US2516341A

US2516341A - Gravity fed dart magazine

Info

Publication number: US2516341A
Application number: US663578A
Authority: US
Inventors: Raffeis Henry
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-04-19
Filing date: 1946-04-19
Publication date: 1950-07-25
Anticipated expiration: 1967-07-25

Description

July 25, 1950 H. RAFFEIS GRAVITY FED DART MAGAZINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 19, 1946 UUWVVi M/VENTGR HENRY RAFFE/s ATTORNEY July 25, 1950 H. RAFFEIS GRAVITY FED DART MAGAZINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 19, 1946 It R //VVEN 7'0? (/ENA? y PAR E/5 6 g Ji ATTORNEY Patented July 25, 1950 UNITED. STATES- PATENT OFFICE GRAVITY FED DART MAGAZINE Henry Raffeis, Huntington Park, Calif. Application, April 19, 1946, Serial No. 663,578 2 Claims. (01. 124-49) The present invention relates to improvements T in projectile propelling devices and deals more particularly with a magazine crossbow capable of rapidly projecting a series of darts or similar projectiles toward a target; p

A general object of this invention is to provide a weapon generally similar in appearance and mode of operation to aconventional firearm, and to provide the weapon with a plurality of darts so arranged in a magazine'in the weapon that the string of a bow mounted thereon can be rapidly engaged with the darts, successively, for successive propulsion of said darts from the weapon. v

Another object of the invention isto provide a weapon of the type referred to which embodies novel means for arranging and aligning a plurality of darts whereby the string of a bow can read ily engage said dartsfor successive propulsion thereof from the weapon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a weapon for firing a plurality of darts successively, in which the next dart to be fired is positively held by a trigger or releasing means and in which means are provided for hooking the string of a bow to said dart of the releasing means, the stored energy of the bow becomes effective to propel said dart from the weapon. 1

A further object of the invention is to provide a dart propelling weapon provided with a storage compartment, preferably in the stock of the weapon, in which compartment a quantity of darts may be stored together with cert'ain'adjuncts of the weapon, such as extra bow strings, wax for the strings, etc.

My invention alsohas for its objects to'provi'de such means that are positive'in operation,"convenient in use, easily installed in a'working position and easily disconnected therefrOmQ'economical of manufacture, relatively simple; and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinatiions and-arrangements of parts, which will more-fullyappear in the course of the following description. However, the drawings merely show and the fol-" lowing description merely'describes 'one embodi ment of the present invention, which is given by' way of illustration or example only.-

x In the drawings, like reference characters 'des-' ignate similar parts in the several'views.

Fig. 1 is a top plan view, partly broken, of a weapon embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevationalview thereof; the front part of the'vweaponzbein'g broken'away.

whereby, upon actuation Fig. 3 is an enlarged end View of the stock of the weapon and shown partly open to expose a storage compartment provided in the stock.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view, as taken through the center of Fig. 3. f

Fig. 5 is a broken plan view of the weapon in greater detail.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal elevational view thereof, partly in section.

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are cross-sectional views, as taken on the lines 11. 88 and 9-9 respectively, of Fig. 6.

Fig. 10 is an end view of the discharge end of the weapon.

Fig. 11. is a broken side elevational view of a block for drawing the bow string into dart engagement.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged sectional view of the head end of one of the darts.

The dart-propelling weapon which is shown in the drawings comprises, generally, a stock I5, a magazine l6 for a plurality of darts IT, a barrel l8 through which the darts pass as they are being propelled from the magazine, a generally conventional bow I 9 mounted at an intermediate portion of the barrel, a manually slidable block 20 for effecting hooking engagement of the string of said bow with the darts I! in the magazine, successively, trigger means 2| normally having 1 detent engagement with the darts and adapted fectively engage the darts and the to efiect release of the same for propulsion from the weapon by the bow, and means 22 in the magazine for efi'ecting rotational alignment of the darts whereby the trigger means may efbow string may readily hook onto said darts.

The stock I5 and the housing 23 of the weapon, as shown, may be made integral. The stock is generally conventional inform and is made of wood or other suitable material.

