US1834395A

US1834395A - Toy cannon

Info

Publication number: US1834395A
Application number: US434560A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph G Gavlak
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1930-03-10
Filing date: 1930-03-10
Publication date: 1931-12-01
Anticipated expiration: 1948-12-01

Description

J. G. GAVLAK TOY CANNON Filed March 10 19.30

Dec. 1, 1931.

Patented 1, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF lCE aosnrn a. 'eavmx, or mononenrmnn crrv, rmmsnvnm 'rov cannon .Applicatlon filed larch 10, 1930. Serial 1%. 4345601 5 discharged with great rapidity, which may be.

operated by traction or by the manipulation of a crank and which is fascinating and entertaining to children.

' Further objects of the invention are to provide a 'device of the class stated which is simple in its construction and arrangement, strong, durable and eflicient in its use, attractive in appearance, and comparatively inexs pensive to manufacture.

With the foregoing andoth'er objects in view which will appear a as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention hereinafter disclosed can be made within the scope of-what is claimed without departing from the irit of the invention. 7

Inthe rawings, wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views 1 Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partly in cross section, of a toy cannon, constructed so in accordance with the invention. 7 1 v Figure 2 is a rear end view thereof, partly in cross. section.

Figure 3 is "a top member,

Figure 4 is a side view of the feed member,

partly in cross section,\illustrating its relaplan view of the feeder tive position with respect to associated parts.-

Referring in detail to the drawings'l de notes a barrel having its top depressedv to provide a receptacle 2 for storing the 1111581165 3. The latter are preferably ordinary marbles, but it is obvious that any other suitable type of missiles may be employed. The receptacle 2 is provided with a dished bottom 4 converging toward an open neck 5, which communicates with'the bore 6, of the barrel 1. The conformationpf the receptacle botv gravity. 7

The barrel 1 is'fixedly secured, in any suitable manner, to the top of a hollow supporting casing 7, and an elongated flanged slot 8 establishes communication between the barrel bore 6 and the supporting casing 7.

The barrel 1 is preferably constructed from a pair' of similar half sections joined together, as at 1.- The supporting casing 7 is likewise constructed from a pair of smnlar half sections joined together, as at 7.

' This arrangement permits the convenient as-' sembly of these parts, with associated parts embodied therein.

i A shaft 9 extends horizontally through the supporting casing 7 and carries the latter togather with the barrel 1 mounted'thereon. The shaft 9 is revolubly mounted in the supporting casing 7 and carries a spring hub 10, which is fixedly keyed to the shaft 9, to ro ,tate therewith, and disposed within the sup '1 porting casing 7.

A pair of wheels 11 is revolubly connected adjacent to respective ends of the shaft 9; The wheels 11 are suitably spaced'from the supporting casing 7 by a pair of flan ed spacing sleeves 12, which are mounte on the shaft!) and disposed between the supporting casing '7 and respective wheels 11.

A plurality of similar flat springs 13 are fixedly mounted in the spring hub 10, and normally extends radially with respect to the axial center of the latter. The'hub 10 is preferably constructed in two parts, which are secured together by a plurality of screws 14 for securely clamping the springs 13 in po. sition therebetween. j Each of the springs-13 is disposed at right angles relatively to the adjacent springs. I In the embodiment of the invention herein disclosed four radially projecting springs 13 are employed, but it will be evident that the number of such springs 13-may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention; As shown in Fi V springs 13 are preferably constructed from only two lengths of spring material.

A substantially L-shaped feeder member 15 having its rear end pivotally connected, as at 16, to the barrel 1, is disposedin the'bore 6 of the latter directly beneath the open neck 5. The feeder member 15 comprisesai arm 17 and a depending actuating leg 18. The feeder arm 17 is provided with an opening19 for the passage of the missiles 3 therethrough.

The movement of the feeder member 15, on its pivotal connection 16, is limited to the engagement of the arm 17' thereof with the lower end of the bottom neck 5 and with the bottom of the barrel bore 6.

The purpose of the feeder member 15 is to deliver the missiles 3 singly from the receptacle 2 to barrel bore 6. The feeder member 15 is normally disposed at an angle in the holding position, with the free, forward, upturned end thereof resting upon the bottom of the barrel bore 6 directly across the barrel slot 8. The feeder member 15 assumes its angular holding position, as shown in Figure 4 and in dash lines in Figure 1, by gravity.

When the feeder member 15 is disposed in the releasing position against the under side of the bottom neck 5, the arm 17 thereof extends horizontally, as clearly shown in Figure 1. It will here be noted, that when the feeder member 15 is in the releasing position disposing the arm 17 thereof horizontally against the under side of the bottom neck 5, the arm opening 19 is not in registration with the opening in the neck'5, but is disposed forwardly thereof, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, and while so positioned none of the missiles 3 in the receptacle 2 can pass through the arm opening 19 into the barrel bore 6.

While the feeder member 15 is shifting to its holding position, one ofthe missiles 3 is permitted to drop into the barrel bore 6. However, such dropped missile 3 will be engaged in the arm opening 19, as shown in dash lines in Figure 1, and consequently cannot roll from its position upon the bottom of the barrel bore 6.

The relative sizes of the bottom neck 5 and of the missiles 3 is such that'but one at a time of the latter can pass through and from the former. Further, the distance between the lower end of the neck 5 and the bottom of the barrel bore 6, is such that when one of the missiles 3 is positioned upon the bottom of the barrel bore 6 and engaged by the feedermember 15, in the manner stated, the following missile 3 will be disposed in the neck 5 and rest upon the said engaged missile 3, as clearly illustrated in Figure l. I

The device is operated by the rotation of the shaft 9, which carries the springs 13 through its connection with the hub 10. The

feeder member 15 is operated, to release the engaged missile 3, by the springs 13, as the actuating leg 18, of the feeder member 15, is disposed in the path of travel of the outer ends of the springs 13. The latter are permitted to extend into the barrel bore 6 through the flanged slot 8, which is sufficient- 1y narrow to prevent the missiles 3 from passing therethrough.

