Abstract:
A method of practicing aiming of a gun at a moving target includes providing a first simulated target, providing a second simulated target in spaced-apart relationship with respect to the first simulated target, providing a gun, positioning the gun with respect to the first simulated target and the second simulated target and repeatedly aiming the gun at the second simulated target while visually focusing on the first simulated target. The first simulated target represents a position of the moving target upon shooting of shot from the gun. The second simulated target represents a position of the moving target upon striking of the moving target with the shot.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuation of and incorporates by reference in its entirety U.S. application Ser. No. 12/154,543,filed May 23, 2008 now abandoned and entitled “Stationary Target Assembly”, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/931,689,dated May 25, 2007. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to targets used in the practice of aiming guns. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a stationary target assembly and practice in the mounting and aiming of a gun at a moving target using the stationary target assembly. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Shooting of a moving target such as a clay pigeon or a flying fowl with a shotgun requires a high degree of skill in mounting and aiming of the shotgun at the target. A shooter may have a tendency to either shoot behind or ahead of the moving target, particularly in the case of a fast-moving target such as a clay pigeon. Therefore, consistent timing of the mounting and aiming of the shotgun and pulling of the trigger with striking of the target typically requires repetitive practice in mounting and aiming of the shotgun. 
     Accordingly, a stationary target assembly and a gun aiming method are needed which facilitate practice in the mounting and aiming of a gun at a moving target. 
     SUMMARY 
     The disclosure is generally directed to a method of practicing aiming of a gun at a moving target. An illustrative embodiment of the method includes providing a first simulated target, providing a second simulated target in spaced-apart relationship with respect to the first simulated target, providing a gun, positioning the gun with respect to the first simulated target and the second simulated target and repeatedly aiming the gun at the second simulated target while visually focusing on the first simulated target. The first simulated target represents a position of the moving target upon shooting of shot from the gun. The second simulated target represents a position of the moving target upon striking of the moving target with the shot. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will now be made, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of an illustrative embodiment of the stationary target assembly; 
         FIG. 1A  is an enlarged sectional view, taken along section line  1 A in  FIG. 1 , more particularly illustrating an exemplary technique for attaching a target support frame member to a frame extension of the stationary target assembly; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the stationary target assembly; 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the stationary target assembly, more particularly illustrating a vertical adjustment capability of the assembly; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the stationary target assembly, more particularly illustrating a swivel attachment of a target support frame member to an assembly support frame (not illustrated) of the assembly; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view, taken along section lines  5 - 5  in  FIG. 1 , of a main frame member of the assembly; 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of the stationary target assembly, more particularly illustrating variable placement capability of a pair of targets on the target support frame member of the assembly; 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of the stationary target assembly, more particularly illustrating variable placement capability of the targets on the target support frame member of the assembly; 
         FIG. 8  is a front view (partially in section) of the stationary target assembly, with a stake element of the stationary target assembly inserted in the ground in typical application of the assembly; 
         FIG. 9  is a top view of the stationary target assembly, more particularly illustrating aiming of a shotgun at a first target on the stationary target assembly in typical application of the stationary target assembly; 
         FIG. 10  is a top view of the stationary target assembly, more particularly illustrating aiming of a shotgun at a second target on the stationary target assembly in typical application of the stationary target assembly; 
         FIG. 11  is a front view of an alternative illustrative embodiment of the stationary target assembly, with a first target shaped in the configuration of a fowl and a second target shaped in the configuration of a sphere provided on the target support frame member of the assembly; 
         FIG. 12  is a top view of the stationary target assembly illustrated in  FIG. 11 , more particularly illustrating aiming of a shotgun at the first target on the stationary target assembly in typical application of the stationary target assembly; 
         FIG. 13  is a top view of the stationary target assembly illustrated in  FIG. 11 , more particularly illustrating aiming of a shotgun at the second target on the stationary target assembly in typical application of the stationary target assembly; 
         FIG. 14  is a front view of another alternative illustrative embodiment of the stationary target assembly, with first and second targets shaped in the configuration of a water fowl provided on the target support frame member of the assembly; and 
         FIG. 15  is a front view of an illustrative tripod embodiment of the stationary target assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring initially to  FIGS. 1-10  of the drawings, an illustrative embodiment of the stationary target assembly is generally indicated by reference numeral  1 . The stationary target assembly  1  includes an assembly support frame  2  having a generally elongated main frame member  2   a  and a generally elongated target support frame member  14  which is provided on the main frame member  2   a . The longitudinal axis of the target support frame member  14  may be oriented in generally perpendicular relationship with respect to the longitudinal axis of the main frame member  2   a . At least one simulated target  21  is provided on the target support frame member  14 . In typical application of the stationary target assembly  1 , which will be hereinafter described, a first simulated target  21   a  and a second simulated target  21   b  are provided on the target support frame member  14  at a selected lead spacing with respect to each other. A practice shooter (not illustrated) stands at a distance from the stationary target assembly  1  and repeatedly mounts and aims a shotgun  26  ( FIGS. 9 and 10 ) first at the first simulated target  21   a  and then at the second simulated target  21   b  in motions which simulate sighting of a clay pigeon or other moving target preparatory to shooting of the moving target with the shotgun  26 . The first target  21   a  represents the position of the moving target when the trigger of the shotgun is depressed, whereas the second simulated target  21   b  represents the position of the moving target when the pellets (not illustrated) from the shotgun reach the moving target. Therefore, repeated sighting of the first simulated target  21   a  and the second simulated target  21   b  by the practice shooter facilitates training of the practice shooter in accurately shooting a moving target the positions of which generally correspond to the positions of the first simulated target  21   a  and the second simulated target  21   b  when the trigger of the shotgun  26  is depressed and the pellets from the shotgun reach the moving target, respectively. Each simulated target  21  may be detachable with respect to the target support frame member  14  to facilitate placement of the simulated targets  21   a  at a selected lead spacing with respect to each other as will be hereinafter described. 
