US2517427A - Toy torpedo - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 1, 1950 H. T. HAND 2,517,427

TOY TORPEDO Filed Nov. 26, 1947 Patented Aug. 1, 1950 TOY TORPEDO Hugh T. Hand, Cooksville, Ontario, Canada, as-

signor to T. W. Hand Fireworks Co. Limited, Cooksville, Ontario, Canada Application November 26, 1947, Serial No. 788,199

4 Claims.

This invention relates to toy torpedoes adapted to explode upon impact, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a toy torpedo which will be extremely safe to handle and will not scatter upon being exploded, eliminating danger to the person or property from flying particles, yet which can be readily exploded when desired to provide a powerful concussion, resulting in a loud report, the intensity of which will in no way be minimized by the containing of the flying particles.

A further important object is to provide a toy torpedo which can be inexpensively manufactured and quickly assembled.

The principal feature of the invention consists in providing a slotted non-shatterable casing and n arranging a detonating cap surrounded by pebbles within the casing, the slots in the casing being sufficiently narrow to prevent passage of the pebbles whereby the force of the explosion resulting from detonation of the cap by the pebbles will escape undiminished through the slots while the pebbles will be contained within the casing.

A further important feature consists in forming the slotted casing from drawn or moulded plastic formed into a cylinder open at one end and having slots extending longitudinally thereof, and providing a closure member for the open end of the cylinder and adapted to be cemented in position after insertion of the detonating cap and pebbles.

A still further feature consists in bevelling the outer peripheral wall of the casing at the open end and providing a closure member for the casing with a corresponding bevel on the inner peripheral wall to facilitate application of the closure member to the casing and to provide a wedging action therebetween.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my toy torpedo device.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the torpedo casing with the closure cap removed.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the closure cap shown in an inverted position.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the detonating cap.

Figure 5 is a vertical mid-sectional view of my toy torpedo.

Figure 6 is a plan view of my torpedo with the closure cap removed and a portion of the pebbles removed to indicate the detonating cap.

Toy torpedoes which explode with a loud report upon being thrown against a hard surface have been very extensively used, particularly by children. Previously these toy torpedoes have been made with a detonating cap and a bunch of small pebbles wrapped in paper or other flimsy casing and have been found to be very dangerous, for upon explosion the pebbles are hurled with considerable force outwardly from the source of the detonation. Thus a serious accident can easily occur for a torpedo exploded near a persons face would blow the pebbles into the eyes or face.

The present invention has accordingly been devised to provide a casing for the pebbles and cap which will prevent their dispersion upon detonation yet which will permit the sound pressure wave to escape so as to leave the intensity of the bang undiminished.

With reference to the accompanying drawings, I show my torpedo in the form of a cylindrical casing l formed of drawn or moulded plastic. The casing is open at one end 2 and is provided with a plurality of longitudinal slots 3 in the peripheral wall thereof and extending from adjacent the closed end to the open end 2.

The open end of the casing is closed by a cap member 6 having an annular flange 1 adapted to fit over the wall of the casing and having a bevel 8 on its inner peripheral surface to corre spond to the bevel 5 of the casing.

The annular cap flange 1 is provided with an annular rib 9 on its outer peripheral surface to increase its strength. This cap member 6 is also preferably formed of a plastic material.

Arranged in the casing l intermediate the length thereof is a detonating cap l9 comprising a pair of circular discs II which define a central pocket therebetween to receive a suitable explosive charge l2. Arranged on either side of the detonating cap are a plurality of pebbles or stones l3. When the cap in and pebbles l3 are placed in the casing and the casing cap member 6 applied the pebbles surrounding the detonating cap will have a degree of movement permitting them to be forcefully projected against the cap when the torpedo is thrown against a hard surface, causing detonation to the explosive charge l2.

In selecting the pebbles I3 they will be screened so that all the pebbles placed in the casing will be of a size greater than the narrow dimension of the slots 3 to prevent their passage therethrough, and the casing l and closure cap 6 are formed with sufficient strength to withstand the explosion caused by the detonation of the cap I0 so that they will not rupture upon detonation.

