US3026643A - Key operated cap gun - Google Patents

Description

March 27, 1962 E. GOLDFARB 3,026,643

KEY OPERATED CAP GUN Filed April 10, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet l INV EN TOR:

ADOLPH E- GOLDFA P8,

March 27, 1962 E. GOLDFARB KEY OPERATED CAP GUN 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 10, 1961 ADOLPH E. GOLDFARB,

INV EN TOR.

A TTORNEK March 27, 1962 A. E. GOLDFARB 3,026,643

KEY OPERATED CAP GUN Filed April 10, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 i v 68 52 7061 J Ill" Q ml z/ w 2; E 16 3 26 7 ATTORNEK United States Patent 3,026,643 KEY OPERATED CAP GUN Adolph E. Goldfarb, 7427 Vama St., North Hollywood, Calif. Filed Apr. 10, 1961, Ser. No. 102,055 13 Claims. (Cl. 42--57) This invention relates to cap guns and more particularly to a key operated cap gun capable of detonating percussive caps of a strip of caps in response to rotation of a removable key.

More specifically, this invention provides a key operated cap gun having a body of any desired configuration but preferably simulating a body of a padlock having aligned keyholes extending centrally therethrough and a handle simulating a shackle of a padlock pivotally secured thereto for use either as a shackle or as a handle during the operation of the gun. A key is removably insertable through the keyhole for actuating a hammer within the housing to strike a percussive cap of a strip of caps advanceable in the housing in response to rotation of the key relative to the housing. A gun barrel is movably mounted in the housing and is extensible outwardly of the housing in response to rotation of the key and retractable into the housing after firing of a cap.

The cap gun of this invention is designed for use particularly by children of the cap gun age level in which the element of intrigue, subterfuge and surprise captivates their imagination. The padlock has an innocent appearance of being usable as such with a shackle positionable into a closed but unlocked position and into an open position for use as a handle whereby the body or housing of the padlock may be positioned into a firing position. The key may then be inserted through the keyholes of the housing to position a bit thereof to actuate a hammer within the housing in response to rotation of the stem of the key, thereby causing a barrel to emerge outwardly of the housing and a percussion cap to be detonated. Thus children who are aware of the many deceptive devices and hidden weapons used in the days of the wild West are provided with more realistic and imaginative play.

It is, therefore, among the objects of this invention to provide a new and improved cap gun embodying an innocent-appearing housing which is deceptively operable by a key to fire a percussion cap in response to rotation of the key relative to the housing.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved cap gun wherein the housing thereof includes a handle deceptively disguised to simulate an operative part of a harmless device.

A further object of this invention is to provide new and improved escapement means for the cap gun of this invention which translates rotation of a key to cock a springbiased hammer of the device and subsequently release the hammer for impact against a percussive cap supported upon an anvil of the housing for firing of the cap.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a linearly moveable barrel within the housing which is extensible outwardly of the housing at the time that the percussive cap is detonated to aiford a more realistic action to the gun.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved cap gun in which an advanceable strip of percussive caps is automatically advanced in response to actuation of the gun to advance a subsequent percussive cap on the anvil of the housing in response to rotation of the key.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved cap gun of the character described which is economical to manufacture and capable of mass production.

A general object of this invention is to provide a new and improved key operated cap gun of the character described which overcomes disadvantages of prior means and methods heretofore intended to accomplish generally similar purposes.

These and other objects of this invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description, drawings and appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front side view, in elevation, of the cap gun of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side view thereof, with parts broken away for greater clarity;

FIGURE 3 is a front view in elevation, similar to FIGURE 1, with the cap gun rotated into a firing position and with selected parts thereof illustrated as being actuated;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view as taken substantially along the line 4-4 with the cap gun rotated ninety degrees in preparation for firing thereof;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG- URE 4, showing parts thereof actuated into a firing position;

FIGURE 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 7--7 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a front side view, in elevation, similar to FIGURE 1, illustrating parts thereof in a changed position for loading of the gun;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view, in elevation, showing selected parts of an escapement means of the invention in exploded relationship; and

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view, in elevation, illustrating the hammer means of this invention in greater detail.

