Improvements in Spring Traps for Throwing Targets, commonly known as "Clay Pigeons," for Shooting Practice.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Oct., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 14th July, 1894-Accepted, 18th Aug., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spring Traps for Throwing Targets, commonly
known as "Clay Pigeons," for Shooting Practice.
I, CHARLES EDMUND TAUNTON, of Ward End, Birmingham, Warwickshire,
Managing Director of The Birmingham Ammunition Company, Limited, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists of the herein described improvements in spring traps
for throwing disc like targets commonly known as clay pigeons" for shooting
practice.
A spring trap of the kind to which this invention relates consists essentially of
one or more throwing levers free to turn about a fulcrum provided on a suitable
stand which is adjustable to throw the clay pigeon at various angles and in various
directions as may be required, this throwing lever or each of these throwing levers
carrying at its outer end a spring holder by which the clay pigeon is held until it
is thrown. A coiled wire spring acts upon the throwing lever or upon each of the
throwing levers and when the trap is set the throwing lever is or the throwing
levers are each held back by a catch lever against the tension of the spring
until when the catch lever is pulled by a cord so as to release the throwing
lever the latter is by the coiled spring caused to swing round suddenly and
throw the clay pigeon out of the holder at the inclination and in the direction
desired.
By this invention I improve the construction and arrangement of the parts of the
spring trap so as to offer greater facility in setting and adjusting the same and so
as to prevent as far as possible the clay pigeons being broken by the act of throwing
them from the trap.
also so arrange the trap that it will throw two or more clay
pigeons at the same or nearly the same time in different directions or to different
distances.
One part of this invention has reference to the construction of the clay pigeon
holder and to the method of attaching the same to the throwing lever. A clay
pigeon holder as heretofore constructed consists of an arm turning at one end on
a pin fixed at or near the end of the throwing lever this arm having jointed to it a
second or adjustable arm between the end of which and two stops on the first arm
the clay pigeon is held the pressure of the adjustable arm on the clay pigeon being
regulated by an adjustable coiled wire spring. In order to prevent the possibility
of the clay pigeon being placed in the holder on the twist I make the top of the
adjustable arm level with the top of the other arm and 1 support the adjustable
arm by a continuation of the other arm continued under the adjustable armi for a
certain distance towards its outer end. I also arrange the said spiral spring which
acts upon the adjustable arm underneath the holder connecting one end of the
spring to a downwardly projecting ear ou one of the arms the other end of the
spring being connected to an adjusting screw passing through an ear of the other
arm by which screw the tension of the spring and the pressure of the adjustable
arm upon the clay pigeon can be regulated to a nicety. In order to provide a long
working bearing for the joint pin which secures the said holder to the throwing
lever and so as to ensure the holder being always square with the joint pin to
prevent any twisting of the pigeons when they are leaving the trap I make the said
joint pin fixed to the arm of the holder and arranged to turn in a long bearing in
the throwing lever. The coiled spring which is provided on the joint pin under-
neath the throwing lever I make adjustable with a nut underneath which can be

page_text: turned by the fingers so that the holder can if desired be removed from the
throwing lever without the use of a spanner.
Another part of this invention consists of the following improved arrangement of
the throwing lever or throwing levers and main spring or main springs and
accessories and the spring catch lever or levers which holds or hold the throwing
lever or throwing levers back when the trap is set and which releases the throwing
lever or levers when a pigeon is being thrown, and this part of this invention also
has reference to the means by which these parts are supported and adjusted
vertically and horizontally. will first describe this part of my invention as
applied to a single rise trap. Fixed to the base of the trap is a central upright
pillar upon which is mounted what I call the pillar casting which fits upon the
pillar and upon a flange of the base casting and is free to turn about the same a
coiled wire spring or a spring washer being provided on the pillar the pressure of
which can be regulated by a nut screwed on the top of the pillar so as to prevent
the pillar casting moving too freely. This pillar casting carries a spring pawl
which will take into any one of a series of slots in a flange on the base casting and
thus lock the pillar casting in any desired position when the trap has been adjusted
to the required radial angle. The said pillar casting has two upwardly projecting
brackets to one of which so as to be capable of being moved in a vertical plane
passing through the centre of the pillar is jointed what I call the radial arm and
which has a quadrant like downwardly projecting part near its outer end passing
between jaws formed on or fixed to the other said bracket of the pillar casting. In
this quadrant like piece there is a series of holes and a corresponding hole through
the jaws and through the latter passes a spring pin by which the vertical adjust-
ment of the radial arm can be set at any desired angle. Fixed to the top of the
radial arm and in a line with it is what I call the centre bar to the front end of.
