Trap for high velocity bullets

A trap for receiving a projectile travelling along a substantially horizontal axis of travel at high velocity includes a pair of side walls, and primary, secondary and tertiary deflecting plates. The primary plate obliquely intersects the axis of travel of the projectile to downwardly deflect the projectile or particles thereof to approximately a second axis of travel. The secondary plate obliquely intersects the second axis of travel to further downwardly deflect the projectile or particles thereof to approximately a third axis of travel. The tertiary pate obliquely intersects the third axis of travel to further downwardly deflect the projectile or particles thereof to approximately a fourth axis of travel. Each deflection shows particle velocity. A bottom surface extends below the plates so that the plates, the sides and the bottom surface define a rectangular mouth for receiving the projectile and a chamber for containing the projectile or particles thereof. In another embodiment of the invention, a second primary plate slopes upwardly in relation to the first path of travel and has a leading edge substantially vertically aligned below the primary plate leading edge and a trailing edge forward of and at or above the level of the primary plate trailing edge. The second primary plate affords a trap of significantly less depth than the trap without such a plate for traps having substantially the same size rectangular mouth. In either embodiment, a tray along the back of the trap collects the trapped projectile or particles thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates generally to bullet traps and more particularly 
concerns traps capable of containing bullets traveling at speeds in excess 
of 3,000 feet per second with or without full or partial steel jackets as 
well as lead or steel pellets. Bullet traps capable of containing bullets 
traveling at speeds slower than 3,000 feet per second are well known. 
These traps, however, are incapable of containing bullets traveling at 
speeds greater than 3,000 feet per second without at least significant 
damage to the trap components impacted by the bullets. Once the steel 
plate of the trap is nicked, subsequent bullets impacting in the nicked 
area cause highly erratic distribution of particles within the trap and 
rapidly deteriorate the plate as well as the backing curtain supporting 
the targets. The frequent repair or replacement of the components of the 
trap is cost and time prohibitive. 
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a bullet trap 
capable of containing bullets traveling at high velocity. It is a further 
object of this invention to provide a bullet trap capable of containing 
bullets traveling at high velocity with minimal damage to the components 
of the trap. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a trap for receiving a 
projectile travelling along a substantially horizontal axis of travel at 
high velocity includes a pair of side walls, and primary, secondary and 
tertiary deflecting plates. The primary plate obliquely intersects the 
axis of travel of the projectile to downwardly deflect the projectile or 
particles thereof to approximately a second axis of travel and to slow 
their velocity. 
The secondary plate obliquely intersects the second axis of travel to 
further downwardly deflect the projectile or particles thereof to 
approximately a third axis of travel and to further slow their velocity. 
The tertiary plate obliquely intersects the third axis of travel to further 
downwardly deflect the projectile or particles thereof to approximately a 
fourth axis of travel and to further slow their velocity. 
A bottom surface extends below the plates so that the plates, the sides and 
the bottom surface define a rectangular mouth for receiving the projectile 
and a chamber for containing the projectile or particles thereof. 
In another embodiment of the invention, a second primary plate slopes 
upwardly in relation to the first path of travel and has a leading edge 
substantially vertically aligned below the primary plate leading edge and 
a trailing edge forward of and at or above the level of the primary plate 
trailing edge. 
The second primary plate affords a trap of significantly less depth than 
the trap without such a plate for traps having substantially the same size 
rectangular mouth. 
In either embodiment, a tray along the back of the trap collects the 
trapped projectile or particles thereof.

While the invention will be described in connection with a preferred 
embodiment, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the 
invention to that embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all 
alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the 
spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Turning first to FIG. 1, the target face 10 of a typical bullet trap is 
illustrated for use in conjunction with a preferred embodiment of the 
present trap for high velocity bullets. The target face 10 generally 
consists of a backing curtain 11 formed generally of a flexible, 
self-sealing, rubber-like material in a rectangular configuration having 
side edges 13 and 15 and top and bottom edges 17 and 19. A typical backing 
curtain 11 may be 40 inches high by 96 inches wide, but a wide variety of 
dimensions is 10 possible. The top edge 17 of the backing curtain 11 is 
typically secured to the top of the bullet trap by a plurality of bolts 
21. 
