The present invention relates to a clay pigeon used in sport shooting, comprising a first flange part which determines the outer diameter of the clay pigeon, and a second flange part connected stepwise to the first flange part in the thickness direction of the clay pigeon, the outer diameter of the second flange part being smaller that the outer diameter of the first flange part.

As known, shooting of clay pigeons is a sport in which a shotgun is used for shooting clay pigeons, which in conventional clay pigeon shooting are projected into the air or in so-called sporting shooting are made roll bouncing on the ground. In the conventional clay pigeon shooting, clay pigeons are used that are specified in the rules of shooting federations. Such clay pigeons weigh 100 - 110 g, their diameter is 110±2 mm and height approximately 25- 28 mm. The clay pigeon is normally projected by a machine so that from a pile of clay pigeons, one clay pigeon at a time is taken to the machine for projection. The clay pigeon will obtain a rotating movement with respect to its center axis and consequently keeps its balance.

The conventional clay pigeon, meant to be projected into the air, has the shape of a shallow cup. The clay pigeons are dimensioned and shaped so that they may be stored piled on top of each other, whereby they partly go within each other. The clay pigeon used in sporting shooting differs to some extent from the conventional clay pigeon as to its dimensioning, appearance and structure. In such a clay pigeon, the flange constituting the outer shell is provided with a greater strength than that of a conventional clay pigeon. Consequently, it is possible to project the clay pigeon so that it rolls bouncing on the ground but does not break on the impact of such a projection. Such a clay pigeon, a so-called rabbit target, used in the sporting shooting typically comprises a center flange part which determines the outer diameter of the clay pigeon, and a flange part that is smaller as to its outer diameter, which protrudes stepwise from the center flange part in the thickness direction, and to which the force of the blade creating the projection of the projection device is targeted. The center portion of the clay pigeon is shaped to have the form of a cup so that it balances the weight shift caused by the stepwise protruding flange part. With such rabbit targets, however, some practical problems are encountered. As only one surface of the clay pigeon is coloured, typically

orange and red, and as it has an asymmetric structure, it may by a typical projection device be projected in one direction only; in practice, most often from left to right. If the same projection device is turned 180° to make it project a clay pigeon from right to left, the shooter will see the back side of the clay pigeon, which is typically black. Another problem with the structure of the conventional rabbit target is that apparently due to its asymmetric structure, the clay pigeon relatively quickly slants towards its stepwise protruding flange and falls. Such an asymmetric rolling behaviour sets limits to the projection distance of the clay pigeon. It is the object of the present invention to obtain a new type of clay pigeon to be employed in sport shooting, and particularly a so-called rabbit target without the problems discussed above. This is achieved by a clay pigeon according to the invention, which is characterized by further comprising a third flange part connected stepwise in the thickness direction to the first flange part, the outer diameter of the third flange part being smaller than that of the first flange part and the third flange part being located on the opposite side of the first flange part with respect to the second flange part. By making the clay pigeon symmetric so that it comprises a smaller flange part on both sides of the center part which determines the outer diameter, the clay pigeon may be inserted in the projection device in both directions without modifications to the device structure, whereby the same projection device may be employed for projecting a clay pigeon with the side to be shot (the coloured side) towards the shooter both from left to right and from right to left.

The increase to three in the number of flanges results in that the width of the center flange must be reduced from what it is in a conventional rabbit target in order not to add to the total thickness of the clay pigeon. Due to a structure that is more symmetric than before, no negative effects have been noticed on the rotating characteristics of the clay pigeon. On the contrary, the clay pigeon according to the invention behaves in a truly balanced way when it is projected, and travels steadily for a very long journey without slanting to either side.

The second flange part is advantageously ring-shaped, with the inner diameter at least slightly larger than the outer diameter of the third flange part. When piling clay pigeons, the third flange part of a clay pigeon may due to such a measuring always be placed within the second flange part of the

previous clay pigeon, whereby the clay pigeons will partly go within one another, which means space saving and provides a sturdy pile.