which the throwing lever is jointed and to the back end of the centre bar there is
an upwardly projecting cross bar terminating in a handle for use in setting the trap
as hereinafter described. The throwing lever is, as in other spring traps, a two
armed lever the longer arm carrying the clay pigeon holder and the shorter arm
being connected to the main coiled spring. This shorter arm I make with an
upwardly projecting pin to which one end of the main spring is attached the said
main spring being located in a line with the centre bar and the end of the main
spring being connected to an adjusting screw passing through the cross bar and on
this adjusting screw there is a fly-nut by which the tension of the main spring can
be adjusted as desired. The fulcrum pin of the throwing lever is by preference
fixed to the centre bar and the throwing lever arranged to turn on the fulcrum pin
the head of the fulcrum pin being by preference recessed in flush with the boss of
the throwing lever so as to be out of the way of the spring. The catch lever is a
two armed lever turning on a fulcrum pin carried by a bracket at one side of the
centre bar. The end of the front arm of the catch lever is inclined underneath and
has an undercut notch as usual so as to hold the throwing lever when it is pulled
back and the trap is set, and the end of the back arm is connected by a light spiral
spring preferably in tension to an adjusting screw passing through a boss on the
cross bar. This adjusting screw may have a fly nut by which the tension of the
spring and the catch lever can be readily adjusted. A suitable stop prevents
the front end of the catch lever going down too far. To the back arm of the
catch lever is attached a pulling cord by which the catch lever is raised to release
the throwing arm. This cord is by preference connected to the catch lever by
means of a spring hook the said cord passing round a snatch block which has at its
ends a swivel attached to another spring hook which latter spring hook hooks into
an eye or into any one of two or more eyes which are screwed into the base
casting the pulling cord is then led away back to where the shooter stands. By
this arrangement of the pulling cord it is impossible for the cord to become
detached from the catch lever and the cord will be always free to operate the
catch lever no matter in what direction the clay pigeons are being thrown. To
facilitate the pulling round of the throwing lever when setting the trap the outer

page_text: end of the throwing lever is formed as a handle so that the trapper can grasp this
handle in one hand and the other handle (which as above stated is formed on the
top of the cross bar) in bis other hand and readily pull the throwing lever back
until it catches under the catch lever, when the trap is set. By this arrangement
the setting of the trap is made comparatively easy as a great amount of leverage is
obtained by the length of the throwing lever.
The mode of working the trap above in part described is as follows:-The
trapper stands by preference on the right hand side of the trap with his back to
the shooter. He then swings the clay pigeon holder round to the left so as to leave
room for him to hold the handle at the extreme end of the throwing lever. He
then pulls the throwing lever round against the tension of the main spring until the
throwing lever is held firmly by the catch lever. The clay pigeon is now pushed
into the holder and held as above described. The trapper then if necessary adjusts
the radial angle of the trap by lifting up the said spring pawl by its handle (in
which position the spring pawl will be retained by its spring) and he then turns
round the pillar casting and parts supported thereby to the desired angle and drops
the pawl into one of the slots thus locking the pillar casting and parts supported
thereby in this position. To adjust the vertical angle of the centre bar and parts
supported thereby the spring pin has to be removed from the jaws and quadrant
like piece of the radial arm and then the radial arm with the centre bar, throwing
lever and other parts supported by the radial arm are free to be adjusted vertically
and when the proper angle has been obtained the spring pin is again inserted
through the jaws and downwardly projecting quadrant like piece thus locking the
trap firmly in this position. The trap is now ready for throwing the clay pigeon
which is effected in the well known way by pulling the cord to release the throwing
arm which is then swung round suddenly by the main spring and the clay pigeon
thrown out of the holder in the usual way. It will be seen that the height and
direction of the flight of the clay pigeons can be instantly altered by the trapper
without the use of tools so that every shooter may have a different angle or rise if
thought desirable thus making the shooting like the shooting of live birds and
consequently of great value as practice to the sportsinan.