     The main frame member  2   a  of the assembly support frame  2  includes a generally elongated base frame member  8 . The target support frame member  14  is attached to the assembly support frame  2  typically in a manner which will be hereinafter described. In some embodiments, the base frame member  8  extends through a frame mount sleeve  3 . A stake  4 , having a stake insertion tip  5 , extends from the frame mount sleeve  3 . In typical application of the stationary target assembly  1 , which will be hereinafter described, the stake  4  is inserted in the ground  24  ( FIG. 8 ) to support the stationary target assembly  1  in a generally vertical, upward-standing configuration. However, other techniques known by those skilled in the art may be used to support the stationary target assembly  1  in an upward-standing configuration on the ground  24  or other support surface (not illustrated). 
     In some embodiments, the main frame member  2   a  of the assembly support frame  2  is height-adjustable and may be selectively deployed in the extended configuration illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 8  or the collapsed configuration illustrated in  FIG. 1 , depending on the desired height of the simulated target or targets  21  above the ground  24  ( FIG. 8 ) or other support surface (not illustrated). Accordingly, at least one frame extension  9  is telescopically extendable from the base frame member  8 . The target support frame member  14  is attached to the frame extension or extensions  9  typically in a manner which will be hereinafter described. In the embodiment of the support frame  2  illustrated in  FIGS. 1-8 , a first frame extension  9   a  is telescopically extendable from the base frame member  8 ; a second frame extension  9   b  is telescopically extendable from the first frame extension  9   a ; and a third frame extension  9   c  is telescopically extendable from the second frame extension  9   b . The target support frame member  14  is provided on the third frame extension  9   c . However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any number of frame extensions  9  may be provided between the base frame member  8  and the target support frame member  14  depending on the desired height adjustability of the main frame member  2   a . Therefore, the length or height of the main frame member  2   a  may be selected by extending a selected length of the first frame extension  9   a  from the base frame member  8 ; a selected length of the second frame extension  9   b  from the first frame extension  9   a ; and a selected length of the third frame extension  9   c  from the second frame extension  9   b . The first frame extension  9   a , the second frame extension  9   b  and the third frame extension  9   c  may be secured at the selected extended lengths by, for example, selective rotation of a first lock sleeve  10   a ; a second lock sleeve  10   b ; and a third lock sleeve  10   c  which are provided on the base frame member  8 , the first frame extension  9   a  and the second frame extension  9   b , respectively. In the cross-sectional view of the main frame member  2   a  which illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the main frame member  2   a  is deployed in the collapsed configuration with the first frame extension  9   a ; the second frame extension  9   b ; and the third frame extension  9   c  disposed inside the base frame member  8 . 
     The target support frame member  14  may be attached to the frame extension or extensions  9  according to any suitable technique which is known by those skilled in the art. As indicated by the arrow in  FIG. 4 , in some embodiments, the target support frame member  14  is rotatably mounted with respect to the third frame extension  9   c . Accordingly, as illustrated in  FIG. 1A , a mount pin  12  (illustrated in phantom) extends from the third frame extension  9   c . The mount pin  12  further extends through a mount pin opening (not illustrated) provided in the target support frame member  14 . A mount pin cap  11  may be threadably or otherwise attached to the protruding end portion of the mount pin  12  to secure the target support frame member  14  to the third frame extension  9   c.    
