US12624930 - Sports shooting target and a launching head and corresponding device

The patent describes a tubular launching head designed to launch multiple disc-shaped sports shooting targets, featuring a support surface and pivoting retaining claw members for secure attachment and release of the targets. The innovative design allows for versatile positioning of the retaining claws to facilitate the loading and unloading of targets during use.

Claim 1

1 . A launching head for launching two or more sports shooting targets, where each target is of a generally disc-shaped configuration, where the target is defined by a rotational axis and a central hub portion extending perpendicularly to the rotational axis, the central hub portion comprises a radially inward facing surface formed for releasable attachment of the two or more sports shooting targets to the launching head, where the launching head is characterized in that the launching head is of a generally tubular configuration defined by a longitudinally extending rotational axis and where the launching head is provided with an outer circumferential support surface portion formed to fit into and support said radially inward facing surface of the central hub portion of the respective targets; the launching head is provided with a plurality of retaining claw members configured to be able to pivot in a plane containing the longitudinally extending rotational axis and pivot an angle relative to a plane extending perpendicularly to the longitudinally extending rotational axis, where each of the plurality of retaining claw members is provided with two longitudinally spaced-apart retaining portions configured such that: when the retaining claw member is in a first pivotal position, both of the retaining portions are in a radial position outside the outer circumferential support surface portion, in said position both of the retaining portions attach the hub portion of the respective targets to the outer circumferential support surface portion of the launching head, and when the retaining claw member is in a second pivotal position, the retaining portion closest to the pivot point is at a radial position outside the outer circumferential support surface portion, in said position the retaining portion closest to the pivot point attaches the corresponding target to the launching head whereas the other retaining portion is at a radial position inside the support surface portion, in said position the other retaining portion does not attach the corresponding target to the launching head, and when the retaining claw member is in a third pivotal position, both of the retaining portions are in a radial position inside the outer circumferential support surface portion where both of the retaining portions do not attach the respective target to the outer circumferential support surface portion of the launching head. the launching head is of a generally tubular configuration defined by a longitudinally extending rotational axis and where the launching head is provided with an outer circumferential support surface portion formed to fit into and support said radially inward facing surface of the central hub portion of the respective targets; the launching head is provided with a plurality of retaining claw members configured to be able to pivot in a plane containing the longitudinally extending rotational axis and pivot an angle relative to a plane extending perpendicularly to the longitudinally extending rotational axis, where each of the plurality of retaining claw members is provided with two longitudinally spaced-apart retaining portions configured such that: when the retaining claw member is in a first pivotal position, both of the retaining portions are in a radial position outside the outer circumferential support surface portion, in said position both of the retaining portions attach the hub portion of the respective targets to the outer circumferential support surface portion of the launching head, and when the retaining claw member is in a second pivotal position, the retaining portion closest to the pivot point is at a radial position outside the outer circumferential support surface portion, in said position the retaining portion closest to the pivot point attaches the corresponding target to the launching head whereas the other retaining portion is at a radial position inside the support surface portion, in said position the other retaining portion does not attach the corresponding target to the launching head, and when the retaining claw member is in a third pivotal position, both of the retaining portions are in a radial position inside the outer circumferential support surface portion where both of the retaining portions do not attach the respective target to the outer circumferential support surface portion of the launching head.

Google Patents

https://patents.google.com/patent/US12624930

USPTO PDF

https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/12624930