Moving target practice range

• US 4,163,557 A
• Filed: 03/31/1977
• Issued: 08/07/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Norvel J. Mclellan
• Original Assignee: Norvel J. Mclellan
• Inventors: McLellan, Norvel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hum, Vance Y.
• Application Number:
  US05/783,302
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• Field of Search: 35/25, 273/101.1, 273/101.2, 273/102.2 B, 273/102.1B, 273/105.2, 273/105.1, 240/6.41
• US Class Current: 463/52
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 9/14 Cinematographic targets, e.g. moving-picture targets F41G3/26 takes precedence

Abstract

A projector apparatus has a lamp and magnifying lens located therein with appropriate reflective mirrors for projecting a patch of light onto a screen. Inside of the patch of light is a dark spot created by a non-translucent material on the magnifying lens. A motor with a special cam moves one of the reflective mirrors to cause the patch of light and dark spot to sweep across the screen at a constant speed. A special gun electrically connected with the projector apparatus has a gun firing power unit for creating a short duration, high intensity flash of light upon the pulling of the trigger of the gun. The flash of light is reflected through appropriate mirrors onto the screen. By adjustments in the projector apparatus, compensation can be made for lead and drop of a normal cartridge which an individual is simulating firing in the gun. Automatic compensation is made in the projector apparatus and fed to the gun to adjust for the angle at which the patch of light strikes the screen thereby compensating for distance to the target in automatically adjusting lead and drop.

Claims

1. A moving target practice range for simulating the firing of a gun using projected light on a screen comprising:

a source of power;

projector apparatus connected to said source of power;

light means inside said projector apparatus receiving voltage from said source of power;

first reflector means inside said projector apparatus for reflecting at least a portion of illumination from said light means approximately perpendicular to said screen;

cam means driven by a motor means connected to said source of power, said cam means being operatively connected to said first reflector means to cause a substantially constant velocity sweep of said reflected illumination on said screen upon oscillation of said first reflector means by said cam means;

gun means connected to said projector apparatus for receiving adjustments therefrom, said gun means having flash means therein connected to said source of power and trigger means of said gun means for generating a flash of light upon pulling of said trigger means;

second reflector means in said gun means for reflecting said flash of light in approximately the same direction said gun means is pointed;

manual adjustment means varies adjustment voltages received by vertical positioning means and horizontal positioning means, said vertical positioning means moving said second reflector means in response to said adjustment voltages to compensate for said drop, and said horizontal positioning means moving said said reflector means in response to said adjustment voltages to compensate for said lead;

projector apparatus having automatic adjustment means connected to said cam means for varying therewith to change said adjustment from said projector apparatus to said gun means in response to angle of said reflected illumination to said screen, said adjustment changing said lead and said drop in response to said angle;

vertical positioning means comprises a vertical solenoid means connected to a horizontal axis of a second mirror of said second reflector means, and said horizontal positioning means is a horizontal solenoid means connected to a vertical axis of said second mirror;

manual adjustment means is located in said projector apparatus for varying said adjustment therefrom to said vertical solenoid means and horizontal solenoid means;

automatic adjustment means are variable resistors operatively connected to said cam means, said variable resistors providing said adjustment voltage to said vertical solenoid means and said horizontal solenoid means to automatically compensate for said lead and said drop caused by increased distance to the reflected illumination as said angle changes.

2. The moving target practice range as given in claim 1 wherein said cam means is connected to a vertical shaft for rotating a first mirror of said first reflector means, said vertical shaft simultaneously varying angle compensating resistor means to vary said adjustment from said projector apparatus to said gun.

3. The moving target practice range as given in claim 1 wherein a non-translucent member is located on lens means between said light means and said first reflector means to produce a dark spot inside said reflected illumination, said dark spot being the target.