Device for projecting projectiles at cyclically varying azimuth and altitudes

Claim 2

Training apparatus for throwing objects, comprising, in combination, rotary throwing means having an axis, and including wall means forming a spiral-shaped guideway having an inner end portion in the region of said axis, and an outer end portion, said throwing means having an inlet into said inner end portion and an outlet from said outer end portion of said guideway; drive means for rotating said throwing means about said axis so that an object inserted through said inlet into said guideway is accelerated and driven to said outlet by the centrifugal force; closure means having a normal closing position for closing said outlet, and an open position; actuating means for moving said closure means to said open position for passage of said object through said outlet; blocking means having an inoperative position, and a blocking position blocking said inlet so that no object can be inserted through the same into said throwing means; and means connecting said closure means with said blocking means so that said inlet is blocked when said closure means is moved to said closed position and opened when said closure means is opened.

Claim 3

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprising first control means for varying the rotary speed at which said throwing means is rotated by said drive means about said axis whereby the initial speed of the object is varied.

Claim 4

Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said drive means include a motor and a variable transmission connecting said motor with said throwing means; and wherein said first control means include first rotary cam means driven from said motor, said first cam follower means operatively connected with said variable transmission means for cyclically varying the transmission ratio of the same.

Claim 5

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said axis is horizontal; and comprising control means for operating said actuating means in different angular positions of said throwing means in which a radial plane through said outlet defines different acute elevation angles with a horizontal axial plane whereby the distance which the objects are thrown is varied.

Claim 6

Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said actuating means include an actuator, comprising a carrier member mounted for angular adjustment about said axis and supporting said actuator located in the path of movement of said closure means for opening the same; and wherein said control means include a rotary cam means driven by said drive means, and a cam follower means operatively connected with said carrier member for cyclically varying the angular position of the same and of said actuator in relation to said axis.

Claim 7

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said axis is horizontal; comprising support means for supporting said throwing means for angular movement about a vertical axis; and control means for turning said throwing means different azimuth angles about said vertical axis to different angular positions.

Claim 8

Apparatus As claimed in claim 6 wherein said control means include a rotary cam means driven by said drive means and cam follower means operatively connected with throwing means for turning the same cyclically varied azimuth angles about said vertical axis.

Claim 9

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprising manually operated control means for continuously varying the rotary speed at which said throwing means is rotated by said drive means about said axis whereby the initial speed of said object is gradually and selectively varied under control of an operator.

Claim 10

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said actuating means include a rotary member rotated by said drive mean, and means connecting said rotary member with said actuating means to effect cyclical movement of said closure means to said open position by said actuating means.

Claim 11

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprising first control means for varying the rotary speed of said throwing means; second control means for operating said actuating means in different angular positions of said throwing means; third control means for turning said throwing means about an axis transverse to said axis, fourth control means for operating said actuating means to open said closure means at predetermined intervals; and wherein said drive means drive all said rotary control means in synchronism.

Claim 12

Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said drive means include a motor and a variable transmission for driving said cams in synchronism; and comprising manually operated means connected with said variable transmission means for varying the transmission ratio of the same whereby said cams cyclically operate at a continuously variable speed determined by operation of said manually operated means.

Claim 13

Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 including driven shaft means, and mounting means for mounting said cams on said shaft means.

Claim 14

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said wall means of said rotary throwing means include a circular wall formed with said outlet, a pair of lateral walls at the axial ends of said circular wall, a spiral-shaped wall located within said circular wall and having lateral edges abutting said lateral walls, an inner end portion having a small radius of curvature, and an outer end portion having a great radius of curvature and ending adjacent said outlet in said circular wall, said guideway being formed by said spiral-shaped wall between said lateral walls; means for securing said spiral-shaped wall to said circular wall and said lateral walls; wherein one of said lateral walls is formed with said inlet, and wherein said inlet is partly surrounded by said inner end portion of said spiral-shaped wall.

Claim 15

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said closure means include a double-armed lever mounted at one end of said outlet for pivotal movement and having a normal closing position in which one arm thereof is located at said outlet and the other arm thereof projects into said guideway, and an open position extending radially to said axis, and latch means for holding said double-armed lever in said normal closing position; and wherein said actuating means include an actuator located in the path of movement of said latch means for releasing the same and opening said closure means in an angular position of said throwing means in relation to said axis determined by the angular position of said actuator.

