Fencing point device

• US 4,254,951 A
• Filed: 08/24/1978
• Issued: 03/10/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jan R De Laney
• Original Assignee: Jan R De Laney
• Inventors: De Laney, Jan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stouffer, Richard T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Moy, R. Carl
• Application Number:
  US05/936,496
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• Field of Search: 273/1, 272/98, 200/61.42, 200/44, 200/58 R, 200/76, 200/78
• US Class Current: 463/47.1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/02 for fencing , e.g. means for indicating hits

Abstract

An electrical fencing point device having a weighted spring-biased tip depressible in a body section of the point to complete an electrical circuit to a scoring apparatus for registering a hit, the body section being quickly separable to give access to the weight spring. The depressible tip has an adjustable contact means that is adjustable from outside the tip for varying the sensitivity of making contact with an electrical contactor for completing a circuit to the scoring apparatus for registering a hit.

Claims

1. A fencing point device adapted to be attached to a free end of a fencing blade or similar weapon that is electrically connectable to a means for recording a hit on a recording apparatus during a fencing match, which point comprises a hollow body section having a lower body member having means for attachment to said free end of said blade and an upper body member, said upper and lower body members having attachment means therein for removably connecting them together, a protruding depressible conductive tip means slidably mounted in said upper hollow body member having a conductive tip retaining means positioned on the end of the tip means that extends into said hollow body section, said retaining means and said tip means having electrical insulation means to insulate them from said hollow body section when depressed, a first conductive spring biasing means positioned in said lower body member in contact with a first electrical conductor means and said retaining means to maintain said tip in a protruded position, an adjustable screw shaft means centrally positioned in said tip means with one end thereof extending in said hollow body and the other end having an adjustment means thereon just below the surface of the face of the tip means, a second conductive spring biasing means attached to the end of said screw means that depends in said hollow body adjustably positioned above a second electrical conductor means, said first and second conductor means having insulation means therebetween, whereby said screw shaft means can be manually adjusted from the outside of said point device for length of travel of said tip means when it is depressed before contact is made between the depending end of said second biasing means and said second conductor means to record a hit.

2. The fencing point device of claim 1 in which said first and second electrical conductor means are each positioned in an insulated cup means having an annular compartment and an inner circular compartment concentric with each other and each compartment insulated from the other, said first electrical conductor means positioned in said annular compartment and said second electrical conductor means positioned in said circular compartment, and electric wire means connectable to each of the said first and second electrical conductor means for providing current pathways to said recording apparatus, and said tip means having its adjustable screw shaft means positioned centrally and having a boss that extends from the lower end of said tip means, and said second conductive spring biasing means being an electrically conductive traveler contact spring having a free end with the other end attached to said boss, said free end of said second conductive spring biasing means contacting said second electrical conductor means when said tip means is depressed.

3. The fencing point device of claim 2 in which said adjustable screw shaft means is adjustable from the top of the tip means to vary the distance of travel of the free end of said second electrically conductive spring biasing means from said second electrical conductor means when said tip means is depressed.

4. The fencing point device of claim 1 in which said tip retaining means is a conductive collar connected to the lower portion of said tip means for making or breaking contact with said upper body member.

5. The scoring system for recording hits during a fencing match having a recording apparatus electrically connecting a pair of fencing weapons to record a target hit when said point of one contestant makes a hit, said weapons each having the fencing point device of claim 1.

6. The fencing point device of claim 1 in which the lower body member has a threaded end portion for attachment to a threaded end of the fencing blade and the said upper body member has external threads and the said lower body member has internal threads that when engaged connect the two members together, and a retaining edge positioned in said upper member that is contacted by said retaining means when the tip means is not depressed.