WO1997016694A1

WO1997016694A1 - Sporting method and articles

Info

Publication number: WO1997016694A1
Application number: PCT/GB1996/002636
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rupert Checkley; Andrew Greenhalgh
Original assignee: Rupert Checkley; Andrew Greenhalgh
Priority date: 1995-11-01
Filing date: 1996-10-30
Publication date: 1997-05-09
Also published as: AU7319996A

Abstract

A clay pigeon has a luminescent coating and a reflective coating, and is shot at speed from a magazine past laser light to activate the luminescent coating.

Description

SPORTING METHOD AND ARTICLES

The invention relates to sports in which a player must shoot at an aerial target. While the invention is applicable to a variety of sports and games it is seen to particularly good effect in relation to clay pigeon shooting and so will be explained in non-limiting manner with reference to such sport.

In clay pigeon shooting the target is a clay pigeon or clay disc. These are used in daylight but they can be used at night with the benefit of floodlights. There is however a high demand to play the sport after work hours, say after 5.00 p.m., even in winter. It is one object of the invention to provide a method of play clay pigeon shooting in the darkness without the need for artificial lighting.

It has been proposed in US-A-2568279 to provide a clay pigeon target having a luminescent coating with a defined phosphorescent factor. GB-A-657459 discloses a clay pigeon target including an incendiary device, an illumination composition and an ignition means. Both devices are proposed for use in darkness; although both are dated in 1951 to the best of our knowledge and belief no night time clay pigeon targets are available.

According to the invention in one aspect there is provided a method of playing a shooting game, the method comprising urging a target into space, the target comprising a frangible body having a luminescent coating characterised by activating the coating substantially at the same time as urging the target into space at speed, whereby the target is conspicuous to the player.

In another aspect the invention provides a target comprising a clay pigeon target or the like, comprising a frangible body having a luminescent coating characterised in that a supplementary coating is present to enhance the luminescent effect when the target is broken into pieces.

Preferably the supplementary coating is light reflective. Preferably the supplementary coating underlies the luminescent coating.

When a target of the invention is hit there is a spectacular firework effect due to the presence of the light reflective coating on the target. As a result the target can be used at night time.

It is important for the invention that the means for activating the coating act quickly because a trap shoots the clay pigeon at high speed, often in excess of 140 kph (about 90 mph). The targets are also fired in quick succession, often about 2.5 seconds apart. Because the target is charged while it is moving at speed, there is no delay between the charging of the coating and its release from the trap so there is no fade time. Preferably the coating is present on both opposite major surfaces of the target and on the rim also. In this way the target will be conspicuous no matter where it is relative to the player.

In another aspect the invention includes a trap or other throwing apparatus to urge the target into space, the trap including a magazine of targets each according to the Invention, and means to activate the luminescent material coated on the surfaces of each target as it is released from the trap at speed.

Luminescence is the emission of electromagnetic radiation from a substance due to a non-thermal process. Luminescence occurs when atoms of the substance are excited and then decay to their pre-excited state with the emission of radiant energy, typically light. The light produced has a characteristic colour for each substance. It is preferred in this invention to produce the light effect for a period in excess of about 8 seconds i.e. phosphorescence is preferred for which purpose the substance is a phosphor. The period of luminescence will be selected according to the intended game and/or preference of the players.

The phosphorescent material may be a pigment such as zinc sulphide, zinc cadmium sulphide, or alkaline earth sulphide. The material may provide a range of different colours: red, yellow, pink, green, blue, orange, which allows different targets to have different colours. As a result one can organise competitions in which a number of players play simultaneously, each trying to shoot a target of one colour only. It is a preferred feature of the invention that the target is released from the trap in a highly conspicuous visual condition to present for a few seconds, a challenging target for a player to aim at. The operator has the ability to select a colour of illumination and period of luminescence according to his choice.

The luminescent material may be excited by ultraviolet light, day or artificial light, or we like. It is a much feature of the invention that laser radiationis used because it can quickly and accurately provide a high energy to the luminescent material. The radiation may be provided by a xenon tube or the like; preferably more than one such tube is present to activate each side of the target.

