Bullet trap

• US 7,775,526 B1
• Filed: 07/26/2006
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Action Target Incorporated (Action Target Holding Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Action Target Incorporated (Action Target Holding Corp.)
• Inventors: Lambert, Spencer, Bateman, Kyle, Marshall, Thomas, Bassett, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham; Mark S
• Application Number:
  US11/494,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20100187761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,483 Days
• Field of Search: 273/403, 273/404, 273/407, 273/408, 273/410
• US Class Current: 273/410
• 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: F41J 13/00 Bullet catchers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

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 trap comprising:

one or more plates defining a first generally cylindrical bullet containment chamber segment for decelerating bullets, the first generally cylindrical bullet containment chamber having a top and a bottom, an inlet disposed adjacent the top for receiving bullets into the first bullet containment chamber segment and an egress adjacent the bottom for allowing bullets to pass out of the first generally cylindrical bullet containment chamber; and

one or more plates defining a second generally cylindrical bullet containment chamber segment for decelerating bullets, the second generally cylindrical bullet containment chamber having a top and a bottom, an inlet disposed adjacent the top for receiving bullets into the second bullet containment chamber segment and an egress adjacent the bottom for allowing bullets to pass out of the second generally cylindrical bullet containment chamber; and

wherein the first bullet containment chamber segment and the second bullet containment chamber segment are attached to one another end to end in a horizontal array so that the inlets of the first bullet containment chamber segment and second bullet containment segment form a single uninterrupted ingress extending horizontally along a bullet containment chamber formed by the first bullet containment chamber segment and the second bullet containment chamber segment.

2. The bullet trap of claim 1, wherein the first bullet containment chamber segment and second containment chamber segment are releasably attached to one another.

3. The bullet trap of claim 1, further comprising a support, and wherein the first bullet containment chamber segment and the second bullet containment chamber segment are releasably attached to the support.

4. The bullet trap of claim 3, wherein the support comprises a plurality of flanges for receiving the first bullet containment chamber segment and the second bullet containment chamber segment.

5. The bullet trap of claim 4, wherein the support further comprises a support frame.

6. The bullet trap of claim 5, wherein the support frame has a plurality of cams disposed thereon for holding at least one of the first bullet containment chamber segment and second bullet containment chamber segment to the support.

7. The bullet trap of claim 5, wherein the support frame has a plurality of cams disposed thereon for holding the first bullet containment chamber segment and the second bullet containment chamber segment to the support.

8. The bullet trap of claim 7, wherein the cams are configured for holding the first bullet containment chamber segment and the second bullet containment chamber segment against the plurality of flanges.

9. The bullet trap of claim 5, wherein the support frame extends beyond the bullet containment chamber segments and is configured for holding one or more channeling plates.

10. The bullet trap of claim 9, wherein the one or more channeling plates comprises an upper channeling plate and a lower channeling plate.

11. The bullet trap of claim 10, wherein the channeling plates direct bullets to the inlet.

12. The bullet trap of claim 10, wherein at least one of the channeling plates comprises a plurality of generally planar impact zones.

13. The bullet trap of claim 9, further comprising a channel segment corresponding to the first bullet containment chamber segment and a channel segment corresponding to the second bullet containment chamber segment, and wherein the channeling segments are releasably attached together to form a continuous channel.

14. The bullet trap of claim 1, wherein one or more plates of each of the bullet containment chamber segments are generally arcuate.

15. The bullet trap of claim 1, wherein the first bullet containment chamber segment and the second bullet containment chamber segment are attached so as to form a bullet containment chamber having an interior which is uninterrupted between the bullet containment chamber segments by sidewalls.

16. The bullet trap of claim 1, further comprising a third bullet containment chamber segment having an inlet for receiving bullets into the third bullet containment chamber segment, the bullet containment chamber segment comprising one or more plates for deflecting and decelerating a bullet, wherein the third bullet containment chamber segment is attached to the second bullet containment chamber segment so as to form a single uninterrupted inlet along the bullet containment chamber formed by the first, second, and third bullet containment chamber segments.

17. The bullet trap of claim 16, wherein the first, second, and third bullet containment chamber segments are attached so as to form a bullet containment chamber which is uninterrupted by interior sidewalls.

18. A bullet trap comprising:

a plurality of plates disposed in an array so as to define a bullet containment chamber, the bullet containment chamber having a plurality of bullet containment chamber segments disposed horizontally in a row, the bullet containment chamber having an uninterrupted ingress for receiving bullets, each of the chamber segments having a generally U-shaped plate disposed adjacent to and extending from the uninterrupted ingress for reversing the direction of a bullet,

a channel formed by a plurality of channeling plates and having an opening disposed adjacent the ingress, the channel being configured to channel bullets through the opening and into the ingress, the channel being uninterrupted along the ingress for two or more of the plurality of bullet containment chamber segments, forming a single uninterrupted ingress.

19. The bullet trap of claim 18, wherein the ingress of the bullet containment chamber extends along the plurality of bullet containment chamber segments without a sidewall.

20. The bullet trap of claim 18, further comprising a plurality of supports attached to the bullet containment chamber segments and wherein the plurality of channeling plates are attached to the plurality of supports.

21. The bullet trap of claim 20, wherein at least one of the plurality of supports has a void formed therein adjacent the ingress such that plates of the plurality of plates of the channel can be attached to the supports without the supports extending into the channel.

22. The bullet trap of claim 21, wherein the void formed in the at least one of the plurality of supports extends into the support adjacent the ingress such that the support does not form a sidewall along the ingress of the bullet containment chamber between adjacent bullet containment chamber segments.

