US3893336A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for automatically evaluating accuracy and pattern density for a shotgun
Assignee: Remington Arms Co LLC
•
Filing: 1973-03-05
•
Granted: 1975-07-08
•
Expires: 1993-03-05
Abstract
Abstract A spot of light is projected onto an exposed target portion of a roll of opaque paper. A shotgun is aimed at the spot and fired from a predetermined distance so that the propelled shot particles produce a plurality of holes in the target. The aiming spot is eliminated and the target is back-lighted, illuminating the holes. An optical scanner scans the exposed paper, sensing the presence of a hole or portion thereof and assigning x,y coordinates thereto wherever light is observed. A computer utilizes this positional data to calculate a point of impact for the shot and the distance from the point of impact to the center of the aiming spot; it then determines the pattern density within a circle of predetermined radius around this center of impact. After scanning of the target has been completed, the roll of paper is indexed automatically to expose a previously unused section.
Inventors
- 👤 Henry G Tucker
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 05:54
CPC Classifications
F; F41; F41J; F41J5/00; F41J5/02; F41A; F41A31/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
85 words
A method of evaluating a shotgun, said method comprising the steps of aiming a shotgun at a predetermined aiming spot on an opaque target having a center point, firing the shotgun to produce a plurality of randomly distributed holes in the target, illuminating the target to cause light to pass through the holes in the target, and activating optical scanning means responsive to light passing through said holes for automatically scanning the target to generate two dimensional positional data locating each hole in the target.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
85 words
A method of evaluating a shotgun, said method comprising the steps of aiming a shotgun at a predetermined aiming spot on an opaque target having a center point, firing the shotgun to produce a plurality of randomly distributed holes in the target, illuminating the target to cause light to pass through the holes in the target, and activating optical scanning means responsive to light passing through said holes for automatically scanning the target to generate two dimensional positional data locating each hole in the target.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 including the additional step of causing a computer to utilize said generated positional data for calculating a center of impact and determining the position of the center of impact relative to said center point.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 2 including the additional step of causing said computer to determine from said generated positional data the number of holes within a predetermined distance from said center of impact.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
147 words
A method of using an optical scanner to evaluate a shotgun by obtaining pattern information from a plurality of randomly distributed holes produced by shot particles in an exposed target portion of a roll of opaque paper, said method comprising the steps of illuminating an aiming spot on the exposed target portiOn, aiming a shotgun at the aiming point, firing the shotgun to produce a plurality of randomly distributed holes in the target, terminating the illumination of the aiming spot, uniformly illuminating a surface of the exposed target portion to cause light to pass through the holes in the target, optically scanning the exposed target portion with means responsive to light passing through said holes to automatically generate two dimensional positional data for locating each hole, causing a computer to convert the positional data into pattern information, and changing the exposed portion of the roll of paper.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
147 words
A method of using an optical scanner to evaluate a shotgun by obtaining pattern information from a plurality of randomly distributed holes produced by shot particles in an exposed target portion of a roll of opaque paper, said method comprising the steps of illuminating an aiming spot on the exposed target portiOn, aiming a shotgun at the aiming point, firing the shotgun to produce a plurality of randomly distributed holes in the target, terminating the illumination of the aiming spot, uniformly illuminating a surface of the exposed target portion to cause light to pass through the holes in the target, optically scanning the exposed target portion with means responsive to light passing through said holes to automatically generate two dimensional positional data for locating each hole, causing a computer to convert the positional data into pattern information, and changing the exposed portion of the roll of paper.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
169 words
Apparatus for evaluating accuracy and pattern density for a shotgun when the shotgun is aimed at an aiming spot of a target and fired to propel projectiles for producing a plurality of holes in the target, said apparatus comprising a roll of target paper, means for exposing a portion of the paper from said roll to function as a target, and target paper rolling means for changing the portion of said target paper exposed as a target, said portion of said target paper being penetrable by said projectiles thereby producing therein a plurality of randomly distributed holes, scanning means for scanning the target and generating positional data for each hole in the target, and computer means operatively connected to the scanning means for receiving the positional data and calculating accuracy and pattern density information from the positional data wherein said target paper rolling means is operatively connected to said computer means for changing the exposed portion of said roll of paper in response to a command from said computer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
169 words
Apparatus for evaluating accuracy and pattern density for a shotgun when the shotgun is aimed at an aiming spot of a target and fired to propel projectiles for producing a plurality of holes in the target, said apparatus comprising a roll of target paper, means for exposing a portion of the paper from said roll to function as a target, and target paper rolling means for changing the portion of said target paper exposed as a target, said portion of said target paper being penetrable by said projectiles thereby producing therein a plurality of randomly distributed holes, scanning means for scanning the target and generating positional data for each hole in the target, and computer means operatively connected to the scanning means for receiving the positional data and calculating accuracy and pattern density information from the positional data wherein said target paper rolling means is operatively connected to said computer means for changing the exposed portion of said roll of paper in response to a command from said computer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein means are included for illuminating the aiming spot on said target and wherein said aiming spot illuminating means is operatively connected to said computer means for controlling selective illumination and darkening of said aiming spot.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
132 words
Apparatus for evaluating accuracy and pattern density for a shotgun when the shotgun is aimed at an aiming spot of a target and fired to propel projectiles for producing a plurality of holes in the target, said apparatus comprising a target penetrable by projectiles for producing a plurality of randomly distributed holes, scanning means for scanning the target and generating positional data for each hole in the target, and computer means operatively connected to the scanning means for receiving the positional data and calculating accuracy and pattern density information from the positional data, including illuminating means for projecting light through a plurality of holes in said target wherein said illuminating means is operatively connected to said computer means to cause said projecting of light when said scanning means is scanning said target.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
132 words
Apparatus for evaluating accuracy and pattern density for a shotgun when the shotgun is aimed at an aiming spot of a target and fired to propel projectiles for producing a plurality of holes in the target, said apparatus comprising a target penetrable by projectiles for producing a plurality of randomly distributed holes, scanning means for scanning the target and generating positional data for each hole in the target, and computer means operatively connected to the scanning means for receiving the positional data and calculating accuracy and pattern density information from the positional data, including illuminating means for projecting light through a plurality of holes in said target wherein said illuminating means is operatively connected to said computer means to cause said projecting of light when said scanning means is scanning said target.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
155 words
Apparatus for evaluating accuracy and pattern density for a shotgun when the shotgun is aimed at an aiming spot of a target and fired to propel projectiles for producing a plurality of holes in the target, said apparatus comprising an exposed target portion of a roll of paper, penetrable by projectiles for producing a plurality of holes, target paper rolling means for changing the exposed target portion, means for illuminating an aiming spot on the exposed target portion, illuminating means for projecting light through a plurality of holes in said target, scanning means for scanning and obtaining positional data for holes in the exposed target portion, and computer means for controlling the selective illumination and darkening of said aiming spot, controlling the selective illumination and darkening of said illuminating means, controlling activation of said scanning means, controlling operation of said target paper rolling means, and calculating accuracy and pattern density information from said positional data.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
155 words
Apparatus for evaluating accuracy and pattern density for a shotgun when the shotgun is aimed at an aiming spot of a target and fired to propel projectiles for producing a plurality of holes in the target, said apparatus comprising an exposed target portion of a roll of paper, penetrable by projectiles for producing a plurality of holes, target paper rolling means for changing the exposed target portion, means for illuminating an aiming spot on the exposed target portion, illuminating means for projecting light through a plurality of holes in said target, scanning means for scanning and obtaining positional data for holes in the exposed target portion, and computer means for controlling the selective illumination and darkening of said aiming spot, controlling the selective illumination and darkening of said illuminating means, controlling activation of said scanning means, controlling operation of said target paper rolling means, and calculating accuracy and pattern density information from said positional data.
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) | 1978-07-07 | 1979-01-06 | 1979-07-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-07-07 | 1983-01-06 | 1983-07-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-07-07 | 1987-01-06 | 1987-07-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |