Bullet trap

• US 20060220319A1
• Filed: 05/19/2006
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Action Target Incorporated (Action Target Holding Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Action Target Incorporated (Action Target Holding Corp.)
• Inventors: Bateman, Kyle, Marshall, Thomas, Lambert, Spencer
• Granted Patent: US 7,275,748 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 273/410
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/0053 Stud welding, i.e. resistive with an arc B23K9/20
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/18 Sheet panels
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/506 bolted or riveted
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 13/00 Bullet catchers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49629 Panel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49892 Joining plate edge perpendicularly to frame
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49948 Multipart cooperating fastener [e.g., bolt and nut]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49966 with supplemental joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/50 Bridged by diverse connector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/551 Externally bridged

Abstract

A bullet trap is disclosed which is formed without intervening sidewalls to enable cross-shooting and the like with reduced risk or ricochet or damage to the bullet trap. Furthermore, the bullet trap can be configured in a variety of ways to eliminate the need for facing plates while providing a removable attachment mechanism, to enable repair on the trap, to reduce bullet adhesion to the trap and to provide improved containment of lead and improved access to the trap.

Claims

1-67. -67. (canceled)

68. A bullet trap for decelerating bullets, the trap comprising:

a bullet containment chamber; and

a channeling portion for directing bullets into the bullet containment chamber, the channeling portion having at least one primary impact zone having at least one plate surface disposed at an angle of greater than 10 degrees, and a secondary impact zone having at least one plate surface disposed at an angle of less than 10 degrees.

69. The bullet trap according to claim 68, wherein the primary impact surface comprises a pair of plates, one descending at an angle of about 15 and the other ascending at an angle of about 15 degrees, and wherein the secondary impact surface comprises a pair of plates, one descending at an angle of less than ten degrees and the other ascending at an angle of less than 10 degrees.

70. The bullet trap according to claim 68, further comprising a second primary impact zone disposed on a side of the secondary impact zone opposite from the first primary impact zone, the secondary impact zone having at least one plate surface disposed at an angle of greater than 15 degrees.

71. The bullet trap according to claim 70, wherein the bullet containment chamber comprises an aperture and wherein the second primary impact zone is disposed adjacent the aperture.

72. A bullet trap comprising:

a bullet containment chamber; and

a channel for directing bullets into the bullet containment chamber, the channel comprising;

a first impact zone comprising a steel plate surface disposed at a first angle greater than horizontal; and

a second impact zone smaller than the first impact zone, the second impact zone disposed adjacent the first impact zone and between the first impact zone and the bullet containment chamber, the second impact zone comprising a steel plate surface disposed at a second angle less than the first angle.

73. The bullet trap of claim 72, wherein the first impact zone comprises a steel plate surface disposed at an angle greater than 10 degrees and not more than 20 degrees from horizontal.

74. The bullet trap of claim 72, wherein the first impact zone comprises a steel plate surface disposed at an angle of about 15 degrees from horizontal.

75. The bullet trap of claim 72, wherein the second impact zone comprises a steel plate surface disposed at an angle between 5 degrees and 10 degrees from horizontal.

76. The bullet trap of claim 72, further comprising a third impact zone disposed adjacent the second impact zone and between the second impact zone and the bullet containment chamber and comprising a steel plate surface disposed at an angle greater than 10 degrees from horizontal.

77. The bullet trap of claim 76, wherein the third impact zone comprises a steel plate surface disposed at an angle of about 15 degrees from horizontal.

78. The bullet trap of claim 72, wherein the channel defines a first opening configured to receive bullets from a shooter and wherein the channel diminishes in size so as to transmit the bullets through a second opening smaller than the first opening and into the bullet containment chamber.

