Moving target assembly and control

A moving target assembly for use in a target practice range comprising:

• a target travel guide having a generally U-shaped cross section, first and second mirror image half sections having first and second straight sections respectively which are substantially at right angles to one another, a common side having a first and second end, said first end being connected to the common junction of said first and second section constituting a home position, and first and second return portions connecting the free ends of said first and second straight sections respectively to said second end of said common side;
• first and second chain means running substantially parallel to the target travel guide half sections, said first chain means being associated with said first half section, and said second chain means being associated with said second half section;
• drive means for driving said first and second chain means, said first chain means being driven in a direction from said home position to said free end of said first straight section and said second chain means being driven in a direction from said home position to said free end of said second straight section;
• target means including a carriage base adapted for traveling within said travel quide, a target member on said carriage base, and target member drive means within said carriage base for selectively raising and lowering said target member;
• first and second chain engaging means mounted on said carriage base, said first and second chain engaging means being selectively operable;
• and
• a plurality of trip switches spaced along said first and second straight sections of said travel guide, each said switch being capable of actuation by said target means and selectively operable, each said trip switch also being coupled to said target drive means to thereby cause said target member to be lowered responsive to the actuation of a selectively operated one of said trip switches by said target means;
• whereby
• when said first chain engaging means is selectively operated, said target means travels along said first half section, and when said second chain engaging means is selectively operated, said target means travels along said second half section.

A target range of the type which includes a plurality of firing lanes wherein the lanes include an equal number of ranges, said target range comprising:

• a moving target assembly for each range within each lane, each said moving target assembly including a target means including a carriage base, a travel guide for accepting said carriage base and guiding said target means from a home position, through a predetermined path, and back to said home position, switch means disposed along said travel guide, target member drive means within said carriage base for selectively raising and lowering said target members in response to said target means encountering said switch means, and a drive motor means for driving said target means along said travel guide,
• said travel guide including a generally U-shaped cross section and, first and second mirror image half sections having first and second straight sections respectively which are substantially at right angles to one another, a common side having a first and second end, said first end being connected to the common junction of said first and second section constituting said home position, and first and second return portions connecting the free ends of said first and second straight sections respectively to said second end of said common side,
• said moving target assembly additionally including first and second chain means running substantially parallel to the target travel guides of each said half section, said first chain means being associated with said first half section, and said second chain means being associated with said second half sections, said drive motor being operatively coupled to said first and second chain means for driving said first and second chain means, said first chain means being driven in a direction from said home position to said free end of said first straight section and said second chain means being driven in a direction from said home position to said free end of said second straight section,
• said target means further including first and second chain engaging means within said carriage base, said first and second chain engaging means being selectively operable so that when said first chain engaging means of each said moving target assembly is selectively operated, each said target means travels along its associated first half section, and when each said second chain engaging means is selectively operated, each said target means travels along its associated said second half section;
• a power supply for providing energizing power for each said drive motor;
• and
• control means for selectively connecting said power supply to each said drive motor of a given range.