WO1980002323A1

WO1980002323A1 - Carrier for conveying of targets between a firing station and a target station and back again

Info

Publication number: WO1980002323A1
Application number: PCT/SE1980/000113
Authority: WO
Inventors: M Hedenlund; R Blomberg
Original assignee: M Hedenlund; R Blomberg
Priority date: 1979-04-19
Filing date: 1980-04-21
Publication date: 1980-10-30
Also published as: EP0027810A1; SE7903468L

Abstract

Carriers for conveying of targets from a target station to a firing station for interpretation of firing results and for replacement of targets and returning of the targets to the target station stop today in front of the firing station. This means that the shooter, if he is occupying a recumbent or kneeling firing posture, is obliged to rise from the proven firing posture in order to be able to change targets. The present invention is based upon the realization that the target or targets are to be moved by the carrier so close to the shooter that he can reach the target in order to change targets without needing to change the proven firing posture and is concretised so that two wires (2, 3) or similar control devices for the sled carrying the target extend so far into the firing station (9) and are so situated relative to the firing posture which a shooter is intended to occupy that the target rack (4) at least in one end position of the sled is within reach of the shooter' s trigger hand without it being necessary for the shooter to change his firing posture. It is particularly suitable according to the invention if the said wires (2, 3) or corresponding control devices for the sled in the firing station (9) run on one side of the firing posture which the shooter is intended to occupy and if the target rack (4) in the vicinity of the said firing posture is so rotatably disposed that the target rack (4) is there imparted a turning movement towards the place where the shooter is intended to occupy his firing posture.

Description

Carrier for conveying of targets between a firing station and a target station and back again

This invention relates to a carrier for conveying of, for example, targets from a firing station where the shooter is intended to be located to a target station where the target is intended to be located when the shooter fires at the target and back again, the said carrier comprising two wires or corresponding control devices which are secured between two frames, one of which is sited on the immediate vicinity of the firing station and the other of which is sited at the target station and a carrier sled guided by the said wires or corresponding control devices, which sled for instance by means of an electric motor and drive rope is movably disposed between the firing station and the target station and carries a rack arranged to hold targets. Markmanship is carried out today with rifles at ranges of 300 and 50 meters and with pistols at a range of 25 meters. Firing postures are standing, recumbent and kneeling.

At, for example, 50-metre ranges, the following methods, among others, have been used hitherto for reading of firing results. Marking or replacement of targets was csarried out in that the shooters discontinued the shooting and approached the target station where they changed targets. Equipment for marking of the targets in situ could also be arranged with market pits. This, however, required a dialogue between the shooter and range supervisor and between the range supervisor and marker, these communications taking place by means of radio or telephone. This is a relatively personnel-intensive procedure.

Known systems are revealed through for example German DE 1 003 633 and 1 024845 and US patent 2 504 273. in order to obviate these above-described marking systems, a target carrier has been developed which may be described in the following manner. Between the firing station and the target station are two stretched wires on which a target sled is drawn back and forth with the aid of a motor. The sled arrives at the shooter's station a distance in front of the firing station so that the shooter, in order to change targets, is obliged always to rise from the firing posture. This is regarded by experts in this field as being a highly disturbing element if the shooter in order to exchange targets is obliged to "leave" a proven firing posture.

An object of the present invention is to enable the target or targets to be moved by the carrier so close to the shooter that he can reach the target for replacement without having to alter the proven firing posture. In a further development of the inventive concept, a further object is to attain rapid carriage of the targets while assuring that the carrier and thus the targets remain in their intended positions.

The present invention is characterised with regard to the carrier type mentioned in the preamble of the present specification more specifically in that the said wires or corresponding control devices for the sled extend so far into the firing station and are so located relative to the firing posture that a shooter is intended to occupy that the target stand placed on the sled, at least in one end position of the sled, is within reach of the shooter's trigger hand without the shooter otherwise needing to change his firing posture and in that the said wires or corresponding control devices for the sled at least in the firing station run on one side of the firing posture which the shooter is intended to occupy and in that the target stand or the sled and said wires or corresponding control devices at least in the vicinity of the said firing posture are so rotatably arranged and, respectively, mutually rotatably arranged that the target rack is there imparted a turning movement towards the place where the shooter is intended to occupy his firing posture, for instance corresponding to a deviation of approx. 45 from the position the target rack has at the target station.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the inventive concept, the target rack is arranged to be rotatable in relation to the sled upon movement of the latter by means of a stationary mechanism which is placed at the frame which is disposed in the vicinity to the firing station and which actuates a lever arm provided on the target rack, the return travel of which if not actuated from the said stationary mechanism is arranged to be accomplished by the drive rope and then preferably by its driven end.

For adaption to left-handed and right-handed marksmen, respectively, the said lever arm is constructed adjustably in relation to the target rack, preferably through 90º, and the said stationary mechanism is symmetrically elaborated relative to the sled, whereby it actuates the said lever arm regardless of the position of the latter.

