US 5,367,232 AGranted

Suspended moving target system

OwnerRonald R. Netherton, James E. Majkainventors

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Abstract

A portable motorized system of pulleys and cable which moves a three dimensional, or conventional target around a predetermined path. The purpose of this system is to simulate, through movement, the actions of an animal during hunting conditions. This system allows the user, to shoot at a target which moves and changes directions, while standing in one place. The system is suspended by attaching screwhooks into fixed objects such as trees, poles, buildings etc. A motor assembly which is attached to one of the supports turns a drive pulley. The cable and target are moved through a series of idler pulleys, by the drive pulley, around a closed circuit. A hand operated ratchet is utilized at another support location to apply tension to the system. The tension causes the system to be fully suspended from the supports. The motor is powered by a twelve volt battery, a switch and fuse are also incorporated. In addition a power interrupter switch, or kill switch, may be introduced between the power supply and the system switch allowing the user to operate the system from the firing line. This system is intended to be used indoors or outdoors and may be set up on an outdoor walk through target range.

A portable motorized system for moving and turning at least one target, including at least one power drive unit assembly, at least one tension ratchet pulley assembly, at least one idler pulley assembly, and a drive cable configured as a continuous loop and arranged for being set into motion by the said at least one power drive unit assembly and driven through a series of pulleys;

said at least one power drive unit assembly each containing at least one motor pulley assembly arm and having at least one support arm means with two ends, each end having one or more fabricated apertures through which at one end a motor is attached and at the other end a mounting means is inserted for attachment to a support, the motor through a shaft drives a drive pulley;
said at least one tension ratchet pulley assembly each containing at least one tension ratchet assembly arm having at least one support arm means with two ends, each end having one or more fabricated apertures through which at one end an idler pulley is attached and at the other end a tension ratchet is attached and the tension ratchet is connected to a mounting means for attachment to a support;
said at least one idler pulley assembly each containing at least one idler pulley assembly arm having at least one support arm means with two ends, each end having one or more fabricated apertures through which at one end an idler pulley is attached and at the other end a mounting means is inserted for attachment to a support;
joining means for attachment of the drive cable to form a continuous loop;
attachment means for attaching at least one target cable clip to the drive cable from which the said at least one target is to be attached wherein the said at least one target cable clip is allowed to revolve around the series of pulleys while being attached to said drive cable;
a means for energizing the motor through a line from a power source, the means for energizing contains a system switch for speed selection and at least one power interrupter switch for remote operation.

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Abstract

Claims17