GB2189154A

GB2189154A - Clay pigeon launcher

Info

Publication number: GB2189154A
Application number: GB08609201A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Graham Howard Lawrence
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-04-15
Filing date: 1986-04-15
Publication date: 1987-10-21
Also published as: GB2189154B; GB8609201D0

Abstract

A clay pigeon launcher comprises a chassis 5 which can be moved both vertically and horizontally in a unpredictable manner. On the chassis 5 are two independent throwing arms 19 each with a magazine that can be interchanged with magazines that hold a different size clay pigeon. Vacuum lifting cylinders 31 lift the clay pigeons from the top of the magazine onto the throwing arms 19. Two springs are fixed to movable anchorages 60 at one end and to cranks on arms 19 at the other end. The gearbox 9 rotates the arms 19 to tension the throwing springs by means of two continually reciprocating annular housings around the shafts carrying the arms 19. The gearbox 9 also rotates the magazines, operates the movable spring anchors, controls the vertical movement of the chassis 5 and the horizontal movement drive of a yoke 2 carrying the chassis 5. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in clay pigeon launchers The invention relates to the throwing of disclike objects for use as shooting targets. The apparatus consists of two throwing arms each connected through a bearing mounted shaft to a crank. The cranks being attached to springs which have the other ends attached to a movable frame.

The object of the invention is to provide a clay pigeon launcher that throws one or more targets at once. Throws targets of the same or different sizes, either as a single or as pairs. Throws them at varying speeds.

Throws them at varying angles, from horizontal to almost vertically from right to left. The apparatus also recocks the arm after each target is thrown and reloads the arm with another target from a target storage magazine mounted below the arc of the arm. The placing of the target onto the arm by means of a vacuum cylinder that does not rely on gravity.

The traps of this type that are known rely on gravity to enable the clay pigeon to be transferred from the magazine onto the arm.

This limits the vertical angle to which the trap can be tilted. With the apparatus described in this invention gravity does not play any part.

This enables the clay pigeons to throw at greater vertical angles thus requiring more skill by the shooter. These operations being carried out without the assistance of an operter.

Another feature of the apparatus is that the primary gearbox output shaft is used to drive, both the magazines, the up and down movement, the side to side movement mechanism, as well as the primary function of cocking the arms.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood it will now be described more fully, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1. is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a clay pigeon trap constructed according to the present invention.

Figure 2A. Shows the cocking mechanism in both the 'fired' position and Fig. 2B is the cocked position.

Figure 3. Is a sectional view from the side along A-A of Fig. 4.

Figure 4. Is a sectional view from the front along B-B of Fig. 3.

Figure 5. Shows a sectional plan view along DD of Fig. 4.

Figure 6A. Shows a schematic side view in a horizontal plane showing the up and down and side to side drives.

Figure 6B. Shows the same as 6A but in vertical position.

Figure 7A. Shows a schematic plan view showing the movement to the left and Fig.

7B, shows the same plan view with movement to the right.

Figure 8. Shows the vacuum operated lifting mechanism that lifts the target from the magazine into a position where it can be picked up by the arm.

Fig. 1, Shows a clay pigeon launcher consisting of a base 1 on which is attached a yoke 2 that is connected to the base 1 by means of a shaft 3 that can revolve in a bearing 4 mounted in the base.

In the yoke 2 is mounted the chassis 5 that can, by means of the bearings 6 mounted on shaft 7 which is fixed to the yoke 2 move up and down.

In and on the chassis 5 is fixed the drive motor 8 this can be any form of rotary drive.

Such as an electric motor, an engine, a hydraulic or pnematic motor. This motor 8 drives a wormwheel gearbox 9 continually.

The out put from the wormwheel gearbox 9, more clearly shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 5 has a crank 10 that rotates in an anticlockwise direction when viewed from above.

To this crank are attached, two connection rods 11 by means of ball bearings 12 on crank pins 13. The other ends of the connection rods 11 are connected to the cocking mechanism by the arm 14. The arm 14 is fixed to the cylinder 15 to which is fixed the catch 16. This catch has a spring 17 that keeps it pushed against the shaft 18 that carries the arm 19 at the top and the crank 20 at the bottom.

Figs. 2A/2B shows the arc of movement of the cocking arm 14 from position II to position III as the crank 10 rotates.

Fig. 2A shows the catch 16 engaged behind the lug 21 on the shaft 18 as the cylinder 15 rotates to position Ill the arm 19 is rotated to the cocked position. The arm comes to rest against an electrically operated trigger 22, ready to be released. The cylinder 15 continues to reciprocate between the points II and Ill as indicated by the cocking arm 14. The catch 16 remains in contact with the shaft 18 but because the lug 21 is at its maximum point of forward movement it cannot rotate the shaft 18. When however the arm 19 is released and assumed the position shown in Fig. 2A the catch 16 can only pass in one direction over the lug 21. Depending on the position of the catch 16 at the moment of release, the cocking arm will arrive at position II and because the lug 21 will now be in its arc of movement will take it to the position shown in Fig. 2B thus cocking the arm.

