Apparatus for shooting ranges

• US 6,715,761 B1
• Filed: 03/14/2003
• Issued: 04/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gerth Moberg
• Original Assignee: Gerth Moberg
• Inventors: Moberg, Gerth
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Mark S.
• Application Number:
  US10/249,091
• Time in Patent Office: 389 Days
• Field of Search: 273/403, 273/404, 273/407, 273/408, 273/410, 89/360.2
• US Class Current: 273/410
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 13/00 Bullet catchers

Abstract

The apparatus is for installation at shooting ranges and has a housing that has a resilient top layer and a bottom support surface. The bottom support surface has a movable cleaning arrangement that may move the granulate material and projectiles in a channel. The bottom layer supports the granulate material at an angle that is steeper than the angle of repose of the granulate material.

Claims

1. An apparatus for installation at shooting ranges, comprising:

a support structure having a sloping support surface;

a resilient top layer placed on top of a granulated material supported by the sloping support surface; and

the sloping support surface and the resilient top layer sloping at an angle that is greater than an angle of repose of the granulated material.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the top layer is held to the support structure by holding segments.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the support surface has a channel defined therein, the channel extends from a bottom to a top of the sloping support surface and

an endless moving arrangement is disposed in the channel for moving the granulated material upwardly in the channel.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the granulate material has a thickness t1 at an upper end of the top layer and a thickness t2 at a lower end of the top layer and t2 is thicker than the t1.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus has an openable emptying box at a lower end of the top layer.

6. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the channel has a movable cord disposed therein, the cord has a plurality of discs attached thereto.

7. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the channel terminates at a lead separator at an upper end of the apparatus.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein a vacuum source is disposed at the upper end of the apparatus for separating granules of the granulate material from projectiles.

9. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein a top protective cover is disposed over the channel and extends from a bottom end to an upper end of the apparatus.

10. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the support structure has a V-shaped support surface with inwardly inclined sloping sections so that the channel is disposed at a low point between the sloping sections.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the top protective cover has a gap defined therein for receiving granules of the granulate material and projectiles.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus has I-shaped profiles extending from a bottom end to a top end of the apparatus.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the I-shaped profiles have cavities defined therein and the apparatus has ribs 142 that extend into cavities.