Fettered Buckshot Pellets And Method Of Making Same

Abstract

Several shot shell pellets are connected by a tether strung 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 fixed to the tether. The tether may be string, twine, thread, or elastic material, or may be connected through various other means. Differently shaped and sized shot pellets may also be used, and different numbers of shot pellets may also be tethered in this fashion.

We claim: 
     
         1 . Tethered shot pellets for a shot shell comprising:
 (a) a first shot pellet having a first central hole;   (b) a second shot pellet having a second central hole; and   (c) a tether having a first end and a second end; the tether being passed through the first central hole and the second central hole;   (d) a first end piece fixedly secured to the first end;   (e) a second end piece fixedly secured to the second end;   wherein:   the first shot pellet and the second shot pellet are each configured to travel along at least part of the tether;   the first end piece and the second end piece are each configured to prevent the first 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 fixedly secured between the first end and the second end.   
     
     
         3 . The tethered shot pellets of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first end piece and the second end piece comprises a fourth shot pellet. 
     
     
         4 . The tethered shot pellets of  claim 3 , wherein each of the first shot pellet and the second shot pellet is generally spherical. 
     
     
         5 . The tethered shot pellets of  claim 1 , wherein the first 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 first material; and   the first material includes at least one of a metal wire, a twine, and a thread.   
     
     
         7 . The tethered shot pellets of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first 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 first central hole is one of circular, triangular, square shaped, and rectangular. 
     
     
         9 . The tethered shot pellets of  claim 1  wherein:
 the first end piece is a first knot and the second end piece is a second knot; 
 the first knot is larger than a third central hole in a third shot pellet adjacent the first knot; 
 the second knot is larger than a fourth central hole in a fourth shot pellet adjacent the second knot. 
 
     
     
         10 . The tethered shot pellets of  claim 1 , wherein the tether is configured to break upon impact with a target. 
     
     
         11 . The tethered shot pellets of  claim 1 , wherein the tether is configured to remain intact upon impact with a target. 
     
     
         12 . A method of tethering shot shell pellets comprising:
 (a) providing a first shot shell pellet having a first central hole;   (b) providing a second shot shell pellet having a second central hole;   (c) providing a tether having a first end and a second end;   (d) passing the tether first end through the first central hole and the second central hole;   (e) fixedly securing a first end piece to the first end;   (f) fixedly securing a second end piece to the second end; and   (g) placing the tether into a forward portion of a shot shell;   wherein:   the first shot pellet and the second shot pellet are configured to travel along the tether;   the first end piece and the second piece prevent each of the first shot pellet and the second shot pellet from being separated from the tether.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein a shape of the first 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 first central hole is formed by molding. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the first central hole is formed by one of machining and drilling. 
     
     
         16 . 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 first 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 first shot pellet comprises steel; and   the second shot pellet comprises lead.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12  wherein each of the first shot pellet and the second shot pellet is generally spherical. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12  wherein:
 a cross section of the first hole is circular; and 
 a cross section of the second hole is rectangular.