     Each simulated target  21  may be attached to the target support frame member  14  according to any suitable technique which is known by those skilled in the art. For example, each simulated target  21  may be provided on a first end of a corresponding target support rod  19  which extends from the target support frame member  14  and is attached to the target support rod  19  according to the knowledge of those skilled in the art. As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , multiple target rod mount openings  15  may extend through the target support frame member  14  at spaced-apart intervals with respect to each other, on each side of the mount pin cap  11 . The target support rod  19  of the first simulated target  21   a  and the target support rod  19  of the second simulated target  21   b  extend through respective target rod mount openings  15 , typically on respective sides of the mount pin cap  11 . A wing nut  20  may be threaded on a second end of each target mount rod  19  and tightened against the target support frame member  14  to secure the target mount rod  19  to the target support frame member  14 . The longitudinal axis of each target mount rod  19  may be disposed generally in the same plane as the longitudinal axis of the main frame member  2   a  and the longitudinal axis of the target support frame member  14  of the assembly support frame  2 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the first simulated target  21   a  and the second simulated target  21   b  may be re-positioned on the target support frame member  14  at a selected lead spacing with respect to each other by unthreading the wing nuts  20  from the respective target support rods  19 ; removing the target support rods  19  from the respective target rod mount openings  15 ; relocating the target support rods  19  and simulated targets  21  to the new positions indicated by the phantom lines in  FIGS. 6 and 7 ; inserting the target support rods  19  through a second pair of target rod mount openings, respectively, which correspond to the new positions; and threading the wing nuts  20  back onto the respective target mount rods  19 . 
     Each simulated target  21  may generally resemble the appearance of a clay pigeon and may include at least one or multiple concentric target disks  22  disposed in a stacked or stepped configuration with respect to each other. As illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , in some embodiments, the largest of the target disks  22  is provided on the first end of the target support rod  19 . The other target disks  22  of progressively descending diameter are stacked on the largest target disk  22 . In some embodiments, a standard or conventional clay pigeon (not illustrated) can be placed on the target support rod  19  such as, for example, by drilling an opening (not illustrated) in the clay pigeon and inserting the upper end of the target support rod  19  into the opening. 
     Referring next to  FIGS. 8-10  of the drawings, in typical application, the stationary target assembly  1  is deployed in generally vertical or upward-standing relationship with respect to the ground  24  ( FIG. 8 ) or other support (not illustrated), preparatory to a practice shooter&#39;s (not illustrated) aiming of a shotgun  26  ( FIGS. 9 and 10 ) at one or both simulated targets  21  in a simulated sighting of a clay pigeon or other moving object (not illustrated) with the shotgun  26 . Accordingly, as illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the stake insertion tip  5  of the stake  4  is inserted in the ground  24 , with the lower end of the base frame member  8  typically resting on the surface of the ground  24 . The height of the main frame member  2   a  of the assembly support frame  2  may be selected to support the first simulated target  21   a  and the second simulated target  21   b  at the selected height above the ground  24  typically by telescopic extension of the frame extension or extensions  9  from the base frame member  8  and each other and locking of the frame extension or extensions  9  at the selected extended lengths typically by rotation of the lock sleeve or sleeves  10 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the first simulated target  21   a  is assembled on the target support frame member  14  typically by extending the target support rod  19  through a selected one of the spaced-apart target rod mount openings  15  provided in the target support frame member  14  and threading a wing nut  20  ( FIG. 1 ) on the target support rod  19 . The second simulated target  21   b  may initially be removed or omitted from the target support frame member  14 . A bead sight (not illustrated), which may be fluorescent, may be positioned on the shotgun  26 . The practice shooter (not illustrated) grips the shotgun  26  ( FIG. 9 ) and stands at a selected distance (such as 33 yards, for example) from the first simulated target  21   a  of the stationary target assembly  1 , mounts the shotgun  26  and aims the shotgun  26  at the first simulated target  21   a  along a straight sight line  27 . The practice shooter repeats this action until he or she is proficient at mounting and aiming of the shotgun  26  at the first simulated target  21   a.    
     Next, with both of his or her eyes open, the practice shooter stares at the first simulated target  21   a  for a selected period of time, such as 5 seconds, for example, and mounts the shotgun  26  without taking his or her eyes off the first simulated target  21   a . The practice shooter may then squeeze the trigger (not illustrated) of the shotgun  26  with the safety (not illustrated) of the shotgun  26  in the “on” position or with a snap cap (not illustrated) in the chamber (not illustrated) of the shotgun  26 . Before dismounting of the shotgun  26 , the practice shooter closes his or her non-shooting eye and verifies that the bead sight (not illustrated) of the shotgun  26  is directed toward the first simulated target  21  a and repeats this action. In the event that the bead is not directed toward the first simulated target  21   a , the practice shooter ensures that the shooting eye is the dominant eye. The practice shooter focuses on the first simulated target  21   a  with his or her peripheral vision to ensure that the bead sight on the shotgun  26  covers the first simulated target  21   a . This action may be repeated until the practice shooter ensures that the location of the bead sight coincides with the location of the practice shooter&#39;s stare at the first simulated target  21   a.    
