Impenetrable Automatically Registering Target

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of shooting techniques and particularly to automatically working shooting targets. The invention concerns a shooting target comprising essentially an electrically conducting sheet or plate and an electrically conducting elastic membrane placed in a predetermined relationship in front of the said conducting sheet or plate, said conducting sheet and membrane being insulated each from the other and being each electrically connected to at least one terminal mounted on the target.

Description

The present invention relates to a shooting target.

There are known shooting targets comprising two conducting layers placed on both sides of an insulating layer, both of said conducting layers being put under tension by means of a voltage source. When a projectile penetrates through the target it electrically connects both of said conducting layers during a short period of time and the conducting layers are short-circuited. Such short circuit may be easily detected and indicated or registered by means of any suitable electric circuit.

However, it is clear that a target of the type described can only be used with electrically conducting projectiles, as it is this projectile which is realizing the electrical contact between the said two conducting layers. A target of this known type would not work with non-conducting projectiles, such a projectiles of synthetic material.

On the other hand when the projectiles are of very small dimension, such as projectiles of 4 mm in diameter, the targets used are usually also very small and therefore more difficult in manufacture.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a shooting target which may be used for arms of any caliber, including air arms, and which will no longer require the use of electrically conducting projectiles.

The target in accordance with the present invention comprises to this end an electrically conducting plate or sheet in front of which is placed an electrically conducting elastic membrane, said plate and said membrane being insulated each from the other and each being electrically connected to at least one terminal.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of two embodiments of a shooting target in accordance with the invention shown in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a target with 10 points, i.e., a decimal target, for use with projectiles shot with air arms, such as air guns, the target comprising an electrically conducting plate in front of which is placed an elastic and also electrically conducting membrane;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the electrically conducting rigid plate of the target shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the electrically conducting elastic membrane of the target shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 shows a variant of the shooting target of FIGS. 1 to 3.

The target represented in FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawings comprises a frame 1 having fixed thereon a plate 2 of epoxy resin, such as used for manufacturing printed electronic circuits. This plate is covered on at least one of its sides by layer or sheet of copper 3.

This layer of copper 3 is subdivided into a plurality of mutually insulated zones (see FIG. 2), i.e., into a circular surface 4, circular rings 5 to 11, the surface 4 and the rings 5 to 11 corresponding to the subdivisions of a decimal target, and into a remaining surface 12. All of said zones 4 to 12 have been electrically insulated by removing in the manner well known in the fabrication of printed circuits part of the copper of layer 3 such as to delimit the said zones. Each of said zones 4 and 5 to 11 respectively is electrically connected to a terminal 13 or 14 to 22 respectively placed at the lower end of the plate 2 by means of a conducting band or strip 23 or 24 to 32 respectively. Each band 23 to 32 is placed behind plate 2 and is connected to the corresponding zone by means of a rivet 33 or 34 to 42 respectively traversing the plate 2. The remaining zone 12 is directly connected to a terminal 43 placed beside said terminals 13 to 22. It would of course be possible to use an epoxy resin plate having both of its sides covered with a layer or sheet of copper. In this case the conductors 23 to 32 as well as the terminals 13 to 22 and 43 could be made in a single operation in the same manner as the zones 4 to 12.

The plate 2 which has just been described with respect to FIG. 2 is placed in a multiple terminal plug 44 (see FIG. 1) and each of said terminals 13 to 22 as well as terminal 43 -- i.e., each of said zones 4 to 12 -- is connected to an amplifying stage designated by 45 in the embodiment of FIG. 1.

This amplifying stage 45 comprises an npn transistor 46 having its collector 47 connected, over a resistance 49, to a positive voltage 48 and its emitter 50 connected to the ground. The base 51 of transistor 46 is connected, over a resistance 52, to one terminal of the multiple terminal plug 44. The emitter 50 of transistor 46 is further connected, over a resistance 53, to the base 51, and the collector 47 is connected to an output terminal 54.

An electric membrane 55 of PVC is mounted on frame 1 in front of plate 2. The membrane 55 could also be made of rubber or of any type of polyester. The side of the membrane facing the plate 2 is covered by an electrically conducting varnish 56, the varnish being applied by mutually insulated sectors onto the said side of the membrane, as shown in FIG. 3.