Referring in detail to the drawings, there is shown by way of illustration, but not of limitation, a toy cap gun designed and constructed in accordance with this invention and generally designated by the numeral 10. The cap gun 10 comprises a housing 11 generally configurated to simulate a padlock and having a back wall 12, a continuous peripheral side wall 13 and a top Wall 14. The top wall 14 comprises a stationary portion 16 secured to the housing as by fasteners 17 in the form of screws, bolts, rivets, or the like, and a movable portion 18 pivotally secured to the stationary portion 16 as by a pivot pin 19 in the form of a rivet, bolt, or the like. As best seen in FIGURE 8, the movable portion 18 may be pivoted away from the stationary portion 16 to afford access to the interior 21 of the housing 11 for reloading of the cap gun with a roll of percussive caps in strip form housed within the housing 11.

Preferably formed integrally with or optionally secured to the stationary top wall portion 16 is an offset cap supporting Wall 22 having a transverse pin 23 on which a roll of percussive caps in strip form, indicated by the numeral 24, is mounted. The strip 24 is advanceable on an anvil 25 secured within or integrally formed with the housing 11 and extends outwardly of the housing as through an opening 26 formed in a lower portion of the peripheral wall 13 of the housing. The anvil 25 may be in the form of a web extending transversely from the back wall or rear wall 12.

A detent indicated by the numeral 27 is preferably formed on the stationary wall 16 and cooperating with a dimple 28 formed in a portion of the movable wall 18 for holding the movable wall 18 in place during operation. The dimple 28 may be sprung over the detent 27 when the movable top wall 18 is pivoted to its position shown particularly in FIGURES 1 and 3.

A handle 28 is pivotally secured to the housing 11 as at 29 and preferably simulates the appearance of a shackle of a padlock. The handle 28 is U-shaped in configuration having one leg pivoted at the pivot point 29 and the free end 31 extensible through an opening 32 of the peripheral wall 13 to simulate a locked position of a shackle. The handle 28 is positionable into the locked appearing position of FIGURE 1 and into the unlocked appearing position of FIGURE 3 wherein it serves as a handle to support the gun 10 in its firing position by a spring 33 having one end anchored as at 34 to the housing 11 and another end 36 secured to an extension 37 of the pivoted end of the shackle or handle 11. The spring 33 biases the handle 11 in each of its positions when the handle is pivoted to position the extension 37 and spring 33 in an overcenter condition.

A keyhole 38 is formed in an overhanging portion 39 of the movable top wall portion 18' and alignable with a keyhole 41 formed in the stationary portion 16 of the top wall when the movable portion 18 is pivoted to close the housing as in FIGURES 1-3, inclusive, through which a key 42 may be inserted for actuating the gun 10, as will be hereinafter described. The key 42 includes a stem 43 having a loop or bow 44 at its outer end and an actuator bit 46 extending transversely from its opposite end, the bit being responsive to rotation of the key to actuate the operation of the cap gun, as will be hereinafter described. A keyhole 47 similar .to the aligned holes 38, 41, is preferably formed in the rear wall 12 so that the key 42 may be inserted from either the front of the padlock 10 or from the back, i.e., through the rear Wall 12. A collar 48 is preferably formed on the stem 43 to prevent insertion of the key entirely through the housing and outwardly thereof.

Hammer means, generally designated by the numeral 51 is pivotally mounted in the housing as on a transverse pin 52 for pivotal movement into a normal capfiring position, shown in FIGURE 4, and a hammercocking position shown in FIGURE 5. The hammer 51 is biased into its cap-firing position by a spring 53 encircling vthe pin 52 and having one end 54 bearing against an upturned tab 56 of the hammer and its opposite end 57 bearing against the inner surface of the peripheral wall 13. At an end 58, opposed to the tab end 56 of the hammer 51, an enlarged head is formed on the hammer 51 having an impact face '59 biased into engagement with the anvil 25 to detonate percussive caps of the strip of caps 24 interposed between the anvil and the face.

