US 11,959,732 B2
Shooting target turner
Michael Cottrell, Columbia, MO (US); Adam J. Birk, Hallsville, MO (US); Dennis W. Cauley, Jr., Booneville, MO (US); Timothy S. Kinney, Warrenton, MO (US); Michael Poehlman, Columbia, MO (US); and James Gianladis, Harrisburg, MO (US)
Assigned to AOB Products Company, Columbia, MO (US)
Filed by Battenfeld Technologies, Inc., Columbia, MO (US)
Filed on Jan. 3, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/239,103.
Prior Publication US 2020/0217628 A1, Jul. 9, 2020
Int. Cl. F41J 7/06 (2006.01); F41J 1/10 (2006.01); F41J 7/04 (2006.01)
CPC F41J 7/06 (2013.01) [F41J 1/10 (2013.01); F41J 7/04 (2013.01)] 31 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
12. A target turner comprising:
a target support including a target holder configured to hold a target;
a base including a housing, the base being configured to engage a support surface and to support the target with respect to the support surface, the target support being rotatable with respect to the base about a target turning axis; and
a turning assembly supported by the base and operatively connectable to the target support for turning the target support about the target turning axis, the turning assembly including a motor and a drive train, the motor including an output shaft operatively connected to the drive train, the motor configured to rotate the output shaft in a first direction of rotation, the drive train configured to, in response to rotation of the output shaft in the first direction of rotation, transmit force from the output shaft to the target support so that force from the output shaft turns the target support in a first turning direction about the target turning axis from a non-shooting orientation toward a shooting orientation and the drive train is configured to, in response to further rotation of the output shaft in the first direction of rotation after the target support is in the shooting orientation, transfer force received from the output shaft after the target support is in the shooting orientation to the target support to turn the target support in a second turning direction opposite the first turning direction about the target turning axis from the shooting orientation toward the non-shooting orientation, wherein the target turning axis extends into the housing and a portion of the turning assembly in the housing pivots about the target turning axis in response to rotation of the output shaft;
wherein the drive train includes a first turning body, the first turning body being arranged with respect to the output shaft such that force from the output shaft is transmitted to the first turning body so that force from the output shaft turns the first turning body in a first turning body direction to turn the target support in the first turning direction, and the first turning body being arranged with respect to the output shaft such that force from the output shaft is transmitted to the first turning body so that force from the output shaft turns the first turning body in a second turning body direction opposite the first turning body direction to turn the target support in the second turning direction.
 
23. A target turner comprising:
a target support configured to hold a target, the target support including a post having a lower end;
a base configured to engage a support surface and to support the target support for supporting the target with respect to the support surface;
a turning driver supported by the base and operatively connectable to the target support to apply a turning force to the target support to turn the target support about a target turning axis, the turning driver including a target support connector for connecting the target support to the turning driver; and
at least one of the lower end of the post and the target support connector of the turning driver comprising a protrusion, and the other of the at least one of the lower end of the post and the target support connector of the turning driver comprising a recess, the protrusion receivable in the recess to form a joint for connecting the target support to the turning driver for conjoint turning of the protrusion and recess in response to the turning force applied by the turning driver, the recess and protrusion configured to dislocate the joint to disconnect the target support and turning driver in response to a force applied to the target support in opposition to the turning force;
wherein the protrusion extends along a protrusion axis to a free end of the protrusion, the protrusion including at least first and second planar side surfaces extending in different planes, the first and second planar side surfaces tapering toward the protrusion axis as the protrusion extends toward the free end.