GB2026878A

GB2026878A - A dart having a resiliently mounted point

Info

Publication number: GB2026878A
Application number: GB7926275A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-08-02
Filing date: 1979-07-27
Publication date: 1980-02-13
Also published as: GB2026878B

Abstract

A dart 2 having a point 6 which is so mounted that the point 6 can move laterally in any direction with respect to the remainder 4 of the dart. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A dart having a resiliently mounted point This invention relates to a dart having a resiliently mounted point.

Hitherto, darts have been so constructed that the dart point is solidly and rigidly fixed into the dart barrel. It sometimes happens that during a game of darts, a player will throw a dart at a dartboard and the dart will hit the dartboard spider, the dartboard number ring or a dart previously located in a dartboard and will fall to the ground. This can cause the dart player to lose an entire darts match.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide a dart which will still stand a reasonable chance of entering a dartboard in the above mentioned circumstances.

Accordingly, this invention provides a dart having a point which is so mounted that the point can move laterally in any direction with respect to the remainder of the dart.

Usually, the point will be so mounted that it will tend to pivot laterally about its end that is positioned in the remainder of the dart.

Also usually, the point will be so mounted that it will automatically centrally align itself in the absence of a lateral force on the dart.

The point may be mounted in a rubber bush located in a recess in a barrel portion of the dart.

Alternatively, the point may be mounted in a coil spring located in a recess in a barrel portion of the dart. The coil spring may have an inner portion for gripping the point and an outer portion for gripping the sides of the recess.

Preferably, the point is so mounted that the end of it in the remainder of the dart will engage against a solid portion of the dart as the dart strikes a dartboard to facilitate entry of the dart into the dartboard. The dart might otherwise have a tenden cyto bounce back out of the dartboard. Also preferably, the said end of the point is rounded to facilitate the lateral movement of the point with respect to the remainder of the dart.

In other respects, the dart may be constructed in a standard manner from usual materials.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows part of a first dart in accordance with the invention; and Figure 2 shows part of a second dart in accordance with the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown part of a dart 2 having a dart barrel 4 and a dart point 6. The barrel 4 is provided with a recess 8 and a rubber bush 10 sits in this recess 8 and locates the dart point 6. The dart point 6 can pivot laterally from side to side in the bush 10 with respect to the barrel 4. The innermost end of the dart point 6 extends through the bush 10 and engages with the bottom 12 of the recess 8 when the dart 2 strikes a dartboard (not shown). This ensures that the dart point 6 is not so resiliently mounted that the dart 2 tends to bounce back out of the dartboard.

If the dart point 6 is located in a dartboard and the barrel 4 or the dart flight or the dart shaft (not shown) are struck by a subsequent dart, then the barrel portion 4 can laterally deflect with respect to the dart point 6 and the subsequently thrown dart can stand a reasonable chance of entering into the dartboard. Also, if the dart point 6 of a thrown dart 2 should strike the spider or number ring of the dartboard, then the dart point 6 can laterally deflect and the dart 2 will again stand a reasonable chance of entering the dartboard.

Referring now to Figure 2, similar parts as in Figure 1 have been given the same reference numerals.

In Figure 2, a double coil spring 14 is located in the recess 8. An inner part of the coil spring 14 grips the dart point 6 and an outer part of the coil spring 14 grips the walls of the recess 8 to hold the coil spring 14 and the dart point 6 in the recess 8. As in the case of Figure 1, the innermost end of the dart point 6 will engage the bottom 12 of the recess 8 (or will move longitudinally as the dart point 6 strikes the dartboard to engage the bottom 12 of the recess 8) to prevent any tendency for the dart 2 to bounce back out of the dartboard.

In both of Figures 1 and 2, the end of the dart point 6 that engages the bottom 12 of the recess 8 is advantageously rounded to facilitate the lateral pivoting of the dart point 6.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effect. Thus, for example, means other than the rubber bush 10 or the coil spring 14 can be provided for locating the dart point 6 in the barrel portion 4. An example of such a means is a ball and socket arrangement and, for the purpose, the innermost end of the dart point 6 could be formed as a ball which would act in a socket in the recess 8, or the dart point 6 could be formed in two parts which would be joined by the ball and socket arrangement.

1. A dart having a point which is so mounted that the point can move laterally in any direction with respect to the remainder of the dart.

2. A dart according to claim 1 in which the point is so mounted that the point can pivot laterally about its end that is positioned in the remainder of the dart.

3. A dart according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the point is so mounted that the point automatically aligns itself in the absence of a lateral force on the dart.

4. A dart according to any one of the preceding claims in which the point is mounted in a rubber bush located in a recess in a barrel portion of the dart.