An escapement means, generally designated by the numeral 60, is provided and actuated by the key 42 to actuate the hammer 51. The escapement means 60 includes a member 61 pivotally secured in the housing 11 for pivotal movement about a pivot pin 62 extending transversely from the rear wall 12. When the key 42 is manually rotated, the bit 46 engages the member 61 to rotate the member and bias one end 63 of the member into engagement with a pin 64 depending from the hammer -1 to pivot the hammer into its cocked position of FIGURE 5. When the hammer 51 reaches the position illustrated in FIGURE 5, the end 63 escapes the pin 64 to release the hammer 51 for bias by the spring '53 into its cap-firing position. A return spring 66 biases the member 61 to rotate back into its original position. In order that the member 61 may pass under the pin 64 to return to its original position, a cam surface 67 is {formed on the end 63 and engages the pin 64 in its return travel -to bias the end 63 of the member 61 downwardly so that it may pass under the pin 64. For this purpose, the member 61 is yieldably mounted on the pin 62 as indicated in FIGURES 6 and 7. A coiled spring 68 is interposed between the inner surface of the rear wall 12 and the undersurface of the member 61 and is supported thereon, whereby when the cam surface 67 engages the pin 64, the spring 68 permits the member 61 to yield and pass thereunder and subsequently elevate intov its normal position.

A cap advancing means 70 is pivotally mounted on an angular portion 71 of the member 61 for advancing the strip 24 of percussive caps in response to actuation of the member 61. The cap-advancing means 70 includes a bell crank 72 pivotally secured to the member 61 as at 73. The bell crank 72 includes an upturned tab 74 bearing against the cap strip 24 when the member 61 is pivoted by the bit 46 of the key 42. The spring 66 includes one end 75 engaging a free end 76 of the bell crank 72 and an opposite end 77 hearing against a stationary portion of the housing, such as the pin 52, to bias the bell crank 72 to rotate in a direction to bias the tab 74 against the strip 24 at the same time that it biases the member 61 to return to its original position.

As will now be more clearly understood, when the key 42 is rotated, the bit 46 engages the member 61 to pivot about the axis of the pin 62 and engage the pin 64 of the hammer 51 to pivot the hammer 51 into its cocked position of FIGURE 5. As the end 63 of the member 61 escapes the pin 64, which is now preloaded by the spring 53, the spring 53 biases the face 59 of the hammer 51 into impact against the anvil 25 to fire the percussive cap of the strip 24 aligned with the face. At the same time, the bell crank 72 is biased so that its upturned tab 74 engages :the strip 24 to frictionally cause the strip 24 to advance along the anvil 59 and position a new cap aligned with the face 59.

A simulated gunbarrel, generally designated by the numeral 80 is movably mounted in the housing 11 for linear, reciprocal movement relative to the housing into a position as shown in FIGURE 4 wherein the barrel is concealed Within the housing and into the position of FIGURE 5 wherein the barrel 80 extends outwardly of the housing through an opening 81 of the peripheral wall 13 of the housing. The barrel 80 includes a hooked end 82 engaged by a cam 83 of the escapement means 60. The hooked end 82 includes a slot 84 in which the cam 83 resides. As the escapement means is actuated and the member 61 is pivoted about the pivot pin 62, the cam end 83 biases the gun barrel 80 outwardly through the opening 81 to the position of FIGURE 5. As the escapement means returns to its original position of FIGURE 4, the cam 83 retracts the gun barrel 80 to the position of FIGURE 4 in which it is concealed within the housing. Guide surfaces 86 and 87 are preferably provided to guide the gun barrel in its linear path. The barrel 80 is preferably cylindrical at its outer end and is relativley flat at its inner portion 88.

It will now be more clearly understood from the foregoing description that the barrel 80 is extensible outwardly of the housing '11 in response to actuation of the escapement means 60. The barrel portion 85 is extended outwardly of the housing at the time that the hammer is cocked and released and is retracted inwardly of the housing when the escapement means 60 is returned to its normal position of FIGURE 4, that is, when the key 42 is rotated in an opposite direction to remove the bit 46 from engagement with the member 61 or released for bias by the spring 66 alone. The spring 66 acts to both rotate or bias the bell crank 72 into cap-advancing position and bias the member 61 into its normal inactive position.

