REMOTELY MANUALLY CONTROLLED MULTI-AXIS SKEET TARGET THROWING SYSTEM
A target throwing system for use in shooting sports includes a target throwing mechanism and a control system. The target throwing mechanism includes a pedestal, a thrower carriage atop the pedestal and a clay target thrower assembly atop the thrower carriage. The control system includes a remote fire control unit a control interface collocated with the target throwing mechanism. The thrower carriage provides a pitch assembly to adjust the pitch angle of the target thrower assembly and a roll assembly to adjust the roll angle target thrower assembly. Linear actuators effect the desired adjustments. The fire control unit receives manual user input, through a joystick, to independently select the pitch and roll angles of the thrower assembly and, through a push button switch, to initiate ejection of a shooting target from the thrower assembly. The fire control unit may be integrated with the control interface by wired or wireless connection.
This present application claims, as a continuation-in-part under 35 U.S.C. §120, all available benefit of and priority to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/514,891 filed by Applicant on Oct. 15, 2014, which claims, under 35 U.S.C. §119(e), all available benefit of and priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/891,119 filed by Applicant on Oct. 15, 2013. By this reference, the full disclosures, including the claims, abstracts and drawings, of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/514,891 and U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/891,119 are incorporated herein as though now set forth in their respective entireties.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to sport shooting. More particularly, the invention relates to a remotely, manually, and preferably joystick, controlled multi-axis tilting machine and skeet thrower.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONAutomatic skeet throwers are usually set to a fixed position which doesn't allow users to shoot skeet at multiple angles of twist or elevation. In order to throw skeet at different angles, pitches, and the like, the user must stop shooting and manually adjust the skeet thrower to a different throwing angle or pitch.
This change requires shooters to stop shooting and manually adjust the skeet thrower. Fixed position throwers must be manually manipulated to change the direction of throw of the skeet and the shooter cannot shoot skeet while the machine is being moved.
Some throwers allow add on components such as, for example, a wobble kit that continually changes the direction of throw, but these add on features operate on a continuous basis and do not allow the shooter to choose the exact direction of throw or easily repeat the direction of throw should the shooter wish to repeat a certain direction. Throwers without a wobble kit, on the other hand, are set in a fixed position and do not move at all and will continuously throw the skeet in the exact same location with each throw of the skeet thrower.
This invention seeks to improve over the prior art by allowing an operator to throw skeet at any chosen compound angle, i.e. while the throwing direction and pitch are remotely selected by a third party. Furthermore, the throwing direction can be changed or held constant, as desired, thereby allowing the shooter to master the prior direction of throw before changing to a new direction of throw.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn accordance with the foregoing objects, the present invention—a target throwing system for use in shooting sports—broadly comprises a target throwing mechanism and a control system. In at least the most preferred embodiments of the present invention, the target throwing mechanism comprises a pedestal, which may, for example, comprise a pillar extending upwardly from a substantially planar base; a thrower carriage dependently supported atop the pedestal; and a thrower assembly dependently supported atop the thrower carriage, while the control system comprises a fire control unit adapted for use at a location remote from the target throwing mechanism and a control interface collocated with the target throwing mechanism. As contemplated by the present invention, the thrower assembly is adapted to forcefully eject shooting targets such as, for example, clay shells or “pigeons.”
The thrower carriage preferably generally comprises a top portion; a pitch assembly adapted to adjust the pitch angle, front to back with respect to the pedestal, of the top portion; and a roll assembly adapted to adjust the roll angle, side to side with respect to the pedestal, of the top portion. Although the top portion of the thrower carriage may comprise the upper structures of the roll assembly (or, if the assemblies are reversed, the upper structures of the pitch assembly), which upper structures may directly support the thrower assembly, the most preferred implementations of the present invention contemplate that the top portion of the thrower carriage will comprise a substantially planar table top, upon which the thrower assembly is mounted.
The remotely located fire control unit is operable, in response to manual user input, to independently select the pitch angle of the top portion of the thrower carriage; select the roll angle of the top portion of the thrower carriage; and to initiate ejection of a shooting target from the supported thrower assembly. The control interface, collocated with the target throwing mechanism, is adapted to operably interconnect the fire control unit and the target throwing mechanism. In at least some implementations, the control interface may also include power distribution provisions, such as, for example, a relay bank adapted to provide electrical power to the pitch assembly and/or roll assembly in response to manual user input received by fire control unit.
