US 20130269561A1
(19) United States
(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2013/0269561 A1
Crum et al.
(54)
(43) Pub. Date:
FETTERED BUCKSHOT PELLETS AND
METHOD OF MAKING SAME
Oct. 17, 2013
Publication Classi?cation
(51)
(71) Applicant: WARD KRAFT, INC., Fort Scott, KS
(US)
(72)
Int. Cl.
F423 7/04
F423 33/00
(52) US. Cl.
Inventorsl Jesse D- Crum, F011 Scott, KS (US);
(2006.01)
(2006.01)
CPC ............... .. F42B 7/046 (2013.01); F42B 33/00
Ryan Kraft, Fort Scott, KS (US)
(201301)
USPC
(73) Assignee: Ward Kraft, Inc., Fort Scott, KS (US)
(57)
............................................. .. 102/457; 86/54
ABSTRACT
(21) Appl. No.: 13/797,251
Several shot shell pellets are connected by a tether strung
(22)
through a hole or pinched in center of each pellet. Several shot
pellets are connected in this manner With only the pellets at
the end of the tether being ?xed to the tether. The tether may
Filed:
Man 12, 2013
.
.
Related U's' Apphcatlon Data
(60)
Provisional application No. 61/623,304, ?led on Apr.
12, 2012.
be strin , tWine, thread, or elastic material, or ma
be con
nected tirough various other means. Differently sliaped and
siZed shot pellets may also be used, and different numbers of
shot pellets may also be tethered in this fashion.
Patent Application Publication
Oct. 17, 2013 Sheet 1 0f 2
US 2013/0269561 A1
Patent Application Publication
Oct. 17, 2013 Sheet 2 0f 2
US 2013/0269561 A1
US 2013/0269561 A1
[0001]
Oct. 17,2013
FETTERED BUCKSHOT PELLETS AND
METHOD OF MAKING SAME
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL
VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
APPLICATIONS
are described in detail beloW With reference to the attached
This application claims priority to US. Provisional
Application 61/623,304 ?ledApr. 12, 2012, the disclosure of
Which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
[0015]
draWing ?gures, Which are incorporated by reference herein
and Wherein:
[0016] FIG. 1 shoWs a prior art shot shell With untethered
shot pellets.
[0017]
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002]
The ?eld of the invention is fettered shot for use in
shotgun shells and other ammunition.
Illustrative embodiments of the present invention
FIG. 2 shoWs a prior art shot shell With tethered shot
pellets.
[0018] FIG. 3 shoWs tethered shot pellets of the invention.
[0019] FIG. 4 is an enlarged vieW of a shot pellet of the
invention.
BACKGROUND
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0003] Various methods and styles of fettered or attached
shot have been described in the prior art. Examples are dis
[0020] As shoWn in FIG. 1, a packed shotgun shell 1 con
tains buckshot or shot pellets 2 Which are placed at the for
closed in the following patents:
[0004] Bertram US. Pat. No. 5,315,932
[0005] Tainton US. Pat. No. 1,536,164
[0006] Huntington US. Pat. No. 1,198,035
[0007] Forbes US. Pat. No. 2,354,451
[0008] Steinmetz US. Pat. No.1,211,001
[0009] Campbell US. Pat. No. 3,085,510
[0010] Whelton US. Pat. No. 1,488,182
[0011] Christian US. Pat. No. 46,6034
[0012] Boyd US. Pat. No. 347,988
Ward-most portion of the shell 1. The number of pellets 2 that
may be placed or packed in the forWard-most portion of the
shell 1 depends upon the siZe of the pellets 2, as may be seen
by comparing FIGS. 1 and 2. Speci?cally, the smaller the
pellets 2, the greater the number of pellets 2 that may be
packed in the shell 1. FIG. 1 shoWs shot pellets 2 packed at
Fettered shot has certain advantages When used in ammuni
tion. The shot is alloWed to spread apart after it is discharged
from the barrel of a ?rearm, thus increasing the area over
Which shot may hit a target, be it a game animal, military
object, or some other target. Fettered shot, hoWever, limits the
random in the shell 1. As can be seen in FIG. 2, tethered shot
pellets may also be packed in the shot shell 1.
