US2625926A - Hand catapult - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 20, 1953 E. P. FOSTER 2,625,926

HAND CATAPULT Filed Dec. 5, 1950 MENTOR flaisonffba BY Patented Jan. 20, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAND CATAPULT Edson P. Foster, Manitowoc, Wis.

Application December 5, 1950, Serial No. 199,285

1 Claim. (01. 124-420) My invention is concerned with a new and improved hand catapult or modified sling shot capable of throwing missiles with precision and at high velocities as directed by the user. v

Briefly, my invention is directed to a new and improved hand catapult wherein a conventional sling shot having a hand grip, bifurcated arms, a pair of elastic bands and a missile sling or pocket is rigidly associated with a transversely positioned and rearwardly extending elongated support arm or stock adapted to extend over and rest on the upper arm of the user between the elbow and the shoulder for giving steady support to the catapult during the operation thereof whereby one is enabled to cook, aim and fire the catapult with great ease and accuracy.

One of the primary objects of my invention is to provide a hand catapult having an elongated support or stock member rigidly associated therewith whereby a user can fire such a weapon with great ease and accuracy.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a hand catapult or sling-shot device having an elongated supporting stock attached thereto whereby the majority of the turning movement force normally accompanying cocking such a Weapon by the tensioning of a pair of rubber bands associated therewith is transmitted to the upper arm adjacent the shoulder of the user rather than to his wrist whereby such a weapon can be fired with great accuracy and with increased catapulting velocity and force.

These and further objects and features of my invention will be recognized by one familiar with the art from the following detailed description and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: I

Figure l is a perspective view of a hand catapult embodying the features of my invention of a type adapted to throw pellets or a like class of missile;

Figure 2 is a perspective view similar to Figure 1 displaying a modified form of my hand catapult adapted for the ejection of arrows or like shafted missiles;

Figure 3 is a partial top plan view of the catapult shown in Figure 2 illustrating the unique arrangement of the catapulting elastic bands thereof whereby I am enabled to accurately discharge an arrow or shafted missile therefrom; and

v Figure 4 is a perspective view demonstrating the operation positioning by a user of the catapult support stock during the firing operation thereof.

Looking now at Figure l of the drawings, it will be recognized that my catapult If! therein illustrated comprises a sling shot portion II at the forward end thereof having separated upwardly extended bifurcated arms I2, l2. Below 'arms I2 and formed at a common junction therewith is an integrally associated downwardly extending handle member l3 provided with a hand grip [4 adapted to give the user a good supporting grip on the weapon. Intermediate arms l2 and the upper end of handle I3 is a transversely projecting hollowed out boss member 15 open at its rearward end for the reception therein of an elongated cylindrical supporting stock member l! which is adapted to be mounted at right angles of the plane of the forked arms and handle. A wood screw I8 is adapted to be inserted centrally through a. forward closed end wall 19 of boss member l5 to connect the stock securely to handle [3 after the latter has been inserted therein. It is preferred that for a sturdy structure the arms I2, handle [3, and boss I5 all be cast as an integral unit of a suitably strong and durable metal such as aluminum while the stock member ll be of a good strong wood, such as hickory or the like.

Means for catapulting a pellet or like missile with the device illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a pair of elastic or rubber bands 20, herein shown as fiat strips of rubber having suitable thickness and strength to provide the required propelling power for catapulting a missile when the bands are stretchedto a rearwardly tensioned position and suddenly released. Each band 2!) is fitted to the upper end of one of the forked arms 12 of the sling shot portion of my catapult by means of a retaining pin 22 and a slotted opening 2|, formed in'parallel relation to stock H at the upper end of each arm; To accomplish this fastening connection each rub ber band 20 is folded over with a double thickness at one end to create an open loop 23 into which one of the pins 22 may be inserted; the double thickness of the band thus created being inserted downwardly with a slight stretching action of the folded portion of the band into the slot 2| in the upper end of one of the arms l2. The retaining pins 22 are then inserted downwardly in the loops 23 formed at the folded outer ends of the bands 20 forwardly of their respective arms l2 so that rearward pulling on the bands serves to "wedgethe pins and looped ends of the bands tightly against'thearms IE to prevent the pulling thereof backwardly through the mounting slots.2 I.