In order to firmly secure the trap above described to the ground and enable it to
be readily lifted and moved from place to place and refixed in a new position I
provide a self-fixing bottom plate to which the base casting is bolted preferably by
the base casting having three legs through which pass screw bolts provided with
fly-nuts and engaging in slots in the bottom plate so that the base casting can
readily be removed from the bottom plate and readily refixed thereon when
required. The said bottom plate is by preference made in the shape of a cross
with a large central hole each of the four arms of the plate having fixed to it a
downwardly projecting spike so that when the bottom plate is placed in the desired
position on the ground pressure on the bottom plate will force these spikes into the
ground and firmly fix the trap in place. The bottom plate is by preference made
with two handles for carrying it by and these handles are by preference arranged.
to spread across between the two pairs of arms so as not to stand up above the top
of the bottom plate.
I construct a double rise trap that is a trap for throwing two clay pigeons either
simultaneously or one after the other practically in the same manner as above
described with reference to a single rise trap except that instead of the centre bar
being connected directly to the radial arm as in the single rise trap I connect the
centre bar to the radial arm by two side brackets so as to allow room for the main
spring of the second throwing lever immediately below the centre bar this second
throwing lever being arranged either on the saine or a different fulcrum pin as the
first throwing lever but below the centre bar whilst the first named throwing lever
is arranged above the same. In this arrangement the cross bar has a downwardly
projecting part through which passes the adjusting screw of the main spring of the
lower throwing lever.
In a modification of my invention I arrange the double rise trap with one of the

page_text: throwing levers working at its jointed end on a moveable quadrant to which the end.
of the main spring is attached so that the trap will throw out two clay pigeons at
the same time in different directions. This quadrant is made with an outwardly
projecting arm or setting lever arranged to take under the catch lever when the
trap is set. By fixing the throwing lever on the quadrant so as to make an angle
with the other throwing lever the two clay pigeons will be thrown at the same or
nearly the same time in different directions and by adjusting the throwing lever on
the quadrant the directions in which the two clay pigeons are simultaneously thrown
can be varied as desired.
In a further modification of my invention I make a double rise trap with the
two throwing levers of different lengths and if desired carried on separate fulcrum
pins so as to throw two clay pigeons at the same time to different distances.
In a further modification of my invention I make a double rise trap having one
throwing lever arranged to swing round in a horizontal plane and the other
throwing lever arranged to swing round in a vertical plane that is to say their
respective joint pins are arranged at about right angles to each other so as to throw
one of the clay pigeons with the whole of the surface of its disc exposed to the
shooter.
Dated this 12th day of October 1893.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spring Traps for Throwing Targets, commonly
known as "Clay Pigeons," for Shooting Practice.
I, CHARLES EDMUND TAUNTON, of Ward End, Birmingham, Warwickshire,
Managing Director of The Birmingham Ammunition Company, Limited, 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 :-
66
This invention consists of the herein described improvements in spring traps for
throwing disc like targets commonly known as clay pigeons for shooting
practice.
A spring trap of the kind to which this invention relates consists essentially of
one or more throwing levers free to turn about a fulcrum provided on a suitable
stand which is adjustable to throw the clay pigeon at various angles and in various
directions as may be required, this throwing lever or each of these throwing levers
carrying at its outer end a spring holder by which the clay pigeon is held until it
is thrown. A coiled wire spring acts upon the throwing lever or upon each of the
throwing levers and when the trap is set the throwing lever is or the throwing
levers are each beld back by a catch lever against the tension of the spring until
when the catch lever is pulled by a cord so as to release the throwing lever the
latter is by the coiled spring caused to swing round suddenly and throw the clay
pigeon out of the holder at the inclination and in the direction desired.
By this invention I improve the construction and arrangement of the parts of
the spring trap so as to offer greater facility in setting and adjusting the same and
so as to prevent as far as possible the clay pigeons being broken by the act of
throwing them from the trap. I also so arrange the trap that it will throw two or
more clay pigeons at the same or nearly the same time to different distances.
I will describe my invention by referring to the accompanying drawings on
which Fig. 1 is a general back perspective view of a single rise spring trap
constructed according to this invention for throwing targets commonly known as

page_text: clay pigeons for shooting practice; Fig. 2 is a front perspective view of the same;
Fig. 1 shews the trap set ready for throwing the clay pigeon and Fig. 2 shews the
parts of the trap in the positions which they occupy immediately after the trap has
been let off; Fig. 3 is a front view and Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation on an
enlarged scale of the clay pigeon holder of the said trap and Fig. 5 is an inverted
plan of the said clay pigeon holder; Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of a portion of
the said trap; Fig. 7 is a plan of the base casting of the same; Fig. 7* shews a
portion of a modified form of the said base casting; Fig. 8 is a section of a portion
of the said base casting and Fig. 9 is a section of a portion of the throwing lever
and its fulcrum pin. The remaining figures illustrate a double rise trap constructed
according to this invention as hereinafter described.
