US1564884A - Target trap - Google Patents

Description

P. NORTH TARGET TRAP Filed Feb. 16, 1925 2 ShetSr-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 8, 1925.

UNITED sTATEs PAUL NORTH, or

LAKEWOOD, OHIO.

TARGET TRAP.

Application led February To all whom z'zffmag/ concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL NORTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lakewood, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Target Traps, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to target traps, and has for its general object to improve the eficiency and flexibility of the same.

As Ytarget traps have been constructed heretofore, the arm which throws the target is held in its throwing position by a trigger which is mechanically released by the engagement of an ordinary yoke therewith, the yoke being moved into such engagement through the operation of a pulling lever. The throwing arm being latched in throwing position by the trigger and the target being in place, the operator pulls the said lever back a more or less variable distance and holds it in such position until the shooter gives the order pull, whereupon, by a shorter further movement of the lever, the yoke engages the trigger and trips the same, releasing the throwing arm. If the distance to which thel pullng lever is preliminarily moved is too short, then there will be too long an interval between the giving of the order to pull and the release of the throwing'arm. Where such delay exceeds a certain time, what is known as an illegal target will be thrown, making it necessary to throw another target in place of such illegal one. Each such illegal target prolongs correspondingly the time required for the event, unnecessarily delaying the operatons. Furthermore, as is well known, the most aggravating feature of trap shooting is the employment of a slow or irregular pull, which is inherent in the mechanically-operated releasing mechanism of traps now in use.

I overcome the objections noted hereinbefore by the employment of electrically-operated releasing mechanism, which may be, and preferably is, embodied in an ordinary type of trap having a pulling lever, but which mechanism is so arranged as to enable the pulling lever to be first pulled 0r set to a definite position, after which the 1.6, 1925. serial No. 9,476.

by a small adjustment, the trap may be adapted for what is known as sporty j shooting, enabling the operator to release the throwing arm at any point .in the movement of the pulling lever, but to accomplish such release immediately after the call of pull.

I accomplish the foregoing objects yand other and more limited Objects which will be explained hereinafter in and through the construction and arrangement of parts shown in the drawings, wherein Fig. 1- represents a side elevation'of a target trap having my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 a

plan view of the platform and cooperating parts; Fig. 3 a detail in vertical section of the trigger mechanism, showing the throwing arm in section; and Fig. 4 a detail in sectional elevation of the trigger and the Y means for operating the same, the electric circuit being shown diagrammatically.

For the throwing portion of the trap, I have shown herein a construction and arrangement of parts substantially identical with that illustrated in `my Patent No. 1,506,992 issued September 2, 1924, although my invention is capable of being used with other forms and constructions of traps.

In the form shown herein, the throwing portion of the trap comprises generally a sub-base l, carrying a tilting base which is pivoted to the sub-base at 2, the tilting base having a central standard 3' to' which the frame 4 may be connected by means of a bolt 5 extending through said standard and a downwardly extending projection 4a of said frame. Where a tilting base is employed, a shaft 6 is used for operating the tilting base, the said shaft being shown as provided with a worm 7 meshing with a worm gear 8 on a shaft 9, which shaft is end of the tilting frame.

connected (as by means shown in my patent aforesaid) with the tilting "frame, thereby to rock the same about the pivot 2. A spring 10 tends to lift the front or swinging As pointed out hereinbefore, the base which supports the frame 4 may be of any desired construction7 the one shown herein being my present preferred form. The frame 4 supports a platform or table 11 having a throwing arm 12, the said arm being operated in the usual manner through a crank arm 13, a throwing spring 14, and a resetting spring 15. The

lower and rear end of the spring k15. is oonstand 19 by means of a bolt 21.

