Granulate - backstop assembly

• US 5,340,117 A
• Filed: 10/23/1992
• Issued: 08/23/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meggitt Training Systems, Inc. (Meggitt PLC)
• Original Assignee: Caswell International Corporation (Meggitt PLC)
• Inventors: Wojcinski, Allan S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grieb, William H.
• Application Number:
  US07/965,749
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 273/410
• US Class Current: 273/410
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 13/00 Bullet catchers

Abstract

The invention relates to a backstop assembly comprising a container (1, 1'"'"', 1", 1'"'"'") having an opening (11, 11'"'"', 11", 11"'"'"') covered up by a medium (2) and serving as a projectile entry opening, said container containing a particulate flowable granulate (3) as a medium for slowing down projectiles.

Claims

1. A backstop assembly for projectiles and projectile fragments, comprised of a box-shaped container having therein an opening covered by a medium for permitting projectiles and projectile fragments to enter said container, granulate means having a particle size between 3 and 9 mm, located within said container for slowing down and capturing projectiles and projectile fragments after they have entered said container;

said container having a sloped bottom wall;

said container having a discharge opening for granulate, projectiles and projectile fragments proximate the lowermost portion of said bottom wall.

2. The backstop assembly of claim 1, further including vibrating means for imparting vibrations to said bottom wall of said container and wherein said vibrating means comprises drive means for imparting vibrations to a vibrator panel mounted on said bottom wall, with the vibrations of said vibrator panel being transmitted to said bottom wall.

3. The backstop assembly of claim 1, wherein said medium comprises at least one rubber sheet for covering up said opening.

4. The backstop assembly of claim 1, wherein said container is formed of walls made of steel.

5. The backstop assembly of claim 1, further including a separating means adapted to receive granulate having projectiles and projectile fragments therein, the latter being separable from the granulate in said separating means in such a manner that the granulate is transportable to a return line leading back to said container and the projectiles and projectile fragments are transportable to an output of said separating means.

6. The backstop assembly of claim 5, wherein said separating means comprises centrifuge means.

7. The backstop assembly of claim 5, wherein said separating means includes a blower for providing a jet stream to separate the relatively lighter granulate from the relatively heavier projectiles or projectile fragments.

8. The backstop assembly of claim 1, wherein the lowermost portion of said bottom wall is in the area of said medium and said medium includes at least one discharge opening in the area adjacent said bottom wall.

9. The backstop assembly of claim 8, wherein a cavity is formed in front of said at least one discharge opening by at least one wall being spaced from said medium wherein said wall is comprised of a material permitting the passage of projectiles.

10. The backstop assembly of claim 9, wherein said granulate means and any projectiles and projectile fragments therein are transportable from the cavity to separating means for separating said granulate means from said projectiles and projectile fragments therein and returning said granulate means to said container.

11. The backstop assembly of claim 1, wherein said lowermost portion of said bottom wall is at the side of said container opposite said medium.

12. A backstop assembly for projectiles and projectile fragments, comprised of a box-shaped container having therein an opening covered by a medium for permitting projectiles and projectile fragments to enter said container, granulate means located within said container for slowing down and capturing projectiles and projectile fragments after they have entered said container, said container comprising a sloped bottom wall and a discharge opening for receiving said granulate means, projectiles and projectile fragments, said discharge opening located proximate the lowermost portion of said bottom wall, the lowermost portion of said bottom wall being located proximate said medium, said medium having at least one opening in an area adjacent to said bottom wall.

13. The backstop assembly of claim 12, wherein a cavity is formed in front of said at least one discharge opening by at least one wall being spaced from said medium wherein said wall is comprised of a material permitting the passage of projectiles.

14. The backstop assembly of claim 13, wherein said granulate means and any projectiles and projectile fragments therein are transportable from said cavity to said separating means for separating the granulate means from the projectiles and projectile fragments therein and returning it to said container.