US2158739A - Target trap - Google Patents

Description

y 1939' s. BINGHA-M, JR 2,153,739

TARGET TRAP F'i'led Sept. 30, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I jzz/eiazorv 3. r v (ge 'm wy vzz ay 5, 9319- 5. EH. BmGHAM, JR

TARGET TRAP Fill-ed Sept. 30,. 1955 49 56 5 Wilma 37 40 zsmlll:

10 pain-mug i ll 4 I will v. 4945 46 Q2 2 6% 7 Ewen/$04- \ialiuw Patented May 16, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in target traps, such as are used in trap shooting and skeet shooting.

The general object is to provide a target trap which may be operated quickly, conveniently, and with little effort and in which the throwing arm cannot be released until the operator in the trap house is ready.

In using most target traps as now constructed,

the release of the throwing arm or target carrier results in a violent swing of said arm through more than a half circle, after which it oscillates back and forth and comes to rest in a position the opposite of its starting position. In carrying out my invention I take advantage of the inertia of the throwing arm and its associated parts, to carry it past the half circle point, and to store energy in the actuating helical spring by extending the latter. Also, I provide means to hold said arm at practically the extreme limit of its throw. Thus when the operator is ready to reset or cook the device, and pulls on the handle provided for that purpose, all he needs to do is to draw the throwing arm around through less 25 than a quarter circle, in the same direction in which it previously traveled, in order to restore it to initial position and to complete the extension or tensioning of the spring. In pulling through this small angle and having available a powerful leverage, the effort required to complete the extension of the spring to its maximum is much less than would be the case were it not already partly extended.

As contributing to the attainment of these ad- 35 vantageous results, a further object is to provide a relatively fixed ratchet plate, engaged by a pawl on the throwing arm when the latter ap proaches the limit of its throw, perhaps 270 degrees or more, whereby said arm is held against return movement, and the energy stored in the spring is retained.

It has been proposed heretofore to provide a motor driven target trap mechanism having a continuously rotating ratchet disc propelled by an electric motor, which disc picks up and completes the rotation of the throwing arm when it is released and auomatically resets the same. Such equipment has the disadvantage of requiring a source of current, such, for example, as an 50 electric lighting circuit and well insulated conductors concealed in the ground, which facililities are not always available in the areas in which trap shooting is apt to be carried out, and which facilities involve additional expense in 55 cases where a nearby lighting or power circuit is available. In my improved construction, the mechanism is simple and the ratchet member is normally stationary, being turned only at intervals and preferably by hand, by means of a handle within the convenient reach of the operator. 5

An additional advantage is that as long as the operator continues to hold the handle away from its initial position it is impossible for the throwing arm to be released by any remote control such as by someone outside of the trap house 10 pulling the release cord. Thus the operator in the trap house is protected against the danger of injury arising out of the unanticipated release of said arm.

Other objects and advantages will appear from 15 the more detailed description of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the illustrative mechanism referred to, the device being cocked and ready for release; 20

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the mechanism in the position it assumes when the throwing arm reaches the limit of its throw;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a central section through the main shaft in Fig. 1, with certain parts moved to other positions.

The apparatus comprises a suitable frame I B which may be mounted to permit adjustment up and down about a horizontal axis, in the usual manner, and to permit adjustment also so that it may be pointed in different directions about an axis that is vertical or nearly so, this mounting not being shown in the drawings. The frame 5 carries a vertical shaft H which is rotated through a half turn by a suitable coiled spring [2, substantially in the usual manner. At the upper end of the shaft II is the throwing arm [3 which is normally latched in its initial position 40 after the spring has been tensioned but may be released by pulling on a tension member or release cord, [4, as hereinafter described. The spring ordinarily throws the arm 180 degrees but said arm and associated parts, due to their inertia, continue the swing through a greater angle, and at the extreme limit of the throw said arm is prevented from making a return movement, by means of a notched plate or ratchet plate l5 which is normally held in fixed position against movement in one direction but which may be turned by means of a resetting handle [6 to advance or restore the throwing arm I3 to initial position, and at the same time to tension the spring 12.

