Improvements in Flying-target Traps.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Apr., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 17th May, 1887.
Improvements in Flying-target Traps.
We, JOHN B. BENNETT and FRANK W. SAMUELS, residents of the City of
Indianapolis, in the County of Marion, and State of Indiana, United States of
America, Electricians, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be perforined, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
Our invention relates to an improvement in that class of Flying-Target Traps, used
in practice shooting, in which the target is thrown from a swinging arın which is
actuated by the recoil of a spring, or like device, and which is held in a set position
ready for throwing, by a catch which engages the arm.
Heretofore in this class of traps, the catch-lever has been withdrawn from the
throwing-arm, and the target thereby thrown, by pulling a cord secured to the catch-
lever and extending therefrom, to a distant station.
There are serious objections to this method of springing the trap, particularly where
several traps are used together, among which objections are the following.
The cords leading from the various traps, often become tangled; the stretching of
the cords renders the instant of flight of the target, uncertain; the shooter, by
watching the ropes can generally tell from which trap to expect the target. The trap
is also liable to be jerked out of position, thus changing and interfering with the
flight of the target.
The object of our improvement is to release the throwing arm and thereby cause
the discharge of the target, by means of an electric circuit, and an electro-magnet
arranged therein.

page_text: The accompanying drawings illustrate our invention. Fig. 1 is a view in perspective
of our entire device. Fig. 2 is an elevation on a larger scale, as seen from a, Fig. 1.
A is the throwing-arm which is mounted on a short crank-shaft b, mounted so as to
turn in the bearing e, formed on the frame B. Said throwing-arm is actuated by the
spiral spring d, which is secured at one end to the frame, and at the other end, to the
crank of shaft b.
F is the target, consisting of a light disc of some easily broken material. Frame B
is mounted on a suitable standard g.
The construction above described is common and well known. The throwing-arm
is shown in its set position ready for throwing the target. Said arm is held in its set
position by the catch-lever . Lever is pivoted to the standard i, which projects
from a plate, secured to the frame B, and carrying the electro-magnet k. On the
catch-lever which engages the throwing-arm, is an armature which is formed
integral with the catch-lever, or may be formed separately and secured thereto.
The pivoted end of the catch-lever is bent downward to form an arm m, in which
is an adjustable stop s, which rests against the standard i.
Stops is held normally against the standard, and the outer end of the catch-lever
held in engagement with the throwing-arm, when set, by a spiral spring t, one end of
which is attached to the arm, and the other end is secured to a short screw-threaded
rod w, which is adjustably secured in a lug projecting from plate j, by the nuts u
and v, which operate to adjust the tension of the spring.
Wires o and p, form with the battery r, an electric circuit, in which the magnet k
is included..
The operation of our device is as follows.
Stops having been adjusted so as to bring the armature as near the magnet as
possible and yet leave sufficient space for the movement of the catch-lever, the
throwing-arm A is turned to the position shown, thus turning crank shaft and
extending spring d.
The target throwing-arm passes over the hooked end of the catch-lever h, and is
engaged and held thereby.
The marksman being in position, the attendent closes the electric circuit by means
of a switch T, or other suitable means, or it may easily be arranged so that the marks-
man can close the circuit by means of a switch or push button, operated by the foot.
The catch-lever carrying, or forming an armature, or through the action of an
armature in close proximity to the poles of the electro-magnet, is thus instantly drawn
out of engagement with the target throwing-arm, and the target is thrown by the
recoil of the spring d.
Although we describe herein a certain construction of a target-throwing mechanism
in detail, we do not wish to be understood as confining or limiting our invention to
the special details of construction of the target-throwing mechanism, or to the special
arrangement described of the electro-magnet, armature and catch-lever, as these parts
be modified in many ways.
may
It is obvious that the relation of the catch-lever and the throwing arm may be
reversed without departing from the spirit of our invention, that is, the catch-lever
may be secured rigidly above the throwing-arm, and the electro-magnet arranged to
draw the arm out of engagement with the catch, to release it therefrom instead of
being arranged as shown, to draw the catch from the arm.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is;
1st. That improvement in operating traps for throwing targets, which consists in

page_text: releasing thetarget-throwing mechanism, by means of an electro-magnet, included
in an electric circuit and arranged to disengage the throwing-arm from its retainer.
2nd. In a flying-target trap, the combination with the spring actuated throwing-arm
and the frame on which the throwing mechanism is mounted, of a catch-lever, an
armature, an electro-magnet, and an electric circuit within which said magnet is
included, all relatively so arranged that the catch-lever is withdrawn and the throwing
arm is released by the movement of the armature when attracted by the electro-
magnet, substantially as specified.
3rd. In a flying-target trap, the combination with the spring actuated throwing-
arm, the frame on which the throwing mechanism is mounted, the catch-lever carrying
an armature and arranged to engage and hold the throwing-arm when set for throwing,
and an electro-magnet arranged to attract said armature and to thereby release the
throwing-arm, of the adjustable stop, and the tension spring, whereby the catch-lever
is adjusted relatively to the electro-magnet, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.