5. A dart according to any one of claims 1 to 3 in which the point is mounted in a coil spring located in a recess in a barrel portion of the dart.

6. A dart according to claim 5 in which the coil spring has an inner portion for gripping the point and an outer portion for gripping the sides of the

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION A dart having a resiliently mounted point This invention relates to a dart having a resiliently mounted point. Hitherto, darts have been so constructed that the dart point is solidly and rigidly fixed into the dart barrel. It sometimes happens that during a game of darts, a player will throw a dart at a dartboard and the dart will hit the dartboard spider, the dartboard number ring or a dart previously located in a dartboard and will fall to the ground. This can cause the dart player to lose an entire darts match. It is an aim of the present invention to provide a dart which will still stand a reasonable chance of entering a dartboard in the above mentioned circumstances. Accordingly, this invention provides a dart having a point which is so mounted that the point can move laterally in any direction with respect to the remainder of the dart. Usually, the point will be so mounted that it will tend to pivot laterally about its end that is positioned in the remainder of the dart. Also usually, the point will be so mounted that it will automatically centrally align itself in the absence of a lateral force on the dart. The point may be mounted in a rubber bush located in a recess in a barrel portion of the dart. Alternatively, the point may be mounted in a coil spring located in a recess in a barrel portion of the dart. The coil spring may have an inner portion for gripping the point and an outer portion for gripping the sides of the recess. Preferably, the point is so mounted that the end of it in the remainder of the dart will engage against a solid portion of the dart as the dart strikes a dartboard to facilitate entry of the dart into the dartboard. The dart might otherwise have a tenden cyto bounce back out of the dartboard. Also preferably, the said end of the point is rounded to facilitate the lateral movement of the point with respect to the remainder of the dart. In other respects, the dart may be constructed in a standard manner from usual materials. Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows part of a first dart in accordance with the invention; and Figure 2 shows part of a second dart in accordance with the invention. Referring to Figure 1, there is shown part of a dart 2 having a dart barrel 4 and a dart point 6. The barrel 4 is provided with a recess 8 and a rubber bush 10 sits in this recess 8 and locates the dart point 6. The dart point 6 can pivot laterally from side to side in the bush 10 with respect to the barrel 4. The innermost end of the dart point 6 extends through the bush 10 and engages with the bottom 12 of the recess 8 when the dart 2 strikes a dartboard (not shown). This ensures that the dart point 6 is not so resiliently mounted that the dart 2 tends to bounce back out of the dartboard. If the dart point 6 is located in a dartboard and the barrel 4 or the dart flight or the dart shaft (not shown) are struck by a subsequent dart, then the barrel portion 4 can laterally deflect with respect to the dart point 6 and the subsequently thrown dart can stand a reasonable chance of entering into the dartboard. Also, if the dart point 6 of a thrown dart 2 should strike the spider or number ring of the dartboard, then the dart point 6 can laterally deflect and the dart 2 will again stand a reasonable chance of entering the dartboard. Referring now to Figure 2, similar parts as in Figure 1 have been given the same reference numerals. In Figure 2, a double coil spring 14 is located in the recess 8. An inner part of the coil spring 14 grips the dart point 6 and an outer part of the coil spring 14 grips the walls of the recess 8 to hold the coil spring 14 and the dart point 6 in the recess 8. As in the case of Figure 1, the innermost end of the dart point 6 will engage the bottom 12 of the recess 8 (or will move longitudinally as the dart point 6 strikes the dartboard to engage the bottom 12 of the recess 8) to prevent any tendency for the dart 2 to bounce back out of the dartboard. In both of Figures 1 and 2, the end of the dart point 6 that engages the bottom 12 of the recess 8 is advantageously rounded to facilitate the lateral pivoting of the dart point 6. It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effect. Thus, for example, means other than the rubber bush 10 or the coil spring 14 can be provided for locating the dart point 6 in the barrel portion 4. An example of such a means is a ball and socket arrangement and, for the purpose, the innermost end of the dart point 6 could be formed as a ball which would act in a socket in the recess 8, or the dart point 6 could be formed in two parts which would be joined by the ball and socket arrangement. CLAIMS

6. A dart according to claim 5 in which the coil spring has an inner portion for gripping the point and an outer portion for gripping the sides of the recess.

7. A dart according to any one of the preceding claims in which the point is so mounted that the end of it in the remainder of the dart will engage against a solid portion of the dart as the dart strikes a dartboard to facilitate entry of the dart into the dartboard.

8. A dart according to claim 7 in which the said end of the point is rounded to facilitate the lateral movement of the point with respect to the remainder of the dart.

9. A dart substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.