PTSB-Breach

Abstract

A portable tactical shooting barricade consisting of cut-out caps over existing cut-outs of the detachable barricade portion of the PTSB (U.S. Pat. No. 10,825,349 b2) to facilitate ballistic breach shooting exercises. A portable tactical shooting barricade with cut-out ports that can be optionally covered by cut-out caps. A portable tactical shooting barricade consisting of shape-matching cut-out caps anchored in place by magnets willfully milled at matching points both in the detachable barricade and the cut-out caps. A portable shooting barricade in which said cut-out caps simulate doors, windows or similar structures so that disengaging these cut-out caps enable the shooter to intentionally engage a target downrange through the existing cut-out previously covered by said cap.

Description

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT (IF APPLICABLE)

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX (IF APPLICABLE)

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention is an improvement on the Portable Tactical Simulated Barricade (U.S. Pat. No. 10,825,349 b2), herein listed as PTSB, which is a height-adjustable, foldable, lightweight, and ergonomically designed tactical shooter barricade system that is easy to setup, transport and store. The PTSB is an invention that pertains to the field of defensive or tactical target shooting, particularly in the area of cover and concealment training/education and conventional and unconventional shooting stances using handguns and long guns.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Civilian and law enforcement personnel benefit significantly from learning how to shoot through or around barriers. Barriers may not only stop incoming projectiles but may hide the individual from the visual plane of a combatant, active shooter or anyone looking to cause personal bodily harm with a long-distance tool such as a firearm. This provides the defender with valuable time and opportunity to launch a defensive counterattack. Having a training tool to practice for such scenarios is therefore an integral aspect of firearms training. Prior art that predates the PTSB involved the use of tactical barricades to simulate real-life environmental barriers (e.g., trees, automobiles, furniture, walls, etc.) that can be used both for cover and concealment. This included mounting plywood with various cut-out shapes or inserts to vertical posts with some type of legs or joining lumber of various sides to create surfaces on or against which a shooter can place their firearm to engage a target downrange. Some major drawbacks to these pre-PTSB barricades include being bulky, large, heavy and immobile; therefore, lacking portability to and from gun range and the capacity for easy storage. These early barricades were also suited only for outdoor gun ranges.

The PTSB overcame the limitations associated with early tactical shooting barricades through a design that is lightweight, collapsible, expandable, foldable and portable, one that facilitates on-demand, individualized tactical firearms training and instruction both at outdoor and indoor gun ranges. Furthermore, unlike the traditional tactical barricades, a novel feature of the PTSB is that it fits into cars and other passenger vehicles and requires no setup time. Consequently, the PTSB has significantly enhanced tactical training opportunities for a considerable segment of the civilian and law enforcement shooting community.

Improving the PTSB tactical barricade system to include the capacity to practice ballistic breach exercises could have a significant impact on the ability of firearm instructors, law enforcement personnel and all civilian defensive shooter to gain access to a tactical barricade platform that, in addition to being highly adaptable and mobile, could facilitate breach exercises. Manual and ballistic breaching involves the use of breaching tools, including but not limited to a firearm, to enter a structure (e.g., a room) under extreme urgent circumstances that require quick entry to protect and save innocent lives. Breaching is used by SWAT (special weapons and tactics) cops who handle critical threats to public safety that may surpass the scope and tools of traditional law enforcement first responders. However, law enforcement officers and citizens may encounter situations where breaching skills may be expedient including clearing a building or responding to a home invasion. Adding a feature to the PTSB tactical barricade that allows the user to practice tactical breaching techniques with a firearm will increase access to this type of training to a large segment of the law enforcement and civilian conuminity.

Furthermore, challenging the firearm user both physically and mentally to take difficult shots under exigent circumstances is an important aspect of tactical firearms skill development. This is true not only for high-performing professionals such as SWAT teams, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents, competitive shooters and other professionals who may be involved in life and death situations that require quick decision-making with a firearm; but it can be an essential skill for the average firearms owner. This includes challenging the individual from a physical and mental standpoint as both physical fitness and mental acuity are essential in defensive and offensive encounters. As a bonus, such tactical exercises can have a cumulative impact major health indices, including improved cardiovascular health, lower risk for obesity and improved health outcomes. Therefore, having a tactical barricade that facilitates this type of training will be an invaluable asset among law enforcement professionals, competitive shooters and the civilian community.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an important feature of the present invention to extend and enhance the capability of the PTSB to provide an improved tactical simulated barricade system for a shooting range.