As shown in Fig. 3, the shaft II is provided with cranks I! to which a short connecting rod I8 is connected, which rod is connected to one end of the spring I 2, the other end of said spring being adjustably secured to the frame by a nut l9 having a tapering head 20 and adjusted by means of a hand wheel 2|. The shaft H, which consists of a lower and upper section, is rotatably mounted in bearings 22, 23. At its upper end it carries a short arm or plate 24, (see Fig. 4) to which the throwing arm or target carrier I3 is secured, the inner end of said plate being enlarged at 25 and secured to said shaft so that the two turn together. Below said enlargement or hub is another hub 26 loosely mounted on mounting on the stud 49, as shown in Fig. 2.

said shaft and having bifurcated extensions, the upper extension constituting the notched plate l5, shown also in Figs. 1 and 2, and the lower extension 21 serving as a support and mounting-for the operating lever I6, suitably secured thereto. The target throwing arm l3 has a pawl 28 mounted on the under side thereof normally impelled by a spring 29 in a direction to engage the ratchet teeth 30 on the plate l5 and ride over the same as the arm approaches the limit of its swing and comes to rest under the pull of the main spring l2, which tends to restore the arm to initial position. Although the ratchet plate [5 is rotatably mounted on the shaft II, it is normally stationary in the sense that it is held against rearward movement (even when the throwing arm I3 is in its Fig. 1 position) by means of a stop 3| against which the lower extension 21 is'yieldingly held by a short chain 32 and attached spring 33, as shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 shows the target trap throwing arm in initial or cooked position to permit the target or clay pigeon to be placed thereon against the rail 34 and also against the adjustable stop 35. When the arm is released it swings around through more than three-fourths of a revolution to the approximate position shown in Fig. 2, in which it is held by the pawl and ratchet mechanism. The extent of the angular throw of the arm may be varied by adjusting the spring ten* sion devices I9, 20, 2|. The leverage afforded by the handle I6 is such that it is easy to thereafter move the throwing arm through the small remaining angular distance necessary to restore it to initial position. In the position shown in Fig. 2 the spring l2 has been extended, due to the inertia of the throwing arm, and thus the work of extending the spring to its maximum position is considerably lessened and the actuating parts are in convenient position for the operator to take hold of and move them.

The throwing arm is held in initial position against the action of the spring by a retractable trigger 36 which is mounted in a housing 31 (see Fig. 3) and is normally held in uppermost position by a coiled spring 38 beneath it. Said trigger is engaged by a radial finger 39 which may constitute an integral extension of the arm 24, as shown in Fig. 4. As the operator pulls the handle l6 through an angle considerably less than 90 degrees to restore the throwing arm to its initial position, shown in Fig. 1, he extends the spring l2 and throws the cranks I! a little beyond the dead center so that the tendency of the throwing arm is to swing in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1, such movement, however, being restrained by the trigger 36 against which the finger 39 abuts. In order to withdraw the trigger, the release cord [4 is pulled, thereby moving the link or slide 40 to the right, as shown in Fig. 3,

28, as shown in Fig. 4.

against the action of the spring 4|, whereupon the cam surface 42, sliding over the abutment 43 on the trigger 36, draws down the latter and releases the throwing arm. The inner end of the link 46 has a notch 44 in the lower edge thereof, as shown in Fig. 3, engaged by a locking device which, as shown in Fig. may have the form oi a pivoted arm 45, with a finger 46 on the end thereof which enters said notch, being normally impelled therein by a vertical, fiat spring 4T. Whenever the handle It is in the position shown in Fig. 2, the locking lever is withdrawn from said notch by means of a pin 48 mounted in hub Said pin engages one end of the lever 45, and rocks it about its pivotal Thus the trigger can be withdrawn by moving the link 43 either manually or otherwise whenever the hand lever I6 is in its normal or safety position, shown in Fig. 2.

When the hand lever I6 is swung away from its normal position of rest, the locking finger 46 immediately tends to enter the notch and becomes operative unless the slide 40 is in the wrong position. If said slide is not jammed by some foreign object and the notch is in the right position, the locking finger thereafter prevents movement of said slide to the right and hence prevents depression of the trigger 35. In other words, the throwing arm cannot be released and swung around under the action of the spring when the handle I6 is in any position other than its normal rearmost position, as in Fig. 2. This gives the operator an opportunity to place the clay pigeon on the throwing arm or to make any examination or adjustment of the mechanism which he may desire without danger of having the trap sprung when he is not prepared for it, thereby avoiding the danger of a severe blow from the arm l3. By holding the handle H6 in some intermediate position the operator thus prevents springing of the trap until he is ready to have it sprung, after which if he releases the handle l6 it is restored automatically to initial position, releasing the slide or link 40.

