IMPROVEMENT IN SELF-REGENERATION BALLISTIC PROJECTILE-ARRESTER SUITABLE TO FIRES WITH SMALL ARMS OR OTHERS, IN PARTICULARS IN INDOORS FIRING GROUND

Abstract: A self-regenerating ballistic projectilearrester suit­ ed for firing with small arms and the like, in particular for use at indoor firing ranges (1), said projectilearrester comprising a granulated material (2) in the shape of a mass so as to ab­ sorb the kinetic energy of the projectile, conveyance and trans­ sportation means (6) for conveying said material towards the separation zone, means (8) for separating the material from the exploded projectile, and means (9) for carrying the regenera­ ted material onto the top of said mass; said projectilearrester being provided with means for supporting the mass of material and for conveying said material towards said transportation means (6) which consists of two belts (4,5) moving in opposite and con­ verging directions, said belt (4,5) being at a slope and/or inclinable with respect to the firing plane and being spaced from one another and opposite to one another, and arranged at the bottom of the mass of material (2), with the longitudinal axis in parallel with the firing axis.

Description: This invention relates to a self-regeneration ballistic projectile-arrester suitable to fires with small arms and the like, in particular for fires in indoors firing ground. More particularly, this invention relates to a projectile-arrester of the type mentioned above, whose improvement consists in the structural and conceptual modification of the mechanical conveyance of the granulated material together with the exploded projectiles towards the proper regeneration and recovery zone. As it well known to those who are skilled in the art, a number of different structures have been employed up to the present time as ballistic projectile-arresters, as for instance, to mention just the less sophisticated ones, wood stacks, piles of tyres, heaps of sand and the like, all such structures being characterized by defects or drawbacks concerning in particular both the safety of employment and practicalness. Other types of projectile-arresters employed are made up of metallic plates that convey projectiles into chambers after slowing down the same as a result of their geometrical features, said chambers serving the purpose of dissipating the kinetic energy. Projectile-arresters of such kind give rise to a large production of splinters, fragments, dusts and lead vapours. The US-A-2,411,026 (Conner et al.) discloses a first teaching for the realization of projectile-arresters employing a granulated impact material and a recovery/regeneration system of the material itself. More recently, the Application itself has developed the basic solution of Conner's patent, and it has been successful in realizing a self-regeneration ballistic projectile-arrester that obviated all drawbacks of Conner's projectile-arrester. Said ballistic projectile-arrester was the subject of WO-A-85/05672 disclosing a device according to the preamble of claim 1. Now the Applicant has studied a further solution to the problem, which solution, exploiting the basic technical teaching already disclosed and claimed in the patent application mentioned above, allows a ballistic projectile-arrester to be obtained which has means for supportig and conveying granulated material and projectiles and which is so modified structurally as to avoid the occurrence, in some cases of blocks in the flowing of the material itself down towards the separation means. Such objects are obtained according to the present invention, arranging to slanting conveyor belts, moving in opposition converging directions, at the bottom or basis of the heap of granulated material and projectiles, said belts causing the material itself to move in a direction parallel to the firing direction. Accordingly, it is a specific object of the present invention a self-regeneration ballistic projectile-arrester, suitable to fires with small arms and other types of arms, in particular for fires in indoors firing ground, said projectile-arrester comprising a heap of granulated material for taking up the kinetic energy of the projectiles; means for conveying and carrying the material towards the separation zone; means for separating the material from exploded projectiles; means for delivering the regenerated material onto the top of the heap; means for supporting the material heap and for conveying the material from the heap towards said transportation means which are made up of two belts moving in opposite and converging directions, characterized in that said two belts are at a slope and/or inclinable downward with respect to the firing plane and are arranged spacedly and opposite to one another at the bottom of the material heap, with their longitudinal axes parallel to the firing axis. According to a preferred embodiment of the projectile-arrester of the present invention, the speed of rotation of said two belts can be adjusted and in a way independent of that of the other belt, said belts in addition being at a slope that can be variously adjusted with respect to the firing plane, from 0°, corresponding to the position in which the two belts block the flow of the material towards the transportation means up to the separation zone, to a slope less than 90°. Each one of said two belts can comprise two toothed wheels one of them being idle, and each belt can be made up of a continuous belt consisting of metallic restrained staves. A roll can be provided instead of one of said pairs of toothed wheels. Preferably, said means for conveying and carrying the material towards the separation zone are made up of a wheel bearing a number of blades or vanes, as well as of a conveyor belt, or they are made up of two wheels bearing blades or vanes, whereas the separation means are made up of a fan. Obviously, a number of projectile-arresters according to the present invention can be arranged side by side, with the provision of separate conveyor and transportation means for carrying the material towards the separation zone. On the contrary, the two belts can also be separate for each individual projectile-arrester, or they can be realized as a single belt. In that case, it will be necessary to provide a separation baffle between the adjacent belts to convey the material mass towards the two sides which are served by separate conveyance and transportation means. The present invention will be disclosed in the following just for illustrative and not for limitative purposes, with particular reference to the figure of the enclosed drawing, in which a side view is shown of a particular embodiment of the projectile-arrester according to the present invention. The heap 2 of granulated material is placed at the end of the indoors firing ground 1, the exploded projectiles dissipating their kinetic energy in said heap. A ballistic screen 3 is arranged behind said heap 2. The material 2 rests on two belts 4 and 5, that will be disclosed in the following in a more detailed way, said belts moving in opposite and converging directions, and pushing the material from the heap 2 towards the receiving-delivering device 6. Said material is conveyed towards the conduit or pipe 7 from said receiving-delivering device 6 which consists of rotating blades or vanes. The fan 8 pushes the material down the conduit or pipe 9 towards the orifice 10 for carrying the material again on the heap, while projectiles are separated by the action of gravity. Each one of the two belts 4 and 5 comprises two toothed wheels 11,12, and 13,14, one of said wheels being a driving wheel (11, 13) whereas the other one is idle (12, 14). The belts 4 and 5 are realized with metallic restrained staves that allow a suitable tightness to be obtained. Possibly, one of the two pairs of wheels 11,12 or 13,14 can be replaced by a single roll. The speed of rotation of the two belts 4 and 5 can be changed in a way independent of that of the other belt through sensing means (not shown). The slope of the two belts 4 and 5 can also be changed through sensing means (not shown) so as to modify the distance between the outer edges, and consequently the passage section of the material, possibly to the point of the complete closure of such section. The projectile-arrester shown in the figure is modular so that a number of projectile-arresters according to the present invention can be assembled side by side so as to satisfy any requirement. When a number of projectile-arresters are assembled side by side, the individual receiving-delivering devices 6 will be separate from one another though they will be very close to each other, while the belts 4 and 5 can also be continuous. On the contrary, if modular belts 4 and 5 are employed in a way similar to that of the receiving-delivering devices 6, a two-face separating baffle will be necessary in order to convey the overhanging heap 2 towards the two sides served by different receiving-delivering devices 6. It is well clear that the particular structural configuration of the belts 4 and 5, as well as the possibility of adjusting the speed and the slope of the same, allows an optimal flow of the material to be obtained down towards the regeneration step, so that any possible clogging is avoided.

