TARGET

Abstract

Target for helice target shooting comprising a helical body and a centre piece that are snap-coupled together; the helical body comprising a cylindrical annular portion that extends according to a central axis (A) and is provided, peripherally, of at least one pair of mushroom-shaped projections so configured as to couple with the centre piece in correspondence of respective peripheral seats; the annular portion having crack nucleation means suitable to facilitate the fracture, in use, by at least one shot.

Claims

1. Target (1) for helice target shooting comprising a helical body (10) and a witness cap (20) that are snap-coupled together; said helical body (10) comprising a cylindrical annular portion (12) that extends according to a central axis (A) and is provided, peripherally, of at least one pair of mushroom-shaped projections (14) so configured as to couple with said witness cap (20) in correspondence of respective peripheral seats (22); said annular portion (12) is peripherally delimited by an inner face (120) and an outer face (122); characterized in that said helical body (10) has crack nucleation means (30) suitable to facilitate the brittle fracture of said annular portion (12), in use, following at least one shot.

2. Target according to claim 1, characterized in that said crack nucleation means (30) comprises at least one first groove (32) provided in said annular portion (12) and aligned with said central axis (A).

3. Target according to claim 2, characterized in that said annular portion (12) comprises a plurality of said first grooves (32) uniformly distributed around said central axis (A).

4. Target according to claim 3, characterized in that each said first groove (32) is provided in said outer face (122) and is delimited by a substantially quadrilateral perimeter.

5. Target according to claim 4, characterized in that each said first groove (32) is delimited by a substantially trapezoidal profile.

6. Target according to claim 1, characterized in that said crack nucleation means (30) comprises at least one second groove (34) provided in said outer face (122) of said annular portion (12) and have substantially triangular section.

7. Target according to claim 1, characterized in that said annular portion (12) has a substantially undulating profile with at least one cylindrical portion (38) arranged between said second grooves (34) and marked with at least one triangle-shaped notch (32) in said outer face (122).

8. Target according to claim 1, characterized in that said crack nucleation means (30) comprises at least one third groove (39) provided in said inner face (120) and at least one fourth groove (41) provided in said outer face (122).

9. Target according to claim 1, characterized in that said crack nucleation means (30) comprises at least one circumferential fifth groove (36) provided in said outer face (122) of said annular portion (12).

10. Target according to claim 9, characterized in that each said fifth groove (36) is helical and coaxial to said central axis (A).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0011] Further characteristics and advantages of the target according to the present invention will be more apparent from the description below, set forth with reference to the attached drawings, that illustrate some non-limiting examples of embodiment, where identical or corresponding parts are identified by the same reference numbers. In particular:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a target according to this invention;

[0013] FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of FIG. 1;

[0014] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of FIG. 2;

[0015] FIGS. 4 and 5 are two schematic perspective views from the bottom of FIG. 1 in enlarged scale and with some parts removed for the sake of clarity;

[0016] FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of a variant of a detail of FIG. 1, with some parts removed for the sake of clarity;

[0017] FIG. 7 is a plan view of a variant of FIG. 1;

[0018] FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view of FIG. 7, in enlarged scale and with some parts removed for the sake of clarity; and

[0019] FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of a further variant of a detail of FIG. 1, with some parts removed for the sake of clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] In FIG. 1, number 1 indicates, in its entirety, a target for the discipline of “electrocibles”. This target comprises a helical body 10, made of rigid plastic, and a witness cap 20, made of flexible plastic, that are snap-coupled together. With particular reference to FIG. 4, the helical body 10 comprises a cylindrical annular portion 12 that extends according to a central axis A, from which a pair of helice blades 16 radially extend. The central portion 12 has a given height, is axially delimited by an inner face 120 and by an outer face 122 and is peripherally provided with at least one pair of mushroom-shaped projections 14, so configured as to be engaged by (and therefore to snap-couple with) the witness cap 20 in correspondence of respective peripheral seats 22. The mushroom-shaped projections 14 are two, and are diametrically opposite in FIG. 4, without however limiting the scope of the present invention.

