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F e b . 2 9 , 1 9 4 4 . A . D . DIRCKSEN 2 , 3 4 2 , 5 5 1ILLUMINATED TOW TARGET

Filed May 22, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l

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ARA/04a D. 0//?O_ SEN

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2 , 3 4 2 , 6 5 1e b . 2 9 , 1 9 4 4 . A . D . DIRCKSENILLUMINATED TOW TARGET

F i l e d May 2 2 , 1 9 4 2 2 S h e e t s - S h e e t 2

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P a t e n t e d F e b . 2 9 , 1 9 4 4

UNITED S T A T E S

2 , 3 4 2 , 6 5 1

FATENT OFFICE 2 , 3 4 2 , 6 5 1

ILLUMHNATEDTOW TARGETArnold D . D i r c k s e n , D a y t o n , Ohio

A p p l i c a t i o n M a y 2 2 , 1 9 4 2 , S e r i a l N o . 4 4 4 , 0 6 0( 0 1 . 2 4 i l - 6 . 4 ~ )

(Granted under the a c t o f March 3 , 1 8 8 3 , a samended A p r i l 3 0 , 1 9 2 8 ; 3 7 0 O . G . 7 5 7 )3 C l a i m s .

The i n v e n t i o n d e s c r i b e d h e r e i n may e manuf a c t u r e d an d used by o r f o r G overnment f o r governmental p u r p o s e s , without th e payme nt t o meo f an y r o y a l t y t h e r e o n .This invention r e l a t e s t o tow t a r g e t s an d m o r ep a r t i c u l a r l y t o i l l u m i n a t e d tow t a r g e t s which

may b e u s e d f o r n i g h t gunnery p r a c t i c e , e i t h e rby t h e gunners o f pursuing a i r c r a f t o r by t h eoperators o f a n t i - a i r c r a f t guns located o n th eground.

Various systems have been used i n t h e p a s t f o ri l l u m i n a t i n g t a r g e t s towed behind a i r c r a f t , onesuch system b e i n g t o i l l u m i n a t e t h e t a r g e t bymeans f a spotlight located either o n the g r o u n do r o n t h e towing a i r c r a f t . This system has t h ed i s a d v a n t a g e , however, o f r e q u i r i n g the use o f avery l a r g e an d expensive s p o t l i g h t i n order t os a t i s f a c t o r i l y i l l u m i n a t e a t a r g e t which i s toweda t a considerable distance fr om the source ofl i g h t . I f th e s p o t l i g h t i s l o c a t e d o n th e ground,c o n s i d e r a b l e d i f ? c u i t y i s e x p e r i e n c e d i n l o c a t i n gan d s u i t a b l y i l l u m i n a t i n g a t a r g e t which s towedby an a i r c r a f t a t high a l t i t u d e s . In the eventt h a t t h e s p o t l i g h t i s c a r r i e d by t h e t o w i n g a i r - _c r a f t , a very l a r g e an d heavy s p o t l i g h t must bec a r r i e d by the a i r c r a f t s i n c e t h e s e t a r g e t s ar eoften t o we d at a distance of a mile or more b ehind th e towing c r a f t .

In another system fo r illuminating a e r i a l t o wt a r g e t s , e l e c t r i c lamps a r e p r o v i d e d w i t h i n t h et a r g e t , t h e c u r r e n t f o r l i g h t i n g t h e s e lamps b e i n gs u p p l i e d from t h e towing a i r c r a f t through ane l e c t r i c c a b l e which s b u i l t i n t o t h e towing c a b l e .This system has not proved s a t i s f a c t o r y f o r s e ve r a l r e a s o n s , one b e i n g t h e l a r g e IR drop whicho c c u r s i n t h e l o n g e l e c t r i c c a b l e s u p p l y i n g t h elamps with c u r r e n t . Another r e a s o n c o n t r i b u t i n gt o t h e u n p o p u l a r i t y o f t h i s system i s du e t o t h ef a c t t h a t i t i s customary t o send one t a r g e t a f t e ranother d o w n t h e towing c a b l e t o t h e to wi n g h o o k , t h e t a r g e t on t h e hook b e i n gr e l e a s e d from the to w l i n e each time an e w o n e a r r i v e s a t the hook. This enables succ e s s i v e t a r g e t s t o b e towed by t h e a i r c r a f t w i t h o u tr e q u i r i n g t h e tow l i n e t o be r e e l e d i n each timet h a t a n e w t a r g e t i s t o b e placed o n t h e hook,t h e r e l e a s e d t a r g e t s b e i n g r e c o v e r e d by a groundcrew upon completion o f the t a r g e t p r a c t i c e .This system o f s u c c e s s i v e l y p r e s e n t i n g n e w t a rg e t s a t t h e end o f t h e towing c a b l e r e n d e r s i td i ? l c u l t t o provide f o r an e l e c t r i c a l connectionbetween t h e c u r r e n t s u p p l y c a b l e and t h e t a r g e t sa r r i v i n g a t t h e t o w i n g h o o k .In o r d e r t o overcome t h e s e d i f f i c u l t i e s , I haved e v i s e d a l i g h t an d i n e x p e n s i v e b a t t e r y o p e r a t e d

