US3878639A

US3878639A - Toy hand grenade

Info

Publication number: US3878639A
Application number: US472961A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lorne J Scheelar; Linda Ann Mcgeorge
Original assignee: Lawrence Peska Associates Inc
Current assignee: Lawrence Peska Associates Inc
Priority date: 1974-05-24
Filing date: 1974-05-24
Publication date: 1975-04-22
Anticipated expiration: 1992-04-22

Abstract

A toy hand grenade resembling in external configuration and size an actual grenade has an internal compartment filled with a pressurized liquid and a pin which upon contacting the ground releases the liquid as a spray. A pivoted member is provided which is used to unlock a valve just prior to throwing the grenade. A weighted bottom is provided and an actuating lever at the bottom opens the valve to release the liquid. The liquid may contain a dye.

Description

United States Patent Scheelar et al.

[ Apr. 22, 1975 TOY HAND GRENADE 3.139.697 7/1964 Mier 46/200 x 3.399.468 9/l968 Gahlc 35/25 [751 Inventors: scheela" L'nda 3.564.756 2/1971 YOkOl 46/1 R McGeorge both of Markham 3.695.246 10/1972 Filippi ct al 35/25 x Ontario. Canada [73] Assignee: Lawrence Peska Associates, Inc., P "1" Barry y New York. NY. a part interest 22 Filed: May 24, 1974 [571 ABSTRACT I A toy hand grenade resembling in external configura- [211 Appl' 472361 tion and size an actual grenade has an internal compartment filled with a pressurized liquid and a pin [52] US. Cl 46/1 R; 35/25; 46/9 which p n n ing the ground releases the liquid [51] Int. Cl. F4lb 15/00 as a p y- A pi mber is pr ided which is [58] Field of Sear h 46/1 R, 200 9, 41; 35/25 used to unlock a valve just prior to throwing the grenade. A weighted bottom is provided and an actuating [56] R feren Cit d lever at the bottom opens the valve to release the liq- Uld. The may CDI'liZlll'l 3 dye.

2,897,630 8/!959 Horowitz et al. 46/200 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 26 IS a 36 TOY HAND GRENADE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention This invention is concerned with toys simulating hand grenades. Rather than producing a simulated detonation and fragmenting. this toy grenade produces a liquid spray upon impact against the ground when thrown and is re-usable.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described which shall be inexpensive to manufacture and yet practical and efficient to a high degree in use. Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements. and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described. and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing. in which is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention, wherein like reference character identify the same or like parts:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of a grenade according to the invention:

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the same shown being pressurized prior to the throwing thereof;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the grenade; and

FIG. 4 is a top plan view.

With reference to the drawing. there is shown and illustrated a toy grenade constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention and designated generally by reference character 10.

As shown in FIG. I, the grenade has a main body portion 12 which is hollow (FIG. 2) and molded from nonporous plastic such as polystyrene. polyethylene or rubber. A container 14 for pressurized liquid is formed in the hollow of body portion 12. The bottom 16 is weighted in suitable fashion by weights 17 so that upon being thrown the grenade will preferentially land on its bottom. A clip ring 18 is mounted in the upper part of body 12 for securing the grenade to a belt.

The upper part of body 12 has an inner recess 13 with spray orifices 20 communicating with the outside but separated from pressurized container 14 by valve mechanism 26 located in the upper part ofcontainer l4 and consisting of tapered plug 22 fitting in a complementary tapered hole 24 secured at one end of vertical rod 28 whose lower extremity passes through liquid and airtight opening 37 and is fixed to actuating pin 32 pivoted on the bottom of body 12. Pin 32 normally is urged out of contact with the bottom of the grenade body by expansion spring means 34 in recess 35. Owing to the operative connection between pin 32, rod 28 and plug 22, plug 22 is normally urged to stay in opening 24 where it is held by horizontal rod 36 passing through an opening in the body and having its inner end fitting in a horizontal opening in plug 22. The outer end of rod 36 is secured to pull pin 38 pivoted at the top of the grenade.

