US3487824A - Toy gun for projecting reverse spinning ring-like missiles - Google Patents

Description

TOY GUN FOR PROJECTING REVERSE SPINNING RING-LIKE MISSILES Filed Jan. 20, 196'? y Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY Jam, 6,, Wm M. FROFITT 3, 3

TOY GUN FOR PROJECTING REVERSE SPINNING amcpmxiz MISSILBS Filed Jan. 20. 1967 5 sheets sheet 2 INVENTOR A TTOR NEY Mn, 6, 1970 M. PROFITT 3,487,824

IOY GUN FOR PROJECTINGREVERSE SPINNING RING-LIKE MISSILES Filed Jan. 20, 19s? 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I v f2 53' 40 I 7 9 r I V Ill, 22 J4;

INVENTOR United States Patent 3,487,824 TOY GUN FOR PROJECTING REVERSE SPINNING RING-LIKE MISSILES Leslie M. Profilt, 147 Sunset Court, Monroe, Ohio 45050 Filed Jan. 20, 1967, Ser. No. 610,646 Int. Cl. F4lb 7/08; A68h 33/18 U.S. Cl. 124-10 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE It is the object of the present invention to provide a toy pistol or gun adapted to project successively therefrom a plurality of disc or ring-like missiles at considerable forward velocity while simultaneously imparting a rapid reverse spin thereto so that the missiles tend to return to the discharge station after either striking a target or by movement resulting from the gyroscopic effect imposed upon the missiles by the propulsive and spinning movements imparted thereto.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide a rugged and economical toy firearm which may be formed of die-cast metal or plastic which embodies a magazine for a plurality of rings which are fed automatically for successive projection by a trigger-actuated spring impeller.

The device is formed of relatively few components which may be produced and assembled economically and which are designed to operate faultlessly for long periods of time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and purposes will appear from the detailed description of the invention following hereinafter, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the toy pistol in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a left end view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a rear view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view along line 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view along line 6-6 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view along line 77 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view along line 8-8 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view along line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a horizontal sectional view along line 10-10 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the wear plate on the bottom of the outlet of the magazine;

FIG. 12 is a horizontal sectional view along line 12-12 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 13 is a vertical sectional view through the magazine along line 13-13 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view through the pivotal axis of the trigger along line 14-14 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 15 is a front elevation of a preferred embodiice ment of one of the missiles which is adapted to be projected through the toy firearm; and

FIG. 16 is a vertical sectional view along line 16-16 of FIG. 15.

In the drawings is shown a preferred embodiment of the toy gun or pistol which may be fabricated from die-cast metal or plastic and which shows the two main body parts, namely, the left hand part 1 and the right hand part 2 joined together along substantially the longitudinal median of the gun at an offset sealing joint 9 (FIG. 6) between the parts 1 and 2.

The toy gun consists essentially of a hollow body 3, a barrel 4 extending forwardly therefrom, and a hand grip 5 housing a rockable trigger 6 extending downwardly therefrom. A magazine 7, adapted to house a plurality of ring-like missiles, extends laterally from the side 1 between the hollow body 3 and the barrel 4. The muzzle end of the barrel is shaped concavely, as shown in FIGS. 1, 4, 7 and 8, to offer the least impediment to the projection therethrough of the ring-like missiles M which are propelled through the barrel in upstanding position, in consequence of the outline of the passage 8 in the latter, which is tall and narrow as clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 5.

The left and right body components 1 and 2 are preferably molded of a high impact polystyrene with a wall thickness of approximately 0.08 to 0.10 inch. The walls are suitably reinforced at several portions thereof with internal ribs and cooperating mating spacers.

As shown in FIG. 5, the left-hand body portion 1 is molded with a plurality of internal integral horizontal ribs 11, which are in alignment with similar integrally molded ribs 21 which project from the internal surface of the right body portion 2. The ribs :at the mid-portion of the barrel terminate short of the longitudinal median of the barrel to form the tall and narrow passage 8.

The magazine chamber 7 is disposed on the left body portion 1, and a recess 22 is molded in the right body portion 2 in advance of the magazine 7 (FIG. 12). A slot 23 is provided at the rear end of the recess 22 for the insertion therethrough of the missiles which are charged successively into the magazine against the cupshaped follower 55 and the pressure exerted thereagainst by the coiled spring 56 disposed between the end wall of the magazine and the interior of the follower. The spring may be constituted of four coils of music wire. The horizontal ribs 21 at the rear portion of the barrel, which are continuations of the horizontal ribs 21 at the forepart of the barrel, are beveled at 241 in order to facilitate the injection of the missiles M into the magazine which are guided into the cylindrical chamber of the magazine with the aid of the arcuate web 18 forming a continuation of the arcuate rear wall of the magazine which may merge with the uppermost Web 11 (FIGS. 8, 12). The metallic wear plate 60, which may be of 22 gauge metal, is disposed beyond the outlet of the magazine and at the bottom of the inlet end of the barrel. The plate 60 is confined within a slot formed by the lowermost reinforcing webs of the right hand body portion 2, as clearly shown in FIGS. 7 and 13.