To permit escape of the pressure waves directed endwise of the casing l upon explosion the cap 3 member 6 is provided with a small central orifice l4, while the bottom of the casing is provided with a small central orifice 15.

My torpedo device is very readily assembled, pebbles 3 being placed in the casing followed by the detonating cap l and the further layer or layers of pebbles l3 placed on top of the ca H].

The closure cap 6 is then slipped over the open end 2 of the casing with the bevelled surfaces and 8 providing a wedging action as the cap 6 is pressed down on to the cylindrical casing. The cap is then permanently secured by means of suitable cement applied to the contacting bevelled surfaces.

Not only do the bevelled surfaces 5 and 5 provide a wedging action to ensure proper fit between the cap cylinder or casing but any inaccuracies in the relative diameter of the cap and casing will be accommodated.

The casing l and cap 6 when cemented in posi-- tion thus form a non-rupturable or non-shattering container having sufficient structural strength to withstand the explosion resulting from the detonation of the cap it].

When using the torpedo it is thrown with sufficient force against a hard surface to cause the pebbles [3 to detonate the cap iii.

The sound pressure wave set up by the detonation of the cap readily escapes through the slots 3 to create the sensation of a loud report or hang.

to pass through the slots 3, will be retained in the casing. Thus while the sound pressure wave escapes with undiminished intensity the danger of flying fragments is completely eliminated.

It will be appreciated that my slotted casing structure will permit the escape of the energy of the explosion in the form of a pressure wave and therefore its construction need not be heavy or cumbersome to withstand without shattering the explosion force.

If desired the plastic material forming the casing and closure cap may be coloured to provide an attractive appearance- While moulded plastic casings are extremely satisfactory for constructing my torpedo, it will be understood that other forms of non-rupturable or non-shattering containers may be resorted to without departing from the scope of my invention.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A toy torpedo comprising a non-shattering plastic casing, narrow longitudinal slots in the wall of said casing, a detonating cap and a quantity of sized non--pulverizing pebbles arranged in said casing with said pebbles being adapted to detonate said cap, the slots in said casing being of a width less than the minimum dimensions of said pebbles to prevent passage of said pebbles.

,30 The pebbles however, because they are too large 2. A toy torpedo comprising a cylindrical casing having a plurality of narrow longitudinal slots in the wall thereof, a detonating cap arranged in said casing, and pebbles of a size to prevent their passage through said slots and of a material nonshatterable under the explosive force of said cap loosely arranged insaid casing on each side of said cap, said detonating cap being exploded by said pebbles upon impact of said casing against a hard surface, said casing being formed of a material which will withstand the detonation of said cap and the shock of said pebbles without rupturing to retain said pebbles while the pressure wave of the explosive escapes through said slots.

3. A toy torpedo comprising a cylindrical nonrupturing casing having an open end and having the peripheral wall bevelled at said open end, a quantity of sized non-pulverizing pebbles, and a detonating cap arranged in said casing, narrow longitudinal slots formed in the peripheral wall of said casing and extending to the open end thereofand having a width less than the smallest dimensions of said pebbles to prevent passage of said pebbles therethrough, and a cap closing said casing and provided with an annular flange engaging'the said bevelled periphery of the casing and having a bevelled inner periphery corresponding to the bevel of said casing wall.

4. A toy torpedo comprising a cylindrical non-rupturing casing" having an open end, a quantity of 'sized non-pulverizing pebbles and a detonating'cap arranged in said casing, narrow slots formed in the wall of said casing and extending to the open end thereof, and a cap closing the open end of said casing, said slots having a Width less than the minimum dimensions of said pebbles whereby upon throwing said torpedo to detonate said cap through the medium of said pebbles the pressure wave of the explosion will be permitted tov escape therethrough but the pebbles hurled outwardly by the explosion will be safely contained;

HUGH T. HAND.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 291,853 Pilgrim Jan. 8, 1884 2,079,008 Goss May 4, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 843,734 France Apr. 3, 1939

Images