US2460924A - Stock supported peashooter - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 8, 1 949. R. DALLY y v STOCK kSUPPORTED PEASHOOTER f Filed Feb. l, 1946 Zw@ 4 s" ww/ 1,. s"

N Y.` w"

Patented Feb. 8, 1949 STOCK SUPPORTED PEASHOOTER Roy Dally, Racine, Wis., assignor to 'Robert H. Wendt, Chicago, Ill.

Application February 1, 1946, Serial No. 644,898

2 Claims.

The 4present invention relates to toy guns, and is particularly concerned With toy guns of the type which are adapted to :be used for impelling small missiles, such as, for example, peas or darts or pellets, by means oi air pressure created Iby the mouth of the operator.

One of the objects of the invention is the pro#- vision yof an improved toy gun which simulates the appearance of a standar-d'type of military and which may lbe used for shooting peas or other small missiles directly from the mouth of the shooter.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved toy gun of the class described adapted to be used for shooting l.peas or other small missiles in ywhich the gun barrel has a relatively straight portion which is connected with a stock in such manner that the gun can be aimed, and which also hasl a laterally bent, relatively stii portion at its lrear end which is located to be received in the mouth of the shooter when the stock is applied to the shoulder and the gun.

is in position for sighting along the, straight part of the barrel.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a toy gun of the class described in which the barrel is of an improved construction, adapted to hold itself in the proper position for engagement with the mouth -oi the shooter While he is aiming the gun, :but also in which the rear portion of the barrel may have its adjustment changed by the application of heat or by the rotation of the barrel on the stock.

Another object of the inventionis the provision of an improved toy gunv construction in which the structure of the gun is Such that small missiles,such as peas, may be imfpelled with considerable force and with an increased accuracy over the guns of the prior art.

Another object of the invention is the 4provision of an improved toy gun mechanism having a stock and a barrel in which the latter is so ai'- ranged that it may be used for shooting peas directly from the mouthof the shooter.

Another object of the invention isthe provision of an improved toy gun construction which is simple, adapted to'be manufactured at a low c-ost, .easy 'to assemble, sturdy, which utilizes a minimum number of parts and a minimum amount of material, and which may .be used for a long period of time without the necessity for repair 'or replacement of any of its parts.

Referring to the single sheet of drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a toy gun embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view; wjFig. 3 is a sectional View taken on the plane.

2 of the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the trigger mechanism an-d taken on the plane of the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view, similar to Fig. 5, showing the trigger in another position.

The gun is preferably provided with a wooden stock simulating one of vthe military guns used 'by the armed forces of the United States, such as, for example, the Springfield riile. The stock I0 has a rear shoulder engaging portion II and a barrel supporting portion I2.

The barrel supporting portion may be of sub`- stantially rectangular shape in cross-section, as shown in Fig. 4, being provided with relatively flat sides I3, I4 and a flat lbotto-In I5, While the top I6 is also'relatively flat, but provided with a partially cylindrical groove Il. The flat surfaces are joined by generously rounded corners I8, and the shoulder engaging portion Il eX- tends downwardly from the barrel supporting portion I2 at the Ylocation of the breech I9.

Rearwardly of the point I9, Where the barrel emerges, the stock is preferably cut out at 9 to provide a generous space for the cheek of the operator when he brings his eye into position to aim.

An apertured metal clip 20 may be provided on the lower portion of the barrel supporting part I2 of the stock and also on the lower part of the shoulder engaging portion II at 2l, these clips being joined by a strap 22 of webbing which is nailed to the stock under the clip 2l, buthas a loop 23 passing through an aperture in the clip 20 at 24` and provided with an adjustable sliding buckle 25 soY that the length of the strap 22 may be adjusted.

At each of its sides I3, I4 the straight portion of the stock is preferably provided with a nger groove 32 comprising a shallow, partially cylindrical groove for eng-agement with the ngers of the hand which holds the stock at this point.

Above the grooves 32 the stock In may be made relatively deeper, thereby simulating the appearance of the commercial firearm, and at a suitable point 33 on the straight portion of the stock there may be a transverse shoulder 33 so that a metal part 34 may be added which simulates the breech of the commercial gun. The metal part 34 may consist of a sheet metal member of the shape shown in Fig. 3. This sheet metal member has a pair of attaching flanges 35, 36 which are apertured to pass the nails 31 by means of which these 3 flanges are nailed to the flat uppersurfaces 38 of the stock. f

The attaching anges 35, 35 are integrally joined to a barrel portion 39 which is partially cylindrical and preferably extends over slightly more than 180 degrees of afcircle, and which simulates a larger breech portion for `the barrel. This breech member .'54 extends from the point I9 to the shoulder 33 over the groove l'l, thus communicating with the groove in the wider portion of the stock which extends forwardly from the shoulder 33.

In order to simulate a part of the Vbreech where shells are inserted, the flange 35 and a part of the cylindrical portion 3S may be slotted at 45, 4|, and the metal between the slots 4d, @l may be rolled up to form a substantially cylindrical tube 43 integrally attached to the member 34, but located at the middle of the top of the cylindrical barrel portion 3s to act as a rear sight.

The barrel 2S of the gun may consist of an elongated tube of suitable thermo-plastic mau terial, such as blacic cellulose acetate, which has a cylindrical bore 2'! passing through the tube, and which is provided with relatively smooth, polished sides, inside and out.

On the'outside, this tube simulates a metal gun barrel, beingV black and shiny; yet it is relatively light and inexpensive, and on the inside the tube is adapted to facilitate the ejection of missiles, such as peas, darts or pellets, because of its smooth, shiny; nonfriction characteristic. Such a, tube may be made with relatively thick Y walls, thereby simulating the external appearance of a rifle barrel, while still having a relatively small bore Whichis of a size suitable for peas or the pellets or darts with which it is to be used.

The barrel 25 is preferably long enough to extend from the breech I9 past the forward end 28 of the stock., by an amount which is similar to the projection of the ride barrel beyond the stock in the firearm which is being simulated.

The barrel 26 comprises a straight portion eX- tending from the muzzle end 25 back to the breech I9, but extending backwardly from the breech the tube 25 is bent laterally at the breech and Vextends diagonally rearward and downward. The amount ofV bend at 30, or.V the direction of bend, may be adjusted at any time by the application of heat to the tube, so that the barrel may Vhave its rear end Si located to engage the mouth of the shooter when `he is'airning with the gun in the samemanner as hewould aim with the firearm which the gun simulates. Furthermore, the barrel 25 may be adjusted longitudinally of the stock, as will be presently described, to adjust the mouthpiece end 3l to the mouth of the user.

The breech member 34, with its cylindrical portion 39 vover the groove Il, forms a cylindrical bore at the point 9- of greater size than thebarrel tube Z5,4 and, therefore, the barrel 26 is provided with an annularwooden or iibre member 44 which its in this bore, having a sliding fit.

The annular member lili may be tapered, if desired, and may be made of various materials, such as wood, cork, a thermoplastic material, etc., and is preferably frictionally held in place, but can be moved longitudinally of the barrel 25 by sliding it on the barrel.

When theY annular member :te is pushed into the breech at the point i9 it holds the barrel 25 4 groove l'l may be made of a size suitable to engage the barrel 25.

Adjacent the front end 2S ci the stock, the stock is preferably provided with a combined barrei holding member and bead @#5, the structure of which is shown in Fig. 4. This bead consists of a strip of sheet metal bent back upon itself at the point 45 and having an upper flat portion 4l which is carried by a pair of laterally extending legs 48, 49.

The legs 48, is engage and embrace the barrel 26 and hold it in the groove Il, and each leg may be secured to the wooden stock by means of a screw or nail 5E! passing through an aperture in each leg 48, 49 and engaged the stock i5. This provides the barrel with a sight adjacent its muzzle end, and also holds the barrel in the groove inthe stock at that end.

rllhe gun is also preferably provided with a snapping mechanism actuated or controlled by the trigger 5E, and for this purpose the stock may be provided with a groove 52 on its lower side eX- tending in both directions from the breech and adapted to house the snapping mechanism.

The snapping mechanism may consist of the trigger a tension spring 53, a resilient member 54, and an anvil or stop 55. The trigger merely comprises a sheet metal member having a i'iat body 56 and a downwardly projecting iinger-engaging portion 51, the front edge 58 of which is concavely curved like any trigger.

The body 55 is pivoted in the slot 52 by a transverse nail 59 extending from one side of the concentrically with respect to the rear end of the groove Il, but at the front end of the stock the stock across the groove 52 into the other side of the stock. The nail 59 passes through a slot 1U in the two walls 56 of the trigger, which may be f Vposition by the coil spring 53, which is under initial tension in Fig. 5, and'which has its lower end hooked in an aperture 6D in the trigger 5I and its upper end hooked over a nail or pin 6I, which is located longitudinally of the groove l1.

The spring 53 is thus located in a cylindrical bore 52, which extends from the slot 52 to the groove l1; and this spring urges the trigger to the forward position. A nail 63 is driven transversely of the stock across the groove 52 to enm gage the upper edge 64 of the trigger 5I to limit the counter-clockwise pivoting motion of the trigger in Fig. 5.

At its rearward corner the trigger 5I is provided with a relatively sharp, beveled corner 65, which is so located with respect to the resilient member 54 that the corner 55 initially engages the resilient member 54 and moves it toward the left to the dotted position of Fig. 5. Then the trigger corner passes the resilient member 54 to permit the latter to snap back to the full line position of Fig. 5. This snap-back of the resilient member 54 causes it to engage the stop 55, which is in the form of a substantial pin or nail which acts as an anvil for engagement by the resilient member 54 to make the snapping sound which simulates the crack of a rifle.

The beveled surface 1| engages the end of the resilient member 54, forcing the trigger 5l forward, which movement is permitted by the slot 'i9 surrounding the pin y59,until the trigger corner 65 again reaches the full line position of Fig. 5.

The pin or nail 63 also assists in bringing the trigger back to this position because it engages a curved camming surface 'l2 on the trigger. Pulling the trigger into the slot 52 tends to cam the trigger backward until the pivot 5!! is in the upper end of the slot lll. The cam surface 12 passes the pin 63 at such time as will permit the trigger body to move forward and snap ofi the end of the resilient member 54.

The resilient member timay consist of a thin strip of wood having tough, resilient characteristics; and this strip is supported in the groove 52 against the flat surface 6% by another transverse pinyor nail B1.

`The dat surface Sie in the groove 52 is so located that it places an initial ten-sion n the re silient member 4, which is thus forced against the stop or anvil 5.5. 'I he pin 6l is just far enougliaway from the flat-surface 55 to permit the tapered end 58 of the resilient member 54 to be forced in between the pin E1 and the flat surface 65. The length or the resilient strip 54 is such that it is forced upto the dotted line position of Fig. 5 'by the trigger, but is there released to snap back against the pin 55.

The combination of the snapping mehrlism with the pellet-discharging barrel is very important from the point of view of appeal to the children who use the toy, as this gives it a marked degree of realism, since one can hear the gun discharged at the same time the pellet is blown f from the gun.

The operation of my toy gun is as follow-s: The barrel of cellulose acetate may be black, and therefore looks very much like a polished steel barrel; and it may be of suitable size externally for a barrel, while the inside is of suitable size for pellets provided, such as peas.

The laterally turned end portion 3i! can be adjusted so that it is in position to be placed in the mouth of the user whenever the gun is put to the right shoulder in position for the user to aim through the sight d3 with the bead 46 in align-v ment with the target.

Since the barrel is held frictionally by the member llt, the laterally turned end may be turned round toward the right side for a left 'handed user, and this is a marked advantage because these guns are passed around from child to child, and one may be right handed and the other left handed, especially in the control and aiming oi a gun. Even children who vare right handed for other things may find it desirable to aim left handed, depending upon which eye seems most adapted for that function.

With a supply of peas in the mouth and the gun brought up to the shoulder in aiming position, the user may pla-ce his finger on the trigger 5l' and his mouth on the end 3|, and the tongue or the user may bring a pea or pellet into position to pass into the opening 3|, where a slight pun of air from the lungs will cau-se the pellet to be discharged from the muzzle 29 with considerable force and accuracy.

