US2482436A

US2482436A - Toy gun cartridge

Info

Publication number: US2482436A
Application number: US776911A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kenneth C Ream
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1947-09-30
Filing date: 1947-09-30
Publication date: 1949-09-20
Anticipated expiration: 1966-09-20

Description

Sept. 20, 1949.

K. C. REAM TOY GUN CARTRIDGE Filed Sept. 30, 1947 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 20, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOY GUN CARTRIDGE Kenneth 0. Beam, Alexander, Kans.

Application September 30, 1947, Serial No. 776,911

3 Claims.

My invention relates to toy guns of the type adapted to simultaneously launch a projectile and simulate the sound of a firearm.

With the foregoingin view, an object of my invention is to provide an improved novel combination of a toy gun and projectile therefore.

A further object is to provide a novel combination of toy gun and projectile therefor which utilizes the usual paper caps to produce the sound effect and also to provide the force for launching the projectile.

A further object is to provide a novel projectile for atoy gun.

A further object is to provide a novel projectile for a toy gun which comprises interfitting separate members, one including means providing a firing chamber and the other including means providing a firing pin, one of said members being adapted to be projected upon the detonation of the charge in said firing chamber.

A further object is to provide in a novel combination of a toy projectile such as that last described of a gun including a chamber seating said projectile, and striker means carried by the gun and adapted to strike the projectile to cause the firing pin thereof to detonate a charge in said firing chamber.

A further object is to provide a novel toy gun of the class described.

Other objects and advantages reside in the particular structure of the invention, combination and arrangement of the several parts thereof, and/or in the particular method or mode of operation, all of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the attached drawings in connection with the following specification, wherein the invention is shown, described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section taken through a loaded gun according to the invention, parts being shown in elevation;

Figure 2 is a front view of the gun of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an element of the gun apart from the rest of the structure;

Figure 4 is an elevation of one form of projectile for use in the gun, parts being broken away and shown in longitudinal vertical section;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section through the muzzle end of the gun and a portion of a projectile seated therein, but showing a modified form of projectile.

Figure 6 is a view like Figure 5, but showing the projectile immediately after firing thereof;

Figure 7 is a transverse vertical section taken 2 substantially on the plane of the line 1-1 of Figure 1.

Referring specifically to the drawings, wherein like reference characters have been used throughout to designate like parts, ill designates a barrel for one embodiment of the gun of my invention. Although in the embodiment illustrated, a pistol has been depicted, it is obvious that the principles involved may be as readily applied to a rifle, a cannon, or the like. The barrel i0 is of any suitable form and may be made of any suitable material. Adjacent the rear end of the barrel Hi there is provided a plate-like rear sight H comprising a peep sight and a front sight I 2 is provided adjacent the muzzle end of the barrel. Rearwardly of the sight ll there is provided a cylindrical receptacle l3 closed by any suitable cover l4 which provides a suitable storage chamher for a supply of paper caps which are preferably used to provide the propellant charge for the cartridge, to be described later.

The rear end of the barrel I'll is formed with a suitable axial bore l5 which opens into a counterbore l6 intermediate the length of the barrel which in turn opens into a second counter-bore l1 comprising a cartridge chamber for the gun. The rear end of counterbore l1 comprises an annular shoulder around the front end of the first counterbore It to provide a rigid seat for a cartridge to be described later. A striker comprising a cylindrical rod 18 is longitudinally reciprocable in the bore [5 and intermediate counter-bore H5. The rear end of the striker l8 extends outwardly of the rear end of the gun and is formed with a suitable cocking knob l9. The knob I9 is preferably detachably secured on the rear end of the striker I8 in any suitable manner, as by the threaded connection shown. The forward end of the striker I8 is provided with a striker head 25 which, as shown in Figure 7, is preferably of angular configuration whereby to provide air passages around its periphery as it reciprccates in the counter-bore l6. Thus, forward motion of the striker is not slowed down by compression of air ahead of the head 20. Rearwardly of the head 20 the striker I8 is formed with a reduced section 2| providing a sear notch for a purpose to be described later. The rear end of the counter-bore l6 merges with the bore l5 to provide a substantially annular shoulder 22 against which seats one end of a coil spring 23 which is disposed in the counter-bore l6 concentric to the forward end of the striker l8. The forward end of the spring. 23 seats against the inner side of the head 20 whereby the striker I8 is loaded for movement in a forward direction. The rear under surface of the barrel I is recessed in any suitable manner, as at 24, to provide a seat for the upper end of a butt which is formed to provide a hand grip. The underside of the barrel I0 and the substantially axial portion of the butt 25 are formed to provide registering

