Partitioned particulate bullet trap

• US 7,354,044 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2004
• Issued: 04/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Secretary of The Army US Government As Represented By The
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Peiten, Jeffrey, Malone, Philip G., Larson, Steven L., Weiss, Charles A. Jr., Tom, Joe G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham; Mark S
• Application Number:
  US10/848,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20040212151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,420 Days
• Field of Search: 273/404, 273/410, 89/360.2, 528/484, 106/672
• US Class Current: 273/410
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 13/00 Bullet catchers

Abstract

A backstop for decelerating and trapping projectiles includes a support structure having at least one bin shielded from incoming rounds. A trapping medium, such as a resilient granular ballistic medium and a hydrated SAP gel, is disposed contiguously on an upper surface and within the bins. Bins are defined by transverse baffles spanning the width of the backstop. The baffles are preferably constructed of a non-ricochet material. Vibrations will urgetrapped rounds downwards into the bins. In embodiments, the lower surface of one or more bins declines toward either or both sides of the backstop, such that vibration urges spent rounds towards collection points along the sides of the backstop. Access ports may be provided in the backstop sidewalls proximate these collection points to allow for removal of spent rounds. The volume removed may be filtered to reclaim projectile trapping medium for reuse.

Claims

1. A backstop having a height, a width, and a depth for decelerating and trapping projectiles traveling along a line of fire, the width being defined as that dimension approximately perpendicular to the line of fire, and the depth being defined as that dimension approximately parallel to the line of fire, said backstop comprising:

a support structure having an upper surface and at least one open bin, said at least one open bin being defined at least in part by at least one transverse baffle extending substantially the entire width of said backstop; and

a projectile trapping medium disposed contiguously on said upper surface and within said at least one open bin.

2. The backstop according to claim 1, wherein said at least one open bin is further defined by said upper surface of said support structure.

3. The backstop according to claim 1, wherein said at least one transverse baffle comprises at least one angled stair-shaped segment.

4. The backstop according to claim 1, wherein said at least one transverse baffle comprises at least one substantially vertical wall disposed within said projectile trapping medium.

5. The backstop according to claim 4, wherein said at least one substantially vertical wall is disposed entirely within said projectile trapping medium.

6. The backstop according to claim 4, wherein said at least one substantially vertical wall is at least two substantially vertical, substantially parallel walls.

7. The backstop according to claim 1, wherein said at least one transverse baffle comprises at least one non-ricochet producing barrier.

8. The backstop according to claim 7, wherein said at least one non-ricochet producing barrier comprises at least one shock absorbing, foamed, fiber-reinforced concrete barrier.

9. The backstop according to claim 8, wherein said shock-absorbing, foamed, fiber-reinforced concrete is SACON®

.

10. The backstop according to claim 1, wherein said at least one open bin further comprises a base inclined along the width of said backstop to form at least one collection point proximate at least one sidewall of said backstop.

11. The backstop according to claim 10, further comprising at least one port on said at least one sidewall, said at least one port located to facilitate access to said at least one collection point.

12. The backstop according to claim 1, wherein said at least one open bin extends a full width of said backstop.

13. The backstop according to claim 1, wherein said projectile tapping medium comprises a resilient granular ballistic medium.

14. The backstop according to claim 13, wherein a depth of said at least one open bin is at least three times greater than a largest dimension of particles comprising said resilient granular ballistic medium.

15. The backstop according to claim 13, wherein said projectile trapping medium further comprises a hydrated super absorbent polymer (SAP) gel intimately mixed with said ballistic medium.

21. The backstop according to claim 1, wherein said at least one open bin is fully defined by said at least one transverse baffle.

16. A method of forming and maintaining a backstop having a height, a width, and a depth for decelerating and trapping projectiles traveling along a line of fire the width being defined as that dimension approximately perpendicular to the line of fire, and the depth being defined as that dimension approximately parallel to the line of fire, comprising the steps of:

providing a backstop comprising a support structure having an upper surface and at least one oven bin, the at least one oven bin being defined at least in part by at least one transverse baffle extending substantially the entire width of the backstop; and

disposing a projectile trapping medium contiguously on the upper surface and within the at least one open bin.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of sloping a base of the at least one open bin along the width of the backstop to form at least one collection point proximate at least one side of the backstop.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of removing trapped projectiles from the backstop at the at least one collection point.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of vibrating the backstop, thereby urging trapped projectiles towards the at least one collection point.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

filtering projectile trapping media incidentally removed from the backstop during said step of removing trapped projectiles, thereby removing trapped projectiles; and

returning the filtered projectile trapping media to the backstop.