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lamp which i s c a r r i e d by t h e tow t a r g e t i t s e l fan d which i l l u m i n a t e s th e s l e e v e t h e r e o f witha d i r e c t e d b eam o f high i n t e n s i t y l i g h t .A c c o r d i n g l y , t h e p r i n c i p a l o b j e c t o f my n v e n

t i o n i s t o p r o v i d e a simple an d i n e x p e n s i v e l i g h tsource f o r illuminating a to w t a r g e t .Another o b j e c t o f my n v e n t i o n i s t o p r o v i d ef o r th e illumination o f a to w t a r g e t b y m e a n so f a self-contained l i g h t source housed in as t r e a m l i n e d c a s e . I t has been f o u n d , throughexperiment, that a lamp case with square cutends s e r i o u s l y d i s t u r b s t h e aerodynamic s t a b i l i t yo f a to w t a r g e t . This d i f f i c u l t y has been overcome i n t h e p r e s e n t i n s t a n c e by s t r e a m l i n i n g th eends o f th e lamp c a s e s o that th e laminar ?owo f a i r through an d past the t a r g e t s l e e v e s i s noti n t e r f e r e d with an d consequently the presenceo f the lamp o n the t a r g e t has n o adverse e f f e c t so n it s s t a b i l i t y .A u r t h e r o b j e c t o f my nvention i s t o providea t o w t a r g e t with a h i g h - i n t e n s i t y , battery-operated lamp which s adapted t o be mounted a t th eforward en d o f th e t a r g e t f o r the purpose o fi l l u m i n a t i n g i t .S t i l l a further o b j e c t 0 1 _ my invention i s t oprovide a s l e e v e type o f to w target with a s e l f _contained l i g h t source capable o f emitting a d i

r e c t e d b eam o f l i g h t , t h e l i g h t s o u r c e b e i n g l ocated a t th e forward en d o f t h e t a r g e t an d havingi t s l i g h t b e a m d i r e c t e d through t h e i n t e r i o r o fth e s l e e v e s o a s t o illuminate i t fr om th e i n s i d e .A r e f e r r e d embodiment o f t h e i n v e n t i o n w i l lb e h e r e i n a f t e r d e s c r i b e d w i t h r e f e r e n c e t o t h eaccompanying d r a w i n g s , g i v e n merely by way o fexample, i n which:Figure l i s a perspective view o f a multiple

s l e e v e type o f to w target having a battery oper-a t e d l i g h t s o u r c e l o c a t e d i n the f r o n t end o f th et a r g e t .

Figure 2 i s a p e r s p e c t i v e view o f a s i n g l e - s l e e v etype o f to w t a r g e t i n which t h e l i g h t s o u r c e i sm ou n te d a t t h e apex o f the towing b r i d l e aheado f t h e tow t a r g e t .

Figure 3 i s a c r o s s - s e c t i o n a l view o f the improved form o f lamp which I have d e v i s e d f o ri l l u m i n a t i n g tow t a r g e t s i n t h e manner s e t f o r t hi n t h i s s p e c i f i c a t i o n .

Figure 4 i s an en d view o f th e lamp show n i nF i g u r e 3 w i t h t h e i n c a n d e s c e n t lamps r e m o v e d .At the present time there a r e two t y p e s o f to wt a r g e t s b e i n g used f o r t h e purpose o f a e r i a l an da n t i - a i r c r a f t gunnery p r a c t i c e . On e t y p e o f t a rg e t u t i l i z e s a p l u r a l i t y o f small t u b u l a r s l e e v e s o fl i g h t - w e i g h t c l o t h , t h e s l e e v e s b e i n g tied t o g e t h e ri n a c l u s t e r a s shown i n F i g u r e 1 . In t h e example

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gshoWn, s i x such s l e e v e s 2 B ar e arranged with t h e i rl o n g i t u d i n a l a x e s p a r a l l e l l y d i s p o s e d , each o f t h es l e e v e s b e i n g p r o v i d e d with a m e t a l l i c mouth r i n g2 2 . These r i n g s a r e t i e d t o g e t h e r a t t h e i r p o i n t so f contact b y m e a n s o f a lashing cord 2 4 . Thef a b r i c s l e e v e s may be o f an y s u i t a b l e l e n g t h , i tb eing customary to make these s l e e v e s i n then e i g h b o r h o o d of 15 or 20 feet long. The sleevesar e t o wed a t the endof the towing c a b l e (notshown) by means o f a towing b r i d l e c o n s i s t i n g o fs i x r o p e s 2 t t i e d t o t h e o u t e r p o r t i o n o f each o ft h e m outh r i n g s 2 2 , an d s i x a d d i t i o n a l r o p e s 2 3

_ t i e d t o the i n n e r p o r t i o n o f each o f t h e r i n g s 2 2 .Th es e ropes are b r o u g h t together s o m e distanceahead o f the t o w target i n t o a ring whichvis a ttached t o th e end o f t h e c a b l e ( n o t shown). Ab a t t e r y - o p e r a t e d e l e c t r i c lamp 3 D i s suspendedin the center of th e si x sleeves b y means of susp e n s i o n c o r d s 3 2 which extend'from t h e l a s h i n g s M t o the anchor r i n g s 3 4 provided o n the case o ft h e lamp. The lamp s p o s i t i o n e d with t s streaml i n e d l e n s 5 3 8 d i r e c t e d toward th e r e a r o f th e t a rg e t an d with i t s streamlined case cap 3 3 d i r e c t e dtoward t h e forward end t h e r e o f . Thus, t h e lampw i l l p r o j e c t a d i r e c t e d beam f l i g h t t h r o ugh th ei n t e r i o r o f the t a r g e t s o a s t o i l l u m i n a t e the l i g h tc o l o r e d f a b r ic o f t h e s l e e v e s an d thereby rendert h e t a r g e t r e a d i l y v i s i b l e i n t h e d a r k .A second t y p e o f tow target-which i s e x t e ns i v e l y used a t the present time c o n s i s t s o f a s i n g l ef a b r i c s l e e v e A l l o f r e l a t i v e l y l a r g e diameter an dc o n s i d e r a b l e l e n g t h . T h i s t a r g e t i s p r o v i d e d witha c o l l a p s i b l e mouth r i n g comprised o f two semic i r c u l a r s e c t i o n s 4 2 an d 4 4 which a r e hinged t og e t h e r a l o n g t h e d i a m e t r i c element 5 8 . By v i rt u e o f t h i s c o n s t r u c t i o n , the m o ut h r i n g may bef o l d e d i n h a l f thereby c o n s i d e r a b l y reducing t h es i z e o f th e t a r g e t w h e n f o l d e d . Th e m o ut h r i n gi s r e i n f o r c e d by s t i f f e n i n g b a r s 4 8 which extendfrom the center o f the diametric element 4 6 t ospaced p o i n t s a l o n g t h e c i r c u m f e r e n c e o f t h e r i n g .Th e tow t a r g e t i s attached t o t h e r e a r end o f t h eto w cable (not s h o w n ) b y m e a n s o f a b r i d l e which,i n th e p r e s e n t embodiment, c o n s i s t s o f s i x r o p e s5 i ,m o ut h r i n g an d converging i n t o a r i n g 5 2 a ttached t o th e end o f th e to w c a b l e . T h e i l l u m inating lamp 3 9 i s secured i n the apex o f the to wi n g b r i d l e immediately t o th e r e a r o f the r i n g 5 2b y means o f a lashingn um be r o f times around t h e b r i d l e r o p e s 5 0 an dthen through th e r i n g s 3 4 o n t h e lamp c a s i n g .In t h i s m a n n e r th e lamp i s s e c u r e l y held i n p l a c ei n the b r i d l e with i t s l e n s 3 6 d i r e c t e d rearwardlytowa rd the t a r g e t an d with i ts case cap 3 8 d i r e c ted forw ardly toward th e towing a i r c r a f t . As ar e s u l t o f t h i s arrangement, th e lamp 3 % ] w i l l pr oj e c t a concentrated b e a m o f l i g h t rearwardlythrough th e i n t e r i o r o f the s l e e v e 4 0 an d thuscause the l i g h t colored f a b r i c o f the s l e e v e t o b eb rightly illuminated. 'Coming n o w t o th e d e t a i l s o f v t h e lamp i t s e l f( s e e Figure 3 ) , th e lamp 3 0 c o n s i s t s o f a s h e e tmetal case 5 % which i s b e n t into the form o f ane l l i p t i c a l c y l i n d e r . Eight anchor r i n g s 3 4 a r ebrazed t o t h e outer s u r f a c e o f c a s e f o r the pu rp o s e o f e n a b l i n g t h e lamp t o J o e s u i t a b l y c a t t a c h e dt o the to w t a r g e t . A ?an ge 5 8 i s r o l l e d o n th eright-hand en d o f c a s e , t h i s ?an ge serving as as e a t f o r th e ?anged periphery o f a p a r a b o l i c r ef l e c t o r 6 0 an d a s a s e a t f o r the flanged base o ft h e p l a s t i c l e n s 3 % } . T he l e n s may b e m a d e o u t o fan y s u i t a b l e t r a n s p a r e n t p l a s t i c ' c a p a b l e o f b e i n gmolded i n t o t h e s t r e a m l i n e d s h a p e sho wn i n t h ed r a w i n g s . The p l a s t i c m a t e r i a l ~ _ k n o w n t o t h e

