Moving target system for defensive training

A moving target system for defensive training includes an elongated ground-based track defining a track axis, a trolley operable to move along the track, the trolley having a target support facility, a driver operable to move the trolley along the track, and the target facing in a direction angularly offset from perpendicular to the track axis. The target support facility may be operable to fall from a vertical position when the trolley reaches an end of the track. There may be an actuator operably connected to the driver to initiate movement of the trolley when actuated.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a moving target system for defensive training. The moving target system for defensive training has particular utility in connection with providing a system for training individuals to respond to threats closing from a limited distance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is generally recognized that a criminal with a knife standing at approximately 21 feet from a law enforcement officer or other individual can potentially close the distance and stab the officer before the officer can draw his firearm to defend himself. While most law enforcement agencies have tried to graphically demonstrate this fact to their officers, many officers, particularly new officers, have failed to recognize the threat as being real and quite possibly fatal.

Because of this threat, all officers need to be able to bring their firearms into action in less than 1.5 seconds, which is the approximate time it takes for an average person to run 21 feet. Because law enforcement officers are typically required to wear a holster that will prevent a criminal from stealing their guns, and because some police officers do not have adequate time to practice their gun handling skills beyond what is required by their department, too few officers have acquired the skill to draw their gun in less than 1.5 seconds.

Although prior art moving targets are known, they are limited in their motion. Some only move laterally with respect to the shooter to train a shooter to lead a moving target. Others move by flipping about a vertical axis, to reveal a practice target that must be identified as friend or foe before deciding whether to shoot. Others flip up about a horizontal axis, providing a “pop-up” target that requires the shooter to react quickly to a target at a given location. Many automatic target carriers used at indoor and other practice ranges provide a motorized target carrier that is operated solely to allow a shooter to attach a target, send it to a selected distance, shoot at the target, and retrieve the target without having to go downrange. These operate at limited speed and are not intended for shooting during operation.

Few prior art moving target systems operate with motion toward the trainee or in any way that results in them changing their distance relative to the shooter. As a result, most do not enable an officer to practice defending against an approaching assailant. Those that do provide motion toward the shooter have practical limitations and disadvantages. Such systems are typically standard “runner” moving target systems that are designed to present a target that moves laterally for the shooter. These can be used by a user standing at one end of the target run to shoot at the approaching target.

However, these are “motorized clothesline” systems that have a powered overhead cable and pulley system. This puts critical support and operation components directly in the background of the target, making damage even from well-aimed bullets likely. Efforts to make such components more bullet resistant increases cost and weight, both disadvantages. To avoid frequent damage occurrences, the shooter may stand offset from the track, but this loses the intensive training effect of having a target coming directly at the trainee. Moreover, such prior art systems require an electrical power source. Because few outdoor shooting ranges provide AC power, this is impractical, and batteries supply only limited power for limited duration.

Therefore, a need exists for a practical moving target system with nonzero perpendicular motion vector component that can be used for providing a system for training law enforcement officers to respond to targets closing from 21 feet. In this regard, the various embodiments of the present invention substantially fulfill at least some of these needs. In this respect, the moving target system for defensive training according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing a system for training law enforcement officers to respond to targets closing from 21 feet in 1.5 seconds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an improved moving target system for defensive training, and overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide an improved moving target system for defensive training that has all the advantages of the prior art mentioned above.

To attain this, the preferred embodiment of the present invention essentially comprises an elongated ground-based track defining a track axis, a trolley operable to move along the track, the trolley having a target support facility, a driver operable to move the trolley along the track, and the target facing in a direction angularly offset from perpendicular to the track axis. The target support facility may be operable to fall from a vertical position when the trolley reaches an end of the track. There may be an actuator operably connected to the driver to initiate movement of the trolley when actuated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.

DESCRIPTION OF THE CURRENT EMBODIMENT

A preferred embodiment of the monocular with attachment points of the present invention is shown and generally designated by the reference numeral10.

FIG. 1illustrates the moving target system10of the present invention. More particularly, the system10is shown in use with an instructor30teaching a trainee shooter28how to defend himself with a firearm against target26. Responsive to the instructor30depressing the actuator14mounted on pole16, a drive mechanism12is activated by a power takeoff cable64enclosed in power takeoff cable sheath18. The drive mechanism is located near the shooter, avoiding the risk that an errant shot could damage its valuable operating components. The drive mechanism12then rapidly winds up the cable32, which pulls the trolley22along the track20from one end to the other towards the shooter28. The shooter28practices drawing his firearm and shooting the target26until the trainee can reliably hit the target26before the trolley22reaches the end of the track20or meet other performance goals.