79. The bullet trap of claim 72, wherein the channel comprises:

an upper channel plate comprising a first impact zone comprising a steel plate surface disposed at a first angle greater than horizontal and a second impact zone smaller than the first impact zone, the second impact zone disposed adjacent the first impact zone and between the first impact zone and the bullet containment chamber, the second impact zone comprising a steel plate surface disposed at a second angle less than the first angle, and;

a lower channel plate comprising a first impact zone comprising a steel plate surface disposed at a first angle less than horizontal and a second impact zone smaller than the first impact zone, the second impact zone disposed adjacent the first impact zone and between the first impact zone and the bullet containment chamber, the second impact zone comprising a steel plate surface disposed at a second angle less than the first angle.

80. The bullet trap of claim 76, wherein the first impact zone comprises a converging upper steel plate surface and lower steel plate surface both disposed at angles greater than 10 degrees from horizontal, wherein the second impact zone comprises a converging upper steel plate surface and lower steel plate surface disposed at angles of 10 degrees or less from horizontal, and wherein the third impact zone comprises a steel plate surface disposed at an angle greater than 10 degrees from horizontal.

81. The bullet trap of claim 80, wherein the third impact zone comprises a first steel plate surface disposed at an angle greater than 10 degrees from horizontal and a second impact plate surface disposed approximately horizontal.

82. A bullet trap comprising:

a channel comprising;

a first impact zone comprising an upper section of steel plate and a lower section of steel plate and having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the upper and lower plates being disposed such that the first end defines an opening which receives bullets from a shooter and such that the second end defines an opening smaller than the first end, the upper and lower plates being disposed at a first upper plate angle and a first lower plate angle;

a second impact zone comprising an upper section of steel plate and a lower section of steel plate and having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end of the second impact zone being disposed adjacent the second end of the first impact zone, and wherein the upper and lower plates of the second impact zone are disposed at a second upper plate angle different from the first upper plate angle and a second lower plate angle different from the first lower plate angle; and

a bullet containment chamber disposed in communication with the second end of the second impact zone such that bullets passing through the second end of the second impact zone enter the bullet containment chamber.

83. The bullet trap of claim 82, wherein the upper section of steel plate and the lower section of steel plate in the first impact zone are disposed at about 15 degrees from horizontal.

84. The bullet trap of claim 82, wherein the upper section of steel plate and the lower section of steel plate in the second impact zone are disposed at angles less than 10 degrees from horizontal.

85. The bullet trap of claim 82, further comprising:

a third impact zone comprising at least one of an upper section of steel plate and a lower section of steel plate and having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end of the third impact zone being disposed adjacent the second end of the second impact zone, wherein the at least one of the upper and lower sections of steel plate is disposed at an angle of greater than 10 degrees from horizontal.

86. The bullet trap of claim 85, wherein the at least one of the upper section of steel plate and lower section of steel plate of the third impact zone is disposed at about 15 degrees from horizontal.

87. The bullet trap of claim 85, wherein the upper sections of steel plate are part of a single piece of steel plate, and wherein the lower sections of steel plate in the are part of a single piece of steel plate.

88. A bullet trap comprising:

a bullet containment chamber for receiving and decelerating bullets, the bullet containment chamber having an inlet for receiving bullets into the chamber; and

a channel for receiving bullets and directing the bullets into the inlet, the channel comprising at least one top plate and at least one bottom plate, wherein at least one of the at least one top plate and at least one bottom plate comprises an impact zone disposed at a positive angle relative to horizontal and an impact zone disposed at a negative angle relative to horizontal.

89. The bullet trap of claim 88, wherein the at least one top plate and the at least one bottom plate each comprise a first impact zone disposed at a first angle and a second impact zone disposed at a second angle different from the first angle.

90. The bullet trap of claim 89, wherein the second impact zone is disposed between the first impact zone and the bullet trap, and wherein the second impact zone is smaller than the first impact zone.

91. The bullet trap of claim 88, wherein the channel is generally converging towards the inlet to funnel bullets into the inlet.

92. The bullet trap of claim 88, further comprising an outlet for releasing decelerated bullets from the containment chamber.