Abstract:
The present invention is an adjustable projectile target that includes a support structure that can hold a body portion of the target at various angular positions with regard to the support structure. The support structure allows the body portion to be rotated along both a vertical and a horizontal axis to provide a variety of target profiles for the body portion to simulate for the individual shots taken from various elevations and distances from the target animal.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/056,187, filed on May 27, 2008, the entirety of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to targets for practicing the firing o a projectile, and more specifically to targets that provide a more realistic shooting profile to an individual. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     With regard to targets, there are many different types of targets that have been previously developed to give individuals the ability to practice effectively striking a target with a projectile, such as a bullet or an arrow. These targets come in various shapes and sizes, with many targets having the shape of the different animals that are going to be hunted by the archer. These targets can also be configured to move in the nature of the actual animal being hunted, and can be formed from a number of different materials to give a more realistic structure to the actual target, which in each case presents a more realistic target to the hunter. 
     However, these prior art targets, while providing a more than adequate structure for approximating the size and shape of the particular animal, have a significant shortcoming concerning the position or profile they present when used as a target. In particular, the prior art targets are each mounted to a structure that holds the target in a generally upright position, such that the target is perpendicular to the ground. This position is acceptable when the hunter expects to be shooting only horizontally at the target. However, in many situations the hunter is located in an elevated position with regard to the animal, such as in a tree stand, so the animal does not present a full profile to the hunter. But when practicing, often times the individual is not in the elevated position and is shooting horizontally at the target. Thus, a target mounted to only present a horizontal full side profile to the hunter does not provide an accurate representation of the target at which the hunter is shooting when in an elevated position. 
     Therefore, it is desirable to develop a target that is mounted to a support in a manner that enables the target to be moved into different angular positions with regard to the support. By moving to these positions, the target can present a realistic profile to a hunter shooting horizontally at the target to approximate the animal profile seen when shooting from an elevated location. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, a target is provided that includes a target body mounted to a base structure. The target body can be formed in a conventional manner and/or of conventional materials, and can have any desired shape. The target body is secured to an upright member that extends outwardly from the target body. Opposite the target body, the upright member is pivotally secured to a support member that can rest on the ground or other surface to support the target body. Due to the pivotal connection of the upright member to the support member, the target body can be angularly adjusted relative to the support member to provide a reduced profile that is more representative of the actual animal profile seen by a hunter located in an elevated hunting position, such as in a tree stand. 
     According to still another aspect of the present invention, the support member and the upright member include indicia illustrating the proper position of the upright member relative to the support member to provide an animal profile for a specified elevation and distance for the individual from the animal. 
     Numerous other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description taken together with the drawing figures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The drawing figures illustrate the best mode currently contemplated of performing the present invention. 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a target constructed according to the present invention in an upright position; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear plan view of the body of the target of  FIG. 1  in an angled position with regard to the support member; 
         FIG. 3  is a partially broken away cross-sectional view along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIG. 4  is a partially broken away cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 3  of a second embodiment of the target of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to the drawing figures in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the disclosure, a target constructed according to the present invention is illustrated generally at  10  in  FIG. 1 . The target  10  includes a body portion  12  secured to a support means  13 . The body portion  12  can take the shape of any desired animal or portion thereof to be hunted by an individual, or any other desired shape. The body portion  12  can also be formed of any suitable material, such as various molded foam materials, ballistics gels, or plastic materials, among others. The body portion  12  can also have any desired internal structure (not shown) to support the material forming the body portion  12 , such as a wire mesh or tubular members disposed within the body portion  12 , or any other internal or external features designed to assist the individual utilizing the target  10 , e.g., in determining the accuracy or other parameters of the shots being fired at the target  10  or moving the target  10 . 
     The body portion  12  is affixed to one end of an upright member  14  of the support means  13 , such as by connecting the upright member  14  to the internal structure of the body portion  12 , or molding the material forming the body portion  12  around one end of the upright member  14 . Additionally, the internal structure of the body portion  12  can extend outwardly from the body portion  12  to be engaged with the upright member  14  in a manner that allows the body portion  12  to be rotated along a generally vertical axis about the upright member  14 . In a preferred embodiment, the internal structure includes a portion  15  insertable onto or into the upright member  14  and rotatable with respect thereto. 
     To enable the upright member  14  to support the body portion  12 , the upright member  14  is preferably formed of a generally rigid material, such as a metal or hard plastic, that can have any desired shape sufficient to engage and securely hold the body portion  12 , and also sufficient to withstand a strike from an arrow (not shown) or other projectile that may strike the upright member  14 . 