The system10not only teaches the shooter28the importance of a fast, accurate pistol draw, but also demonstrates the importance of evasive movement on the part of the shooter28. It also provides an intense simulation of a threat, allowing the shooter to become more accustomed to the circumstances and making him less impaired by the startling effect of stress in a similar actual threat situation. These benefits are achieved by the target26pivoting on the trolley22and falling toward the shooter28when the trolley26reaches the end of the track20. If the shooter28is standing too close to the end of the track20, the target26will fall into him. The cardboard target26and light wood target supports24do not hit with enough force to hurt the shooter28or knock his gun out of his hand, but nonetheless provide an effective lesson.

FIG. 2illustrates the drive mechanism12and track20of the improved moving target system10of the present invention. More particularly, the drive mechanism12has a housing34releasably connected to a base plate36by housing bolts122. The power takeoff cable64emerges from the rear of the housing34in its sheath18. Two gas shocks46and the cable32protrude from the front of the housing34. The gas shocks46are used to bring the trolley22to a stop without damage by cushioning the otherwise sudden deceleration. The gas shocks46are connected to a rigid shock plate44, which has a shock pad42attached to it. The shock pad42is a dense foam in the current embodiment that prevents jarring and noisy metal-to-metal contact between the front bumper64of the trolley22and the shock plate44.

The track20is modular and consists of six track segments118in the current embodiment. Each track segment118is about 4 feet long and 20 inches wide. Each track segment118has two rails38joined together by two cross members40. The rails38are ½″ deep×2″ wide shallow U-shaped steel channels in the current embodiment. The cross members40of the track segments118are bolted together by track segment bolts120. One end of one of the track segments118is bolted to the base plate36of the drive mechanism12. It is important that the track segment118that is bolted to the base plate36is square with the drive mechanism12so that the trolley22impacts the gas shocks46evenly to avoid bending them. The track20should be anchored so that repeated impacts by the trolley22into the gas shocks46does not cause the track20to shift towards the shooter28. This can be accomplished by driving spikes into the ground on the drive mechanism side of any of the cross members40or by placing a weight behind the drive mechanism12opposite the track20.

The trolley22has two side members54that are joined by a front crossbeam58and a rear crossbeam56. Wheels134attached to the underside of the side members54frictionally engage with the rails38to guide the motion of the trolley22. The front50of the trolley22has a front bumper64and a vertical bracket122. A quick link120releasably joins the end of the cable32protruding from the drive mechanism12to the vertical bracket122. Two hinges62pivotably connect two target holders60to the front crossbeam58. The hinges62are positioned so that they are perpendicular to the track20and enable the target26to fall forward when the trolley22is stopped by the gas shocks46. An upper crossbeam60joins the two target holders60. The target holders60are tubes that are rectangular in cross-section and are adapted to receive one end of two target supports24. The target supports24hold the target26in a vertical position facing the shooter28, who is positioned at one end of the track20, while the trolley22is in forward motion. The target supports24are 1″×2″ wooden sticks in the current embodiment. The target holders60are positioned on the front crossbeam58so that the target supports24are spaced properly to receive an 18 inch wide International Practical Shooting Confederation or International Defensive Pistol Association target; however, a target of any height and width can be used. In the current embodiment, the trolley22is made of aluminum, which makes it sufficiently lightweight to be pulled about 21 feet by the drive mechanism12in about 1.5 seconds, overcoming the wind resistance created by the target26.

FIG. 3illustrates the drive mechanism12of the improved moving target system10of the present invention. More particularly, the housing34has been removed to expose the interior of the drive mechanism12. A left side plate90and a right side plate88rise from the base plate36. Gas shock supports92attach the gas shocks46to the left side plate90and right side plate88.

A shaft80passes through shaft slots124in the left side plate90and right side plate88. A first drum82, a second drum84, and a gear78are rotatably mounted on the shaft80. One side of the first drum82is attached to one side of the second drum84by a hook and loop fastener86in the current embodiment. Both drums contain a coil of flat steel that is about 1.38 inches wide and 6 inches in diameter in the current embodiment, which acts as a power spring. An example of a power spring that is suitable for use in the current invention is part number MR520D manufactured by John Evans' Sons, Inc. of Lansdale, Pa., which has 6 pounds of load and 35 feet of cable.

A power spring, commonly known as a clock spring, consists of a strip of spring-tempered material wound on an arbor and housed within a circular drum. The inner end engages the arbor and the outer end engages the restraining drum. The spring stores rotational energy by being stressed in bending when wound around the arbor. When the arbor is allowed to rotate, the spring delivers rotational energy to the arbor by expanding to the maximum curvature allowed by the drum. The torque-deflection characteristic of a power spring is non-linear. This condition is caused by the constantly changing amount of active material, the normal hysteresis effect throughout the working deflection, and inter-coil friction.

In order to have a spring that has both adequate travel and strength, two springs are used in the current embodiment. When loaded, the two springs enable the drive mechanism12to pull the trolley22and target26about 21 feet in between 1.48 and 1.52 seconds. The second drum84has one end of the cable32attached to it, and the opposing end of the cable32passes through a cable guide plate66and extends out of the housing34.

The springs are loaded as the cable32is uncoiled from the second drum84. The spring is preloaded with six drum revolutions in the current embodiment. However, a preload of fewer drum revolutions can be used to achieve lower speeds and longer travel times by the trolley22. A brake or other speed reduction mechanism can also be incorporated into the trolley22to slow it down. A pawl72, which is pivotably mounted on a pawl pivot74attached to the right side plate88, engages with the teeth76of the gear78. A pawl spring70, which is connected to an eye bolt68protruding from the cable guide plate66, biases the pawl72to engage with the teeth76. When the pawl72is engaged with the teeth76of the gear78, it permits the cable32to be unwound from the second drum84by rotating the second drum84clockwise on the shaft80, but does not permit the springs to rotate the drums counterclockwise to take up the cable32. Unwinding the cable32loads the springs by coiling them into a tighter diameter.

A power takeoff cable64emerges from the power takeoff cable sheath18and is connected to the pawl72adjacent to the pawl spring70. When the power takeoff cable64is pulled sufficiently to overcome the pawl spring70, the pawl72disengages from the teeth76of the gear78, freeing the loaded springs to uncoil to a larger diameter and rotate the drums counterclockwise on the shaft80to take up the cable32. As the cable32is taken up, it pulls the trolley22and target26towards the drive mechanism12.

FIG. 4illustrates the actuator14of the improved moving target system10of the present invention. More particularly, the actuator14is depicted in the spring loading position. The actuator14has a power takeoff rod100connected to the opposite end of the power takeoff cable64from the pawl72. The pawl spring70biases the pawl72and the power take off cable64towards the cable guide plate66. The power takeoff cable64in turn biases the power takeoff rod100and attached actuator knob96towards the actuator base94. The actuator lever110pivots about the lever pivot108so that the knob slot98is positioned adjacent to the actuator base94. An actuator stop140is pivoted about a stop pivot106to permit the actuator lever110to pivot about the lever pivot108. Two base ears116attach the lever pivot108to the actuator base94, and two lever ears102connect the stop pivot106to the actuator lever110. The actuator lever110is pivotably mounted on the lever pivot108by a lever tube112.

FIG. 5illustrates the actuator14of the improved moving target system10of the present invention. More particularly, the actuator14is depicted in the spring unloading position. The actuator lever110has been depressed on one end to raise the knob slot98away from the actuator base94. This action raises the actuator knob96and pulls the power takeoff rod100away from the cable guide plate66. The resulting force applied to the power takeoff cable64overcomes the pawl spring70and pivots the pawl72about the pawl pivot74. This action disengages the pawl72from the teeth76of the gear78. The actuator stop104pivots into a vertical position about the stop pivot106. This prevents the pawl spring70from re-engaging the pawl72with the teeth76of the gear78, even when no force is applied to the actuator lever110, which permits the gear78and drums to freely rotate. Once the trolley22has stopped its forward motion, the instructor30can pivot the actuator stop104out of the way so the pawl spring70can reengage the pawl72with the teeth76of the gear78by pulling the power takeoff cable64towards the cable guide plate66.

FIG. 6is a vector diagram illustrating the velocity vectors of the trolley22of the present invention. More particularly, at time1, the target26has a velocity vector130that can be decomposed into two components: a velocity vector parallel to the shooter126and a velocity vector perpendicular to the shooter132. If the track20is positioned perpendicular to the shooter28, then the velocity vector parallel to the shooter126has a magnitude of zero. Because the velocity vector perpendicular to the shooter132has a nonzero magnitude, the perpendicular distance128between the target26at time1and the shooter28and the perpendicular distance120between the target26at a later time2and the shooter28changes. Although the perpendicular distance120is depicted as decreasing inFIG. 6, the target26, track20, and shooter28can also be positioned so the perpendicular distance120increases with time.

While current embodiments of the moving target system for defensive training have been described in detail, it should be apparent that modifications and variations thereto are possible, all of which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the shooter may operate the actuator instead of an instructor. Also, the face of the target may be mounted parallel to the track in optional target holder tubes, creating a more conventional moving target that runs left to right, or right to left, instead of towards or away from the shooter. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.