Claims: A self-regeneration balistic projectile-arrester, suitable to fires with small arms and other types of arms, in particular in indoors firing ground (1), said projectile-arrester comprising a heap (2) of granulated material for taking up the kinetic energy of projectiles; means (6) for conveying and carrying the material towards the separation zone; means (8) for separating the material from the exploded projectiles; means (9, 10) for delivering the regenerated material onto the top of the heap (2); means for supporting the material heap and for conveying the material from the heap towards said transportation means which are made up of two belts (4, 5) moving in opposite and converging directions, characterized in that said two belts (4, 5) are at a slope and/or inclinable downward with respect to the firing plane and are arranged spacedly and opposite to one another at the bottom of the material heap (2), with their longitudinal axes parallel to the firing axis. A ballistic projectile-arrester according to claim 1, characterized in that the speed of rotation of said two belts (4, 5) is adjustable independently of one another. A ballistic projectile-arrester according to claim 1, characterized in that the slope of said two belts (4, 5) is adjustable independently of one another with respect to the firing plane, from an angle of 0°, at which position the two belts (4, 5) block the passage for the flow of the material towards the transportation means down to the separation zone, to a slope corresponding to an angle less 90°. A ballistic projectile-arrester according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that each one of said two belts (4, 5) comprises two toothed wheels (11, 12; 13, 14) one of which is idle. A ballistic projectile-arrester according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that said two belts (4, 5) are made up of a continuous belt consisting of metallic restrained staves. A ballistic projectile-arrester according to claim 4, characterized in that one of said two pairs of toothed wheels (11, 12; 13, 14) is replaced by a roll. A ballistic projectile-arrester according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that said means (6) for conveying and carrying the material towards the separation zone are made up of a wheel (6) provided with blades or vanes and of a conveyor belt. A ballistic projectile-arrester according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that said means (6) for conveying and carrying the material towards the separation zone are made up of two wheels provided with blades or vanes and of a conveyor belt. A ballistic projectile-arrester according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that said separation means (8) are made up of a fan. A ballistic projectile-arrester according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that a number of individual ballistic projectile-arrester units (1) are assembled side by side. A ballistic projectile-arrester according to claim 10, characterized in that individual means (6) are realized for conveying and carrying the material towards the separation zone for each individual projectile-arrester (1). A ballistic projectile-arrester according to claim 11, characterized in that said two belts (4, 5) of each unit (1) are realized in the form of a single belt. A ballistic projecter arrester according to claim 11, characterized in that said two belts (4, 5) of each unit (1) are realized separately with respect to the belts (4, 5) of the other units (1).

Inventors: ROSSI, ADELIO, SALABE', MARIO
Applicants: IMPRESA COSTRUZIONI SOC. FRA.SA. A R.L.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: F41J1
IPC codes: F41J13