Device for throwing targets for shooting sports, with instant projection of the target

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for throwing targets for shooting sports, with instant projection of the target. The device is characterized in that it comprises means for blocking the movement of the arm in abutment, enabling the arm, to go beyond the zero point, by the action of the driving means, while keeping the throwing means in tension, with these blocking means being carried by the driving means and engaging with complementary blocking means carried by the arm, and wherein the throwing arm comprises a rotating shaft, with said shaft carrying a pinion driven by a second drive pinion connected to the output pin of the driving means comprising a geared motor, with the means for blocking in abutment having a stop carried on the periphery of a crank pin rotating about the output pin of the geared motor. Applications in the field of shooting sports, both rifle shooting or revolver shooting and in archery.

Claims

1. A device for throwing targets comprising a rotationally movable throwing arm, draw-spring and geared motor powered by a power supply and comprising an output shaft comprising a first axis of rotation for cocking the arm by rotation of said arm up to a so-called zero point position where the draw-spring is in tension without exerting a torque on the arm, wherein it comprises a stop carried by the geared motor and a complementary stop carried by the arm, with the stop and the complementary stop being so configured as to be in abutment in a throwing position what is beyond the zero point so as to lock the arm in said position on a predetermined angular sector in a direction of rotation of the arm wherein the draw-spring is in tension and exerts a torque on the arm and as to release the arm beyond the throwing position wherein the draw-spring relaxes to rotate the arm for throwing the target and wherein the arm comprises a rotating shaft, with said shaft carrying a pinion comprising a second axis of rotation driven by a second drive pinion comprising a third axis of rotation connected to the output shaft, with the stop being carried on the periphery of a crank pin comprising a fourth axis of rotation rotating about the output shaft of the geared motor wherein the crank pin is engaged with the output shaft, the first axis of rotation of the output shaft, and the device comprising a contactor which is configured to cut the power supply when contacted by an end of the arm thereby stopping the geared motor, the contactor being positioned substantially in contact with the end of the arm at the zero point position, and wherein the first, second, third, and fourth axes of rotation are coaxial.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the crank pin is mounted on a free wheel, with said free wheel enabling the pin to rotate in the direction opposite the direction of rotation of the geared motor.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the stop of the crank pin is carried by a pin eccentric relative to the output shaft of the geared motor, with said stop being in the form of a roller rotating at the upper end of the eccentric pin.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the complementary stops carried by the arm are in the form of a lug contacting the stop upon rotation of the arm beyond the zero point.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein two pinions are driven by a chain or a belt running around said pinions.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein a free wheel is inserted into the pinion carried by the rotating shaft, with the outer cage of the free wheel rotating in the direction of rotation of the arm.

7. The device according to claim 1, comprising a stationary body, with a stop made integral with said body bearing against the edge of the crank pin.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the stop is pressed by the action of a spring against the edge of the crank pin.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the draw-spring is adapted to be tensioned upon rotation of the arm, with the return of the spring to a relaxed position causing the rotation of the arm for enabling the throwing of the target by the arm.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the draw-spring is fixed to one of its ends to a body of the device, with its other end being articulated to one end of a connecting rod another end of which is connected to the rotating shaft.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) Other characteristics, aims and advantages of the present invention will appear upon reading the following detailed description and referring to the appended drawings given as non restrictive examples and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of one known embodiment of the prior art, with a perspective view of a device for throwing targets.

(3) FIGS. 2 to 7 illustrate kinematics of the device according to the invention, in perspective view.

(4) FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a perspective view of a targets throwing device according to the present invention, in rest position,

(5) FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a perspective view of a targets throwing device according to the present invention, in the position, following the throwing at 270 from the zero point, a position which can also be the starting position of the step of cocking the device,

(6) FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a perspective view of a targets throwing device according to the present invention, in a throwing position beyond the zero point and with means for locking the arm in action,

(7) FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a perspective view of a targets throwing device according to the present invention, in a throwing position, with the arm locking means being no longer active, with such position corresponding to the start of the target throwing,

(8) FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of a perspective view of a targets throwing device according to the present invention, in a position during the throwing following that of FIG. 5,

(9) FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of a perspective view of a targets throwing device according to the present invention, in a throwing position subsequent to that of FIG. 6, with such position being an intermediate position reached during the throwing of the target.