     When the practice shooter becomes proficient at mounting and aiming of the shotgun  26  at the first simulated target  21   a , the second simulated target  21   b  may be assembled on the target support frame member  14 . In mounting of the second simulated target  21   b  with the first simulated target  21   a  on the target support frame member  14 , the position of the first simulated target  21   a  represents the position which would correspond to the position of a moving object when the trigger of the shotgun  26  is pulled and the position of the second simulated target  21   b  represents the position which would correspond to the position of the moving object when the pellets from the shotgun  26  reach the moving object. The lead spacing between the first simulated target  21   a  and the second simulated target  21   b  may depend on the speed of the moving object which is represented by the simulated targets  21 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 10 , the practice shooter (not illustrated) visually focuses on the first simulated target  21   a  while mounting the shotgun  26  and aiming the shotgun  26  at the second simulated target  21   b  using the practice shooter&#39;s peripheral vision. This focused view (shot picture) of the first simulated target  21   a  is held in the practice shooter&#39;s field of vision for typically a one-second delay before the practice shooter pulls the trigger (not illustrated) of the shotgun  26 . The typically one-second delay trains the practice shooter to place the shotgun  26  in the proper position in an actual shooting situation and may be repeated to entrain this proper position of the shotgun  26  into the practice shooter&#39;s mind. The practice shooter may walk around the stationary target assembly  1  and learn the shot pictures for various angles, in a similar manner. Next, the bead sight (not illustrated) may be removed from the shotgun  26  and the mounting and aiming steps which were outlined herein above with respect to  FIGS. 9 and 10  repeated to further train the practice shooter&#39;s ability to mount the shotgun  26  and aim the shotgun  26  at the moving target without the use of the bead sight. 
     Referring next to  FIGS. 11-14  of the drawings, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the first simulated target  31   a  (such as in the stationary target assembly  1   a  illustrated in  FIGS. 11-13 ), or both the first simulated target  35   a  and the second simulated target  35   b  (such as in the stationary target assembly  1   b  illustrated in  FIGS. 14 ), may simulate the appearance of a game fowl, for example. Accordingly, the fowl-configured simulated targets may be assembled on the target support frame member  14 , and the stationary target assembly  1   a  and  1   b  used typically in the manner which was heretofore described with respect to the stationary target assembly  1  in  FIGS. 8-10 , to train a practice shooter in mounting and aiming the shotgun  26  at a flying fowl (not illustrated) in fowl hunting. As illustrated with respect to the stationary target assembly  1   a  illustrated in  FIG. 11 , the second simulated target  31   b  may be configured in the shape of a sphere to enable the practice shooter to further differentiate between the first simulated target  31   a  and the second simulated target  31   b  during the training exercise. The stationary target assembly  1   a  may be used to train a practice shooter (not illustrated) in the mounting and aiming of a shotgun  26  at the first simulated target  31   a  and the second simulated target  31   b , as illustrated in  FIGS. 12 and 13  and as was heretofore described with respect to the simulated target assembly  1  which was heretofore described with respect to  FIGS. 8-10 . 
     Referring next to  FIG. 15  of the drawings, still another illustrative embodiment of the stationary target assembly is generally indicated by reference numeral  1   c . The stationary target assembly  1   c  has an assembly support frame  36  which includes a main frame member  38  having a tripod  39  with three tripod legs  40 . Pivoting leg connectors  41  may connect the tripod legs  40 . A generally elongated base frame member  44  extends from the tripod  39 . At least one frame extension  45  is telescopically extendable from the base frame member  44 . In some embodiments, a first frame extension  45   a  is telescopically extendable from the base frame member  44  and a second frame extension  45   b  is telescopically extendable from the first frame extension  45   a . A first lock sleeve  46   a  may be provided on the base frame member  44  and a second lock sleeve  46   b  may be provided on the first frame extension  45   a  to selectively lock the first frame extension  45   a  with respect to the base frame member  44  and the second frame extension  45   b  with respect to the first frame extension  45   a . Accordingly, the tripod  39  facilitates support of the stationary target assembly  1   c  on a flat support surface (not illustrated). 
     While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications can be made in the invention and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.