For convenience of construction, a pin 89 is provided on the outer surface of the hammer 51, opposite to the pin 64 and bears against the underside of the stationary top wall 16 to resist the force of the cam 67 as the cam engages the pin 64 to bias the member 61 to ride under the pin 64 as previously described.

While the instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is therefore not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to be afiorded the full scope of the claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A percussive cap pistol comprising: a housing having a keyhole extending therethrough; key means positionable in said keyhole and rotatable relative to said housing; anvil means fixed in said housing and adapted to support percussive cap means thereon; hammer means pivotally mounted in said housing; spring means biasing said hammer means into engagement with said anvil means; and escapement means pivotally mounted in said housing, said escapement means being pivotable in response to rotation of said key means for translating rotation of said key means in one direction into pivotal movement of said hammer means away from said anvil means and releasing said hammer means for spring biased impact against said anvil means so as to detonate a percussive cap means positioned therebetween.

2. A pistol as defined in claim 1, wherein said percussive cap means includes an advanceable strip of percussion caps and including cap advancing means operatively associated with said escapement means and movable therewith so as to advance spaced percussive caps of said strip on said anvil means in response to movement of said escapement means during rotation of said key means.

3. A cap pistol as defined in claim 1, including second spring means biasing said escapement means into an inactive, non-hammer actuating position.

4. A cap pistol as defined in claim 3, including means yieldably mounting said escapement means in said housing for non-hammer actuating return of said escapement means to its inactive position.

5. A cap pistol as defined in claim 1, including barrel means movably mounted in said housing for linear movement relative thereto; and means connecting said escapement means and said barrel means so as to translate pivotal movement of said escapement means into linear movement of said barrel means in response to actuation of said escapement means by said key means.

6. A cap pistol as defined in claim 5, wherein said barrel means is movable outwardly of said housing in response to movement of said escapement means to actuate said hammer means and inwardly of said housing in response to return of said escapement means into its inactive position.

7. A percussive cap pistol comprising: a housing simulating the body of a padlock and having a keyhole extending therethrough; handle means simulating a shackle of a padlock pivotally secured to said housing, said hand le means being pivotable into a shackle-closed-simulating position and a shackle-opened-simulating position for manual gripping thereof; key means positionable in said keyhole and rotatable relative to said housing; anvil means fixed in said housing and adapted to support a strip of percussive caps thereon; hammer means pivotally mounted in said housing and selectively engageable with said anvil means for detonating said percussive caps; spring means biasing said hammer means into impact with said anvil means; and escapement means pivotally mounted in said housing, said escapement means being pivotable in response to rotation of said key means and engageable with said hammer means so as to pivot said hammer means away from said anvil means against the bias of said spring means and release said hammer means for spring-biased impact against said anvil means for detonating said percussive caps.

8. A cap pistol as defined in claim 7, including a second spring means biasing said handle in each of said shackleopened and shackle-closed simulated positions.

9. A cap pistol as defined in claim 7, including second spring means biasing said escapement means into an inactive, non-hammer-engaging position.

10. A cap pistol as defined in claim 9, wherein said hammer means includes a projection depending therefrom and said escapement includes a member pivotally and yieldably mounted on said housing adjacent to said hammer means, said member having a cam end engageable with said projection of said hammer means in response to pivotal movement of said member in one direction to pivot said hammer means away from said anvil means, said cam end being disengageable from said projection for release of said hammer means in response to subsequent pivotal movement of said member relative to said hammer means and for spring-bias into impact with said anvil means and said member being yieldable so as to underride said projection during pivotal movement of said escapement means into its inactive position.

11. A cap pistol as defined in claim 7, including capadvancing means operatively associated with said escapement means and movable therewith so as to advance spaced percussive caps of said strip in response to movement of said escapement means during rotation of said key means.

12. A cap pistol defined in claim 7, including barrel means movably mounted in said housing and means connecting said escapement means and said barrel means so as to translate pivotal movement of said escapement means into linear movement of said barrel means in response to actuation of said escapement means by said key means.

13. A cap pistol as defined in claim 12, wherein said barrel means is movable outwardly of said housing in response to movement of said escapement means to actuate said hammer means and inwardly of said housing in response to return of said escapement means into its inactive position.

No references cited.

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