(10) FIGS. 8 to 13 show kinematics of the device according to the invention in a top view, with the longitudinal axes X1 and X2 of the connecting rod 4 and the draw-spring 6 being shown.

(11) FIG. 8 corresponds to the state of the device shown in FIG. 2: the rest position.

(12) FIG. 9 corresponds to the state of the device shown in FIG. 3: the position, after the throwing at 270 from the zero point.

(13) FIG. 10 corresponds to the state of the device subsequent to the state shown in FIG. 9, during the step of cocking.

(14) FIG. 11 corresponds to a state subsequent to that of FIG. 10 and located between the one shown in FIG. 3 and the one in FIG. 4: at the zero point position.

(15) FIG. 12 corresponds to the state of the device shown in FIG. 4: the throwing position.

(16) FIG. 13 corresponds to the state of the device shown in FIG. 5: after the throwing position during the throwing of the target.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(17) In the following, a targets throwing device used in shooting sports such as clay pigeon shooting and thus frequently using clay targets will be described. It should be noted here that the present invention is not limited by such use and that it may relate to the throwing of foam targets, for example for archery.

(18) Similarly, targets may also be thrown substantially in the air with a significant vertical component or substantially at ground level with a significant horizontal component.

(19) Carried means that the two elements are made kinematically integral with one another. All the configurations respecting such kinematic simultaneity fall within the scope of the invention. The two elements may be directly or indirectly connected to each other.

(20) FIG. 1 has already been described in detail in the introduction of this application.

(21) The device 1 of the invention uses some characteristics of the device of FIG. 1 but, for such device 1, a set of pinions 17, 18 and a chain 19 or a belt have been substituted for the nipples 5 and 11 shown in FIG. 1, while modifying the position of the geared motor 9 accordingly.

(22) The characteristics of the arm 2 positioned at one end of a shaft 3 having a free wheel 7 while a connecting rod 4 is positioned at the other end remain substantially unchanged. The connecting rod 4 has one end connected to the shaft 3 while its other end has a pivot 5a hinged at one end 6 of the draw-spring, with the other end of the draw-spring 6 being connected to the point 28 of the upper body 8 of the device 1b.

(23) The driving assembly specific to this embodiment comprises a geared motor 9 driving a drive pinion 18 itself connected by a transmission chain or belt 19 to a pinion 17 carried by the shaft 3. The free wheel 7 of the shaft 3 cooperates with the pinion 17. The geared motor 9 is positioned so that its output pin A1 is remote and parallel to the axis of rotation A2 of the arm 2. The drive pinion 18 having a smaller size than the pinion 17 and connected to the latter by means of the chain 19 is positioned at the output end of the geared motor 9.

(24) A contactor 12 is located on the rotating path of the arm 2, above the end of the draw-spring 6 connected to the upper body 8. A remote triggering device commands the geared motor 9 to rotate, with the pinion 18 driving the pinion 17 through the chain 19. With the outer cage of the free wheel 7 rotating counter-clockwise, the free wheel 7 is secured to the connecting rod 4. The system evolves until the contactor 12 is intercepted by the arm 2.

(25) When the arm 2 and the pivot 5a go beyond the zero point, the draw-spring 6 then acts on the connecting rod 4 counter-clockwise, which results in an acceleration of the arm 2. Because of the inertia of the system the arm stops at about 270 from the zero point. This position can be held because of the free wheel 7. With the geared motor 9 operating on, the free wheel 7 becomes driving again and drives the connecting rod 4 again for a new step of cocking.

(26) As shown in FIG. 2, the device 1 according to the invention comprises a connecting rod 4 connected to the lower end of the shaft 3 of rotation of the arm 2 rotating about a pin A2. The connecting rod 4 is articulated at its other end with one end of the draw-spring 6 by a pivot 5a. The draw-spring 6, acting as throwing means and having a substantially elongated rectilinear shape, has its other end secured to the lower portion of the upper body 8 of the device 1, bearing reference 28. The X1, X2 axes respectively of the connecting rod 4 and the spring 6 are shown in FIGS. 8 to 13. The X3 axis illustrates the line going through the centre of the connecting rod 4 and the junction point 28 between the spring 6 and the body 8.