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2 , 3 4 2 , 6 5 1trade a s P l e x i g l a s s has been found very s a t i s i a c e .t o r y f o r t h i s p u r p o s e . An nnular g a s k e t 6 2 con~s t r u c t e d o f cork o r other s u i t a b l e m a t e r i a l , i s i nterposed between the re?ector an d the l e n s s o a st o form a t i g h t s e a l between t h e m an d thus pr event d i r t or moisture fr om d u l l i n g th e s i l v e r e ds u r f a c e o f th e r e ? e c t o r . A channel shapedclamping ring 64 engages with the flangedbase o f the lens 3% and with the ?ang e 5 8f o r th e purpose o f holding th e l e n s an d r e f l e c t o rs e c u r e l y o n th e en d o f th e c a s e 5 6 . A u i t a b l eclamping b o l t 6 6 i s p r o v i d e d f o r drawing t o g e t h e rthe ends o f the clamping r i n g s o a s t o clamp th ep a r t s t i g h t l y i n p l a c e . Two lamp s o c k e t s 6 ' ! a r em o u n t e d i n the b o t t om o f the re?ector 8 G f o r thepurpose o f accommodating two s m a l l incandesc e n t lamps 6 8 t h e r e in . Approximately o n e - t h i r do f th e d i s t a n c e from t h e right-hand en d o f t h ecase 5 6 i s located a metallic bulkhead W hich s s e c u r e d t o member 5 b y m e a n s o f r i v e t s 1 2 . Ac i r c u l a r i n s u l a t i n g d i s k 1 4 an d a m e t a l l i c contactr i n g 1 6 a r e attached t o the left-hand f a c e o f th ebulkhead I l l b y m ea n s o f r i v e t s T 8 . T he r i v e t s 1 8a r e s u i t a b l y i n s u l a t e d from t h e m e t a l l i c bulkhead I l l b y means o f s m a l l i n s u l a t i n g washers p l a c e db en eat h the r i v e t heads o n th e right-hand f a c e o ft h e b u l k h e a d . A o u b l e - l e a f C o n t a c t s p r i n g 8 0 i sl o c a t e d i n an aperture 8 2 c u t i n t h e bulkhead, t h i ss p r i n g b e i n g s e c u r e d t o t h e i n s u l a t i n g d i s k ' 1 4 bymeans o f a s i n g l e r i v e t 8 4 . A lantern-type battery 8 8 i s carried in th e left-hand en d o f the case5 6 , the c o n t a c t s o n t h e right-hand en d o f t h eb a t t e r y b e i n g f o r c e d a g a i n s t t h e r i v e t 8 4 an d t h er i n g 7 6 b y m e a n s o f a h e l i c a l spring 8 8 m o u n t e dv i n thecase cap 3 8 . T he b a t t e r y i s held i n p o s ition within the case 5 6 b y me a n s o f U-shapedl e a f springs 9 0 w h ich ar e secured t o the case att h e i r right-hand ends b y means o f r i v e t s an dwhich, o n t h e i r left-hand e n d s , ar e provided withp i n s v 9 2 which y i e l d i n g l y p r o j e c t through s u i t a b l eholes provided i n th e case 5 6 an d i n the case cap1 3 3 . The pins 92 thus serve as a retaining meansf o r holding the ca p in place o n the e n d o f thelamp c a s e . The contact r i n g 1 8 i s e l e c t r i c a l l yconnected with the tw o s o c k e t s 6 1 through at o g g l e s w i t c h 9 4 . T he o p e r a t i n g ar m o f t h e t o gg l e switch i s provided with a s m a l l h o l e s o a s t oenable i t t o be t i e d i n i ts on p o s i t i o n b y mea nso f a wire 9 6 passing through th e adjacent m ou n ti n g . r i n g 3 5 . This i s t o i n s u r e that t h e lamp w i l lremain l i g h t e d t h r o u g h o u t t h e t a r g e t p r a c t i c e .

