Modular bullet trap cover

• US 20040239037A1
• Filed: 07/09/2004
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: U.S. Government
• Original Assignee: U.S. Government
• Inventors: Malone, Philip G., Larson, Steven L., Weiss, Charles A. Jr., Fransen, Edward J., Tom, Joe G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,134,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 273/404
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 13/00 Bullet catchers

Abstract

A modular bullet trap cover element generally includes a shell filled with a projectile trapping medium, preferably a mixture of a resilient granular ballistic medium and a hydrated super absorbent polymer (SAP) gel. The shell may be made of any of a number of fabric or polymeric materials. In embodiments, the shell includes at least two bags, an inner bag and at least one outer bag, each of which has an open end and a sealed end, connected to one another such that the outer bags may be inverted over the inner bag to cover at least a portion thereof. The modular cover element is formed by filling the inner bag with the projectile trapping medium and then inverting the outer bags to produce a multi-layer shell. In embodiments, the outer bags and inner bag are rotatably connected, permitting the outer bags to be rotated with respect to the inner bag such that bullet holes in the inner and outer bags no longer line up with each other. Several modular cover elements may be fixedly or releasably interconnected, preferably in a mattress-like arrangement, to form a bullet trap cover.

Claims

1. A shell for use in a modular projectile backstop element, said shell comprising:

an inner bag having a sealed end and an open end; and

at least one outer bag having a sealed end and an open end, wherein said sealed end of one of said at least one outer bag is attached to said open end of said inner bag;

said at least one outer bag being invertible over said inner bag to cover at least a portion thereof.

2. The shell according to claim 1, wherein said inner bag and said at least one outer bag are rotatably attached to each other.

3. The shell according to claim 2, wherein said inner bag and said at least one outer bag are rotatably attached via at least one strap, said at least one strap being secured to at least one of said sealed end of said at least one outer bag and said open end of said inner bag.

4. The shell according to claim 3, wherein said at least one strap is at least one first strap secured to said sealed end of said at least one outer bag and at least one second strap secured to said open end of said inner bag, and wherein said at least one first strap and said at least one second strap are tied together.

5. The shell according to claim 3, wherein said at least one strap is substantially centrally located along said sealed end of said at least one outer bag and said open end of said inner bag.

6. The shell according to claim 3, wherein said at least one strap is at least two straps.

7. The shell according to claim 6, wherein said at least two straps are substantially symmetrically disposed along said sealed end of said at least one outer bag and said open end of said inner bag.

8. The shell according to claim 1, wherein said at least one outer bag is two outer bags, a first outer bag and a second outer bag, said sealed end of said first outer bag being attached to said open end of said inner bag, and said sealed end of said second outer bag being attached to said sealed end of said inner bag.

9. A projectile backstop cover element comprising a shell filled with a projectile trapping medium, said projectile trapping medium comprising a resilient granular ballistic medium mixed with a hydrated super absorbent polymer (SAP) gel.

10. The projectile backstop cover element according to claim 9, wherein said projectile trapping medium further comprises at least one additive.

11. The projectile backstop cover element according to claim 10, wherein said at least one additive is formed as at least one low density, self-dispensing block.

12. The projectile backstop cover element according to claim 9, wherein said shell comprises a fabric shell.

13. The projectile backstop cover element according to claim 9, wherein said shell comprises a polymeric shell.

14. The projectile backstop cover element according to claim 13, wherein said polymeric shell comprises a self-healing elastomeric shell.

15. The projectile backstop cover element according to claim 9, wherein said shell comprises a water-permeable shell.

16. The projectile backstop cover element according to claim 9, wherein said shell comprises:

an inner bag having a sealed end and an open end; and

at least one outer bag having a sealed end and an open end, wherein said sealed end of one of said at least one outer bag is attached to said open end of said inner bag;

said at least one outer bag being invertible over said inner bag to cover at least a portion thereof.

17. The projectile backstop cover element according to claim 16, wherein said inner bag and said at least one outer bag are rotatably attached to each other.

18. The projectile backstop cover element according to claim 17, wherein said inner bag and said at least one outer bag are rotatably attached via at least one strap, said at least one strap being secured to at least one of said sealed end of said at least one outer bag and said open end of said inner bag.

19. The projectile backstop cover element according to claim 18, wherein said at least one strap is at least one first strap secured to said sealed end of said outer bag and at least one second strap secured to said open end of said inner bag, and wherein said at least one first strap and said at least one second strap are tied together.

20. The projectile backstop cover element according to claim 18, wherein said at least one strap is substantially centrally located along said sealed end of said at least one outer bag and said open end of said inner bag.

21. The projectile backstop cover element according to claim 18, wherein said at least one strap is at least two straps.

22. The projectile backstop cover element according to claim 21, wherein said at least two straps are substantially symmetrically disposed along said sealed end of said at least one outer bag and said open end of said inner bag.

23. The projectile backstop cover element according to claim 9, wherein said shell further comprises at least one fastener.

24. The projectile backstop cover element according to claim 23, wherein said at least one fastener is selected from the group consisting of hook-and-loop fasteners, ties, snaps, and any combination thereof.

25. A cover for a projectile backstop, said cover comprising a plurality of shells filled with a projectile trapping medium, said projectile trapping medium comprising a resilient granular ballistic medium mixed with a hydrated super absorbent polymer (SAP) gel.

26. The cover according to claim 25, wherein said plurality of shells are interconnected.

27. The cover according to claim 26, wherein said plurality of shells are releasably interconnected.

28. A backstop for decelerating and trapping projectiles, said backstop comprising:

a piled ballistic medium; and

at least one cover element disposed atop said piled ballistic medium and covering at least a portion thereof, said at least one cover element comprising a shell filled with a projectile trapping medium, the projectile trapping medium comprising a resilient granular ballistic medium mixed with a hydrated super absorbent polymer (SAP) gel.

29. A method of constructing a projectile trapping cover element comprising the steps of:

providing at least one shell;

providing a projectile trapping medium comprising a resilient granular ballistic medium mixed with a hydrated super absorbent polymer (SAP) gel; and

filling the at least one shell with the projectile trapping medium.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein:

said step of providing at least one shell comprises providing at least one shell comprising an inner bag having a sealed end and an open end and at least one outer bag having a sealed end and an open end, wherein the sealed end of one of the at least one outer bag is attached to the open end of the inner bag;

said step of filling the at least one shell with the projectile trapping medium comprises filling the inner bag with the projectile trapping medium; and

further comprising the step of inverting the at least one outer bag over the inner bag to cover at least a portion thereof.

31. The method according to claim 29, wherein the projectile trapping medium further comprises at least one additive.

32. A method of covering a projectile backstop comprising the steps of:

filling a plurality of shells with a projectile trapping medium comprising a resilient granular ballistic medium mixed with a hydrated super absorbent polymer (SAP) gel; and

disposing the plurality of filled shells on an upper surface of the projectile backstop to cover at least a portion thereof.

33. The method according to claim 32, further comprising the step of interconnecting the plurality of filled shells.