# US 5,707,304 A · Hockey puck shooting range > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,707,304 A - Document ID: US5707304A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/761,264 - Filed: 1996-12-06 - Granted: 1998-01-13 - Earliest claimed: 1996-12-06 - Inventors: Merritt E. BelleIsle - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5707304A ## CPC - A63B 47/025: {Installations continuously collecting balls from the playing areas, e.g. by gravity, with conveyor belts} - A63B 69/40: Stationarily-arranged devices for projecting balls {or other bodies} ({golf cups with ball ejector means A63B57/405;} traps for clay-pigeon targets F41J9/18) - A63B 2102/22: {Field} hockey - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) ## Abstract A hockey puck shooting range including a planar surface for accommodating sliding movement of hockey pucks; a collection system disposed at a peripheral edge portion of the planar surface and arranged to collect hockey pucks propelled off the planar surface at the peripheral edge portion; and an ejection mechanism for sequentially ejecting hockey pucks onto the planar surface. Also included is a conveyor system for conveying to the ejection mechanism hockey pucks collected by the collection system. The range significantly enhances the effectiveness of puck shooting practice. The range includes a hockey net disposed along the peripheral edge portion and the collection system collects hockey pucks received by the hockey net. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A hockey puck shooting range comprising: a planar surface for accommodating sliding movement of hockey pucks; collection means disposed at a peripheral edge portion of said planar surface, said collection means arranged to collect hockey pucks propelled off said planar surface at said peripheral edge portion; ejection means for sequentially ejecting hockey pucks onto said planar surface, said ejection means being arranged to eject hockey pucks onto a region of said planar surface displaced substantially from said peripheral edge portion; and conveyor means for conveying to said ejection means hockey pucks collected by said collection means. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A shooting range according to claim 1 including a hockey net disposed along said peripheral edge portion, and wherein said collection means collects hockey pucks received by said hockey net. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A shooting range according to claim 2 including a mechanical goalie disposed on said planar surface adjacent to an entrance to said hockey net. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A shooting range according to claim 3 including a goalie drive mechanism for producing movement of said goalie. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A shooting range according to claim 1 including ejector control means for automatically varying the direction in which hockey pucks are sequentially ejected onto said planar surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A shooting range according to claim 5 including a hockey net disposed along said peripheral edge portion, and wherein said collection means collects hockey pucks received by said hockey net. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A shooting range according to claim 6 including a mechanical goalie disposed on said planar surface adjacent to an entrance to said hockey net. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A shooting range according to claim 7 including a goalie drive mechanism for producing movement of said goalie. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A shooting range according to claim 8 including sensing means for detecting the velocity of hockey pucks propelled into said hockey net. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A shooting range according to claim 1 wherein said collection means comprises a moving belt disposed adjacent to said peripheral edge portion and arranged for movement toward said conveyor means. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A shooting range according to claim 10 wherein said conveyor means comprises a conveyor belt movable between said collection means and said ejection means. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A shooting range according to claim 11 wherein said moving belt has a width substantially greater than said conveyor belt. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A shooting range according to claim 12 wherein said collection means further comprises a funnelling means for transferring hockey pucks from said moving belt to said conveyor belt. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A shooting range according to claim 13 wherein said ejection means comprises a rotating brush and a discharge nozzle, and said rotating brush is arranged to receive hockey pucks from said conveyor belt and eject the hockey pucks out of said discharge nozzle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A shooting range according to claim 14 including control means for producing reciprocating movement of said discharge nozzle so as to vary the direction in which hockey pucks are ejected onto said planar surface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A shooting range according to claim 15 including a hockey net disposed along said peripheral edge portion, and wherein said collection means collects hockey pucks received by said hockey net. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A shooting range according to claim 16 including a mechanical goalie disposed on said planar surface adjacent to an entrance to said hockey net. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A shooting range according to claim 17 including a goalie drive mechanism for producing movement of said goalie. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A shooting range according to claim 18 including sensing means for detecting the velocity of hockey pucks propelled into said hockey net.