(27) A rest position of the device 1 is defined, wherein the X3 axis and the X1 axis of the connecting rod 4 are superimposed. The X1 axis is a continuation of the X2 axis, with the connecting rod 4 being aligned with the draw-spring 6. This position is shown in FIGS. 2 and 8. In this position, the arm 2 is distant from the upper body 8 of the device 1 and is not pointing at said body 8. This position is called the rest position, i.e. offset by a 180 rotation of the arm 2 with respect to the zero point position.

(28) Similarly, a so-called zero point position of the device 1 illustrated in FIG. 11 is defined, wherein the X3 axis and the X1 axis of the connecting rod 4 are in line with each other, the X1 axis is superimposed on the X2 axis, with the connecting rod 4 being located above the draw-spring 6. No torque is exerted on the arm 2 because of the alignment of forces and their going through the axis of rotation of the arm; the position is balanced. This zero point position corresponds to the end of cocking position, for which the draw-spring 6 is liable to relax and the device 1 to throw a target. This position, illustrated in FIG. 11 is located, while referring to the left-hand direction, just before the position shown in FIGS. 4 and 12.

(29) In FIGS. 4 and 12, the position of the arm 2 is slightly beyond the zero point. This position is called the throwing position. The throwing position is preferably located in an angular sector of 5 to 10 beyond the zero point in the direction of rotation of the arm.

(30) In the method according to the invention, the step of cocking the arm 2 of the device 1 may start from an initial position shown in FIGS. 3 and 9. During the previous rotation of the arm 2 for a throw, the inertia of the arm 2 made it go beyond the rest position shown in FIGS. 2 and 8 to complete its rotation to the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 9, i.e. approximately at 270 relative to the zero point. The arm 2 is held in this start position that shortens the step of cocking relative to a step of cocking starting from the rest position. This shortening results from the action of the free wheel 7 associated with the shaft of rotation 3 of the arm 2 and positioned above the pinion 17, which keeps the arm 2 in this position before the step of cocking.

(31) During the step of cocking, the arms 2 rotates, as it is driven by the geared motor 9 up to the zero point, counter-clockwise. A device having an arm rotating in the other direction may also be designed. The geared motor 9 drives the pinion 17 of the shaft 3 of rotation of the arm 2 via the drive pinion 18 and causes the shaft 3 to rotate while the draw-spring 6, illustrating the throwing means of the device 1, tightens.

(32) At the zero point, the connecting rod 4 is still opposed to the retraction of the draw-spring 6 but ceases to be, beyond the zero point in the throwing position. This is shown in FIGS. 4 and 12. The draw-spring 6 could then return to its start position by instantly returning to its non stretched position and thereby cause an accelerated rotation of the arm 2 for throwing the target. This is then prevented, according to the present invention, by means for locking the throwing means in abutment, using the draw-spring 6, while keeping these in tension.

(33) According to one possibility of the present invention, the throwing method provides a shut-down of the geared motor 9 beyond the zero point. The shut-down of the geared motor 9 may be enabled by the contactor 12 carried by the upper body 8 of the device 1, with such contactor 12 being able to cut the power supply to the geared motor 9 when contacted by the end of the arm 2. The contactor 12 is positioned substantially in contact with the arm 2 at the zero point. The inertia of the arm 2 drives it to the throwing point, beyond the zero point, alternately the contactor 12 may postpone stopping the geared motor 9 to bring the arm 2 in the throwing position. The cut may occur before or simultaneously with the locking of the throwing means in tension. In this configuration, the device 1 is waiting for an order to throw a target.

(34) Further to an order to throw a target, for example given by the shooter, the geared motor 9 is started again and the method according to the invention comprises a step of driving the device 1 by the geared motor 9, with such step ending with the unlocking of the throwing means in tension.

(35) Advantageously, the means for locking the throwing means in the form of the draw-spring 6 are means acting on the arm 2 and having the following characteristics while referring to FIGS. 2 to 7.

