US2659356A - Toy cannon - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 17, 1953- E. s. LEACH 2,659,356

TOY CANNON Filed May 18, 1951 2 Sheet s-Sheet 1 Nov. 17, 1953 E. S. LEACH TOY CANNON Filed May 18 1951 l i E 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 7

Edward 5. Leach INVENTOR.

Patented Nov. 17, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOY CANNON Edward S. Leach, Portland, Oreg.

Application May 18, 1951, Serial No. 226,979

1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates to game apparati and more particularly to a game apparatus which is comprised of a toy cannon adapted to fire proiectiles.

An object of the present invention is to provide a means whereby pro ectiles disposed in the barrel can be retained notwithstanding the vertical inclination of the barrel preparatory to firing.

Various other objects and advantages will become apparent from the detailed description to follow. The best form in which I have contemplated applying my invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the toy cannon;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view throu h the toy cannon of Figure 1 with a projectile disposed in the bore of the barrel;

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of the breach portion of the toy cannon showing the tape which is disposed across the end of the bore of the cannon for retaining the projectile therein;

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of the rod stock which is employed for constructing the apparatus of the present invention and from which a plurality of projectiles can be cut, the rod stock also providing a ramrod for the cannon;

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the pro ectiles 0f the present invention;

Figure 6 is a front elevational view of one of the target elements;

Figure '7 is a front elevational view of a second tar et element; and

Figure 8 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially along the plane of line 88 of Figure 7.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout, the numeral H3 designates generally the toy cannon of the present invention, the numeral I2 designates generally a first target element and the numeral 14 designates generally a second target element.

The toy cannon I0 is best shown in Figures 1 and 2 as comprising an elongated rectangular base l6 having a pair of upstanding bearing plates is and secured to opposing longitudinal edges thereof. A barrel-supporting plate 22 has a lug 24 extending therethrough, end portions of the lug 24 being threaded as at 26. The lug 24 is engaged through aligned openings in the upstanding bearing plates I 8 and 20 whereby the barrel-supporting plate can be pivotally moved relative to the base I6. Wing nuts 28 are engaged over the threaded portion 26 for adjustably securing the barrel-supporting plate in preselected angular inclination.

The barrel-supporting plate 22 is formed with an opening 30 which receives the barrel 32. The barrel 32 is formed from standard dowel stock having a bore 34 formed longitudinally thereof. A ri idifying rod 36 engages in a second opening 38 formed in the barrel-supporting plate 22 and has its outer end adapted to receive an eyelet 40 thereon, the eyelet 40 being engaged in the outer end of the barrel 32 for supporting the same.

As seen best in Figure 3, the barrel supporting plate 22 is provided with a retaining strap or tape 42. pins 44 being employed for securing the tape 42 to the supporting plate 22. The tape 42 is adapted to overlie the opening 34 in the barrel 32 whereby projectiles disposed in the bore of the barrel can be retained therein.

Another pin 44 is employed for securing the end of the rod 36 within the bore 38 of the supporting plate 22, as seen best in Figure 2.

The hammer means for the toy cannon m is formed from a conventional mouse trap. The base plate of the mouse trap is cut to provide first and second plates 46 and 48, the first plate being fixedly secured to the supporting plate 22. A wire 50 is fixedly secured to the first plate 46 and parallel to its upper edge as well as in juxtaposition thereto. A coiled torsion spring 52 is carried by the wire 50 and has one end 54 engaged against the first plate 46. The U-shaped bail wire 56 of the mouse trap is rotatably carried on the wire 50, the opposing ends 58 of the torsion spring 52 being engaged a ainst one leg 60 of the bail wire 56 for normally urging the same to a first position. The second plate 48 is fixedly secured to the bail wire 56 by means of the staples 62.

Figure 4 shows a piece of dowel stock 64 which can be employed as a ramrod, similar dowel stock being cut up into sections to provide projectiles 66 as shown in Figure 5.

Figures 6 and 7 show a pair of target elements I 2 and I 4. Each of the target elements 12 and I4 is formed from a fiat piece of cardboard 68 or 68' and the like, the cardboard having indicia markings thereon such as the soldier 10 shown in Figure 6 and the tank 72 shown in Figure 7. The bases for the target element l2 and !4 are formed from a pair of elongated bars 14 and 16 of rectangular cross section, pins 13 being engaged through the same.

In view of the foregoing description of the structure of the apparatus of the present invention, the manner in which the game apparatus can be employed for amusement will be readily understood by one skilled in the art. The projectiles 66 can be individually inserted in the bore of the barrel 32 and the second plate 48 of the hammer will be moved in opposition to the torsion spring 52 to the position shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2. The ramrod 64 can then be en gaged in the bore of the barrel 32 for pushing the projectile 66 so that a portion thereof is exposed, as shown in Figure 2. The second plate #8 may then be released and the projectile 66 will follow its trajectory.

Of course, the aiming of the cannon can be adjusted by means of the wing nut 28'so that any of the target elements l2 or can. bestruck. Various sets of rules can be supplied such as assigning certain values to the target elements I! and I4 whereby score can be kept.

Inasmuch. as different sets of rules can be devised, I do not wishto be limited thereby merely by the scope of the claim hereinafter set forth.

Having described the invention, What claimed as new is:

A game apparatus comprising an elongated rectangular base having apair of upstanding bearing. plates secured to opposing longitudinal edges thereof, a barrel-suppcrting plate ivotably carried by saidbearing plates having an opening formed therethrough adjacent its upper end, a barrel formed from a dowel having a longitudinal bore therein being received in said opening and fixedly secured to said barrel-supporting plate, and firing means attached to said barrel- 4 supporting plate for engaging a projectile disposed in the barrel for ejecting the same, said barrel having a retaining strap loosely positioned over the bore of the end of said barrel in said supporting plate whereby projectiles positioned in said bore will be retained therein, said firing means including first and second plates, said first plate being fixedly secured to said barrel-supporting plate and having a coiled torsion spring carried thereby, a bail wire pivotally carried by said first plate and engaged by said torsion spring whereby the bail wire is urged to a first position, said second plate being fixedly secured to said bail wire for pivoting therewith, said second plate being movable to a firing posi tion in opposition to said torsion spring, and releasable. for. engaging said strap for efiecting ejection of said projectile from the barrel.

EDWARD S. LEACH.

BeferencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,102,948 Norton July 7, 1914 1,151,663 Carter Aug. 31, 1915 1,348,597 Stewart Aug. 1920 1,362,171 Minnich Dec. 14, 1920 1,412,625 Nelson Apr. 11, 1922 1,477,341 Gadecki Dec. 11, 1923 1,529,893 Kastner-r Mar. 17, 1925 1,580,854 Piessens Apr. 13, 1926 1,916,680 Miller July 4, 1933 2,371,059 Mendles Mar. 6, 1945

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