Improvements in Artificial Birds and Accessories for Shooting Practice.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 28th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 11th Nov., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Artificial Birds and Accessories for
Shooting Practice.
We JAMES MCHARDY of Fairfax House Chiswick Middlesex Scientific
Expert and JOHN INGLIS CHALMERS FRANCIS of 57 Linden Gardens Chiswick
Middlesex Architect do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
We construct the body of the bird in such a manner that any suitable part may
act upon a trigger so that when the said bird is hit the tail which shall be held by
a trigger-catch, shall instantly spring into such a position that further flight shall
be impossible. Such a construction may be somewhat after the style of a mussel-
shell, or other suitable construction. If constructed on the principle of a bi-valve,.
in shot-proof steel or any convenient material the sides may be so hinged as to set
out and retain a spring tail in position for flying and the detail may be worked
out so that on being hit by a shot the tail will be released and spring into a cocked
position. The said tail may also be adjustible to various position for the regulation.
of the direction or a supplimentary tail may be applied on the principle of a
rudder. The bird may be made to float or by the introduction of suitable
mechanism it may be made to fly. In either case the wings may consist of
suitable frames upon which paper with gummed edges may readily be attached.
The tail will be similarly constructed. For such a purpose tapered steel of
suitable dimensions and hardness will be used (preferably) but we do not confine
ourselves to the use of any particular material. If we desire to give the natural
flight we hinge the bi-valve like body. A long tube like hinge being formed
we are enabled to find bearings for scissor-like arms for the actuation of the
wings by any suitable mechanical force stored inside the body and thus protected
from the shot. The simplest mechanical force will probably be found in a
spring sufficient to give 5 or 10 strokes of the wings but we may employ pneumatic
pressure miniature pistons or any available contrivance, the main feature of our
invention being that arrangement which enables us to know when the bird has
been hit. The wings may be varied to imitate any kind of living bird. The
accessory contrivances necessary and peculiar to our invention are such projectors.
as shall enable us to fulfill all conditions of flight. In the first place to produce a
low flight in a floating bird we construct an arm with appliances suitable for
projecting the bird by means of a spring or a pulley and axle with a weight.
By any given play this said spring arm will deliver the bird in the same manner
as an underhand ball at cricket is projected by the bowler. For this purpose
a suitable frame with a stop and other conveniences will be required.
To produce a start from some height in the air, we propose to construct a captive
arrow heavy enough to force the bird which it carries to any desired point, to be
regulated by the amount of line paid out. This said captive arrow which will be
projected by a suitable mortar or catapult may be hollow so that it may carry
It may also
the line coiled inside, in such a manner as to pay it off in its course.
be necessary to provide the captive arrow with such a membrane or its equivalent
as will steady its movement in a given direction. As a matter of course we may
bring into requisition any necessary parts which shall assist us in the perfecting of
our invention. For example, we shall provide such a stop on the mechanism of
the bird as shall prevent the motion of the wings until the bird is disengaged. We
shall also provide for the indestructibility of the bird itself by producing the body

page_text: of such tapered and tempered material as shall be shot-proof, whilst the gummed
paper tails and wings will be easily renewed upon the wing and tail-frames
beforementioned.
To provide for an easy upstroke of the wings we purpose hinging the wing
frames to admit of a certain degree of dip, or we may construct the paper
furnishings so as to miss the air on the up stroke by means of numerous paper
valves after the manner of feathers or we may combine such constructions.
N.B. It is to be borne in mind that the bird parts from the hereindescribed
captive arrow by its own momentum when the arrow is arrested by the cord. It
is also probable that, as some people may think the arrow in its return may be
the cause of accidents, we may provide it with a suitable parachute which will
come into action on the bird being disengaged or at any point desirable.
We shall also if necessary, use any equivalent to paper and gummed edges in
producing the wings &c.
Dated this 24th day of November 1892.
JAMES
MCHARDY.
JOHN INGLIS CHALMERS FRANCIS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Artificial Birds and Accessories for:
Shooting Practice.
.
We JAMES MCHARDY of Zoffany House Chiswick late of Fairfax House
Chiswick Middlesex Scientific Expert, and JOHN INGLIS CHALMERS FRANCIS
of 57 Linden Gardens Chiswick Middlesex Architect 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 and
drawings:-
We construct the body of the bird so that, when hit, it shall act like a trigger
and allow the tail to spring up and stop the flight. This is readily achieved by
making the body like a bi-valve; the back-bone corresponding with the hinge.
The spring frame of the tail may be adjustable to vary the flight, or a suppli
mentary rudder-like web may be added for this purpose.
The bird may be made to float, or, as shown in the drawings it may be made
actually to fly. In any case the wing frames may be of such material as shall be
shot-proof, and the niembranes may be simply gummed paper, or its equivalent.
The tail is similarly constructed.
If desired we produce the bird with a long tube-like hinge at the upper part of
the body, and thus providing an independent attachment for bearings for scissor-
like arms actuating the wings by any suitable mechanical appliance inside the body,
so protect the various parts from the shot.
In order to provide any kind of flight, and direction, the following accessories
are necessary parts in combination with the said bird.
To provide a low skimming flight it is only necessary to construct. a spring arm
and an adjustable stop. In practice, the bird is placed upon the spring-arm so that
it shall part from it when the said stop is reached: In order to start the flight of
the bird at some distance from the ground, we provide a captive-arrow to which
the bird is attached. The said arrow is hollow, so that a coil of cord may be
inserted, for the limitation of its flight, and it may be provided with such membranes
as shall overcome any tendency to deviate in its course. This said, arrow is, in any
suitable manner, constructed so that whilst the bird remains attached, to it, the
motion of the mechanism in the said bird shall be locked; the arrow and the bird
upon it being projected to the extent of the cord inserted; by means of any suitable
catapult, or, spring-mortar, the bird parts from the arrow by its own momentum
when the cord arrests the said arrow: and, in the case of the floating bird, the

page_text: said bird skims like a sea-gull, whilst, if the bird with actuating wings, be used,
the mechanism for the said actuation is released when the bird parts from the said
arrow.
To provide for an easy upstroke of the wings in the actual flight, we either
hinge the wings so as to admit of their bending downwards at the back end, or we
mount the frames of the wings with several membranes, so arranged as to open to
the air, like valves in the up-stroke, and close in the down-stroke.
If necessary we can add a kind of parachute to the said captive-arrow, which,
opening at the point of arrest by the cord, will prevent the said arrow from falling
rapidly to the ground.
In the accompanying drawings
יז
the hoẵe of the bird with actuating parts, but without the

page_text: In order that our said invention may be fully and perfectly understood the
following additional description is submitted.
In the first place it must be borne in mind that an artificial bird to be of any use
for shooting practice must be provided with such an appliance or construction
that it will be unmistakably evident that the mark has been hit or missed by the
shot.
The construction of the shot-proof shell-body of our bird provides for this in a
most efficient way. Longitudinally it may be of any shape, consequently we are
only concerned with the section of the said shell-body and the appliances
accessory to it.
Now this body is hinged longitudinally at (say) the back-bone; consequently
like a mussel-shell it is capable of opening and closing at the bottom.
In Fig. III. the open and closed positions are indicated respectively by the
continuous and dotted lines in the outline. mm are small hooks fixed upon the
sides. Observe that as the sides are hinged at j the hooks will move with
the sides into the continuous or the dotted line-position. When the sides are
opened at the bottom m m will be capable of engaging the loose clip, 1, and holding
down the tail spring, k, which when released springs up into such an inclined
position that any regular flight becomes impossible.
Now it is evident that if such a bird be hit, either whilst floating or actually flying
it will only be affected when one or other of the sides is knocked into the closed
position. Whenever so knocked in the connected trigger-hook m will move back
from its engagement with ; will loosely rock into an incline position and slip
clear of the opposite hook and k will rise to the slanting position indicated in
Fig. IV. In other words the shot will knock the side from the continuous to
the dotted line-position. N.B. It is not the trigger-action of the body which
indicates that the bird has been hit, but the result of the trigger action, viz. the
release of the tail which takes up a position incompatible with flight.
As to the actuation of the wings, as suggested in Fig. I and Fig. II it will be
observed that we do not make any special claim as we may apply any suitable
mechanism or we may attach fixed and immovable wings for floating only. We
however claim novelty for the spring tail and the facilities for renewing the
membranes upon shot proof frames. Any catapult may be used to project our
bird, but we lay especial claim to a captive hollow arrow by means of which we
obtain a variety of positions hitherto unapproached. The main features of this
improvement are; the coiling of the required length of cord inside the said arrow
so that it shall pay it off readily (the cord may be fixed to arrest the captive arrow
at any given height or distance).
Any suitable contrivance may be employed to attach the bird at the point of the
said arrow and (in the case of mechanical wings) to retain the mechanism until
the bird by its own momentum leaves the arrested arrow. If guiding membranes
(see 5, 6, 7, 8 Fig. VI) be fixed upon the arrow, these may be of any durable
material, instead of the paper with gummed edges we propose for the renewal of
the wings and tail of the bird. The said arrow must be of some considerable
weight to give momentum but it may be projected as found convenient (say from a
spring mortar).
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 ;
I. That construction of the body of an artificial bird, herein particularly
described, which affords such motion as is sufficient to actuate the trigger action
which indicates that the bird has been hit.
II. The tail of an artificial bird which may be held down by a trigger or
triggers, but which in its normal position, renders further progress impossible.
III. The wings and tails of artificial birds so constructed (as herein set forth)
that the coverings may be readily renewed, whilst the frames are shot proof.

page_text: IV. The combination of the bird herein described with any common catapult.
V. The captive, hollow arrow (particularly as herein described) in combination
with our said bird.
L 3000
JAMES MC HARDY.
JOHN INGLIS CHALMERS FRANCIS.