Generator of simulated smoke signals for gunnery target practice

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING TO A GUNNER AT A DISTANCE FROM A TARGET A VISUAL INDICATION THAT HE HAS SCORED A HIT UPON THE TARGET, IN THE FORM OF A SIMULATED SMOKE SIGNAL PRODUCED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TARGET IS HIT, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: (A) A CONTAINER ADAPTED TO HOLD A SUPPLY OF FINELY POWDERED MATERIAL IN CONTACT WITH GAS UNDER PRESSURE AND HAVING (1) A GAS-TIGHT CLOSURE, (2) AN OUTLET NEAR ITS BOTTOM AND (3) AN INLET FOR GAS UNDER PRESSURE; (B) MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID INLET WITH A SOURCE OF GAS SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT PRESSURE; (C) A SOLENOID VALVE HAVING INLET AND OUTLET PORTS; (D) DUCT MEANS CONNECTING THE OUTLET OF THE CONTAINER WITH THE INLET PORT OF THE SOLENOID VALVE SO THAT THE VALVE CAN CONTROL RELEASE FROM THE CONTAINER OF POWDERED MATERIAL ENTRAINED IN GAS UNDER PRESSURE; (E) NOZZLE MEANS LOCATED AT THE TARGET AND CONNECTED WITH THE OUTLET OF THE SOLENOID VALVE, THROUGH WHICH GAS AND ENTRAINED POWDERED MATERIAL ARE EXPELLED INTO THE AIR WHEN THE VALVE IS OPEN, TO PRODUCE THE APPEARANCE OF SMOKE; (F) TRANSDUCER MEANS AT THE TARGET FOR PRODUCING AN ELECTRICAL IMPULSE IN CONSEQUENCE OF PASSAGE OF A PROJECTILE IN A PREDETERMINED RELATIONSHIP TO THE TARGET; AND (G) AMPLIFIER MEANS HAVING (1) INPUT TERMINALS CONNECTED WITH THE TRANSDUCER MEANS AND (2) OUTPUT TERMINALS CONNECTED WITH THE SOLENOID VALVE, SAID AMPLIFIER MEANS COMPRISING TIME DELAY HOLDING MEANS FOR DELIVERING A CURRENT OF RELATIVELY LONG DURATION TO SAID OUTPUT TERMINALS, TO OPEN THE SOLENOID VALVE FOR A SUFFICIENT TIME TO PRODUCE A DISTINCTLY VISIBLE SIMULATED SMOKE PUFF IN RESPONSE TO THE BRIEF ELECTRICAL IMPULSE DELIVERED TO SAID INPUT TERMINALS FROM THE TRANSDUCER MEANS.