On the other end of the shaft 18 to which is attached the arm 19 is the crank 20. When the arm 19 is cocked the spring 23 is extended by the crank 20. This brings the pull of the spring to an over centre position on shaft 18 ensuring that is rotates in the desired direction. Above the crank 20 on the shaft 18 is a rachet wheel 24 that prevents the spring moving the arm 19 against the direction of rotation. When the arm has travelled its maxi mum arc under the springs measure. The paw 25 prevents reverse movement of the shaft 18 by engaging with the rachet wheel 24.

When the arm is taken from the 'fired' position to the cocked position it picks up its next clay pigeon 26 from the lower side of the vacuum plate 27.

Immediately the arm has cleared the underside of the vacuum plate a spool valve 32 is actuated by a pin on the arm 19. This causes the air beneath the plunger 30 to be evacuated.

This pushes the vacuum plate down onto the next clay pigeon that is positioned beneath on the magazines. Because of the continual suction through the hollow shaft 31, the clay pigeon is held to the underside of the plate 28. As the arm 19 comes to rest against the trigger 22 the spool valve is released and the air is drawn out above the plunger 30. This causes the clay pigeon 26 to be lifted to a position where it can be taken from the vacuum plate 27 by the cocking of the arm when it has been fired.

To ensure a continual supply of clay pigeons 26 beneath the vacuum plate 27 a magazine has been invented. This is shown in Figs.

1, 4, and 5. The magazine consists of a top plate 34 in which holes have been cut that will allow the size of clay pigeon 26 required to pass through.

The outer edge of the clay pigeon must extend beyond the outer edge of the top plate 34. To hold the clay pigeons in position when the magazine is tilted, rubber coated rods 35 extend the length of the magazine and are fixed at both ends. Through the centre of the magazine is a threaded shaft 36. This shaft is fixed at the top by a plate 27 and at the bottom to a frame 37 that is in turn fixed to the chassis 5 of the trap. The threaded shaft 36 has a pin 38 that prevents it from rotating.

On this threaded shaft 36 there is a nut 39 that is fixed to a plate 40.

The top plate 34 of the magazine and the bottom plate 41 are fixed to the threaded shaft 36 by means of bearings 42. As the magazine is rotated by the chain and sprocket 43 the plate 40 rises. Holes are cut in the plate 40 to alow the rubber coated rods 35 to pass through easily. To stop the clay pigeon 26 in the required position a switch 44 is positioned so that as the edge of the clay pigeons 26 comes into contact with it. It switches off the electro-magnetic clutch 45.

When the clay pigeon 26 against the switch is lifted away, vertically, by the plate 27 the switch is released and the magazine rotates until the next clay pigeon 26 comes against the switch.

Each magazine is made to hold a specific size of clay pigeon 26 but magazines can be made that they hold various sizes of clay pigeons, as long as they all protrude the same amount from the top plate 34 and are of the same thickness.

As can be seen from the drawings the apparatus consists of two magazines. These can be put on with both holding the same size of clay pigeon 26 or each holding a different size.

There are at present three sizes of clay pigeon. Fig. 5 show two magazines with different size clay pigeons 26.

Because the output shaft from the wormwheel gearbox 9 is in continual motion two sprockets are fixed to it above the crank 10.

One spocket 46 drives a shaft 47. This shaft is mounted at the top in a bushing 48 and at the bottom in a ball bearing 49. This shaft 47 drives by means of a sprocket and chain 50 the sprocket 51 on the electro-magnetic clutch 45.

When the elecro-magnetic clutch is energised by the release of the switch 44 it rotates the magazine through the shaft 75 by sprocket 76 to sprocket 43 on the bottom of the magazine. This shaft 47 also drives, by means of a chain and sprocket 52 a disk 53.

Attached to the disc 53 by a universal joint 54 is a link arm 55. Ths arm is hinged in the middle so that as the chassis 5 tilts vertically as shown in Fig. 6B it is not constricted by the link arm 55. The arm is attached to a vertical shaft 56 that is mounted at both ends in a bushing. One end to the cross shaft 7 and the other to the yoke 2.

As the disk 53 rotates it makes the yoke 2 move from side to side, the arm 57 can be attached to a moving anchorage.

The shaft 47 has at the lower end a disc 58 on which is a pin 59. As this disc 58 rotates it increases the tension on the spring 23. This is done by means of a hinged spring anchorage 60 and is linked to the disc 58 a connecting rod 61.

