Amusement devices: games – Aerial projectile game; game element or accessory therefor... – Target
Patent
1996-03-08
1997-07-22
Grieb, William H.
Amusement devices: games
Aerial projectile game; game element or accessory therefor...
Target
273380, F41J 916
Patent
active
056497075
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The object of the present invention is a target used in trap and skeet shooting which is known as a clay pigeon. The invention also incorporates a method for its preparation.
In trap and skeet shooting, saucer-shaped targets are propelled by means of an ejection device past the location where the marksmen are. The marksman's intention is to hit the target flying in the air by a shot from a shotgun. The shooting takes place from several different angles with respect to the flight path of the target, and the marksman shooting the best series is obviously the winner. In order for the interpretation of scored hits to be as unambiguous as possible, the target must clearly disintegrate when the pellets hit it. Disintegration must take place regardless of which part of the target the pellets hit.
On the other hand, the targets must withstand transportation to the shooting ranges, the roads leading to which are often in poor condition. The targets must also withstand the strain they are subjected to when propelled into the air by the ejection device. Therefore, the targets are, on the one hand, required to withstand transportation and handling well, but on the other hand, they must disintegrate easily when hit by a shot.
The properties required of the targets have so far been achieved by using as starting material a mass consisting of coal tar ("pitch") and limestone powder. In this mixture, coal tar acts as binder and limestone powder as a filler material. The coal tar content is usually about 20-40%.
Targets containing coal tar have the obvious disadvantage that the pitch-containing dust formed in connection with the disintegration of the target contains an abundance of so-called polycondensated aromatic hydrocarbons, among them carcinogenic substances such as 3,4-benzopyrene. Coal tar is thus a carcinogenic substance. When spread in the environment, pitch dust infiltrates into the groundwater, and through plants--as well as directly--both animals and humans are exposed to it. In addition to the pitch dust, larger pieces of the targets remain on the shooting ranges, and as they disintegrate slowly, they accumulate and remain within reach of animals and spoil the landscape. The health hazards of the present targets arise not only in the situation of use but also during the production process. When the targets are compressed, the raw material mixture is heated to about 150.degree.-250.degree. C., in which case substances hazardous to health are released as gases. Thus, the workers involved in the production process are subjected to very strong exposure. Harmful substances obviously also spread to the surroundings of the production plant.
In addition to environmental problems, the present targets have the disadvantage that their manufacture in Finland is dependent on imported raw materials. Coal tar is not produced in Finland but must be procured from abroad.
Finnish patent publication FI 58396 discloses a clay pigeon, where chalk has been used as filler and petroleum resin as binder. Although the carcinogenity of this binder may be somewhat lower than that of coal tar pitch, this substance is also toxic when deposited in the environment.
The targets used in shooting have also been made of clay on a small scale. In this case the blanks were fired, as is typically done with ceramic objects, to achieve sufficient durability for transportation and propelling. The problem with targets made in this manner was that they were too hard and did not disintegrate when shot at, but merely sustained holes and scratches. The firing is in addition extremely expensive in relation to the price of the raw materials. Targets made of clay were abandoned when the target described above consisting of coal tar and limestone powder was developed some hundred years ago.
The object of the present invention is to eliminate the said disadvantages of the "pitch" and clay targets and to achieve a target consisting of non-toxic, natural substances which disintegrates in the desired manner into several pieces when shot at. By combining the basic
REFERENCES:
patent: 3587144 (1971-06-01), Mechling
patent: 4623150 (1986-11-01), Moehlman et al.
patent: 5389142 (1995-02-01), Moore
Derwent Abstract of French Patent Application No. 2 575 818.
Brander Kim
Eeva Antti
Ristimaki Asko
Auramatrix Ifo Oy
Grieb William H.
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