     The upright portion  14 , in a preferred embodiment, is formed from a vertical member  16  that is affixed to the body portion  12 , and a horizontal member  18  secured to the vertical member  16 , such as by welding, to form a T-shaped upright member  14 . More preferably, the vertical member  16  and the horizontal member  18  are each formed from a tubular structure, most preferably having a circular cross-section, and formed from a metal, such as aluminum or steel. 
     Opposite the body portion  12 , the upright member  14  is secured to a support member  20 . The support member  20  includes a base member  22  and a pair of opposed sockets  24  spaced from one another and secured to the base member  22 , such as by welding or by using a suitable fastener or adhesive. Preferably the sockets  24  are disposed at or adjacent to the opposite ends of the base member  22 , which is formed of a metal, such that the sockets  24 , also preferably formed of a metal, can be welded thereto. Alternatively, the base member  22  and the sockets  24  can be formed from materials such as various metals or plastics that enable the base member  22  and sockets  24  to be integrally formed with one another in a suitable molding process. 
     The base member  22  can be formed in any suitable manner to provide a point of attachment for the upright member  14  and the body portion  12  to a stable base to maintain the target  10  in a desired position when in use. The base member  22  can be formed to function as the stable base itself, or can be configured to be secured to any other structure or surface, such as by welding or using any suitable fasteners, including stakes  100  that can be driven through openings  25  in the base member  22  to affix the base member  22  to the ground. 
     The sockets  24  are formed to have an interior cross-section that is complementary to the shape of the horizontal member  18  of the upright member  14 , such that the ends of the horizontal member  14  can be inserted into the sockets  24  and rotated therein along a generally horizontal axis. Within each of the sockets  24  is disposed a suitable frictional member  200  that operates to restrict the rotation of the horizontal member  18  with respect to each of the sockets  24  such that the horizontal portion  18 , and consequently the body portion  12  secured thereto, can be maintained in the desired angular position to present a profile of the body portion  12  corresponding to the likely elevation and distance between the hunter and the animal. The frictional member  200  is formed o any suitable material that can securely frictionally engage the horizontal member  18  to hold the horizontal member  18  stationary within the socket  24 , while also allowing the member  18  to be rotated when a sufficient force is applied to the member  18 . 
     Additionally, to assist the frictional member  200  in holding the body portion  12  in the desired angular position relative to the support member  20 , a suitable locking device  400  is disposed on one the upright member  14  or the support member  20  and is capable of securely, but releasably, engaging the other of the upright member  14  or the support member  20  to maintain the position of the members  14  and  20  relative to one another when struck by a projectile. Examples of these types of devices include ratchet mechanisms, locking pins, which can be spring-biased, locking clips and tabs, among other suitable devices. In an alternative embodiment, the member  200  can alternatively be formed to be a bearing member, with the locking device  400  solely providing the function of holding the upright member  14  and support member  20  stationary with regard to one another. 
     In another embodiment of the invention, as best shown in  FIG. 4 , the horizontal portion  18  of the upright member  14  is connected to the support member  20  by being inserted within the socket  24  that is formed of a tubular member that is secured to an upright bracket  500  connected to the base member  22  generally opposite the socket  24 . The upright bracket  500  is affixed to the socket  24  and the base member  22  in any suitable manner, such as by using mechanical fasteners or by welding or adhering the pieces together. In a preferred structure, the upright bracket  500  is made of a metal that enables the bracket  500  to be welded to the socket  24  and base member  22 . 
     To hold the upright member  14  at the desired angle with respect to the socket  24 , a locking device  400  in the form of a hose clamp  402  is secured around the horizontal portion  18  of the upright member  14  and connected to the socket  24  in a suitable manner. The clamp  402  is formed with a band  404  of a suitable material disposed around the horizontal member  18  and connected at each end to a securing mechanism  406 . The mechanism  406  has a handle  408  that allows the device  406  to be tightened and loosened, in order to tighten and loosen the band  404  around the horizontal member  18  in a known manner, thereby enabling or disabling the ability of the horizontal member  18  to rotate with respect to the socket  24 . 
     To allow the hunter to put the body portion  12  in the desired position, the sockets  24  and/or the horizontal portion  18  can have indicia  300  printed thereon which provides the hunter with the proper position of the horizontal portion  18  for a shot at a specified height for the hunter and a specified distance between the animal and the hunter. In addition, due to the ability of the body portion  12  to rotate along the longitudinal axis of the vertical member  16 , the body portion  12  can also be positioned to allow the hunter to simulate a shot of the animal walking directly towards the hunter, directly away from the hunter, or at any angle therebetween. 
     Various alternatives are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims, which particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter regarded as the present invention.