The other sprocket 62 on the wormwheel gearbox 9 drives the other shaft 63. This shaft 63 is mounted in the same way as shaft 47. It drives the other magazine through a chain and sprocket to the other electro-magnetic clutch. It also works the spring anchorage on the other spring.

Its other function is to drive a wormwheel gearbox 64 through a chain and sprocket 65.

There is an electro-magnetic clutch 72 on the input shaft of the wormwheel gearbox 64 so that it can be put in and out of drive. On the output shaft of the wormwheel box 64 a large sprocket 66 that is driving a small sprocket 67 that is fixed to a larger sprocket 68.

Sprockets 67 and 68 are on a hollow bushed shaft 73 that can revolve on the cross shaft 7. Sprocket 68 then drives a larger sprocket 69. This sprocket is fixed to the yoke 2 by a bearing 70.

A link arm 71 is fixed between the sprocket 66 on the wormwheel gearbox 64 and the sprocket 69 fixed to the yoke 2. As the two sprockets 66 and 69 rotate at diffeent speeds in the same direction they raise and lower the chassis 5 in the yoke 2. This is shown in Figs. 6A/6B.

Claims

1. An apparatus for launching clay pigeons either singularly or in pairs and of one or more sizes by means of two throwing arms mounted independently of each other and each with its own magazine mounted beneath the arms and raising the clay pigeons to a position where they can be lifted from the top of the magazine and held until collected by the rotating throwing arm, means by which the throwing arm shafts can be rotated together or independently to tension the throwing springs, means by which the throwing spring anchorages can be moved continually, means for moving the apparatus in both a vertical and horizontal plane, means by which all parts can be operated from a continually rotating output shaft on the primary gearbox.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which a crank on the continually rotating output shaft on the primary gearbox, reciprocates an annular housing, by means of connecting rods, around each of the thowing arm shafts and the catches on the annular housings engage with the lugs on the shafts to rotate the throwing arm shafts to a position where the throwing springs are tensioned.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claims 1 and claim 2 in which the continually reciprocating annular housings will rotate either throwing arm shaft separately or both simultaneously but only after they have rotated and released the tension in the throwing springs.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the clay pigeon holding magazine consists of a central threaded column that is fixed to the chassis of the apparatus on which the body of the magazine rotates.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and claim 4 in which the magazine has a rising and falling floor, upon which the clay pigeons rest, which is connected to the central threaded column by a threaded nut.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, claim 4 and claim 5 in which rods, running parallel to the central threaded column and through the rising and falling floor, being fixed at each end to the body of the magazine, make the floor rise or fall as the body of the magazine is rotated.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, claim 4, claim 5 and claim 6 in which the body of the magazine is rotated from a continually rotating shaft by means of a clutch which is activated when the top clay pigeon is removed and stops when the edge of the next clay pigeon comes into contact with the switch that operates the clutch.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, claim 4, claim 5, claim 6 and claim 7 in which either of the magazines can be interchanged with magazines that will hold another size of clay pigeon without the need to change or modify the mechanism that lifts the clay pigeons to a position where it can be picked up by the rotating throwing arm.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which a flat vacuum plate on a lifting cylinder is moved down onto the top clay pigeon in the magazine and lifting it up to a position where it can be slid off sideways by the rotating throwing arm.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the ends of the throwing springs that are not attached to the cranks on the throwing arm shafts are fixed to an anchorage that can be continually moved so as to increase and decrease the tension on the throwing springs.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and claim 10 in which by means of levers and cranks on two continually rotating shafts each of the throwing springs can be tensioned separately or together.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which a gearbox that moves the chassis in the vertical plane is driven from the continually rotating output shaft of the primary gearbox.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claims 1 and claim 12 in which the secondary gearbox has on its output shaft a sprocket, that drives a double sprocket that rotates about the shaft upon which the apparatus moves in its vertical plane, and which in turn drives another sprocket that is fixed by means of a rotatable shaft to the frame in which the vertical movement occurs.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claims 1, claim 12 and claim 13 in which a connecting rod connects the sprocket on the output shaft of the secondary gearbox to the sprocket fixed by its rotatable shaft to the frame in which the vertical movement occurs.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, claim 12, claim 13, and claim 14 in which by rotating the sprocket on the secondary gearbox output shaft and the sprocket in the vertical movement frame, the connecting rod draws the sprockets together and apart causing the chassis of the launcher to move unpredictably in the vertical plane.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which a shaft that is mounted at one end to the vertical axis shaft and the other to the horizontal axis shaft can be reciprocated by a crank and linkage that is driven continually to move the chassis in a horizontal plane.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and claim 16 in which the crank can be of various lengths to increase or decrease the angle of movement in the horizontal plane.

18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which by means of solenoids the throwing arms can be held in a position ready to launch the clay pigeon and can be released either together or separately.

19. Apparatus constructed and arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.