bores

21 and 28, respectively for the reciprocation therein of a scar 33, to be described later. The fore part of the butt 25 intermediate the ends thereof is provided with an elongated recess 26 for a trigger 30. Th trigger 30 comprises, substantially, a bell crank having a pivot 3| between the vertical side walls of the recess 26. The rear arm of the trigger lever is formed to provide a sear lug 32 which is seated in a trigger notch 34 of the sear 33. The sear 33 is substantially cylindrical and has its upper end beveled, as at 35, and formed with an axially inwardly-extending notch 36 which is adapted to seat around the reduced portion or sear notch 2| of the striker |8, whereby to retain the striker IS in a retracted or cooked position. The sear 33 is loaded for movement in a strikerengaging direction by a suitable spring 37 in the lower part ofthe bore 28 which is. retained in such bore by a suitable closure 38 for the lower end thereof. The closure 38 may be axially bored, as at 35, for the application of suitable lubricant for the sear and/or the striker IS. The trigger 3|}, forwardly of the pivot 3|, is formed to provide an upwardly=directed arcuate trigger pull which comprises the other arm of the trigger lever. The butt 25 is secured to the barrel It in any suitable manner, as by the fastening members 29.

To operate the gun, it is only necessary to pull backwards on the cocking knob I9 of the striker until the reduced portion or sear notch 2| is positioned immediately above the sear. At this point, the sear spring 31 moves the sear upwardly to engage the notch 36 in the sear notch 2| of the striker, and the latter is retained in a retracted or cooked position. This slight upward movement of the sear swings the trigger pull Ml downwardly slightly in a counter=clockwise direction. To discharge the piece, the user grips the butt 25 in the usual manner and squeezes the trigger pull 40, whereby the same is swung upwardly slightly in a clockwise direction on the pivot 3 whereby the sear lug 32 is depressed and carries with it the sear 33 until the notch 36 thereof is disengaged from the Sear notch 2| of the striker. The striker spring 23 now propels the striker I8 forwardly.

Referring now to Figure 4, a preferred form of cartridge 50 for the gun is disclosed. The cartridge 50 is generally cylindrical and of a diameter for a close sliding fit in the forward counter bore I? of the barrel H). The cartridge is divided substantially intermediate its ends to provide a case section 5| and a projectile section 55. The case section 5| has a substantially fiat base 52 and a substantially fiat front face 53 from which extends axially of the case 5| an integral and cylindrical extension 54 comprising a firing pin. The projectile section 55 is provided with a substantially flat base 56 whereby to have a close fit against the flat front 53 of the base section. The base 55 of the projectile section is provided with a cylindrical axial bore 5! in which the fire ing pin 54 has a sliding fit. The bore 51 is provided with a floor 58 against which the front end of the firing pin 54 is adapted to seat. The depth of the bore and the length of the firing pin are substantially the same, whereby to fit closely 4 together in the unloaded position, as shown in Figure 4. The forward end of the projectile section 55 is formed with a substantially frustoconical head 59 which extends outwardly beyond the sides of the cartridge 50 to provide a substantially annular rearwardly-facing flange 60 for a purpose to be described later. The forward end of the head 59 is preferably provided with an axial bore 6| which comprises a socket for the insertion of any Suitable means, not shown, for attaching an auxiliary, such as a parachute or light toy plane, to the projectile.

