and Practice in Artillery Fire.
Year: 1886

page_text: and Practice in Artillery Fire.
I JAMES BRAY, (Sergeant in the 2nd Middlesex Artillery Volunteers) of
20 Somerfield Road, Finsbury Park, London, N. in the County of Middlesex, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for "APPARATUS FOR GIVING INSTRUC-
TION IN THE LAYING OF ORDNANCE & PRACTICE IN ARTILLERY FIRE, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is, that instruction may be given in the laying of
ordnance, and practice in artillery fire, without having the use of the particular
gun with which instruction is required to be given, and that at noderate ranges,
and with small ammunition, practice in the aiming, and use of the sights-par-
ticularly as regards the correction for errors caused by the effects of wind on the
projectile-may be obtained, as by the use of the full size gun and ammunition.
I will now explain the way in which I effect my object :-
I take a rifle, which may be a saloon, or air rifle, or any rifle or gun throwing
small projectiles with accuracy; upon the muzzle of the rifle, and on the butt end
of the stock, I fit ordnance sights, the parts used in the laying, being of the exact
size and pattern of those used on the piece of ordnance with which it is wished to
give instruction.
'
I then fix the rifle firmly upon a carriage, which is constructed in such a manner,
that the rifle may be directed to a given point, by means of elevating, and traversing
screws, in a manner similar to that in use with ordnance; the pillar carrying the
leaf of the front sight is made so that it can be moved in a vertical direction, in a
gun metal socket, and may be clamped at the required position, the socket being
fixed on the muzzle of the rifle, so that the apex of the leaf, and the axis of the
bore of the rifle, are in the same vertical plane: the bar of the back sight is
accurately fitted in a socket, and may be clamped in required position by a milled
headed screw, or, a movable clamp may be used, of a pattern used with the " tangent
sights" of ordnance; the socket in which the bar of the sight is fitted may be
moved horizontally in a dovetail slide, and may also be clamped in required
position; the bar of back sight is engraved with range scale in yards, and degrees
of elevation, similar to those issued with the gun with which it is required to give
instruction: the pillar carrying the leaf of the front sight, is also engraved with
range scale in yards, the same as the bar of the backsight,- on two of its sides,
on one side for point blank ranges, to be used when it is wished that the projectile
should strike the spot aimed at, and on other side when it is wished that shots
should fall on a diagram other than the target upon which the aim is taken, this
will be desirable when it is wished to give instruction in the use of the deflection
leaf, with which most ordnance sights are fitted, and also for the use of the vernier
for small corrections for elevation; the sights are engraved for use at some
convenient distance, which to ensure accuracy, must always be the same for one
Drian CJ1

page_text: particular set of sights; if this distance be, say, 10 yards, and it is wished to give
instruction at 2000 yards, at a target 9 ft square, the target should be of a size to
appear to the eye at 10 yards, the same as a target 9 ft square would appear at
2000 yards; the front and back sights being clamped at the 2000 yards as engraved
on the scales.
The object of having the socket carrying the back sight movable, is to enable
instruction in the use of the deflection scale being given, it will be seen that by
shifting the socket to the left, that the projectile would then strike to the left of
the target, the same effect as would be produced by a wind blowing from the right,
the error created could then be corrected by the use of the deflection leaf in the
head of the back sight; it will be seen that if the front sight is elevated or depressed,
it would have an effect equivalent to a front or rear wind, and by the use of the
two combined an error could be created which would be equal to a wind from any
quarter desired, the amount of error having to be judged as on an actual range of
the distance represented; supposing a shot to strike to the right, or left, at
a distance of twice the width of target drawn, it will be known that about
13 minutes deflection will be required in order to strike the centre of the target;
the errors of elevation being corrected in a similar manner, by the degree scale, or
vernier, it being known the value of 5 minutes increase, or decrease, of elevation,
on the vertical plane at the range represented.
If it is desired to give instruction with different guns, it will be necessary to
use sights of a similar pattern to those issued with such guns, the sights being
interchangeable with the apparatus.
I will now proceed more clearly to explain my apparatus by aid of the Drawing.
The carriage consist of a rectangular base plate, a, of sufficient weight and sub-
stance to give solidity; mounted on this base plate, are two other plates, b, and, c,
to the latter of which the rifle is fixed, by means of the clamps, d, & e; the back
end of the plate, b, rests upon the pointed end of the screw (f) which works into
a nut (g) fixed to the base plate a, and by turning the hand wheel (h) any desired
elevation or depression may be given to the rifle, as the plates b, and, c, are free to
turn together in a vertical plane, about the joint i; a conical projection on the
front end of the plate c, fits into a corresponding bearing k; at the back end of
the plate b, there is a hand wheel 1, attached to a screw working in a thread on
the end of the plate c, for the purpose of giving horizantal motion to the plate c,
about the centre of the bearing k, with the rifle attached thereto. The socket m,
of the front sight n, is fitted to the muzzle of the rifle, and passed on to the barrel
as far as the front sight, (of the rifle) where it is securly clamped; the socket o,
carrying the back sight (p) is attached to a dovetail slide (r, r,) which is fixed
to the butt of the rifle, the socket o, may be clamped in required position by the
nut 8.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare what
I claim is,
Apparatus for giving instruction in laying of ordnance, and practice in artillery
fire, by the, combination of ordnance sights, with small fire arm, or other gun,
throwing small projectiles, and mounted on a carriage constructed so, that the gun
so mounted, may be directed to a given point, in a manner similar, to that in use
with ordnance; substantially as herein described.
Dated this 20th day of September 1886.