US1831230A - Toy catapult - Google Patents

Description

J. T. COPAS Nov. 10, 1931.

TOY CATAPULT Filed March 21, 1930 1 SZW Z @M/ Patented Nov. 10, 1931 PATENT OFFICE JOHN '1'. COPAS, OF ELYBIA, OHIO- TOY CATAPULT Application filed March 21, 1930. Serial R0. 437,862.

This invention relates to games and toys and particularly to games and toys of the class in which aerial projectiles are thrown.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved game apparatus for throwing aerial projectiles.

Another object is to provide an improved rojectile throwing device of the resilient or oad and fire type. I

Another object is to providean aerial projectile of im roved construction.

Another 0 ject is to provide an aerial projectile and a throwing or projecting device therefor, constructed to act in coordination with each other in a manner to facilitate accurately aiming the projectile.

Another object is to provide anaerial projectile toy and game apparatus which will be novel in construction, cheap to manufacture and assemble, attractive in appearance and pleasing to observe in operation.

Other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art to whichmy invention pertains.

. My invention is fully disclosed in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 1s a view illustrating an embodiment of my invention, showing an aerial projectile, a projecting device therefor and the mode of operation thereof;

Fig. 2 is a view of the projecting device of Fig. 1 taken approximately from the plane 2 of Fi 1 5 Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the aerial projectile, shown in side elevation of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 2, I show at 1 a substantially circular loop of wire or other suitable relatively stiff material bent into the form of a circle and havin the free ends 3-3 thereof bent outwardl ra ially and ress fitted or otherwise secure in a suit-able ore in a handle 2, the handle extending radially away from-the circular loop 1. As

indicated in Fi 1, the ends 33 of the loop may be wedge into the bore of the handle by wedges Disposed substantially at the center of the circular loop 1 is a ring 5 composed of metal, celluloid, or like relatively hard materlal.

The ring 5 is suspended in position centrally of the loop 1 by a plurality such as three resilient bands 6, 6, 6. The ring 5 and bands 6 may be of any suitable construction whereby to render them cheap and to facilitate the assembling thereof with the loop 1, but I prefer to employ for the bands 6 ordinary rubber bands of the. type which may be purchased in quantities and ate. very small cost from stationers supply houses or which may be made especially for the purpose by the well known cheap methods of production of the same.

.. Such bands as is well known are in the form relation around the band 1. The inner ends of the bands 6 are then connected to or looped with the ring 5: To effect this, the rin 5 is preferably split and the open end of each and 6 is passed through the split to the interior of the ring 5 into the ositions shown in Fig. 2 and then the split c osed up and if preferred, a sleeve 8 of rubber or other suitable material may be employed to cover u the split portion or joint of the ring 5. tion, the ring 5 is preferabl made by bending a piece of wire into circu ar form with the ends approximately abutting.

The bands 6 are preferably provided of such length with respect to the diameter of the loop 1 that when assembled with the rin 5 they will be under a slight degree of tension.

The preferred form of pro ectile adapted to be used with the device of ig. 2 is shown separately in Fig. 3. It comprises a head or base 8 which may be of cylindrical or other desired form and provided with a transverse shoulder 9 from which extends at substantially a right angle thereto a shaft or stem 10. The end of the head opposite the shaft 10 may be covered with a piece of felt, plush or the like 11. Secured in the head 8 and extending in the general direction of the shaft 10 is a plurality such as three feathers, 12.

n this connec- The feathers may be secured in the head 8 by inserting the quills in suitable holes drilled or otherwise formed therein. Preferably the feathers 12 are so disposed relative to the shaft 10 that they are symmetrical about the shaft axis and diverge outwardly therefrom and upon inserting them into the receptacle holes therefor in the head .8 each feather is twisted or rotated slightly about its quill axis whereby the projectile when projected through the air in the direction of the shaft 10, is given a whirling or screwing movement through the air;

In theoperation of the. projecting device and aerial projectile above described,-the handle 2 is grasped by the operator in one hand, say his left hand as shown inFi J' 1. ith his other hand, he grasps the hea8 of the projectile of Fig, 3 and inserts the outer extreme end of the shaft 10 through thering 5 from the right to the left direction as viewed in Fig. 1 and then with his right hand grasps the free end of the shaft 10. He then'pulls upon the shaft 10 causin the shoulder 9 of the head to abut upon t e ring 5 and to stretch the bands 6-6. Upon releasing the shaft 10, the projectile will be shot forward and out of the device.

