Improved Target and Means for Signalling in Rifle Shooting.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Feb., 1893-Accepted, 29th Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Target and Means for Signalling in Rifle Shooting.
I, FRANCOIS ELIE NAPOLEON MERCIER, of Conques (Aude), in the Republic
of France, Doctor of Medicine, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention relates to an automatic target and has for its object, first, to
dispense with the marker; second, to signal the point with mathematical regularity;
third, to prevent accidents caused through rebounding of the balls; fourth, to
mount the target on wheels.
My invention may be divided into two distinct parts;-First, a frame with the
bull's-eye, inner and outer divisions of the target and their supports fixed on the
ground or on a carriage. Second, the flags and their manipulations.
The
The first part is composed of a plank, on which are pivoted three forked supports
carrying respectively the bull's-eye, and inner and outer division. The inner and
outer target divisions are concentric a certain distance apart from each other, the
inner one being in diameter equal to the inner diameter of the outer one.
bull's-eye is a disc of sheet steel or other metal according to the arm and
ammunition which is used. The inner and outer target divisions are made of the
same material. For arms of great penetration for warfare, the steel discs may be
combined with wood discs. The pivotted supports aforesaid abut with their
horizontal ends against a stop which control their vertical movement. The said
horizontal parts carry a counter weight situated on its side and serve to bring back
and retain the targets in equilibrium and normal position, after a ball has struck
and caused it to oscillate. The said counter weight may be substituted by suitable
springs if deemed necessary. The horizontal parts of the said inner and outer
target divisions supports are suitably bent and receive the respective pivot. To
the underside of the plank aforesaid, is fixed a cross piece which serves as a base
and stay for the target when fixed on the ground. When the target is mounted
on wheels it is rendered readily transportable by withdrawing from the target
support a bolt and turning it on a pivot onto the carriage. The whole of the
mechanism is situated below the outer target division and is protected from the
balls by means of a small brestwork of about 60 centimeters.
The second part of the invention consists in the flag signal, having flags fixed
to shafts carrying levers. At rest the flags are in an oblique position parallel
with the rods jointed at one end to the aforesaid levers and at the other end to
the target supports. After a ball has struck the target the outer target division
supports turn on its pivots, and is limited in its movement on the horizontal part
thereof being arrested by the stop aforesaid, whilst the counter weight suitably
regulated brings it back to its normal position. This back movement engages the
aforesaid rod which draws the respective lever. The pull produced oscillates the
shaft on which the flags are fixed which in pairs then, in a vertical position, signal
the shooting to be interrupted. The movement of the said shaft may be attained
by means of a toothed segment fixed to the extremity of the horizontal part of the
outer target division support, which segment is in gear with a pinion keyed on the
flag shaft.
In lieu of operating the latter, by gearing as described, the extremity of the
said horizontal target support part may be bent upwards and impart motion to the
flag rod lever aforesaid by means of a rod.
The distance from one target division to the other, is calculated according to
the course the wooeding

page_text: The conical part of the balls used I cover with a cap of tin or other metal
which carries internally a fuse and a small quantity of black substance mixed with
gun powder. When the ball touches the target the fuse in lighting inflames the
said substance and powder which produces a small flash followed by a black smoke
sufficient to show the rifleman the part of the target struck. To inform the
rifleman of the latter in a vertical sense the flag is rendered visible for a long or
short period and in a horizontal sense by the following arrangement.
Two plates are jointed at the back to each pivoted target division side. A
projection which supports these discs respectively, is outwardly extended and bent
downwards. These parts engage the forked end of the target support of the inner
division. After a ball has struck the side of the same it oscillates back and
renders it visible to the rifleman only about three fourths of its size. The pivoted
target division raises easy on the inclined plains and owing to its weight regain its
normal position. The outer target division has in front two similar plates jointed
to the forked support by means of rods.
A third square division may be arranged around the said outer one, serving for
long distances and rendered more visible by means of a suitable background
conveniently supported.
Dated this 2nd day of May 1892.
F. BOSSHAKDT & CO.,
Agents to Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Target and Means for Signalling in Rifle Shooting.
I, FRANCOIS ELIE NAPOLEON MERCIER, of Conques (Aude), in the Republic
of France, Doctor of Medicine, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and a
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to an automatic target and has for its object, first, to
dispense with the marker; second, to signal the point with mathematical regularity;
third, to prevent accidents caused through rebounding of the balls; to mount the 3
target on wheels.
My invention may be divided into two distinct parts. First, a frame with the
bull's-eye, inner and outer divisions of the target and their supports fixed on
the ground or on a carriage.. Second, the flags and their manipulations.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood I have caused to
be appended hereunto two sheets of drawings, marked with letters of reference
indicating like parts in the various figures.
