US3271032A - Photoelectric target practice pistol - Google Patents

Description

P 6, 1966 J. G. RABINOWITZ ETAL 3, ,0

PHOTOELECTRIC TARGET PRACTICE PISTOL Filed Sept. '7, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 PIC-3J3 INVENTORS. JACOB G. RABINOWITZ y VICTOR YAGER ATTORNEY Sept. 6, 1966 J. G. RABINOWITZ ETAL PHOTDELECTRIC TARGET PRACTICE PISTOL 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. '7, 1962 INVENTORS. JACOB G. RABINOWITZ V|CTOR YAGER Y B 0 a. H H mm 1| I w mm k h r ::,1.| com on vm N 0mm on QF 0 mm .7 mb 8 ow QM. k; 4 s 1 Sn mm OF 5:: om F m l \8 N hm om ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,271 032 PHOTOELECTRIC TARGET PRACTICE PISTOL Jacob G. Rabinowitz, Jamaica, and Victor Yager, Long Island City, N.Y., assignors to Clairex Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 7, 1962, Ser. No. 222,095 Claims. (Cl. 273101.1)

This invention concerns a photoelectrically controlled target practice pistol.

According to the invention there is provided a pistol type of gun in which is a photoelectric cell responsive to light of predetermined minimum brightness reaching the cell from an external light source. The cell may be connected in a circuit including an amplifier, a suitable bell, lamp, counter or other signaling or indicating device, and an electromagnet for actuating the signaling or indicating device. The cell which may be a photoconductor or other photosensitive device is mounted behind an aperture set at the focal point of a positive lens. This optical assembly is lined up or collimated with the gun sights. The cell serves as the sensor or input to the signal actuating circuit. The amplifier receives and amplifies the input signal, and applies an output signal to the electromagnet for actuating the signaling or indicating device. The gun has a trigger which momentarily operates a switch in the circuit or momentarily opens an optical shutter in front of the sensor. If the gun is aimed directly on target at the light source, a hit is indicated by sounding of the bell, flashing of the lamp or other signal. The signal indicating a hit may be actuated directly by the electromagnet in the circuit or may be tripped by the electromagnet after having been cocked by initial trigger movement. The trigger may be arranged to connect a battery to the circuit momentarily or to expose the cell momentarily to the target light. The bell may be struck by a hammer cocked by the trigger and released by an electromagnet armature which acts as a sear, in a double-action type of pistol. In a single-action type of pistol the hammer may be cocked manually. When a hit is scored, the electromagnet armature is actuated and allows a firing pin to be struck by the hammer. The hammer is released by the trigger which also makes a momentary contact to activate the electromagnet circuit. The struck pin impinges on the bell or gong to indicate the hit audibly.

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a pistol type of gun of single or double trigger action, with a photoelectric sensor in the gun arranged to receive light from a light target, the sensor being in circuit with a signal actuating device for producing a signal when the gun is fired by trigger actuation simultaneously with impingement of light from the light target upon the sensor.

Another object is to provide a gun as described, wherein the trigger momentarily closes a switch to apply an electric pulse to a signal actuating electromagnet or momentarily opens a shutter in front of the light sensor to apply an electric pulse to the signal actuating electromagnet.

Still another object is to provide a gun as described wherein the signal device is struck by a member actuated by the electromagnet.

A further object is to provide -a gun as described wherein the signal actuating member is cocked manually in a single-action type of pistol or is cocked by the trigger in a double-action type of pistol.

The invention will be best understood from the following detailed description taken together with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pistol embodying the invention shown aimed at a light target.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view on an enlarged scale of the pistol, showing the interior thereof, part of the pistol case being removed.

" ice FIG. 3 is .a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view similar to part of FIG. 2, certain parts being broken away to show internal construction.

FIG. 5 is another side elevational view of the pistol similar to FIG. 2, parts of the pistol case being broken away, and the pistol being in firing condition.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a part of the pistol case.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 77 of FIG. 6'.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view showing the inner side of the part of the pistol case of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a diagram of an electric circuit which may be employed in the pistol.