It will be observed that when the shaft 10 is inserted through the ring 5, each of the feathers will occupy'the space outside of the ring and between a pair of adjacent bands 6 and u on discharging the projectile the feathers w1ll leave the device with the projectile without fouling with any part thereof.

When the projectile is fired horizontally, the feathers not only give the screwing movement or rifling movement to the projectile durin its flight, but cause thehead 8 to prece e the other part of the projectile throughout the flight thereof. When the projectile is fired vertically into the air, upon reaching the top of its flight, and when it starts to fall, the feathers cause it to turn over and fall with the head 8 downwardly in a very pleasing manner. The employment of the apparatus described is rendered pleasing in effect by colorin the feathers diversely with colors such as re white and blue. The pad 11 serves the purpose of deadening the blow of the pro'ectile u on striking an object, which may e desira le when the device is employed indoors or in the vicinity of windows or the like.

The employment of three or more symmetrically disposed bands 6 balances the pull of the bands on the projectile prior to its discharge in the manner to greatly facilitate accurately aiming the projectile. Eurthermore, the construction of the projectile providing the stem 10 and the feathers 12 by which the projectile may be fired and by which it will always proceed with the head 8 in advance whether fired horizontally or vertically, enables the device to be employed in games similar to the game of battle door and shuttle cock.

I have shown only one form of projectile, but many forms may be devised Within the scope of my invention and will occur to those skilled in this art, for example, if it be desired to employ the device to fire projectiles at a target, the projectile may have the head8 provided with a pointed or rounded end instead of the pad 11, or an arrow head may be provided instead of the massive head 8 indicated; and if desired the feathers 12 may be omitted and the shaft 10 relied upon tosteer or guide the. projectile in its flight. In this connection a longer shaft 10 than that illustrated may be desirable.

My invention is not limited to the exact details shown and described above inasmuch as many changes in and modifications of my invention may be made without departing from its scope. For example, springs may be employed instead of the elastic bands 6'.

I claim:

1. In a game apparatus for throwing aerial projectiles, a rigid loop, a handle secured to the loop and projecting outwardly there'- from, a ring disposed within the loop, a plurality of elastic elements disposed Within the loop and connected each at one end to the loop and at the other end to the ring.

2. In a game apparatus for throwing aerial projectiles, a rigid circular loop, a handle secured to the loop and projecting outwardly radially therefrom in the plane of the loop,

a ring within the loop concentric therewith, a plurality of elastic bands disposed radially within the loop and connected each at one end to the loop and at the other end tothe ring.

3. In a game apparatus for throwing aerial projectiles, the combination of a throwin device comprising a ring, a plurality o elastic elements secured each at one end to the ring and disposed radially about the ring, a loop surrounding the ring, the elastic elements being secured at their other ends to the loop, a handle on the loop; and a projectile comprising a head provided with a shoulder and a shaft adapted to be telescoped through the ring and with the shoulder in engagement with the ring.

4. In a game apparatus for throwing aerial projectiles, the combination of a throwing device comprising a ring, a plurality of elastic elements secured each at one end to the ring and dis osed radially about the ring, a loop surroun ing the ring, the elastic elements being secured at their other ends to the loop, a handle, on the -loop; and a projectile comprisin a"jhead r gvided with a shoulder and a sha tadapmi to': be telescoped through the ring and'with the shoulder in engagement with the ring, and the head being provided with a plurality of elongated vanes disposed longitudinally with respect to the shaft and symmetrically thereabout, and the,

vanes each being adapted to be disposed between adjacent elastic bands when the shaft is telescoped through the ring.

5. In a game apparatus for throwing aerial projectiles, the combination of an apertured throwing device, a plurality of elastic elements secured each atone end to the said device and disposed radially thereto, a loop'

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