In order to provide a maximally intuitive interface for imparting user input, the fire control unit most preferably comprises a joystick. In such an implementation, the joystick is adapted to receive manual user input in selection of the pitch angle of the top portion of the thrower carriage as well as manual user input in selection of the roll angle of the top portion of the thrower carriage. Additionally, if such an implementation also implements a relay bank, the relay bank will be adapted to provide electrical power to the pitch assembly and/or roll assembly in response to manual user input received by the joystick in selection of the pitch angle and/or roll angle, respectively, of the top portion of the thrower carriage.
In at least some implementations of the present invention, the pitch assembly may comprise a pitch frame rotatably attached to the pedestal and the roll assembly may comprise a roll frame rotatably attached to the pitch frame. In such implementations, the thrower carriage may further comprise a first linear actuator dependently connected between the pitch frame and the pedestal, and thereby adapted to effect the pitch angle of the top portion of the thrower carriage, and a second linear actuator dependently connected between the roll frame and the pitch frame, and thereby adapted to effect the roll angle of the top portion of the thrower carriage. Additionally, if such an implementation also implements a joystick in connection with the fire control unit and a relay bank in connection with the control interface, the relay bank will be adapted to provide electrical power to the first linear actuator and/or the second linear actuator in response to manual user input received by the joystick in selection of the pitch angle and/or roll angle, respectively, of the top portion of the thrower carriage.
In the most preferred and simplest implementations of the present invention, the fire control unit is connected with the control interface through an electrical cable. In alternate implementations, however, the fire control unit may comprise a radio transmitter and the control interface may comprise a radio receiver. In these implementations, the radio receiver is adapted to receive signals generated by the radio transmitter to indicate manual user input selecting the pitch angle of the top portion of the thrower carriage, selecting the roll angle of the top portion of said thrower carriage and initiating ejection of a shooting target from the thrower assembly. Although not otherwise described herein, it is noted that with the aid of the detailed description following implementation and integration with into the present invention of such a radio system will be well within the ordinary skill in the art.
In a slightly varied implementation of the present invention, the target throwing system for use in shooting sports generally includes a target throwing mechanism, which comprises a pedestal and a thrower carriage dependently supported atop the pedestal and adapted to dependently support a thrower assembly, and control system, which comprises a fire control unit adapted for use at a location remote from the target throwing mechanism and a control interface collocated with the target throwing mechanism. In such an implementation, the fire control unit is operable, in response to manual user input, to independently select the pitch angle of the top portion of the thrower carriage; select the roll angle of the top portion of the thrower carriage; and to initiate ejection of a shooting target from a thrower assembly as may be dependently supported atop the thrower carriage. Additionally, in such an implementation, it is most preferred that the top of the thrower carriage comprises a table top, which in turn may comprise a plurality of prearranged holes for mounting any one of a plurality of thrower assemblies.
Finally, many other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the relevant arts, especially in light of the foregoing discussions and the following drawings, exemplary detailed description and appended claims.
Although the scope of the present invention is much broader than any particular embodiment, a detailed description of the preferred embodiment follows together with illustrative figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like components, and wherein:
Although those of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize many alternative embodiments, especially in light of the illustrations provided herein, this detailed description is exemplary of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the scope of which is limited only by the claims appended hereto.
Referring now to the figures, and to
As contemplated by the present invention, and as depicted in
Although many such thrower assemblies are readily available, an exemplary thrower assembly 118 suitable for use with or as part of the present invention is that which is commercially available from Champion Traps & Targets of Anoka, Minnesota under its trademark “EASYBIRD.” As shown in
Turning now to
As shown in
Still further, it is noted that one side face 49 of the pillar 46 is provided with a plurality of tapped holes 54, which will be utilized, as better understood further herein, for conveniently dependently mounting a control housing 130, such as, for example, a conventional junction box, utilized to house components of the onboard control interface 129. Finally, it is noted that the substantially planar base 43 is also preferably provided with a plurality of mounting holes 45, which may be utilized, as may be desired, for securing the pedestal 42 to fixed foundation, trailer or other bogie type frame, conventionally journaled locking casters or a like structure.