.At the same time the pull is given, the trigger 5l is pulled; the gun cracks like a riiile, and the pellet or pea is discharged like a bullet or other missile, and may be driven for a lconsiderable distance, due to the length and smoothness of the interior of the barrel. The smooth finish of the barrel reduces frictionto a minimum,'while Aits length permits the propelling forcer of the air from the lungs to build up so that ordinary-peas may be propelled distances of thirty t0 forty feet with great accuracy.

It will thus be observed that I have invented an improved toy gun by-means of which the user may propel small missiles, such as'peas or-pellets, the former being cheaper, and by means of which he may also emit the crack of a rilie simultaneously with the discharge of the missile.

The present pea shooter has a marked appeal for boys, and because of its sturdy and simple construction can be used for a long period of time without likelihood of damage of any of its parts. The barrel is more likely to bend than to break, and may have its rear end so shaped as to accommodate any user by merely applying heat with hot water While it is bent. l y

The mouthpiece is arranged to cooperate with the mouth of a right handed or a left handed user, and a change may be made in a moment by any child.` The trigger snap mechanism is simple and effective and is not apt to get out or order, and it produces a report which is very similar to that of a rie.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, many modications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

l. In a toy gun, the combination of an elongated stock provided with a shoulder-engaging portion and with an upper groove for receiving a barrel, with a barrel member of heat deformable plastic material in said groove, and comprising a member having a laterally turned end portion and provided with a bore extending through the full length of the barrel for passing a missile from the mouth of the user through the barrel when the stock is held to the shoulder and the end of thebarrel is held to the mouth, the stock supporting a partially cylindrical upper member at the rear end of said groove forming a bore which is enlargedrelative to the size of said groove, and said barrel being` surrounded by an annular plug having a frictional rit in the bore formed by said upper member and said groove, the barrel being frictionally held by the plug and the barrel being rotatably adjustable relative to the stock to turn the bent end of the barrel to the left or right for it-handed or right-handed users, or to elevate or lower the rear end of the barrel into proper position for engagement with the mouths of users of various sizes.

2. In a toy gun, the combination of an elongated nonmetallic stock, provided with a shoulderengaging portion and a forward barrel-supporting portion, said stock having a depression rearwardly of the barrel-holding portion on its upper side, for receiving a portion of the head of the user, said barrel-supporting portion being provided on its upper side with an elongated partially cylindrical groove, and a barrel in said groove, said barrel comprising an elongated tubular member or heat deformable plastic material, colored and finished in imitation of a metal barrel, said barrel Ahaving a smooth through bore of a size adapted to pass missiles of substantially pea size, and having an external diameter substantially equivalent to that of a gun barrel, said'groove having a substantial fit with the barrel member at the muzzle end of the stock and the muzzle end of the barrel projecting beyond the end of the stock, a strap passing over the barrel adjacent the muzzle end of the stock and secured to the stock to hold the said barrel in said groove, the rear end of said groove being enlarged relative to the front end of said groove to receive frictionally an annular plug, a partially cylindrical member carried by the stock over the enlarged portion of said groove and forming' a bore for receiving said plug, an annular plug carried by the barrel and located in said bore, said plug having a bore receving and engaging said barrel, the barrel being held in adjusted position when the plug isV forced.

into said first-mentioned bore, Vthe said barrel being laterally bent at its rear end and extending beyond said plug rearwardly and laterally of said stock, the barrel being frictionally held by the plug for rotatable adjustment relative to the stock to turn the bent end of the barrel to the left 0r right for left-handed or right-handed users, or to elevate or lower the rear end of the barrel or to permit the barrel member to be slid forwardly or 8 backwardly relative to the plug and stock to bring it into proper position for engagement with the mouth of the user when the eye of the user is in position to sight along the straight part of the barrel which is mounted in said groove.

ROY DALLY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 239,633 Alex Apr. 5, 1881 830,121 Warren Sept. 4, 1906 1,290,050 Bay et al Jan. '7, 1919 1,531,454 Parker Mar. 31, 1925 1,532,669 Bartexki Apr, 7, 1925 1,545,465 Johnstone et al July 7, 1925 2,002,324 Lefever May 21, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,450 Great Britain 1887

Images