In FIG. 3 the frame of the target has been designated by 1 and the elastic membrane by 55. Sectors 57 to 64 have been applied onto membrane 55 by means of a conducting varnish or lacquer on a basis of graphite and electrical conductors 65 to 72 are electrically connecting the sectors 57 to 64 to terminals (not shown). The electrical conductors 65 to 72 are also made by means of said conducting varnish on a basis of graphite applied onto the membrane 55. As already shown for the conducting plate shown in FIG. 2, each of said connectors 65 to 72 -- i.e., each of said sectors 57 to 64 -- is connected to an amplifying circuit 73 (see FIG. 1). The amplifying circuit 73 comprises a pnp transistor 74 having its collector 75 connected to the negative terminal 76 of a voltage source, over a resistance 77, and its emitter 78 connected to the positive terminal 79 of a voltage source. The base 80 of transistor 74 is connected, over a resistance 81, to the corresponding sector of membrane 55. The collector 75 is connected to an output terminal 82, and the emitter 78 is connected, over a resistance 83, to the base 80.

The target described hereinabove is operating as follows:

A projectile 84 hits the membrane 55 at 85 and deforms or displaces the membrane until it comes into contact with the layer 3 of plate 2. The sector 61 (see FIG. 3) hit by the projectile 84 at 85 will therefore come into contact with the circular ring 6 (see FIG. 2). Due to the contact between the sector 61 on the one hand, which is put at a positive potential by means of its amplifying stage 73, and the ring 6 on the other hand, which is put at a negative potential by means of its amplifying stage 45, the base 80 of transistor 74 will receive a negative impulse and the base 51 of transistor 46 a positive impulse. Thus, a positive impulse will arrive at the output terminal 82 of the amplifying stage 73 and a negative impulse will arrive at the output terminal 54 of the amplifying stage 45. A rectifier stage (not shown) may be connected to the amplifying stage 45 in order to redress the negative impulse arriving at terminal 54 and to transform it into a positive impulse. These outlet or output impulses will be used for controlling indicator means (not shown), such as lamps provided for indicating on an indicator board the sector and the zone hit by the projectile. A logical circuit (not shown) could be mounted between the amplifying stage 73 and the not shown rectifier stage connected to the amplifying stage 45 on the one hand and the indicator means on the other hand, in order to eliminate the zone corresponding to the lower most value in the case where two neighboring zones should be hit together by the same projectile. In the case where, for example, the projectile should hit the center of the target, more than two adjacent sectors would be brought into contact with the circular surface 4 corresponding to "ten points". The logical circuit could be realized such as to operate, in the case where at least three adjacent sectors are brought in contact with the conducting plate, all the indicator means corresponding to sectors 57 to 64. This would be a good means for indicating a center shot.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 4 represents a five point target comprising an insulating plate 90 having applied thereto a conducting circular surface 91 representing the surface of value "five" of the target.

Eight electrically conducting sectors 92 to 99 are arranged around the circular surface 91. The sectors 92 to 99 are insulated with respect to each other and with respect to the surface 91. These sectors 92 to 99 form together the annular surface representing the value "four" of the target. Around this annular surface are arranged eight further electrically conducting sectors 100 to 107 insulated with respect to each other and with respect to the sectors 92 to 99. The sectors 100 to 107 form together the annular surface representing the value "three" of the target. The value "two" and the value "one" respectively of the target are represented by the annular sectors 108 and 109 respectively, part only of these sectors being represented in FIG. 4. The circular surface 91 as well as all of the sectors 92 to 99, 100 to 107 etc., are connected to terminals T.sub.1, T.sub.2, T.sub.3, . . . etc., placed at the lower end of the plate 90 shown in FIG. 4 by using rivets 110 and suitable connectors, such as e.g., insulated connector leads.

An electrically conducting elastic membrane, e.g., a sheet of electrically conducting rubber, is placed in front of the insulating plate 90. As in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3., this membrane will be mounted at some distance from the plate, in order that an electric contact can occur only when a projectile hits the membrane and brings it into contact with the plate 90. If the target is provided for air arms only (e.g., air guns) a membrane of conducting rubber having a thickness of 1 mm will be sufficient. If the target is to be used for small caliber arms, e.g., caliber 22, it will be necessary to place a protective membrane in front of the conducting membrane (see e.g., membrane 55' represented in dotted line in FIG. 1). It would also be possible to replace the electrically conductive membrane and the protective membrane by a single sheet of steel fulfilling the functions of both membranes. In this case the target could be used for arms shooting projectiles of plastic material.

