Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 17th May, 1887
Complete Left, 19th Mar., 1888
Complete Accepted, 17th May,
1888
I, JAMES EDWARD SURRIDGE, of Dodbrooke Rectory, Kingsbridge, in the County
of Devon, Clerk in Holy Orders, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
My invention relates to an improved bird scare, and it is designed to give it a
greater air of reality, and to make it more formidable to the birds to be scared from
the fields.
Upon a suitable stand, and pivotted thereto, I mount a profile, preferably in thin
metal, and painted to represent a man holding a gun in position. Within the casing
I provide a wheel or frame mounted with a number of nipples, upon each of which is
placed a percussion cap. Over this wheel or frame is a hammer, and this hammer is
controlled by suitable clock work mechanism, to strike down at intervals, and discharge
one percussion cap, the wheel or frame by the same mechanism being rotated through
the space from one nipple to another, between the strikes of the haminer. A striking
and realistic representation is thus given of a man shooting at the birds.
Or, the profile being pivotted, its movement by the wind, or the movement of a
special vane or lever, may be utilized to operate the percussive mechanism, the
direction of which would suitably be controlled by means of a pawl and ratchet or
otherwise.
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.

page_text: •
I, JAMES EDWARD SURRIDGE, of Dodbrooke Rectory, Kingsbridge, in the County
of Devon, Clerk in Holy Orders, 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:-
My invention relates to an improved bird scare and it is designed to give it a
greater air of reality and to make it more formidable to the birds to be scared from
the fields.
In order that my invention may be the better understood I now proceed to describe
the same in relation to the drawings hereunto annexed reference being had to the
letters and figures marked thereon. Like letters.refer to like parts throughout the
drawings.
Figure 1 represents an external view of my device.
Figure 2 shows an elevation of my operating mechanism.
Figure 3 shows a plan of same.
Figures 4 and 5 show an alternative method of percussion.
Upon a suitable stand A and pivoted thereto I mount a profile B preferably in thin
metal and painted to represent a man holding a gun in position. This profile is
provided with stiffeners C and motion is imparted thereto by the wind, thus giving it
a realistic effect. Within the casing A figure 1 I provide a wheel or frame D,
figures 2 and 3, mounted with a number of nipples E, upon each one of which is
placed a percussion cap. Over this wheel or frame is a hammer F, and this hammer
is controlled by suitable clockwork mechanism G, to strike down at intervals and
discharge one percussion cap, the wheel or frame by the same mechanism being
rotated through the space from one nipple to another between the strikes of the
hammer. The striking of the hammer is obtained by the rotation of the wheel D as
aforesaid, which is provided with a number of inclined planes and sudden drops,
corresponding to the number of nipples. As the wheel D is carried forward, the tail
of the hammer F travels up one of the inclined planes, gradually elevating the bead,
and when it reaches the drop it falls with percussive effect upon the cap, which
then presents itself under its travel. The percussive effect is caused by any suitable
spring or weight H.
In place of causing my percussion wheel to travel in a horizontal plane, I may
communicate the motion to the upper part of the body, or even to the gun itself, as
shown in detail, figures 4 and 5, and in this case, I employ an endless chain Q
provided with the nipples, a shield K being applied to prevent the caps falling off on
the under travel and in this case I employ a cam arrangement L, operating at the
proper intervals by the alternate solid and blank.intervals in the endless chain, to give
percussive effect to the hammer F.

page_text: This is effected as follows :-
The horn projecting from the axis of the hammer is pressed by the spring P to
cause the percussive fall of the hammer F. A chain which is provided with alternate
solid links and blank intervals is caused to pass through a grooved slot between the
frame P and top fixed block g. As the solid link passes it catches the horn n
projecting from the axis of the hammer, thereby lifting the hammer against the
reaction of the spring P. When the hammer has been fully cocked, the chain
continuing its travel brings the blank interval over the said horn n, as shown in the
illustration. The reaction of the spring P then causes the hammer head to fall and
strike the percussive cap. The hammer is again cocked by the succeeding solid link
of the chain and falls at the next blank interval and so on. While this automatic
action is proceeding, the trigger N falls by its weight into such a position that it does
not foul the detent m on the axis of the hammer, but when the nipples require
re-loading, the trigger N is raised, so as to pass under the detent m and thus lock the
hammer in a cocked position while the caps are being replaced upon the nipples,
after which the trigger N is released and the hammer is ready for automatic operation.
A striking and realistic representation is thus given of a man shooting at the birds.
In either case the percussion wheel or chain is provided with a ratchet and pawl M
to give grip for the rotation by their clockwork mechanism and also to allow of free
rotation in order to load same.
The profile being pivotted, it will take a definite direction to the air currents by
the addition of a rudder vane as used in weather-cocks. A small rotating vane of
wind-mill sail may be fitted, so as to rotate by suitable bevel gearing a vertical rod
passing down the centre of the pivot. The rotary movement of this spindle driven
by the wind-mill or rotating vane may then be employed to drive by bevil gear the
rotary wheel E of the percussive mechanism, figures 2 and 3, instead of clockwork, or
similarly to induce the travel of the chain Q, figures 4 and 5, by driving one of the
drums over which it passes.
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 1
claim is :-
The construction of an improved bird scare in the form of a human profile combined
with percussive mechanism intermittently operated by clock work or otherwise,
substantially as and for the purposes specified
Dated this 17th day of March 1888.
For FELL & WILDING,
R. A. Hoffmann,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.