In order that a l i g h t o f high i n t e n s i t y may ee m i t t e d by the lamp, i t has been found d e s i r a b l et o o p e r a t e t h e i n c a n d e s c e n t lamps 6 8 i n p a r a l l e lan d a t an o v e r - v o l t a g e . Fo r example, s u i t a b l er e s u l t s have been obtained by u s i n g a s i x - v o l tb a t t e r y t o o p e r a t e t w o f o u r - v o l t . 3 0 a m p e r e l a m p sc o n n e c t e d i n p a r a l l e l . While t h e l i f e o f t h e b a tt e r y issomewhat s h o r t e n e d b y this p r o c e d u r e , i thas been found thatthe lamp w i l l emit a highi n t e n s i t y b eam o f l i g h t f o r : a p e r i o d o f from twot o four h o u r s , which i s o f s u f f i c i e n t durationforthe purpose i n t e n d e d . By using two l a m p s B B , ah i g h e r i n t e n s i t y l i g h t i s produced than c o u l d b eobtained with a s i n g l e lamp, an d a l s o continuousl i g h t i n g o f th e lamp i s insured even though oneo f t h e lamps 68 s h o u l d burnout d u r i n g t h e p r a ct i c e run.In view o f th e a b o v e . i t w i l l beseenthat I havedevised a new an d u s e f u l system f o r illuminatingto w t a r g e t s . T he c o n s t r u c t i o n shown i n vt h e d r a w i n g s r e p r e s e n t s , o f c o u r s e , v o n l y one o f themany ways i n which ,my invention mayv b e - prac~t i s e d a n d I d o r n o t t h e r e f o r e , w i s h t o . b e l i m i t e d b y. l t h e d e t a i l s . o f t h e s t r u c t u r e d i s c l o s e d b u t i n t e n d