[0021] With particular reference to FIGS. 1-3, the witness cap 20 has a helical spiral 25 on a respective convex upper face.

[0022] With reference to FIG. 4 again, the annular portion 12 has a plurality of crack nucleation elements 30 for the fracture of the target 1, provided peripherally in the annular portion 12 in order to facilitate the breakage of the helical body 10 when, in use, the helical body 10 is hit by at least one projectile of a group of projectiles.

[0023] The crack nucleation elements may be actuated in several manners, as it will be described below. One of these elements is shaped similarly to a first groove 34, with triangular cross-section advantageously directed like the central axis A, as shown in FIG. 4, without however limiting the scope of the present invention. The annular portion 12 may also have a plurality of first grooves 34, uniformly distributed around the central axis A on the inner face 120 of the annular portion 12.

[0024] With reference to FIG. 2, the annular portion 12 may have a plurality of second grooves 32 delimited by a quadrangular profile, and in particular by a substantially trapezoidal profile. These second grooves are provided in the respective outer face 122 and are uniformly distributed around the central axis A. Each second groove 32 is delimited, at the top in FIG. 4, by a cylindrical edge 35. To each second groove 32 an impression 33 corresponds, that is provided on the inner face 120 and gives the central portion 12 a step-shaped perimeter with substantially constant thickness, as shown in FIG. 5. The central portion 12 is provided with a diametric spacer 37, suitable to give stiffness to the central portion 12 between the two blades 16.

[0025] With reference to FIG. 4 again, it should be noted that the central portion 12 may have adjacent first grooves 34 or a groove 34 may laterally delimit a second groove 32 so as to maximize the probability that the fracture of the central portion 12 is brittle and that the hitting projectiles fracture it in very small fragments, thus completely freeing the witness cap 20.

[0026] With particular reference to FIG. 2, the height of the cylindrical annular portion 12 is slightly smaller than the height of the witness cap 20.

[0027] The use of the target 1 described above can be easily understood from the description above and does not require further explanations. However, it should be useful to specify that the presence of each first and second groove 34 and 32 represents a privileged crack nucleation point for the helical body 10, allowing to facilitate the fracture thereof (of the helical body 10) and therefore allowing the witness cap 20 to follow its trajectory separately from the helical body 10 towards the fenced area in front of the marked space with the shooting stand, so that the shot is considered valid according to the “electrocibles” rules. The profile of the annular portion 12 of FIG. 5 is undulating and has cylindrical portions 38 arranged between two grooves 32 and marked by at least one triangular notch in the respective outer face 122, and in particular each notch is constituted by a groove 34.

[0028] Lastly, it is clearly apparent that variants and modifications can be done to the target 1 described and illustrated herein without however departing from the protective scope of the present invention.

[0029] For instance, with reference to FIG. 6, the annular portion 12 may be cylindrical outside and grooved inside, with grooves 39 provided only in the inner face 120.

[0030] On the other hand, with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, the annular portion 12 may be cylindrical outside and grooved inside with triangular grooves 39 and 41 2 0 respectively provided in the inner face 120 and in the outer face 122, and these grooves 39 and 41 may be alternate so that the profile of the annular portion 12 is substantially undulating.

[0031] Moreover, as shown in FIG. 9, the target 1 may be modified so that the annular portion 12 has at least one circumferential third groove 36, substantially shaped like a helix concentrically with the central axis A.

[0032] In view of the above description, it is clearly apparent that a target constructed like the target 1 illustrated above solves, in an easy and economical manner, the problem of facilitating the brittle fracture of the helical body, and in particular of the rigid annular portion 12 once this portion has been hit by a projectile and, therefore of facilitating the separation of the witness cap 20, made of flexible plastic, from the annular portion 12 of the target 1.