Ultraviolet target hit scoring system

Claim 1

In a target scoring system, the improvement comprising: a target, means for lighting a space adjacent said target, said lighted space being positioned so that a projectile striking said target must pass through said lighted space, and sensor means responsive to reflected light for detecting the passage of a projectile through said lighted space, said target comprising nonmaterial target means, said sensor means being arranged to respond to the passage of a projectile through said lighted space in a manner determined by the path of said projectile with respect to said target, whereby the area of said target struck by said projectile may be identified, said means for lighting comprising ultraviolet light sources for generating ultraviolet light energy of a selected wavelength. filter means positioned before said sensor means in a light path between a projectile and said sensor means, said filter means being adapted to permit light energy of said selected wavelength to reach said sensor means and to prevent light energy of other wavelengths from reaching said sensor means, coded mask means located between said filter means and said sensor means, whereby said sensor means are caused to respond discretely to the passage of a projectile through a particular area of said lighted space, lens means for focusing light reflected from a passing projectile on said coded mask, said coded mask containing a plurality of slots for transmitting light from a passing projectile to said sensor means, said slots being arranged to pass light in accordance with the position of said passing projectile, whereby said sensor means are caused to produce a number of output signals determined by the location of the path of said passing projectile.