MOVING TARGET GUN TRAINING SYSTEM
A portable moving target training system includes a target member, a prime mover, and one or more cables configured to operatively couple the prime mover with the target member. The target member is configured to receive a projectile from an associate user and the prime mover is responsive to an input signal to selectively initiate relative movement between the target member and the associated user. A series or set of pulleys engage and guide the one or more cables between the prime mover and the target member, wherein the pulleys include an augured soil stake and a pulley wheel rotatably carried on the soil stake.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/531,260, filed Sep. 6, 2011.
BACKGROUNDStatic shooting practice targets are well known in the art. However, not all real-life targets remain stationary but rather typically move relative to the shooter such as, for example, live game escaping from hunters.
Accordingly, there is a need for a moving target training system wherein a target may be moved relative to the user for refining shooting skills. In addition, there is a need for a moving target training system that is portable for easy set-up, tear down, and for moving from location to location as may be necessary or desired.
OVERVIEWAccordingly, the present application is directed to a portable moving target gun training system comprising a target member, a prime mover, and a coupling operatively coupling the prime mover with the target member. The target member is configured to receive a projectile in flight such, for example, a bullet shot from a gun held by an associated user. The prime mover is responsive to an input signal from an associated source to selectively initiate relative movement in one or more directions between the target member and the associated user. In the example embodiment described herein, the system is adapted for use with gun shooting training. However, it is to be appreciated that the system has broader application and can be applied in other settings such as, for example, for use in archery training or the like, as well as in non-shooting type activities including for example, baseball throwing training, football passing drills or other sporting practice drills or the like wherein the targets are adapted from a basic bulls-eye conformation to a size and shape specific to the underlying sport or recreational activity.
In one embodiment the target member includes a lower frame and an upper support member supporting a target board carrying indicia of a target, wherein the upper support member is selectively pivotable relative to the lower frame to permit relative angular positioning between the target board and the lower frame. In that way, the angled target may be moved diagonally relative to the user while maintaining full frontal presentation relative to the user. This effectively simulates evasive moves typically adopted by charging or fleeing shooting challenges.
In an example embodiment the prime mover includes a programmable logic controller (PLC) coupled with a servo or other motor controlled by the PLC wherein the motion of the target member may be controlled in accordance with program code or one or more software segments stored in a non-transitory memory of the PLC and executed by the PLC.
As a further example embodiment, several augers are provided wherein each auger carries a wheel rotatable on a bearing for interfacing the prime mover with the movable target by means of a cable system strung through the several augers. The augers each include a large radially outwardly extending annular plate member having a large bottom surface configured to sit atop the ground and thereby provide stability to the augers against offsetting lateral forces applied to the top end thereof such as by the cables pressing against the wheel members during use of the target system.
Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating the example embodiments only and not for purposes of limiting same, the subject portable moving target training system 10 comprises a target member 12 and a prime mover 14 operatively coupled such as at coupling member 16 with the target member 12. The prime mover 14 is responsible to an input signal 20 to selectively initiate relative movement such as, for example, in first, second, and third directions 22, 24, and 26 relative to an associated user 30.
It is to be appreciated that the prime mover 14 may be any apparatus or system of apparatus capable of imparting physical motion to the target member 12 such as, for example, one or more electric motors including one or more servo motors, pulleys, cables, rods, ropes, cams, gears or the like, and one or more control systems such as dedicated embedded controllers, proprietary controllers, programmable logic controllers (PLCs) or combinations of these or the like as necessary to effect the desired motion characteristics to the target member.
In one embodiment the prime mover 14 is a programmable logic controller (PLC) responsive to the input signal 20 to execute program code by a processor of the PLC. The program code is stored in a non-transitory memory of the PLC or in memory operatively associated with the PLC as necessary or desired. The PCL thereby selectively moves the target member 12 relative to the user 30 in accordance with the program code in directions 22, 24, and 26. Acceleration, deceleration, speed, and positioning of the target member 12 is controlled by the PLC executing the program code to simulate movement of various selected real-life targets such as charging animals or criminals or the like. In this regard, in accordance with the example embodiment, the user selectively programs the PLC of the prime mover 14 or downloads or otherwise provides the PLC with one or more program code segments for execution by the processor of the PLC to animate the target member 12 to move in various selected ways as necessary or desired to reproduce life-like live target simulation.
With continued reference to
The second cable 54 is operatively coupled with the target member 12 and extends between the target member and the prime mover 14 by a series or set of pulleys 60 including, for example, first and second pulleys 61, 64 arranged as shown in
It is to be appreciated that one or the other of the augured pulleys 61 and 62 may be moved closer to or further away from the user of the system in order to create diagonal motion of the target relative to the user. In addition to this feature, as described above, in one embodiment the target member includes a lower frame and an upper support member supporting a target board carrying indicia of a target, wherein the upper support member is selectively pivotable relative to the lower frame to permit relative angular positioning between the target board and the lower frame. In that way, the angled target may be moved diagonally relative to the user while maintaining full frontal presentation relative to the user. This ability in the example embodiment of moving one or the other of the augured pulleys 61 and 62 closer to or further away from the user together with the ability of permitting relative angular positioning between the target board and the lower frame effectively simulates evasive moves typically adopted by charging or fleeing shooting challenges.