The luminescent material is preferably in the form of a water-soluble paint applied, e.g. sprayed, dipped or brushed the target. The luminescent material may be presented in a paint carrier, preferably an air drying water based acrylic resin. Such a paint may be applied by brush or spray technique. The weight ratio of phosphor/binder in a synthetic resin paint may be about 2:1. An ultraviolet absorbing overlacquer may be applied. The paint may be applied to the target over a discrete area or areas rather than over the whole of the disc for reasons of economy. Preferably the paint is applied on the top and bottom of the target. In another embodiment luminescent material may be applied to a further material which is then at least temporarily fixed to the disc. For example, the material may be applied to a sleeve or band which may extend around the rim of the disc. If the disc is made of a suitable frangible material (which is preferred) it will shatter on impact by the shot but the sleeve or band may be expected to survive for collection and recycling. Chemical luminescence is caused by reaction of say a peroxide with a luminescent such as an oxalate or a perylene derivative. Reference is made in this context to US patents 4076645; 4313843; 4678608; 4698183; 4717511 ; 5043851 ; and 5122306. In such a case the target may be coated with one interactive component, and the other may be applied simultaneously on throwing or firing, e.g. from a breech part of the gun.

The target may take a wide variety of forms, and may be for example any known form of clay such as :

The trap may take a wide variety of forms; manual, semi-automatic or automatic. For example it may be a so-called American trap launcher, a Continental trap, an Olympic trap or a wobble trap.

In order that the invention may be well understood it will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

Figure 1 is a cross section of a clay pigeon;

Figure 2 is a cross-section through one trap; and Figure 3 is a block diagram of the microcircuit.

The clay pigeon C is the usual shape and made out of pitch or like frangible material. A paint layer is present on the top and bottom surfaces of the clay pigeon and is made up of two coatings, an inner reflective coating which is typically white but can be other colours, and an outer luminescent coating containing phosphor , the colour of which is determined by the intended use. An overlacquer may be applied, to prolong the life of the coating.

The clay pigeon C of the invention may be ejected from a representative trap shown in Figure 2. The pigeons are stored as a stack in magazine M the breech B. The floor of the breech contains a pivotal flip plate 4 within a launch plate P. Beneath the plate is a xenon tube 1 connected to a flash drive 2 via a connector block 3. A transparent window 5 is present above the tube 1 and below the pigeon C to be fired. A flash tube 6 is present in the upper part of the breech B within flexible transparent tube with its own connector block 7 connected to a xenon flash drive unit. The clay is fired in the usual way (and as shown in ghost outline), but the tubes 6 are activated immediately before firing to juluminate the clay pigeon from below and above. When the clay emerges from the trap it is conspicuous even at night; when it is hit by the player the clay explodes into small pieces with a spectacular display of colour.

The xenon tubes are energised from the usual 12 volt supply for the trap by the circuit shown in Figure 3. The current flows to a transformer via a primary control where it is charged to 6000V. The high level voltage passes to a rectifier and thence to diode control circuits controlling the two xenon flash tubes, one disposed on each side of the breech. These circuits are controlled by a trigger control circuit.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment shown. The coating need not cover the entire surfaces of the clay pigeon. The trap may be manual or automatic; the clay pigeon they be illuminated while static or travelling; the pigeon may be illuminated on one or both sides; reflectors may be present. The clay pigeon may be shaped different from that shown. As indicated the target is usually intended for single use, but it may be provided with a recoverable band or sleeve carrying a coating of phosphor luminescent material.

Claims

1. A method of playing a shooting game, the method comprising urging a target into space, comprising a frangible body having a luminescent coating characterised by activating the luminescent coating substantially at the same time as urging the target into space at speed, whereby the target is conspicuous to the player.

2. A method according to Claim 1, including the step of subjecting the target to laser light to activate the luminescent material.

3. A method according to Claim 2, including applying a coating of the luminescent material to opposite sides of the target and subjecting both coatings to laser light activation.

4. A target comprising a clay pigeon or the like, comprising a frangible body having a luminescent coating characterised in that a supplementary coating is present to enhance the luminescent effect when the target is broken into pieces.

5. A target according to Claim 4 characterised in that the supplementary coating is light reflective.

6. A target according to Claim 4 or 5 characterised in that the supplementary coating underlies the luminescent coating.

7. A target according to Claim 4, 5 or 6, wherein the luminescent material is applied as a paint.

8. A target according to any of Claims 4 to 7, wherein a first layer of reflective paint is applied, and the luminescent material is applied on top of that.

9. A target according to any of Claims 4 to 7, wherein an overlayer is applied, the overlayer containing a ultraviolet light absorber.

10. A trap or other throwing apparatus to urge the target into space, the trap including a magazine of targets each according to any of Claims 4 to 9, and means to activate the luminescent material coated on the surfaces of each target as it is released from the trap at speed.

11. A trap according to Claim 10, including means to supply a flash of laser light to activate the luminescent coating.

12. A trap according to Claim 10 or 11 , incorporating a passageway for the target, and laser flash means on opposite sides of the passage.