Frangible Flying Target

Abstract

A frangible flying target or clay pigeon molded from a composition comprising from about 35 percent to about 70 percent by weight of elemental sulphur mixed with about 30 percent to about 65 percent of an inert filler such as limestone dust. The composition is first heated to produce a fluid mix and is then cast or molded to produce a target of desired dimension and configuration. By the inclusion of materials that are dimensionally unstable in the presence of water, such as bentonite clay, it is possible to produce an environmentally degradable target.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to improvements in composition targets sometimes known as clay pigeons which are suitable for use in trap and skeet shooting. The targets are usually in the form of a saucer shaped structure molded from some suitable mixture generally consisting of petroleum pitch or some other binder and a filler material such as clay or some other finely divided mineral to provide a relatively fragile structure. The targets are designed to be nested for packing purposes and must be strong enough to withstand the rigors of commercial handling and shipping.

These targets or "clay pigeons" are intended for use by marksmen and must be capable to being projected into the air a considerable distance, usually with a mechanical throwing apparatus known as a trap. The use of such artificial targets and mechanical throwing devices by marksmen grew out of the dwindling supply of live birds as well as the concern to preserve our wildlife and has gained in popularity each year.

Several types of traps are used for projecting the targets. All of these provide a means to engage the target and project it with considerable speed into the air. It is a requirement that the target have sufficient "trapping strength" to withstand the throwing force of the trap, otherwise, the target will break in the trap.

Since the primary purpose of trap shooting is to demonstrate the markmanship of the shooter, it is necessary that the targets be designed to indicate when the marksman has scored a hit. If the composition of the target is such that a pellet will merely chip a fragment off the target, then the chip will be so small that it is not clearly visible and the shot will not be scored as a hit. Likewise, a pellet that hits a target and passes through it, leaving a small hole will not be scored as a hit since it is not visible. Since it is impractical to retrieve the targets once they have landed, the best method of indicating a hit is to make the target fragible so that it will shatter upon impact from a single pellet.

Furthermore, since trap shooting takes place in the out of doors, and since the targets are generally shattered by the marksman and fall to the earth, they are susceptible to being eaten by birds and other wild animals. It is therefore desirable that the composition of the targets be completely nontoxic to birds and wild animals as well as to plant life. Trap shooting is conducted in various kinds of weather conditions and at all hours of the day or night. Therefore, the color of the target is very important and the necessity to provide a variety of colors for varying weather conditions is apparent. Colors may also be used to impart more realism to the shooting by simulating the colors of various birds, or provide the maximum amount of contrast between the target and the background.

Since by their very nature targets are totally expendable in use, it is also important that they be constructed of materials having very nominal cost.

In the past, targets have been constructed of various materials and with varying physical configurations. Glass balls have been used and traps were designed to accomodate these targets. Various types of cylindrical targets have been designed and traps for projecting the cylindrical targets have been in use for many years.

There has been a constant guest for newer and better targets at lower cost. While only slight changes have been made to the geometrical configuration of the targets in recent years, the material composition has undergone numerous changes in an attempt to improve target performance and quality. Material composition of the targets has included finely ground clay mixed with water, molded and kiln dried. These clay targets were generally quite hard and it was often very difficult to break or even chip one. Many other materials such as plaster of Paris, sand and pitch have been used, however, these have all suffered from deficiencies in one or more of the desired characteristics of a good target. Some break well in cold weather but very poorly in warm weather, and vice versa. More recently, composition materials have become popular in the manufacturing of targets because they afford an opportunity to select desirable qualities from various materials that are used. After several decades of experimentation and innovation in the size and configuration of targets, they have now for the most part been standardized with generally a saucer shaped design and a weight on the order of 3 oz. and a diameter of 4 1/4 inches. The material content of the targets vary among manufacturers but the finished target must be strong enough to withstand the rigors of commercial shipping and the stresses and shocks of the throwing trap and at the same time be sufficiently fragile to be shattered when impacted with only one No. 9 pellet. Furthermore, the cost of the target, its color characteristics and its toxic effect on plant and animal life are also important considerations.

The composition targets and the clay targets which have heretofore been used have been deficient in many respects. As noted previously, the clay target is very hard and difficult to break. The most popular composition target presently in use is a target consisting of a composition of ground limestone and pitch such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,831,778 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,399,255. The compositions disclosed in these patents and the method of manufacture render the cost of such targets relatively expensive. Furthermore, the targets are toxic to a degree and painting of the target is usually required in order to obtain a satisfactory color since the use of pitch results in a very dark colored target. Furthermore, since pitch is very susceptible to changes in temperature, the targets do not shatter with consistency over a wide range of temperatures. Pitch is also in short supply and therefore expensive. Composition targets presently in use are not environmentally degradable and therefore cause concern to the ecology minded because the discarded and/or shattered targets clutter the countryside and may be eaten by animals causing sickness or even death.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a target for use in trap shooting that is economical to manufacture, that is made from materials which are readily and abundantly available and which meets the standard specifications which have been established in the industry.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a target that has the strength to withstand the rigors of shipping and the stress of the trap but which will shatter upon impact of a single pellet. It is also an object of the invention to provide a target that is capable of being produced in a variety of colors for use in varying conditions of visibility and to provide more realism for the shooter. It is also an object to provide a target that is non-toxic to both plant and animal life and which is environmentally degradable.