The same letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding parts in all the
figures.
One part of this invention has reference to the clay pigeon holder and to the
method of attaching the same to the throwing lever. A clay pigeon holder as
heretofore constructed consists of an arm turning at one end on a pin fixed at or
near the end of the throwing lever this arm having jointed to it a second or
adjustable arm between the end of which and two stops on the first arm the clay
pigeon is held the pressure of the adjustable arm on the clay pigeon being regulated
by an adjustable coiled wire spring. In order to prevent the possibility of the clay
pigeon A (see Figs. 1 3 and 4) being placed in the holder on the twist, I make the
top of the adjustable arm B' level with the top of the other arm B' and I support
the adjustable arm B' by a continuation 61 of the other arm B' continued under
the adjustable arm B' for a certain distance towards its outer end. This will be
clear by an examination of Figs. 3, 4 and 5 where it will be seen that the adjustable
arm B is jointed at 62 to the other arm B2 this latter having a boss 63 at one end
through which passes the pin 6 hereinafter described for fixing the pigeon holder
to the throwing lever C. I also arrange the said spiral spring b which acts upon
the adjustable arm B' underneath the holder and I connect one end of the spring b
to a downwardly projecting ear 6 ou the arm B the other end of the spring being
connected to an adjustable screw 66 passing through an ear 7 of the other arm B
and having a fly nut 68 by which screw and nut 68 the tension of the spring 6*
and the pressure of the adjustable arm B¹ upon the clay pigeon A can be regulated
to a nicety. The clay pigeon A is held between the ordinary guard plate 6"
(which is fixed by the two stops 613 614 to the arm B2) and the indiarubber collar 615
of the adjustable arm B', this collar 6 being by preference made with an enlarged
top part as shewn so as to bear upon the upper part of the flange a¹ of the clay
pigeon A. and prevent the same rising up out of the holder. In order to provide a
long working bearing for the joint pin which secures the said pigeon holder B¹ B'
to the throwing lever C and so as to ensure the holder B₁ B' being always square
with the joint pin to prevent any twisting of the pigeons A when they are
leaving the trap, I make the joint pin 64 fixed to the boss 63 of the arm B² of the
holder and arranged to turn in a long bearing in the throwing lever C (see Fig. 4).
The coiled spring 6 which is provided on the joint pin 6 underneath the throwing
lever C I make adjustable with a nut 60 underneath, which can be turned by the
fingers so that the holder B B can if desired be removed from the throwing
lever C without the use of a spanner. This nut 610 is by preference locked by the
split cotter passing through the nut 60 through a vertical slot 61 in the pin 6.
Another part of this invention consists of the following improved arrangement of the
throwing lever or throwing levers and main spring or main springs and accessories and
the spring catch lever or levers which holds or hold the throwing lever or throwing
levers back when the trap is set and which release the throwing lever or levers when a
pigeon is being thrown, and this part of this invention also has reference to the
means by which these parts are supported and adjusted vertically and horizontally.