It will be recognized. that'both bands 28 are fitted to arm l2 in this manner so as to reach rearwardly from the sling shot portion l l of my catapult. The two separated bands 26 are then joined at their rearward extremes by a missile sling or pocket 24 herein shown as made in a substantially rectangular form of a pliable, but sturdy material such as leather. The rearward ends of the two bands 20 are fitted into slotted opening 25 formed in opposite end of the pocket 24. Each band 20, after insertion through one of the slots 25 is turned reentrantly over on itself, with the free end 26 thereof secured tightly to the main extensible portion 27 of its associated band by means of several whipped loops of wire 28 or the like.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, it will be recognized that the catapult Illa therein illustrated is essentially the same as that of Figure 1 having a sling shot portion l in. comprising a handle portion I311, a pair of divergingly bifurcated upwardly extending arms i2a formed at the upper end thereof, but slightly shorter than arms !2 of the Figure 1 device, and a transversely disposed, hollowed-out boss member l5a formed integrally with and between the handle and bifurcated arms. The supporting stool: member Ila, like stock [1, is insertedly mounted at one, end into the hollowed out interior of the boss member I 5a and secured rigidly to the sl ng shot portion of the catapult by a wood screw lBa. The particular embodiment illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, however, is adapted especially for the catapulting of arrows or like shafted missiles and to that end I have provided an open guiding trough 36 extending transversely to arms 12a, in parallel relation to the boss member E50, and thereabove, at the lower junction point of the two diverging arms i211, so that the cylindrical shaft of an arrow 3|, as shown in Figure 3, may rest therein and be guided there along as it is ejected from the catapult. Two rubber bands 20a are again secured to the upper end of the bifurcated arms 12a by means of the looped over ends 23a thereof inserted in diverging slots Zia formed in the arms and retained in position by vertically disposed retaining pins 22a inserted in the extreme looped over ends of the elastic bands, as described heretofore. A missile pocket 24a, similar to pocket 24 associated with the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, is again interconnected between the extreme rearward ends of the two elastic bands and the bands held thereto by wire loops 28a in an identical manner to that described above in connection with the embodiment of Figure 1. However, in the arrow catapult of Figure 2, a cord member 32 is also interconnected between the ends of the rubber bands 26o inwardly of the missile pocket for engagement with the nook 33 at the rearward end of the arrow 3! to be shot.

The user, in tensioning and stretching the bands rearwardly in this device, grasps the missile pocket between fore-finger and thumb allowing the cord 32 to engage with the nook of the arrow; the loop formation of the cord permitting the nocked end of the arrow to extend between the inner sides of the pocket, so that the operator may grasp the arrow along with the pocket in pulling the same rearwardly with the shaft of the arrow resting lightly in the guide channel ital between the bifurcated arms 12a. Upon release. of the pocket at the rearward extremeiof the] tensioning stretch of the bands 28a the rubber bands, in snapping back to their normal unten: sioned condition, will thrust the. arrow forwardly along the channel guide 39 discharging such with great catapulting velocity as directed by the operator. In this connection reference is specifically made to Figure 3 wherein the position takenby the two elastic bands upon release is shown in phantom at 34, whereby it will be recognized that the diverging relationship of the mounting slots 21a formed in the upper ends of the bifurcated arms of the sling shot portion i la of my arrow catapult causes the bands to remain spread outwardly from the shaft of the arrow to prevent their possible interference with its free flight as it passes along channel 30 in ejection.

In general, to operate a device of the class I have herein illustrated, the user holds the catapult as illustrated in Figure 4. For a righthanded man, this means that the left hand is used to firmly grip the handle of the sling shot portion to hold the forked arms about eye level and in a substantially vertical upright position with the left arm substantially straight and extended transversely of the left shoulder. For good aiming, the operators eye level should be substantially in line with the center of the space between the forked arms of the sling shot portion. The stock or support arm, which extends rearwardly from the sling shot portion of the catapult, is rested on the upper part of the right arm between the elbow and shoulder of the user with the right hand being used to grip the missile pocket for stretching and tensioning the two elastic bands rearwardly with a pulling action. After the bands have been stretched to the rear a suitable distance, as regulated largely by the strength and the users right arm, the pocket is released from between the holding fore-finger and thumb, and the missile being held therein, either a pellet or the arrow, depending on whether a device of the Figure 1 type or the Figure 2 type is being utilized, will be catapulted forwardl through the bifurcated toward the target with a high velocity.