The plate 24, as shown in Fig. 4, has a depending stud 50 with a roller 5| thereon which passes through a notch 52 in the sliding plate or link 40 when the latter is in its normal position shown in Fig. 3. If for any reason someone should pull on the tension member l4 and thus depress the trigger 36 at the moment the operator is swinging the arm back to initial position, said arm will be prevented from reaching initial position by the roller 5| striking the inclined surface 53. This obstruction is presented, preferably, just as or slightly after the cranks I! reach dead center, at which time the spring l2 would be extended its maximum amount, and indicates to the operator that the trap has not been set. The small spring 33 maintains its pull on the handle i6 tending to restore it to its initial position. Where the sliding plate or link 40 is in the proper position, the throwing arm moves to a point definitely beyond the dead center, whereupon the trigger is encountered and holds the arm from flying around in a forward direction until said trigger is drawn downwardly. When the slide 40 is pulled to the right, to depress the trigger, the pin 54 on said slide may strike the housing 31 and thus limit the outward movement of said slide. The pin 55 on said slide strikes the other end of said housing when the pull is relaxed and the coil spring 4| permitted to contract, thus insuring that the slide will always return to the above mentioned, normal position, i. e. the Fig. 3 position.

The pull of the spring 4| on the sliding plate it opposes the pullof the tension member I4 and returns said slide to initial position when the tension is released. Also, the pressure of the roller 5! against the inclined or cam surface 53, due to the pull of the main spring 12, tends to restore said sliding plate in conjunction with the spring 4|, and accelerates its movement to initial position, in which position the roller 5| may pass through the notch 52, thus permitting the throwing arm to continue to move a slight distance to cocked position in engagement with the trigger. At the time said roller bears against said cam surface the crank on the shaft has moved slightly beyond the dead center, thus rendering the pull of the main spring effective. When the arm is in this position in which the roller is obstructed by the cam surfaces, the handle I6 can be returned to initial position and said arm will remain against the stop until the release of the pull on the tension member permits the slide to be moved sufficiently for the roller to pass through the opening therein.

The adjustable stop 35 which positions the target radially on the arm I3, is mounted on a non-circular rod 56, being held thereto by a wing nut 5?. Both ends of said rod, as shown in Fig. 2, are cylindrical and rotatably mounted in standards 58, a spring 59 serving normally to hold the finger 35 in vertical position, but permitting it to yield and swing downwardly toward horizontal position when the throwing arm is released and passes over it.

It will be apparent that as the target carrying arm swings violently around past the half circle point, it is retained in the position in which it comes to rest instead of oscillating back and forth. Such oscillations tend to shake or vibrate the mechanism unnecessarily and consume time. These disadvantages are obviated in my improved construction.

Although in the form shown, the setting movement of the arm is accomplished by hand, it could be accomplished electrically if the disadvantages incident to the installation and operation of electrical equipment presented no particular obstacle in certain localities. The hand lever shown in the drawing provides for a very effective application of the hand power, although a series of links or mechanical connections, operated either within the trap house or from a distance, may be employed if desired. Also, the trigger instead of being depressed by a release cord could be operated by a solenoid or in other ways.

I claim:

l. A target trap comprising a target throwing arm, an actuating spring therefor, a remote control releasing mechanism for said arm, stationary retaining means for holding said arm against return movement at substantially the limit of its throw, and manually actuated means independent of said remote control mechanism for restoring said arm to initial position by moving the same further in the direction of said throw.

2. A target trap comprising a target throwing arm, an actuating spring therefor, a remote control releasing mechanism for said arm, a member having a plurality of ratchet teeth thereon, movably mounted adjacent the plane of rotation of said means normally holding said member stationary, a pawl mounted on said arm to ride over said ratchet teeth when said arm approaches the limit of its throw, engage one of said teeth,

and prevent return movement thereof, and manual means independent of said remote control mechanism constructed and arranged to move said ratchet member and hence said arm in a direction to complete a swing of 360 degrees, thereby restoring said arm to initial position and tensioning said spring.

