초록 ▼

A target launcher, as well as a target launcher system and set having versatile mounting configurations, for launching practice targets such as archery targets and "clay pigeons" for skeet shooting. A target launcher includes a pair of spaced-apart triangular frame members, each of which has a nomin

A target launcher, as well as a target launcher system and set having versatile mounting configurations, for launching practice targets such as archery targets and "clay pigeons" for skeet shooting. A target launcher includes a pair of spaced-apart triangular frame members, each of which has a nominally vertical mounting leg. A target throwing arm pivots between a cocked position and a throwing position. Vehicle mount and ground stand configurations are disclosed. Disclosed configurations employ from one to six target launchers.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A target launcher comprising: a pair of spaced-apart triangular frame members, each of said frame members including a nominally vertical mounting leg having an upper end and a lower end, as well as a mounting side, a nominally horizontal upper leg joined to said upper end of

What is claimed is: 1. A target launcher comprising: a pair of spaced-apart triangular frame members, each of said frame members including a nominally vertical mounting leg having an upper end and a lower end, as well as a mounting side, a nominally horizontal upper leg joined to said upper end of said vertical mounting leg and extending in a direction away from said mounting side of said vertical mounting leg to a far end of said horizontal upper leg, a diagonal leg extending between and joined respectively to said far end of said horizontal upper leg and said lower end of said vertical mounting leg, and defining a junction of said diagonal leg with said horizontal upper leg; a pivot element supported by said spaced-apart frame members in the general location of said junctions of said diagonal legs with said horizontal upper legs; a target throwing arm supported between said triangular frame members, said target throwing arm having first and second ends, a pivot point intermediate said first and second ends connected to said pivot element, a target holder adjacent said first end, and an elastic device attachment at said second end, said target throwing arm pivoting about said pivot point between a cocked position and a throwing position; an elastic device connected to said elastic device attachment for urging said target throwing arm from the cocked position to said throwing position; a controllable latch for holding said target throwing arm in the cocked position and for releasing said target throwing arm when a target is to be launched; and a latch-engaging element attached to said target throwing arm near said first end thereof, said latch-engaging element including a substantially horizontal segment supported below said target throwing arm when said target throwing arm is in the cocked position; said controllable latch in turn comprising: a latch receiver including a pair of spaced-apart side plates each defining a "V" guide opening configured at the bottom to receive said horizontal segment, a pivot element below the bottom of the "V" guide openings, said pivot element defining a pivot axis perpendicular to and extending between said side plates, and a generally "C" shaped pivotable keeper located in between said side plates, said pivotable keeper having a lower pivot point cooperating with said pivot element, an upper segment-engaging surface, and an actuator arm extending perpendicularly to the pivot axis. 2. The target launcher of claim 1, wherein each of said triangular frame members further includes a pivot support extension extending generally upwardly from said junction of said diagonal leg with said horizontal upper leg, said pivot support extensions supporting said pivot element, whereby, in the cocked position, said target throwing arm is above and generally parallel to said horizontal upper legs. 3. The target launcher of claim 2, wherein, on each of said triangular frame members, said pivot support extension comprises a unitary extension of said diagonal leg. 4. A target launcher system comprising: at least one target launcher including a pair of spaced-apart frame members, each of said frame members in turn including a nominally vertical mounting leg having an upper end and a lower end, as well as a mounting side; at least one right-angled mounting adapter having a mounting adapter insert leg oriented horizontally and receivable in a trailer hitch receiver attached to a vehicle, and a support leg oriented vertically; and at least one mounting plate for securing said vertical mounting legs of said at least one target launcher to said support leg of said right-angled mounting adapter. 5. The target launcher system of claim 4, which comprises a single mounting plate in a vertical orientation for securing said vertical mounting legs of a single target launcher to said support leg. 6. The target launcher system of claim 5, which is in combination with a trailer hitch receiver attached to a vehicle, said mounting adapter insert leg being received in the trailer hitch receiver. 7. The target launcher system of claim 4, which comprises two mounting plates one above the other with each in a horizontal orientation for securing said vertical mounting legs of two target launchers to said vertical leg. 8. The target launcher system of claim 7, which is in combination with a trailer hitch receiver attached to a vehicle, said mounting adapter insert leg being received in the trailer hitch receiver. 9. The target launcher system of claim 4, which further comprises: a receiver expansion bar oriented horizontally and having an expansion bar insert leg extending from said receiver expansion bar at a right angle and oriented horizontally, said expansion bar insert leg receivable in a trailer hitch receiver attached to a vehicle, and said receiver expansion bar having a plurality of expansion receivers in the form of hollow square sleeves extending from said receiver expansion bar at right angles and oriented horizontally, said expansion receivers having openings facing generally in the opposite direction compared to said expansion bar insert leg; a plurality of right-angled mounting adapters, said mounting adapter insert legs being received in corresponding ones of said expansion receivers; and at least one target launcher secured to said support leg of at least one of said right-angled mounting adapters via at least one mounting plate. 10. The target launcher system of claim 9, which is in combination with a trailer hitch receiver attached to a vehicle, said mounting adapter insert leg being received in the trailer hitch receiver. 11. The target launcher system of claim 9, wherein: said receiver expansion bar has three expansion receivers; and which comprises three right-angled mounting adapters; and six target launchers organized as three pairs, each pair of target launchers secured to said support leg of a corresponding one of said right-angled mounting adapters. 12. The target launcher system of claim 11, which is in combination with a trailer hitch receiver attached to a vehicle, said expansion bar insert leg being received in the trailer hitch receiver. 