IMPROVEMENTS IN FLYING TARGETS OR OBJECTS TO BE FIRED AT FOR GUN AND RIFLE PRACTICE
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Mansell, of Brixton Road, in the County of
Surrey, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLYING TARGETS OR OBJECTS
TO BE FIRED AT FOR GUN AND RIFLE PRACTICE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Mansell at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th March 1880.
RICHARD MANSELL, of Brixton Road, in the County of Surrey.
"IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FLYING TARGETS OR OBJECTS TO BE FIRED AT FOR GUN AND RIFLE
PRACTICE."
Hitherto for gun and rifle practice glass balls were used, thrown up in the air by
a machine; but the great objections to these balls are, first, the cost of them, and
secondly, when struck by the shots or shot break into many pieces, and so destroy
the lawn or field, and become of great danger to the animals grazing in the field,
not only their tongues being cut but the danger of the broken glass cutting their
feet.
To obviate the above I use air balls made of skin or thin substance. To the end
of the usual mouth piece I fix a valve made either of metal, wood, or any suitable
substance, which, when air is blown into the ball, becomes quite full or inflated, the
valve closes up the end of the air hole; and when it is required to let the ball
collapse it is only necessary to insert a pin or wire into the mouth piece so as to
push down the said valve and allow the air to escape.
To make the ball heavy so as it should ascend into the air by machinery or hand,
I make a frame or cage of wire or inctal of any suitable thickness; I then insert
the ball (in its collapsed state) into the frame or cage, and inflate it with air till
it fills out and becomes fixed into the said metal frame or cage. On the ball being
struck by shot or shots it collapses in its frame, then it is only to insert a fresh
ball into the frame, as the frame can be used a great number of times before it
becomes destroyed by the shots or shot.
I also make the frame with the mouth piece and valve attached thereto, then it
is only to tie the mouth of the ball to the end of the air tube or valve and inflate
it till it fills out into the frame or cage.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Richard Mansell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
September 1880.
RICHARD MANSELL, of Brixton Road, in the County of Surrey.
"IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FLYING TARGETS OR OBJECTS TO BE FIRED AT FOR GUN AND RIFLE
PRACTICE."
Hitherto for gun and rifle practice glass balls were used, thrown up in the air by
a machine; but the great objection to these balls are, first, the cost of them, and
secondly, when struck by the shots or shot they break into many pieces, and so
render a lawn or field unfit for other use.
-To-obviate the above. I use..air_balls made of india rubber, skin, or any thin
substance. To the end of the usual mouth piece I fix a valve made either of metal,
wood, or any suitable substance, which, when air is blown in the ball becomes quite
full or inflated, the valve closes up the end of the air hole; and when it is required
to let the ball collapse it is only necessary to insert a pin or suitable instrument
into the mouth piece so as to open the said valve and allow the air to escape.
To make the ball heavy so as it should ascend into the air by machinery or
hand, I make a frame or cage of wire or any suitable metal or substance of any
suitable thickness or shape; I then insert the ball (in its collapsed state) into the
frame or cage and inflate it with air till it fills out and becoines fixed into the said
metal frame or cage. On the ball being struck by shot or shots it collapses in its
frame; it is only necessary to insert a fresh ball into the frame, as the frame can
-be used any number-of- times without being destroyed by the shots or shot. I also
make the metal frame with the mouth picce and valve attached thereto, then it is
only necessary to fix the mouth of the ball to the end of the air tube or valve, and
inflate it till it fills out into the frame or cage.
I also make various clips with springs or otherwise which can be instantly fixed
upon the balloons which have no valve, and by this means keep them inflated, and
thereby act as substitutes for the valvular balloons.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my Invention, and the
nanner in which the same is or may be performed, 1 would observo in conclusion
that I do not limit myself to the precise details herein given, as various modifi-
cations may be made therein while retaining the essential features of my Invention;
but what claim as new and desire to be secured to me by the herein before in part
recited Letters Patent is,--
First. The application and use of metal or other suitable material ball frame
or cage, in combination with parts herein before described, or any modification
thereof.
Second. The application and use of air balls made of india rubber, skin, or other
thin substance, with or without fixed valves, in combination with parts herein before
described, or any modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Mansell, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty first day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.