Environmentally acceptable frangible target compositions

• US 4,623,150 A
• Filed: 06/10/1985
• Issued: 11/18/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Reagent Chemical & Research, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Reagent Chemical & Research, Inc.
• Inventors: Stagg, George A. Jr., Hicke, David W., Moehlman, Vernon C.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAPIRO, PAUL
• Application Number:
  US06/742,383
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 273/362-365, 264/63, 264/319, 264/330, 264/332, 264/344, 264/345, 425/348 R, 425/348 S
• US Class Current: 273/362
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 1/01 Target discs characterised by their material, structure or surface, e.g. clay pigeon targets characterised by their materialF41J5/044 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 9/16 Clay-pigeon targets; Clay-disc targets F41J1/01 takes precedence

Abstract

Projectable, frangible and environmentally acceptable targets are disclosed which are free of pitch, and which are in all respects environmentally acceptable, and furthermore which can be produced by a simple compacting procedure. The targets are produced from an inert filler component, such as limestone or clay, and a binder component which is capable of binding the inert filler component without being heated to its thermal decomposition point, the inert filler component being friable and relatively wettable with a solvent so that agglomerates of the inert filler component, the binder component, and a solvent can be produced, and a target may then be prepared by compression forming such agglomerates. Methods for producing such targets are also disclosed, including providing a mixture of the inert filler component, the binder component, and the solvent, compacting the mixture into the desired form, and drying by driving off the solvent at a temperature below the thermal decomposition point of the inert filler material.

Claims

1. A projectable and frangible target comprising an inert filler component and between about 4 and 15 weight percent of a solidified naturally occurring water soluble binder component, said binder component being substantially non-toxic to animals, and being capable of forming agglomerates with said inert filler component without heating, said target being free of pitch, and said inert filler component being friable and relatively wettable with a solvent, whereby agglomerates of said inert filler component, said binder component, and said solvent can be produced, said target including said binder component being prepared by the compression forming of said agglomerates and the subsequent drying of said compressed targets so as to solidify said binder and produce a hardened and rigidified target which is capable of withstanding the forces created by propulsion of said target by means of a trap while also being capable of disintegration upon impact by a projectile.

2. The target of claim 1 wherein said inert filler component is present in an amount of between about 85 and 96 weight percent.

3. The target of claim 1 wherein said inert filler component is selected from the group consisting of limestone, gypsum, anthracite, sand, and mixtures thereof.

4. The target of claim 1 wherein said naturally occurring binder component is selected from the group consisting of starches, dextrins, gums, glues, lignins, waxes, alginates, colloidal silica, silicates, phosphates, aluminates, clays, and mixtures thereof.

5. The target of claim 1 wherein said agglomerates have an average particle size of between about 16 and 200 mesh.

6. The target of claim 1 wherein said solvent comprises water.

7. The target of claim 6 including between about 1 and 6 weight percent of said water upon said compression molding.

8. A projectable, frangible and environmentally acceptable target comprising an inert filler component and between about 4 and 10 weight percent of a solidified, naturally occurring water soluble binder component capable of forming agglomerates with said inert filler component without heating said binder component, said target being free of pitch, and said inert filler component being friable and relatively wettable with a solvent, whereby agglomerates of said inert filler component, said binder component, and said solvent can be produced, said target being prepared by the compression forming of said agglomerates at pressures of greater than about 5 tons and the subsequent drying of said compressed targets so as to solidify said binder and produce a hardened and rigidified target which is capable of withstanding the forces created by propulsion of said targets by means of a trap while also being capable of disintegration upon impact by a projectile.

9. The target of claim 8 wherein said inert filler component is selected from the group consisting of limestone, gypsum, anthracite, sand, and mixtures thereof.

10. The target of claim 8 wherein said binder component comprises a naturally occurring binder component selected from the group consisting of starches, dextrins, gums, glues, lignins, alginates, waxes, clays, phosphates, silicates, aluminates, and mixtures thereof.

11. A method of producing a projectable and frangible target comprising providing a mixture of an inert filler component, between about 4 and 15 weight percent of a binder component, and a solvent, so as to produce agglomerates of said inert filler component, compacting said mixture into the desired form of said target without the application of sufficient heat to alter the state of said binder component, and drying said compacted target by driving off said solvent at a temperature below the thermal decomposition point of said inert filler compound so as to solidify said binder and produce a hardened and rigidified target which is capable of withstanding the forces created by propulsion of said target by means of a trap while also being capable of disintegration upon impact by a projectile.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said compacting is carried out at a pressure of between about 5 and 50 tons.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said drying is carried out at an elevated temperature below the thermal decomposition point of said binder component.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of providing said mixture comprises dissolving said binder component in said solvent, and subsequently combining said binder component dissolved in said solvent with said filler component, whereby said agglomerates comprise particles of said filler component substantially coated with said binder component dissolved in said solvent.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said agglomerates have an average particle size of between about 16 and 200 mesh.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein said compacting comprises pressing said mixture between first and second die members, and including moving both said first and second die members in a common predetermined direction during said compacting step.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein said mixture comprises between about 85 and 96 weight percent of said inert filler component.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein said inert filler component is selected from the group consisting of limestone, gypsum, anthracite, sand, and mixtures thereof.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein said binder component comprises a naturally occurring binder component.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said naturally occurring binder component is selected from the group consisting of starches, dextrins, gums, glues, lignins, waxes, alginates, clays, phosphates, silicates, aluminates, and mixtures thereof.

21. The method of claim 11 wherein said solvent comprises water.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said mixture includes between about 1 and 6 weight percent of said water upon said compacting.

23. The method of claim 11 wherein said drying is carried out substantially at room temperature.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said drying includes a stream of air.

25. A method of producing a projectable, frangible and environmentally acceptable target comprising providing a mixture of an inert filler component, a binder component selected from the group of organic and inorganic binder components, and a solvent, so as to produce agglomerates of said inert filler component, compacting said mixture into the desired form of said target, and drying said compacted target by driving off said solvent at a temperature below the thermal decomposition point of both said inert filler component and said binder component.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said compacting is carried out at a pressure of between about 5 and 50 tons.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein said mixture includes between about 4 and 10 weight percent of said binder component.