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 2 of another pistol according to the invention.

FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 are fragmentary sectional views similar to parts of FIG. 10, showing the pistol in cocking and firing positions respectively.

FIG. 13 is a diagram of another signal actuating circuit for a pistol according to the invention.

FIG. 14 is a sectional view partially diagrammatic in form of part of the pistol employing the circuit of FIG. 13.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown in FIG. 1 a pistol having a case 21 formed by two separable hollow parts or sections 21a, 21b. The pistol has a barrel 26 formed by casing sections 26a, 26b. At the front of the barrel is lens 28 in mounting 29. The lens passes light from a target light L to the interior of the barrel. The gun has a movable trigger 30 extending into trigger guard 32. The gun has a handle or stock 34 at the rear of the case. The stock is formed by easing sections 34a, 34b. Front sight 36 is secured to the top of the front end of the barrel section 26a. Rear sight 38 is mounted at the upper rear edge of the case sections. Rear sight 38 has a central notch aligned with front sight 36 which has an ofiset upper portion extending axially of the barrel coplanar with mating edges of sections 26a, 26b.

FIGS. 25 show the hollow interior of pistol casing section 21a. In the semicylindrical barrel portion 26a is a sernicylindrical bracket 40 adjustably secured longitudinally of the barrel by two screws 43 engaging the barrel wall and passing through slot 41 in the bracket. At the rear end of the bracket is a hollow housing 42 in which is disposed a photoelectric cell 44. This cell is aligned with the optical axis 0 of the lens 28. The cell has leads 45 connected to a transistor 46, resistor 47 and an electromagnet 48. The electromagnet has a movable armature 50 provided with a depending finger 52 which engages one end of a hammer lever 54 carrying a flexible arm 56 on which is mounted a hammer 57. Lever 54 pivots on a pin 58 fixed in the side of a mounting plate 53 in the pistol case; see FIGS. 2 and 3.

Lever 54 has an outwardly extending finger 59 normally contacting an inwardly extending finger 61 of a cocking lever 60. A spring 62 on pin 58 biases the lever 54 counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 2 against finger 61. Cocking lever 60 pivots about a pin 64 secured to the plate 53. Lever 60 has a hole 63 through which pin 64 extends. Around the pin is a sleeve 65; see FIG. 3. Coil spring 66 is'coaxial with the sleeve 65 and bears on the body of lever 60. The spring 66 has one end 68 engaged with a fixed pin 69 carried by plate 53; see FIG. 4. The spring 66 biases .the lever 60 counterclockwise as viweed in FIG. 2. Rotation of the lever is stopped by an extension 70 of the lever bearing against a finger 72 at the bottom edge of the plate 53. Lever 60 can be tilted at an angle to plate 53 and moved axially of pin 64 laterally away from the plate 53 against tension in spring 66, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 3.

The cocking lever 60 is pivotable in a clockwise directrigger 30 while lever 60 rotates clockwise.

tion by slidable engagement of a flat pawl 74 carried by trigger plate 30a. The trigger plate pivots around a pin 76 and is biased in a clockwise direction by a spring 78 on pin 76. One end of the spring 78 engages a pin 79 r on the pawl. The other end of the spring engages a pin 80 on plate 53. Pawl 74 has an upwardly and outwardly facing edge 75 slanted with respect to the plane of pawl 74. Tail 82 of lever 60 has an inwardly and downwardly facing bottom edge 83 slanted with respect to the plane of lever 60 and located near edge 75. When trigger 30 is retracted rearwardly, pawl 74 advances counterclockwise so that its tip 75' engages the tail 82 of lever 60 and turns the lever clockwise. The tip 75 of pawl 74 passes the tail 82 on complete retraction of On release of the trigger, the slanted edge 75 of the pawl 74 rotating clockwise slips past the slanted edge 83 of the lever tail 82 while the lever 60 is moved laterally slightly axially of pin 64 against tension in spring 66 to permit the pawl edge 75 to pass the lever tail 82. A fixed pin 86 on plate 53 serves as a stop element to prevent trigger 30 from moving too far forwardly while the pawl is rotated clockwise after the trigger is released.

At the forward end of cocking lever 60 is a pin 90 on which is pivotally engaged the bottom end of a book 92 which can move up and down as well as pivot angularly. A coil spring 94 on pin 90 biases the upper end of the hook against the side of a rotatable drum 96. This drum is biased counterclockwise as viewed in FIGS. 2-5 by a coil spring 98 on shaft 100. The drum has a bottom flange 102 carrying a pin 104 which contacts a pin 105 supported by stationary plate extension 53a. Pin 105 stops rotation of the drum in a counterclockwise direction. The drum has a circumferential cut-out defining two opposing lands 108 and 110. Land 110 abuts the underside of an insulated piece 112 carried by a movable spring contact 114. The contact is mounted in a stationary insulated holder 116 which also carries a leaf spring contact 118 normally spaced from contact 114. Land 108 is near the upper end of hook 92.

Hook 92 is raised and engages land 108 when lever 60 turns clockwise. Hook 92 descends and rotates the drum 96 clockwise when the lever 60 turns counterclockwise. Then land 110 raises the contact 114 to close an electric circuit with contact 118. The circuit closure is only momentary since the hook slips down past the land 108 as the drum is rotated sufficiently clockwise by the descending hook to clear land 108. Disengagement of the book from land 108 occurs just after the tip 75 of pawl 74 disengages from the tail 82 of clockwise rotated lever 60 upon retraction of the trigger. The released lever 60 then rotates counterclockwise and hook 92 descends to turn drum 96. While hook 92 descends it slips clear of land 108.

A gong or bell 120 is mounted in the casing just to the rear of electromagnet 48. The bell is positioned to be struck by hammer 57 during firing operation of the pistol. Just to the front of the bell is a socket 122 in which is a lamp bulb 124. The socket is connected in the circuit of the assembly.

A plurality of threaded posts 125, 126 and 127 are provided for receiving screws which pass through holes 129 in the casing section 21b to secure the sections together; see FIGS. 68. A transparent plastic window 130 is fitted in an opening 132 in the casing section 21b. This window forms a transparent wall adjacent to the lamp bulb to make the flash of the lamp visible during firing of the pistol. If desired, the lamp can be mounted on the outside of the casing 21. A battery 136 is removably held in a spring bracket 138 in stock section 34a. This battery is connected in the circuit of the pistol assembly.

FIG. 9 illustrates one form of circuit 200 which may be employed in operation of the pistol. Battery 136 is connected to contact 118 which, with movable spring in FIG. 5.

contact 114, constitutes a momentary closing switch. The switch contact 114 is connected to one terminal 115 of the photoelectric cell 44 which, in this instance, is a photoconductive element whose electrical resistance varies upon change in incident light. The cell has the characteristic that its resistance is normally quite high and the resistance drops instantly when light of sufiicient brightness impinges thereon. One terminal of coil 117 of the electromagnet 48 and one terminal of the lamp 124 are connected to terminal 115 of the cell 44 and to switch contact 114.

Armature is normally biased away from the pole51 of the electromagnet by spring 50a shown in FIGS. 2-5. Transistor 46 has its base 140 connected to the other terminal of the cell 44 and to one terminal of resistor 47 which is connected in series with the cell across the terminals of battery 136. The emitter 142 of the transistor is connected to the positive terminal of the battery and the collector 144 is connected to the other terminals of both the electromagnet coil 117 and lamp 124.