As stated, the feeder member 15 is normally disposed by gravity in the angular holding position, with the forward end thereof resting upon the barrel bore bottom and with a missile 3 engaged in the arm opening 19. Upon rotation of the shaft 9, in the forward or clockwise direction, the outer end 7 of the nearest spring 13 will engage the ac tuating leg 18, of the feeder member 15, as at 20, and shift the latter to the releasing position. Such movement of the feeder member 15 releases the missile 3 within the barrel bore 6 and prevents the entrance into the latter of't'he following missile, which is then within the neck 5.

As the outer end of the spring 13 is still engaging the actuating leg 18, further forward movement of the'acting spring 13 will tension said spring, as at 21, by curving the latter rearwardly until it clears the lower end of the actuating leg 18; When the ten sioned spring 13 clears the actuating leg 18 it will snap forwardly to its normal radial position, striking the released missile and thereby hurling the latter forwardly through and out of the barrel 1. As soon as the released missile has been driven from the barrel 1, in the manner stated, the feeder member 15 will again drop by gravity to the holding position and thereby deposit the following missile into barrel bore 6 to be ejected from the latter by the identical action of the following sprin 13.

It will be noted that each time one of the springs 13 engages and operates the feeder member 15, a missile 3 is hurled from the barrel 1 and another missile is deposited in the latter. The speed of the shaft 9 determines the rapidity with which missiles are expelled from the barrel, and the operation may be continuous-until all of the missiles 3 in the receptacle 2 have been removed from the latter, thereby providing an action some what imitable of a machine gun.

One end of the shaft 9 carries a fixed crank arm 22 provided with a pivotally connected handle 23. The crank arm 22 and associated handle 23 are provided for rotating the shaft 9 for operating the device, in the manner stated.

The casing 7 is formed with a reduced rearwardly projecting portion 24, which connects with a fixed handle 25. The latter is provided for pushing the device along on its wheels 11. A clip 26, carried by the wheel 11 adjacent to the crank arm 22, is adapted for engaging the crank handle 25 when the latter is shifted to extend in longitudinal alignment with crank arm 22. Such engagement of the crank handle 23 in the clip 26, secures the shaft 9 to rotate with said wheel, whereby the traction of the latter will rotatethe shaft 9 and operate the device, while the same is'being pushed forwardly by the handle 25. When the crank handle 25 is released from the clip 26, the vwheel 11 turns on the shaft 9 and will not operate the missile ejecting mechanism.

The present invention provides a novel and efiicient toy which may be economically constructed, and which affords great entertainment for children.

- What I claimis:

1. In combination, a toy cannon of the character described, comprising a barrel ineluding a bore and provided with a receptacle for storing missiles, a supporting memher for said barrel, a shaft revolubly mounted in said supporting member, a pair of wheels revolubly connected to respective ends of said shaft, a feeder element mounted in said barrel and operable by gravity for feeding a missile from said receptacle to said barrel bore, means connecting with one end of said. shaft for rotating the latter in said supporting member and in said wheels, a plurality of springs carried by saidshaft and rotating with the latter, each of said springs carried by said shaft and rotating with the latter, each of said springs engaging with said feeder element to tension the formerto forcibly eject a missile from said barrel bore.

2. In combination, a toy cannon of the character described, comprising a barrel including a bore and provided with a receptacle for storing missiles, a supporting memher for said barrel, a shaft revolubly mounted in said supporting member, a pair of wheels revolubly connected to respective ends I of said shaft, a feeder element mounted in said barrel and operable by gravity for feeding a missile from said receptacle to said barrel-bore, means connecting with one end of said shaft for rotating'the latter in said supporting member and in said wheels, a plurality of springs carried'by said shaftand rotating with the latter, each of said springs carried by said shaft and rotating with the latter, each of said springs engaging with said feeder element to tension the former to forcibly eject a missile from said barrel bore, said springs being disposed radially with respectto the axial center of said shaft and having a detachable connection with the latter.

3. In combination, a toy cannon ofthe" character described comprising a barrel including a bore and provided with a receptacle for storing missiles, a supporting member for said barrel, a feeder element pivotally con-' nected in said barrel and operable by gravity for-feeding said missilessingly from said receptacle to said barrel bore and normall maintaining said missile in the latter, a sha revolubly mounted in said supporting member, a pair of wheels revolubly mounted'on respectlve ends of said shaft,.a plurality of radially disposed springs carried by said shaft, the rotation of said shaft shifting said springs to engage said feeding element for releasing the missile in said barrel bore and further for tensioning said springs for forcibly ejecting said missiles from said barrel bore, and a crank member fixed to one end of said shaft for rotating the latter in said supporting member and in said pair of wheels.

v4. In combination, a toy cannon of the character described comprising a barrel including a bore and provided with a receptacle for storing missiles, a supporting member for said barrel, a feeder element pivotally connected in said barrel and operable by gravity for feeding said missiles singly from said receptacle to said barrel bore and normally maintaining said missile in the latter,

a shaft revolubly mounted in said supporting member, a pair of wheels revolubly mounted on respective ends of said shaft, a plurality of radially disposed springs carried by said shaft, the rotation of said shaft shifting said springs to engage said feeding element for releasing the missile in said barrel JOSEPH G. GA AK.