(36) A crank pin 21, having a free wheel 20 inside is provided on the output pin of the geared motor 9 rotating about the A1 axis, above the drive pinion 18. The free wheel 20 allows the rotation of the crank pin 21 clockwise or, if the latter is locked, the rotation of the geared motor 9 counter-clockwise. The crank pin 21 carries a pin 22, at its periphery, with the pin 22 being eccentric relative to the A1 axis of the geared motor 9. A roller 23, free to rotate, is mounted on the pin 22 thus turning about a substantially vertical axis.

(37) A resilient means, in the form of a spring 24, having one end connected to the upper body 8 of the device 1 and the other end connected to the lower part of the pin 22 holds the lower portion of the pin 22 against a stop 25. In another embodiment, the spring 24 can press the edge of the crank pin 21 against the stop 25.

(38) A lug 26 is fixed to the free end of the throwing arm 2 and on the underside thereof. The roller 23 is located on the trajectory of the lug 26 upon rotation of the arm 2 about the A2 axis. The A2 axis of the pinion 17 and of rotation of the arm 2, the A1 axis of the drive pinion 18 and of the geared motor 9 and the pin 22 are arranged in this order. The contactor 12 is located on the trajectory of the arm 2.

(39) As mentioned above, in the throwing method according to the present invention, the arm 2 reaches the zero point position and goes beyond upon completion of the arm 2 cocking phase. The free end of the arm 2 switches the contactor 12 which cuts the power supply to the geared motor 9. Beyond the zero point the traction exerted by the draw-spring 6 brings the lug 26 of the arm 2 with the roller 23 into contact. When the geared motor 9 is stationary, the free wheel 20 opposes the movement of the crank pin 21. This is shown in FIGS. 4 and 12.

(40) When the geared motor 9 is supplied again, for example after an order to throw, it rotates the free wheel 20 and therefore the roller 23, thereby releasing the arm 2. This is shown in FIGS. 5 and 13. The lug 26 of the arm 2 rotates about the roller 23 and the roller 23 is no longer an obstacle to the progress of the arm 2. The return to the non stretched position of the draw-spring 6 follows, which causes the throwing of the target which is then positioned against the fixture 27 of the arm 2, which was particularly visible in FIGS. 2 and 7.

(41) Advantageously, the dimensions of the pinions 17 and 18 make it possible to create a reduction which limits the pressure of the lug 26 on the roller 23.

(42) The throwing method according to the invention thus comprises a step of throwing by ejection of the target by the arm 2, upon the automatic release of the throwing means formed by the draw-spring 6, with no locking means holding these any longer while in a stretched position.

(43) This step of throwing the target by ejection goes on sequentially with the positions shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 and 13, as well as with the rest position shown in FIGS. 2 and 8. Such rest position shown in FIGS. 2 and 8 is gone beyond, with the arm 2 reaching, because of its inertia, the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 9. This position is kept as the starting position for a new target throwing by the throwing arm 2 rotating counter-clockwise.

(44) According to the invention, there is no timing problem since the geared motor 9 only is acted upon, with the release system being mechanically bound thereto. The pressure of the arm 2 on the roller 23 is thus completely controlled and unchanging. The electrical control is thus simplified and risks of malfunction are reduced. Only a defective draw-spring 6 could lead to a burst start of the arm 2. The safety of persons near the device 1 is thereby significantly improved as compared to the embodiments of the prior art shown in FIG. 1.

(45) TABLE-US-00001 REFERENCES 1. Device 1a, 1b. Device 2. Arm 3. Shaft 4. Connecting rod 5. Nipple 5a. Pivot 6. Spring 7. Free wheel 8. Upperbody 8a. Cross-piece 8b. Lower body 9. Geared motor 10. Crank pin 11. Nipple 12. Stop 13. Trigger 14. Axis 15. Electromagnet 16. Spring 17. Pinion 18. Drive pinion 19. Chain 20. Free wheel 21. Crank pin 22. Axis 23. Roller 24. Spring 25. Stop 26. Lug 27. Fixture 28. Junction between the spring and the body A1. Axis A2. Axis X1. Longitudinal axis of the connecting rod 4 X2. Longitudinal axis of the spring 6 X3. Line going through the point 28 and the centre of the connecting rod 4