Fig. 1, Sheet I, is a side elevatien of my automatic target complete, Fig. 2 a
plan of a portion of the levers thereof. Fig. 3 is a back view of the first target
division. Figs. 4 & 5 are modifications of the flag mechanism and Fig. 6 a
perspective and an end view of a ball cap.
Fig. 7, Sheet II, is a front view of the target with shelter suitably supported.
Fig. 8 is a back view of the second target division with side plates. Figs. 9 & 10
are plans in section of the first and second target divisions, Fig. 10 being a plan
of Fig. 8.
In carrying out the first part of my invention it is composed of a plank A, A¹,
on which are pivoted three forked supports B, B', B", carrying respectively the
bull's eye C and inner and outer divisions C₁, C. The inner and outer target
divisions C¹, C, are positioned concentric and a certain distance apart from each
other, the inner one C¹ being in diameter equal to the inner diameter of the outer
one C. The bull's eye C" is a disc of sheet steel or other metal according to the
arm and ammunition which is used. The inner and outer target divisions C¹, C,
are made of the same material. For arms of great penetration for warfare, the
4

page_text: said steel discs may be combined with wood discs. The supports B, B¹, B" pivotted
at b abut with their horizontal ends against a stop a which control their vertical
movement. The said horizontal parts carry each a counter weight d situated on
its side and serve to bring back and retain the targets in equilibrium and normal
position after a ball has struck and caused it to oscillate, as shown in dotted lines
division C, (Fig. 1). The counter weight d may be substituted by suitable springs
if deemed necessary. The horizontal parts of the inner and outer target division
supports B, B, are suitably bent at c (Fig. 3) and receive the respective pivot b..
To the underside of the plank A' is fixed a cross piece F which serves as a base
and stay for the target when fixed on the ground. When the target is mounted on
wheels X it is rendered readily transportable by withdrawing from the target
support a bolt m and turning it on the pivot n, (Figs. 1 & 3,) onto the carriage.
The whole of the mechanism is situated below the outer target division C and is
protected from the balls by means of a small brestwork of about 60 centimeters.
The second part of the invention consists in the flag signal, having flags E fixed
to shafts e carrying levers f. At rest the flags E are in an oblique position parallel
with the rods G jointed at one end to the levers and at the other end to the target
supports B, B¹, B". After a ball has struck one of the target divisions, the
respective support turns on its pivot band is limited in its movement on the
horizontal part thereof, being arrested by the stop a, whilst the counter weight &
suitably regulated brings it back to its normal position. This back movement
engages the rod G which draws the respective lever f. The pull produced
oscillates the shafte on which the flags E are fixed which raise them into a vertical
position and signal the shooting to be interrupted, see Fig. 1. The movement of
the shaft e may be attained by means of a toothed segment H, see Fig. 4, fixed to
the extremity of the horizontal part of the outer target division support B, which
segment is in gear with a pinion L keyed on the flag shaft e.
In lieu of operating the latter by gearing as described, the extremity of the
horizontal target support part B, see Fig. 5, may be bent upwards and impart
motion to the flag rod lever by means of a rod g.
The distance from one target division to the other is calculated according to the
movement of the preceding one.
The conical part of the balls used I cover with a cap of tin or other metal, see
Fig. 6, which carries internally a fuse and a small quantity of black substance
mixed with gun powder. When the ball touches the target the fuse in lighting
inflames the said substance and powder which produces a small flash followed by a
black smoke sufficient to show the riflemau the part of the target struck. To-
inform the rifleman of the latter in a vertical sense, the flag is rendered visible
accordingly for a long or short period and in a horizontal sense by the arrangement
shown in Figs. 8, 9 & 10.
The target division C¹, see Figs. 8 & 10, has pivoted to each side a plate I
having an arm bent downwards at each end, the outer ends being adapted to.
engage between the forked ends i of the semicircular arms J, forming part of the
pivoted target support B'. The latter is formed with a conical socket 1, on which
the target division C' rests loosely and which permits of the latter oscillating in a
horizontal sense when a ball has struck the side thereof and thus cause the
respective plate I to oscillate inwardly and be visible to the rifleman about three-
quarters of its width, after which both plate I and division C¹ regain their normal
positions. The outer target division C, see Fig. 9, has at the back two similar
plates I jointed to the fork J of the support B by means of rods k.
A third square division, see Fig. 7, may be arranged around the said outer one,.
serving for long distances and rendered more visible by means of a suitable back
ground M conveniently supported.
I may remark that the target mechanism described may be employed directly on
the ground in lieu of on a carriage and that one, two, three or more of the target.
divisions may be used.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim, is―
1st. An automatic rifle target characterized by the combination of pivoted
target divisions, supports with flags actuated by means of rods, segment and pinion
or a combination of levers, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2nd. The use of a bullet cap of tin or other metal adapted to indicate the place
struck or a system of discs, which become visible when the ball strikes the target
outside its vertical axis, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 2nd day of February 1893.
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
4, Corporation Street, Manchester, Agents to Applicant.