A storage compartment 24 is formed by a metallic extension 25 and a plurality of holes or seats 26 formed in the end of the stock wherein the darts l1 may be stored when the weapon is not in use. A

cover 21 is provided for the compartment, said cover, when closed, comprising the end of the stock and when swung'open on its pivot 28,.giving access to the compartment. A latch 29 is provided for normally'holding the cover closed.

6 By providing a partition 30 extending from the i a shaft 33 having a feathered end 34 and head end face 3| of the stock to the cover 21, when closed, an auxiliary compartment 32'is provided for housing extra bow strings, string wax, etc.

i In the present instance, each dart l'l comprises 3 end or nose 35. Said nose is preferably somewhat pointed and formed as a metallic shell fitted to the shaft and held thereon as by punched tits 36. The nose is provided with an opening 31 for engagement with the trigger means 2|. At an intermediate portion of the shaft 33 and On the opposite side of the dart from the opening 31, there is provided a hooking notch 38 shaped to retain the: string ofithe bow [9. Between the notch 38= and the feathered-end 34', and formed in the sides of the dart (with the hole 31 facing down and the notch 38 facing up), a'pair of opposed flats 39 are provided,,said flats being preferably outwardly sloped whereby they are triangular in shape with their apioes directedrearwardly.

The magazine 16 is formed in the housing 23' and comprises a chamber 40 extending-downwardly from the top of the housing. Said chambers lfihas abottom wall 41. uponv whichthe darts tl..r.est,. end walls. 42 and i3. spacedsomewhatgrcater them the. length .of a dart, and side walls i l ispaced slightly more; than the diameter of a dart.

It. will. be evident that a plurality of dartsmay be placed in the magazine chamber dil. and that saiddarts will.,be..arranged longitudinally one above the other. Means are provided fortightly, yet releasably holding the darts. As shown. said means comprises. aflat springt hinged at G te permit access to the chamber 40 and adapted to be positionedin overstanding relation to the darts to pres upon them when a hinged cover 61 is closed over the spring 45 and latched in place by a swing'dog 48.

As before pointed out, it is desired that the openings 3] and the notches, 38 of the darts; be so positioned that the trigger means .2! and the string of bow 19, respectively. will surelyengage them. Accordingly; the side walls d4 of the magazine chamber are laterally recessed for a pair offlat spring; members 39" extending from top to bottom of said chamber and designed toengage the mentiloned' flats 39 of the darts. By placing the darts-into the-magazine in the manner indicated, the spning members 49- will obviate their inadvertent rotation during downward movement of'the darts and assure proper relational positioning of the openings 31 and notches 38 The barrel I8 comprises a forwardly extending member of wood-or other suitable material, secwred between the outer walls 53 of the magazine. Said barrel is formed with a longitudinal slot 5*!"so thatsaid barrel, in effect, is bifurcated to form upper and lower'portions- 52-a-nd 53, respec-- tively. The lower barrel portion 53 is provided witlra groove 54 co-extensi've with the slot 51. The slot 5!- terminates' at an intermediate portion-ofthe barrel and apassage 55 extends from saidend ofthe slot through the end 5616f: the. weapon. The slot 51 and groove 54;. and the passage 55 are cf's-uficient size to permit ready passage or a-- dart thereth-rough.

At the m'entioned end of the slot 51. there provided a pair-of'side blocks 51*;therebythiclrening the barrel at that point. The bow I 9 mounted a: seat=58z formedtransverselyin the top ofrfsaid'thickened portion of the barrel. The: flexible wooden member 59 of the; bowis: fitted into saidseatiatrsuch anangle to bringthebow stringtll, whenizpulled into hooking engagee ment- .the notch ni of the lowermost dart. l I. A-swing dog 6 i used for holding the bow seated imposition;

The block 20 is arranged to slide on the mentioned lower portion 53 of the barrel l8 along a path from the blocks 5'! to an intermediate portion of the magazine. Said block is formed with a longitudinal groove 62 loosely engaging said barrel portion 53, is provided with a hand-grasping portion 63 for efiecting movement of the block toward the magazine, and is formed with side finger-gripping recesses Git-for effecting movement of said block away from the magazine. The upper portion of the block is provided with a pair of plates 65 directed toward each other and operating. in the slot 5|. A notch 66 is provided in the block for engaging the bow string 60 by beveling the: adjacent portions of the plates 65 and theflblock end directed toward the magazine.

