Emergency stopping system for target trolleys

Abstract

An emergency stopping system for track mounted movable targets used divergent cables to stop a target trolley which has not been otherwise stopped before coming to the end of a track. As the trolley passes over the diverging cables, the cables are forced together, causing the trolley to dissipate kinetic energy.

1 .- 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A target system comprising:
 a track, the track having a first rail and a second rail separated from the first rail;   a first cable portion extending from a first position between the first rail and the second rail outwardly toward the first rail;   a second cable portion extending from a first position between the first rail and the second rail outwardly toward the second rail   a target trolley supported on the track and movable on the track; and   a cable engagement member attached to the target trolley; and   wherein moving the target trolley towards the first cable portion and the second cable portion and past the first position causes the cable engagement member to engage the first cable and the second cable and force the first and second cables together to thereby stop the target trolley.   
     
     
         23 . The target system of  claim 23 , wherein the first cable portion and second cable portion form an acute angle therebetween. 
     
     
         24 . The target system of  claim 23 , wherein said acute angle is between about 2 and 20 degrees. 
     
     
         25 . The target system of  claim 22 , further comprising a cable mount and wherein the first cable portion and second cable portion slope upwardly from the first position as the first cable portion and the second cable portion extent outwardly toward the first rail and the second rail respectively. 
     
     
         26 . The target system of  claim 22 , wherein the track has a first end and further comprising a bumper disposed adjacent the first end of the track, and wherein the trolley contacts the bumper after engagement with the first and second cables portions. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the cable engagement member forms a channel extending downwardly from the target trolley. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the cable engagement member passes over the center cable mount and engages the first cable portion and the second cable portion such that the first cable and second cable are located in the channel. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the channel has and end wall connected to two sidewalls and wherein the sidewalls are disposed at an angle such that the channel is narrower near an opening formed between the sidewalls and is wider near the end wall. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the first cable portion and the second cable portion slope upwardly away from the first position so that the first cable portion and the second cable portion lift the target trolley off of the track as the trolley moves along the cables past the first position. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the first cable portion and the second cable portion are formed by a single cable. 
     
     
         32 . The target system of  claim 22 , wherein the first cable portion extends over the first rail and wherein the second cable portion extends over the second rail as the first cable portion and the second cable portion extend away from the first position. 
     
     
         33 . A target system comprising:
 a track having a first rail and a second rail, the track terminating at a first end;   a target disposed above the track so as to move along the track;   a first cable portion having a first end which is anchored adjacent to the track between the first rail and the second rail and a distance away from the first end of the track and a second end mounted adjacent the first rail, the second end of the first cable portion being mounted at a position closer to the first end of the track then is the first end of the first cable portion;   a second cable portion having a first end which is anchored adjacent to the track between the first rail and the second rail adjacent the first end of the first cable, the second cable having a second end mounted adjacent the second rail, the second end of the second cable portion being mounted at a position closer to the first end of the track than is the first end of the second cable portion;   a cable engagement member attached to the target; and   wherein the cable engagement member engages the first cable portion and the second cable portion as the target moves towards the first end of the track to thereby bring the target to a stop.   
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the first cable portion and the second cable portion form an acute angle therebetween. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the acute angle is between about 2 and 20 degrees. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the first cable portion and second cable portion have a length which is about 15 times a distance between the track first rail and second rail. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the first end of the first cable portion and the first end of the second cable portion are mounted to a center cable mount disposed between the first rail and the second rail and wherein the center cable mount is disposed a distance away from the first end of the track so that the first cable portion and the second cable portion are disposed at an acute angle relative to each other. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the first end of the first cable portion and the first end of the second cable portion are anchored closer to the surface of the track as viewed horizontally and wherein the second end of the first cable portion and the second end of the second cable portion are mounted above the surface of the track as viewed horizontally to a greater degree that the first end of the first cable portion and the first end of the second cable portion so that the cables slope upwardly. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the target is carried by a trolley which has wheels which roll along the track and wherein the moving the cable engagement member along the first cable portion and second cable portion towards the second ends of the first cable portion and the second cable portions lifts at least some of the wheels off the track. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the cable engagement member defines a channel extending downwardly away from the bottom of the trolley and wherein the cable engagement member passes over the first ends of the first cable portion and second cable portion and engages the first cable portion and second cable portion to hold the first cable portion and second cable portion within the channel. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein further movement of the trolley towards the first end of the track maintains the first cable portion and second cable portion in the channel and pulls the first cable portion and second cable portion towards each other. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the target is mounted to a target carrying trolley, the trolley having wheels which ride on the first rail and second rail to move the target along the track. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the target further comprises a lower retaining member extending below the track which stops the target from lifting upwardly due to contact with the first and second cables.