' For the purpose of adapting my releasing mechanism to a trap such as thus outlined', l employ a trigger for holding the arm 12 in its throwing position, a solenoid for operating said trigger, and circuit-closing means associated with and operated by the pulling lever 18 for operating the trigger and releasing the said arm. The detailed construction of this. releasing mechanism`will now be described 22 denotes the stem of the trigger, the said stem and the trigger latch 2 2a beingl mounted within a recess 23 in. the fra-me 4.A The upperend of the latch is rounded or beveled, as. shown at 225 to permit the army 12 to ride thereover and depress the trigger until the arm passes Vtherebyy and abuts against the stop 24,

whereupon the spring 25 which surrounds the stem and bears against the head 22'* will move the latch into engagement with the arm.

The ste/1nA 22 projects through the frame 4 and is provided with a slot 22c therein through, which there extends alinl 26, the said link being pivoted at one end toA a prom jection on the frame, as indicated at 26a. The link 26 also extends through a slot 27a in the upper end of a rod 27 forming an extension of the core of a solenoid 2S. `Wilres 29y and 304 extend from said solenoid, the Wire 29 being connected with the pulling lever 18 and the wire 3.0. being connected to a binding post 31a on a lever arm 3,1 which is pivoted to the pulling stand 19, as indicated at 31". A contact spring 32 extends rearwardly froml the arm 3'1 and is adapted to engage a contact on a projection 3.4. of a slidable block 35, said bloc-lr being mounted upon a base 3.6. The block is secured to the base by means of a bolt 37 and a nut 37 In order to vary the tension of the throwing spring as occasion may the pulling lever 13, said pulling lever hav- Ving a handle 18nl at its upper end and a switch button 38 adapted, when depressed by the thumb of thek operator, to close the circuit between the Vwires 29 and 37. A spring 39 normally holds the arm 31 away from the projection 34, preventing the engagement of the spring Contact 32 with the contact 33. v l Y Vith the parts constructed and arranged as described the operation will be readily understood. n

The throwing arm 12 is swung behind the latch head 22b and a targetvo'r targets 4U will be placed upon the platform, preferably beneath a retaining frame. 41. The operator then moves the pulling lever rearwardly, this movement causing the lever to engage the arm 31 and to move said varm rearwardly until, at the point of rest, the contacts 32 and 33 will he in engagement. As. soon as the order to pull is given, he presses the button 38 thereby closing the circuit through the solenoid 28, which will cause the core and' its extension 27 to move downwardly, pulling the trigger 22-22b downwardly and releasing the arm 12.

Through the construction and arrangement of parts shown and decri'bed herein, the operator must always pull the lever 1S rearwardly to a predetermined position before the arm 12 can be released', this predetermined position being determined byv the engagement oi the arm 31 with the projection 34, as indicated in dotted lines on Fig. 1. Y tension of the springA 15, thereby to var-y the throw or liight 0'1": the targets, the adjustability of the block (which carries the Contact 33) will enable such adjustment to be made, but lwithout interfering with the instantaneous release o1: the arm 12 as soon as the order to pull l shall have been given.

lVhen it is desired to impart to trap shooting the sporting feature referred to hereinbetore, this may be readily accomplished. by disconnecting the wire 3() from the post 31a and connecting it to the post 33, thus leaving the circuit unclosed only at the switch button The operator can then release the arm 12 at any position of the pulling lever 13, thereby varying the tension of the spring 15, with corresponding variations in the flights of the targets.

By placing the switch-button 38 on the lever 18, the rlever can be pulled and the trigger released by the same operator.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim is:-`

Should it be desired to var-y the l. kIn a target tiap, the combination, with a throwing spring, a throwing arm operatively connected with said spring, apull rod for saidl spring and a pulling lever connected with said rod, of a trigger for holding the arm in throwingvposition, electrical means for operating said trigger to i'elease said arm, land a circuit-closing device carried by and movable with the pulling lever ior operating the said means.

2. In a target trap, the combination, with a throwing arm, means including a pulling lever for throwing said arm, and a device for holding said arm in throwing position, of electrical means for operating said device to release said arm, and a circuit-closing device carried by and movable with the pulling lever for operating the said electrical means.