The circular surface and all of the said sectors on the one hand and the electrically conducting membrane on the other hand will be connected to input terminals of a logical circuit (not shown) applying a potential difference to the circular surface and the said sectors on the one hand and to the conducting membrane on the other hand. If a projectile hits the membrane it will establish a contact between the said membrane and one of said sectors. The logical circuit will be built up in such a manner as to be able to indicate on an indicator board the value (in points) of the surface of the target within which the sector is placed as well as the position of the sector (with respect to the other sector or with respect to the center of the target).

It can easily be seen that the arrangement of the sectors in the target shown in FIG. 4 replaces exactly the arrangement of the circular surfaces and the sectors as represented in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A target which is impenetrable to projectiles, which projectiles may be of any desired material, said target enabling the automatic register of the position at which a projectile strikes the target; said target comprising:

an extended area sheet relatively impenetrable to projectiles and having a continuous surface including at least one surface region of electrically conductive material;

an elastically deformable membrane extending coextensively with said sheet, and having a continuous surface and including at least one surface region of electrically conductive material;

support means supporting said membrane and said sheet in spaced parallel and electrically insulated relation with respect to one another, with said surface regions of electrically conductive material of said membrane and said sheet respectively, facing one another;

at least one of said conductive regions of said sheet and said membrane being divided into a plurality of insulated conductive zones;

said membrane being locally deformable by projectiles to cause local electrical connection between adjacent portions of said regions of electrically conductive material;

and respective terminal means connected to each of said plurality of areas, and to the other of said conductive regions, whereby electrical connection is made between the respective terminals of said other of said conductive regions and one of said plurality of areas when a projectile strikes said target at a region falling within said area;

said body of the elastic membrane consisting of a material selected from the group consisting of PVC, polyester and rubber.

2. The target of claim 1 wherein said membrane consists of electrically conductive rubber.

3. A shooting target as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sheet is subdivided into a plurality of insulated zones and the membrane is of electrically conducting rubber.

4. A target which is impenetrable to projectiles, which projectiles may be of any desired material, said target enabling the automatic register of the position at which a projectile strikes the target; said target comprising:

an extended area sheet relatively impenetrable to projectiles and having a continuous surface including at least one surface region of electrically conductive material;

an elastically deformable membrane extending co-extensively with said sheet, and having a continuous surface and including at least one surface region of electrically conductive material;

support means supporting said membrane and said sheet in spaced parallel and electrically insulated relation with respect to one another, with said surface regions of electrically conductive material of said membrane and said sheet respectively, facing one another;

at least one of said conductive regions of said sheet and said membrane being divided into a plurality of insulated conductive zones;

said membrane being locally deformable by projectiles to cause local electrical connection between adjacent portions of said regions of electrically conductive material;

and respective terminal means connected to each of said plurality of areas, and to the other of said conductive regions, whereby electrical connection is made between the respective terminals of said other of said conductive regions and one of said plurality of areas when a projectile strikes said target at a region falling within said area;

said membrane consisting of a body of electrically insulating material with the side of said membrane facing said sheet being covered with an electrically conductive varnish.

5. A shooting target as claimed in claim 4, wherein said conductive varnish is a varnish on the base of graphite.

6. A shooting target as claimed in claim 4, wherein said layer of conductive varnish is subdivided into said plurality of areas, each of said areas being connected to respective terminal means by conducting bands formed of electrically conductive varnish deposited onto said body of said membrane.

7. A target which is impenetrable to projectiles, which projectiles may be of any desired material, said target enabling the automatic register of the position at which a projectile strikes the target; said target comprising:

an extended area sheet relatively impenetrable to projectiles and having a continuous surface including at least one surface region of electrically conductive material;

an elastically deformable membrane extending co-extensively with said sheet, and having a continuous surface and including at least one surface region of electrically conductive material;

support means supporting said membrane and said sheet in spaced parallel and electrically insulated relation with respect to one another, with said surface regions of electrically conductive material of said membrane and said sheet respectively, facing one another;

said conductive regions of said sheet and said membrane being divided into a plurality of insulated conductive zones;

said membrane being locally deformable by projectiles to cause local electrical connection between adjacent portions of said regions of electrically conductive material;

and respective terminal means connected to each of said plurality of areas, and to the other of said conductive regions, whereby electrical connection is made between the respective terminals of said other of said conductive regions and one of said plurality of areas when a projectile strikes said target at a region falling within said area;

and a protective membrane disposed in front of said electrically conducting elastic membrane.