Turning to FIGS. 2 and 3, a deep embodiment 30 of the bullet trap is 
illustrated. The trap 30 consists of a primary plate 31, a secondary plate 
33 and a tertiary plate 35 disposed between a pair of side walls 37 and 
39. 
The primary plate 31 is obliquely disposed in relation to the approximate 
anticipated axis of travel T.sub.1 of the projectile through the backing 
curtain 11. Preferably, the plate 31 is at an angle .theta..sub.1 of 
approximately 25 degrees. If the angle .theta..sub.1 is increased above 25 
degrees, greater damage may occur to the primary plate 31 on impact of a 
high velocity projectile. If the angle .theta..sub.1 is decreased below 25 
degrees, the effectiveness of the plate 31 to deflect the projectile and 
slow its velocity is diminished. Typically, the primary plate 31 will be 
of one inch thick abrasion resistant steel. When used with an 
approximately forty inch high target mouth, the primary plate may be 
approximately 96 inches long by 96 inches wide. 
The secondary plate 33 is disposed at an angle .theta..sub.2 in relation to 
the primary plate 31. Preferably, .theta..sub.2 is approximately 45 
degrees. Thus, the secondary plate 33 is at an oblique angle to a second 
axis of travel T.sub.2 resulting from a deflection of the projectile or 
particles thereof by the primary plate 31. In the embodiment shown, the 
secondary plate 33 may preferably be made of 1/2 inch thin mild steel and 
approximately 8 inches long by 96 inches wide. 
The tertiary plate 35 is disposed at substantially right angles to the 
original path of travel T.sub.1 of the projectile and is therefore also 
obliquely disposed in relation to a third axis of travel T.sub.3 of the 
projectile or particles thereof resulting from the deflection of the 
projectile or particles thereof by the secondary plate 33. In the 
embodiment shown, the tertiary plate 35 may consist of 1/8 inch skin steel 
approximately 6 inches long and 96 inches wide. 
As can best be seen in FIG. 3, the bullet trap 30 may also include a bottom 
surface 41 extending from the front of the trap 30 from a point 43 below 
and vertically aligned with the leading edge 45 of the primary plate 31. 
Furthermore, the point 43 is at or preferably above the level of the 
trailing edge 47 of the primary plate 31. Thus, all projectiles entering 
through the backing curtain 11 into the trap 30 must first strike the 
primary plate 31 before striking the secondary plate 33 or tertiary plate 
35. The surface 41 will preferably be downwardly inclined from the 
horizontal H by an angle .phi. of approximately 4 degrees. As a result, 
particles coming to rest on the surface 41 will be gravitationally fed 
toward the rear of the trap 30. 
At the rear of the trap 30, a tray 49 is provided which consists of a 
vertical wall 51 extending downwardly from the surface 41 and a base 
portion 53 extending substantially horizontally between the vertical wall 
51 and the trailing edge 55 of the tertiary plate 35. Thus, the 
projectiles or particles thereof captured by the trap 30 are ultimately 
stored in the tray 49. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the base 
53 of the trap will be approximately 22 inches long. As is also shown in 
this preferred embodiment, the surface 41 extends beyond the vertical wall 
51 for a distance 57 which may typically be approximately 3 inches. This 
overhang 57 of the tray 49 helps to prevent ricocheting projectiles or 
particles thereof from escaping the tray 49 and being reintroduced into 
the trap. 
As can be seen in FIG. 3, the trailing edge 47 of the primary plate 31 
butts the leading edge 59 of the secondary plate 33 and the trailing edge 
61 of the secondary plate 33 abuts the leading or top edge 63 of the 
tertiary plate 35. Thus, it can be seen that the plate 31, 33 and 35 
together with the bottom surface 41 and the tray 49, along with the 
sidewalls 13 and 15, define a rectangular mouth for receiving a projectile 
in the chamber and for containing the projectile or particles thereof. 
This chamber is sealed by a backing curtain 11 to totally contain the 
projectile or the particles thereof. 
In operation, when a projectile is fired into the trap 30, it first 
encounters the primary plate 31 at an angle of approximately 25 degrees. 
This impact is generally sufficient to separate the steel jacket of the 
projectile from the lead and to redirect the projectile or particles 
thereof along a second axis of travel at a slower velocity. The velocity 
of some particles may be sufficiently slowed as to permit them to settle 
on the bottom surface 41. A projectile or particles thereof continuing 
approximately along the second axis of travel T.sub.2 will impact the 
secondary plate 33 and be further disintegrated and the projectile or 
portions or particles thereof redirected along approximately the third 
axis of travel T.sub.3 to the tertiary plate 35. The projectile or 
particles thereof may be further sufficiently slowed at this point to 
settle into the tray 49 rather than impact the tertiary plate 35. Those 
projectiles or particles thereof which find their way along the third axis 
of travel T.sub.3 to the tertiary plate 35 are again deflected, 
disintegrated and slowed by the tertiary plate 35 to the extent that the 
entire projectile or particles thereof may be fully contained in the trap. 
As previously mentioned, the overhang 57 assists in preventing particles 
that have entered the tray 49 from escaping therefrom. Finally, the 
projectile or particles thereof settling on the surface 41 are gravitated 
into the tray 49 where they are stored until removal. 
Turning now to FIGS. 4 and 5, a shallow embodiment 70 of the bullet trap is 
illustrated. The shallow trap 70 is in many respects similar to the deep 
trap 30. The primary plate 71 extends from the backing curtain 11 to a 
secondary plate 73 which in turn extends to a tertiary plate 75, all 
between sidewalls 77 and 79. The relationship of these plates 71, 73 and 
75 is angularly and dimensionally similar to that of the plates 31, 33 and 
35 described in relation to FIG. 3, except that the primary plate 71 as 
shown in the shallow embodiment 70 is approximately 2/3 the length of the 
plate 31 of the deep embodiment 30. However, a second primary plate 81 
approximately 1/3 the length of the primary plate 31 of the deep 
embodiment 30 is used in the shallow embodiment 70. In one typical 
application a 96 inch plate is cut into 60 inch and 30 inch sections to 
form the first and second primary plates. This second primary plate 81 has 
a leading edge 83 which extends obliquely in relation to the axis of 
travel T.sub.1 of the projectile at an angle .theta..sub.3 of 
approximately 25 degrees from the axis of travel T.sub.1 of the projectile 
opposite to the angle .theta..sub.1 between the first primary plate 71 
and the axis of travel T.sub.1 of the projectile. This second primary 
plate 81 extends to a trailing edge 85 which is at or above the level of 
the trailing edge 87 of the first primary plate 71. Thus, projectiles 
entering through the backing curtain 11 into the trap 70 may strike the 
primary plate 71 and be captured according to the operation disclosed in 
relation to the deep embodiment 30 of the trap or the projectile may first 
strike the second primary plate 81 and be deflected from there to the 
first primary plate 71 for further containment in the trap 70. In the 
shallow embodiment 70, the tray 89 will have a vertical wall 91 and a base 
portion 93 completing the trap enclosure. For a trap of approximately 
those dimensions hereinbefore given, the base portion 93 will be 
approximately 27 inches long. An overhanging flange 97 may also be 
provided to assure that projectiles or particles thereof entering into the 
tray 89 may not escape into other portions of the trap 70. 
Given target faces 10 which are substantially the same, the us of the 
second primary plate 81 results in a trap of considerable less depth than 
a trap not using this plate. 
It will be apparent that variations in the materials, the thickness of 
materials and the overall dimensions of the trap may be varied to suit 
particular applications, provided the significant angular relationships of 
the component parts is maintained. It will be further noted that this 
trap, designed to accommodate projectile traveling at speeds in excess of 
3,000 feet per second, will also be capable of handling projectiles 
traveling at significantly lower speeds. And it will be apparent that the 
trap can be inverted or mounted at any other desired angle provided the 
tray is located at the bottom of the trap. 
Thus, it is apparent that there has been provided, in accordance with the 
invention, a trap for high velocity bullets that fully satisfies the 
objects, aims and advantages set forth above. While the invention has been 
described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident 
that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to 
those skilled in the art and in light of the foregoing description. 
Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, 
modifications and variations as fall within the spirit of the appended 
claims.