In addition to the spacing webs 21 and 21 on the inner surface of the right body portion 2, vertical longitudinal recesses 28 are molded at the forepart of the barrel adjacent to the top and bottom thereof and cylindrical pins 27 are molded at the intermediate and rear portions of the internal surface which are adapted to mate with complemental rectangular projections 18' and cylindrical sockets 17 for spacing and reinforcement purposes of the toy pistol. The male and female members may be re versed on the body portions and any number may be used to impart the desired reinforcing effects at different portions of the toy firearm.

In addition to these mating spacing and reinforcing elements, cylindrical sockets and are molded integrally and in alignment with each other from the inner faces of the body portions 1 and 2, respectively, for reception therein of a metallic pin which is designed to serve as the fulcrum for the trigger 6 which is rockably mounted thereon. The trigger is provided with a longitudinal slot 31 which receives the fulcrum pin 40 to permit a conjoint rocking and translating movement of the trigger as the latter is moved relative to the hand grip 5 to impart movement to the actuating spring which is fastened to the upper edge 38 of the trigger.

As shown in FIG. 9, the main spring 50 is preferably formed of metal which may be of 15 gauge spring steel. One end 51 of the mainspring is of narrow width and is adapted to overlie the innermost ring which is forced into the barrel in alignment with the passage 8 (FIG 13). The spring is preferably bowed downwardly at this end to attain better contact with the peripheral surface of the missile. The opposite end 52 of the spring is bifurcated and is adapted to be seated in a slot 39 at the top of the rear portion of the trigger and to embrace the opposite sides of the body thereof. The trigger may be composited of a pair of laminations of plastic sheeting with strengthening ribs, as common in the art, although the same is shown as an integral unit 6 in FIG. 9. To assure a positive interconnection of the actuating spring with the trigger, a self-threading fastening screw is passed through a cylindrical bore in the top of the trigger and an aligned opening in the spring for fastening the spring securely to the body of the trigger.

The trigger is pressed outwardly from the hand grip by the provision of a V-shaped spring which may be formed of piano wire (FIGS. 7, 8 and 10), the rear arm 42 of which rests against the rear wall of the hand grip while the forward arm 43, which ends in a hook terminal 44, engages a recess 34 in the rear wall of the trigger to force the trigger into its forward position, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The trigger is provided with an enlarged flange 36 along the forward edge thereof to render more comfortable the manipulation of the trigger when the same is pulled rearwardly against the tension of the spring 42, 43 into the housing of the hand grip 5.

In addition, the rear edge of the trigger 6 is formed with a straight portion 32 which merges with an offset portion 33 with which cooperative a roller 46 which is mounted upon a metallic pin 41 seated between cylindrical sockets similar to those shown in FIG. 14 which seat the pin 40 constituting the trigger fulcrum. The roller 46, of approximately A" length, cooperates with the end of the trigger of approximately the same thickness, and enforces a rocking movement of the trigger when the same is pulled rearwardly and the rear edge 32 moves upwardly relative to the roller 46. When the offset portion 33 comes into the field of roller 46, slot 31 permits the trigger to execute a substantial rearward translating movement. This sequential movement of the trigger causes the free end 51 of the spring first to move downwardly (FIG. 8) to press the outermost ring missile downwardly against the wear plate which is followed by a rearward movement of the end 51 as the same is forced against the rear portion of the periphery of the missile, which movement is permitted largely by the longitudinal slot 31. This sequential movement of the spring imparts a sharp snap action to the ring missile so that the latter is projected forwardly through the barrel 8 at high velocity with a reverse spin, which induces the return of the missile to the area of discharge, after the missile has struck a target or wall or by friction with a floor or rug surface, even if it encounters no obstacle. The gyroscopic effect induced by the rapid spinning motion increases the stability and consequent accuracy of the missile in both directions.

As shown in the drawings, the missile is preferably of ringshaped form and, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the edges thereof remote from the center are preferably formed of plane surfaces. The angularity of such surfaces,

indicated in FIG. 16, may be 45. The flattening of the surface of the rings which are in juxtaposition to each other, facilitates the stacking thereof in the magazine and the smooth faultless feeding thereof into the chamber at the inlet end of the barrel without jamming. Furthermore, the plane rather than rounded surface of the periphery causes a better frictional contact between the ring being propelled and the free end 51 of the spring.

As shown in FIG. 13, the top and bottom of the magazine 7 may be channeled at 57 and 57 to provide guide grooves for the follower 15 which may be cupped as shown for the secure reception and retention of the coiled spring 56.

The missiles M are preferably cast of a light plastic material such as polystyrene. The missiles may assume the form of thin discs, or rings as shown with a web of lesser thickness than the outer periphery. If the web is apertured at the center, novel sound eifects may be produced.

