Remotely controlled target system with optionally selectible power drives such as fluid pressure and electrical power drives

In a target system, an elongated horizontal base, a plurality of posts journaled for rotation at spaced intervals along the base, each post supporting a target board having at least one target face and being rotatable through an arc of at least ninety degrees to rotate the target board between a full view working position in which the target face is visible to a shooter, and an edge view working position in which the target face is concealed from the shooter, each post having a lever arm extending outwardly therefrom, an elongated connecting bar extending along the base and pivotally connected to each of the lever arms to synchronize rotation of the target boards between said working positions, remote controlled optional dual power mechanisms for rotating the target boards comprising in combination:

• a drive crank arm pivotally moveable on the base for horizontal swinging movement;
• means pivotally connecting the elongated connecting bar to the drive crank arm to swing the target boards between said working positions in response to swinging movement of the drive crank arm;
• optionally selectible electrical drive means and fluid pressure drive means mounted in a compact over-and-under relation on the base for moving the target boards through the drive crank arm, connecting bar and lever arms;
• said electrical drive means comprising a housing mounted on the base and an elongated blade carried by the housing, reversible electrical motor means in said housing, a reciprocable traveling block connected to the drive crank arm, and connecting means enabling the motor means to drive the traveling block back and forth along the blade, said connecting means including clutch means actuatable between an engaged mode in which the motor means moves the traveling block, and a disengaged mode enabling the traveling block to be moved freely along the blade by the drive crank arm without back resistance from the motor means;
• an electrical remote control unit located remotely from the target system and selectively operable to actuate the motor means to drive the traveling block along the blade;
• said fluid pressure drive means comprising cylinder means acting between the base and the drive crank arm and operable in response to a source of pressurized fluid to oscillate said drive crank arm, connecting bar, and lever arms;
• reversing valve means acting between a fluid pressure source and opposite ends of the cylinder means being selectively activateable to direct fluid under pressure to either end of the cylinder means while venting the opposite end to move said drive crank arm and components connected to it in a selected direction;
• pressure and venting control means located between the fluid pressure source and the cylinder means and being activateable to a fluid power mode, in which the reversing valve means is connected to the fluid power source, and activateable to a venting and blocking mode, in which the cylinder means is vented to atmosphere and blocked from the fluid pressure source thereby enabling the cylinder means to be moved by the drive crank arm without back resistance from residual pressure in the cylinder means;
• a fluid pressure remote control unit located remotely from the target system and selectively operable to actuate the reversing valve means to move the drive crank arm in one direction or the other;
• whereby the target system can be remotely operated exclusively by the electrical remote control unit by placing said clutch means in its said engaged mode while simultaneously placing the pressure and venting control means in its said venting and blocked mode;
• and
• whereby further, the target system can be remotely operated exclusively by the fluid pressure remote control unit by placing the pressure and venting control means in said fluid power mode while simultaneously placing said clutch means in said disengaged mode.