In order to assure to the greatest possible extent that the sled actually does stop in the intended place, it is advantageous if the carrier in a further development of the inventive concept is elaborated so that the running speed of the drive rope is determined by the speed of rotation of the motor, which in turn is monitored by a pulse sensor which is coupled to a pulley for the drive rope and which -pulse sensor is electrically connected to a pulse counter which in turn steers out the rotational speed of the motor for example so that in the beginning and at the end of the passage travel by the said sled, the speed of the sled is low but high in between and that the pulse sensor is located in connection with and senses the movement of a wheel which is mechanically coupled to the said pulley, which in turn via a V-belt is driven by the said motor, which appropriately consists of an electric motor wired for three phases and elaborated with two speeds of the output shaft.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a shooter with a carrier according to the invention entering to one side of the shooter in the shooting station, Fig. 2 shows an oblique view from above of a sled, Fig. 3 shows a detail view, partly by means of a section through the sled across the target station and clamping and attachment members for the drive rope as well as the actuating mechanism for turning of the target rack and Fig. 4 shows a view from above of the one frame which is sited in the firing station. The carrier shown in Fig. 1 comprises a sled 1 which by means of suitable control items 20-23, for example of plastic, is guided by two rope parts 2, 3, consisting for example of stainless rod wire, each end of which is attached to each end of a rotatable and lockable shaft 24 - as shown in Fig. 4. This shaft 24 and a drive motor 6 together with further parts, are disposed in a first frame in the firing station - as indicated in Fig. 1 by reference numeral 5. Rope parts 2 and 3 run from this first frame 5 to the position 10, where the target station is intended to be located, i.e. where the targets are to be when the shooter fires. This position 10 is marked but not drawn in Fig. 1. Idlers for rope parts 2 and 3, appropriately vertically adjustable, are provided in this position 10 but not shown in the drawing. Rope reaches 2, 3 thus run from one end of the shaft 24 via the said idlers back to the other end of the shaft 24. By rotation of shaft 24, the rope reaches 2 and 3 can thus be stretched or slackened as necessary and then be refixed, for instance by tightening of a nut 25.

The sled 1 is provided with a rack 4 for targets, as is indicated in sketch form in Fig. 2. This rack 4 is fixed to a member 12, the lower portion of which is wedge shaped and which in turn, for instance by means of a throughgoing shaft 26, is rotatably mounted relative to the sled 1. The said wedge-shaped member 12 is movably fixed via wedge-shaped grooves 13a, 13b, 14a, 14b in relation to a lever arm 11 provided with a guidewheel 27, the said lever arm being pretensioned via a spring 15 to always rest against the said wedge-shaped supporting member 12 for the target rack.

On a drum 28 carried on the shaft 26, one end of a rope 7' for driving of the sled 1 is stretched and locked by means of a gearwheel 30 and a spring-tensioned latching hook 31 while the other end of the rope 7 is fixed in a lever arm 29 which is directly mechanically connected to the said member 12 and thus via the groove 13-14 with the lever arm 11 for reasons which will become evident as the specification proceeds.

Drive rope 7, 7' is driven by a drive wheel 18 mounted on a shaft 32, the said shaft 32 appropriately being driven in its turn via a V-belt 19 by a three-phase electric motor 6 with two speeds of the output shaft. Also disposed on the shaft 32 is a wheel 16 which rotates with the said shaft and which together with a pulse sensor 17 forms a pulse transmitter. The said pulse transmitter emits for example four pulses per rotated revolution of the wheel 16. All of these parts are preferably mounted in one of the frames 5, which is disposed in the firing station 9 to the side of the position in which a shooter is intended to lie or stand. Also provided in the said one frame 5 are guide rails 33, 34 for the sled 1, which guide rails 33, 34 may also serve to some extent to retard the sled 1.

The said one frame 5 is furthermore also provided with funnel-shaped guide sides 8, 8', which are arranged to actuate the wheel 27 and thus the arm 11 to turn as the sled 1 approaches its end position in the firing station 9. By this means, the member 12 and thus the target rack placed on it are turned through approx. 45 , i.e. to the position shown in Fig. 1 when the sled 1 runs into the frame 5. Return of the target rack 4 occurs as soon as the guide wheel 27 is no longer guided by the guide sides 8, 8', i.e. when the sled 1 leaves the firing station 9. This reversal of the target rack 4 can naturally also take place at some other position along the carrier, for example close to or at the target station so that the targets are conveyed with the least possible air resistance.

By depression of the arm 11 against the action of the spring 15 and by turning of the arm 11, the position of the member 12 in grooves 14a, 14b can be switched to grooves 13a, 13b, whereby turning of the target rack 4 is influenced by the guide side 8' instead of by the guide side 8, whereby turning of the target rack 4 is instead adapted to a left-handed shooter who occupies his firing posture on the opposite side of the carrier in comparison with the right-handed shooter according to Fig. 1.