The present invention relates to targets molded from a composition containing elemental sulphur. Elemental sulphur has many known uses and applications, there being over 7 million tons of it produced in the United States each year. In many areas of use it has been desirable and even necessary to chemically modify the sulphur to employ it in certain applications. We have discovered that compositions of elemental sulphur and certain other readily available materials have outstanding characteristics for use as targets for skeet and trap shooting with or without the necessity of chemically modifying the sulphur.

In laboratory tests, elemental sulphur was mixed with 30 percent to 65 percent by weight of limestone dust and the mixture was heated to produce a liquid mixture which was then poured into a two-part commercial target mold. Solidification of the material in the mold was very rapid and resulted in targets having outstanding appearance and characteristics. For example, a composition of 70 percent sulphur and 30 percent limestone weighed only 10 percent more than the generally accepted commercial standard weight for such targets, yet it was 43 percent stronger when subjected to a standard tensile strength test which is accomplished by placing the throwing ring of the target in compression. The target when subjected to a shatter test was much more fragile than the standard composition target and easily shattered with the impact of a single pellet. As the percentage of sulphur was decreased with a proportionate increase in limestone the target strength increased substantially. For example, with a composition of 50 percent sulphur to 50 percent limestone, the target weight was increased to 23 percent above the generally accepted standard commercial target weight but the target tensile strength had increased to 86 percent greater than a standard commercial target. In all cases, the target containing a portion of sulphur shattered more readily than did the standard commercial limestone-pitch composition target. With a composition consisting of a mix of 35 percent sulphur and 65 percent limestone, the liquid mixture becomes very stiff and it is then necessary to use hydraulically pressed forms. However, the targets produced thereby have good strength. Since the strength of the target increases at a faster rate than the weight increases when the proportion of limestone is increased, a target having thinner walls may be cast while maintaining the outside dimensions and weight to the generally accepted standard specifications. This, of course, would produce a target containing less materials by volume but with greater tensile strength and better shattering characteristics. As the sulphur content of the targets was increased above 70 percent sulphur by weight, the strength characteristics decreased to less than the standard pitch-limestone composition target and the 100 percent sulphur target does not extract well from the mold.

For an environmentally degradable target, a composition of the type described containing elemental sulphur and limestone with the addition of a material which is dimensionally unstable in the presence of water such as bentonite clay in an amount of 1 - 10 percent by weight of the limestone may be added. A target comprised of this composition when wetted will decompose into a very fine dust. It has been found that the tensile strength of the target is not appreciably affected by the addition of the bentonite clay.

The targets manufactured from the sulphur-limestone composition can be colored with the use of pigments which blend readily with the sulphur to produce any desired color. This, of course, eliminates the need for painting the target after it has been removed from the mold, which, of course, is necessary when pitch is used as the binder. The sulphur-limestone composition is non-toxic to both plant and animal life when fragments are scattered over the shooting area and animals may eat the sulphur without any ill effects. The targets produced from the limestone-sulphur composition produce no obnoxious odors.

Elemental sulphur is readily available in large quantities at very low cost. Pitch, which is the most widely used binding material presently employed in the manufacture of targets, is coming in short supply. It is very expensive and the cost is increasing. Its use as a binder for limestone or other filler materials in the production of targets, while having characteristics superior to other known binders on the market today, has many undesirable features as discussed previously. Elemental sulphur has been found to be a very suitable and desirable binder for use with a limestone filler material. It should also be noted that sulphur is adaptable for use as a binder with filler materials such as talc, sand or soil, however, limestone has been found to have certain desirable characteristics and has been used in the preferred embodiment.

Claims

Now having described a preferred embodiment of my invention, what I claim is:

1. A frangible flying target consisting of 35 percent to 70 percent by weight of an elemental sulfur composition and from 65 percent to 30 percent by weight of a finely divided inert filler material consisting of limestone dust, said frangible flying target being shatterable upon impact by a single pellet.

2. The frangible flying target of claim 1 wherein the finely divided inert filler material includes from 1 percent to 10 percent by weight of a material that is dimensionally unstable in the presence of water.

3. The frangible flying target of claim 2 wherein the inert filler material consists of limestone dust and from 1 percent to 10 percent by weight of the limestone dust of bentonite clay.