US2917038A

US2917038A - Toy guns

Info

Publication number: US2917038A
Application number: US712699A
Authority: US
Inventors: Handley Thomas John
Original assignee: Britains Ltd
Current assignee: Britains Ltd
Priority date: 1957-02-07
Filing date: 1958-02-03
Publication date: 1959-12-15
Anticipated expiration: 1976-12-15

Description

Dec. 15, 1959 T. J. HANDLEY TOY GUNS Filed Feb. 3, 195a tar TOY GUNS Application February 3, 1958, Serial No. 712,699

Claims priority, application Great Britain February 7, 1957 7 Claims. (Cl. 124--29) England, assignor to England, a company of This invention relates to toy or model guns and is concerned with an improved firing mechanism therefor.

Most toy guns are muzzle loaded, the projectile being fired by a spring actuated striker, this striker consisting of a lever arm which is freely movable within a slot formed in the barrel of the gun at the breech end. Normally the lever member is formed with an extension and projects above the barrel so that it can readily be withdrawn and released by the person firing a projectile.

According to the present invention firing mechanism for a toy or model gun comprises a coil spring and striker pin associated therewith, both housed in a bore or chamber at the breech end of the barrel of the gun, the pin having an offset arm or portion which extends transversely of the bore constituting the barrel proper and is adapted to function preferably both as the cocking handle and trigger by which the gun is fired, means being provided on the breech block to retain the said offset portion in its cocked position.

In carrying out the invention there is provided a breech block piece having two parallel bores, one bore of which, when the piece is incorporated in the gun, forms part of or provides the bore or barrel proper of the gun and the other termed the chamber houses a helical coil spring and a wire rod arranged within the spring and having preferably an enlarged head by which it is anchored at one end to the spring. At the breech end is a slot within which is slidable a crank or offset portion on that end of the wire rod opposite the head. The crank may be formed by bending the rod at right angles and is of sufficient length to project externally of the slot, the projecting portion functioning as the cocking handle.

The slot at the rear end may be extended sideways at an angle to form a recess so that the handle end of the wire rod can be directed into the recess and held there until it is required to be released in the action of firing the gun.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a toy gun constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the barrel being shown in section to illustrate the operation of the firing mechanism,

Figure 2 is a transverse section on an enlarged scale on the lines 22 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a model toy gun comprising a mobile carriage C supported by wheels W. The carriage C has upstanding bracket arms B, each arm having a trunnion T for supporting the barrel structure S so that it is capable of elevation and depression; A is the usual gun shield.

The barrel structure comprises a barrel 1 and a breech block 2, the breech block 2 having a rearward extension 3. Extending from the muzzle to the breech end of the barrel is a longitudinal bore 4 which continues through the breech block 2 into the extension 3 where it is terminated by a shoulder 5. Where the barrel 1 joins with the breech block 2 the bore 4 is curved upwardly as at nited States Patent 6 so as to provide an entrant recess 7 for insertion of projectiles, one of which is shown in position at 8. Extending longitudinally of the bore 4 and arranged preferably beneath it is a second bore or chamber 10 in which is slidably carried a striker pin 11.

The striker pin 11 is urged forward by means of a coil spring 12, one end of which is seated against the end 13 of chamber 10, while its other end engages an enlarged head 14 on the striker pin 11. Formed in the extension 3 of the breech block is a vertical slot 15 to receive an offset portion 17 of the striker pin 11. The offset portion 17 extends transversely of the bore 4 of the barrel and is adapted to function as the cocking handle and trigger by means of which the gun is fired.

For this purpose the extension 3 of the breech block is cut away as at 18 to provide a shoulder or recess behind which the trigger arm 17 of the striker pin can be engaged when the striker is pulled rearwardly preparatory to loading and firing the gun. To assist the firer in operating the striker arm 17, it is preferably, as shown,

formed with a finger piece 19.

In the embodiment illustrated as clearly shown in Figure 2, the barrel structure and breech. block is constructed in two halves, which separate along a vertical plane, the purpose being to enable insertion of the spring 12 and striker pin within chamber 10. The two halves of the barrel structure may be united by a muzzle collar 29 and rivets or screw studs 31 at the breech end.

Provision may be made for adjusting the angle of elevation of the barrel and for this purpose, the barrel structure is formed on its underside with a depending lug 20 having a detent 21 adapted to engage between one or other of a series of teeth 22 formed on the upper face of one arm 23 of a two-armed lever, the other arm being indicated at 24.