While I have described my invention as embodied in a specific form and as operating in a specific manner for purposes of illustration, it should be understood that I do not limit my invention thereto, since various modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. A toy repeating firearm for projecting fiat-like circular missiles comprising (a) a hollow body, a barrel extending forwardly from said body and a hand-grip and a pivoted trigger extending downwardly therefrom,

(b) said barrel having a tall but narrow passage therein for the travel of the flat-like missile therethrough in upstanding position,

(c) a substantially cylindrical magazine for a plurality of the circular missiles extending laterally from one side of the firearm with a spring-pressed follower therein for urging the innermost missile laterally into alignment with said passage in the barrel,

(d) an actuating leaf spring having one end thereof connected to said trigger and the opposite free end thereof in the plane of said passage and above the top of said last-mentioned missile.

(e) mounting means for said trigger whereby a rearward movement thereof rocks said last-mentioned end of said actuating spring downwardly against the rear portion of the periphery of said missile to project the missile forwardly through the passage in said barrel while imparting a rear spin thereto, and

(f) spring means cooperating with said trigger to return said trigger forwardly and simultaneously to return the free end of said spring into operative position above the next missile adapted to be fed from said magazine into alignment with the passage in said barrel preparatory to the projection of said missile therefrom upon the next actuation of the trigger.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein a slot is provided on the side of the firearm opposite to said magazine for successive insertion therethrough of a plurality of the missiles against the action of said spring-pressed follower.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein the plane of said slot is inclined at an acute angle to the plane of the narrow passage in the barrel.

4. A device as set forth in claim 3 wherein the missiles are in the form of circular rings with the contours of the cross-section thereof remote from the center formed at least partially of straight lines.

5. A device as set forth in claim 3 wherein a curved rib merges upwardly in said body from the rearward portion of the magazine to guide the successive missiles against the spring-pressed follower.

6. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the actuating spring is of spring steel of narrow width at the free end thereof of a dimension corresponding substantially to the thickness of a missile and which is of greater width at the opposite end thereof, said trigger having a slot at the upper end thereof for receiving said wider end of said spring, and a fastening screw extending through the top of said trigger and an aperture in said spring for fastening said spring rigidly to said trigger.

7. A device as set forth in claim 6 wherein the wider end of said spring is bifurcated forembracing the top of the trigger on opposite sides thereof.

8. A device as set forth in claim 1 including a wear plate disposed horizontally at the inlet end of the barrel and at the exit end of the magazine whereat the innermost missile is pressed downwardly against said plate by the actuating spring, preparatory to the propulsion of said missile through the passage in the vbarrel.

9. A toy repeating firearm for projecting flat-like circular missiles comprising (a) a hollow body, a barrel extending forwardly from said body and a hand-grip formed of a pair of molded members joined together along the substantially longitudinal median of the firearm,

(b) a pivoted trigger extending downwardly from said hollow body, and forwardly of said hand-grip,

(c) portions of said pair of molded members being formed with aligned integral sockets facing each other, a cylindrical pin fitted within said sockets, and said trigger having an elongated slot therein mounted on said pin to permit a limited rocking and translating movement of said trigger within said body and hand-grip,

(d) said barrel having a tall but narrow passage therein for the travel of the flat-like missile therethrough in upstanding position,

(e) a magazine for a plurality of the missiles extending laterally from one side of the firearm with a spring-pressed follower therein for urging the innermost missile into alignment with said passage in the barrel,

(f) an actuating spring having one end thereof connected to said trigger and the opposite free end thereof above the top of said last-mentioned missile,

(g) mounting means for said trigger permitting a rearward movement thereof to rock said last-mentioned end of said actuating spring downwardly against the rear portion of theperiphery of said missile to project the missile forwardly through the passage in said barrel while imparting a reverse spin thereto, and

(h) spring means cooperating with said trigger to return said trigger forwardly and simultaneously to return the free end of said spring into operative position above the next missile adapted to be fed from said magazine into alignment with the passage in said barrel preparatory to the projection of said missile therefrom upon the next actuation of the trigger.

10. A device as set forth in claim 9 including a second pair of aligned integral sockets facing each other disposed rearwardly of said first pair of sockets, a second cylindrical pin fitted within said sockets, a roller mounted on said last-mentioned pin :in rolling contact with the upper portion of the rear of said trigger to restrain the initial movement of the trigger to a rocking movement only.

11. A device as set forth in claim 10 wherein said trigger is contoured along the rear edge thereof to be relieved from said roller at the conclusion of the rocking movement, to permit a translating movement of the trigger and a like movement of said actuating spring connected thereto.

12. A device as set forth in claim 11 wherein the spring means is of V shape and is seated between the rear wall of the hand-grip and the rear edge of the trigger to press said trigger forwardly, and consequently to raise the free end of said actuating spring above the next missile positioned for projection from the toy firearm.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,244,896 10/ 1917 Richter.

\ 2,458,828 1/ 1949 Boese.

2,554,116 5/1951 Monner. 2,73 7,942 3/ 1956 Horowitz et a1. 2,800,890 7/ 1957 Starek. 2,816,536 12/1957 Profitt.

3,191,342 6/1965 Chalmers. 3,342,171 9/1967 Ryan et a1.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner W. R. BROWNE, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 12442, 52; 273-106

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