Bullet containment trap

• US 7,503,250 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2006
• Issued: 03/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Action Target Incorporated (Action Target Holding Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Action Target Incorporated (Action Target Holding Corp.)
• Inventors: Bateman, Kyle, Marshall, Thomas, Lambert, Spencer
• Primary Examiner(s): Bergin; James S
• Application Number:
  US11/447,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20070069472A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• Field of Search: 89/360.2, 89/11, 273/398, 273/407, 273/410
• US Class Current: 89/36.02
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/0053 Stud welding, i.e. resistive with an arc B23K9/20
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/18 Sheet panels
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/506 bolted or riveted
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 13/00 Bullet catchers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49629 Panel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49892 Joining plate edge perpendicularly to frame
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49948 Multipart cooperating fastener [e.g., bolt and nut]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49966 with supplemental joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/50 Bridged by diverse connector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/551 Externally bridged

Abstract

A bullet trap is disclosed which is formed without intervening sidewalls to enable cross-shooting and the like with reduced risk or ricochet or damage to the bullet trap. Furthermore, the bullet trap can be configured in a variety of ways to eliminate the need for facing plates while providing a removable attachment mechanism, to enable repair on the trap, to reduce bullet adhesion to the trap and to provide improved containment of lead and improved access to the trap.

Claims

1. A bullet containment trap comprising:

a bullet containment chamber formed by a plurality of impact plates disposed so as to direct a bullet in a generally circular pattern, wherein the plurality of impact plates each have a surface area and including a single bend to provide a first generally planar impact surface and a second generally planar impact surface;

wherein the first generally planar impact surface and the second generally planar impact surface form substantially all of the surface area of the plurality of impact plates; and

an inlet configured for directing bullets into the bullet containment chamber.

2. The bullet containment trap of claim 1, further comprising a support frame for holding the impact plates in a desired position.

3. The bullet containment trap of claim 1, further comprising a containment shell disposed around at least part of the containment chamber.

4. The bullet containment trap of claim 3, further comprising a door disposed in the containment shell.

5. The bullet containment trap of claim 1, wherein the bullet trap further comprises an inlet channel for directing bullets into the containment chamber.

6. The bullet containment trap of claim 1, wherein each of the impact plates comprises a plate bent generally along the center thereof and having flat sides so as to have a generally V-shaped cross section.

7. The bullet containment trap of claim 1, wherein the inlet comprises a plurality of plates defining an upper surface and a lower surface for directing bullets into the bullet containment chamber.

8. A bullet trap comprising:

an inlet comprising a plurality of plates for directing bullets into a containment chamber; and

a containment chamber disposed adjacent the plurality of plates for decelerating bullets, the chamber comprising;

a plurality of impact plates defining the containment chamber; and

wherein each of the plurality of impact plates is configured such that each of the plurality of plates includes a bend such that substantially all of the surface area of each of the plurality of impact plates is configured in two generally planar impact surfaces disposed at different angles from one another.

9. The bullet trap according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of impact plates are disposed adjacent one another so as to define a generally semi-circular path of travel for a bullet impacting the generally planar impact surfaces.

10. The bullet trap according to claim 9, wherein the containment chamber further comprises a second plurality of plates having first generally planar impact surfaces and second generally planar impact surfaces, the second plurality of plates being disposed adjacent one another so as to define a generally semi-circular path of travel for a bullet impacting the generally planar impact surfaces, the first plurality of plates and the second plurality of plates being disposed so as to form a generally cylindrical containment chamber.

11. The bullet trap of claim 8, further comprising a containment shell disposed outside of the containment chamber so as to enclose the containment chamber.

12. The bullet trap of claim 11, further comprising an access door disposed in the containment shell.

13. The bullet trap of claim 11, wherein bullet trap comprises an inlet channel for directing bullets into the containment chamber, and wherein the containment shell extends around the inlet channel.

14. The bullet containment trap of claim 8, wherein the plurality of plates of the inlet define an upper surface and a lower surface for directing bullets into the bullet containment chamber.

15. A bullet trap comprising:

a bullet containment chamber configured for decelerating a bullet, the bullet containment chamber comprising a plurality of impact plates defining the containment chamber, the plurality of impact plates each having a single bend so as to form a first flat impact surface and a second flat impact surface disposed at a different angle than the first impact surface, such that the first flat impact surface and the second flat impact surface form substantially all of each plate; and

an inlet configured for directing bullets into the bullet containment chamber.

16. The bullet trap of claim 15, wherein each impact plate comprises a first flat impact surface and a second flat impact surface having a bend therebetween so as to define a V-shaped cross section.

17. The bullet trap of claim 16, wherein the inlet is disposed adjacent the top of the bullet containment chamber.

18. The bullet trap of claim 17, wherein the bullet trap further comprises a second plurality of impact plates with a first flat impact surface and a second flat impact surface and a bend therebetween so as to define a V-shaped cross section between the first flat impact surface and the second flat impact surface.

19. The bullet trap of claim 18, wherein the first plurality of impact plates is disposed on the front of the bullet containment chamber and the second plurality of impact plates is disposed on the back of the bullet containment chamber.

20. The bullet trap of claim 19, wherein the inlet is disposed to channel bullets into the top of the bullet containment chamber through a space between the first plurality of impact plates and the second plurality of impact plates.

21. The bullet trap of claim 19, further comprising an egress for decelerated bullets adjacent the bottom of the bullet deceleration chamber.

22. The bullet trap of claim 19, further comprising a support leg, and wherein the first plurality of impact plates and the second plurality of impact plates are attached to the support leg.

23. The bullet trap of claim 22, wherein the support leg extends around the exterior of the bullet containment chamber.

24. The bullet containment trap of claim 15, wherein the inlet comprises a plurality of plates defining an upper surface and a lower surface for directing bullets into the bullet containment chamber.

25. An improved bullet trap, the bullet trap having a containment chamber formed from a plurality of impact plates, an inlet for directing bullets into the containment chamber, and an outlet for releasing decelerated bullets from the containment chamber, the improvement comprising:

each of the plurality of impact plates being bent lengthwise so as to define a first planar impact surface and a second planar impact surface, wherein substantially all of the surface area of each of the plurality of impact plates is located on the first planer impact surface and the second planar impact surface.

26. The bullet trap of claim 25, wherein each of the plurality of impact plates is bent lengthwise so as to define a first planar impact surface and a second planar impact surface.

27. The bullet trap of claim 25, wherein the containment chamber extends in a horizontal direction and has a generally circular cross section.

28. The bullet trap of claim 25, wherein the inlet is disposed at the top of the containment chamber and the outlet is disposed at the bottom of the containment chamber.

29. The bullet trap of claim 25, wherein the inlet comprises an upper plate and a lower plate which converge so as to direct bullets into the containment chamber.

30. The bullet containment trap of claim 25, wherein the inlet comprises a plurality of plates defining an upper surface and a lower surface for directing bullets into the bullet containment chamber.