Automated range target carrier system

An automated range target carrying system of the type having a substantially horizontally-mounted rail having a substantially horizontal axis along which a target carrier is moved toward and away from a firing line, said range target carrying system comprising:

• a carriage rail having first and second longitudinally-extending rail sections
• said first rail section having a first upper, generally horizontally-extending flange extending outwardly from said axis,
• a first web section depending vertically from and integrally formed with and coextensive with said first flange,
• a second web section integral with said first web section and extending away from said axis at approximately a 45.degree. angle to said first web section,
• a third web section integral with said second web section and extending toward said axis at approximately a 90.degree. angle to said second web section,
• said second longitudinally-extending rail section formed as a mirror image of said first rail section,
• said second rail section having a second upper, generally horizontally-extending flange extending outwardly from said axis,
• a fourth web section depending vertically from and integrally formed with and coextensive with said second flange,
• a fifth web section integral with said fourth web section extending away from said axis at approximately a 45.degree. angle to said fourth web section,
• a sixth web section integral with said fifth web section and extending toward said axis at approximately a 90.degree. angle to said fifth web section,
• said first and second rail sections attached in face-to-face relationship along said axis whereby said second, third, fifth and sixth web sections define a longitudinally extending substantially square tube,
• a first layer of said insulating material positioned between said first and second rail sections to electrically insulate said first and second rail sections from one another,
• first and second electrically conductive bus bars aligned parallel to each other and attached to said first web section extending along the length of said first rail section, and
• a second layer of said insulating material positioned between said first and second bus bars and said first rail section,
• third and fourth electrically conductive bus bars aligned parallel to each other and attached to said fourth web section extending along the length of said second rail section;
• a third layer of said insulating material positioned between said third and fourth bus bars and said second rail section;
• a carriage assembly moveable along said carriage rail,
• said carriage rail forming at least one electrically conductive path to and from said carriage assembly without the use of electrical cables;
• means for movably supporting said carriage assembly on said carriage rail;
• means for driving said carriage assembly along said carriage rail responsive to the passage of electrical energy through said rail sections,
• said driving means including an electrical motor assembly mounted to said carriage assembly,
• said electric motor assembly including an electric motor;
• said driving means further including means for coupling said electrical motor assembly to said moveable support means to move said carriage assembly with respect to said carriage rail;
• and
• means for controlling the operation of said carriage assembly on and along said carriage rail,
• each of said first and second rail sections being attached to said control means to form a first electrically conductive circuit when said first and second rail sections are electrically bridged, and
• each of said first and second bus bars being attached to said control means to form a second conductive circuit when said first and second bus bars are electrically bridged, and
• each of said third and fourth bus bars being attached to said control means to form a third conductive circuit when said third and fourth bus bars are electrically bridged.