GB2329847A

GB2329847A - Improvements in and relating to darts

Info

Publication number: GB2329847A
Application number: GB9720951A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Trevor Griffiths
Original assignee: PINNERTON Ltd
Current assignee: PINNERTON Ltd
Priority date: 1997-10-02
Filing date: 1997-10-02
Publication date: 1999-04-07
Also published as: GB9720951D0

Abstract

A dart 1 includes a stem 2 formed of a plastics material. A number of slots (9, Figure 3) are formed in the stem 2 to receive a corresponding number of natural or artificial feather flights 12. The feather flights 12 are not only durable but provide an attractive appearance particularly as different colours and flight profiles may be used. The slots (9) may be offset from a centre line of the stem.

Description

Improvements in and relatina to darts The present invention relates to dart flights, particularly, although not exclusively to darts having feathered flights.

Until the advent of the modern dart with its plastics material or paper flights, it had been usual to produce flights by gluing bird feathers to a doweling shaft or stem. The assembly of the flight was both time consuming and difficult requiring a specially constructed jig and a supply of feathers which had to be selected, dyed and trimmed by hand. Furthermore, such flights lacked durability with the result that following the development of modern dart flights, traditional feather flights have become obsolete.

It is, however, an object of the present invention to provide a dart incorporating feather flights which are both durable and simple and rapid to construct and of consistent quality.

According to the present invention, there is provided a dart including a stem having at least one slot for receiving feathers which form a flight.

Preferably, the stem is formed as a unitary plastics material moulding with a plurality of axially extending slots. Advantageously, the stem is formed as a separate element of the dart with a thread at one free end for securing the stem to a barrel of the dart. The other end of the stem may be hemispherical in shape to deflect the point of a dart thrown subsequently.

It will be realised that as natural feathers are obtained from the left or right wing of a bird, they are handed. Hence, in order to provide that the flights, when assembled, lie on the centre-line of the stem, each slot may be offset from the centre-line. Such an offset may be unnecessary if artificial feathers are used. Indeed, artificial feathers could be produced so that their base portions are of the correct dimension to form an interference fit with the slot. Otherwise, as with natural feathers, the base portion of each feather must be machined to accurately fit within its corresponding slot. Clearly, any suitable rapid curing adhesive may be used to secure the feathers within the slot.

In order to aid in understanding the invention a specific embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a dart according to the invention; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the stem of the dart of Figure 1 with the flights omitted for clarity; and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line III-III of the stem of Figure 2.

Referring to the Figures, the dart 1 includes a stem 2 which is formed by injection moulding a plastics material such as nylon. The generally cylindrical stem 2 has a thread 3 formed in one end 4 which is of the appropriate size to engage with a barrel 5 of the dart 1. The barrel 5 itself receives, at an opposite end 6, a point 7 which may be of the traditional metal variety or the increasingly popular plastics material type. The other end 8 of the stem is hemispherical in shape so as to deflect the point of any subsequently thrown dart.

Referring particularly to Figures 2 and 3, the stem 2 is provided with four parallel axial slots 9a,9b,9c,9d, each of which is positioned slightly off the centre-line of the stem 2. Such an offset permits natural feathers 10, which can be from either the left of right wing of a bird, to be positioned with their base portion 11 offset so that the feathers lie correctly on the centre-line when a flight 12 is assembled.

In order to assemble the flights 12a,12b,12c,12d, it is necessary firstly to machine the base portion 11 of each feather 10 to the correct size for engagement with the corresponding slot 9a,9b,9c,9d in the stem 2. Following which, a rapid curing adhesive is applied to the base portion 11 of each feather 10 before being inserted into the desired slot 9a,9b,9c,9d to form a flight 12a,12b,12c,12d.

It will be appreciated that the feather flights 12 described above are not only durable but provide an attractive appearance particularly as different colours and flight profiles may be used.

Claims

Claims: 1. A dart including a stem having at least one slot to receive feathers which form a flight.
2. A dart as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the stem is a separate element incorporating engagement means for securing the stem to a barrel of the dart.
3. A dart as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the engagement means comprises a threaded connector.
4. A dart as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the stem has a hemispherically shaped free end.
5. A dart as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the slot extends axially along the stem.
6. A dart as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the slot is offset from a centre line of the stem.
7. A dart as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the feathers form an interference fit within the slot.
8. A dart as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the feathers are adhesively secured within the slot.
9. A dart as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the stem has a plurality of slots.
10. A dart as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the stem is substantially circular in cross-section.
11. A dart as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the feathers are artificial.
12. A dart substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1, 2 or 3 of the accompanying drawings.