It should be noted that in operating my device the stock: member 5? serves two important correlated functions. Initially the stool: acts guide for enabling the user accurately to site or aim the catapult in a desired direction in t1.-.t in its contact point with .the upper part of the band pulling arm acts as a pivotal trunnion for the catapult, whereby the horizontal train thereof is easily regulated. secondarily, and what of greater importance, the stock ser s to transmit substantially all of the downward rested turning force, normally resisted to the grippinghand and wrist of the user, bacl wardly along the length of thestock to its crum contact point with the upper arm. This latter function permits greater vertical stability of the catapult: and allows the user to greater pulling force rearwardly'on the elastic bands while still maintaining the forked oi the sling shot portion in a ver *ical upright p0 tion. This function may be understood lll' readily when it is realized hat a r r on the sling shcts elastic zontal pulling force exer ed forked arms by the users ensioning o the bands, results in two forces which no terbalanced to keep the catapult steady. the horizontal pulling force itself is directly through the forl ed an Where it is easily resisted by o1 position of the gripping-hand, arm and W1"; J the user, who naturally stiiiiens a wrist to oppose such a force. In addition to horizontal force, however, a turning couple created composed of vertical and horizontal force components by virtue of the fact that the horizontal pulling force exerted by the tensioning of bands 2!! is transmitted to the sling shot arms at their upper extremes where they connect with the bands. The normal point of resistance for such forces available to the user lies in his gripping hand at the handle and the latter is displaced a vertical distance below the connecting point of the bands with the forked arms. This means that the weapon would normally tend to rotate rearwardly and downwardly about the handle, or point of grip therewith, when the bands are tensioned and stretched rearwardly by the user by virtue of the vertical displacement between the point of exertion on the sling shot of the horizontal pulling force and the point of resistance or support therefor. In the conventional sling shot the operator must resist not only the horizontal pulling force with his gripping hand and arm, but the horizontal and vertical components of the vertical turning couple force as well. This limits the extent to which the bands can be tensioned rearwardly, since such is chiefly limited by the extent to which the user can resist such turning force in that his gripping hand, wrist and arm are less able to resist the Vertical turning force than the horizontal pulling force. As a result, the conventional sling shot is not a very accurate weapon to use, because of the difficulty of opposing the vertical turning and horizontal pulling forces simultaneously. By virtue of my elongated stock member, however, I have eliminated this diificulty to a great extent. As will be perceived readily, in my device the vertical turning force is ably resisted by the upper part of the pulling arm of the user via the stock memher since the latter transmits the vertical component of the turning couple directly along its length to its fulcrum point of contact with the upper arm. For a right-handed man this fulcrum contact point would lie on his right upper arm, as illustrated in Figure 4. This means that the left wrist is required to resist only the horizontal force created by the rearward tensioning of the elastic bands, so that his left arm, wrist and hand are subject to compression forces only, which they are capable of withstanding readily.

As a result of this novel feature of my device, the user need no longer resist the vertical turning force with his gripping hand and arm and thus he is able to stretch the rubber or elastic bands rearwardly to a much greater length or extent, giving the catapult greater firing force and velocity than it is possible with a conventional sling shot not made in accordance with my teaching.

While I have herein described two embodiments in which the features of my invention may appear, it readily will be understood that numerous changes, modifications and substitutions of equivalents may be made therein without departing from its spirit and scope, and, therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the specific embodi ments herein illustrated other than as may appear in the following appended claim.

I claim:

A hand catapult of the class described, comprising, a fork portion having a pair of coplanar and divergingly associated arm members joined at their lower ends and constructed to support a pair of elastic catapulting band members at their outer ends, a handle portion rigidly mounted dependingly to said fork portion, said handle to be grasped in one hand by the user for holding the fork portion at arms length outwardly of his body in firing, and an elongated stock portion of pole-like construction joined rigidly to and extending transversely and rearwardly from the said fork and handle portions, said stock portion being of sufiicient length to traverse the users body and support the handle and fork portions adjacent its outer end by resting across the users drawing arm used to tension the said band members rearwardly from said fork portion when firing the catapult.

EDSON P. FOSTER.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,669,416 Wheeler Jan. 15, 1929 2,501,568 Jarnagin Mar. 21, 1950 2,532,798 Wright Dec. 5, 1Q50

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