US20200340786A1

US20200340786A1 - Moveable target stand

Info

Publication number: US20200340786A1
Application number: US16/397,115
Authority: US
Inventors: David Roggy
Original assignee: American Ground Screw Inc
Current assignee: American Ground Screw Inc
Priority date: 2019-04-29
Filing date: 2019-04-29
Publication date: 2020-10-29

Abstract

A target stand having a support rail with a first end and a second end, a first main leg support extending upwardly from the support rail at the first end, and a second main leg support extending upwardly from the support rail at the second end. The target stand has a ground screw with a conical body portion permanently attached to and extending downwardly from the support rail, the ground screw having a helix disposed around the periphery of the conical body portion.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Targets or signs may be placed in environments where they will be knocked or blown over. These targets or signs need a stable base on which to connect in order to prevent getting knocked over, and be easily moved from place to place without outside tools that can be lost or broken.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE

One aspect of the present disclosure includes a target stand having a support rail with a first end and a second end, a first main leg support extending upwardly from the support rail at the first end, and a second main leg support extending upwardly from the support rail at the second end. The target stand has a ground screw with a conical body portion permanently attached to and extending downwardly from the support rail, the ground screw having a helix disposed around the periphery of the conical body portion.
Another aspect of the present disclosure includes a target stand having a support rail with a first end, a second end, and a plurality of connection holes. The target stand has a first leg support removably coupled with and extending upwardly from the support rail at the first end, a second leg support removably coupled with and extending upwardly from the support rail at the second end, and a ground screw having a conical body portion permanently affixed to and extending downwardly from the support rail, the ground screw also having a helix disposed around the periphery of the conical body portion.
Yet another aspect of the present disclosure includes a target or signpost base, having a support rail having a first end, a second end, and connection holes. The base also has a first leg support removably coupled with and extending upwardly from the support rail at the first end, the first leg support having an enclosed wall in a tube-form and having a screw hole through the enclosed wall, and a second leg support removably coupled with and extending upwardly from the support rail at the second end, the second leg support having an enclosed wall in a tube-form and having a screw hole through the enclosed wall. The base also includes a ground screw with a conical body portion permanently affixed to and extending downwardly from the support rail, the ground screw having a helix disposed around the periphery of the conical body portion.
These and other aspects, objects, and features of the present disclosure will be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art upon studying the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the target stand of an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the target stand of an embodiment.

FIG. 3A is a top view of the target stand of another embodiment.

FIG. 3B is a top view of the target stand of still another embodiment with the main leg supports removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the disclosure as oriented in FIG. 1. However, it is to be understood that the disclosure may assume various alternative orientations, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show an embodiment of the invention that shows an integrated target stand 10 with a support rail 12, two main leg supports 14 at either end of the support rail 12, and a fixed, permanent ground screw 16 substantially near the middle of the support rail 12. With respect to this embodiment, substantially near the middle will be known to one of ordinary skill as allowing for the rotation of the main leg supports 14 to drive the ground screw 16 into the ground.
The support rail 12 may be of any length to accommodate a target of any width. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the rail 12 is approximately 19″ long to both support a traditional target width, and also offer enough of a lever arm to screw the target stand ground screw 16 into the ground. The main leg supports 14 may also be of any size, but as shown in the embodiment may be tube-form metal about 4″ tall and having an inside diameter of 1½″-1¾″. The leg supports 14 may also have any other shape cross-section to fit other target or sign legs such as square or rectangle, or may have an abnormal custom shape to fit.
The height of the main leg supports 14 are defined by two critical functions. First, the main leg supports 14 must be tall enough for a user to grab and apply force to supply the required moment arm enough to screw the target stand into ground without resorting to using non-integral tools, such as a breaker bar or the like, or other elements on the apparatus that only provide leverage to aid a user in inserting the screw 16 into the ground and then are removed or need to be stowed on the unit. ‘Stowed’ in this case means the non-integral tool is moved from its location where it is used for leverage to a secondary place where it is out of the way and serves no other function of the stand. Second, the main leg supports 14 must be tall enough to provide the support necessary to hold a target or sign upright in the given conditions they are set up within.
The ground screw 16 may include a body portion 18 that has conical shape, with a tip 22 of the conical shape generally pointed downward. The tip 22 is placed generally in the middle of the location where the target will be placed by a user. Around the periphery of the ground screw body 18 is a screw helix 20. The screw helix 20 may be a standard right-handed helix or a left-handed helix. In either case, the screw helix 20 allows for the ground screw 16 to be screwed into the ground by the rotation of the target stand 10.
The ground screw base 18 is a solid base with a conical shape. A ground screw having a solid conical shape allows the target stand 10 to be more stable in the ground, while simultaneously being easier to drive into ground that may be hardened or otherwise difficult to insert a target into.
The main leg supports 14 may include a screw hole 28 in order to further fasten the target or sign legs in place within the target stand 10. The target legs may be made of a material such as wood into which a self-tapping screw or the like is inserted to hold the legs more securely within the leg supports 14. In another embodiment, the legs of the target or sign may be made of a more solid material such as a metal like aluminum or steel, and include a corresponding tapped screw hole that matches up with the leg support screw hole 28 to insert a thumb screw or the like.
As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, in another embodiment, the support rail 12 may include a plurality of holes 24. In this embodiment, the main leg supports 14 could be coupled to the support rail at any number of positions, allowing for a target of any size to be attached to the target stand. These holes 24 could be spaced at specific intervals like shown in FIG. 3A, or be extended into slots 26 as shown in FIG. 3B on opposite sides of the support rail in order to be infinitely adjustable to supply a solid base 10 for a target or a sign of any width.
In this embodiment, the main leg supports 14 would include any fastening method known in the art that allows them to be temporarily removed from the support rail and repositioned on and recoupled to the support rail 12. It should be noted that even though in this embodiment, the main leg supports 14 are removable, they remain a critical piece of the target stand 10 as they provide the attachment for the target or sign posts, and the stand 10 would not be functional without them.
It will be understood by one having ordinary skill in the art that construction of the described disclosure and other components is not limited to any specific material. Other exemplary embodiments of the disclosure disclosed herein may be formed from a wide variety of materials, unless described otherwise herein.
For purposes of this disclosure, the term “coupled” (in all of its forms, couple, coupling, coupled, etc.) generally means the joining of two components (electrical or mechanical) directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary in nature or movable in nature. Such joining may be achieved with the two components (electrical or mechanical) and any additional intermediate members being integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two components. Such joining may be permanent in nature or may be removable or releasable in nature unless otherwise stated.
It is also important to note that the construction and arrangement of the elements of the disclosure as shown in the exemplary embodiments is illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments of the present innovations have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited. For example, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements shown as multiple parts may be integrally formed, the operation of the interfaces may be reversed or otherwise varied, the length or width of the structures and/or members or connector or other elements of the system may be varied, the nature or number of adjustment positions provided between the elements may be varied. It should be noted that the elements and/or assemblies of the system may be constructed from any of a wide variety of materials that provide sufficient strength or durability, in any of a wide variety of colors, textures, and combinations. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present innovations. Other substitutions, modifications, changes, and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions, and arrangement of the desired and other exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present innovations.
It will be understood that any described processes or steps within described processes may be combined with other disclosed processes or steps to form structures within the scope of the present disclosure. The exemplary structures and processes disclosed herein are for illustrative purposes and are not to be construed as limiting.
It is also to be understood that variations and modifications can be made on the aforementioned structures and methods without departing from the concepts of the present disclosure, and further it is to be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.

Claims

1. A target stand, comprising:

a support rail having a first end and a second end;

a first main leg support coupled with and extending upwardly from the support rail at the first end, and a second main leg support coupled with and extending upwardly from the support rail at the second end;

a ground screw comprising a conical body portion permanently affixed to and extending downwardly from the support rail, the ground screw further comprising a helix disposed around the periphery of the conical body portion.

2. The target stand of claim 1, wherein the first main leg support and the second main leg support allow the target stand to be inserted into the ground by hand and without the use of non-integral tools.

3. The target stand of claim 1, wherein the support rail further comprises a plurality of connection holes.

4. The target stand of claim 3, wherein the first main support leg and the second main support leg are removably attached to the support rail.

5. The target stand of claim 3, wherein the plurality of connection holes comprise offset round holes and slots to provide for infinite adjustability of the distance of the first main leg support and the second main leg support.

6. The target stand of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second main leg supports further comprise a screw hole.

7. A target stand, comprising:

a support rail having a first end, a second end, and a plurality of connection holes;

a first leg support removably coupled with and extending upwardly from the support rail at the first end;

a second leg support removably coupled with and extending upwardly from the support rail at the second end;

8. The target stand of claim 7, wherein the first leg support and the second leg support allow the target stand to be inserted into the ground by hand and without the use of non-integral tools.

9. The target stand of claim 7, wherein the plurality of connection holes comprise offset round holes and slots to provide for infinite adjustability of the distance of the first leg support and the second leg support.

10. The target stand of claim 7, wherein each of the first and second leg supports further comprise a screw hole.

11. A target or signpost base, comprising:

a first leg support removably coupled with and extending upwardly from the support rail at the first end, the first leg support comprising an enclosed wall in a tube-form and having a screw hole through the enclosed wall;

a second leg support removably coupled with and extending upwardly from the support rail at the second end, the second leg support comprising an enclosed wall in a tube-form and having a screw hole through the enclosed wall;

12. The target or signpost base of claim 11, wherein the first leg support and the second leg support allow the target or signpost base to be inserted into the ground by hand and without the use of non-integral tools.

13. The target or signpost base of claim 11, wherein the plurality of connection holes comprise offset round holes and slots to provide for infinite adjustability of the distance of the first leg support and the second leg support.