US1206416A - Target-trap. - Google Patents

Description

W. B. COSBY.

TARGET TRAP.

APPLICATION F1Ln1uLY12.x915.

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Patented Nov. 28, 19H5.

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w. B. CUSBY. TARGET TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED )ULY12,I9\5.

@T Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

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WILLIAM B. COSBY, OF KAN-SAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOB; OF ONE-HALF T0 D. D. GROSS, OF KANSAS CITY, ML'SSOURI.

TARGET-TRAP.

insonnia.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Non. 28, 19in.

Application led. July 12, 1915. Serial No. 39,324.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. CosBY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Target-Traps; and l 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 same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters .and figures vof reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to target traps, and more particularly to a device of that character for throwing clay or composition targets; the principal object of the invention being to provide an apparatus which may be easily set and released, to which the targets may be easily and quickly applied, which may be easily and quickly turned to a desired angle by the boy feeding the trap, and which will throw the target in such .a manner as to obviate tipping and the resultant retardance of the target, with the result that a greater distance of throw is provided. ln accomplishing these and other objects of my invention, l have provided the improved details of structure hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein z- Figure l is a perspective view of a target trap containing my improvements and illustrating the trap mounting and the setting .and releasing levers. Fig. Il is an enlarged side elevation of the trap proper, showing the throwing arm in set position. Fig. III is a plan view showing the setting arm at an intermediate position. Fig. IV is a horizontal section on the line IV-IV, Fig. l1. Fig. V is a detail perspective view of the arm latch, with parts of the supporting and throwing arms. Fig. Vl is a detail elevation of a part of the throwing arm and carrier, particularly illustrating the incline of the carrier whereby the horizontal travel is induced.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, 1 designates the base of the trap, which is preferably mounted on an elongated platform 2, in order to provide a firm foundation for the trap .and pull mechanism which will be hereinafter described.

Rising from the base 2 is a standard 3,

having spaced ears l at its upper end, between which the bearing lug 5 of a supporting arm 6 is mounted on a bolt 7 that eX- tends through the standard ears and lug in sucha manner that the elevation of the supporting arm may be varied by adjustment of the lug 5 on said bolt.

The arm 6 extends forwardly of the standard and carries a bearing 9 within which is revolubly mounted shaft l0 to which the throwing arm ll is fixed; the said arm il having an elongated body part and a short rear arm l2; the body part having a carrier 13 pivotally mounted at its outer end, and the short arm being provided with a yoke l5 within which one end of a coil spring 1G is mounted by means of ay pin 17; the rear end of the spring being connected with a bolt 18 that extends through a mounting 19 on the rear end of the supporting arm 6 and carries a wing nut 2O whereby the tension of the spring may be adjusted.

The spring is normally under slight tension, so that the throwing arm" is extended forwardly when unrestrained and the mounting of the throwing arm is such that when the said arm is pulled backwardly to setting position, the spring is placed under throwing tension to actuate the throwing arm, as presently described.

The carrier 13, which is pivotally mounted in the outer end of the throwing arm comprises a seat plate 22 having a stop rail 23 at one edge and a post 2-1 at the opposite edge, one of the parts being yieldable to admit a target and hold the same during the initial travel of the arm; the detail construction of the carrier being` of no moment in the present application, except that the part of the seat plate upon which the target rests is inclined relative to the throwing arm.

To give a better understanding of the improvement of the carrier plate, l will state at this time that it is customary with target traps of this character to arrange the supporting and throwing arm at an outward and upward incline so that when the throwing arm is released it will move outwardly and upwardly to discharge position, so that when the target is released it will not only shoot forward but will rise much after and closely resembling a bird aroused to flight.

It has been found that when the carrier is arranged at the same angle as, or in other i words is in the plane of or parallel with the throwing arm, the target is tipped as it is discharged, so that it presents a modified broadside as it is hurled through the air. This broadside presents an extended surface for air currents or for air resistance, resulting in .a retarded or uneven flight.

By inclining the carrier toward the hori- Zontal relative to the throwing arm, I am able to effect a flight of the target wherein the latter advances in a plane parallel with the earth or, in other words, presents only its edge to the air currents and its most limited surface to the. air resistance, resulting in a much steadier and longer fiight of the target. This incline is thought to be clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

The shaft l0 upon which the throwing arm is mounted, extends below the bearing 9 and is journaled at its lower end in a yoke arm 26 that is preferably formed integral with the supporting arm 6.

Rotatably mounted on the shaft 10, between the end of the supporting arm and the yoke arm 26, is a grooved wheel 27, having a tooth 27 thereon adapted for engaging the forward edge of the throwing arm 11, and run over said wheel is a rope 28, which is guided by pulley wheels 29-30 that are mounted on a shaft 3l that is carried by ears 32 on the standard 3 adjacent the upper end thereof, and also by pulleys 38-84 on a 'shaft 35 that is carried by arms 36 on the standard 3 adjacent the lower end thereof; the arms 36-37 being turned downwardly into a recess 39 in the top of the base 1 so that the pulleys may guide the rope beneath the top plate 40.

The rope 28 extends out through a slot 41 at the vback of the base and one end of the rope is secured to a rod 43, which slides in ears 44-45 of a frame plate 46 that is fixed on the elongated platform 2; a spring 47 being attached to the rod at one end and bearing against the forward frame ear 44 at the other end in order to exert a rearward pull on the end of the rope with which the rod is connected. The other end of the rope 28 is connected with a lever 48, which is suitably mounted so that when the lever is moved backwardly it will draw the rope backwardly against the tension of the spring 47, and as the rope is run over the pulley 27 on the throwing arm shaft and preferably secured thereto by a staple, or the like 49, the pulley travels with the rope and moves the throwing arm back to setting position.