FIGS. 2 and 5 show two successive stages of operation of the pistol. In FIG. 2, the assembly is shown in condition for firing. Suppose the pistol is aimed at a light source L of suflicient brightness and trigger 30 is retracted or squeezed slowly. The tip 75' of pawl 74 will engage tail 82 of the cocking lever 60 which will pivot hammer lever 54 until the upper tip T of the lever 54 passes the depending finger 52 carried by armature 50. At this instant the tip T will engage the finger 52 as shown in FIG. 2. This constitutes cocking of the pistol since hammer 57 is then turned away from the bell and is in a position to strike the bell when the lever 54 is released. As the trigger is retracted, the cocking lever 60 turning clockwise moves the hook 92 longitudinally up ward until the hooked end engages on land 108. Then after lever 60 is released by the pawl 74 and turns counterclockwise, the hook 92 moves down and turns the drum 96 clockwise until the hook slips past land 108, so that land 110 momentarily closes contacts 114, 118 as shown If light of sulficient brightness is reaching the photoelectric cell 44 through lens 28, electric current will be passed by the cell and the transistor will be biased to conduct. An amplified pulse will be applied to the lamp 124 which will flash and the armature 50 will be attracted to pole 51. This will disengage finger 52 from tip T of the hammer lever 54 and the hammer 57 will strike the bell. The lamp provides a visual signal of a hit visible through window 130 while the bell audibly signals a hit. As the tip 75' of pawl 74 passes the tail 82 of the cocking lever 60, the lever 60 is released to rotate counterclockwise and hook 92 is pulled down. The drum 96 after release from the hook rotates counterclockwise to its original position shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, and the contacts 114, 118 open to open the lamp and electromagnet circuits and deenergize the transistor.

If insuificient light has been impinging on cell 44 at the instant when the switch contacts 114, 118 closed, then the hammer lever 54 would remain cocked on finger 52 until the next time of firing. The lever would remain cocked until a hit was finally accomplished, whereupon the armature 50 would be retracted and the bell would be struck. Due to the momentary closure of the switch contacts 114, 118, it is possible to effect a hit indicated by sounding of the bell and lighting of the lamp only at the proper instant of firing. If the pistol is panned or swept around in an arc while the trigger is being squeezed, a hit will not be accomplished unless the pistol is actually directly aimed on the light target at the firing point of the pistol mechanism, i.e., when contacts 114, 118 momentarily close.

FIGS. 10-12 illustrate a single-action type of pistol 20a. Parts of pistol 20a corresponding to those of the double-action pistol 20 are identically numbered. Pistol 2011 has a hammer 202 which is pivotable on a pin 204 and is manually retractable for cocking. The hammer is urged inwardly counterclockwise as viewed in FIGS. -12 by a spring 206. At its lower end near pin 204 the hammer has a notch 210 which is engageable by a sear 21. The rear is a lever pivotable on a pin 214' and urged clockwise by a leaf spring 216 secured to the inner side of the stock wall 21 8. The leaf spring engages the lower end of the rear while the upper end of the sear abuts the bottom end of the hammer. The upper end of the sear engages at notch 210 as shown in FIG. 11 when the hammer is retracted. A fixed pin 220 extending inwardly of the casing wall 221 prevents clockwise rotation of the sear when it is engaged by the hammer notch.

A bell 120a is mounted on wall 221 by a bracket 224. Adjacent to this bell is a massive weight 226 carried at one end of a pin or rod 228. The rod is slidably engaged between a fixed guide block 230 and a pair of spaced fixed pins 232, 234 secured to the upper edge of wall 221. The rod carries a depending finger 236 to which is secured one end of a spring 238. The other end of the spring 23 8 is engaged on a fixed pin 239. The spring 238 urges the rod 228 axially to the rear. The upwardly extending finger 52a of the electromagnets armature 50' engages the finger 236 and prevents full retraction to the rear of the rod. When the electromagnet 48a is energized and armature 50' is attracted to pole '51 of the electromagnet, then the finger 236 is disengaged from 52a and the free end of the rod projects rearwardly beyond block 230 as shown in FIG. 12. The rod is stopped by pin 234.

