TARGET STAND AND STEEL TARGET
A target stand includes an upright assembly having a lower end and an upper end. A target adapter socket includes a support element removably coupled to the upper end of the upright assembly and fixedly coupled to a socket member. The socket member has an upwardly directed socket. A steel target has a planar target surface, a lower end, and a tab portion extending from the lower end. The steel target has no extraneous elements which would affect a bullet strike or compromise the strength and hardness of the steel. The tab portion of the steel target is removably received by the upwardly directed socket of the target adapter socket.
This invention relates to shooting accessories.
More particularly, the present invention relates to target stands and steel targets.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIn target shooting, paper targets have been used for a very long time. Paper targets are relatively cheap, indicate shot placement by holes punched therethrough, and do not deflect the bullets shot at them. However, steel targets are becoming increasingly popular. Both type targets give an aiming point and indicate the positioning of the shots. Steel targets have gained popularity because they can be re-used, record shot placement by bullet splashes, and most importantly, give an instantaneous audible feedback when the bullet impacts the steel. This instant feedback makes shooting steel targets more interactive than paper targets.
A problem with steel targets is that ricochets and bullet splatter can be dangerous. Currently, steel targets often have exposed brackets, screws, bolts, rivet heads, irregular weld joints and the like, that are employed to mount the steel target to a stand or other support structure. These fasteners provide a non-planar surface, which, when struck by a bullet, can deflect the bullet along an unpredictable path. Bullet fragments and ricochets pose a danger to the shooter as well as bystanders. Additionally, improperly angled or non-planar steel targets increase these risks. Furthermore, repeated impact on fasteners can damage those fasteners, greatly reducing the functional life of the steel target.
Some steel targets reduce or illuminate exposed fasteners by welding brackets or the like to the back surface of the steel target. While this can remove fasteners from the bullet pathway, steel targets, in order to remain safe, must be hardened steel which will maintain a planar target surface and not become pitted or deformed. Heating of the steel target during welding can damage the tempering of the steel, resulting in soft spots proximate the welds. Softening of the steel can result in pitting and deformation of the target surface from bullet strikes. The pitting and/or deformation of the target surface can deflect the bullet along an unpredictable path.
Additionally, target stands for steel targets are rigid and cannot be adapted to uneven or irregular supporting surfaces. If used on uneven or irregular surface (generally not possible at all), the stand is not stable or well supported, and the target is not supported in the proper manner. This can cause the angle at which the steel target is presented to the shooter to be improper and to even present a danger from ricochets and the like.
It would be highly advantageous, therefore, to remedy the foregoing and other deficiencies inherent in the prior art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved steel target and target stand.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a steel target mounted to a target stand having no exposed fasteners and maintaining a planar target surface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONBriefly, to achieve the desired objects and advantages of the instant invention, provided is a target stand including an upright assembly having a lower end and an upper end. A target adapter socket includes a support element removably coupled to the upper end of the upright assembly and fixedly coupled to a socket member. The socket member has an upwardly directed socket. A steel target has a planar target surface, a lower end, and a tab portion extending from the lower end. The steel target has no extraneous elements which would affect a bullet strike or compromise the strength and hardness of the steel. The tab portion of the steel target is removably received by the upwardly directed socket of the target adapter socket.
The upright assembly can further include a central tubular member, a first tubular member and a second tubular member. The central tubular member has a longitudinal aperture therethrough, the longitudinal aperture removably receiving the support element of the adapter socket at the upper end of the upright assembly. The first tubular member has a longitudinal aperture therethrough and is coupled to a side of the central tubular member. The longitudinal aperture of the first tubular member removably receives a first leg at the lower end of the upright assembly. The second tubular member has a longitudinal aperture therethrough and is coupled to an opposing side of the central tubular member. The longitudinal aperture of the second tubular member removably receives a second leg at the lower end of the upright assembly.
In another aspect, a target stand includes an upright assembly having a lower end and an upper end. The upright assembly further includes a first longitudinal aperture extending therethrough from the upper end, a second longitudinal aperture extending therethrough from the lower end, and a third longitudinal aperture extending therethrough from the lower end. A target adapter socket has a support element removably received in the first longitudinal aperture at the upper end of the upright assembly and is fixedly coupled to a socket member. The socket member has an upwardly directed socket. A steel target has a planar target surface, a lower end, and a tab portion extending from the lower end. The tab portion is removably received in the upwardly directed socket of the target adapter socket. The steel target has no extraneous elements. A first leg is removably received by the second longitudinal aperture at the lower end of the upright assembly. A second leg is removably received by the third longitudinal aperture at the lower end of the upright assembly.