23. The bullet trap of claim 21, wherein the void formed in the at least one of the plurality of supports extends into the support adjacent a bullet containment chamber segment of the plurality of bullet containment chamber segments such that the support does not form a sidewall between adjacent bullet containment chamber segments.

24. The bullet trap of claim 18, wherein the support substantially surrounds an end of a bullet containment chamber segment of the plurality of bullet containment segments.

25. The bullet trap of claim 18, further comprising a support having a flange configured to receive the plurality of plates forming one or more of the plurality of bullet containment chamber segments of the bullet containment chamber.

26. The bullet trap of claim 25, further comprising a plurality of cams attached to the support for holding the plurality of plates to the flange.

27. The bullet trap of claim 18, wherein the plurality of plates forming the bullet containment chamber include generally arcuate plates.

28. The bullet trap of claim 18, wherein the plurality of bullet containment chamber segments comprises at least three bullet containment chamber segments that are connected together to provide an uninterrupted ingress.

29. The bullet trap of claim 18, further comprising a plurality of supports for holding together the plurality of bullet containment chamber segments, and wherein the opening in the channel extends through at least two supports without the support extending into the opening.

30. The bullet trap of claim 18, wherein the plurality of bullet containment chamber segments comprises a first bullet containment segment and second containment segment which are releasably connected to one another.

31. The bullet trap of claim 18, further comprising a plurality of supports and wherein the plurality of supports extends beyond the bullet containment chamber and are configured for attachment to the plurality of channeling plates forming the channel.

32. The bullet trap of claim 31, wherein the plurality of channeling plates forming the channel include an upper channeling plate and a lower channeling plate.

33. The bullet trap of claim 32, wherein at least one of the channeling plates include a plurality of generally planar impact zones.

34. The bullet trap of claim 18, wherein at least one plate of each of the bullet containment chamber segments is generally arcuate.

35. The bullet trap of claim 18, wherein the plurality of bullet containment chamber segments include a first bullet containment segment, a second bullet containment segment and a third bullet containment segment, each having an ingress for receiving bullets, and wherein the first bullet containment segment, the second bullet containment segment and third bullet containment segment are attached to one another to form a single uninterrupted ingress along the bullet containment chamber formed by the first, second, and third bullet containment segments.

36. The bullet trap of claim 35, wherein the first, second, and third bullet containment segments are attached so as to form a bullet containment chamber which is uninterrupted by interior sidewalls.

37. The bullet trap of claim 36, wherein the opening of the channel extends along the ingress of the first, second and third bullet containment chamber segments as a single uninterrupted opening.

38. A bullet trap, comprising:

a bullet containment chamber for decelerating bullets, wherein the containment chamber is greater than eight feet wide, the bullet containment chamber being formed from a plurality of bullet containment chamber segments releasably attached to one another, the bullet containment chamber segments being attached together linearly;

a single channel configured to channel a bullet into the bullet containment chamber, wherein the channel has an opening and a width generally conforming to the width of the containment chamber, and wherein the channel opening is uninterrupted along a plurality of the plurality of containment chamber segments; and

a plurality of supports associated with the bullet containment chamber segments to support the containment chamber segments,

wherein a plurality of the bullet containment chamber segments are releasably attached to one support;

wherein the plurality of bullet containment chamber segments comprise a first bullet containment chamber segment and a second bullet containment chamber segment and wherein at least one support of the plurality of supports comprises a plurality of flanges for receiving the first bullet containment chamber segment and the second bullet containment chamber segment; and

wherein the at least one support has a plurality of cams disposed thereon for holding at least one of the first bullet containment chamber segment and second bullet containment chamber segment to the support.

39. The bullet trap of claim 38, wherein the bullet containment chamber segments are attached to one another such that adjacent bullet containment chamber segments are substantially uninterrupted by a sidewall.

40. The bullet trap of claim 38, wherein the channel is formed by a plurality of channeling plates and has a wide opening at one end and a narrow opening at an opposing end, and wherein the plurality of channeling plates are attached to the at least one support adjacent the narrow end.

41. The bullet trap of claim 38, wherein at least one support of the plurality of supports has an angled opening therethrough, the plurality of plates defining the channel being attached to the support such that the angled opening and the narrow opening are in alignment, to thereby provide an uninterrupted opening into the bullet containment chamber.

42. The bullet trap of claim 38, wherein the bullet containment chamber is formed from a plurality of generally arcuate plates.

43. The bullet trap of claim 38, wherein each bullet containment chamber segment has an ingress and wherein at least one of the plurality of supports has an opening therethrough in alignment with the ingress such that a single, uninterrupted ingress extends across a plurality of bullet containment chamber segments.

44. The bullet trap of claim 38, wherein the plurality of bullet containment chamber segments are releasably attached to one another.

45. The bullet trap of claim 38, wherein the at least one support of the plurality of supports defines a support frame which extends beyond the plurality of bullet containment chamber segments and is configured for holding one or more channeling plates.

46. The bullet trap of claim 38, wherein the channel is defined by a plurality of channeling plates, the plurality of channeling plates comprising an upper channeling plate and a lower channeling plate.

47. The bullet trap of claim 46, wherein at least one of the channeling plates includes a plurality of generally planar impact zones.

48. The bullet trap of claim 38, wherein the plurality of bullet containment chamber segments each includes at least one generally arcuate plate.

49. The bullet trap of claim 38, wherein the plurality of supports extend upwardly and around the containment chamber so as to support the bullet containment chamber segments.