The trigger means 2| comprises a metal bar 6ft pivoted at an intermediate point at 93 to the bottom wall 4| of the jmagazine. Said bottom Wallis. longitudinally. slottedv at 69. for the 'forward enditt of bar, the-end of which is provided withadetent for engagement withthe hole 31 of theloweHnost dart H. The rear end of the bar 6! is provided -withadownwardly curyed-enddi. comprising a finger trigger. A spring. set into the, stock, is arranged to press the. barrel sothatthe. detent H :is urged into the hole ot the dart. A tri gfirguard. Misprovided for the. finger; trigger 12-.

The weapon istfn-vther preferably provided with a rear Sight limearward-oi the magazine tfi and a irontsight i6 atrthe frontendof the barrel.

After the magazine has been filled with-darts asillustrated, the bow-string 601 is engaged with the notch .Bfiof the block and with the stock of the weapon-against. theoshoulder, said block is pulled .rearwardly to; cause.- fiexing: oi? thebow I-9'. Thewblock-lismoved along the barrel part 53-iintil the plates 65 pass on either side or and :between thestwo lowermostdants-asgseerr in Figs. 6 and 8. Continued movement of the block. 28 will bring the -bow string intoexact alignment with-the notch 38 ot. the lower ofsaid darts and said string. becomeshooked in-said notch upon return movement oi block: 20- to itsinitial position. By pressing-theflnger trigger lE; the detent H is withdrawn from the/hole.- 3 1-of said dart and the stored energy in the bow becomes efiective to propel-said'dart' along: groove 5i and'out of the weapon through'passage-fi. It willbe obvious that the darts in the magazine Hi" can b discharged as rapidly as. the block 20 can be pumped back and forth and that the weapon canflbe'. handledkin exactly the: same manner. as a repeating or pump gun is handled.

It. believed clear w-ithout further illustration that-resilient cushion=means may be interposed betweenzthe: wooden member 59 andthe seat 58 While Ifhave' illustrated and described what I nowregard as the preferred embodiment of my invention; the ccmstruction is; of: course; subject. to modifications without departing from the spirit :andscopeat my invention. I, therefore, (10111011 W iShetO restrict myself to the-particular form ofrconstructi'om i'llustrated'and'; described; but, desire to auail myself: of all 'modifi'cations that may fall withirathe scope of the. appended claims.

Having thus described my invention; what I" claim and'desire: tor-.secureby Letters Patentis:

1. In combination. a magazine, opposed: resili'ent elementsawithinthe magazineanda stack of dartsgini thgmaganinebetween said'resilient:

elements, .eachidart; oneopposita sides: of thebody thereafi; having a fiat; face-terminating imam end:

shoulder, said flat faces of the darts being in lateral engagement with said resilient elements to thereby hold said darts against rotation in the magazine, the darts, successively, being adapted to be withdrawn from the magazine and from between the resilient elements in a direction moving the mentioned shoulders away from the resilient elements.

2. In combination, a stack of darts, each dart on the opposite sides of the body thereof, having a flat face terminating in an end shoulder; and opposed resilient members on each side of the stack and. having lateral engagement with the fiat faces of the darts to hold the same nonrotationally, the darts, successively, being adapted to be withdrawn from between the resilient elements in a direction moving the mentioned shoulders away from the resilient elements.

HENRY RAFFE'IS.

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

8 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Eger Feb. 20, 1883 Almond Feb. 14, 1885 Benjamin Aug. 25, 1885 Griflith Apr. 13, 1909 Mentzer Aug. 24,- 1926 Littlefield June 19, 1928 Bond July 17, 1928 Allen Feb. 24, 1931 Sword Dec. 22, 1931 Conklin Dec. 18, 1934 Leonard June 11, 1935 Shirn Sept. 7, 1937 Stopper May 3, 1949 Richards Oct. 11, 1949