GB2281516A - Shooting facility - Google Patents

Abstract

A shooting facility (10) comprises a support surface (15) for supporting one or more participants (P1, P2, P3) during shooting and defining one or more shooting stations from which participants may shoot, a first trap means (18a, 18b, 18c) located substantially directly below the support surface (15) and a second trap means (19a, 19b, 19c) located above the support surface and adapted to project target objects into the air in order to be shot at by the participants. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Shooting Facility Description of Invention This invention relates to a shooting facility in which target objects such as clay pigeons, disc targets or other breakable targets are projected into the air in order for the target objects to be shot at by participants.

According to the invention there is provided a shooting facility comprising a support surface for supporting one or more participants during shooting and defining one or more shooting stations from which the participants may shoot, a first trap means located substantially directly below the support surface and adapted to project target objects into the air in order to be shot at by participants and a second trap means located substantially directly above the support surface, the first and second trap means each being adapted to project target objects into the air in order to be shot at by participants.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is an illustrative front view of a shooting facility in accordance with the invention, FIGURE 2 is a side view of the facility of figure 1, and, FIGURE 3 is an illustrative view similar to figure 2 but showing the facility in use.

Referring to the drawings, a shooting facility 10 comprises an enclosure 11 mounted on a chassis 12 which carries at least one pair of wheels 13 and the chassis 12 including a towing means 14 by which the enclosure 11 can be towed by a vehicle.

The enclosure 11 defines within it, a support surface 15 which in this example is located at an elevated level approximately 1.5 metres or so above the ground 16, the surface 15 being afforded by a platform which extends from one side to the other within the enclosure 11 and there being steps 17 up into the enclosure 11 from the rear thereof, so that participants P1, P2, and P3 can mount the support surface 15.

As can be seen from figure 1, the support surface 15 is wide enough to accommodate three shooting participants P1, P2 and P3 each of which may be armed with their own firearm, most usually a shotgun.

Of course in an alternative embodiment, the enclosure 11 may be of alternative dimensions to the enclosure 11 shown, in which case, more than or less than three shooting participants P1, P2, P3 may be accommodated, although in each case, each participant will have his own shooting station within the enclosure 11 on the support surface 15.

The facility comprises a first trap means for projecting target objects in the air in order to be shot at by the participants P1, P2 and P3. The first trap means comprises three traps 18a*18ka18gS each located directly beneath the support surface 15 in its own respective isolated compartment. It is intended that trap 18a which is immediately beneath participant P1, projects clay pigeon targets into the air for participant P1 to shoot at. Similarly, it is intended that trap 18b which is immediately beneath participant P2 will project clay pigeon targets into the air for participant P2 to shoot at, and it is intended that trap 18c located beneath participant P3 will project clay pigeon targets into the air for participant P3 to shoot at.

By mounting the traps 18a,18b and 18c below the participants P1,P2,P3, when a clay pigeon target is initially projected, it will have a higher velocity along and/or across the line of sight of the respective participant, compared with prior proposals in which traps are conventionally spaced laterally a significant distance of about 15 metres or so, horizontally from the participants.

The facility 10 includes a second trap means comprising a trap 19a located directly above the support surface 15, to one side of the first participant P1 adjacent the exterior side wall 20a of the enclosure 11.

The participants P1,P2 and P3 are isolated from the trap 19a by virtue of a vertical dividing wall 21a of the enclosure 11.

The second trap means includes a second trap 19b located directly above the support surface 15, to one side of participant P3, adjacent a second side wall 20b being an opposite side wall of the enclosure 11 to side wall 20a. The participants P1,P2 and P3 are isolated from the second trap 19b by virtue of a second vertical dividing wall 21b of the enclosure. Thus the traps 19a and 19b are each located in a respective compartment.

The. second trap means includes a third trap 19c which is located directly above the support surface 15, on a top wall 22 of the enclosure 11 above the level of the participants P1, P2 and P3. Thus the participants P1, P2, P3 are all isolated from the trap 19c by the top wall 22.

Immediately above the compartment containing the trap 19a between the side wall 20a and vertical dividing wall 21 , on the top wall 22, is a first floodlight 23ss, and immediately above the trap 19located between side wall 20E and vertical dividing wall 21b on the top wall 22, is a second floodlight 23b. The floodlights 2323b may be utilised to illuminate the area above and immediately in front of the enclosure 11 so that the facility 10 may be utilised in less than ideal natural light conditions.

Across the front of the enclosure 11 between the vertical dividing walls 21ss,21= is a safety bar 24 which is provided to prevent the participants P1,P2, P3 inadvertently falling from the support surface 15 at the front of the enclosure 11.

Behind the shooting stations occupied by the participants P1,P2,P3, the support surface 15 provides a referees station 25 where a referee can stand or sit and ensure fair play and use a control board C to control the traps 18a-18c and 19a-19c.

