Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
148 words
A projectable and frangible target comprising an inert filler component and between about 4 and 15 weight percent of a solidified naturally occurring water soluble binder component, said binder component being substantially non-toxic to animals, and being capable of forming agglomerates with said inert filler component without heating, said target being free of pitch, and said inert filler component being friable and relatively wettable with a solvent, whereby agglomerates of said inert filler component, said binder component, and said solvent can be produced, said target including said binder component being prepared by the compression forming of said agglomerates and the subsequent drying of said compressed targets so as to solidify said binder and produce a hardened and rigidified target which is capable of withstanding the forces created by propulsion of said target by means of a trap while also being capable of disintegration upon impact by a projectile.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
148 words
A projectable and frangible target comprising an inert filler component and between about 4 and 15 weight percent of a solidified naturally occurring water soluble binder component, said binder component being substantially non-toxic to animals, and being capable of forming agglomerates with said inert filler component without heating, said target being free of pitch, and said inert filler component being friable and relatively wettable with a solvent, whereby agglomerates of said inert filler component, said binder component, and said solvent can be produced, said target including said binder component being prepared by the compression forming of said agglomerates and the subsequent drying of said compressed targets so as to solidify said binder and produce a hardened and rigidified target which is capable of withstanding the forces created by propulsion of said target by means of a trap while also being capable of disintegration upon impact by a projectile.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The target of claim 1 wherein said inert filler component is present in an amount of between about 85 and 96 weight percent.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The target of claim 1 wherein said inert filler component is selected from the group consisting of limestone, gypsum, anthracite, sand, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The target of claim 1 wherein said naturally occurring binder component is selected from the group consisting of starches, dextrins, gums, glues, lignins, waxes, alginates, colloidal silica, silicates, phosphates, aluminates, clays, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The target of claim 1 wherein said agglomerates have an average particle size of between about 16 and 200 mesh.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
10 words
The target of claim 1 wherein said solvent comprises water.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The target of claim 6 including between about 1 and 6 weight percent of said water upon said compression molding.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
147 words
A projectable, frangible and environmentally acceptable target comprising an inert filler component and between about 4 and 10 weight percent of a solidified, naturally occurring water soluble binder component capable of forming agglomerates with said inert filler component without heating said binder component, said target being free of pitch, and said inert filler component being friable and relatively wettable with a solvent, whereby agglomerates of said inert filler component, said binder component, and said solvent can be produced, said target being prepared by the compression forming of said agglomerates at pressures of greater than about 5 tons and the subsequent drying of said compressed targets so as to solidify said binder and produce a hardened and rigidified target which is capable of withstanding the forces created by propulsion of said targets by means of a trap while also being capable of disintegration upon impact by a projectile.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
147 words
A projectable, frangible and environmentally acceptable target comprising an inert filler component and between about 4 and 10 weight percent of a solidified, naturally occurring water soluble binder component capable of forming agglomerates with said inert filler component without heating said binder component, said target being free of pitch, and said inert filler component being friable and relatively wettable with a solvent, whereby agglomerates of said inert filler component, said binder component, and said solvent can be produced, said target being prepared by the compression forming of said agglomerates at pressures of greater than about 5 tons and the subsequent drying of said compressed targets so as to solidify said binder and produce a hardened and rigidified target which is capable of withstanding the forces created by propulsion of said targets by means of a trap while also being capable of disintegration upon impact by a projectile.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The target of claim 8 wherein said inert filler component is selected from the group consisting of limestone, gypsum, anthracite, sand, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
The target of claim 8 wherein said binder component comprises a naturally occurring binder component selected from the group consisting of starches, dextrins, gums, glues, lignins, alginates, waxes, clays, phosphates, silicates, aluminates, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of producing a projectable and frangible target comprising providing a mixture of an inert filler component, between about 4 and 15 weight percent of a binder component, and a solvent, so as to produce agglomerates of said inert filler component, compacting said mixture into the desired form of said target without the application of sufficient heat to alter the state of said binder component, and drying said compacted target by driving off said solvent at a temperature below the thermal decomposition point of said inert filler compound so as to solidify said binder and produce a hardened and rigidified target which is capable of withstanding the forces created by propulsion of said target by means of a trap while also being capable of disintegration upon impact by a projectile.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of producing a projectable and frangible target comprising providing a mixture of an inert filler component, between about 4 and 15 weight percent of a binder component, and a solvent, so as to produce agglomerates of said inert filler component, compacting said mixture into the desired form of said target without the application of sufficient heat to alter the state of said binder component, and drying said compacted target by driving off said solvent at a temperature below the thermal decomposition point of said inert filler compound so as to solidify said binder and produce a hardened and rigidified target which is capable of withstanding the forces created by propulsion of said target by means of a trap while also being capable of disintegration upon impact by a projectile.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said compacting is carried out at a pressure of between about 5 and 50 tons.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said drying is carried out at an elevated temperature below the thermal decomposition point of said binder component.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said step of providing said mixture comprises dissolving said binder component in said solvent, and subsequently combining said binder component dissolved in said solvent with said filler component, whereby said agglomerates comprise particles of said filler component substantially coated with said binder component dissolved in said solvent.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said agglomerates have an average particle size of between about 16 and 200 mesh.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said compacting comprises pressing said mixture between first and second die members, and including moving both said first and second die members in a common predetermined direction during said compacting step.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said mixture comprises between about 85 and 96 weight percent of said inert filler component.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said inert filler component is selected from the group consisting of limestone, gypsum, anthracite, sand, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said binder component comprises a naturally occurring binder component.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 19 wherein said naturally occurring binder component is selected from the group consisting of starches, dextrins, gums, glues, lignins, waxes, alginates, clays, phosphates, silicates, aluminates, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said solvent comprises water.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said mixture includes between about 1 and 6 weight percent of said water upon said compacting.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said drying is carried out substantially at room temperature.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 23 wherein said drying includes a stream of air.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
84 words
A method of producing a projectable, frangible and environmentally acceptable target comprising providing a mixture of an inert filler component, a binder component selected from the group of organic and inorganic binder components, and a solvent, so as to produce agglomerates of said inert filler component, compacting said mixture into the desired form of said target, and drying said compacted target by driving off said solvent at a temperature below the thermal decomposition point of both said inert filler component and said binder component.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
84 words
A method of producing a projectable, frangible and environmentally acceptable target comprising providing a mixture of an inert filler component, a binder component selected from the group of organic and inorganic binder components, and a solvent, so as to produce agglomerates of said inert filler component, compacting said mixture into the desired form of said target, and drying said compacted target by driving off said solvent at a temperature below the thermal decomposition point of both said inert filler component and said binder component.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 25 wherein said compacting is carried out at a pressure of between about 5 and 50 tons.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 25 wherein said mixture includes between about 4 and 10 weight percent of said binder component.