[0021] The individual pellets 2 are frequently made of lead,
but may be made of other materials. For example, the pellets
2 may be made of steel, plastic, metal alloys, and other desir
able materials. The pellets 2 may but need not be spherical.
For example, the pellets 2 may be formed in the shape of a
cube, a pyramid, a cuboid, a cone, a cylinder, a pyramidal
area over Which the shot Will spread and tends to focus or
prism, a square based pyramid, a square based prism, combi
nations thereof, and other shapes. As shoWn in FIG. 4, central
holes 3 are formed in the pellets 2. The holes 3 may be formed
restrain the shot, thus maximizing the advantages of spread
by molding or casting, or they may be created mechanically,
ing and focusing the shot as it impinges on the target. Fettered
such as by drilling or piercing, after the pellets 2 are formed.
shot also has advantages in hitting rotating targets (such as
propellers on aircraft or blades on helicopters), thus tending
The holes 3 may have a circular cross section. Alternatively,
the holes 3 may have a cross section that is rectangular,
to induce maximum disruption of such moving objects.
triangular, square shaped, et cetera.
One disadvantage of tethered shot is that it takes more time
and effort to construct the tethered shot than simply placing
loose shot in the shot shell. This is so because the individual
pellets must be attached or connected to other individual shot
pellets.
[0013] It is, thus, desirable to have an easier, quicker Way to
tether shot pellets While maintaining the accuracy of fettered
shot and the variety of desired patterns that may be created
using tethered shot pellets.
SUMMARY
[0014] Several shot pellets are connected by a Wire that is
strung through a hole in center of each shot pellet. The indi
vidual pellets may be secured to the Wire or alloWed to move
on the Wire, alloWing the tethered shot pellets to form smaller,
less dispersed, patterns that still disperse suf?ciently to maxi
miZe the probability of hitting a target. String, tWine, thread,
or elastic tethering may be used as tether material instead of
Wire. The locations of the secured pellets may be varied as
desired for optimiZing results in different situations. Differ
ently shaped and siZed shot pellets may also be used, and, of
course, different numbers of shot pellets may be tethered in
this fashion.
[0022] A tether 4 comprising Wires, threads, tWine, syn
thetic material, and/ or other desirable materials, is inserted in
the central holes 3 in the pellets 4 to connect the individual
shot pellets 2. The pellets 2 may be deformed or pinched so as
to ?x the location of the pellets 2 on the tether 4. Alternatively,
the pellets 2 may be alloWed to move or ?oat along the tether
4. The tether 4 may, of course, be secured to the Walls of the
hole 3 by other means, such as placing additional material in
the hole 3 once the tether 4 has been inserted in the hole 3 or
by attaching the tether 4 to the outer perimeter of an indi
vidual pellet 2 by other means knoW in the art. It is also
possible to use elastic tethers 4 to alloW the pattern of the
pellets 2 to expand and contract as they approach the target.
[0023] Different numbers and arrangements of ?xed and
?oating pellets 2 may be used. Thus, a series of tethered
pellets 2 may, for example, have ?ve (or some other number)
pellets 2 ?xed on the tether 4 and four (or some other number)
pellets 2 ?oating on the tether 4. Alternatively, all of the
pellets 2 may be ?xed on the tether 4 or all of the pellets 2,
except the pellets 2 at the end of the tether 4, may be alloWed
to move or ?oat on the tether 4. People of skill in the art Will
appreciate that all the pellets 2 on the tether 4 need not have
the same shape, be made of the same material, or have iden
tical holes 3. For example, one pellet 2 on the tether 4 may be
US 2013/0269561A1
made of lead, be spherical, and have a hole 3 With a circular
cross section While another pellet 2 on the tether 4 may be
made of plastic, be cube shaped, and have a hole 3 having a
triangular cross section.