The foregoing and further and more specific objects and advantages of the instant invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:
Turning now to the drawings in which like reference characters indicate corresponding elements throughout the several views, attention is first directed to
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Various changes and modifications to the embodiments herein chosen for purposes of illustration will readily occur to those skilled in the art. To the extent that such modifications and variations do not depart from the spirit of the invention, they are intended to be included within the scope thereof, which is assessed only by a fair interpretation of the following claims.
Claims
1. A target stand comprising:
- an upright assembly having a lower end and an upper end, wherein the upright assembly comprises: a central tubular member having the aperture extending longitudinally therethrough, the longitudinal aperture removably receiving the support element of the adapter socket at the upper end of the upright assembly; a first tubular member having a longitudinal aperture therethrough and coupled to a side of the central tubular member, the longitudinal aperture of the first tubular member removably receiving a first leg at the lower end of the upright assembly; and a second tubular member having a longitudinal aperture therethrough and coupled to an opposing side of the central tubular member, the longitudinal aperture of the second tubular member removably receiving a second leg at the lower end of the upright assembly;
- a target adapter socket having a support element removably inserted into an aperture formed in the upper end of the upright assembly and fixedly coupled to a socket member, the socket member having an upwardly directed socket; and
- a steel target having a planar target surface, a lower end, and a tab portion extending from the lower end, the steel target having no extraneous elements;
- wherein the tab portion of the steel target is removably received by the upwardly directed socket of the target adapter socket.
2. A target stand as claimed in claim 1 further comprising adjustable legs coupled to the lower end of the upright assembly.
3. (canceled)
4. A target stand as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first leg is independently movable between an extended position and a retracted position, and the second leg is independently movable between an extended position and a retracted position.
5. A target stand as claimed in claim 4 wherein the upright assembly further includes:
- a first engagement member carried by the first tubular member at the lower end of the upright assembly for movement between an engaged position preventing movement of the first leg, and a disengaged position allowing movement of the first leg between the extended position and the retracted position; and
- a second engagement member carried by the second tubular member at the lower end of the upright assembly for movement between an engaged position preventing movement of the second leg, and a disengaged position allowing movement of the second leg between the extended position and the retracted position.
6. A target stand as claimed in claim 1 wherein the adapter socket upright assembly holds the steel target at a downward angle toward a shooter.
7. A target stand as claimed in claim 1 wherein the central tubular member has a longitudinal axis, and the support element of the target adapter socket holds the socket member at a downward angle to the shooter and an angle relative the longitudinal axis.
8. A target stand as claimed in claim 7 wherein the angle relative the longitudinal axis is approximately 20 degrees.
9. A target stand comprising:
- an upright assembly having a lower end and an upper end, the upright assembly further including a first longitudinal aperture extending therethrough from the upper end, a second longitudinal aperture extending therethrough from the lower end, and a third longitudinal aperture extending therethrough from the lower end;
- a target adapter socket having a support element removably received in the first longitudinal aperture at the upper end of the upright assembly and fixedly coupled to a socket member, the socket member having an upwardly directed socket;
- a steel target having a planar target surface, a lower end, and a tab portion extending from the lower end removably received in the upwardly directed socket of the target adapter socket, the steel target having no extraneous elements;
- a first leg removably received by the second longitudinal aperture at the lower end of the upright assembly; and
- a second leg removably received by the third longitudinal aperture at the lower end of the upright assembly.
10. A target stand as claimed in claim 9 wherein the first leg is independently movable between an extended position and a retracted position, and the second leg is independently movable between an extended position and a retracted position.
11. A target stand as claimed in claim 10 wherein the upright assembly further includes:
- a first engagement member carried at the lower end of the upright assembly proximate the second longitudinal aperture for movement between an engaged position preventing movement of the first leg, and a disengaged position allowing movement of the first leg between the extended position and the retracted position; and
- a second engagement member carried at the lower end of the upright assembly proximate the third longitudinal aperture for movement between an engaged position preventing movement of the second leg, and a disengaged position allowing movement of the second leg between the extended position and the retracted position.
12. A target stand as claimed in claim 9 wherein the adapter socket upright assembly holds the steel target at a downward angle toward a shooter.
13. A target stand as claimed in claim 9 wherein the upright assembly has a longitudinal axis, and the support element of the target adapter socket holds the socket member at a downward angle to the shooter and an angle relative the longitudinal axis.
14. A target stand as claimed in claim 13 wherein the angle relative the longitudinal axis is approximately 20 degrees.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 27, 2017
Publication Date: Aug 2, 2018
Inventor: Joseph Lee Allison (Yuma, AZ)
Application Number: 15/418,610