Trigger '30 has a foot 240 at its rear end which contacts the bottom end of the sear 214 when the trigger is retracted or turned counterclockwise against tension in spring 78. The trigger pivots the sear counterclockwise to release it from the hammer as shown in FIG. 12. The trigger has a pawl 74' disposed to contact insulation member 11211 on spring contact 11811. When the trigger is retracted pawl 74' depresses contact 118a to close a circuit with contact 1140. The closure is momentary since the pawl slips past member 112a as the trigger is further retracted toward the rear of the trigger guard 32 and the contacts open. When the trigger is released the pawl moves upwardly and brushes past member 112a to the position shown in FIG. 11 without touching or closing the contacts 114a, 2118a.

In operation of the pistol 2011, the hammer will first be manually cocked from the position of FIG. 10 to the position of FIG. 11 where the sear is engaged. Then if the trigger is retracted hammer 202 will be released. If light of insufiicient brightness impinges on photoelectric cell 44, the electromagnet 48a will now be energized and the armature finger 5211 will remain engaged with tfinger 236 of the rod 228. The released hammer 202 will not strike the rod since the rod will not project beyond stop block 230. If the trigger is retracted and closes contacts 114a, 118a at the instant when light of suflicien-t brightness impinges on the cell 44, then the rod 228 will be released and will retract to firing position. Then as the trigger releases the hammer, the hammer will strike the rearwardly projecting end of rod 228 and the rod will be driven forwardly so that weight 226 strikes the bell. At the same time lamp 124 will light since it is connected in parallel with the energized electromagnet.

As the rod 228 is driven forwardly, the electromagnet 48a becomes deenergized and armature 50' is released by pole 51 so that the finger 52a again engages finger 236 and prevents retraction of rod 228 beyond the block 230. If desired, weight 226 can be omitted so that the rod or pin 228 can strike the bell 120a directly after it is positioned to be struck by the hammer, upon energization of the electromagnet.

FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate another circuit and firing mechanism. The trigger pawl 74a which turns on pin 76 is arranged to engage tail 82a at one end of a shutter bar 300. The shutter bar is biased by a coil spring 301 upwardly axially in a tube 302 extending radially in pistol casing 21 of a tube 304 extending through barrel 26. In tube 304 is mounted lens 28a and pho-toelecttric cell 44a. In front of the cell is a partition 305 having an aperture 606. Bar 300 carries a shutter disk 308 normally blocking light from reaching the cell 44a. Cell 44a is connected in signal circuit 200a. Other parts of the circuit 200a correspond to those of circuit 200 (FIG. 9) except that switch contacts 114, 118 are omitted.

As the trigger 30a is retracted against bias of spring 78 the pawl 74a will engage tail 82a as shown by dotted lines in FIG. 14 and will momentarily retract the shutter 308 away from the aperture. As soon as the shutter clears the aperture the pawl tip 75 passes the tail 82a and the shuter tail is released to close the aperture. If at the instant that the shutter is clear of aperture 306 the pistol is aimed at a light target, then the signal circuit will be actuated. The resistance of cell 4411 will decrease. Transistor 46a will be energized. The lamp 124 will flash and the armature 50 of electromagnet 48 will be attracted to pole 51 to release the hammer lever and sound the bell 120. On release of the trigger the slanted edge portion 75 of the pawl will deflect the shutter tail 82a laterally slightly to permit the pawl to pass the tail 82a and return to the solid line position shown in FIG. 14.

The lamp 124 in all cfiorms of the pistol described may be mounted on the exterior of the case, if desired, so as to be visible on both sides of the pistol when it flashes.

The invention as described above can be embodied in a single-action type of pistol or a double-action type of pistol. The trigger can be arranged to operate in conjunction with an electro-optical circuit to activate the circuit momentarily either by closing a switch in the circuit or by operating a shutter in the circuit. The signal device oontrolled by the electro-optical circuit can be a bell, lamp, counter, or other indicating means.