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2 , 8 4 2 , 6 5 1that the scope o f my invention s h a l l rather bedetermined by t h e c l a i m s which f o l l o w .What claim as new a n d desire t o secure b yL e t t e r s Patent i s :1 . A n i l l u m i n a t e d a e r i a l - g u n n e r y p r a c t i c e d e

v i c e comprising an a e r i a l target including o n e orm o r e tubular s l e e v e s o f translucent materialadapted t o be towed by an a i r c r a f t , a lamp housi n g , a l i g h t s o u r c e within s a i d housing capable o fe m i t t i n g an i n t e n s e an d d i r e c t e d b e a m o f l i g h t ,an d means f o r mounting s a i d housing a d j a c e n tt o t h e forward end o f s a i d t a r g e t with th e b e a mo f l i g h t d i r e c t e d d o w n the length o f s a i d s l e e v e sso a s t o illuminate the l a t t e r an d thereby renders a i d t a r g e t v i s i b l e a t n i g h t , s a i d last-mentionedmeans n c l u d i n g a p l u r a l i t y o f anchoring e y e s i nt e g r a l with s a i d housing an d o n e o r m o r e l a s h i n gc o r d s passed through s a i d e y e s an d fastened t os a i d t a r g e t f o r s e c u r i n g s a i d h o u s i n g t h e r e t o .2 . A i g h t gunnery p r a c t i c e d e v i c e comprisingan a e r i a l t a r g e t adapted t o b e t o wed b y an a i rc r a f t , s a i d t a r g e t including o n e or more tubulars l e e v e s o f t r a n s l u c e n t m a t e r i a l an d a towing b r i d l ecomprised o f a p l u r a l i t y o f t e n s i o n members, al i g h t source f o r emitting an i n t e n s e an d d i r e c t e db e a m o f l i g h t , s a i d l i g h t s o u r c e i n c l u d i n g a batt e r y , a b a t t e r y - o p e r a t e d l a m p , and an e l o n g a t e ds t r e a m l i n e d c a s i n g f o r h o u s i n g s a i d b a t t e r y ands a i d lamp, an d means f o r mounting s a i d c a s i n gi n t h e forward p a r t o f s a i d b r i d l e with the b e a mo f l i g h t d i r e c t e d through t h e i n t e r i o r o f s a i d

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3s l e e v e s s o a s t o illuminate th e l a t t e r from the i ns i d e an d thereby render s a i d t a r g e t v i s i b l e a tn i g h t , s a i d last-mentioned means i n c l u d i n g ap l u r a l i t y o f anchoring e y e s s e c u r e d t o s a i d c a s i n ga n d a lashing cord passed over a l l o f s a i d tensionmembers and t h r o ugh each of said eyes s o - as t os e c u r e l y bind s a i d c a s i n g i n p l a c e i n t h e forwardpart o f s a i d b r i d l e .3 . A i g h t gunnery p r a c t i c e d e v i c e c o m p r i s i n gan a e r i a l t a r g e t adapted t o be towed b y an a i rc r a f t , s a i d t a r g e t i n c l u d i n g a p l u r a l i t y o f t r a n sl u c e n t , tubular s l e e v e s arranged i n a c l u s t e r abouta common central a x i s , each of s a i d s l e e v e s havin g a r e i n f o r c i n g r i n g mounted i n the forwarden d t h e r e o f , a l i g h t source f o r emitting an int e n s e an d d i r e c t e d b e a m o f l i g h t , s a i d l i g h t s o u r c ei n c l u d i n g a b a t t e r y , a b a t t e r y - o p e r a t e d lamp, an dan e l o n g a t e d , s t r e a m l i n e d c a s i n g f o r h o u s i n g s a i db a t t e r y an d s a i d lamp, an d means f o r s u p p o r t i n gs a i d c a s i n g i n t h e forward part o f s a i d t a r g e twith the beam f l i g h t directed along the central

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a x i s o f s a i d target s o as t o illuminate s a i d s l e e v e sfrom t h e i n s i d e an d t h e r e b y render t h e t a r g e tv i s i b l e a t n i g h t , s a i d last-mentioned means i nc l u d i n g a p l u r a l i t y o f anchoring e y e s s e c u r e d t os a i d c a s i n g and c i r c u m f e r e n t i a l l y d i s p o s e d t h e r ea b o u t , an d a p l u r a l i t y o f s u p p o r t i n g s t r a p s extending between s a i d e y e s an d s a i d r e i n f o r c i n gr i n g s f o r s e c u r e l y s u s p e n d i n g s a i d c a s i n g i n p o s it i o n o n th e c e n t r a l a x i s o f s a i d t a r g e t .

ARNOLD . DIRCKSEN.