It is an important feature of the present invention to provide a tactical shooting barricade that enhances the shooter's mental and physical acuity.

It is an important feature of the present invention to provide a tactical simulated barricade that transforms the function and operation of the “detachable barricade” portion of the PTSB so that it facilitates the ability to practice breach exercise.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a tactical shooter barricade that transforms the detachable barricade of the PTSB so that the number of available cut-outs can be altered per shooter need.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a tactical shooter barricade consisting of cut-out covers matching the shape of the existing cut-outs that can be attached or detached as needed.

It is another object of the present invention to provide cut-out covers with matching magnetic anchors on the detachable barricade portion of the PTSB so that it can be easily attached and swatted away with the hand to simulate a breaching exercise.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tactical simulated shooting barricade as described above that enables the shooter to swat away or remove the magnetically anchored cut-out caps so that he or she may see and acquire a target downrange through the detachable barricade's existing cut-outs.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a tactical firearm training barricade where the numbered cut-outs can be matched with matching number, shape or a combination of both downrange.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a tactical shooting barricade where the shooter can practice exigent target acquisition scenarios by removing a numbered cap from its matching cut-out then quickly acquiring and engaging a target with a matching number, shape or combination of both downrange.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be understood in greater detail from the following description and the essential drawings wherein figures are utilized to designate a preferred embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the current improvement invention (“PTSB-Breach”) showing its major operational features, including the original detachable barricade section of the PTSB, six (6) Cut-Out Caps that can be optionally anchored over their matching cut-outs by shape (i.e. rectangle, triangles, square and rhombus) and size, the detachable barricade handle used to operate it (See U.S. Pat. No. 10,825,349 b2), two (2) slide guides, two (2) handle supports and forty-three (43) magnets for anchoring the cut-out caps to the detachable barricade.

FIG. 2 is a front, side and top view of the detachable barricade, which consists of cut-outs to acquire a target down range.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the detachable barricade without its guides, handle and handle supports (See FIG. 4).

FIG. 4 is a front and perspective view of the detachable barricade with all its parts intact (See U.S. Pat. No. 10,825,349 b2).

FIG. 5 is a front, top and perspective view of the detachable barricade with all the cut-out caps (See FIG. 6) anchored to it over their matching cut-outs via magnetic inserts (See FIG. 1, FIG. 6 and FIG. 10).

FIG. 6 is a front and side view of the six (6) caps, numbered from 1-6, which are anchored (See FIG. 1, FIG. 5 and FIG. 9) to the detachable barricade by matching magnets (See FIG. 10) anchored in the detachable barricade and each of the cut-out caps.

FIG. 7 is a front view of all six cut-out caps, numbered 1 to 6.

FIG. 8 is a top and side view of the two (2) slide guides that allow the detachable barricade to adjust in height (See U.S. Pat. No. 10,825,349 b2).

FIG. 9 is a top and front view of the handle and handle support for the detachable barricade that combine to enable the detachable barricade to be height adjusted (See U.S. Pat. No. 10,825,349 b2).

FIG. 10 is a front and side view of the magnet used to anchor the cut-out caps to the detachable barricade (See FIG. 5, FIG. 6 and FIG. 11) so that the shooter may attach cut-out caps to the detachable, and manually remove them to acquire a target downrange matching the shape, number or a combination of both on said cut-out cap.

FIG. 11 shows the many ways that the cut-out caps can be used in combination with the detachable barricade to increase the level of challenge the shooter has in acquiring a target downrange, including all the caps anchored in place, one or more cut-out caps anchored on the detachable barricade, or no cut-out caps anchored on the detachable barricade.

FIG. 12 is a line drawing depicting a shooter using one of the cut-outs of the PTSB after the cut-out cap has been removed.

