Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Apr., 1887
Complete Left, 28th Jan., 1888
Complete Accepted, 2nd Mar., 1888
I, JAMES PATERSON of 96 Grove Street, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
Orderly Room Sergeant, 6th Lanark Rifle Volunteers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
:-
3
$
"
The target as constructed in accordance with this invention consists of a series of
plates, each value, that is to say, the "bull's-eye," "inner and outer being
composed of a number of sections, or only the "inner" and "outer" being so composed
whilst the bull's eye consists of a single plate. The several plates composing the target
are secured at or near their upper edges to cross bars upon a framing, the plate or
plates forming the "bull's eye" in one plane and those forming the other values or some
of them in different vertical planes so that spaces are left between the sections of the
target through which indicators may be dropped or projected over any of the sections
to indicate the part of the target which is struck upon firing. To the back of each
section is attached a rod or link whose extremity is connected to one arm of a bell
crank whose other arm has formed on it a hook or catch engaging a striking arm or
hammer centred on a shaft under the bell crank centre said hammer having attached
to it a cord or wire passing round guide pulleys to the upper and rear side of the
target, where a coloured disc or other indicator is attached to it. A separate bell
crank, hammer cord and indicator is provided for each plate composing the target, and
by this arrangement when any one of the plates is struck in firing the vibration or
movement of the plate due to the impact of the bullet is communicated through the
connecting rod or link to the bell crank to which it is attached at the rear, the hammer
is thereby disengaged from the catch on said bell crank and the cord or wire connected
to the corresponding indicator slackened to permit the indicator to drop to a position
directly in front of the plate which has been struck and thus indicate the value of the
shot. In the path of movement of this hammer is a cross bar or frame which is
connected by a cord or wire to a catch or detent engaging a notch in a wheel or drum
of clockwork mechanism and the hammer in its descent by striking said cross bar
releases the detent and sets the clockwork in motion whereupon a cross arm or frame
situated under the hammers is by the action of the clockwork mechanism rotated or

page_text: partially rotated and raises the fallen hammer into engagement with the bell crank
catch, the indicator at the front of the target being by the same operation raised out
of view behind a projecting plate which in the case of the lower parts of the target
may be one of the plates composing the target itself. After completing the movement
for raising the hammer the clockwork is stopped by the detent or catch falling into
the notch.
Under a modification the clockwork and relative mechanisin is dispensed with and
the bullet in striking the target causes the bell crank to open a tap and and liberate
from a receptac? or vessel behind the target a quantity of liquid which flows over tho
section of the target struck by the bullet and the said liquid being of a different colour
to the colour of the target gives the required indication.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Self-indicating Targets.
I, JAMES PATERSON of 123 West Graham Street, Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, Orderly Room Sergeant 6th Lanark Rifle Volunteers, 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 has for its object improvements in targets and whilst generally
applicable it relates more especially to the class of such targets which are erected for
practise in drill halls, shooting galleries, ranges in connection with private residences
or clubs and like situations where in practising the rifle is usually fitted with a
"Morris" or other tube. The target as constructed in accordance with the Invention
has the part to be shot at, that is to say, the "bulls eye ""inner" and "outer" values
each or one or more of them composed of a series of sections separate one from the
other there being provided in conjunction with each section a rod which acts so as
automatically to actuate escapement or trigger mechanism and release an indicator
which shews to the marksman the value of the shot, the said indicator after each
exhibition being returned to its hid or normal position either by automatic mechanism
or by hand.
On the accompanying drawings figure 1 is a front elevation, figure 2 a side elevation
and figure 3 a back end elevation of the target as constructed under the Invention,
part of the casing of the apparatus being removed in figures 2 and 3 for greater
clearness.
وو
As shown by these figures the target consists of a series of plates a, a', a², the inner
and outer values a', a², being each composed of a number of sections and if desired
the "bull's eye
a, may also be so composed although it is shown on the drawing as
consisting of one plate. The several plates or sections are suspended by straps or
tangs b, from cross bars or rods extending from side to side of the framing c, and as
seen by figure 2 the plates are arranged in different planes vertically the plate a
constituting the "bull's eye" being in one plane whilst the plates constituting the
other values a' and a² are in different planes relatively with the "bull's eye" and with
each other spaces being thus left between the several sections of the target. Against
the back of each section or plate there abuts one end of a rod d, the other extremities
of these rods acting each against one arm of a bell crank lever e.
The series of levers
is centred upon a horizontal bar or rod f carried in vertical frames g within the casing h
of the apparatus and in conjunction with the levers there are provided two stop bars i
to confine their movements within certain limits. The rods d are supported in position
by passing them through holes made in plates; and the bell crank levers e, have each
a catch or hook formed upon the lower arm and which engages with the upper end
of a hammer or fall bar 1, centred on a shaft m also supported in the vertical frames
or standards g. The outer ends of the hammers have each connected to it one extremity
of a wire or cord n which passes from thence under a guide pulley, roller or bar o
thence over guide pulleys, rollers or bars o' to a series of rectangular, circular or other