3. A target trap comprising a frame, a shaft rotatably mounted therein, a target throwing arm secured to said shaft, an actuating spring for rotat ng said shaft and arm a half turn, a member having a plurality of ratchet teeth thereon, movable mounted adjacent the plane of rotation of said arm, a stop, and means for yieldingly holding said ratchet member against said stop, a pawl mounted on said arm to ride over said ratchet teeth when said arm swings beyond the half turn position due to its inertia, engage one of said teeth, and thus prevent return movement of said arm, and a handle secured to said ratchet member for moving the latter away from the stop and hence moving said arm in a continuation of its initial swing to restore it to initial position.

i. In a target trap, a main shaft, a target throwing arm fixed to said shaft, a crank on said arm, a spring secured to said crank for turning said shaft and arm, a sector-shaped ratchet plate rotatably mounted in a plane parallel to the plane of rotation of said arm, means normally preventing rotation of said ratchet plate in a direction the reverse of the rotation of said spring impelled arm, a pawl carried by said arm to engage said ratchet plate and retain said arm in the position in which it comes to rest, thus avoiding oscillations thereof, means for moving said ratchet plate and hence said arm to complete the angular movement of the latter toward its starting position, and beyond the dead center of said crank and spring, and releasable means to hold said arm in starting position.

5. In a target trap, a main shaft, a target throwing arm affixed to said shaft, a crank on said shaft, a spring connected therewith to rotate said arm through substantially a half turn, means retaining said arm in the position in which it comes torest, an abutment, yielding means normally holding said retaining means in position against said abutment, and resetting means for moving said retaining means and said arm away from said abutment in opposition to said yielding means.

6. In a target trap, a main shaft, a target throwing arm affixed to said shaft, a crank on said shaft, a spring connected therewith to rotate said arm through substantially a half turn, means for retaining said arm in the position in which it comes to rest, an abutment, yielding means normally holding said retaining means in position against said abutment, resetting means for moving said retaining means and said arm to a point beyond the dead center of said crank and spring, in opposition to said yielding means, a trigger holding said arm in cocked position, and a locking device to prevent release of said trigger when said resetting means is being operated.

7. In a target trap, a throwing arm, a trigger to release the same, means for moving said trigger to release said arm, a lock for rendering said means inoperative, a resetting handle movable from normal position to actuating position, in the same direction as said throwing arm when the latter is released, and connections from said handle to said lock to actuate the same when said handle is moved.

8. In a target trap, a frame, a shaft rotatably mounted therein, a throwing arm secured to said shaft, a spring for throwing said arm in one direction, a handle for moving said arm in the same direction as its throw, a slide on said frame having a cut out portion, a stop on said arm positioned to pass through said out out portion when said arm and shaft are swung to complete the throw to initial position, a trigger for said arm released by movement of said slide in one direction, a stop for limiting the movement of said slide in the opposite direction to fix its normal position, a locking lever for said slide to hold it in said normal position, an abutment movable with said handle to engage said locking lever and unlock said slide only when said handle is in its initial position of rest, and yielding means tending to hold said handle in said position.

9. In a target trap, a frame, a shaft rotatably mounted therein, a throwing arm secured to said shaft, a crank on said shaft to which an actuating spring is secured, a hub loose on said shaft, a handle affixed to said hub, an abutment on said hub, a trigger releasing slide on said frame, said slide having an opening therein, a pivoted lever having one end normally received in said opening to lock said slide, a spring to hold said lever in looking position, said abutment engaging said lever when said hub is rotated in one direction to rock said lever against the action of said spring, thus unlocking said slide, and means for moving said slide to release said trigger.

10. In a target trap, a rotatable throwing arm,

a trigger to restrain and to release the same, a resetting handle, a slide having means for withdrawing said trigger and having a cam surface thereon, a roller on said arm positioned to engage said cam surface as said arm is rotated, and when said slide is in trigger withdrawing position, thus obstructing further rotation of said arm, and a spring tending to hold said slide in normal position, the pressure of said roller on said cam surface tending also to move said slide to normal position, in which said roller may pass through said out out portion to permit said arm to engage said trigger.

11. A target trap comprising a target throwing arm secured to a rotatable shaft to turn therewith, an actuating member also mounted to turn with said shaft, an actuating spring secured to said member to rotate said shaft and said arm less than a complete turn, a remote control releasing mechanism for said arm, retaining means for holding said arm against return movement at substantially the limit of its throw, said means comprising a pawl and ratchet one of which is associated with said arm to move therewith and the other of which is mounted to resist the force of said spring as it tends to cause said return movement, and a handle pivotally mounted on the axis of said shaft and manually actuated independently of said remote control mechanism for moving said arm further in the direction of said throw, to restore it to initial position.

SAMUEL H. BINGHAM, JR.

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