FIG. 13 is a line drawing depicting a shooter approaching the PTSB with all the caps anchored against the detachable portion of the barricade. The simulates a barrier breach (i.e., a door or window) as he attempts to disengage cut-out cap number “4” in order to engage a target downrange.

FIG. 14 is a line drawing depicting a shooter engaging a target down range through cut-out number “2” after the matching cut-out cap has been disengaged.

FIG. 15 is a line drawing depicting a shooter waiting for command as to which of the cut-out caps will be disengaged in order to engage a target downrange.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has a similar purpose as the PTSB: It's designed to enhance both the complexity of real-world environmental barrier tactical shooting drills (i.e., the use of cover and concealment) and to promote active learning through its ease of use (i.e., setup, transport and storage), ergonomically demanding shooting scenarios, and a simulation of the fast-paced decision making required in real-world tactical defensive scenarios.

It introduces cut-out caps that are optionally anchored over the detachable barricade's existing cut-outs, momentarily blocking the shooter's line of sight from a target downrange. The target down range can be a number, shape or combination of the two. For example, a firearms instructor or any person assisting in a tactical drill my shout, “1”, requiring the target to disengage the anchored cover “1” then identifying a target downrange that is either the shape of a right-angled triangle, the number “1” (letter, number, etc.) or a combination of the two. Alternatively, the person issuing the command could say “right, 4” referring to cut-out cover representing a rectangle, thereby indicating that he or she should be seeking to acquire a target downrange representing “4”, the actual shape of 4 or a combination thereof (See FIG. 12, FIG. 13, FIG. 14 and FIG. 15).

Furthermore, the present invention adds to the PTSB's functionality by introducing the capacity operate as tactical firearm breach training tool. It achieves this by simulating closed doors, windows and the likes where a perpetrator or someone could be hiding with the intention of doing bodily harm to the entrant such as in the exigent situation of hostage taking, unwanted intruder in someone's home or some other active criminal situation requiring law enforcement or a private citizen to make quick life-saving decisions against an unknown or known assailant. The cut-out caps simulate entry points behind which there is a potential assailant as shown in FIG. 13 and FIG. 15. Being able to rapidly disengage the cut-out cap simulates making entry into these areas and neutralizing a potential target that is downrange.

Therefore, the current invention enhances the PTSB's core function, which is to enable individuals to engage in tactical firearms training that simulates cover and concealment. A cover is anything that stops incoming projectile such as a bullet from striking the individual and could include a concrete wall or a tree trunk. A concealment is anything that hides the individual from the line of sight of an attacker but does not protect the individual from physical injury or death due to an incoming projectile. As a training tool used to simulate cover and concealment, the invention is neither a “ballistic shield” nor “tactical shield” used to protect against injury or death due to an incoming projectile such as a bullet fired from a firearm as identified by Martin (U.S. Pat. No. 9,631,901). The current invention allows a firearm to be rested directly against the surfaces and cut-outs of the barricade after a cut-out cover has been disengaged, or to be shot at a distance from behind the barricade while engaging a target downrange.

The present invention is novel in its operation and functionality and distinguishable from the prior art, including the PTSB upon which it improves, in three key elements or processes:

• • 1. The “PTSB-Breach” includes cut-out caps that are anchored by magnets to the detachable barricade portion of the PTSB as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 11.
  • 2. Said invention enables users of the PTSB to optionally mask or hide their line of sight to a target downrange by anchoring cut-out caps to their matching cut-out as shown in FIG. 13.
  • 3. Said invention simulates ballistic breach exercises by enabling the user to manually remove one or more cut-out caps in order to visually acquire and engage a target downrange as shown in FIG. 12, FIG. 14 and FIG. 14.

Claims

1. The addition of cut-out caps to the detachable barricade portion of the PTSB so that each cut-out can be optionally covered by said cut-out caps; wherein the existing cut-outs of the detachable barricade are covered by shape-matching cut-out caps anchored in place by magnets to enable the PTSB to be used for ballistic breach exercises; wherein said cut-out caps simulate doors, windows or similar structures so that disengaging these cut-out caps in order to intentionally engage a target downrange, fulfils the goal of the