page_text: shaped boards or discs parranged one behind the other in rear of the target face and
-which boards or discs constituto the indicators whereby the values of the shots are
shewn. A separate bell crank e, hammer 1, cord n and indicator p is provided for
cach section of the several values a, a, a, of the target, each section or plate of the
soveral values being numbered and its indicator correspondingly numbered on the face
of it the discs or boards p-being so hung that excepting when the value of a shot is to
be indicated they are out of sight within the casingh of the target.
花
On the rod or bar m two lovers s are also centred one at each side of the casing h.
These lovers carry on a rod r extending between their forward ends a bar or block t.
One of the lovers is continued rearwards from its fulcrum and on its tail end a roller u
is centred, the said roller being at certain times acted upon by a cam to depress it as
-hereinafter more particularly described. The bar or block t which is so balanced-as to
hang normally in or about the position shewn on figure 2, has a pint projecting from
one side of it, and when the said bar is struck by one of the hammers 7 in falling the
pin acting on one end of a detent lever w, centred on a stud c¹ secured in one of the
vertical standards g raises the other end of the said lever which has a hook or finger
upon it out of a notch cut in the periphery of a disc carried upon the same shaft or
axis-as-the cam v. The shaft which is supported in vertical standards A also
within the casing h, has a drum B, secured upon it-a length of cord, wire or chain
being wound-upon the-said-drum.and from thence conducted through the back of the
casing and under and over pulleys y the free end of the cord, wire or chain having
a weight C connected to it. Upon the drum B, there is secured a ratchet wheel D,
geare by means of a pawl F, with a spur wheel E, carried loose on the shaft a the
pawl being centred upon the wheel E, which has the disc w and the cam v connected
-to-it these being likewise loose ou the shaft . The wheel E is also geared with a
pinion G which through the train of wheels G, G², G³, G, operates a "By Hin
_conjunction with which a brako I is provided, the said brake being formed on-or-
connected to an arm w³ made on the defent lover w. The surface of the fly is preferably
covered with india-rubber, leather or like material.
"
y
The action of the apparatus constructed as herein before described is as follows:-
When the "bulls eye' a or any of the sections a', a², constituting the "inner" and
"outer" values is struck by a shot that section is by the impact of the bullet driven
momentarily rearwards so as to act upon the end of the rod d, provided in conjunction
with the said section and raise the hook or catch k of the bell crank lever e from the
hammer 1, which thereupon falls and drops the board or disc p, indicative of the
proper value of the shot into the position shown in dotted lines at figure 2, where from
the colour of the disc and the number upon it or from the number upon it merely the
exact section of plate struck is shown to the marksman. Immediately after so dropping
the indicator the hammer comes in contact with the bar or block t and the upper end
of the said bar being thereby caused to swing downwards the pin t' fixed in it depresses
the end of the lever w and causes its finger to rise free of the notch in the periphery
of the disc w², the brake I being at the same time lifted from the fly H. There being
then no detent to the action of the weight C, the said weight causes the drum B to
turn, and through the gearing of the pawl F, with the ratchet wheel D, to also turn
the wheel E, disc w², cam v and fly H. The cam in rotating depresses the lover s
which has the effect of raising the hammer I until it is caught by the hook of the boll
crank lever e, the raising of the hammer drawing up the indicator board or disc out
of sight to its normal position behind the plates a. When the hammer has been so
raised the finger of the detent lever entering the notch in the periphery of the disc w
and the brake I, coming into frictional contact with the drum of the fly H, the move-
ment of the mechanism is automatically stopped until it is again released by one of
the plates a, a, a², being struck.
As shown by figure I the edges of some of the plates overlap others and to prevent
these overlapping plates when struck by a bullet from also through contact carrying
back one or more other plates with them and so giving a wrong indication a series of
bridges is employed the ends of the said bridges being permanently connected to the
framing of the target whilst the parts intermediate between the ends pass horizontally

page_text: in the vertical spaces between the sections as indicated at figure 6. An overlapping
section in moving rearwards is thus stopped by the bridge from acting on the plates
whose edge it overlaps.
Figure 4 shows a modification of the clockwork mechanism hereinbefore described
wherein the barrel B for the cord, wire or chain y suspending the weight (instead of
being on the same axis as the cam or crank for raising the hammer is carried
upon a separate axis the cam or crank having the detent disc w secured on its axis and
also a spur wheel J, geared to the barrel B through the spur wheel E, pawl F, and
ratchet wheel D the wheel E, being loose as before set forth. The wheel J, is geared
to the fly I by a train of spur wheels G, G1, G2, G3, G4, as in the proviously described
arrangement and the cam v may either be constructed as shown at figure 2 to act on
one only of the levers w, or it may be composed of two side pieces with a cross bar v¹
extending between so as to cause it to act on both lovers.
Under another modification illustrated at figure 5 the automatic mechanism for
raising the indicator discs or boards p to their normal position may be dispensed with
the hammers being lifted to gear with the leverse and to raise the indicators by
pulling a chain or cord K connected to one of the levers carrying the bar t the chain
or cord being carried over pulleys to the firing or other point. The bar t under this
arrangement is secured in one permanent position relatively with the levers s and not
so as to swing on a centre as in the arrangement first described. In lieu of these
modes any other convenient method of raising the hammers and indicators p may be
adopted it being understood that I do not confine myself as regards that part of the
mechanism and it will be obvious that the indicator discs p in lieu of being placed in
series behind the values a² as shown at figure 2 may be so suspended behind the
sections of the values a, a, a², from a series of pulleys at the upper part of the interior
of the casing has to fall down in front of or immediately below the said sections
when the hammer / drops.
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 I
claim is:
1. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting the improved
target hereinbefore described with reference to the soveral figures on the accompanying
drawings.
2. In a target so constructing the part to be shot at that the several values or one
or more of them are composed of a series of overlapping disconnected plates which
individually operate indicating mechanism one plate being prevented from acting on
another by cross bridges, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
3. In a target the combination of the plates a, a, a², rods d, bell crank levers e,
hammers and indicators p, substantially as described with reference to the drawings
annexed.
4. In a target the combination of the bell crank levers e, hammers 1, bars t, detent
levers w and cam v operating automatically in conjunction with clockwork mechanism,
substantially as and for the purpose described with reference to figures 1, 2, 3 and 4
of the accompanying drawings.
Dated in Thanth
dave
I
1000
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Agents.