Abstract:
An apparatus comprising a portable, standing screen with a bin that can be placed near the person firing a semi-automatic weapon. The screen has a base section and an upright frame section. The upright frame section can be removed from the base to facilitate transportation or storage. The upright section has an angled top, a back and a bin. The angled top is directed toward the user at an approximate fifty (50) degree angle. The back fits stands vertically when fitted into the base. Extending from the back is a bin with a right side and left side directed toward the user. The top, back and bin are covered with screening to prevent any brass from passing through.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus for collecting or retrieving spent cartridges which are automatically ejected from firearms and, more particularly, to catching empty cartridges as they are ejected from a firearm which is fired repeatedly from a relatively fixed position such as in target shooting. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     A large number of firearms enthusiasts reload their ammunition themselves. Others desire to collect the spent cartridges so that they may have the cartridges reloaded by someone else. After the firearm is fired, the spent cartridge is ejected and thrown from the firearm. The spent cartridge normally lands on the ground, if the range is outdoors, or on a concrete floor, if the range is indoors. While the cartridges can be retrieved, they may have acquired dirt, they may have been bent by the fall or they may have been bent by someone stepping on them. The retrieval of the brass is time consuming, and thinking about the location of the spent cartridge can be distracting to the shooter. In some cases, spent cartridges can strike another shooter, causing a distraction. Therefore, a need exists for a efficient, inexpensive way to catch the cartridges as they are ejected from the firearm. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,565 discloses a free standing receptacle having a vertical opening placed next to the firearm and a resilient material attached to the opening for catching the cartridges in a bag-like structure. U.S. Pat. No. 3,658,241 discloses a free standing box like structure with a hatch that serves to deflect spent cartridges into the box where they can be extracted through a trap door. U.S. Pat. No. 4,959,918 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,153,981 disclose devices that can be attached to a firearm for catching the spent cartridges. 
     A need exists beyond the prior art for a device to catch spent cartridges without adding weight to the firearm by attaching the device to the firearm. Therefore, a free standing device is preferred. Existing free standing devices require the user to hold the firearm very close to the aperture or opening of the catching device which restricts the users movement and causes distraction. Therefore, a need exists for a free standing device that does not require the user to hold the weapon in very close proximity to the catching device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention meets the needs and solves the problems identified above by providing an apparatus comprising a portable standing screen with a bin that can be placed near the person firing a semi-automatic weapon. The screen has a base section and an upright frame section. The upright frame section can be removed from the base to facilitate transportation or storage. The upright section has an angled top, a back and a bin. The angled top is directed toward the user at an approximate fifty (50) degree angle. The back stands vertically when fitted into the base. Extending from the back is a bin with a front, a right side and a left side extending toward the user. The top, back and bin are covered with screening to prevent any brass from passing through. 
     The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numbers represent like parts of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a right front perspective view of the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a right side view of the invention with shooter and spent cartridge. 
     FIG. 3 is a front view of the invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a right side view of the invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a backside view of the invention with shooter and spent cartridge. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In FIG. 1, Catcher  100  has top  40 , back  20 , bin  30  and base  10 . Back  20  has back right joint  23  and back left joint  25  for supporting bin  30 . Back first left support  63  has a first end which fixedly engages the upper opening of back left joint  25 . Back first right support  62  has a first end which fixedly engages the upper opening of back right joint  23 . Back first right support  62  has a second end which is fixedly engaged to back second right support  22  and back middle support  64  by back right three-way connector  60 . Back first left support  63  has a first end which fixedly engages back left joint  25 . Back first left support  63  is fixedly engaged to back second left support  24  and back middle support  64  by back left three-way connector  61 . Back right elbow  26  is fixedly engaged to the top of back second right support  22 . Back left elbow  28  is fixedly engaged to the top of back first left support  24 . Back right connector  27  may be fixedly engaged to the bottom of back right joint  23  or alternatively, back right connector  27  may be removably engaged to the bottom of back right joint  23  so that back right extension  66  may be substituted. Back left connector  29  is fixedly engaged to the bottom of back left joint  25 . In the preferred embodiment, back  20  is approximately thirty (30) inches wide by forty three (43) in height. Optional back right extension  66  and back left extension (not shown) may be substituted for back right connector  27  and back left connector  29  in order to raise the height of bin  30  when base  10  is positioned at ground level. Option back right extension  66  and back left extension are approximately 35 inches long. Back right connector  27  and back left connector  29  are approximately 5 inches long. When using optional back right extension  66  and back left extension, back left connector  29  and back right connector  27  are removably engaged to back right joint  23  and back left joint  25 . 