The third flange part is advantageously thicker than the second flange part, and the volume of the third flange part substantially equals that of the second flange part. By means of these measurement solutions, the air resistance to the clay pigeon in its rolling direction is in balance on both sides of the clay pigeon as the flange with the smaller diameter is now somewhat higher than the flange with the larger diameter, and consequently have equal air resistance areas. Further, weight distribution on the different sides of the center axis of the clay rabbit can be made even. These measurement factors are believed to have a significant effect on the extremely balanced behaviour of the clay rabbit during the projection.

In the following, the invention will be described in closer detail, with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a cross section for an exemplary embodiment of the clay pigeon according to the invention.

In the cross section of the inventive clay pigeon illustrated by the figure, reference number 1 denotes the center flange part which determines the outer diameter of the clay pigeon and on which the clay pigeon in practice bounces or rolls when employed as a so-called rabbit target. To this center flange part 1 , a center part 4 of the clay pigeon is attached, which is located in the center of the ring formed by the flange 1 , symmetrically with respect to the center axis of the flange 1. The center part 4 is slightly thinner than the flange 1. To the center flange part 1 is attached stepwise a second flange part 2, forming an annular entity, and protruding from the flange part 1 in the thickness direction of the clay pigeon. The flange part 2 is slightly thinner than the flange part 1. As shown by the figure, the outer diameter of the annular flange part 2 is to some extent smaller than the outer diameter of the center part 1. The step that is formed between the flange parts 1 and 2 is the threshold on which the projection blade of the projection device rests when the clay pigeon is being projected. In such a case, the side on the flange part 2 side faces the shooter, and is therefore in practice coloured orange and red. As mentioned above, the flange part 2 is ring-shaped whereby it also exhibits an inner diameter which is stepwise or for reasons of casting technique in a slightly bevelled way connected to the center part 4 of the clay pigeon. The clay pigeon according to the invention further comprises a third flange part 3 stepwise protruding from the center flange part 1 on the opposite

O 97/49966 PC17FI97/00401

side with respect to the flange part 2. As to its outer diameter, this flange part 3 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the flange part 2 whereby it is possible to pile the clay pigeons on top of each other so that the flange part 3 goes within the flange part 2 of the clay pigeon lower down the pile. Accordingly, the outer diameter of the flange part 3 is clearly smaller than the outer diameter of the center flange part 1 , and, as mentioned above, only slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the flange part 2. Contrary to this, the height of the flange part 3 in the thickness direction of the clay pigeon is slightly larger than the height of the flange part 2. This results in some practical benefits when piling the clay pigeons, because in this manner the creation of underpressure to between the clay pigeons, and their consequent sticking to one another may be prevented, but above all the air resistance of the flange 3 in the rolling direction can be made equal to the air resistance of the flange 2 in the rolling direction. As shown by the figure, the flange part 3 is connected to the center part 4 of the clay pigeon by means of a rather gently sloping bevelled surface. As to casting technique, such a structure is advantageous, and on the other hand, the outcome is easily achieved that the volume of the ring formed by the flange part 3, and consequently its mass as well, is advantageously the same as the volume and, correspondingly, mass of the ring formed by the flange part 2. This helps to bring the center of gravity of the clay pigeon to the center axis of the center flange part 1. The even weight distribution discussed above is, along with the even air resistance distribution, an important factor when considering the behaviour of the clay pigeon at the projection situation and its rolling characteristics.

The significance of the third flange part 3 in the inventive clay pigeon lies above all in the fact that the clay pigeon may now be inserted in a conventional projection device without any modifications thereto also upside down, and projected resting on the third flange part. When inserting the clay pigeon like this upside down in the projection device, the coloured side of the clay pigeon may be made visible to the shooter also when shooting the clay pigeon from right to left. The most significant feature of the third flange lies in the very fact that the clay pigeon may now be inserted in the projection device either of the sides up, and therefore be projected into the desired direction without having to colour it on both sides, which would make the production of clay pigeons far more difficult. Due to the even weight distribution and the

even air resistance distribution, the inventive structure of the clay pigeon provides a most balanced outcome from the point of view of the clay pigeon behaviour.

In the above, the clay pigeon of the invention is described by means of but one exemplary embodiment, and it should be understood that several modifications may be made to its structural details without departing from the scope of the attached claims.