Improvements in or relating to Targets for Rifle Practice.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 28th Oct., 1891-Accepted. 28th Nov. 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Targets for Rifle Practice.
I, THOMAS BINNIE RALSTON of 234 Buchanan Street in the City of Glasgow,
Iron Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in or connected with targets for rifle
practice and the improved apparatus consists of a vertical post or pillar the lower
end of which is embedded in the ground.
The
On the said post or pillar which is preferably rectangular a loose sleeve is situated
so as to be capable of vertical motion the friction of the siceve on the pillar being
minimised or reduced by the employment of a series of anti-friction rollers.
sleeve carries one or more cross bars whereto a target frame is attached and the
target is balanced so as to maintain a raised or lowered position by centering
on the sleeve at each side a pulley over which a chain, wire or cord is passed. One
end of each chain, wire or cord is connected to the sleeve whilst its other end is
attached to a box which is weighted to counteract the weight of the target and by
raising or lowering the box the position of the sleeve and of the target which it
carries can be adjusted vertically at will that is to say the target can be elevated
into firing position or lowered to be patched.
The apparatus hereinbefore described may be duplicated so as to carry 1 and
operate two targets, one of which may be a "dummy" employed for marking
purposes whilst the other presents the surface to be shot at. When so duplicated
the targets are arranged that one is in its lowered whilst the other is in its elevated.
position.
Dated this Second day of February 1891.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Targets for Rifle Practice.
I, THOMAS BINNIE RALSTON, of 234 Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow,
Iron Merchant 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in or connected with targets for rifle
practice, and as illustrated in front elevation at Figure 1 and in end elevation at
Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings, the improved apparatus consists of a vertical
post or frame A, the lower end of which is embedded in the ground.
On the said post or frame which is preferably rectangular, and made of cast or
malleable iron or steel, a loose frame or sleeve B, is situated so as to be capable of
vertical motion, the friction of the sleeve B on the post A being minimised or
reduced by the employment of a series of anti-friction rollers C, centred on the sleeve
and bearing on the flanges of the post A. The sleeve B carries cross bars D whereto
a target frame E is attached and the target is balanced so as to maintain a raised or
lowered position by connecting to the sleeve at each side one end of a chain, wire
or cord F, the other end of which is passed over a pulley G, and attached to a
weight H, these weights counteracting the weight of the target and enabling it to
be adjusted vertically at will that is to say, the target can be elevated into firing
position or lowered to be patched.

page_text: The pulleys G are carried in brackets secured to a cross bar I which is attached
to the post A and to end frames J, the latter having brackets K bolted to them
which carry studs whereon the anarking discs L are loosely centred each disc having
a back balance weight M. which assists in swinging it upwards and downwards and
in maintaining it in its raised or lowered position.
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―
In a target for rifle practice the combination of a fixed central post or frame a
sleeve sliding on said post and having bars carrying a target frame, said target
frame being counterpoised by weights connected to the sleeves substantially. as
described with reference to the drawings annexed.
Dated this Twenty-seventh day of October 1891.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.