Although a limited number of embodiments of the invention have been described, the invention is not limited thereto and many modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed and sought to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A target practice pistol, comprising a hollow casing having a tubular barrel at one end, a photoelectric cell in the casing exposable through said barrel to a light target external of said casing, said light target emitting light of sufiicient brightness to activate said cell, circuit means connected to said cell, power supply means in said casing connected to said circuit means to energize the same, signal means connected to said circuit means and controllable thereby to indicate when said circuit means is energized, said circuit means including a switch having normally open contacts to keep said circuit means in a normally deenergized state, whereby said circuit means is energized only momentarily while light from said target impinges on said cell simultaneous with momentary closure of the switch contacts, a manually movable trigger disposed to cause the contacts of said switch to close automatically for only an instant at a time during each operative movement of the trigger and then to permit the switch contacts to open automatically and remain open during the remainder of said movement, so that said circuit means is energized by said power supply means only momentarily while the contacts of said switch are momentarily closed and while the light from said target impinges on said cell, whereby said signal means is actuated only during the momentary instants of closure of the switch contacts occurring while the light from said target impinges on said cell to indicate that the axis of said barrel is precisely aligned with said light target; said signal means comprising an electromagnet having a movable armature, a cocking lever pivotable by said trigger, means actuated by the cocking lever for closing the contacts of said switch momentarily, a hammer lever pivotable by the cocking lever and engageable by said armature when the trigger is moved in one direction, a hammer carried by said hammer lever, and a bell disposed adjacent the hammer, whereby the hammer strikes the bell when the electromagnet is energized to move the armature and release the hammer lever, said electromagnet being energized only during the instants when said circuit means is energized.

2. A target practice pistol according to claim 1, wherein the cocking lever is movable laterally on its pivot, and wherein the trigger has means slidably engageable with the (cocking lever to move the same laterally when the trigger is moved in a direction opposite from said one direction so that the trigger clears the cocking lever to return to its original position prior to movement.

3. A target practice pistol according to claim 1, wherein said circuit means and said signal means are entirely contained within said casing, so that aiming and firing of said pistol substantially precisely simulates aiming and firing of a bullet discharging pistol.

4. A target practice pistol, comprising a hollow casing having a tubular barrel at one end, a photoelectric cell in the casing exposable through said barrel to a light target external of said casing, said light target emitting light of sufiicient brightness to activate said cell, circuit means connected to said cell, supply means in said casing connected to said circuit means to energize the same, signal means connected to said circuit means and controllable thereby to indicate when said circuit means is energized, said circuit means including a switch having normally open contacts to keep said circuit means in a (normally deenergized state, whereby said circuit means is energized only momentarily while light from said target impinges on said cell simultaneous with momentary closure of the switch contacts, a manually movable trigger disposed to cause the contacts of said switch to close automatically for only an instant at a time during each operative movement of the trigger and then to permit the switch contacts to open automatically and remain open during the remainder of said movement, so that said circuit means is energized by said power supply means only momentarily while the contacts of said switch are momentarily closed and while the light from said target impinges on said cell, whereby said signal means is actuated only during the momentary instants of closure of the switch cont-acts occurring while the light from said target impinges on said cell to indicate that the axis of said barrel is precisely aligned with said light target; said signal means including an electromagnet having a movable armature, a rod having a portion engageable by said armature when the electromagnet is deenengized to hold the rod in a retracted position, a weight carried by said rod, a bell disposed adjacent the Weight for sounding when the weight is driven against the bell, a manually pivotable hammer disposed to strike the rod when the rod is in an extended position near the hammer, the rod assuming the extended position when the electromagnet becomes energized to move the armature out of engagement with the rod, and a sear pivotable by the hammer and engageable therewith to hold the hammer apart from said rod, said trigger having a portion disposed to pivot the sear and release the hammer during movement of the trigger in one direction thereof.