The carrier - as mentioned above - is provided with a pulse transmitter 16, 17 which emits its pulse signals to a (not shown) pulse counter, which when a number of pulses has been counted, changes the rotational speed of the motor 6. The speeds of movement of the sled 1 are appropriately so selected that it starts from an end position at low speed. When a low number of pulses has been counted, the pulsle counter orders the motor 6 to switch to its higher speed, which is utilised during the greater part of the sled movement and when a large number of pulses has been counted corresponding to the point at which the sled 1 is near its other end position, the motor 6 is ordered to switch to its lower speed and subsequently - when an addition relatively low number of pulses has been counted - to be stopped. The disc 16 has for example four pulse generators mounted around its circumference, i.e. four pulses are emitted per completed revolution of the drive shaft 32. Any slipping between the V-belt 19 and the drive shaft 32 does not influence - as shown in Fig. 4 - the pulse transmitter. By this means, it is assured that the sled 1 in a very precise manner can be stopped virtually exactly in the intended position, both at the target station and at the firing station.

The guide rails 33, 34 can by frictional contact with the sled 1 also act as extra retarding members for the latter at the firing station.

A movable operating switch 35 equipped with a flex is used to start the motion of the sled 1.

The electrical circuit diagram for the above is perfectly evident to an expert in the field and has therefore been excluded from the present specification.

Claims

1. A carrier for conveying of, for example, targets from a firing station (9), where the shooter is intended to occupy a firing posture, to a target station (10), where the target is intended to be situated when the shooter fires at the target, and back again, the said carrier comprising two wires (2, 3) or corresponding control devices which are secured between two frames (5, 6) of which the one (5) is placed in the immediate vicinity of the firing station (9) and the other (6, not shown) is placed at the target station (10), and of a sled (1) guided by the said wires (2, 3) or corresponding guide members, which sled (1) by means for example of an electric motor (6) and drive rope (7) is movably arranged between, the firing station (9) and the target station (19) and which carries a target rack. (4), c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the said wires (2, 3) or corresponding guide members for the sled (1) extend so far into the firing station (9) and are so placed relative to the firing posture which a shooter is intended to occupy that the target rack (4) placed on the sled (1) at least in one end position of the sled (1) is located within reach of the trigger hand of the shooter without the shooter otherwise having to alter his firing posture and in that the said wires (2, 3) or corresponding control members for the sled (1) at least in the firing station (9) run on one side of the firing posture which the shooter is intended to occupy and in that the target rack (4) or the sled (1) and the said wires (2, 3) or corresponding guide members at least in the vicinity of the said firing posture are so rotatably arranged and mutually rotatably arranged respectively that the target rack (4) is there imparted a turning movement towards the place where the shooter is intended to occupy his firing posture, for instance corresponding to a deviation of approx. 45 from the position occupied by the target rack (4) at the target stationn (19).

2. The carrier according to Claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the target rack (4) is disposed rotatable relative to the sled (1) upon movement of the latter by means of a stationary mechanism (8), which is placed at the frame (5) which is arranged in the immediate vicinity of the firing station (9) and which frame actuates a lever arm (ll) provided on the target rack (4), the return of which lever arm when not actuated from the said stationary mechanism (8) is arranged to be accomplished by the drive rope (7) and preferably by its then driven end.

3. The carrier according to Claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the said lever arm (11) is elaborated adjustable relative to the target rack (4), preferably approx. 90º, and in that the said stationary mechanism (8) is symmetrically embodied relative to the sled (l) whereby it actuates the said lever arm (11) regardless of the position of the latter.

4. The carrier according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that one end of the drive rope (7) is mechanically connected to the said lever arm (11) via a wedgeshaped member (12) which supports the target rack (4) and which interacts with wedge-shaped grooves (13, 14) provided in the lever arm (ll) and in that the lever arm (11) is forced by a spring (15) to be moved aside to rest against the wedge-shaped member (12).

5. The carrier according to any of the preceding Claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the running speed of the drive rope (7) is determined by the speed of rotation of the motor (6) which in turn is monitored by a pulse emitter (17) which is coupled to a drive disc (18) for the drive rope (7) and which is connected electrically to a pulse counter which in turn steers out the rotational speed of the motor (6), for example so that in the beginning and at the end of the distance travelled by the sled (l) the speed of the sled is low but high in between.

6. The carrier according to Claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the pulse transmitter (17) is located in the vicinity of and senses the motion of a wheel (16) which is mechanically connected to the said drive disc (18) which in turn, via a V-belt (19), is driven by the said motor (6), which appropriately consists of an electric motor (6) wired for three-phase with two speeds of the outgoing shaft.