US3318245A

US3318245A - Ammunition for toy guns

Info

Publication number: US3318245A
Application number: US479112A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ferri Giampiero; Marinai Jori
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-08-21
Filing date: 1965-08-12
Publication date: 1967-05-09
Anticipated expiration: 1984-05-09
Also published as: GB1113865A; DE1453843B2; ES316692A1; DE1453843A1; DE1453843C3; SE333526B; NL6510749A

Description

May 9, 1967 AMMUNITION FOR TOY GUNS Filed Aug. 12, 1965 Fig! 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 9, 1967 Filed Aug. 12, 1965 Fig.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AMMUNITIGN FUR TOY GUNS Giampiero Ferri, Via Stoppani 38, and Jori Marinai, Via Stoppani 29, both of Florence, Italy Filed Aug. 12, 1965, Ser. No. 479,112 Claims priority, application Italy, Aug. 21, 1964, 18,291/ 64 6 Claims. (Cl. 10286.5)

This invention relates to ammunition for toy guns.

It is an object of the present invention to provide improved strip ammunition for toy guns.

According to the present invention there is provided in strip ammunition for toy guns a plurality of discrete explosive charges, container means for each said charge, stalk means for interconnecting said container means, and stop means formed on the stalk means for engagement by advancing means of a toy gun, whereby the strip can be advanced by the space between each container means each time the gun is fired.

Two embodiments of a strip of caps in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate respectively a side view, a front view, and a second side view opposite the first side-view of a strip of caps in accordance with the invention;

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate respectively transverse sections on the lines IV1V and VV of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a second embodiment of a strip of caps, respectively integral and divided on a line of reduced strength for forming of several lengths of strip; and

FIG. 8 illustrates a local section on the line VIIIVIII of FIG. 6.

Referring to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 to 5, explosive caps 1 of cup or tumbler form are made of a thermoplastic synthetic-resin material and receive an explosive in the bottom of the cavity formed by said cups. The caps are connected to one another by stalks 2 likewise made of the thermoplastic synthetic-resin material, in such a manner that a strip of predetermined length can be formed as a single element in the thermoplastic material by use of an injection mould. The stalks 2 project laterally with respect to a line passing through the centres of the caps and are inclined so as to form teeth 2a like the teeth of a rack, a stop or shoulder 2b being arranged to co-operate with advancing means (not shown) forming a part of a gun. The stalks 2 are also so formed as to allow the cutting thereof along a chain line as indicated at T in the drawing, and inclined with respect to the line of the centres of the caps, referred to above. Therefore, on one side of the strip of caps a guide projection is formed which is designed to ensure the retaining of the strip in a housing of a gun, said housing being provided with an appropriate channel in which the projecting portion of the stalk between the caps slides. Furthermore, the profile of the stalks 2-2a allows the formation of a rack with stops substantially equi-distant from one another, since the caps, and preferably also the stops are arranged in alignment with each cap for the above stated purpose of advance of the strip in its housing.

One of the ends of the strip illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5 is provided with an extension 5 having a thickness substantially equal to one half of the thickness of the stalk 2 and from which two pins 6 extend, appropriately spaced from each other. The pins extend from the surface forming the step determined by the reduction in thickness. At the same end there is also provided a second extension 7, spaced from the extension 5. The extension 5 is inclined substantially as the stalks 2. At the opposite States Patent 0 end there is provided adjacent the last cap an extension 8, which has a stop 8a corresponding to the stops 2b of the rack teeth. The extension 8 has a thickness substantially equal to one half of that of the stalks 2, with a step on the end opposite that defined by the extension 5. Two apertures 9, spaced apart by a distance corresponding to that of the pins 6 of the extension 5, are provided in the reduced thickness portion of the extension 8.

The arrangement is such that a strip of caps as described can be connected by means of the pins 6 to the apertures 9 of another strip, as is indicated for a strip S chain lines which is engaged at the lower section of the strip indicated by S in FIG. 2.

The connection formed by the pins 6 and apertures 9 allows the formation of a strip having an extent longer than that of a single portion S or S to increase the performance of a gun, when a longer series of shots is desired than is possible with a single strip.

It is to be noted that the stop 8a formed by the extension 8 completes a tooth of the strip of caps where the extension 8 is adjacent, without modifying the pitch between the caps of the two strips or portions.

The extension 7 serves to guide the last cap in the housing provided for in the magazine to accommodate the strip.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 to 8, a row of caps 11 is formed into a strip by means of the stalks 12 which are inclined between one cap and the next to form a toothlike projection 12a and thus also a number of rack teeth of ratchet profile having stops 12b whose pitch corresponds to the pitch between the caps. The stops 12b facilitate the advance of the strip by advance means (not shown) provided in a gun.

In order to allow the division of a strip into portions of a desired length (that is for a desired number of shots), at selected positions along the length of the strip there are provided zones having a reduced strength designed to allow the easy separation of contiguous caps, without affecting the capability of advance even at the ends of these portions. In other words the formation of the stop of each cap is maintained, even if located at the end of a portion.