The two-armed lever is mounted to pivot about a fulcrum 25 carried by a bracket 26 on the undercarriage C. On the rear arm 24 of the two-armed lever is a circular head 28 having on its inside a stud to locate one end of a coil spring 30, the other end of the spring being located by a seating such as a stud on the right-hand of the two brackets B constituting the trunnion mounting for the barrel structure S.

It will be seen that the thrust of the compression spring 30 tends to urge the two-armed lever 2324 in a clockwise direction about its fulcrum 25, thus causing one or other of the grooves between the rack teeth 22 to engage the detent 21. In efiect the two-armed lever functions as an adjustable rack member on the carriage for engagement by the detent 21 on the barrel structure.

It will be obvious, however, that by applying pressure in the direction of the arrow X on the finger piece 28, that the lever can be moved to allow the detent to disengage when the elevation of the gun can be adjusted to fire high or low as the case may be.

In operation and assuming that the elevation has been adjusted to suit the required range, all the titer has to do is to pull the trigger arm 17 rearwardly when the firing pin will move from the dotted line position shown in Figure 1, to the full line position where it is held by swinging the arm 17 to engage the recess 13. A projectile 8 is now inserted in the open breech when the gun is fired by releasing the trigger 17.

The firing mechanism of this invention has the advantage that the action is simple and effective in operation.

The breech block of this invention has numerous advantages. Since the gun of this invention is breech loaded it is more realistic as a toy and in use there can be no damage to the barrel since when the striker moves forwardly under the action of its spring, the striker pin head 14 engages the stop formed by the forward end of the chamber 10, at which moment the striker arm 17 is arrested at a position shown in dotted lines, which is clear of the breech block 2 so that it comes to rest slightly behind the part 6.

From a manufacturing standpoint the gun has the advantage that different gauge springs and different lengths of springs can be fitted without any change in the construction of the gun.

The breech block, being self-contained, can be fitted as the firing mechanism to any existing design of toy gun without disturbance of .its'general layout.

The firing mechanism is simple and efiective in operation and due to the location of the mechanism outside the barrel of the gun, it reduces manufacturing costs. The breech block can be fabricated as a moulding in plastic material.

What is claimed is:

l. A toy or model gun comprising a barrel structure including a breech block portion, a bore extending from the muzzel to the breech end of said structure and adapted for loading at the breech end, a chamber in said structure extending substantially parallel to the bore, a striker pin mounted for longitudinal movements in said chambet in the direction of extent of said chamber and angularly about the longitudinal axis of the chamber, a spring urging said striker pin to move longitudinally in said chamber toward the muzzle end of said structure, a slot in said barrel adjacent said breech end and extending parallel to said here, said striker pin having a laterally offset projectile engageable arm which is freely movable in said slot, means on the breech block portion providing a stop offset laterally from said bore for engagement by said striker pin offset arm when the striker pin is withdrawn preparatory to firing a projectile and is turned to displace said striker pin offset arm'to one side of said .bore breech end, and means other than said laterally offset arm for arresting the striker pin as when released for firing the gun in a position in which contact between the arm and breech is prevented.

2. A toy or model gun as claimed in claim 1 in which said spring is housed in said chamber.

3. A toy or model gun as claimed in claim 2 wherein the relative positions respectively of said chamber and the bore of the gun are such that the free end of the striker pin will engage the muzzle end of the chamber to arrest the striker arm in a position where it remains out of contact with said stop on the breech block portion.

4. A toy or model gun as claimed in claim 3 in which the barrel structure is formed in two halves to permit of insertion of the striker pin and spring in said chamber.

5. A toy or model gun as claimed in claim 2 in which the striker pin oitset arm extends beyond the slot whereby the arm serves both as the striker and cocking handle.

6. A toy or model gun as claimed in claim 2 comprising a carriage provided with a trunnion mounting in which the barrel structure is fulcrumed to' permit of elevation and depression, and elevating means comprising an adjustable rack member on the carriage, and a detent on the barrel structure engageable with said rack member.

7. A toy or model gun as claimed in claim 6 in which the adjustable rack member comprises a two-armed lever mounted for rocking movements about an axis at right angles to the plane of elevation of the barrel structure, one of said arms having a rack for engagement by the detent on the barrel structure, and a spring member cooperating with the other arm of said lever whereby the detent is normally held in fixed engagement with a tooth on the rack.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,175,803 Osborn Mar. 14, 1916 1,229,129 Peacock June 5, '19l7 1,289,622 Blackshear Dec. '31, 1918 1,488,995 McCollom Apr. 1, 1924 2,528,723 Hane Nov. 7, 1950