As will be better understood further herein, and as generally shown in
Referring then to
As particularly shown in
Referring then to
As particularly shown in
Referring now to
Before addressing the details of the completion of the roll assembly 73, it is again noted that the pitch actuator 71 and the roll actuator 90 are each implemented, in accordance with this exemplary description, utilizing identical tubular linear actuators 98 as shown in
As should therefore now be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, the pitch actuator 71 and the roll actuator 90 are dependently mounted in such a manner as to require active rotation with respect to their mounting devises 101, 108. As a result, “appropriate” mounting hardware 110 should be adapted to accommodate this motion without risk of inadvertent loosening of the hardware 110. To this end, as particularly shown in
Returning then to
Finally, the assembly of the thrower carriage 60 is completed by attaching the thrower table top 114 to the uppermost portions of the roll frame 74. As particularly shown in
As previously noted, the target throwing system 40 of the present invention also comprises a control system 128, including, as a critical aspect of the present invention, a fire control unit 140 adapted for use at a location remote from the target throwing mechanism 41 and, in a most preferred aspect of the present invention, a control interface 129 collocated with the target throwing mechanism 41. As particularly shown in
As particularly shown in
In use, the joystick 142 is repositioned as required (as shown in the differences between
While the foregoing description is exemplary of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, those of ordinary skill in the relevant arts will recognize the many variations, alterations, modifications, substitutions and the like as are readily possible, especially in light of this description, the accompanying drawings and claims drawn thereto. For example, in at least some implementations a thrower assembly 118 could be mounted directly to the uppermost structures of the assembled roll assembly 73, obviating any need for a thrower table top 114. Additionally, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the control housing 130 of the onboard control interface 129 should be provided with a water resistant but readily removable lid 137 such as may be secured in place using pan head machine screws 138 or other conventional hardware.
In a slight more complex modification of the implementation as heretofore described, it is noted that, in light of the foregoing exemplary description, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the described “stacking” order of the roll assembly 73 atop the pitch assembly 61 may readily be reversed such that the pitch assembly 61 rests atop the roll assembly 73. In any case, because the scope of the present invention is much broader than any particular embodiment, the foregoing detailed description should not be construed as a limitation of the scope of the present invention, which is limited only by the claims appended hereto.
Claims
1. A target throwing system for use in shooting sports, said target throwing system comprising:
- a target throwing mechanism, said target throwing mechanism comprising: a pedestal; a thrower carriage dependently supported atop said pedestal, said thrower carriage comprising: a top portion; a pitch assembly adapted to adjust the pitch angle, front to back with respect to said pedestal, of said top portion; and a roll assembly adapted to adjust the roll angle, side to side with respect to said pedestal, of said top portion; and a thrower assembly dependently supported atop said thrower carriage and being adapted to forcefully eject a shooting target therefrom; and
- a control system, said control system comprising: a fire control unit adapted for use at a location remote from said target throwing mechanism, said fire control unit being operable, in response to manual user input, to independently: select the pitch angle of said top portion of said thrower carriage; select the roll angle of said top portion of said thrower carriage; and initiate ejection of said shooting target from said thrower assembly; and a control interface collocated with said target throwing mechanism, said control interface being adapted to operably interconnect said fire control unit and said target throwing mechanism.
2. The target throwing system for use in shooting sports as recited in claim 1, wherein:
- said fire control unit comprises a joystick;
- said joystick is adapted to receive manual user input in selection of the pitch angle of said top portion of said thrower carriage; and
- said joystick is adapted to receive manual user input in selection of the roll angle of said top portion of said thrower carriage.
3. The target throwing system for use in shooting sports as recited in claim 2, wherein said pitch assembly comprises:
- a pitch frame; and
- said pitch frame is rotatably attached to said roll frame.
4. The target throwing system for use in shooting sports as recited in claim 2, wherein said roll assembly comprises:
- a roll frame; and
- said roll frame is rotatably attached to said pedestal.
5. The target throwing system for use in shooting sports as recited in claim 4, wherein said pitch assembly comprises:
- a pitch frame; and
- said pitch frame is rotatably attached to said roll frame.
6. The target throwing system for use in shooting sports as recited in claim 2, wherein said roll assembly comprises:
- a roll frame; and
- said roll frame is rotatably attached to pitch frame.
7. The target throwing system for use in shooting sports as recited in claim 2, wherein said pitch assembly comprises:
- a pitch frame; and
- said pitch frame is rotatably attached to said pedestal.