Claim 16

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said wall means includes a spiral-shaped wall having a central inner end and an outer end, and being wound from said outer end to said inner end in one direction; and wherein said drive means rotate said throwing means and said spiral-shaped wall in a direction opposite to said one direction.

Claim 17

Training apparatus for throwing objects, comprising, in combination, rotary throwing means having a horizontal axis, and including spiral-shaped wall means forming a spiral-shaped guideway about said horizontal axis and having an inner end portioN in the region of said axis and an outer end portion, said throwing means having an inlet into said inner end portion and an outlet from said outer end portion of said guideway; drive means for rotating said throwing means about said horizontal axis so that an object inserted through said inlet into said guideway is accelerated and driven through said outlet by the centrifugal force; closure means including a closure lever having a normal closing position for closing said outlet, and an open position; actuating means operative to permit said closure means to release said closure lever so that said closure lever may be rotated under the force of a thrown object to an open position for passage of said object through said outlet; and control means for cyclically operating said actuating means to open said closure means in different angular positions of said spiral-shaped wall means in which said outer end portion of the same defines different angles with a horizontal axial plane whereby the elevation angle of the trajectory of the object and distances which the objects are thrown are varied.

Claim 18

Training apparatus for throwing objects, comprising, in combination, rotary throwing means having a horizontal axis, and including spiral-shaped wall means forming a spiral-shaped guideway about said horizontal axis and having an inner end portioN in the region of said axis and an outer end portion, said throwing means having an inlet into said inner end portion and an outlet from said outer end portion of said guideway; drive means for rotating said throwing means about said horizontal axis so that an object inserted through said inlet into said guideway is accelerated and driven through said outlet by the centrifugal force; closure means including a closure lever having a normal closing position for closing said outlet, and an open position; actuating means operative to permit said closure means to release said closure lever so that said closure lever may be rotated under the force of a thrown object to an open position for passage of said object through said outlet; and control means for cyclically operating said actuating means to open said closure means in different angular positions of said spiral-shaped wall means in which said outer end portion of the same defines different angles with a horizontal axial plane whereby the elevation angle of the trajectory of the object and distances which the objects are thrown are varied.

Claim 19

Training apparatus for throwing objects, comprising, in combination, rotary throwing means having an axis, and including wall means forming a spiral-shaped guideway having an inner end portion in the region of said axis and an outer end portion, said throwing means having an inlet into said inner end portion and an outlet from said outer end portion of said guideway; drive means for rotating said throwing means about said axis so that an object inserted through said inlet into said guideway is accelerated and driven to said outlet by the centrifugal force; closure means having a normal closing position for closing said outlet, and an open position; actuating means including an actuating portion mounted on said throwing means and operative to permit said closure means to move to said open position for passage of said object through said outlet, said actuating means further including an actuator, a carrier member supporting said actuator for movement of said actuator between an inoperative position and an operative position, said actuator in said operative position being located in the path of movement of said actuating portion for opening said outlet; and control means including electromagnetic means and a stop member operable by the same for permitting said actuator to move to said operative position, a switch for energizing said electromagnetic means, and rotary cam means driven by said drive means for cyclically closing and opening said switch whereby said closure means are cyclically moved at predetermined time intervals to said open position.

Claim 20

Training apparatus for throwing objects, comprising, in combination, rotary throwing means having an axis, and including wall means forming a spiral-shaped guideway having an inner end portion in the region of said axis and an outer end portion, said throwing means having an inlet into said inner end portion and an outlet from said outer end portion of said guideway; drive means for rotating said throwing means about said axis so that an object inserted through said inlet into said guideway is accelerated and driven to said outlet by the centrifugal force; closure means having a normal closing position for closing said outlet, and an open position; actuating means including an actuating portion mounted on said throwing means and operative to permit said closure means to move to said open position for passage of said object through said outlet, said actuating means further including an actuator, a carrier member supporting said actuator for movement of said actuator between an inoperative position and an operative position, said actuator in said operative position being located in the path of movement of said actuating portion for opening said outlet; and control means including electromagnetic means and a stop member operable by the same for permitting said actuator to move to said operative position, a switch for energizing said electromagnetic means, and rotary cam means driven by said drive means for cyclically closing and opening said switch whereby said closure means are cyclically moved at predetermined time intervals to said open position.