5. A target practice pistol, comprising a hollow casing having a tubular barrel at one end, a photoelectric cell in the casing ex-posable through said barrel to a light target external of said casing, said light target emitting light of sufiicient brightness to activate said cell, circuit means connected to said cell, power supply means in said casing connected to said circuit means to energize the same, signal means connected to said circuit means and controllable thereby to indicate when said circuit means is energized, said circuit means including a switch having normally open contacts to keep said circuit means in a normally deenergized state, whereby said circuit means is energized only momentarily while light from said tanget impinges on said cell simultaneous with momentary closure of the switch contacts, a manually movable trigger disposed to cause the contacts of said switch to close automatically for only an instant at a time during each operative movement of the trigger and then to permit the switch contacts to open automatically and remain open during the remainder of said movement, so that said circuit means is energized by said power supply means only momentarily while the contacts of said switch are momentarily closed and while the light from said target impinges on said cell, whereby said signal means is actuated only during the momentary instants of closure of the switch contacts occurring while the light from said target-impinges on said cell to indicate that the axis of said barrel is precisely aligned with said light target; said signal means comprising an electromagnet, a movable member adjacent the electromagnet, said electromagnet having an armature engaged with said member when the electromagnet is deenergized, a bell disposed adjacent to the movable member, a manually pivotable hammer disposed to strike said movable member for sounding the bell, spring means engaged with said member for positioning the same to be struck by the hammer when the electromagnet becomes energized to release said member, a sear pivotable by the hammer and engageable therewith to hold the hammer apart from said member, said trigger having a portion disposed to pivot the sear and release the hammer during movement of the trigger in one direction thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,070,529 2/1937 Falkenberg 250217 X 2,119,005 5/ 1938 Carter.

2,364,699 12/1944 Eastman 273-1011 X 2,418,822 4/1949 De Florez 273-102.2 X 2,442,240 5/1949 Hooker et a]. 250--217 X 2,710,754 6/1955 Varney 273101.1 2,894,117 7/1959 Koskey 273101.1 X

FOREIGN PATENTS 550,752 1/ 1943 Great Britain.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

J. D. WALL, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A TARGET PRACTICE PISTOL, COMPRISING A HOLLOW CASING HAVING A TUBULAR BARALLEL AT ONE END, A PHOTOELECTRIC CELL IN THE CASING EXPOSABLE THROUGH SAID BARALLE TO A LIGHT TARGET EXTERNAL OF SAID CASING, SAID LIGHT TARGET EMITTING LIGHT OF SUFFICIENT BRIGHTNESS TO ACTIVATE SAID CELL, CIRCUIT MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID CELL, POWER SUPPLY MEANS IN SAID CASING CONNECTED TO SAID CIRCUIT MEANS TO ENERGIZE THE SAME, SIGNAL MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID CIRCUIT MEANS AND CONTROLLABLE THEREBY TO INDICATE WHEN SAID CIRCUIT MEANS IS ENERGIZED, SAID CIRCUIT MEANS INCLUDING A SWITCH HAVING NORMALLY OPEN CONTACTS TO KEEP SAID CIRCUIT MEANS IN A NORMALLY DEENERGIZED STATE, WHEREBY SAID CIRCUIT IS ENERGIZED ONLY MOMENTARILY WHILE LIGHT FROM SAID TARGET IMPINGES ON SAID CELL SIMULTANEOUS WITH MOMENTARY CLOSURE OF THE SWITCH CONTACTS, A MANUALLY MOVABLE TRIGGER DISPOSED TO CAUSE THE CONTACTS OF SAI SWITCH TO CLOSE AUTOMATICALLY FOR ONLY AN INSTANT AT A TIME DURING EACH OPERATIVE MOVEMENT OF THE TRIGGER AND THEN TO PERMIT THE SWITCH CONTACTS TO OPEN AUTOMATICALLY AND REMAIN OPEN DURING THE REMAINDER OF SAID MOVEMENT, SO THAT SAID CIRCUIT MEANS IS ENERGIZED BY SAID POWER SUPPLY MEANS ONLY MOMENTARILY WHILE THE CONTACTS OF SAID SWITCH ARE

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