In Figures 5 and 6, a modified form of projectile is disclosed which comprises a case section 62 and a projectile section 64. In this form of the inven' tion the forward face of the case section 62 is provided with a rearwardly-directed axial bore 63, while the rear face of the projectile section 6 5 is provided with an axially rearwardly-directed firing pin 65 slidable in the bore 63. As is shown in Fi ure a paper can 6tv is; adapted to be inserted in the floor of the bore 63 to provide a propellent charge for the, cartridge. The cartridge disclosed inFigures 1 and 2 is essentially the same as that. dis losed in, Figures 5 and 6, except that the head 61 is conical to provide a sharp point 68 rather than frusto-conical. As is shown in Figure l, the rearwardly=facing annular flan es 69 of the heads for the projectile section overlie the front end edges of the muzzle of the barrel ID to provide a seal for the forward counter-bore I! when the projectile is seated therein. a

To fire the projectile from any of the cartridges shown, the striker I8 its retracted to the cooked position and retained thereat by the sear 33. Any of the cartridges previously described are separated into separate case and projectile sections, and one or more. paper caps 66 are taken from the magazine Hi and inserted in the

bore

51 or 63, as the case may be. The projectile sections are then reassembled to the case sections so that the

firing pins

54 or 65 lightly press the cap or caps 66 against the floors of the

bores

51 or 63. An assembled cartridge is now seated in the counter-bore I! of the barrel H) in the position shown in either Figure 1 or Figure 5 and against the annular shoulder or seat at the rear end of such counterbore Upon pulling of the trigger pull 4!], the striker is released, as aforesaid, and travels from the Fi ure 5 position to the Figure 6 position to strike a sharp blow against the rear face of the cartridge case section. Such blow causes relative axial movement of the case and projectile sections, whereby the appropriate firing pin impacts against the cap or caps 68 with sufiicient force to explode the latter. Expansion of gases generated by such explosion in the confined space of the bore of the cartridge projects the projectile section of the cartridge forwardly in a well known manner. Of course, the case section of the cartridge is forced rearwardly with equal force, but rearward travel is so limited by the annular shoulder or seat at the rear of the cartridge chamber that virtually all of the explosive force is transmitted to the projectile section of the cartridge. Thus in effect, the cartridge itself provides the firing chamber and barrel for the projectile and the counter-bore serves as a barrel only in a limited sense. The cartridges are preferably made of any suitable material, such asulight rnetal, plastic, or wood, but are preferably heavy enough to withstand the shock of the explosion and alsoto prevent projection of the projectile sections at dangerously high velocities.

Of the two forms of projectiles shown and described, I have found that the form disclosed in Figure 4 has a. greater range and is more accurate, probably by virtue of a slight rocket efiect produced by the rearwardly-directed bore 51 of the projectile section thereof, and the jet effect of the propellent gases issuing rearwardly therefrom. By attaching toy parachutes or toy planes or the like to the projectile sections in the socket 6|, these may be propelled to a considerable distance if the number of caps 66 is increased to two or three instead of one.

The provision of the upwardly-directed trigger pull 40 instead of the conventional downwardlydirected trigger pull is regarded as important in that I have found that a trigger pull such as here disclosed and described lends itself more readily to squeezing of the trigger, whereby to maintain the sights aligned on the target more readily than does the conventional trigger pull.

While I have shown and described what is now thought to be the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that the same are susceptible of other forms and expressions. Consequently. I do not limit myself to the precise structures shown and described herein, except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1; In a cartridge for a toy gun adapted to be inserted into the muzzle end of a toy gun, said cartridge including a case section and a projectile section shaped and dimensioned to snugly fit the bore of said gun, one of said sections having a projection of reduced dimension, the other section having a bore shaped and dimensioned to snugly receive said projection whereby a cap may be inserted in said last-named bore and fired by a blow on the rearmost section.

2. In a cartridge for a toy gun adapted to be and dimensioned to snugly receive said projection whereby a cap may be inserted in said lastnamed bore and fired by a blow on said case section.

3. In a cartridge for a toy gun adapted to be inserted into the muzzle end of a toy un, said cartridge including a case section and a projectile section shaped and dimensioned to snugly fit the bore of said gun, said projectile section having a rearwardly-directed projection of reduced dimension, said case section having a bore shaped and dimensioned to snugly receive said projection whereby a cap may be inserted in said last-named bore and fired by a blow on said case section.

. KENNETH C. BEAM.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS