US884663A - Rotary target. - Google Patents

Description

No. 884,663. I PATENTED APR. 14, 1908.

F. J. JOHNSTUN.

ROTARY TARGET. APPLICATION FILED ocT. a. 1907.

V rye Nomvls Fsrsns co., wasHlNqTaN, c.

FRANK J. JOHNSTON, OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA.

ROTARY TARGET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 14, 1908.

Application filed October 2, 1907. lSerial No. 395,560.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, FRANK J'. JOHNSTON, citizen of the United States, residing at Sacramento, in the county of Sacramento and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rotary Targets, of whichthe followin(r is a specification.

My invention relates to targets, and especially to targets for use in shooting-galleries and other places of amusement.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and unique form of entertainment in the nature of a revolving target wherein the skilfuloperator, by hitting the bulls eye, will set a pointer or target in motion 5 and on the pointer coming to rest, it will indicate a certain prize that he is entitled to.

The invention consists of the parts and lthe construction and combinationr of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the target. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the target rotating mechanism.

A represents a disk, preferably of sheetmetal, and bearing suitable rin s, or other indications of a target. This dis r is mounted loose on a hollow shaft or spindle 2, the latter being'a propriately journaled to rO- tate in suitab e bearings, as 3. Outside of the target A is an annular disk 4, shown as divided by radial lines into certain spaces which may be consecutively numbered, as here shown, and these spaces may be variously colored, if desired 3 and each space will represent a certain prize, as, for example', so many cigars, in case the pointer 5 which is carried by the target should come to rest over any particular space.

The idea of the invention is that the marks-Y man, endeavoring to hit the center of the target, will, in the event of the bullet passing through the tube 2, strike against some obstruction or trigger arrangement which will momentarily set the target in motion and cause it tospin until the target and ointer will come to rest, and the pointer 5 wi stand over some one of the several spaces on the annulus 4. The pointer carries aspring or brake member 6 which is adapted to engage lightly with successive pins 7 y on the annulus and properly retard the rotative movement of the target and iinally bring it to rest with the pointer squarely over some one of the spaces on the annulus.

Any appropriate mechanism may be mployed to rod-ucc the periodical rotation or spinning o the target. As here shown, the tubular shaft 2 carries two loose pulleys or drums 8 8 which are preferably fastened together so as to turn in unison. 9 is a ratchet member fastened to the tube 2, and the drums are normally locked to the ratchet by means of the awl 10 on one of the drums.

Arranged in t 1e path of the bullet at the inner end of the tube 2 is one end of a bellcrank lever 11. The opposite end of the trigger or bell-crank 11 is adapted to engage, as here shown, with the teeth of a gear 12; which gear meshes a corresponding gear 13 on the side of the ratchet 9. weight 14 is attached to a rope or cord 15 which is wound up on the drum 8. When the bell-crank or trigger 11 is engaged with the gear 12, the latter canno't turn, and being in mesh with the gear of the ratchet, and the drums being locked to the ratchet by the pawl 10, the apparatus is held stationary. Assuming the cord 15 to be wound up on its drum, if the trigger 11 is tripped so as to di'sengage it from the gear 12, thereby throwing the trigger into dotted vline position, Fig. 2, the counterweight will act to set the drum and the shaft 2 1n motion. y

In order to transmit rotative motion from the spindle to the target A'any appropriate form of connection may be employed, as, for example, the pawl 16 on the hub of the target engaging with ratchet 17 which is fixed on the shaft it being understood that the pawl and ratchet arrangement 16-17 is such that the falling weight causes the parts to interlock.. But the moment the shaft 2 comes to a standstill the target will continue to spin with the pawl 16 riding free over the ratchet 17. The spinning movement of the target continues until the spring brake 6 acting on the pin 7 brings the target to rest with the pointer 5 resting over one or other of the divisions onthe annulus 4. The trigger 11 is maintained in normal engagement with th star-wheel or pinion 12 by gravity ,or

otherwise. Any appropriate means may be employed to wind up the cord 15 and raise the weightY ready for the next operation. As here shown, a cord 18 is wound up on the drum 8 lin a reverse direction to the cord 15, and this oord extends forward to any suitable point within convenient reach of the orerator. so that after the weight has fallen, y puliing A counterv on the cord 18 the weight will be lifted, with the pawl 10 riding free in its backward move'- ment over the ratchet 9. Whenever the tension of the cord 18 is slacked, the pawl l0 engages the ratchet .9 and holds the Weight.

It is possible that the invention may be prracticed in various forms without departing om the principle thereof, and l do not wish to be understood as limitin myself to any specific mechanism, or specia mode or means of spinning the target.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. The combination with a fixed sub-divided disk, a rotary target and a hollow spindle upon-which the same is loosely mounted, of a drum loose on said s indle, a ratchet member iixed to the spind e, and provided With a gear on its side, a 4gear journaled at right angles-to the axis of the first-named gear, and the bell-crank lever having one arm to engage the teeth of the second named gear and having another arm normally disposed proximate to the inner end of said .spindle and in the range of action of a projectile passing through said spindle whereby the lever is actuated to release the secondnamed gear from its locked position, means for rotating the drum, means for communieating thel rotation oi' said ,drum tol the first-named gear,y and means connecting the target with the hollow spindle, said lastnamed means allowing the target to rotate relative to said ixed disk.

2. The combination with a rotary target, a hollow spindle upon which the same is loosely mounted, and a fixed disk, said disk and target having a movement one relative to the other, of mechanism for spinning the target, said mechanism being actuated by a projectile passing through the spindle, and

comprising a bell-crank lever having one arm. arranged close to the inner end of said spindle and in the path of said projectile, a counterweighted member loose on the spindie, a member fixed to said spindle and interengaging connections between said fixed member and loose member, a gear wheel mounted on a vertical axis and a gear member on said 'fixed member and in mesh with said gear wheel, said bell-crank lever having a second arm which is designed to engage said gear wheel to hold the members locked, and to release said wheel when the lever is tripped by the impact of the projectile, and engageable connections between the target and the hollow spindle.

3. The combination with a rotary target,l a hollow spindle on which the same is loosely mounted, and a ixed disk past which the target is adapted to rotate, of means for spinning the target operated by a bullet passing through said spindle, said means including a bell-crank lever pivotally mounted near the inner end of the spindle and having one arm normally disposed in the range of action of the'bullet, a gear wheel normally engaged with the other arm of said lever, a ratchet member iixed to the spindle and having a gear with which said gear wheel is in mesh, a drum loosely mounted on the spindle and a pawl carried by said 'drum and adaptedto engage said ratchet member, a pawl on thc hub of the target, a ratchet fixed to said spindle and engaged by said pawl, and means for retarding the rotation of the target.

ln testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK J. JOHNSTON, Witnesses:

PETER F. RUMAN, OTTO F. HEILBRoN.

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