IMPROVEMENTS IN SENDING-TRAPS FOR FLYING TARGETS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, PHILIP MARQUA, of the corner of 5th and Walnut Streets in the City of
Cincinnati, in the County of Hamilton, State of Ohio, United States of America,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN SENDING-TRAPS FOR FLYING TARGETS, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
My invention relates to traps or sending apparatus used in projecting flying
targets into the air for sporting purposes; its object being to improve the con-
struction and efficiency of the same with a view to a more accurate and powerful
flight of the target and a more convenient manipulation of the "trap."
In the class of traps to which my invention is applied, a pivoted arm is
employed, carrying the target, (usually a dish-shaped shell of burnt clay or other
fragile material) which, by a partial rotation of the arm upon its pivot in an
approximately horizontal plane, and the sudden arrest of its movement, projects
the target into the air with a rotary impulse. In the common constructions the
target is held by means of a tongue attached thereto, and released by its own
centrifugal force or momentum, by which the impulse thus imparted is not always
uniform, depending upon the weight of the target, the accuracy of its form and
other conditions not always within control.
My invention seeks to obviate these and other difficulties, by imparting to the
target at the instant of projection a sudden and independent rotary and forward
impulse, and effecting its release by means independent of the target itself; thus
bringing all the conditions of flight within control, besides dispensing entirely with
the necessity of a tongue upon the target and avoiding all the loss by breakage in
transportation and use which such construction of the target entails.
To these ends, my invention consists, first, in combining with the main sending
arm of the trap an independently pivoted carrier, arranged to swing around upon
its pivot as the main arm rotates; and at the instant of arrest, to be suddenly and
forceibly carried to its ultimate position as an extension of the main arm, thereby
actuating the releasing mechanism and projecting the target by a sudden rotary
and forward impulse, imparting additional force both in rotation and projection.
This feature of my invention may be advantageously employed in connection
with all traps of this character, whatever be the form or construction of the target;
as the added force imparted at the instant of release and at the culmination of
the independent impulse given by the carrier, secures greater power and accuracy,

page_text: of projection, and enables the direction of flight to be exactly determined. The
remaining features of my invention relate to the construction of the trap and
releasing mechanism, which will more fully and at large appear in the course of the
following description.
My invention is embodied in the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying
drawings, in which,
Fig 1, is an elevation, partly sectioned, of a sending trap constructed according
to my improvements.
Fig 2, a partial plan view of the same.
Fig 3, a plan and corresponding edge view of the flanged pivot-thimble, detached,
showing the tripping-block for actuating the releasing mechanism.
Fig 4, a plan view of the pivot-end of the main sending arm, showing the
means for securing the pivot-thimble and tripping-block in ultimate positions of
adjustment.
Fig 5, a similar plan of a modified construction of the same part, showing a
means of adjustment and holding combined; and Fig 6, a perspective view of a
modified construction of the trap as a whole.
Referring now to the drawings, A, designates the main sending arm of the
trap, the latter being of any approved construction and requiring here no further
description, as many forms are in common use. To the outer end of the arm, A,
I attach a pivoted extension, B, which forms the carrier of the target, C,-a shallow
cup of any light and preferably fragile material-which, in the present case is
shown tongueless. The carrier, B, is an approximately triangular or semi-circular
holder, preferably formed of sheet metal, having a turned up edge at two or more
points, as at 1, l, or provided with gauge-stops, L, L, preferably covered with
rubber or cloth to form a soft rest for the target when placed in position, upon the
surface of the holder. The pivotal connection of the carrier with the arm, A, is
such that the former may swing in the same plane in which the latter moves, and
when in its extreme position, form an extension of its length. The pivot P,
forming this connection, extends above the surface of the carrier, B, in two lugs or
jaws p, p, between which, centrally above the pivot P, is pivoted a holding and
releasing arm, D, oscillating in a vertical plane. The latter is extended rearward
into a manipulating handle, d, for a purpose presently referred to, and forward
into an arm, d', bent upward to rest upon the edge of the target when the latter is
placed upon the carrier as shown, and provided with a friction holding button of
rubber, d, or extended into lateral bifurcations covered with rubber sheathing, as
indicated by dotted lines in Fig 2.
The pivot, P, rotates immediately within a thimble, T, placed within the
containing perforation of the arm, A, said thimble terminating above in a lateral
flange, t, having at one side upon its surface, a raised tripping block, t¹, con-
centrically arranged and merging by inclined planes at its ends (one or both) with
the general surface of the flange. The thimble, T, is adjustable within its holding
socket in the arm, A, to bring the tripping block, t¹, to any desired point of radial
adjustment with the axis of the arm, A, to which end the arm, A, is bifurcated at
its extreme end and a set-screw, 8, inserted between and through the bifurcated
ends a, a, thus forming a clamp, by which the thimble may be adjusted and held
securely in ultimate positions.. Instead of the latter construction, however, the
perforation of the arm, A, may be somewhat enlarged at one side and a screw
inserted tangentially to the circumference of the perforation, and the outer surface
of the thimble provided with a line of cog-threads, forming together an endless-
screw arrangement, shown in Fig 5, by which the thimble may be at the same
time adjusted and held.
The pivot, P, extends below the thimble, T, and is provided with a nut, n,
securing the parts together.
The holding and releasing arm, D, is provided, at the rear of its pivot, with a
spring, S, resting beneath it in a suitable holding socket upon the carrier, B, and
acting upon the arm above through an adjusting screw, e, by which its tension may