For this purpose, there is provided, at each of several positions along the strip, an L-shaped recess 13 which has a substantially rectilinear portion extending parallel to the stop or shoulder 12b of the cap and a portion extending in the length direction of the stalk 12.

By applying a pull to the two portions to be separated about the line of the reduced strength 16, the breakdown of the connection is made precisely at the line of the recess 13 as shown in FIG. 7.

By means of this separation it should be noted that the lower portion or length (FIG. 7) which results, maintains, between the penultimate and the last cap of the portion, a pitch of the stops 12b which is imposed by the shape of the mould, the pitch being indicated by a in FIGS. 6 and 7. The portion or length which becomes the major length in FIG. 7 also includes a last cap having an extension 14, the end 14a of which forms a stop which substantially corresponds to the position of the stops 12b and the distance of which from the adjacent stop 12b (corresponding to the last cap of the portion) is indicated by b and is slightly smaller than the pitch a. As the breaking line indicated by the recess 13 as above stated is spaced by only a short distance from the stop 12b adjacent the length parallel to said stop. Therefore, the diiference between the distance a and the distance b is determined by the thickness of the small tooth 15 Which is formed in the lower length or portion. The tooth 15 and the stop 1% permit the advance to be predetermined at the start or at the end of a portion of the strip obtained by separating the strips along the lines of the recesses 13.

A length may be sheared along the line indicated at T (chain line) which is a cutting line inclined with respect to the direction of the strip of caps. Division is obtained by a blade of a gun (not shown) controlled, for instance, by a striking force determined by the explosion of a cap. In this way, the separation of each exploded cap is obtained immediately after each explosion. In this way an imitation of an exploded cartridge case of a real gun is obtained. It is to be noted that after having exploded the last of the caps of a portion of strip, the shearing effects only a separation of a part of the lower extension from the residual portion of the length of the strip which is formed by the last of the exploded caps.

The diiference between the length b of the extension 14 and the pitch a is so reduced as not to give rise to any disadvantages in the operation of the gun, since the forwarding action etfected by the advance means on the end 14a of the extension 14 is sufiicient to cause the cutting and also the expulsion of the last of the caps.

An extension 17 is provided for use with the last cap of a length, to guide the residue of the length in the housing in the magazine of the gun.

It is intended that the drawings should only illustrate an embodiment given only as a practical demonstration of the invention, modifications being possible, for example the stops or at least the connection stalks may be .substantially central with respect to the alignment of the .caps, instead of being displaced laterally.

According to another modification, the ammunition caps are mounted on a single cardboard strip element or the like. Rack-like shoulders or stops are formed in the cardboard In another modification the stops are formed by the outer surface of each cap.

By means of the hereinbefore described embodiments, many advantages are obtained and particularly a quick insertion is attained in the magazine of a toy gun. A mechanised or automatic advance of the ammunition at each shot can be effected with a trigger system or with an automatic system. Further, the caps can be severed as each cap is fired in such a manner that spent cases are ejected in the manner of a real gun.

We claim:

1. Strip of ammunition for toy guns comprising, a row of spaced explosive caps arranged along a line passing substantially through their centers, each of said caps being formed as a cup-like container with an explosive charge therein, stalk means interconnecting each cap to the other along a side laterally offset from the row of said caps, and a series of spaced stops along said stalk means, each of said stops being arranged alongside each cap and being engageable by advancing means of a toy gun.

2. The strip of ammunition in accordance with claim 1, wherein said strip has a first cap and a last cap, said last cap having a guide means extension opposite the stalk means for guiding the residue of a length of caps through a gun housing.

3. The strip of ammunition in accordance with claim 1, wherein the stalk means interconnecting one cap to the other are each inclined such as to form teeth of a rack, and wherein said stop means are defined by said teeth as laterally extending shoulders arranged to be engageable by advancing means of a toy gun.

4. The stri of ammunition of claim 3, wherein said containers and said stalk means are formed of thermoplastic synthetic-resin material.

5. The strip of ammunition of claim 3, wherein said stalk means interconnecting one cap to the other is made of cardboard strip, said cardboard strip carrying said caps in spaced relationship.

6. The strip of ammunition of claim 3, wherein said stalk means has a score line at a predetermined length for separating said predetermined length from a continuous length of strip, said score line being shaped to provide a laterally extending shoulder when said predetermined length is separated from the continuous length of strip.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 302 2/1859 Laidley 10286.5

(Additional Improvement) 173,675 2/1876 Savoral 10286.5 221,015 10/1876 Backes 102-86.5 1,989,495 1/1935 Peake 86-1 2,823,789 2/1958 Henning 8935 X 3,046,842 6/1962 Sergay 10238 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,224,125 2/ 1960 France.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT F. STAHL, Examiner.