I will first describe this part of my invention as applied to a single rise trap which
is illustrated by Figs. 1, 2, 6, 7, 7*, 8 and 9. The base D of the trap has a central

page_text: upright pillar E (by preference made in the form of a separate square necked bolt
fitting in the base casting as shewn in Fig. 6) and upon this base and pillar is
mounted what call the pillar casting F which fits upon a flange d¹ of the base
casting D and is free to turn about the same, a coiled wire spring e' or a spring
washer being provided on the pillar E (within the pillar casting F) the pressure of
which spring can be regulated by the nut e' screwed on the top of the pillar E so
as to prevent the pillar casting F moving too freely. e3 is a lock nut for locking
the nut e². This pillar casting carries a spring pawlf turning on a fulcrum pin
which pawl will take into any one of a series of slots d² in the flange d' on the
base casting D and thus lock the pillar casting F in any desired position when the
trap has been adjusted to the required radial angle. ³ is a handle formed with
the spring pawl f¹ for lifting the same. The pillar casting F has two upwardly
projecting brackets ff to the upper ends of which are fixed two cross pieces G'G'
and to one end of these cross pieces, so as to be capable of being moved in a
vertical plane passing through the centre of the pillar E, is jointed at g' what I
call the radial arm H and which has a quadrant like downwardly projecting part h¹
near its outer end passing between jaws formed by the cross pieces G¹ G2 fixed to
the other bracket of the pillar casting F. In this quadrant like piece 7¹ there
is a series of holes ² and a corresponding hole through the jaws G' G² and through
the latter passes a longitudinally split spring pin by which the vertical adjustment
of the radial arm H can be set at any desired angle. Fixed to the top of the
radial arm H and in a line with it is what I call the centre bar I to the front end i¹
of which the throwing lever C is jointed and to the back end of the centre bar I
there is an upwardly projecting cross bar 11 terminating in a handle i³ for use in
setting the trap as hereinafter described. The throwing lever C is, as in other
spring traps, a two armed lever the longer arm carrying the clay pigeon holder B' B²
and the shorter arm c² being connected to the main coiled spring J. This shorter
arm I make with an upwardly projecting pin c to which one end of the main
spring J is attached the said main spring being located in a line with the centre
bar I and the other end of the main spring J being connected to an adjusting
screw passing through the cross bar l' and on this adjusting screw j there is a
fly nut by which the tension of the main spring J can be adjusted as desired.
The fulcrum pin c of the throwing lever C is by preference fixed to the centre
bar I and the throwing lever C arranged to turn on the fulcrum pin c¹ the head of the
fulcrum pin c being by preference recessed in flush with the boss of the throwing
lever C (as shewn more clearly by Fig. 9) so as to be out of the way of the
spring J. The catch lever K₁ is a two armed lever turning on a fulcrum pin k¹
carried by a bracket h² at one side of the centre bar I. The end of the front
arm of the catch lever K¹ is inclined underneath and has an undercut notch as
usual so as to hold the throwing lever C when it is pulled back and the trap is set
as shewn in Fig. 1, and the end k of the back arm is connected by a light spiral
spring preferably in tension as shewn to an adjusting screw passing through a
boss on the cross bar I. This adjusting screw k³ may have a fly nut ke by which
the tension of the spring ³ and the catch lever K₁ can readily be adjusted. A
suitable stop k prevents the front end 3 of the catch lever K' going down too far.
To the end of the back arm of the catch lever K' is attached a pulling cord L
by which the catch lever K¹ is raised to release the throwing arm C. This cord L
is by preference connected to the catch lever K¹ by means of a spring hook such
as the said cord L passing round a snatch block 2 which has at its end a swivel
attached to another spring hook which latter spring hook hooks into an eye dⓇ or
into any one of two or more eyes do d' which are screwed into the base casting D ;
the pulling cord L is then led away back to where the shooter stands. By this
arrangement of the pulling cord it is impossible for the cord L to become detached
from the catch lever K' and the cord will be always free to operate the catch lever K'
no matter in what direction the clay pigeons are being thrown. To facilitate the
pulling round of the throwing lever C when setting the trap, the outer end c¹ of the

page_text: throwing lever C is formed as a handle so that the trapper can grasp this handle c
in one hand and the other handle 2 (which as above stated is formed on the top of
the cross bar I) in his other hand and readily pull the throwing lever C back until
it catches under the catch lever K¹ when the trap is set as shewn in Fig. 1. By
this arrangement the setting of the trap is comparatively easy as a great amount
of leverage is obtained by the handle c increasing the length of the throwing
lever C.
The mode of working the trap above in part described is as follows:-The
trapper stands by preference on the right hand side of the trap with his back to
the shooter. He then swings the clay pigeon holder round to the left as shewn in
Fig. 2 so as to leave room for him to hold the handle c' at the extreme end of the
throwing lever C. He then pulls the throwing lever C round against the tension
of the main spring J until the throwing lever C is held firmly by the catch
lever K. The clay pigeon A is now pushed into the holder B₁ B' and held as
above described. The trapper then if necessary adjusts the radial angle of the
trap by lifting up the said spring pawl f' by its handle f (in which position the
spring pawl will be retained by its spring f) and he then turns round the pillar
casting F and parts supported thereby to the desired angle and drops the pawl f¹
into one of the slots d thus locking the pillar casting F and parts supported
thereby in this position. To adjust the vertical angle of the centre bar I and
parts supported thereby the spring pin h³ has to be removed from the jaws and
quadrant like piece of the radial arm H and then the radial arm H with the
centre bar I, throwing lever C and other parts supported by the radial arm H are
free to be adjusted vertically turning on the pin g' as a centre and when the proper
angle has been obtained the spring pin h³ is again inserted through the jaws and
downwardly projecting quadrant like piece h¹ thus locking the trap firmly in this
position as shewn in Figs. 1 and 2. The trap now ready for throwing the clay
pigeon A which is effected in the well known way by pulling the cord L to release
the throwing arm C which is then swung round suddenly by the main spring J and
It will be
the clay pigeon A thrown out of the holder B₁ B' in the usual way.