[0024]
An end piece is secured to each of the opposite ends
of the tether 4 so that the moving or ?oating pellets 2 do not
move off the end of the tether 4, thus escaping from the tether
4. The end pieces may be pellets 2 that are ?rmly a?ixed to the
tether 4; the end pieces may also be other objects, or even
knots in the tethering material, that prevent the moving pellets
from escaping the tether 4.
[0025] The strength of the tether 4 may also be varied such
that the tether 4 breaks When the target is hit or the tether 4
remains intact When the target is hit. Stronger tethers 4 are
used When it is desired to have the tether 4 remain intact When
the target is hit, and Weaker, more breakable tethers 4 are used
When it is desired that the tether 4 break When the pellets 4
make contact With the target. Pellets 2 that remain tethered
upon impact With the target have the advantage of entangling
or Wrapping around the target, Which increases the ability of
the pellets 2 to bring doWn moving targets such as birds,
rabbits, and other hunted game.
[0026] The use of ?oating pellets 2 makes it much easier to
construct tethered shot pellets 2 because it takes less time and
effort to tether or connect the pellets 2, eliminating the extra
step or steps of securing the pellets 2 to the tether 4. With
?oating pellets 2, a variety of siZes of pellets 2 may be quickly
tethered. For example, the pellets 2 may be strung on the
tether 4 by use of a needle attached to an end of the tether 4.
Only the pellets 2 serving as end pieces need be ?xed to the
tether 4.
[0027] Yet another advantage of ?oating pellets 2 is that
they may be made in a variety of shapes and siZes Without
having to tailor the pellets 2 so they can be ?xed to the tether
4. Pellets 2 of any shape may simply be formed With the hole
3 in a central portion of each pellet 2.
[0028] Shorter tethers 4 Will produce smaller, more concen
trated patterns of pellets 2 When the pellets 2 hit the target.
Longer tethers 4 Will produce larger, more expanded patterns
When the pellets 2 hit the target.
[0029] The larger, more expansive patterns of pellets 2 may
be desirable for smaller targets, including small, moving
game. The larger, more expansive patterns created by longer
tethers 4 alloW the shot pattern to expand more so that it can
hit or ensnare smaller game that might be missed by a more
concentrated shot pattern. Smaller, tighter shot patterns may
be desirable for larger game, When it is desired to concentrate
the shot pattern and make it more effective in penetrating the
target. In many cases, the length of the tether 4 selected Will be
inversely proportional to the siZe of the intended target. Thus,
larger intended targets are best hit With pellets 2 on shorter
tethers 4, and smaller targets are best hit With pellets 2 on
longer tethers 4.
[0030] Since the pellets 2 may be alloWed to move or ?oat
on the tether 4, a variety of shot shells 1 With various methods
of tethering may be made and assembled very quickly, alloW
ing the hunter or target shooter to assemble an arsenal of shot
shells 1 producing a variety of shot patterns upon impact With
a target.
[0031] It has been found that the moving or ?oating shot
pellets 2 have essentially the same degree of expansion as
comparable shot pellets 2 that are secured to the tether 4. A
hunter, target shooter, or manufacturer may thus quickly con
struct tethered shot With a minimal loss of accuracy.
Oct. 17,2013
[0032]
Many different arrangements of the various compo
nents depicted, as Well as components not shoWn, are possible
Without departing from the spirit and scope of the present
invention. Embodiments of the present invention have been
described With the intent to be illustrative rather than restric
tive. Alternative embodiments Will become apparent to those
skilled in the art that do not depart from its scope. A skilled
artisan may develop alternative means of implementing the
aforementioned improvements Without departing from the
scope of the present invention.
[0033] It Will be understood that certain features and sub
combinations are of utility and may be employed Without
reference to other features and subcombinations and are con
templated Within the scope of the claims. Not all steps listed
in the various ?gures need be carried out in the speci?c order
described.