The upper part of the grenade body has filling means comprising a sleeved inlet 40 communicating with container 14 via one-way filler valve 42 pivoted in the upper part of container 14. In FIG. 2. a pump 43 is shown filling the container with air. It will be understood that this valve yields inwardly upon application of air and/or liquid pressure to admit same into container l4 and thereafter by spring urging or the like. closes when external pressure thereon ceases.

In FIG. 2, liquid 44 already has been introduced into container 14 and pull pin 38 has been pushed in to lock plug 22 which has been pulled into hole 24 by rod 28. It is seen that the air pressure urging plug 22 and the force of spring 34 urging plug 22 into contact with the walls of hole 24 form together a timing mechanism while the grenade is in the air after pulling pin 38 to release rod 36 from plug 22.

FIG. 3 shows what happens when the thrown grenade lands. Because of its weighted bottom. the grenade will land thereon or close enough thereto to push pin 32 inwardly. This inward movement will. in turn. cause rod 28 to push plug 22 upwardly and out of engagement with hole 24 causing pressurized liquid to rush up into peripheral recess 13 and out through water spray holes 20.

The pressurized container may be formed like an aerosol can. It may use water. preferably water colored with a dye and any gas such as air for raising the pressure of the fluid to super atmospheric pressure. This pressure need not be very great and can be supplied by air from ordinary air pumps.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved. and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth. it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described our invention we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A toy grenade comprising a hollow body having a weighted bottom. a container in said body; said body having filling means including an inlet communicating between the body exterior and the container for introducing in said container a liquid and a gas for raising the pressure therein to above atmospheric pressure; at least one liquid spray nozzle for spraying said liquid outside said body; valve means connecting said container with said nozzle; releasable lock means positively holding said valve means in closed position but manually releasable to allow opening thereof; actuating means connected to said valve means for opening same and releasing pressurized liquid to said nozzle; said actuating means including an external pin pivoted to the bottom of said body and said filling means including a filler valve between said inlet and said container for filling same with liquid and gas.

2. The toy of claim I, wherein said body has a peripheral recess communicating with said container through said valve means and a plurality of liquid spray nozzles communicating with said recess.

3. The toy of claim 1, wherein said valve means include a tapered plug and a complementarily profiled opening in said container preventing entry of said plug into said container; said actuating means including a rod connected at one end thereof to said plug for pushing same out of said opening. and an external lever pivoted on the outside of said body and connected to the other end of said rod; spring means normally urging the 5. The to of claim 3. wherein said lock means include a pull rod: said plug having a horizontal opening cooperating with said pull rod for locking said valve means.

Claims

1. A toy grenade comprising a hollow body having a weighted bottom, a container in said body; said body having filling means including an inlet communicating between the body exterior and the container for introducing in said container a liquid and a gas for raising the pressure therein to above atmospheric pressure; at least one liquid spray nozzle for spraying said liquid outside said body; valve means connecting said container with said nozzle; releasable lock means positively holding said valve means in closed position but manually releasable to allow opening thereof; actuating means connected to said valve means for opening same and releasing pressurized liquid to said nozzle; said actuating means including an external pin pivoted to the bottom of said body and said filling means including a filler valve between said inlet and said container for filling same with liquid and gas.

2. The toy of claim 1, wherein said body has a peripheral recess communicating with said container through said valve means and a plurality of liquid spray nozzles communicating with said recess.

3. The toy of claim 1, wherein said valve means include a tapered plug and a complementarily profiled opening in said container preventing entry of said plug into said container; said actuating means including a rod connected at one end thereof to said plug for pushing same out of said opening, and an external lever pivoted on the outside of said body and connected to the other end of said rod; spring means normally urging the other end of said rod against said lever whereby upon hitting the ground said lever actuates said rod to push said plug out of said opening thereby allowing pressurized liquid into said nozzle.

4. The toy of claim 1, wherein said lock means include a pull pin pivotally mounted on said body.