GB2224663A - Darts - Google Patents

Abstract

A dart has a slidably mounted point member 16 whereby the main body 12 of the dart moves forward to impact the rear end of the point member when its pointed front end hits a target. There is a central passage 24 in the main body for adjustably securing a removable retainer member 34 of selected weight. The position of member 34 in passage 24 is adjustable. When spaced from point member 16 as shown, the relative movement between point and main body can occur. <IMAGE>

Description

DART This invention relates to darts.

It is know to provide a dart with a point having a shaft slidably mounted in a cavity at the front end of the main body of the dart such that, when the point hits a target, the main body moves forward relative to the point to cause the cavity end wall to hit the rear end of the point and drive the point into the target and so reduce the likelihood of the dart bouncing off the target.

Such a dart is described in U.S. Patent 4,697,815 (McKenna) issued October 6, 1987, the contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention provides an improved dart of this kind which possesses greater versatility than the dart described in the above mentioned patent.

According to the invention, a dart comprises a main body having means at a forward end for receiving a point, means at a rear end for receiving a tail, the main body having a passage extending therethrough from the tail receiving means to the point receiving means, and a point comprising an elongated shaft with a pointed front end, the point receiving means comprising a bore extending from the passage to the front end of the body, and the point being slidably mounted in the bore with a portion of the shaft being engageable with the point receiving means to limit forward movement of the point relative to the body.

A removable elongated retainer member is located in the passage and limits rearward movement of the point relative to the body, the retainer member being positionable in spaced relationship to the point to permit the body to move forwardly relative to the point, when the point hits the target, to cause the forward end of the retainer member to engage a rear end of the point shaft and drive the pointed forward end into the target and permit rotation of the body relative to the point about its longitudinal axis.

The elongated retainer member can be selected to provide the dart with a desired weight, and if desired retainer members of different weights may be provided to enable the weight of the dart to be easily varied by substituting one retainer member for another.

Also, means may be provided for adjusting the position of the retainer member in the passage to selectively either be in spaced relationship with the point to permit said relative movement between the body and the point or to engage the rear end of the point and prevent such movement.

The point shaft may have a forwardly tapering portion at least adjacent a rear end of the point with the point being slidably mounted in the bore with the tapering portion of the shaft being engageable with the wall of the bore to limit forward movement of the point relative to the body, as described in U. S. Patent 4, 697, 815.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dart in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional side view of the main body and point of the dart, Figure 3 is a similar view of the elongated retainer member, and Figure 4 is a still further enlarged view of the point.

Referring to the drawings, a dart has a main body 12 with point receiving means 14 at the front end for receiving a point 16 and means 18 at the rear end for receiving a tail assembly 20. The tail receiving means 18 comprises an internally threaded bore 22 at the rear end of the main body 12.

The main body 12 has a passage 24 extending therethrough from the tail receiving means 18 to the point receiving means 14, the point receiving means 14 comprising a forwardly tapering bore 26 extending from the passage 24 to the front end of the body 12. The point 16 comprises an elongated shaft 28 with a pointed front end 30 and which tapers from the rear end 32 to the front end 30. The point 16 is slidably mounted in the bore 26 with the rear portion of the shaft 28 being engageable with the wall of the bore 26 to limit forward movement of the point 16 relative to the main body 12, as described in U.S. Patent 4,697,815.

A removable elongated retainer member 34 is a sliding fit in the passage 24 in the body 12. The rear end portion of the retainer member 34 has an external screw thread 36 engaged with an internal screw thread 38 adjacent the rear end of the passage 24, and the rear end of the retainer member 34 has a slot 40 engageable by the blade of a screwdriver.

The retainer member 34 can easily be fitted in the main body 12 or removed therefrom with the aid of a screwdriver to screw in or unscrew the retainer member 34 from the internal screw thread 38 in the main body passage 24, thereby enabling a retainer member 34 of one weight to be quickly replaced by another retainer member 34 with a different weight to enable the weight of the dart to be varied as desired.

Also, the retainer member 34 may be only screwed in a limited distance so as to leave a gap between the front end 42 of the retainer member 34 and the rear end 32 of the point 16. In this case, the dart functions as described in U.S. Patent 4,697,815, with the main body 12 moving forwardly relative to the point 16 when the pointed front end 30 hits a target so that the front end 42 of the retainer member 34 engages the rear end 32 of the point 16 to force the point 16 more firmly into the target. The main body 12 is then free to rotate about its longitudinal axis relative to the point 16.

The retainer member 34 may alternatively be screwed in until its front end 42 engages the rear end 32 of the point 16 while the point 16 is in its foremost position, thereby preventing forward movement of the main body 12 relative to the point 16 when the point hits the target, with the result that the dart functions as a conventional "solid" dart.

The advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment. Other embodiments of the invention will be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art.

For example, instead of the bore 26 and point 16 being tapered, the point 16 may be provided with an enlarged rear end portion which engages a rearwardly facing shoulder formed by the junction of the passage 24 and the bore 26 to limit forward movement of the point 16, the passage 24 being of sufficiently large diameter to permit movement of the enlarged rear end portion of the point 16 therein. Also, the point receiving means 14 may be formed as a collar which is detachably securable to the main portion of the body 12, as also described in U.S. Patent 4,697,815.

Claims (5)

I CLAIM

1. A dart comprising an elongated main body having a forward end, a rear end and a central passage extending therethrough, said forward end having a point member receiving means for slidably engaging a point member therein, and a means at said rear end for receiving a tail assembly.

said point member receiving means comprising an elongated shaft with a pointed front end and an engaging means at its rear end for slidably securing said point member within the point receiving means while permitting free axial rotation of said point member relative to said main body, said point receiving means providing limited forward movement of the point member relative to the main body; a removable elongated retianer member adjustably secured within said passage so that its forward end is in spaced relationship tos aid point member thereby permitting the main body to move forward relative to said member when the pointed front end hits a target.

2. A dart as claimed in claim 1 wherein said retainer member is adjustably secured within said passage by means of threaded engagement of said retainer member with cooperating threaded means in the wall of said central passage.

3. A dart as claimed in claim 2 wherein said retainer is of a heavier material than that selected for the main body.

4. A dart as claimed in claim 3 wherein said point member is forwardly tapered for substantially its entire length.

5. A dart substantially as described herein and exemplified with particular reference to the accompanying drawings.