IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYED FOR THE PROTECTION OF MARKERS AT RIFLE BUTTS, AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED IN INDICATING THE SCORE AND POSITION OF THE SHOT, AND WIPING OUT THE SHOT MARK
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Hill, of Hampton House, Great Warley,
in the County of Essex, Brewer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYED FOR THE PROTECTION OF MARKERS AT RIFLE
BUTTS, AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED IN INDICATING THE SCORE AND POSITION
OF THE SHOT, AND WIPING OUT THE SHOT MARK."
Sealed the 10th October 1862, and dated the 12th July 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left. by the said Thomas Hill at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 12th
July 1862.
"IM-
I, THOMAS HILL, of Hampton House, Great Warley, in the County of
Essex, Brewer, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for ";
PROVEMENTS IN THE ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYED FOR THE PROTECTION OF MARKERS
AT RIFLE BUTTS, AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED IN INDICATING THE SCORE AND
POSITION OF THE SHOT, AND WIPING OUT THE SHOT MARK," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the better protection of the markers when
engaged at rifle butts or targets, together with improved means of indicating
the score and position of the shot upon the target whilst the marker is in the
act of wiping out the same. For this purpose, in order to protect the marker,

page_text: a pit is sunk in front of the target, part of which is protected by a strong
covering of iron plate or other materials. The covering of the pit nearest to
the target is by preference inclined, and has a sheet of thick plate glass
inserted therein, in order that the marker may see when the target is struck.
On one side of the pit an opening is left, from which the marker can reach
the face of the target without any exposure of himself, in order to wipe out
each shot mark in succession; and one part of my Invention consists in
employing a series of brushes or instruments for this purpose, which in the
act of wiping out indicate to those at a distance the character of the shot
mark, together with its exact position upon the target. This is accomplished
by having the back of each brush or instrument employed for wiping out or
removing the shot marks of different colors or designs, the marker selecting a
particular brush or instrument to wipe out each particular shot mark, thus
indicating at once the position of the shot mark whilst in the act of wiping
it out.
ח!
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Hill, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th January 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
HILL, of Hampton House, Great Warley, in the County of Essex, Brewer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Putent, bearing late the Twelfth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Thomas Hill, Her special licence, that I, the. said Thomas
Hill, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Thomas Hill, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYED FOR THE PROTECTION OF MARKERS AT RIFLE BUTTS, AND
IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED IN INDICATING THE SCORE AND POSITION OF THE SHOT,
AND WIPING OUT THE SHOT MARE," upon the condition (amongst others)

page_text: that I, the said Thomas Hill, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing 'under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Hill, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object the better protection of the markers when
engaged at rifle butts or targets, together with improved means of indicating
the score and position of the shot upon the target whilst the marker is in the
act of wiping out the same. For this purpose, in order to protect the marker,
a pit is sunk in front of the target, part of which is protected by a strong
covering of iron plate or other materials. The covering of the pit nearest to
the target is by preference inclined, and has a sheet of thick plate glass
inserted therein, in order that the marker may see when the target is struck.
On one side of the pit an opening is left, from which the marker can reach the
face of the target without any exposure' of himself, in order to wipe out each
shot mark in succession; and one part of my Invention consists in employing
a series of brushes or instruments for this purpose, which in the act of wiping
out indicate to those at a distance the character of the shot mark, together
with its exact position upon the target. This is accomplished by having the
back of each brush or instrument employed for wiping out or removing the
shot marks of different colors or designs, the marker selecting a particular
brush or instrument to wipe out each particular shot mark, thus indicating at
once the position of the shot mark whilst in the act of wiping it out. I
And in order that my Invention may be most fully understood, and readily
carried into practice, I will proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto
annexed

page_text: 5, 6, and 7, show the series of discs or signals (of a size suited to each target),
with the brushes attached, which are used for wiping out the shot marks;
Figure 8 shows separate views of the brush or instrument for wiping out each
shot mark, and at the same time indicating its position to those at a distance
according to my Invention.
The Drawing clearly shows the mode of constructing the marker's pit in
front of the target, together with the dimensions thereof. which I prefer to
employ for each class of target shown; at the same time I wish it to bo
distinctly understood that I do. not confine myself to these dimensions, as the
same may be greatly varied without departing from the character of my
Invention; neither do I confine myself to the particular form or color of
signal shown in combination with the brush or instrument employed for
wiping out the shot mark, which in the act of wiping out indicates its position
on the target. Each brush or wiping-out instrument is attached to a certain
dise or signal of a particular form or color, representing and showing the
particular point made, and which in the act of wiping out the shot marks
indicate to those at a distance the value or character of the shot made,
together with its exact position on the target. It will be seen on examining
the Drawing that the roof of the pit is partly protected by a strong covering
of iron plate or other suitable materials. The covering of the pit nearest to
the target is by preference inclined, as shown, and is formed partly of boards
and partly of thick plate or other glass, or it may be of perforated zinc, wire
gauze, wire fly netting, or other similar materials, in order that the marker
may see distinctly when and where the target is struck, and the joint object of
the glass or perforated materials and of the boards combined is for the
protection of the marker against the splashes or fragments of the bullets which
rebound from the target. On one side of the target an opening is left, as
shown (or it may be on both sides of the pit), from which the marker can
reach the face of the target with the brush or wiping-out instrument without
the risk of exposing himself whilst in the act of indicating the position and
wiping out the shot mark.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the best means I
am acquainted with for carrying the same into practice, 1 would have it
understood that I do not confine myself to the exact details herein described,
so long as the peculiar character of my Invention be retained; but what I
claim is, the arrangement herein described for protecting the markers at rifle
butts, together with the means employed for wiping out or effacing the shot
marks, and at the same time signalling to those at a distance the character or.

page_text: value of the shot mark by indicating its exact position upon the target whilst
in the act of wiping out, whether the point made be a "bull's-eye," "centre,"
or an "outer."
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Hill, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventh day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
THOMAS HILL. (LS.)