Bullet trap

• US 9,759,531 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2016
• Issued: 09/12/2017
• 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: Bateman, Kyle, Bassett, David, Marshall, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): GRAHAM, MARK S
• Application Number:
  US14/987,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20160195371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 273403-410
• 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:

a bullet containment chamber comprising a plurality of rows of impact plates forming a generally cylindrical shape having a bullet inlet and a bullet outlet, wherein one or more rows of impact plates comprises a plurality of elongate impact plates disposed in a horizontally extending row forming one or more joints between the ends of adjacent impact plates; and

a support configured to support the elongate impact plates at the position of the one or more joints between adjacent ends of the elongate impact plates, wherein the support is external to the containment chamber and does not extend into the containment chamber, thereby providing a bullet containment chamber that is substantially uninterrupted by an interior sidewall at the position of the one or more joints between adjacent ends of the elongate impact plates so that the bullet containment chamber is open between adjacent sections formed by the impact plates.

2. The bullet trap of claim 1, wherein the support comprises at least one support beam configured to support a plurality of rows of elongate impact plates.

3. The bullet trap of claim 2, wherein the at least one support beam externally surrounds at least a portion of the generally cylindrical containment chamber.

4. The bullet trap of claim 1, further comprising a channel portion disposed adjacent the bullet containment chamber, the channel portion being formed by a plurality of plates which extend downwardly toward the bullet inlet of the bullet containment chamber and a plurality of plates which extend upwardly toward the bullet inlet and wherein the bullet inlet is disposed along an upper portion of the bullet containment chamber.

5. The bullet trap of claim 4, wherein the impact plates are generally semi-cylindrical and form a substantially cylindrical bullet containment chamber.

6. The bullet trap of claim 5, wherein one of the semi-cylindrical impact plates is disposed immediately behind the bullet inlet and wherein the bullet inlet is disposed immediately adjacent the channel portion such that a bullet passing from the channel portion through the bullet inlet and into contact with the semi-cylindrical impact plate does not encounter additional impact plates prior to engaging a semi-cylindrical impact plate.

7. The bullet trap of claim 6, wherein each semi-cylindrical impact plate has a length and wherein the bullet inlet is uninterrupted for a length greater than the length of one semi-cylindrical impact plate.

8. The bullet trap of claim 4, wherein the channel portion is defined by an upper plate and a lower plate immediately adjacent the bullet inlet wherein both the upper plate and the lower plate extend upwardly toward the bullet inlet.

9. A bullet trap comprising:

a containment chamber having;

a first bullet containment chamber section comprising;

a first inlet for allowing bullets to enter the containment chamber;

a first impact plate configured for decelerating bullets;

a second impact plate configured for decelerating bullets; and

an outlet for allowing decelerated bullets to exit the containment chamber;

and

a second bullet containment chamber section comprising;

an inlet for allowing bullets to enter the containment chamber, the inlet of the second bullet containment chamber section being in alignment with the inlet of the first bullet containment chamber section so as to form a continuous inlet across the first bullet containment chamber section and the second containment chamber section;

a first impact plate configured for decelerating bullets;

a second impact plate configured for decelerating bullets; and

an outlet for allowing decelerated bullets to exit the containment chamber;

a support for connecting the first bullet containment chamber section to the second bullet containment chamber section; and

a channeling portion for directing bullets into the continuous inlet, the channeling portion having a downwardly sloping upper plate and an upwardly sloping lower plate so as to direct bullets into the continuous inlet, and wherein a void is formed between the upper plate and the lower plate such that there are no deflecting plates between the upper plate and the lower plate.

10. The bullet trap according to claim 9, wherein the bullet containment chamber section is generally cylindrical.

11. The bullet trap according to claim 9, further comprising at least one support leg, wherein the bullet containment chamber section is releasably attached to the support leg.

12. The bullet trap according to claim 11, wherein the support leg is curved.

13. The bullet trap according to claim 12, wherein the bullet containment chamber section is generally cylindrical.

14. The bullet trap according to claim 9, wherein the first impact plate of the first bullet containment chamber section is generally C-shaped, and wherein the second impact plate of the first bullet containment chamber section is generally C-shaped, the first impact plate and the second impact plates being positioned such that open portions of the first impact plate and the second impact plate face each other, the second impact plate being disposed lower than the first impact plate.

15. The bullet trap according to claim 9, wherein the channeling portion has a upwardly sloping plate immediately adjacent the inlet of the first bullet containment chamber and the inlet of the second bullet containment chamber.