seen that the height and direction of the flight of the clay pigeon A can be
instantly altered by the trapper without the use of tools so that every shooter
may have a different angle or rise if thought desirable thus making the shooting
like the shooting of live birds and consequently of great value as practice to
the sportsman.
In order to firmly secure the trap above described to the ground and enable it
to be readily lifted and moved from place to place and refixed in a new position I
may provide a self fixing bottom plate M to which the base casting D is bolted
preferably by the base casting D having three legs d³ d' d' through which pass
screw bolts N provided with fly-nuts n¹ and engaging in slots m' in the bottom
plate M so that the base casting D can readily be removed from the bottom
plate M and readily refixed thereon when required. The slots. m' may be arranged
radially as shewn in Figs. 7 and 8 opening out into the centre hole m² of the
bottom plate M for convenience of removing or of replacing the bolts N in the
slots mor and this is what I prefer the sluts m³ may be arranged as shewn in
Fig 7* open at each end for the removal of the bolts N and so to allow of the base
casting D being adjusted radially on the bottom plate M. The bottom plate M is
by preference made in the shape of a cross as shewn with a large central hole m²
each of the four arms m' of the plate having fixed to it a downwardly projecting
spike o so that when the bottom plate M is placed in the desired position on the
ground pressure on the bottom plate M will force these spikes o into the ground
and firmly fix the trap in place. The bottom plate M is by preference made with
two handles m m for carrying it by and these handles are by preference as shewn
in Fig. 7 arranged to spread across between the two pairs of arms so as not to
stand up above the top of the bottom plate; or the bottom plate M may be made
with any other suitable number of the arms m* such for instance as three arms.

page_text: I construct a double rise trap (see Figs. 10 and 11) that is a trap for throwing
two clay pigeons A either simultaneously or one after the other practically in the
same manner as above described with reference to a single rise trap, except that
instead of the centre bar I being connected directly to the radial arm H as in the
single rise trap I connect the centre bar I to the radial arm H by two side brackets
marked P P so as to allow room for the main spring J' of the second throwing
lever C immediately below the centre bar I this second throwing lever C¹ being
arranged by preference either on the same fulcrum pin c as the first throwing
lever C (or the second throwing lever C may be on a different fulcrum pin) but
below the centre bar I whilst the first named throwing lever C is arranged above
the same.
In this arrangement the cross bar I' has a downwardly projecting
part through which passes the adjusting screw of the main spring J of the
23
lower throwing lever C. K' is the catch lever for the lower throwing lever C¹
constructed and arranged similarly to the catch lever K' of the upper throwing
lever C.
In a further modification of my invention I make a double rise trap with the
two throwing levers C C¹ of different lengths and if desired carried on separate
fulcrum pins on the cross bar I so as to throw two clay pigeons at the same time
to different distances.
In conclusion I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise
details illustrated by the accompanying drawings as it will be evident that the same
may be modified without departing from the nature of my invention as for instance
instead of making the base casting D and bottom plate M as two separate castings
these might be cast together and other variations might be made.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In the " clay pigeon" holder of a spring trap of the kind herein referred to
and in combination with the arms of the holder by which the clay pigeon is held,
the employment of an adjustable light coiled spring in tension arranged underneath
the said arms and connected to the same in the manner and for the purpose
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
2. In the "clay pigeon" holder of a spring trap of the kind herein referred to,
making the two arms of the holder level with each other on the top in combination
with a continuation 6' of one arm arranged under the adjustable arm of the holder
so as to support the same and prevent the clay pigeon being placed in the holder
on the twist, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
3. The combination and arrangement of parts forming the improved "clay
pigeon "holder substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Figs. 3, 4
and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
4. In the "clay pigeon" holder of a spring trap of the kind herein referred to
and in combination with the arms of the same by which the "clay pigeon" is held,
the improved means for securing the pigeon holder to the throwing lever consisting
of the combination with the joint pin 6 fixed to one of the arms of the holder and
passing through the throwing lever of the spring 6 threaded on the pin 6', the
adjusting nut 60 for adjusting the tension of the spring 69, and the cross pin 618
passing through the adjusting nut 10 and through the slot 612 of the joint pin b', as
hereinbefore described and illustrated by Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings.