     Back  20  may be constructed without back middle support  64  in which case back right three way connector  60  and back left three way connector  61  would be eliminated, back first left support  63  and back second left support  24  would be one piece and back first right support  62 , and back second right support  22  would be one piece. 
     Top  40  has top bar  42  with a right end fixedly engaged to top right elbow  44  and a left end fixedly engaged to top left elbow  46 . Top right support  45  is fixedly engaged to the top of back right elbow  26 . Top left support  47  (see FIG. 3) is fixedly engaged to the bottom of back left elbow  28 . In the preferred embodiment, top  40  is approximately ten (10) inches in height by thirty (30) inches wide. Top  40  is directed toward the user at an approximate fifty (50) degree angle. 
     Bin right arm  21  is fixedly engaged to the middle opening of back right joint  23  and extends horizontally at approximately a ninety degree angle to back right support  22  and back right connector  27 . Bin right joint  35  has a first horizontal opening which is fixedly engaged to the free end of bin right arm  21 . Bin right joint  35  has a second horizontal opening at approximately ninety degrees to the first horizontal opening of bin right joint  35 . Bin bottom bar  34  has a first end fixedly engaged to the second opening of bin right joint  35 . Catcher  100  may be constructed without bin bottom bar  34  in which case bin right joint  35  does not have a second opening. Bin right joint  35  has a third opening which extends outward at an approximate forty five (45) degree angle to the plane of the first opening and second opening of bin right joint  35 . Bin right support  36  is fixedly engaged to the third opening of bin right support  35 . 
     Bin left arm  11  is fixedly engaged to the middle opening of back left joint  25  and extends horizontally at approximately a ninety degree angle to back left support  24  and back left connector  29 . Bin left joint  33  has a first horizontal opening which is fixedly engaged to the first end of bin left arm  11 . Bin left joint  33  has a second horizontal opening at approximately ninety degrees to the first horizontal opening of bin left joint  33 . Bin bottom bar  34  has a second end which is fixedly engaged to the second horizontal opening of bin left joint  33 . Catcher  100  may be constructed without bin bottom bar  34  in which case bin left joint  33  does not have a second opening. Bin left joint  33  has a third opening which extends outward at an approximate forty five (45) degree angle to the plane of the first opening and second opening of bin left joint  33 . Bin left support  38  is fixedly engaged to the third opening of bin left joint  33 . 
     Back screen  52  is attached to the top half of back left joint  25 , back first left support  63 , back left three-way connector  61 , back second left support  24 , back back left elbow  28 , top left support  47  (see FIG.  3 ), top left elbow  46 , top bar  42 , top right elbow  44 , top right support  45 , back right elbow  26 , back first right support  22 , back right three-way connector  62 , back first right support  62  and the top half of back right joint  23 . In the preferred embodiment, back screen  52  is affixed by plastic ties. Washers are employed on back screen  52  to strengthen the points where the ties pass through. Alternatively, back screen  52  may be glued to the portions of catcher  100  to which it is attached. 
     Right screen  54  is attached to part of back right support  22 , half of back right joint  23 , bin right arm  21 , bin right joint  35 , bin right support  36  and half of bin right elbow  39 . In the preferred embodiment, right screen  54  is affixed by plastic ties to catcher  100 . Washers are employed on right screen  54  to strengthen the points where the ties pass through. Alternatively, right screen  54  may be glued to the portions of catcher  100  to which it is attached. 
     Left screen  56  is attached to bin left elbow  37 , bin left support  38 , bin left joint  33 , bin left arm  11 , half of back left joint  25  and part of back left support  24 . In the preferred embodiment, left screen  56  is affixed by plastic ties to catcher  100 . Washers are employed on left screen  56  to strengthen the points where the ties pass through. Alternatively, left screen  56  may be glued to the portions of catcher  100  to which it is attached. 
     Front screen  59  is attached to bin right joint  35 , bin right support  36 , bin right elbow  39 , bin top bar  32 , bin left elbow  37 , bin left support  38 , bin left joint  33  and bin bottom bar  34 . In the preferred embodiment, front screen  59  is affixed by plastic ties to catcher  100 . Washers are employed on front screen  59  to strengthen the points where the ties pass through. Alternatively, front screen  59  may be glued to the portions of catcher  100  to which it is attached. 