16. The bullet trap according to claim 9, further comprising third bullet containment chamber section having an inlet for receiving bullets into the third bullet containment chamber section, the third bullet containment chamber section comprising one or more plates for deflecting and decelerating a bullet, the one or more plates substantially defining an interior surface of the third bullet containment chamber so as to receive the bullets that have passed through the inlet;

and

a support frame for holding the second bullet containment chamber and the third bullet containment chamber; and

a plurality of flanges for holding the first bullet containment chamber section to the support frame and for holding the second bullet containment chamber section to the support frame, thereby forming a bullet containment chamber which is open between the first bullet containment chamber section, the second bullet containment chamber section and the third bullet containment chamber section.

17. The bullet trap of claim 16, wherein the support frames have an opening in alignment with the first bullet containment chamber section, the second bullet containment chamber section and the third bullet containment chamber section so as to form a continuous, uninterrupted inlet.

18. A bullet trap comprising:

a first bullet containment chamber section having an inlet for receiving bullets into the first bullet containment chamber section, the first bullet containment chamber section comprising one or more plates for deflecting and decelerating a bullet, the one or more plates substantially defining an interior surface of the first bullet containment chamber so as to receive the bullets that have passed through the inlet;

a second bullet containment chamber section having an inlet for receiving bullets into the second bullet containment chamber section, the second bullet containment chamber section comprising one or more plates for deflecting and decelerating a bullet, the one or more plates substantially defining an interior surface of the second bullet containment chamber so as to receive the bullets that have passed through the inlet; and

a support frame for holding the first bullet containment chamber and the second bullet containment chamber, the support frame including a void in alignment with the first bullet containment chamber section and the second bullet containment chamber section, the void having a first portion which forms a semi-circle and a second portion which forms a semi-circle, the second portion being offset lower than the first portion; and

a plurality of flanges for connecting the first bullet containment chamber section to the support frame and for holding the second bullet containment chamber section to the support frame, thereby forming a bullet containment chamber; and

wherein the bullet containment chamber has an open space between the first bullet containment chamber section and the second bullet containment chamber section sufficient that a bullet passing into the first chamber section through the inlet thereof can pass into the second bullet containment chamber section while the bullet is within the bullet containment chamber.

19. The bullet trap of claim 18, wherein the bullet containment chamber lacks a sidewall between the first bullet containment chamber and the second bullet containment chamber.

20. The bullet trap of claim 18, wherein the support frame further includes a channel extending from a lateral edge of the support frame into the void, the channel being disposed above the second portion.

21. A bullet trap comprising:

a first bullet containment chamber section having an inlet for receiving bullets into the first bullet containment chamber section, the first bullet containment chamber section comprising one or more plates for deflecting and decelerating a bullet, the one or more plates substantially defining an interior surface of the first bullet containment chamber so as to receive the bullets that have passed through the inlet;

a second bullet containment chamber section having an inlet for receiving bullets into the second bullet containment chamber section, the second bullet containment chamber section comprising one or more plates for deflecting and decelerating a bullet, the one or more plates substantially defining an interior surface of the second bullet containment chamber so as to receive the bullets that have passed through the inlet;

a support frame for holding the first bullet containment chamber and the second bullet containment chamber;

a plurality of flanges connecting the first bullet containment chamber section to the support frame and a plurality of flanges holding the second bullet containment chamber section to the support frame, thereby forming a bullet containment chamber;

wherein the bullet containment chamber has an open space between the first bullet containment chamber section and the second bullet containment chamber section sufficient that a bullet passing into the first chamber section through the inlet thereof can pass into the second bullet containment chamber section while the bullet is within the bullet containment chamber; and

further comprising a plurality of plates forming a channel having a first end having a first area, the first end being disposed opposite the containment chamber, and a second end having a second area, the second end being adjacent the inlets of the first bullet containment chamber section and the second bullet containment chamber section;

the second area being smaller than the first area, the plurality of plates forming an upper plate surface at least a portion of which slopes downwardly from the first end toward the second end, and a lower plate surface which extends upwardly from the first end to the second end.

22. The bullet trap of claim 21, wherein the channel is open and lacks dividers along the first bullet containment chamber second and the second bullet containment chamber section.

23. The bullet trap of claim 21, wherein a portion of the upper plate surface immediately adjacent the inlets of the first bullet containment section and the second bullet containment section slopes upwardly toward the inlets.

24. The bullet trap of claim 23, wherein the portion of the upper plate surface which extends upwardly is disposed above the containment chamber.

25. The bullet trap of claim 24, wherein at least one plate from the first bullet containment chamber section and at least one plate from the second bullet containment chamber section are releaseably attached to the support frame.