With continued reference to
It is to be appreciated that the prime mover 14 is responsive to an input signal 20 from an associated source such as, for example, a knob or suitable “START” button on a variably speed programmable motor drive 78 to establish cyclic repeated reciprocal motion of the target member 12 in opposite first and second directions 84 to provide a moving target gun training system 10 in accordance with the embodiment. Additional further embodiments include the prime mover, an electric motor such as for example a permanent magnet DC motor, and a programmable motor controller such as may be available from Allen-Bradley, Fanuc, or the like.
A soil stake member 100 of any one of the pulleys 61-64 is shown in
The first plate member 110 provides essentially an auger function during use of the soil stake 100 wherein the first plate member 110 is attached with the elongate rod 102 in a spiral conformation. That is, a first or lead end 112 of the first plate member 110 is closer to the pointed tip portion 108 of the rod 102 than a second or trailing end 114 of the first plate member. Correspondingly, the second or trailing end 114 of the first plate member 110 is closer to the second end 106 of the rod 102 than the first or lead end 112 of the first plate member 110. In this way, rotation of the soil stake 100 about a longitudinal axis L defined by the body of the rod 102 causes the first plate member 110 to auger into soil beneath the soil stake 100 thereby drawing the soil stake 100 firmly into the ground.
The second plate member 120 provides, essentially, a stabilizing function during use of the soil stake 100 wherein the second plate member 120 defines a large annular surface area on a bottom side 122 thereof wherein the bottom side 122 is adapted to engage and rest against the soil surface when the soil stake 100 is inserted into the ground and in use. In this way, forces acing in directions perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L can be neutralized or otherwise cancelled to permit the soil stake 100 from pulling out of the ground in accordance with offsetting forces applied against the soil surface by engagement of the bottom side 122 against the soil surface.
In the example embodiment, the soil stake member 100 is made from A36 cold-rolled steel and the rod 102 is a 1 (one) inch solid bar having an overall length of about 18 (eighteen) inches. The second plate member 120 is circular and has a thickness of about ⅜ (three eights) of an inch and an outer diameter of about 8 (eight) inches. The elongate rod 102 has a length between the second plate member 120 and the top portion 106 of about 9 (nine) inches. The second plate member 120 is welded to the rod 102 substantially in the position shown. Further in the example embodiment, the elongate rod 102 has a length between the second plate member 120 and the tip end 108 thereof of about 9 (nine) inches. Yet still further in the example embodiment, the first plate member 110 has an outer diameter of about 2½ (two and one half) inches and is spaced from the pointed tip portion by about 8 (eight) inches.
The ratios of selected dimensions are advantageous in providing stability to the soil stake member 100 during use thereof. In particular, the ratio of the diameter of the upper plate member 120 to the length of the rod 102 below the plate member provides stability to the augers against offsetting lateral forces applied to the top end thereof such as by the cables pressing against the wheel members during use of the target system, helping to keep the auger members securely seated in the ground, even in wet soils. Also, the ratio of the diameter of the lower plate member 110 to the length of the rod 102 below the plate member provides additional stability to the augers against the offsetting lateral forces applied the cables as well as stability against vertically extending forces urging the stake member 100 upwardly as viewed in the Figure during use of the target system, additionally helping to keep the auger members securely seated in the ground, even in wet soils.
Lastly with reference to
Claims
1. A portable moving target training system comprising:
- a target member configured to receive a projectile from an associate user; and
- a prime mover operatively coupled with the target member, the prime mover being responsive to an input signal to selectively initiate relative movement between the target member and the associated user.
2. The moving target training system according to claim 1, wherein:
- the prime mover comprises an electric motor and an electric motor controller responsive to the input signal to selectively initiate the relative movement between the target member and the associated user by driving the motor in operative selective motion.
3. The moving target training system according to claim 2, further comprising:
- one or more cables configured to operatively couple the prime mover with the target member.
4. The moving target training system according to claim 3, further comprising:
- a pulley apparatus configured to engage and guide the one or more cables between the prime mover and the target member.
5. The moving target training system according to claim 4, wherein the pulley apparatus comprises:
- a soil stake; and,
- a pulley wheel rotatably carried on the soil stake.
6. The moving target training system according to claim 5, wherein the soil stake comprises:
- an elongate rod having opposite first and second ends; and,
- first and second radially outwardly extending plate members carried on the elongate rod between the first and second ends thereof in a spaced apart relationship.
7. The moving target training system according to claim 6, wherein:
- the first radially outwardly extending plate member is attached with the elongate rod in a spiral conformation; and
- the second plate member defines an annular surface area on a bottom side thereof wherein the bottom side is adapted to engage and rest against associated soil adjacent the soil stake when the soil stake is inserted into the soil.
8. The moving target training system according to claim 7, wherein the first radially outwardly extending plate member comprises:
- opposite lead and trailing ends, wherein the lead end is disposed closer to the pointed tip portion of the rod than the trailing end, and wherein the trailing end of the first plate member is disposed closer to the second end of the rod than the lead end,
- wherein rotation of the soil stake about a longitudinal axis L defined by a body of the rod causes the first plate member to auger into soil beneath the soil stake thereby drawing the soil stake firmly into the ground.
9. The moving target training system according to claim 1, wherein the target member comprises:
- a base member; and,
- a substantially planar target board carried relative to the base member.
10. The moving target training system according to claim 9, wherein
- the substantially planar target board is rotatably carried relative to the base member.
11. The moving target training system according to claim 9, wherein the substantially planar target board is rotatably positionable in a plurality of selected positions relative to the base member.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 6, 2012
Publication Date: Mar 7, 2013
Inventor: John KIPP (Brunswick Hills, OH)
Application Number: 13/605,261
International Classification: A63B 67/00 (20060101);