     Bin bottom screen  58  is attached to bin bottom bar  34 , bin right joint  35 , bin right arm  21 , back screen  52 , back left joint  25  and bin left arm  11 . In the preferred embodiment, bin bottom screen  58  is affixed by plastic ties. Washers are employed on bin bottom screen  58  to strengthen the points where the ties pass through. Alternatively, bin bottom screen  58  may be glued to the portions of catcher  100  to which it is attached. Catcher  100  may be constructed without bin bottom bar  34 . 
     Back screen  52 , bin bottom screen  58  and front screen  59  may be combined in one piece. 
     Base  10  has base right four way connector  17 , base right front arm  18 , base front right elbow  13 , base front  12 , base front left elbow  15 , base left front arm  16 , base left four way connector  19 , base right rear arm  68 , base rear right elbow  70 , base rear bar  66 , base rear left elbow (not shown), base left rear arm  67  and base middle bar  14 . Base right rear joint  17  has a first opening for receiving a first end of base right arm  18 . Base right four way connector  17  has a second opening for receiving a first end of base middle bar  14 . Base right four way connector  17  has a third opening for receiving base right connector  27 . Base right four way connector  17  has a fourth opening for receiving base right rear arm  68 . Base left four way connector  19  has a first opening for receiving a first end of base left arm  16 . Base left four way connector  19  has a second opening for receiving a second end of base middle bar  14 . Base left four way connector  19  has a third opening for receiving back left connector  29 . Base left four way connector has a fourth opening for receiving base left rear arm  67 . In the preferred embodiment, base  10  is approximately fifteen (15) inches by thirty (30) inches. Base  10  may be constructed without base middle bar  14  in which case base right four way connector  17  and base left four way connector  19  would be three way connectors. 
     Top  40 , back  20  and bin  30  are fixedly connected to each other and are fixedly and removably engaged to base  10 . Base  10  may be removed for ease of transportation and storage. In the preferred embodiment, Catcher  100  is made from ½ inch Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubing and connectors and synthetic screening. Standard insect screen may be used for back screen  52 , right screen  54 , left screen  56 , bottom screen  59  and front screen  59 . Parts that are fixedly connected are joined by PVC glue and parts that are removably connected are joined by friction. Persons skilled in the art are aware of other materials that may be used to construct catcher  100  such as aluminum or steel. Catcher  100  may be formed of plastic in which case sections that are joined using PVC elbows and connectors may be molded in one piece. 
     In FIG. 2, catcher  100  is shown in use with shooter  6  and spent cartridge  7  ejected from firearm  8  in a trajectory to land in bin  30  of catcher  100 . Catcher  100  is positioned on the ground. Catcher  100  may be positioned at varying distances from user  6  depending on the ejection trajectory of the make and model of firearm  8 . Bin  30  is large enough to catch ejected cartridges in a variety of trajectories. Back  22  will stop cartridges that would overshoot bin  30  because such cartridges will hit back screen  52  (See FIG. 1) and fall into bin  30 . Cartridges that strike top  40  will be deflected downward into bin  30 . Without top  40  cartridges striking the top of back  22  may be high enough to bounce off back screen  54  with enough force to miss bin  30 . Unlike the prior art devices for catching spent cartridges  7 , catcher  100  provides a large open receptacle for the cartridges which gives user  6  some latitude in holding handgun  8  and in the position taken by user  6 . The height of bin  30  may be raised by substituting right extension  66  for back right connector  27  and left extension (not shown) for back left connector  29  (not shown). 
     FIG. 3 is a front view of catcher  100 . In the preferred embodiment, the distance from base bar  12  to bin top bar  32  is approximately 11 inches. Right screen  54  and left screen  38  are affixed to the approximate center lines of bin right support  36  and bin left support  38 . 
     FIG. 4 shows back screen  52  and top screen  45  are affixed to the inside centers of back right support  22  and back left support  24  respectively. Top  40  is angled at an approximate 50 degree angle to back  20 . The top of right screen  54  may angle upward to joint back screen  52  (see FIG. 1) and back right support  22  at a point higher than bin top bar  32  (see FIG. 3) to increase the internal area of bin  30 . 
     FIG. 5 shows shooter  6  with rifle  5  and spent rifle cartridge  9 . Catcher  100  is positioned on bench  80 . 
     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.