We claim:
1. Tethered shot pellets for a shot shell comprising:
(a) a ?rst shot pellet having a ?rst central hole;
(b) a second shot pellet having a second central hole; and
(c) a tether having a ?rst end and a second end; the tether
being passed through the ?rst central hole and the sec
ond central hole;
(d) a ?rst end piece ?xedly secured to the ?rst end;
(e) a second end piece ?xedly secured to the second end;
Wherein:
the ?rst shot pellet and the second shot pellet are each
con?gured to travel along at least part of the tether;
the ?rst end piece and the second end piece are each con
?gured to prevent the ?rst shot pellet and the second shot
pellet from being separated from the tether.
2. The tethered shot pellets of claim 1, further comprising
a third shot pellet; and
Wherein the third shot pellet is ?xedly secured betWeen the
?rst end and the second end.
3. The tethered shot pellets of claim 2, Wherein at least one
of the ?rst end piece and the second end piece comprises a
fourth shot pellet.
4. The tethered shot pellets of claim 3, Wherein each of the
?rst shot pellet and the second shot pellet is generally spheri
cal.
5. The tethered shot pellets of claim 1, Wherein the ?rst shot
pellet has a shape selected from the group consisting of a
cube, a pyramid, a cuboid, a cone, a cylinder, a pyramidal
prism, a square based pyramid, and a square based prism.
6. The tethered shot pellets of claim 1, Wherein:
the tether comprises a ?rst material; and
the ?rst material includes at least one of a metal Wire, a
Wine, and a thread.
7. The tethered shot pellets of claim 1, Wherein:
the ?rst shot pellet is made of at least one of lead, steel, and
plastic; and
the tether comprises an elastic material.
8. The tethered shot pellets of claim 1, Wherein a cross
section of the ?rst central hole is one of circular, triangular,
square shaped, and rectangular.
9. The tethered shot pellets of claim 1 Wherein:
the ?rst end piece is a ?rst knot and the second end piece is
a second knot;
the ?rst knot is larger than a third central hole in a third shot
pellet adjacent the ?rst knot;
the second knot is larger than a fourth central hole in a
fourth shot pellet adjacent the second knot.
US 2013/0269561A1
10. The tethered shot pellets of claim 1, Wherein the tether
is con?gured to break upon impact With a target.
11. The tethered shot pellets of claim 1, Wherein the tether
is con?gured to remain intact upon impact With a target.
12. A method of tethering shot shell pellets comprising:
(a) providing a ?rst shot shell pellet having a ?rst central
hole;
(b) providing a second shot shell pellet having a second
central hole;
(c) providing a tether having a ?rst end and a second end;
(d) passing the tether ?rst end through the ?rst central hole
and the second central hole;
(e) ?xedly securing a ?rst end piece to the ?rst end;
(i) ?xedly securing a second end piece to the second end;
and
(g) placing the tether into a forWard portion of a shot shell;
Wherein:
the ?rst shot pellet and the second shot pellet are con?gured
to travel along the tether;
the ?rst end piece and the second piece prevent each of the
?rst shot pellet and the second shot pellet from being
separated from the tether.
Oct. 17,2013
13. The method of claim 12 Wherein a shape of the ?rst shot
pellet is at least one of a cube, a pyramid, a cuboid, a cone, a
cylinder, a pyramidal prism, and a square based pyramid.
14. The method of claim 12 Wherein the ?rst central hole is
formed by molding.
15. The method of claim 12 Wherein the ?rst central hole is
formed by one of machining and drilling.
1 6. The method of claim 12 Wherein the tether comprises at
least one of a metal Wire, a thread, a synthetic material, and an
elastic material.
17. The method of claim 12 Wherein the ?rst shot pellet is
made from at least one material selected from the group
consisting of steel, plastic, and lead.
18. The method of claim 12, Wherein:
the ?rst shot pellet comprises steel; and
the second shot pellet comprises lead.
19. The method of claim 12 Wherein each of the ?rst shot
pellet and the second shot pellet is generally spherical.
20. The method of claim 12 Wherein:
a cross section of the ?rst hole is circular; and
a cross section of the second hole is rectangular.
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