13. The target launcher system of claim 4, which further comprises a ground stand including a horizontal bar having a pair of end receivers and an intermediate receiver attached to and extending from said horizontal bar at right angles, and a pair of ground support extensions received in respective ones of said pair of end receivers; and a vertical receiver extender having an extender insert leg oriented horizontally and received in said intermediate receiver, an extension segment extending upwardly from said extender insert leg to an extension segment upper point, and an extender receiver oriented horizontally and attached to said extension segment upper point; said mounting adapter insert leg of said right-angled mounting adapter being received in said extender receiver. 14. The target launcher system of claim 13, which comprises a pair of target launchers secured to said support leg of said right-angled mounting adapter. 15. The target launcher system of claim 14, wherein said target launchers face in opposite directions. 16. The target launcher system of claim 4, wherein said at least one target launcher in turn comprises: a pair of spaced-apart triangular frame members, each of said frame members including a vertical mounting leg having an upper end and a lower end, as well as a mounting side, a horizontal upper leg joined to said upper end of said vertical mounting leg and extending in a direction away from said mounting side of said vertical mounting leg to a far end of said horizontal upper leg, a diagonal leg extending between and joined respectively to said far end of said horizontal upper leg and said lower end of said vertical mounting leg, and defining a junction of said diagonal leg with said horizontal upper leg; a pivot element supported by said spaced-apart frame members in the general location of said junctions of said diagonal legs with said horizontal upper legs; a target throwing arm supported between said triangular frame members, said target throwing arm having first and second ends, a pivot point intermediate said first and second ends connected to said pivot element, a target holder adjacent said first end, and an elastic device attachment at said second end, said target throwing arm pivoting about said pivot point between a cocked position and a throwing position; an elastic device connected to said an elastic device attachment for urging said target throwing arm from the cocked position to said throwing position; and a controllable latch for holding said target throwing arm in the cocked position and for releasing said target throwing arm when a target is to be launched. 17. A target launcher system set capable of a plurality of configurations, said set comprising: a plurality of target launchers, each of said target launchers including a pair of spaced-apart frame members, each of said frame members in turn including a nominally vertical mounting leg having an upper end and a lower end, as well as a mounting side; a plurality of right-angled mounting adapters, each of said right-angled mounting adapters having a mounting adapter insert leg oriented horizontally and receivable in a trailer hitch receiver attached to a vehicle, and a support leg oriented vertically; a plurality of mounting plates for securing said vertical mounting legs of said target launchers to said support legs of said right-angled mounting adapters; a receiver expansion bar oriented horizontally and having an expansion bar insert leg extending from said receiver expansion bar at a right angle and oriented horizontally, said expansion bar insert leg receivable in a trailer hitch receiver attached to a vehicle, and said receiver expansion bar having a pair of end expansion receivers and an intermediate expansion receiver in the form of hollow square sleeves extending from said receiver expansion bar at right angles and oriented horizontally, said expansion receivers having openings facing generally in the opposite direction compared to said expansion bar insert leg; a pair of ground support extensions receivable in respective ones of said pair of end receivers; and a vertical receiver extender having an extender insert leg oriented horizontally and receivable in said intermediate expansion receiver, an extension segment extending upwardly from said extender insert leg to an extension segment upper point, and an extender receiver oriented horizontally and attached to said extension segment upper point; said set capable of a vehicle mount configuration with said mounting adapter insert leg of one of said mounting adapters received in the trailer hitch receiver, and at least one of said target launchers secured to said support leg of said one of said mounting adapters via at least one of said mounting plates; said set capable of an expanded vehicle mount configuration with said expansion bar insert leg received in the trailer hitch receiver, said mounting adapter insert legs of a plurality of said mounting adapters received in corresponding ones of said expansion receivers, and a plurality of target launchers secured to corresponding support legs of said plurality of mounting adapters; and said set capable of a ground stand configuration with said pair of ground support extensions received in respective ones of said pair of end receivers, said extender insert leg received in said intermediate expansion receiver, said mounting adapter insert leg of one of said mounting adapters received in said extender receiver, and at least one of said target launchers secured to said support leg of said one of said mounting adapters via at least one of said mounting plates. 18. The set of claim 17, wherein each of said target launchers in turn comprises: a pair of spaced-apart triangular frame members, each of said frame members including a vertical mounting leg having an upper end and a lower end, as well as a mounting side, a horizontal upper leg joined to said upper end of said vertical mounting leg and extending in a direction away from said mounting side of said vertical mounting leg to a far end of said horizontal upper leg, a diagonal leg extending between and joined respectively to said far end of said horizontal upper leg and said lower end of said vertical mounting leg, and defining a junction of said diagonal leg with said horizontal upper leg; a pivot element supported by said spaced-apart frame members in the general location of said junctions of said diagonal legs with said horizontal upper legs; a target throwing arm supported between said triangular frame members, said target throwing arm having first and second ends, a pivot point intermediate said first and second ends connected to said pivot element, a target holder adjacent said first end, and an elastic device attachment at said second end, said target throwing arm pivoting about said pivot point between a cocked position and a throwing position; an elastic device connected to said an elastic device attachment for urging said target throwing arm from the cocked position to said throwing position; and a controllable latch for holding said target throwing arm in the cocked position and for releasing said target throwing arm when a target is to be launched.