US473332A - Target - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 S'he ttttttttttt 2.

TARGET. No. 473,332. lPan'entedAp'r. v19, 1892.

STATES THOMAS P. NELSON, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

TARGET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 473,332, dated April 19, 1892.

Application tiled August 14| 1891. Serial No. 402,609. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS P. NELSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Military Targets; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the sam e, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in military targets; and the objects of the invention are, [i1-st, to provide an improved target which is impenetrable to the bullets or shot of a rilieman shooting at a range and which is readily adjustable or convertible into a long or short range target-as, for instance, a three-hundred, four-hundred, tivehnndred, or six-hundred yards target or an eight-hundred, nine-l1undred,or one-thousand yards target; second, to provide secure protection to the marker or attendant who is stationed near the target to signal the marksman the result of the shooting, and, finally, to enable the marker to signal the nature or result of the shot to the rifleman with entire safety to the marker and without the least danger to the marker unless through his own carelessness.

With these and other ends in View my invention consists in the novel combination of devices and peculiar construction and arrangement of parts, Which will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

To enable others to understand my invention, I have illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, in whichf Figure l is a front View of a military target embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side View thereof, said Views showing the target in position for use. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the target, showing the same in position for use. Fig. 4 is a sectional View through the target on the line a: a: of Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a sectional View somewhat similar to Fig. 4, but showing the target folded up. Fig. 6 is a detail View of the score-signaling device. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the shield for prosame.

In my improved military target I use a metallic impenetrable sheet or plate, as distinguished from paper, Wood, or other materials which require constant renewing after being in use for a short time. Besides, the metallic sheet affords greater protection to the marker or attendant stationed at the target to signal the riiieman the result of the shooting, thereby dispensing with the construction of butts for shielding the marker from the bullets.

This metallic plate or sheet 1 is provided on y,

both sides With the usual concentric rings and center constituting the diagram or chart for the ritleman to aim at, and this metallic sheet or plate is mounted so as to be reversed orinverted to bring the different charts into position,and thereby adapt the target for long and short ranges. The rings or diagram on each side of the target plate or shield is formed by grooving or cutting out the design in the metal of the plate or sheet, after which the rings and center are coated with paint of one color, while the body or remaining portion of the sheet is coated with another color suitable for bringing out the design or chart. Thus the rings and center may be painted black and the body of the target White, as is usual,

or any other combination of colors may be used.

The target plate or shield is arranged and hung within a suitable stoutframe 2 of Wood or any other suitable material in a manner which permits or insures ready reversal of the sheet to bring either of the two diagrams or charts into position for use. Thus the diagram on one side is smaller than the diagram -on the opposite side of the plate or sheet, the one being adapted to short-range firing, while the other to long-range tiring. The frame 2 is IOO constructed in a substantial and durable manner, and said frame is somewhat larger in area or size than the sheet or plate l. to provide a continuous opening or space 3 entirely around the target sheet or plate and between the saine and the frame for the purpose of swingi ng or reversing the plate or sheet. This reversible sheetor plate is hung on trunnions et which are rigidly attached to the plate or sheet and which work or are journaled in steel washers or bearings 0, which are rigid with the substantial frame 2. The n. an n er of arranging the trunnions or pivots and the connection of the several parts are not inaterial, although I prefer to use the horizontal trunnions, as shown in the drawings; but it is evident that the tru unions and bearings there for can be placed vertically without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In order to hold or keep the target sheet or plate in position au d at the saine time prevent a bullet from passing through the space 3 between the reversible sheet and the frame 2, provided for the support of the sheet, I resort to the use of the closing-strips 7, S, f), and lO and the swinging doors ll l2, which etfectually close said opening or space and serve to protect the marker or attendant from being injured by a bullet while he is stationed be hind the target. The strips are all arranged at the front side of the target, while the doors are on the rear side of the target, and said strips and doors are made of steel or other metal of suitable thickness and width to prevent a bullet from penetrating the same. The top strip 7 is hinged to the upper part of the 'frame 2 to be thrown upwardly above the target-sheet. The side strips S 9 are arranged on the right and left hand sides of the targetsheet and hinged to the frame 2, so as to be swung or turned outwardly to the side of the sheet or plate l, and the bottom strip l() is hinged to the lower edge of the frame 2, so as to be turned downward. Then the several strips are turned away from the sheet or plate, the latter can be reversed or swung around, provided the doors 1l l2 at the rear are thrown open, and after the sheet or'plate has been reversed the strips are closed or folded in the following order: The bottom strip l0 is turned upward, the two side strips are turned inward, and the top strip 7 is turned downward, the lower ends of the side strips lapping the bottom strip and the top strip overlapping the upper ends of the two side strips. I do not, however, wish to confine myself strictly to this precise arrangement of the strips, although I prefer to adopt or use the saine, because I have found by experience that the strips etfectually hold the sheet or plate, in position when a bullet strikes the saine, and at the saine time the space 3 is effectually closed to prevent a bullet from passing to the rear of the sheet or plate.

