Improvements in Targets.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Targets.
WILLIAM PARNALL, of 108, Victoria Street, Bristol, Grocers Outfitter, and
TOM BELL BURNS, of 8, Narrow Weir, Bristol, Commercial Traveller, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The target is hinged at one side and held in either firing or repairing positions
by a catch or catches and levers. The target being lowered into the trench or
raised into mantlet, the dummy taking its place and showing the value of the last
shot. When the target again appears to the rifleman the dummy goes out of sight.
Dated this 30th day of January 1897.
WILLIAM PARNALL.
TOM BELL BURNS.
We, WILLIAM PARNALL, of 108, Victoria Street, Bristol, in the County of
Gloucester, Grocer's Outfitter, and TOM BELL BURNS, of 8, Narrow Weir, Bristol,
aforesaid, Commercial Traveller, 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 targets, more particularly those employed in rifle
practice and has for its object to so arrange a target and a signalling dummy or
second target that the result of a shot may be signalled with ease and rapidity
and the safe working of a target. in a shallow trench rendered possible.
According to this invention the target and the signalling dummy or second
target are geared or otherwise operatively connected together so that they may lie
and cross each other approximately in the same plane, both being adapted to
move in a circular path about substantially the same axis. This arrangement,
where the signalman is located in a trench obviates the necessity of the latter
being dug to a depth more than a few inches greater than the width of the target
itself.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the complete apparatus showing the target in
position to be fired at, while the dummy is lowered into a position where it may
e marked to indicate the result of a shot.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
Th

page_text: Figure
dummy raised into the signalling position.
Figure 5 is a sectional plan on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.
Figure 6 illustrates a detail.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
A rectangular frame A, A', A2 is fixed firmly in a vertical position upon a
bed B. A vertical pillar C is situated adjacent to the side A of the rectangular
frame and may be firmly connected to the latter at top and bottom if desired. At
the top of the pillar Cand at the angle between the sides A and A' of the frame
are situated bearings G and H. in which rests a spindle J.
The target K is formed of canvas or other material stretched over a suitable
frame in the usual manner. The frame is provided with an extension K' carry-
ing the spindle J. Upon the end of the latter which projects from the bearing H
is fixed a toothed wheel L. The spindle J is squared or suitably shaped where it
is fixed to the extension K' so that the target is rigidly mounted upon the spindle 1
and may freely oscillate.
A signalling dummy M or a second target is constructed in a similar manner
to the target K with a frame having an extension M¹ to which is secured a toothed
wheel N. The whole is mounted upon a stud fixed in the back of the member A
of the rectangular frame, the stud being so situated that the toothed wheel N
gears with the toothed wheel L. Thus the dummy M. can oscillate about the stud
on which it is mounted in a plane parallel to or approximately the same as that
in which the target K oscillates about the spindle J.
The target and dummy are however so placed relatively to one another, when
the teeth of the wheels N and L are in engagement, that when the target K is
raised so that its lower edge is approximately horizontal, the sides of the dummy M
are approximately horizontal as shown in Figure 1. With this arrangement by
allowing the target. K to fall until its side edges are approximately horizontal while
its lower edge is approximately vertical, the gearing causes the dummy M to
rise practically into the position previously occupied by the target as shown in
Figure 4, both target and dummy thus moving in a circular path about substantially
Arms K2 and M², suitably
the same axis and both on the same side of this axis.
arranged in relation to the pivot points, carry adjustable balance weights K³ M³
for the target K and dummy M respectively. These arms K2 and M2 and
weights K and M³ may however be replaced by any other suitable balancing
device or may be entirely dispensed with.
In order to retain the target and dummy in their respective positions, either
raised or lowered, spring-controlled catches 0 and P are placed at the angle
between the members A1 and A2 of the supporting frame and at the bottom of
the member A. respectively, a projecting portion K from the frame of the target K
being suitably shaped to engage these catches. A tie rod K is employed to con-
nect the projection K4 with the extension K' and so strengthen the frame work
of the target K.
'
The catch comprises a spring piece which normally projects into the path of
the part K when the target is raised, the part K+ snapping over the end of the
spring, and the target thus being held in its raised position until by moving the
lever Q the catch is withdrawn and the target is free to drop by the force of
gravity. The connection between the lever Q and the spring O may be by a cord O₁
or a chain, levers and rods or otherwise as desired. The catch P snaps over the
projecting tooth K on the part when the target falls, thus holding the latter
in the position shown in Figure 4 until the catch P is raised by a movement of
the lever Q to which it is connected in a manner similar to the catch O by a cord P
or other means.
The target K and dummy M have their balance weights K³ and M³ so arranged
that when the catch O is released, the target will fall freely by the force of gravity
with sufficient force to carry the tooth K into engagement with the spring catch P
the balancing being such that when the catch P is released the target will turn
5

page_text: about its pivot point and move a certain distance in the upward direction, thus
requiring very little muscular force on the part of the signalman to restore it to
its raised position.
It is to be noted that the gear wheels L and N may be replaced by toothed
wheels and chains or other mechanism which will give the necessary opposite
movements to the target and dummy, herein before described.
Though this invention has been above described as applied where the signalman
is located in a trench, it is obvious that it may equally well be adapted where a
mantlet is utilized, the target and dummy or the two targets being arranged so
that their pivot points are on or close to the ground, the member A of the support-
ing frame in this case lying horizontally. When thus arranged the arms K² M²
carrying the balance weights may be entirely dispensed with or the balance weights
otherwise placed so as to avoid the necessity of digging into the ground, though
of course if this digging is not objected to the weights may be employed similarly
to the construction illustrated, any suitable pit being formed for their accommo-
dation.
It is obvious that in place of the dummy M a second target such as K may be
substituted, one target thus being raised for firing purposes, while the other is
lowered for the previous shot to be indicated and repairs performed.
It will be understood that other arrangements than those above described for
holding the target in its respective positions may be employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we' declare that what we
claim is:
1. A target and a signalling-dummy or a second target lying and crossing each
other in approximately parallel planes and adapted to move in a circular path
about substantially the same axis.
2. A target and a signalling-dummy or second target geared or otherwise con-
nected together so as to reciprocate in a circular path with the gearing as the axis
or centre about which they turn substantially as described or illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
3. The combination with a target and a signalling-dummy or second target of
gear wheels or other mechanism connecting them together, catches such as O P
and lever and means for operating the catches substantially as described or
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. The complete target and signalling apparatus substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
תו. בד
11 1 of Favrmban 1807