The facility 10 may be taken from site to site for example, to different shooting contests or the like.

Preferably, the clay pigeon targets which are projected into the air by the various traps 18a-18g, and 19a-19ç, project targets which are visually distinguishable from one another. Thus participant P1 for example, may shoot only at targets of one particular colour, whereas participant P2 may only shoot at targets of a different particular colour, and participant P3 may shoot at targets of a third different colour. In this manner, increased skill is required of the participants P1,P2,P3, who must first identify the colour of a given target, decide whether to shoot at it, and if appropriate aim and shoot all while the target is in flight.

In an alternative arrangement, any of the traps 18a-18c or 19a-19c may project different colour targets in turn, or where the traps 18a-18c or 19a-19c are of a type which are able to project multiple targets simultaneously into the air, multiple targets of the same or different colours may be projected into the air.

A game may be played whereby points are awarded to each participant successfully for shooting a clay pigeon target of that participant's colour, and points may be deducted if a participant shoots at another participant's target.

The enclosure 11 may conveniently be made substantially of timber or other boarding material suitably strengthened to provide a sufficiently rigid construction which may be moved on the chassis 12 from site to site. The enclosure 11 preferably also has a roof R.

By virtue of the participants P1-P3 being isolated from the traps 18a18c of the first trap means by the support surface 15, and being isolated from the traps 19a-19c of the second trap means by the first dividing wall 213, the top wall 22 and the second dividing wall 21b. the players cannot ascertain visually which trap is about to project a target into the air.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Although in the example described, the enclosure 11 is mobile, i.e.

mounted on a wheeled chassis 12, in another arrangement, the facility 10 may be static, i.e. permanently built in one place or the facility 10 may be dismantleable or otherwise adapted so that it may be carried from place to place on the back of a lorry or the like.

It is not essential for the facility to include the floodlights 23a-23E, although some form of lighting is preferred.

If desired, instead of the traps 19a and 19b being located to the sides of the respective participants P1 and P3 as described, each of the traps of the second trap means may be located above the level of the participants on the top wall 22.

It is not essential for a referee's station 25 to be provided in the position shown, but a referee's station 25 could for example be provided on top wall 22 above the level of the participants P1-P3.

Although in the example described, the various traps 18a-18c and 19a19c are adapted to project the targets comprising clay pigeons into the air, a trap to project any other suitable kind of target into the air could alternatively be utilised.

In another embodiment, the first and second trap means need not be located directly respectively below or above, the support surface 15 provided that the trap means are located within or on the enclosure respectively below or above the level of the support surface 15.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, the following claims or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, or a class or group of substances or compositions, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims (15)

1. A shooting facility comprising a support surface for supporting one or more participants during shooting and defining one or more shooting stations from which the participants may shoot, a first trap means located substantially directly below the support surface and a second trap means located directly above the support surface, the first and second trap means each being adapted to project target objects into the air in order to be shot at by participants.

2. A shooting facility according to claim 1 wherein the support surface is located at an elevated level above the ground.

3. A shooting facility according to claim 2 wherein the support surface is afforded by a platform within an enclosure.

4. A shooting facility according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein steps are provided to enable participants to mount the support surface.

5. A shooting facility according to claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the enclosure comprises side walls, and a top wall located substantially above the level of the support surface, the shooting stations being defined between the side walls, the support surface and the top wall.

6. A shooting facility according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the first trap means comprises a plurality of traps each adapted to project target objects into the air.

7. A shooting facility according to claim 6 wherein each trap of the first trap means is located within a compartment of the enclosure so as to be isolated from one another.

8. A shooting facility according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the second trap means includes a plurality of traps each adapted to project targets into the air.

9. A shooting facility according to claim 8 where appendant to claim 5 wherein a trap of the second trap means is located adjacent one side wall of the enclosure, and another trap of the second trap means is located adjacent another side wall of the enclosure.

10. A shooting facility according to claim 8 or claim 9 where appendant to claim 5 wherein a trap of the second trap means is located above the top wall of the enclosure thereby being above the level of the participants.

11. A shooting facility according to any one of the preceding claims having one or more floodlights adapted to illuminate an area immediately above and in front of the enclosure.

12. A shooting facility according to any one of the preceding claims mounted on wheel, and being movable on the wheels.

13. A shooting facility comprising an enclosure having at least two side walls, and a support surface, the support surface supporting one or more participants within the enclosure during shooting, each defining one or more shooting stations from which the participants may shoot, a first trap means within or on the enclosure located below the level of the support surface, and a second trap means within or on the enclosure located above the level of the support surface, the first and second trap means each being adapted to project a target into the air, in order to be shot at by participants.

14. A shooting facility substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

15. Any novel feature or novel combination of features as herein defined and/or shown in the accompanying drawings.