In a target trap, the combination with a throwing arm, means including a pulling lever 'for throwing said arm and a device i'or holding the arm in throwing position, of electrical means for operating the said device to release the said arm, the said means con'iprising a circuit, and switch mechanism -for said circuit adapted to beV closed by the movement of said lever to a predetermined position.

et. In a traget trap, the combination, with a throwing spring, a throwing arm operatively connected with said spring, a pull rod for said spring and a pulling lever connected with said rod, of a trigger for holding the arm in throwing position, and electrical means for operating the said trigger, the said means comprising a circuit having a switch mechanism adapted to'be closed by the pulling movement of the said lever, and switch mechanism carried by the said lever and adapted to be operated independently of the lirst mentioned switch mechanism. l i

In a target trap, the combination, with a throwing spring, a throwing arm opeiatively connected with said spring, a pull rod for said spring and a pulling lever connected with said rod, of a trigger for holding the arm in throwing position, and electrical means for operating the said trigger, the said means comprising a circuit having switch mechanism adapted to be closed by the movement of the said lever to a predetermined position, and switch mechanism carried by the said lever and adapted to be operated independently of the irst mentioned switch mechanism.

6.- n a'target trap, the combination, with a throwing spring, a throwing arm operatively connected with said spring, a pull rod for said spring and a pulling lever connected with said rod, of a pulling stand,

a trigger for holding the arm in throwingv position, and electrical means for operating the said trigger to release the said arm,

the said means comprisinga circuit 'hav-i -ing al solenoid therein, a connectionv lie-' tween said solenoid and said trigger, a switch on saidstand adapted to be closed by the engagement thereoil by a contact` carried `by said lever, a switch carried by and. movable with said lever, and means von said lever for closing said switch:

7.. In a target trap, the combination, with a throwing spring, a4 throwing arm -oper'-v atively connected with saidspring, a pull" lstand normally spaced from the iirst mentioned contact and VadaptedV to beengaged by said pulling lever, thereby to close the circuit through said contacts, a switch in.

said circuit carried-by said lever, and a switch-closing member on said lever.

8. ln a target trap, the combination, with a throwing spring, a throwingarm operatively connected withsaid spring, a pull rod 'for said springl and a pulling lever connected with said rod, of a trigger for holding the arm in throwing position, and electrical means for operating the said trigger, the said means comprising an electric cii'cuit, a contact in said circuit, a second contact operative the pulling moveico l ment of the said lever to engage .the irstmentioned contact, and means for varying the position of the irst contact, whereby the said circuit may be closed at correspondingly varying positions of the said lever, and with corresponding variations in the tension of said sprin0.

9. In a target trap, the combination, with a throwing spring, a throwing arm operativelyl connected with said spring, a pull rod 'for said spring and a pulling lever connected with said rod, of a pulling stand, a trigger for holding the arm in throwing position, and electrical means for `operating the said trigger to release the said arm,

the said means comprising a circuit, and

means operated by the closing of said circuit or releasing said trigger, said-circuitclosing means comprising a contact carried `by said stand, a movable Contact on said -stand normally spaced `from the first mentioned contact and adapted to be engaged by said pulling lever, thereby to close the circuit through said contacts, a switch inV said circuit carried by said lever, and a switch-closing member on said lever, the

first rmentioned contact being adjustable whereby it will be engaged by the second i'io Contact. in varying positonsrof. they pulling' lever, With corresponding variations in the tension of thethrovvng spring.

10. In a target trap, the combination, withV a frame, w throwing erm,- a' throwing spring operatively connected to said firml and a pulling lever` Connected-to said spring,V

of af trigger' for locking the saidy arm in throwing` position, andL electricalr means for operating. the saith trigger, the; s'zud means comprising solenoid carried by said frame; Said selenorde hawlngv a core operatively connected With said`trgger and a circuit incliiding the said solenoidvv and adapte-d to be closed by thelsaid lever` when 1 PAUL NR'I'H.

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