page_text: be regulated, thereby adjusting the pressure of the opposite extremity of the
arm, D, upon the target. Immediately in front of the pivot, P, another set screw, f,
is inserted through the arm, D, preferably provided with a clamp nut, f1, and
extends downward through an aperture in the carrier, B, forming a tripping finger,
which, in the rotation of the carrier, strikes the tripping block, t¹, and raises the
forward end of the holding arm, D, and releases the target.
The operation is as follows: The target, C, being placed in position upon the
carrier against the stops L, L, (or l, l, as the case may be), the forward end of the
arm, D, being raised by depressing the manipulating handle, d, for the purpose, is
allowed to drop by force of its spring, S, thus bringing the friction button, d³, upon
the target and holding it firmly and safely in position. The carrier is then
preferably reversed in relation to the main sending arm. The latter being then
"set off," the carrier is independently rotated upon its own pivot by centrifugal
force, the resultant effect being that the target is carried in an eccentric curve,
which, (supposing the main arm to be arrested at a point in its circle of rotation
diametrically opposite its starting point) is measured by a constantly increasing
radius which at the beginning is less than the length of the main sending arm by
the radial length of the carrier, and at the end is just so much greater. As will be
obvious, this action imparts to the target a constantly accelerating force, which,
however, does not reach its culmination at the instant of the arrest of the main
sending arm, owing to the inertia of the carrier and other causes, which cause it to
lag slightly behind, until, when the main arm is arrested, the carrier is impelled
forward by its own momentum to its culminating position in the prolonged axis of
the main arm. The thimble, T, is adjusted so as to bring the tripping block, t¹, to a
position engaging the tripping finger, f, at this culminating point in the rotation of
the carrier, and as a consequence, the target is released at the instant of greatest
projecting force. Moreover, inasmuch as by the rotation of each of the pivoted
arms, (the main sending arm and the pivoted carrier) the target is rotated half
a revolution upon its own axis, by their combined action it is rotated an entire
revolution; and as this occurs in the same time as by the action of the ordinary traps,
it is obvious that the rotative force thus imparted is exactly twice as great,—thus
giving to the flight of the target a steadiness and uniformity unattained heretofore.
The exact relative moment of release will depend, of course, upon the adjustment
of the thimble, T, and the proper point may easily be determined by experiment.
The modified construction shown in Fig 6, involves no departure in principle
from that described. In this, the flanged thimble is dispensed with, and the main
arm, A, perforated for the reception of the pivot without bifurcation. Between the
lugs p, p, of the pivot, is pivotally secured a catch, H, in bell-crank form, with a
forward extension, h, designed to rest upon and hold the target. The holding force
is supplied by a spring m arranged to embrace the lugs p, p, below, and fulcrum
against the pivot extending through and beyond the lugs. The upper portion of
the spring, is bent around the rear of the catch above, as shown, impelling the
arm, h, downward. The pivot, P, is extended below into an arm, I, carried rear-
ward and bent at its rear end to form a cam or tripping surface, i, which, as the
carrier rotates, is brought beneath the arm A, and lifts the catch, h, against the
force of the bolding spring. It would be desirable, in this construction, to interpose
a spring washer, k, between the holding nut of the pivot, P, and the arm, A, to
maintain a uniform frictional resistance to the rotation of the carrier, but it is not
indispensable.
A further modification, (not exhibited in the drawing) is to substitute for the
forms of holding catches shown, two arms arranged to clasp the target at opposite
sides around its marginal periphery and open by means of mechanical devices, such
substantially as described, at the proper moment to release the target for its flight.
In such case, the pivot, P, might be fixed, and terminate above in an elliptical stud
between the clasping arms, the latter being attached to the carrier and moving with
it, and in such movement being brought into contact with the longer axis of the
stud and thus spread apart.

page_text: I however regard the construction first described as the best and most efficient
for the purposes in view.
It will be obvious, on reflection, that the leading principle of my invention, to
wit: the combination of the independently pivoted carrier with the main sending
arm, may be advantageously applied to a trap in which the sending arm, moves in
a vertical plane, as in projecting glass balls; since the same increase of projecting
force, and the same certainty of release would be secured as in the case described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a trap or sending apparatus for flying targets, a sending arm provided with
a pivoted extension constituting the target-carrier, which, by the motion of the
sending arm is independently rotated upon its pivot by centrifugal force into a
position elongating the main arm, and projects the target by a sudden rotatory
impulse, as set forth.
2. In a trap or sending apparatus for flying targets, a sending arm provided with
a pivoted extension carrying the target and having an independent rotation by
centrifugal force, in combination with target holding and releasing mechanism
automatically actuated to release the target at the culmination of the independent
movement of the carrier, as set forth.
3. In a trap or sending apparatus for flying targets, in combination with a
sending arm provided with a pivoted target carrier, a spring catch adapted to hold
and release the target automatically, as set forth.
4. In a trap or sending apparatus for flying targets, in combination with a
sending arm, a supplemental pivoted target-carrier, provided with a pivoted holding
and releasing arm, the latter provided with an adjustable spring and a tripping
finger.
5. In a target sending apparatus in combination with the main sending arm and
a supplemental pivoted carrier and a spring-actuated holding arm provided with a
tripping finger, an adjustable thimble having a tripping block which by such
adjustment is brought into proper relation with the carrier.
6. In a target sending apparatus, the combination, with the main sending arm
and supplemental carrier, the pivoted holding arm (D) with a rear extension
forming a manipulating handle and a front extension forming a holding catch
resting upon the target.