' In order to hold the throwing arm in setting position, I provide a latch 51, which is slidably mounted on the supporting arm 6V by pin and slot connection 52-53; the upper edge of the latch being extended above the plane of the supporting arm, and having a beveled tooth 54 at its forward end adapted for engagement by a boss 55 on the under face of the throwing arm, so that when the throwing arm is pulled backwardly, engagement of the boss with the tooth will move the latch forwardly to enable the boss to seat back of the latch and hold the arm against the tension of the throwing spring 16; the latch 5l being normally urged to operative position by a spring 57 which is coiled on a rod 58 that projects rearwardly from the latch and bears against an ear 59 on the latch and an ear GO on the supporting arm.

The latch 51 has a depending arm 61 provided with an aperture (32 through which the strand of the rope leading to the operating lever runs, and fixed on said strand is a button 63 which is adapted for engagcment with the latch arm as the rope moves forwardly, in order to operate the latch and release the throwing arm In order to feed the carrier conveniently, I mount a table 64 at the rear of the supporting arm, and in such position that when the throwing arm is set, the front arm of the carrier will be immediately in advance of the slide table, so that targets placed on a table may be moved readily into the carrier. I also provide for retaining the supporting arm at a desired elevation by equipping the same with a curved rod 65, which extends through a bracket 66 on the standard, and is adapted for engagement by a set screw 67 whereby it is held in adjusted position to hold the supporting and throwing arms at the desired angle. The standard is also preferably equipped with a handle 68 whereby the trap may be turned on its pivotal mounting to induce discharge of the targets at the desired shooting angles.

In using the trap, presuming the parts to be constructed and assembled as described, a boy is located adjacent the trap so that he may turn the trap to the different angles and feed the carrier. IVhcn a target is to be discharged, a man pulls the lever 48 backwardlv and retracts the throwing arm against the tension of the spring to set the arm. The arm is retracted by engagement of the tooth 27 with the forward edge of the throwing arm, as the wheel 27 moves rearwardly under pull of the lever and rope, until it engages the latch as heretofore described.

When the throwing arm is set, the boy moves a target from the slide table into the carrier; the placing of the target being effected immediately upon the setting of the arm, so that it may be ready when the trap is released. The target remains set in this manner until the shooter is ready for the target, when he calls to the lever man and the latter moves the lever forwardly 1 ,206,421 6 :ist

to release the rope to the tension of the spring 47. This releasing movement allows the rope to move forwardly at the lever end until its button engages the latch arm and moves the latch out of the path of the throwing arm, the button being preferably so arranged that when the throwing arm is set the rope may be let out to permit the wheel to revolve sufficiently to allow the tooth to pass out of the way of the throwing arm, the engagement of the button with the latch occurring as the rope approaches its forward limit of travel. This release frees the throwing arm to the tension of its spring, and the arm is revolved rapidly on its pivotal mounting until it reaches the discharge position where it suddenly stops and shoots the target from the carrier.

Owing to the inclined position of the supporting part of the carrier, the target is thrown horizontally so that it may rise without tilting and thereby insure a longer and steadier flight than is ordinarily secured.

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

l. The combination with supporting mechanism, of a throwing arm pivotally mounted on said lnechanism and adapted for travel in an inclined plane, and a carrier mounted on said arm and comprising a target supporting portion, inclined toward the horizontal relative to the plane of travel-of the throwing arm at the point of discharge.

2. The combination with supporting mechanism, of a carrier arm pivotally mounted on said mechanism and adapted for travel in an inclined plane, and a target carrier pivotally mounted on said arm and arranged at an incline approaching the horizontal relative to the plane of travel of the throwing arm.

3. In a target trap the combination with a pivotally mounted throwing arm, of a carrier having a base end pivotally mounted in the end of the throwing arm, and having a target supporting member inclined relative to the plane of travel of the throwing arm to approach the horizontal when in discharge position, and means for actuating the throwing arm.

4. The combination with a supporting arm, of a latch movably mounted on said arm, a shaft carried by said arm, a throwing arm carried by said shaft, yielding means for actuating the throwing arm, a rotatable setting member carried by said shaft and adapted for engaging the arm, to move the same to engagement with the latcli, a rope for actuating said setting member when moved in one direction, a button on said rope for engaging the latch to release the throwing arm when the rope is moved in the opposite direction, and yielding means for returning the setting member.

5. The combination with a supporting arm, of a latch slidably mounted on said arm, a shaft carried by said arm, a throwing arm carried by said shaft, yielding means for actuating the throwing arm, a rotatable setting member carried by said shaft and adapted for engaging the arm, to move the same to engagement with the latch, a rope for yactuating said setting member when moved in one direction, a button on said rope for engaging the latch to release the throwing arm when the rope is moved in the opposite direction, and a spring connected with the opposite end of the rope for returning the setting member to initial position and actuating the latch.

6. A target trap comprising a standard, a supporting arm on said standard, a throwing arm rotatably mounted on the supporting arm, a grooved wheel rotatable independently of the throwing arm, a latch movably mounted on the supporting arm and adapted for holding the throwing arm, a spring for urging the throwing arm to discharge position, a rope run over the grooved wheel and through the latch, a spring connected with one end of the rope, a lever connected with the opposite end of the said rope, and a button on said rope for engaging the latch to release said throwing arm.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM B. COSBY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1). C.

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