8. The target throwing system for use in shooting sports as recited in claim 7, wherein said roll assembly comprises:
- a roll frame; and
- said roll frame is rotatably attached to said pitch frame.
9. The target throwing system for use in shooting sports as recited in claim 8, wherein said thrower carriage further comprises:
- a first linear actuator dependently connected between said pitch frame and said pedestal, said first linear actuator being thereby adapted to effect the pitch angle of said top portion of said thrower carriage; and
- a second linear actuator dependently connected between said roll frame and said pitch frame, said second linear actuator being thereby adapted to effect the roll angle of said top portion of said thrower carriage.
10. The target throwing system for use in shooting sports as recited in claim 9, wherein:
- said control interface comprises a relay bank;
- said relay bank is adapted to provide electrical power to said first linear actuator in response to said manual user input received by said joystick in selection of the pitch angle of said top portion of said thrower carriage; and
- said relay bank is adapted to provide electrical power to said second linear actuator in response to said manual user input received by said joystick in selection of the roll angle of said top portion of said thrower carriage.
11. The target throwing system for use in shooting sports as recited in claim 9, wherein:
- said fire control unit comprises a radio transmitter;
- said control interface comprises a radio receiver; and
- said radio receiver is adapted to receive signals generated by said radio transmitter indicating manual user input selecting the pitch angle of said top portion of said thrower carriage, selecting the roll angle of said top portion of said thrower carriage and initiating ejection of said shooting target from said thrower assembly.
12. The target throwing system for use in shooting sports as recited in claim 11, wherein:
- said control interface comprises a relay bank;
- said relay bank is adapted to provide electrical power to said first linear actuator in response to said manual user input received by said joystick in selection of the pitch angle of said top portion of said thrower carriage; and
- said relay bank is adapted to provide electrical power to said second linear actuator in response to said manual user input received by said joystick in selection of the roll angle of said top portion of said thrower carriage.
13. The target throwing system for use in shooting sports as recited in claim 9, wherein said fire control unit is connected with said control interface through an electrical cable.
14. The target throwing system for use in shooting sports as recited in claim 13, wherein:
- said control interface comprises a relay bank;
- said relay bank is adapted to provide electrical power to said first linear actuator in response to said manual user input received by said joystick in selection of the pitch angle of said top portion of said thrower carriage; and
- said relay bank is adapted to provide electrical power to said second linear actuator in response to said manual user input received by said joystick in selection of the roll angle of said top portion of said thrower carriage.
15. The target throwing system for use in shooting sports as recited in claim 9, wherein said pedestal comprises a pillar upwardly extending from a substantially planar base.
16. The target throwing system for use in shooting sports as recited in claim 9, wherein said top portion of said thrower carriage comprises a table top.
17. The target throwing system for use in shooting sports as recited in claim 9, wherein said shooting target comprises a clay shell.
18. A target throwing system for use in shooting sports, said target throwing system comprising:
- a target throwing mechanism, said target throwing mechanism comprising: a pedestal; a thrower carriage dependently supported atop said pedestal, said thrower carriage comprising: a top portion adapted to dependently support a thrower assembly for forcefully ejecting shooting targets; a pitch assembly adapted to adjust the pitch angle, front to back with respect to said pedestal, of said top portion; and a roll assembly adapted to adjust the roll angle, side to side with respect to said pedestal, of said top portion; and
- a control system, said control system comprising: a fire control unit adapted for use at a location remote from said target throwing mechanism, said fire control unit being operable, in response to manual user input, to independently: select the pitch angle of said top portion of said thrower carriage; select the roll angle of said top portion of said thrower carriage; and initiate ejection of a shooting target from a thrower assembly dependently supported atop said top portion of said thrower carriage; and a control interface collocated with said target throwing mechanism, said control interface being adapted to operably interconnect said fire control unit and said target throwing mechanism.
19. The target throwing system for use in shooting sports as recited in claim 18, wherein said top portion of said thrower carriage comprises a table top.
20. The target throwing system for use in shooting sports as recited in claim 19, wherein said table top comprises a plurality of prearranged holes for mounting any one of a plurality of thrower assemblies.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 1, 2015
Publication Date: Jul 23, 2015
Inventor: John Richard Frazier (Colleyville, TX)
Application Number: 14/676,495