen that any two of these slabs give the
outline of bullseye and centre for the target represented in Fig. 1, and any three
of them give the outlines of that shewn in Fig. 2; and as each of the four slabs has
the same marks upon it, it is obvious that in whatever sequence the slabs are
placed the results will be similar.
Fig. 4 represents one of the slabs of the improved target to a larger scale, the
marks upon its surface being grooves formed therein. I do not, however, limit
myself to this form of outline, but adopt any suitable form of outline, of which
several different kinds are given of full size in Figs. 5 to 20.
Having described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before mentioned Letters Patent to me for improvements in targets is-
Forming upon the slabs of targets a sufficient number of the parts of circular
outlines so that in whatever sequence the said slabs are placed side by side the
outlines of circular bullseyes and of rings surrounding the same are given, and I
do not limit myself to any particular size of slab or bullseye and ring outlines, nor
to the number of the rings to surround the bullseye.
In witness whereof I, the said Edmund Legh Morris, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
Witness,
TПos, WILKINS,
Patent Agent,
101, Camberwell New Road,
London, S.E.
EDMUND LEGH MORRIS. (L.S.)