5. In a spring trap of the kind herein referred to, mounting the throwing lever
on a centre bar underneath the same which centre bar is fixed to or formed with a
radial arm jointed at one end for adjustment of the inclination or vertical angle of
the throwing lever, said radial arm having a quadrant like piece at its outer end
for fixing the radial arm at any desired inclination on the top of a pillar casting

page_text: which can be moved around the pillar on a stationary base casting and be fixed
thereto at any desired radial angle, substantially as described.
6. In a spring trap of the kind herein referred to the combination of a base
casting provided with a central pillar, a pillar casting adapted to turn on said base
casting and around said pillar, an adjustable coiled spring or spring washer on said
pillar for holding the pillar casting on the base casting, a spring catch carried by
said pillar casting and adapted to engage in holes or notches in a flange of the base
casting and secure the pillar casting and base casting together in any desired
position, substantially as described.
7. In a spring trap of the kind herein referred to the combination of a base
casting provided with a central pillar, a pillar casting adapted to turn on said base
casting and around said pillar, an adjustable coiled spring or spring washer on said
pillar for holding the pillar casting on the base casting, a spring catch carried by
said pillar casting and adapted to engage in holes or notches in a flange of the base
casting and secure the pillar casting and base casting together in any desired
position, said pillar casting having two upwardly projecting brackets, a radial arm
jointed to one of said brackets so as to be adjusted vertically and made with a
downwardly projecting quadrant like piece provided with holes for vertical adjust-
ment to the other bracket, said radial arm carrying a centre bar to which the
throwing lever or throwing levers are jointed, substantially as described.
8. In a spring trap of the kind herein referred to making the throwing lever
or each of the throwing levers with a handle such as c¹ at the outer end, beyond
where the clay pigeon holder is jointed, for convenience of turning the handle when
setting the trap substantially as described.
9. In a spring trap of the kind herein referred to the combination of centre bar I
mounted so as to be adjusted vertically or radially, throwing lever C jointed to
one end of said centre bar, cross bar I¹ fixed to the other end of centre bar I and
standing up therefrom and made with handle 2 at its upper end, spring J mounted
centrally above centre bar I and connected to the shorter arm of throwing lever C
and to an adjusting screw jl passing through the cross bar I, all substantially as
hereinbefore described and shewn.
10. In a spring trap of the kind herein referred to and in combination with the
catch lever or with each of the catch levers of the same the improved arrangement
of adjustable spring connected to said catch lever and to cross bar I' as hereinbefore
set forth.
11. In a spring trap of the kind herein referred to and in combination with the
catch lever or with each of the catch levers of the same the improved arrangement
of pulling cord and accessories by which the catch lever can be pulled in whatever
position it may happen to be substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
12. In or for a spring trap of the kind herein referred to the improved arrange-
ment of bottom plate made with spikes underneath for fixing to the ground
substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn.
13. In a spring trap of the kind herein referred to the combination of centre
bar I mounted so as to be adjusted vertically or radially, two throwing levers C C¹
jointed to one end of said centre bar one throwing lever above and the other
throwing lever below said centre bar, cross bar I' fixed to the other end of centre
bar I and standing up therefrom, springs J J' mounted centrally respectively above
and below centre bar I and connected respectively to the shorter arms of the
throwing levers C C₁ and to adjusting screws j2j3 passing through cross bar I, all
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Figs. 10 and 11 of the
accompanying drawings.
"
14. The construction combination and arrangement of parts constituting the
improved single rise trap for throwing targets commonly known as "clay pigeons
for shooting practice substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by
Figs. 1 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.
15. The construction combination and arrangement of parts constituting the
D

page_text: "
improved double rise trap for throwing targets commonly known as "clay pigeons
for shooting practice substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to
Figs. 1 to 11 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 13th day of July 1894.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.