US2397921A

US2397921A - Shot trap for air rifle targets

Info

Publication number: US2397921A
Application number: US442610A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harry E Cole
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1942-05-12
Filing date: 1942-05-12
Publication date: 1946-04-09
Anticipated expiration: 1963-04-09

Description

p 9 6- 1 H. E. COLE 2,397,921

SHOT TRAP FOR AIR RIFLE TARGETS Filed May 12, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I 21 INVENTOR- Harry E. Cole BY W ATTORNEY April 9, 1946. H. E. COLE 2,397,921

SHOT TRAP FOR AIR RIFLE TARGETS Filed May 12, '1942 2 Sheet-Sheet 2 3l INVENTOR;

Harry E Co1e Patented Apr. 9, 1946 v .T 2. 2

UNITED STATE PATENT orrice sno'r TRAP FOR Am RIFLE TARGETS Harry E. Cole, Akron, Ohio Application May 12, 1942, Serial No. 442,610 '1 Claims (01. 273'2.4)

This invention relates to shot traps'for air rifle targets.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive fabric shot trap, particularly for use in target practice with spring pressure air rifles, and by means of which a maximum of shot will be retrieved with a minimum of damage by penetration of the shot through the fabric of the trap.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shot trap of the character described including a shot-retrieving hood in combination with improved means for supporting the same whereby the hood may be made of relatively thin, inexpensive fabric.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a shot trap of the character described which may be quickly assembled for use, and which is readily collapsible to compact size, as for storage or packing.

These and other objects of the invention will be manifest from the following brief description and the accompanying drawings.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a shot trap embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross-section, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating the upper right hand corner portion of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a view illustrating the manner of collapsing and folding to compact size the complete apparatus shown in Figures 1 to 4.

Figure 6 is a side elevation, on a reduced scale, illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Referring particularly to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, the numeral l0 designates a hood of flexible fabric, which may be in the shape of a square pyramid, with upper and lower walls II and I2 and side walls I3 and I4 converging rearwardly toward an apex IS. A baffle or flap In of flexible fabric may be provided across the opening of hood H! at the bottom thereof to provide a pocket for retaining shot, this bafile preferably extending upwardly approximately a sufficient distance, say slightly less than half the depth of the hood opening, to retain shot which might otherwise be deflected outwardly off the walls of the hood.

The hood I0 is supported at the front thereof by means of a U-shaped frame l6 comprising a cross-piece I1 and two side portions [8 and I9 which are received through hems along the top and side edges, respectively, at the opening of the hood. The frame I6 may be formed of normally straight rods of flexible material, such as wood or metal, the cross-piece I1 being connected to the side portions I8 and 19 as by means of flexible rubber tubing 20, as best shown in Figures 2 and 4, to permit folding the frame in a manner to be described later. The upper corners of the hood are cut away to facilitate said folding action.

The lower ends of the side rods l1 and I8 may extend downwardly of the bottom edge of the hood opening to be received in apertures 2|, 2| in the outer ends of a pair of

arms

22, 22 which are miter-joined at the other ends and releasably connected, as by means of a thumbscrew 23, to form a V-shaped supporting base, generally indicated at 24.

The hood l0 may be maintained in distended condition, preferably with the walls ll, I2, I 3 and I4 relatively loose or untaut, by means of a rod 25 extended between the top of baffle Ill and the apex l5 of the hood. The hood I0 is supported as described above so that the bottom' wall I2 thereof will incline downwardly toward the baffle l0.

Secured to the top of hood I0 at the front thereof is a looped cord 21, on which may be hung a target 28 having thereon the usual indicia including a bulls-eye 28*. For this purpose the card 28 has a V-shaped flap 28 punched therein and adapted to be hooked over the cord 21. In direct line with the bulls-eye, rearwardly thereof, is suspended a metal disc 29 which will give an audible signal when a shot from an air rifle has passed through the bulls-eye 28 of the target.

In use of the above described shot trap for target practice with spring pressure air rifie, as'an example, fired at normal ranges, shot upon striking the untaut top or side walls of the hood ID will drop substantially directly to the sloped bottom wall l2 and roll to the pocket formed by the baflie I0 The yielding nature of the supporting frame l6 absorbs a substantial amount of the shock applied to the walls of the hood by the shot, which, together with theuntaut condition of the walls of the hood, greatly minimizes possibility of shot being deflected outwardly of the hood opening, as well as minimizing the possibility of the shot penetrating the walls of the hood. Moreover, the improved construction makes possible the use of a relatively thin, inexpensive fabric for the hood, such as muslin or cotton, as compared with canvas or duck, for example.

When the apparatus is not in use for target practice, after first removing the

targets

28 and 29, rod 25 is removed and the rods I8 and I9 are withdrawn from the apertures 2| in base 24,

which is collapsed by releasing the thumbscrew 23. By folding the rods l8 and I9 inwardly about the flexible joints 20, the hood may be folded and rolled into a compact bundle containing the rods of frame IS, the arms 22 and rod 25, as illustrated in Figure 5.

In Figure 6 is shown a modified form of the resorted to without departing from the spirit I thereof or the scope of the appended claim.

invention which is similar to the shot trap shown in Figures 1 to 5 in all respects, except that in place of rod 25 the hood is yieldingly maintained in substantially untaut distended condition by means of an elastic or resilient member 30, such asa, strip of rubber, extended betweenthe apex 15 of the hood land a rod 3| mounted on the V-shaped base 24.. The rod 3| may be utilized to join the

arms

22, 22 of base 24 together at the apex thereof in place of the thumbscrew 23' (see Figure 3).

Other modifications of the invention may be What is, claimed is: A shot trap for air rifle targets, comprising a flexible fabric hood having a front opening and I from said hood, means for mounting said frame on said base, and means for yieldingly retaining said hood in rearwardly distended condition, said supporting base comprising a pair of arms and means for releasably connecting the same in the form of a V, said mounting means comprising apertures in the outer ends of the arms of said base for receiving the lower ends of said side portions of the frame said U shaped frame constituting'the sole support for theopen end of said hood upon said base.

' HARRY E. COLE.