The doors l1 l2 are hinged to the sides of the frame 2, and they are adapted to be opened or thrown outward, so as to provide room or space for reversing the target. The doors are arranged to meet in the middle of the target sheet or plate, although they do not come in contact or engagement therewith, and when closed the doors are confined in placeby a suitable fastening 13. I also use a catch or fastener la within the frame 2, which is adapted to engage with the edge ot' the sheet or plate l and to hold the saine in a'tixcd steady position.

rlhe doers l l l2 are arranged some distance in rear of the reversible sheet or plate l, so as to leave a space or chamber 15 between tlic sheet or plate and the doors when the latter are closed, and this space is utilized for the storage of the signaling device, the tiags, paintpots, the., when the target is not in use.l

The signaling device consists, essentially, of a box or casing 17, a series of disks 1S, and acoininon shaft or pin 19,which passes through the casing and the disks to pivotally connect 'the disks to the casingand enable the marker to adjust or expose any one of tliedisks. The casing is provided on one side with lugs or ears 20, which have openings or holes to re ceive fixed pins on the frame 2 of the target, thereby enabling the marker or attendant to hang or suspend the casing in the rearot the target, where he can operate either one of the disks to expose the saine to the View of the inarksinan or ritleman and indicate to the latter the number of points or the position where the bullet struck the target. rlhe casing is suspended or hung on the frame 2, so that the signal-disks can be elevated above the target; but it is obvious that the casing may be suspended on the targetframe to cxpose the disks on either side thereof.

Each disk is provided with an extended handle or arin 22, and the disks and arms are arranged closely together within the casing, so that the signaling device takes up little room. Each arm or handle has a depending pull-wire 24, which are ot' ditlj'erent lengths to enable the attendant to readily select the disk to be exposed. The disks are painted differ ent colors to denote the different points or the results of the shots striking the target. Thus one disk may be painted white to denote the bulls-eye or center of the target. Another disk may be painted red to denote that the bullet struck the first ring outside of the center. Another may be painted half white and half black to denote the shot struck the target within the second ring. Another entirely black to denote if the bullet struck outside of the ring, and so on. It is evident the color of the different signal-disks can be varied with the code of signals that may be adopted, and I do not therefore restrict my invention to the use of disks of any particular color.

As a further protection to the attendant or marker, I have devised a metallic shield 25, which is substantially V shape or of other angular or curved shape in cross-section. This fixed shield is arranged with its angular or curved side outward, facin g the range, and at TOO IIO

one side of the target a little in advance thereof. The shield maybe placed on the right or left hand side of the target and planted in the ground or held in position by stakes 27, driven through sockets or ways 28 in the edges ofthe shield. The marker may be stationed either behind the target or behind the shield, which is arranged a little in advanceof the target, and when behind the target he signals the rileman that he will step from behind the target into position behind the shield to prevent the riieman from firing while he is obliterating the marks on the face of the target caused by the bullets striking the same. The attendant can efface the bullet-marks and at the same time indicate the position of the mark to the ritieman by means of a small brush 30, which passes through a disk 3l, fixed to the end of a long handle or statt 32, as indicated in Fig. S of the drawings.

The operation of my invention may be brieiydescribed as follows: The marker takes position behind the shield or the target and the marksman tires at the target. The attendant behind the advanced shield can readily observe the position of the shot and by displaying the proper signal inform the ritieman the point where the shot struck the tar get, indicating the number of points scored. The attendant also can obliterate the bulletmark by the brush and at the same time notify the ritleman the point the bullet hit the target. If it is desired to Vary the range of tiring, the tiring-point can be moved nearer or farther away, and the sheet or plate should be properly adjusted to expose the diagram which corresponds to the range. Thus if a short range is used the strips and doors are thrown open and the sheet reversed to display the smaller diagram or chart; but if the range is increased the sheet is adjusted to expose the larger diagram or chart, the strips and the doors being always closed before permitting the rifleman to resume tiring.

I am aware that changes in the form and proportion of parts and details of construction of the mechanism herein shown and described as an embodiment of my invention can be made without departing from the spirit or sacrilicing the advantages ot` my invention.v

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, iS-

l. In a military target, the combination, with an open frame, of a reversible plate or sheet pivotally supported therein and the adjustable barriers arranged to close the spaces between the open frame and the sheet or plate, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a military target, the combination,4

tially as described. v

4. In a military target, the combination of an open frame, a sheet or plate reversible therein, and the adjustable strips hinged to .the frame and arranged when closed to overlap each other, substantially as described.

5. In a military target, the combination of an open frame, a sheet or plate reversible therein, the hinged strips at the front of the frame and arranged to close the space between the frame and the sheet, and the doors at the back -of the target, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I attix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS P. NELsoN.

IfVitnesses:

WM. C. NELSON, GEORGE W. BLACK.

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