US3655192A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Light ray projector and target
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1969-11-04
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Granted: 1972-04-11
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Expires: 1989-11-04
Abstract
Abstract A light-emitting target gun and a cooperative target corner reflector. The gun and target accurately simulates target practice with live ammunition and is adaptable for amusement use. The target gun has a light projector housed in the gun barrel which can be momentarily activated by pulling the trigger of the gun. The light source is illuminated at a first light level and thereafter at a second level lower than the first level. The diameter of the light beam projected from the gun can be adjusted by moving a selected size hole of a multi-hole plate into a lens system within the barrel. The target reflector is located at a fixed distance from the operator of the weapon and is adapted to reflect the impinging light pulse. An improved circuit and light projector are also provided to cause, respectively, activation of the light source and provide an efficient, accurately defined light beam.
Inventors
- 👤 Roger L Hall
- 👤 Gordon M Mckenney Jr
- 👤 Alfred J Wall
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 23:23
CPC Classifications
F; F41; F41A; F41A33/00; F41A33/02; F41G; F41G3/00; F41G3/26; F41G3/2616; F41G3/2622; F41G3/2683
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
210 words
A target practice apparatus comprising; a gun-type housing including a barrel section, a light source disposed in said housing near an end of said barrel section, a lens arrangement disposed inside said barrel section for confining the light from the light source to a beam, circuit means including energy storage means associated with the light source, a trigger switch operatively coupled to said energy storage means and said light source and adapted, when actuated, to cause illumination of said light source, said circuit means also comprising photo-electric sensing means disposed adjacent said light source for receiving light directly therefrom and current shunting means, said current shunting means being coupled across said light source and coupled to said photo-electric sensing means, whereby upon actuation of said trigger switch said light source is illuminated at a first light level and thereafter said photo-electric sensing means conducts causing said current shunting means to conduct and thereby shunt current away from said light source which in turn causes said light source to be illuminated at a second light level lower than the first light level, and reflector means remote from said light source for reflecting said light beam substantially only in a direction parallel to the direction of said beam back toward said housing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
210 words
A target practice apparatus comprising; a gun-type housing including a barrel section, a light source disposed in said housing near an end of said barrel section, a lens arrangement disposed inside said barrel section for confining the light from the light source to a beam, circuit means including energy storage means associated with the light source, a trigger switch operatively coupled to said energy storage means and said light source and adapted, when actuated, to cause illumination of said light source, said circuit means also comprising photo-electric sensing means disposed adjacent said light source for receiving light directly therefrom and current shunting means, said current shunting means being coupled across said light source and coupled to said photo-electric sensing means, whereby upon actuation of said trigger switch said light source is illuminated at a first light level and thereafter said photo-electric sensing means conducts causing said current shunting means to conduct and thereby shunt current away from said light source which in turn causes said light source to be illuminated at a second light level lower than the first light level, and reflector means remote from said light source for reflecting said light beam substantially only in a direction parallel to the direction of said beam back toward said housing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said current shunting means includes a gate-controlled semiconductor means having its contRol gate coupled to said photo-electric sensing means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said circuit means includes a first resistive means and said gate-controlled semiconductor means includes a silicon controlled rectifier having said first resistive means coupled in series therewith.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said circuit means includes a second resistive means coupled between the gate electrode of said silicon controlled rectifier and said photo-electric sensing means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said circuit means includes a third resistive means coupled in series with said photo-electric sensing means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said first resistive means includes a variable resistor to adjust said second light level.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said photo-electric sensing means includes a photo-diode.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus of claim 1 including a separate switch means coupled to said light source actuated to illuminate the light source for a predetermined interval at the first light level which interval is longer than the time period that the light source is illuminated at the first light level by actuation of said trigger switch.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
211 words
A target practice gun having a barrel and trigger and comprising; a light source disposed in said gun near one end of said barrel, a lens arrangement disposed inside said barrel for confining the light from the light source to a beam, energy storage means associated with the light source, said trigger having a trigger switch associated therewith and operatively coupled to said energy storage means and said light source and adapted, when actuated, to cause illumination of said light source, said lens arrangement comprising first and second lenses spaced along said barrel and a disc having a centrally located aperture therein, said light source being substantially disposed at the focal point of said first lens and the aperture of said disc being disposed at the focal point of said second lens, means disposed adjacent said disc for varying the width of said beam including a plate having a plurality of different diameter holes disposed therein and means located external of said barrel for moving the plate with reference to the disc to enable different diameter holes to align with said aperture, and reflector means remote from said light source for reflecting said light beam substantially only in a direction parallel to the direction of said beam back toward said gun.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
211 words
A target practice gun having a barrel and trigger and comprising; a light source disposed in said gun near one end of said barrel, a lens arrangement disposed inside said barrel for confining the light from the light source to a beam, energy storage means associated with the light source, said trigger having a trigger switch associated therewith and operatively coupled to said energy storage means and said light source and adapted, when actuated, to cause illumination of said light source, said lens arrangement comprising first and second lenses spaced along said barrel and a disc having a centrally located aperture therein, said light source being substantially disposed at the focal point of said first lens and the aperture of said disc being disposed at the focal point of said second lens, means disposed adjacent said disc for varying the width of said beam including a plate having a plurality of different diameter holes disposed therein and means located external of said barrel for moving the plate with reference to the disc to enable different diameter holes to align with said aperture, and reflector means remote from said light source for reflecting said light beam substantially only in a direction parallel to the direction of said beam back toward said gun.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said lens arrangement includes a third lens located at the other end of said barrel, said first and second lenses being convex lenses and said third lens being a positive meniscus lens.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said first and second lenses are high speed lenses and said third lens is a medium speed lens.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said third lens has a focal point coincident with the location of the aperture in said disc.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the focal length of said third lens is much greater, on an order of magnitude of at least 10 to one, than the diameter of said disc aperture.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said plate has its holes in line and said gun has a slit in a bottom of its barrel for receiving said plate which is moveable in a generally vertical direction to vary the beam diameter.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said disc has at least two grooves and said plate has a series of dimples for mating with said grooves to fix said plate relative to said disc in one of a number of different positions.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-04-11 | 1975-10-11 | 1976-04-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-04-11 | 1979-10-11 | 1980-04-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-04-11 | 1983-10-11 | 1984-04-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |