US3275321A

US3275321A - Target apparatus with discriminating electrical indicator, and projectiles therefor

Info

Publication number: US3275321A
Application number: US341197A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gerard M Forest
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-01-30
Filing date: 1964-01-30
Publication date: 1966-09-27
Anticipated expiration: 1983-09-27

Description

Sept. 27, 1966 M. FOREST 3,275,321

TARGET APPARATUS WITH DISCRIMINATING ELECTRICAL INDICATOR, AND PROJEGTILES THEREFOR Filed Jan. 30, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Gerard M. Foresr BY M r 42/ M iim s Sept. 27, 1966 G. M. FOREST 3,275,321

TARGET APPARATUS WITH DISCRIMINATING ELECTRICAL INDICATOR, AND PROJECTILES THEREFOR Filed Jan. 30, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Gerard M. Forest BY M W ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,275,321 TARGET APPARATUS WITH DISCRIMINATING ELECTRICAL INDICATGR, AND PROJECTILES THEREFOR Gerard M. Forest, 3802 Greenly St., Wheaton, Md. Filed Jan. 35, 1964, Ser. No. 341,197 8 filaims. (Cl. 273102.2)

The present invention relates to a combination of an electrical indicator type target apparatus which can indicate which of a plurality of projectiles has hit the target in a particular area, and to projectiles particularly adapted to be used with the target apparatus.

Heretofore, target apparatus of this type has had a laminated target panel in which is embedded two spaced electrically conductive layers separated by insulating material, the conductive layers being connected to opposite sides of a power supply through an indicator or signaling device of some sort. When the target is struck by a projectile having a penetrating point thereon which is made of a conducting material, the point penetrates the target panel and passes through the spaced electrically conductive layers, and an electrical connection is established between the two electrically conductive layers. This causes a current to flow in the circuit, thereby causing the indicator or signaling device to show that the projectile has struck the target.

Such a target apparatus does not, however discriminate between the projectiles which strike it. Therefore, if two or more persons are throwing projectiles at the target, there is no way to tell from the signals or indications of projectile hits on the target which persons projectile has scored the hit.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a target apparatus with electrical indicator means for indicating projectile strikes on the target which can discriminate between the projectiles which strike it.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide projectiles for use with such a target.

The target according to the invention has a ground or return conductive layer and spaced from this layer are two or more charged conductive layers which are insulated from each other as well as from the ground or return layer. The ground or return layer is connected to one side of a power source .and each of the charged conductive layers are connected through a signaling or indicator device to the other side of the power source. Projectiles for use with this target have a pointed nose portion of conductive material which has an insulated portion on the surface thereof. The projectiles which are to be used by one player have the insulated portion at one point on the nose thereof such that the uninsulated part of the nose will contact only one of the charged conductive layers and the ground or return conductive layer, and the projectiles to be used by the other player have the insulated portion at another point on the nose such that the uninsulated part of the nose will contact only the other charged conductive layer and the ground or return layer. Thus when the target is struck by a projectile of one player an electrical connection is completed across one of the charged conductive layers and the ground or return layer, and when the projectile of the other player strikes the target, an electrical connection is completed across another of the charged conductive layer and the ground or return layer, thereby causing actuation of the signaling or indicator device corresponding to the player who has thrown the propectile.

The invention will now be explained more fully by reference to the following specification and claims, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic sketch of a target section with a projectile from one player therein;

FIG. 2 is a sketch similar to FIG. 1 with a projectile from another player therein;

FIG. 3 is an elevation view, on an enlarged scale, of a dart-type projectile to be thrown by one player;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view, on an enlarged scale, of a dart type projectile to be thrown by another player;

FIG. 5 is a schematic circuit diagram for a target adapted to a tic-tac-toe type of game; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the nose portion of a projectile for use with the target section of FIGS. 1 and 2.

A preferred form of the target apparatus according to the present invention comprises a target 10 .as shown in FIG. 5, which has a plurality of target sections 11. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, each target section is a panel made up of at least three layers 12 of insulating material which is easily penetrated by the pointed end of a projectile. A conventional material which is used for targets is cork, and since this is also a good insulator, it makes a satisfactory material for the layers 12. Spaced from each other by the insulating layers 12 is a plurality of conductive layers, here shown as a first conductive layer 13 and a second conductive layer 14. These layers can be any suitable conductive material which will also be easily penetrated by the pointed ends of projectiles. A satisfactory material is metal foil, such as aluminum foil, or wire screen, for instance of copper. Spaced from both the first conductive layer 13 and the second conductive layer 14 is a ground or return conductive layer 15 which can be of the same material as the other conductive layers. This layer is against a backing layer 12a, also of insulating material, but harder than the layers 12. In FIGS. 1 and 2 the layers have been shown as separated by air spaces, but in practice they will be pressed tightly together.

A charge conductor 16 for the first charged conductive layer 13 is connected through a first signal or indicator means 20, here shown as an electric lamp, to one side of a power supply 18. A charge conductor '17 for the second charged conductive layer 14 is connected through a second signal or indicator means 21 to the one side of the power supply 18. The signal or indicator means should be different from each other, for example different color lamps. A return conductor 19 connects the ground or return conductive layer 15 to the other side of the power supply 18.

Pointed

nose projectiles

22 and 23 of the dart-type for use with the above described target sections are shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Each of the projectiles has a conventional body 24 with stabilizers, conventionally feathers, 25 on the rear part thereof. Each of the projectiles has a pointed nose 26 which has a portion which is insulated. The first projectile 22 of FIG. 3 has an insulated portion 27a spaced from the pointed end of the nose a distance equal to the spacing of the ground or return layer 15 and the first charged layer 13 in the target section. The second projectile 23 of FIG. 4 has an insulated portion 27b spaced from the pointed end of the nose a distance equal to the spacing of the ground or return layer 15 from the second charged layer 14 in the target section. The insulated portion can be a ring of insulation material such as a high dielectric plas tie in a groove 30 in the conductive material of the projectile nose 26, as shown in FIG. 6.

When a projectile 22 of the type shown in FIG. 3 is thrown into the section 11 of the target, the pointed nose 26 will penetrate the successive insulating layers 12 and charged

conductive layers

13 and 14, and will strike the ground or return layer -15 and be stopped by the harder backing layer 12a so that the tip of the nose 26 of the projectile is in contact with the ground or return layer 15. In this position, which is as shown in charged conductive layers.

FIG. 1, the insulated portion 27a on the nose is at the position at which the nose 26 extends through the first charged conductive layer 13. There will accordingly be no electrical contact between the conductive material of the projectile nose 26 and the first conductive layer 13. However, the portion of the nose 26 which extends through the second charged conductive layer 14 is in electrical contact with the second charged conductive layer 14, and accordingly an electrical circuit will be completed from the power supply 18, through the conductor 19, the ground or return conductive layer 15, the nose 26, the second charged conductive layer 14, the conductor 17 and the signal or indicator means 21. The signal or indicator means 21 will therefore be energized and indicate that a projectile 22 has struck the target section. Similarly, when a projectile 23 of the type shown in FIG. 4 is thrown into the target section 11, it will come .to rest in the position shown in FIG. 2, and the circuit will be completed through the conductor 16 and the signal or indicator means 20, thereby indicating that a projectile 23 has struck the target section.

The manner in which the apparatus can be adapted to a tic-tac-toe game board is shown in FIG. 5. A target 10 has a plurality of nine target sections each of which' is similar to the target section 11 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

a The first charged conductive layers are connected to the respective first signal or indicator means 20 20 20 by conductors 16 16 16 and the second charged conductive layers are connected to the respective second signal or indicator means 21 22 22 by conductors 17 17 17 The target sections 11 11 and 11 are connected by a common ground 19 to the one side of a power source (not shown) which is incorporated in an indicator display panel 31 which has the signal or indicator means 20 and 21 for the various target sections mounted thereon in a pattern corresponding to the pattern of the target sections themselves. Target sections 11 11 and 11 are likewise connected by a common ground or return conductor 19 and target sections 11 11 and 11 are connected by common ground or return conductor 19 In playing the game, it will be seen that when a first player throws a dart of the type of dart 22 of FIG. 3, for example into the upper left hand corner target section 11 the signal or indicator means 21 will be energized, and if it is say a green lamp, a green light will show on the panel 31 in the upper left hand corner thereby indicating that that section of the tic-tac-toe pattern has been used by the first player. Then if the other player throws a dart of the type of dart 23 of FIG. 4, for example into the center target section 11 the signal or indicator means 20 will be energized, and since it is diiferent from the signal or indicator means 21, for example a red lamp, a red light will show on the panel 31 in the center position indicating that this section has been used by the other player. The players continue to throw their own type of darts into the various target sections in an effort to get darts into three aligned sections of the target, at which time three lights of the same color will be showing in a row on the panel 31.

It will be appreciated that many modifications and variations can be made in the preferred embodiment described above. For example, it is not necessary that a dart type projectile be used. Other types of projectiles can be caused to penetrate the target, as long as they have the pointed nose thereon with projectiles of one type having the insulated portion at one position, and projectiles of the other type having the insulated portion at a second position. Likewise, it is not essential that the charged conductive layers and the ground or return layer be arranged in the sequence disclosed. It would be entirely possible to place the ground or return conductive layer first in the sequence of layers to be penetrated by the projectile, or to place it between the first and second All that is necessary is that the ground or return conductive layer be separated from the other layers and insulated therefrom and that the other layers be spaced from and insulated from each other. Of course if the sequence of the first and second charged conductive layers and the ground or return conductive layer is changed, corresponding changes will be necessary in the position of the insulating material on the nose of the projectile, it being necessary that the insulating material be at positions on the nose of the projectile which corresponds to the position at which the nose of the projectile is adapted to contact all but one of the charged conductive layers when the projectile comes to rest in the target, the uninsulated part of the nose corresponding to the position of only one charged layer and the ground or return layer.

It is of course possible to increase the number of charged conductive layers to a number greater than two, so that more than two players can play and the target will discriminate among all the players. In this event, it is of course necessary to have a number of signal or indicator means corresponding to the number of charged conductive layers, and a number of different types of projectiles as there are charged conductive layers. It will also be necessary to have insulated portions on the nose of the projectile at all points on the nose of the projectile except two, the uninsulated portions of the nose being at those points which are to contact one of the charged conductive layers and the ground or return layer when the projectile comes to rest in the target.

Likewise, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the target apparatus can be constructed so as to be used with other games than tic-tac-toe by reshaping and/ or rearranging the sections of the tar-get and the positions of the indicator or signal means on the indicator display panel.

It is thought that the invention and its advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it is apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing its material advantages, the forms hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings being merely preferred embodiments thereof.

I claim:

1. In combination, a target apparatus comprising; a plurality of target sections each comprised of a ground or return conductive layer, a plurality of charged conductive layers spaced from said ground or return conductive layer and from each other, layers of easily penetrable and insulating target material between said conductive layers; a power supply; said ground or return conductive layer being electrically coupled to one side of said power supply, each of said charged conductive layers being electrically coupled to the other side of said power supply; a plurality of signal or indicator means corresponding to the plurality of charged conductive layers and being different from each other, a signal or indicator means being coupled in the electrical coupling between each charged conductive layer and said power supply; and a plurality of different types of projectiles corresponding to the plurality of charged conductive layers, each projectile having a pointed nose of conductive material, said projectile nose having uninsulated portions thereon at points which will contact the ground or return layer and only one of the charged conductive layers and having insulation thereon at the points which will contact the other charged conductive layers when the projectile comes to rest in the target, the uninsulated portions which contact the charged conductive layers being at a different position on each different type of projectile, the rearmost layer being impenetrable by pointed projectiles, and the other layers being easily penetrable by such projectiles.

from each other, layers of easily penetrable and insulating target material between said conductive layers; a power supply; said ground or return conductive layer being electrically coupled to one side of said power supply, each of said charged conductive layers being electrically coupled to the other side of said power supply, two signal or indicator means which are diiferent from each other, a signal or indicator means being coupled in the electrical coupling between each charged conductive layer and said power supply; and two ditferent types of projectiles, each projectile having a pointed nose of conductive material, the projectile nose on one type of projectile having uninsulated portions thereon at points which will contact the ground or return layer and one of the charged conductive layers and having insulation thereon at the point which will contact the other charged conductive layer when the projectile comes to rest in the target, and the nose on the other type of projectile having uninsulated portions thereon at points which will contact the ground or return layer and the other of the charged conductive layers and having insulation thereon at the point which will contact the one charged conductive layer when the projectile comes to rest in the target, the rearmost layer being impenetrable by pointed projectiles, and the other layers being easily penetrable by such projectiles.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 2 in which the ground or return layer is most remote from the face of the target and the charged conductive layers are between the ground or return layer and the face of the target, and said projectile noses have uninsulated points and the insulated portions are spaced from the points of the noses distances corresponding to the spacings of the respective charged layers from the ground or return layer.

4. A target apparatus comprising: a plurality of target sections each comprised of a ground or return conductive layer, a plurality of charged conductive layers spaced from said ground or return conductive layer and from each other, layers of easily penetrable and insulating target material between said conductive layers; a power supply; said ground or return conductive layer being electrically coupled to one side of said power supply, each of said charged conductive layers being electrically coupled to the other side of said power supply; and a plurality of signal or indicator means corresponding to the plurality of charged conductive layers and being different from each other, a signal or indicator means being coupled in the electrical coupling between each charged conductive layer and said power supply, the rearmost layer being impenetrable by pointed projectiles, and the other layers being easily penetrable by such projectiles; whereby the various signal or indicator means will be energized when there is embedded in the target the pointed nose of one of a plurality of diiferent types of projectiles corresponding to the plurality of charged conductive layers, the pointed nose being of conductive material, and said projectile nose having uninsulated portions thereon at points which will contact the ground or return layer and only one of the charged conductive layers and having insulation thereon at the points which will contact the other charged conductive layers when the projectile comes to rest in the target, the uninsulated portions which contact the charged conductive layers being at a different position on each diiferent type of projectile.

5. A target apparatus comprising: a plurality of target sections each comprised of a ground or return conductive layer, two charged conductive layers spaced from said ground or return conductive layer and from each other, layers of easily penetrable and insulating target material between said conductive layers; a power supply; said ground or return conductive layer being electrically coupled to one side of said power supply, each of said charged conductive layers being electrically coupled to the other side of said power supply, and two signal or indicator means which are different from each other, a signal or indicator means being coupled in the electrical coupling between each charged conductive layer and said power supply, the rearmost layer being impenetrable by pointed projectiles, and the other layers being easily penetrable by such projectiles; whereby one of the signal or indicator means will be energized when there is embedded in the target the pointed nose of one of two different types of projectiles, the pointed nose being of conductive material, and the projectile nose on one type of projectile having uninsulated portions thereon at points which will contact the ground or return layer and one of the charged conductive layers and having insulation thereon at the point which will contact the other charged conductive layer when the projectile comes to rest in the target, and the nose on the other type of projectile having uninsulated portions thereon at points which will contact the ground or return layer and the other of the charged conductive layers and having insulation thereon at the point which will contact the one charged conductive layer when the projectile comes to rest in the target.

6. A target apparatus as claimed in claim 5 in which the ground or return layer is most remote from the face of the target and the charged conductive layers are between the ground or return layer and the face of the target.

7. A projectile for use with a target apparatus having a plurality of target sections each comprised of a ground or return conductive layer; a plurality of charged conductive layers spaced from said ground or return conductive layers and from each other, layers of easily penetrable and insulating target material between said conductive layers, a power supply, said ground or return conductive layer being electrically coupled to one side of said power supply, each of said charged conductive layers being electrically coupled to the other side of said power supply, and a plurality of signal or indicator means corresponding to the plurality of charged conductive layers and being dilferent from each other, a signal or indicator means being coupled in the electrical coupling between each charged conductive layer and said power supply, the rearmost layer being impenetrable by pointed projectiles, and the other layers being easily penetrable by such projectiles; said projectile comprising a body having a pointed nose of conductive material, said projectile nose having uninsulated portions thereon at points which will contact the ground or return layer and only one of the charged conductive layers and having insulation thereon at the points which will contact the other charged conductive layers when the projectile comes to rest in the target.

8. A projectile as claimed in claim 7 for use with a target in which the ground or return layer is most remote from the face of the target and the charged conductive layers are between the ground or return layer and the face of the target, said projectile nose having an uninsulated point and the insulated portions being spaced from i the point of the nose a distance corresponding to the spacing of all but one of the charged layers from the ground or return layer.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,168,644 8/1939 Browning 273-1022 2,501,218 3/1950 Hill 273102.2 2,629,599 2/1953 Gaut 273-102.2 2,693,959 11/1954 Ross 273102.2

2,934,346 4/1960 Mongello 273102.2

3,101,198 8/1963 Williams 273102.2

DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

M. R. PAGE, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

4. A TARGET APPARATUS COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF TARGET SECTIONS EACH COMPRISED OF A GROUND OR RETURN CONDUCTIVE LAYER, A PLURALITY OF CHARGED CONDUCTIVE LAYERS SPACED FROM SAID GROUND OR RETURN CONDUCTIVE LAYER AND FROM EACH OTHER, LAYERS OF EASILY PENETRABLE AND INSULATING TARGET MATERIAL BETWEEN SAID CONDUCTIVE LAYERS; A POWER SUPPLY; SAID GROUND OR RETURN CONDUCTIVE LAYER BEING ELECTRICALLY COUPLED TO ONE SIDE OF SAID POWER SUPPLY, EACH OF SAID CHARGED CONDUCTIVE LAYERS BEING ELECTRICALLY COUPLED TO THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID POWER SUPPLY; AND A PLURALITY OF SIGNAL OR INDICATOR MEANS CORRESPONDING TO THE PLURALITY OF CHARGED CONDUCTIVE LAYERS AND BEING DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER, A SIGNAL OR INDICATOR MEANS BEING COUPLED IN THE ELECTRICAL COUPLING BETWEEN EACH CHARGED CONDUCTIVE LAYER AND SAID POWER SUPPLY, THE REARMOST LAYER BEING IMPENETRABLE BY POINTED PROJECTILES, AND THE OTHER LAYERS BEING EASILY PENETRABLE BY SUCH PROJECTILES; WHEREBY THE VARIOUS SIGNAL OR INDICATOR MEANS WILL BE ENERGIZED WHEN THERE IS EMBEDDED IN THE TARGET THE POINTED NOSE OF ONE OF A PLURALITY OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROJECTILES CORRESPONDING TO THE PLURALITY OF CHARGED CONDUCTIVE LAYERS, THE POINTED NOSE BEING OF CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL, AND SAID PROJECTILE NOSE HAVING UNINSULATED PORTIONS THEREON AT POINTS WHICH WILL CONTACT THE GROUND OR RETURN LAYER AND ONLY ONE OF THE CHARGED CONDUCTIVE LAYERS AND HAVING INSULATION THEREON AT THE POINTS WHICH WILL CONTACT THE OTHER CHARGED CONDUCTIVE LAYERS WHEN THE PROJECTILE COMES TO REST IN THE TARGET, THE UNINSULATED PORTIONS WHICH CONTACT THE CHARGED CONDUCTIVE LAYERS BEING AT A DIFFERENT POSITION ON EACH DIFFERENT TYPE OF PROJECTILE.