US3384373A

US3384373A - Darts formed of planar material

Info

Publication number: US3384373A
Application number: US544502A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lawrence D Siegler
Original assignee: Lawrence D. Siegler
Current assignee: LAWRENCE D SIEGLER
Priority date: 1966-04-22
Filing date: 1966-04-22
Publication date: 1968-05-21
Anticipated expiration: 1985-05-21

Description

y 1, 1968 1.. D. SIEGLER 3,384,373

DARTS FORMED OF PLANAR MATERIAL Filed April 22, 1966 5 II I? 3 l L L I 55 f S 5 FIG I 32 68 I A 34 s! V 22 79 27 45 25 48 49 33 35 I l y 4! I2 1 g 40 5 93 9! 43 20 FIG. 2 B

FIG. 3

6O ss H R: 2l

FIG. 6

INVENTOR 5 LAWRENCE DtSlEGLER United States Patent 3,384,373 DARTS FORMED 0F PLANAR MATERIAL Lawrence D. Siegler, 2965 Randy, Farmers Branch, Tex. 75234 Filed Apr. 22, 1966, Ser. No. 544,502 14 Claims. (Cl. 273-1065) This invention relates to game equipment and more particularly to darts.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved dart which is of simple construction.

Still another object is to provide a dart which is formed of a few easily assembled components.

Still another object is to provide a dart which may be stored or shipped in a knocked-down or flat disassembled condition or in assembled but flattened condition.

A further object is to provide a dart having a vertical planar body piece, a horizontal planar wing piece which is releasably secured to the body piece and extends laterally outwardly from opposite sides of the body piece, and a point secured to the forward end of the body piece.

A still further object is to provide a dart of the type described wherein the body and wing pieces are formed of a light substance such as expanded plastic.

A still further object is to provide a dart wherein the body and wing pieces are provided with complementary slots and lock portions, the lock portions of one piece being receivable in the slots of the other piece.

Another object is to provide a dart having a body piece provided with at least one hook engageable by an elastic member by means of which the dart may be catapulted into the air.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the reading of the following description of a device construction in accordance with the invention, and reference to the accompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a dart embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the body piece of the dart;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the point of the piece;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the wing piece of the dart;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE 1; and,

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified form of the body piece.

Referring now to the drawings, the dart 10 embodying the invention includes a vertical planar body piece 11 formed of a relatively light substance, such as Styrofoam. The body piece at its forward end is provided with a front slot 12 which decreases in width forwardly being defined by the forwardly convergent facing surfaces 14 and 15. The rear end of the slot is defined by the vertical surface 16 of the body piece. The point 17 of the dart has a vertical forwardly tapering form, its top and

bottom surfaces

18 and 19 converging forwardly so that when the rear portion of the point is inserted laterally from one side of the body piece into its front slot, the point is held against forward movement due to the engagement of the forwardly convergent surfaces 14 and of the body piece with the similarly forwardly convergent top and bottom surfaces 18 and '19 of the point. Rearward movement of the point relative to the body piece is limited by the engagement of its rear end surface 20 with the surface 16 of the body piece.

After the rear end portion of the point is inserted in the slot 13 of the body piece, a strip 21 of tape, one side of which is provided with a suitable pressure-sensitive adhesive, is wrapped about the body piece at the front 3,384,373 Patented May 21, 1968 portion 22 thereof to hold the point against displacement from the slot. The front end portion of the point tapers forwardly to a very sharp end.

The front portion 22 of the body piece tapers forwardly having forwardly convergent top and bottom surfaces 23 and 24, respectively. The middle portion 25 of the body piece tapers rearwardly from the front portion 22 being defined by the rearwardly convergent top and

bottom surfaces

27 and 28. The rear end portion 29 of the body piece provides top and bottom stabilizer fins 31 and 32, respectively. The top fin is defined by a rearwardly and upwardly extending surface 33, a substantially horizontal rearwardly extending surface 34 and a downwardly and forwardly extending rear surface 35. Similarly, the bottom stabilizing fin is defined by a downwardly and rearwardly extending front surface 37, a rearwardly extending bottom surface 38 and an upwardly and rearwardly inclined rear surface 39. The tail portion 40 of the body piece is defined by rearwardly convergent top and

bottom surfaces

41 and 42 and a rear vertical surface 43.

The body piece has a horizontally extending middle slot 46 and a rear slot 47. The

slots

46 and 47 at their top ends are connected by an upper slit 48 which with the slots defines an upwardly extending lock portion 49 which separates the two slots. A lower slit 51 extends rearwardly from bottom of the rear slot 47 to the rear end of the tail portion 40. Theslits and slots thus divide the body piece into top and bottom portions A and B which extend rearwardly from the surface 52 defining the front end of the body piece and which are resiliently laterally flexible relative to each other.

The wing piece 55 of the dart has a front portion 56, defined by the forwardly convergent top and

bottom surfaces

57 and 58, which is provided with a forwardly opening slot 59 which opens at the front surface 60 of the wing piece. The intermediate portion 62 of the wing piece is defined by the rearwardly

convergent surfaces

63 and 64 thereof and has a slot 65 therein which is of substantially the same length as the lock portion 49 of the body piece. The rear end portion of the wing piece has horizontal laterally outwardly extending

fins

67 and 68, the fin 67 being defined by the rearwardly and laterally outwardly extending surface 70, the rearwardly extending surface 71 and the forwardly and inwardly extending rear surface 72. Similarly, the other fin 62 of the wing piece is defined by a rearwardly and outwardly extending surface 73, a rearwardly extending surface 74, and an inwardly and forwardly extending rear surface 75. The wing piece has a rearwardly opening slot 70. The widths of the slots of the "body and wing pieces are substantially equal to the thickness of the body and wing pieces.

The wing piece is assembled on the body piece by moving the upper and lower portions A and B of the body piece laterally in opposite directions and then inserting the wing piece between the body piece portions A and B and moving it forwardly relative thereto until the lock portion 79 of the body piece extending forwardly from the surface 52 is disposed in the front slot 59 of the wing piece. At this time the forward movement of the wing piece is arrested by the engagement of the surface 81 of the wing piece defining the rear end of its front slot with the surface 52 of the body piece. The lock portion 82 of the wing piece between its surface 81 and its surface 83 defining the forward end of its middle slot 65, being of the same length as the middle slot 46, is then received in the slot 46. The lock portion 49 of the body piece, which is of the same length as the wing piece middle slot 65, is now received in the slot 65. The lock portion 87 of the wing piece, which extends between its

surfaces

88 and 85 defining the front ends of the rear slot and the rear end of its middle slot respectively, being the same length as the body piece rear slot 47, is then received in the rear slot 47, and the lock portion 89 of the body piece which extends rearwardly from the surface 90 defining the rear end of the rear slot 47, is disposed in the rear slot 70 of the wing piece. The two body portions A and B are moved back into vertical alignment and a strip 91 of tape coated on one side with a pressure sensitive adhesive is wrapped around the tail end portion of the body piece to hold the body portions A and B against lateral displacement.

The two pieces of the dart are now held firmly to one another in the positions illustrated in FIGURE 1, wherein the wing piece extends perpendicularly to the body piece. Forward movement of the wing piece relative to the body piece is now prevented due to the engagement of the

surfaces

81 and 85 of the wing piece defining the rear ends of its front and middle slots with the

surfaces

52 and 91 of the body piece defining the front ends of its middle and

rear slots

46 and 47.

Rearward movement of the wing piece is limited by the engagement of its

surfaces

83 and 88 defining the front ends of its middle and rear slots and with the surfaces 93 and 90 of the body piece defining the rear ends of its slots 45 and 47. It will be apparent the provision of the

lock portions

49 and 89 on the two lateral displaceable portions A and B of the body piece tends to equalize any forces exerted on the two body portions due to forward force exerted on the body piece relative to the wing piece as occurs when the dart is grasped by the body piece and thrown forwardly.

The dart may now be thrown in the usual manner by grasping the body piece below the wing piece and then throwing it forwardly. The fins of the two pieces stabilize its flight and the heavy metal point 17 assures that the front end thereof will always point in the direction of the flight of the dart.

It will be apparent that the dart can be packaged in a fiat condition with the two pieces separate so that the package is of very small dimensions and that the wing piece can be easily assembled on the body piece and secured thereto merely by wrapping a strip of adhesive tape about the tail end portion 49 of the body piece.

It will further be seen that since the widths of the slots of the pieces are substantially equal to the thickness of the substance, such as Styrofoam, of which the two pieces are made, and since the slots of one piece are substantially equal in length to the lock portions of the other piece which are received therein, the two pieces are firmly held in their desired predetermined relationship when the two portions A and B of the body piece are held against lateral displacement relative to each other by the adhesive strip 91 wrapped about the tail end portions thereof.

Referring now to FIGURE 6 of the drawing, the body piece 11a is similar in structure to the body piece 11 and, accordingly, its elements have been provided with the same reference numerals to which the subscript a has been added, as the corresponding elements of the body piece 11. The body piece 11a differs from the body piece 11 in having a pair of rearwardly opening top and

bottom hook portions

91 and 92. A rear portion of an elastic band, not shown, may be engaged by one of the hook portions and, while the front portion of the band is grasped in one hand, the body piece may be grapsed by the other hand and pulled rearwardly to stretch the elastic band. When the body piece is then released the dart will be catapuled into the air by the band. It will be apparent that while the body piece has been shown provided with two hook portions, it could have only one.

It will now be seen that a new and improved dart has been illustrated and described which is of simple construction and whose component parts are easily assembled.

It will further be seen that the dart is held against forward and rearward movement relative to the body piece since its tapered rear end portion is received in the similarly tapered slot 12 of the body piece and is held against lateral displacement from the slot by the strip 21.

It will further be seen that since the substance of which the two dart pieces are formed is somewhat resilient, such as Styrofoam, after the wing piece has been assembled on the body piece, one piece may be tilted about its longitudinal axis relative to the other piece, the two pieces deforming resiliently, until it lies at angle of less than degrees relative to the other piece to reduce the crosssectional dimensions of a package in which it is to be stored or shipped, and that thereafter when it is desired to use the dart, after it is removed from such package, the wing piece may be moved back to its perpendicular position relative to the body piece.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, and changes in the details of the construction illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A dart including: a vertical planar body piece; a point secured to said body piece at its front end and projecting forwardly therefrom; and a horizontal planar wing piece, said pieces having cooperable slot and locking means comprising: in one of said pieces, a pair of longitudinally extending and spaced slots, a slit between and connecting the upper ends of said spaced slots, and a rearwardly opening slit extending from the bottom end of the rearmost of said spaced slots to permit lateral displacement of the upper and lower portions of said one of said pieces; and in the other of said pieces, a front forwardly opening slot, a middle slot, and a rearwardly opening rear slot, whereby upon lateral displacement of the upper and lower portions of said first named piece, said second piece may be assembled thereon.

2. The dart of claim 1, wherein said body piece has a forwardly opening slot which decreases forwardly in vertical width and said point has a rear end portion of configuration corresponding to said slot and disposed therein.

3. The dart of claim 1, and an adhesive tape about a front end portion of said body holding said point against displacement from said slot.

4. The dart of claim 3, wherein said body piece has top and bottom stabilizer fins adjacent its rear end portion.

5. The dart of claim 4, and means disposed rearwardly of said wing piece holding said upper and lower portions of said one of said pieces against lateral displacement relative to one another.

6. The dart of claim 1, and means disposed rearwardly of said wing piece holding said upper and lower portions of said one of said pieces against lateral displacement relative to one another.

7. The dart of claim 6, wherein said body piece has a forwardly opening slot which decreases forwardly in Vertical width and said point has a rear end portion of configuration corresponding to said slot and disposed therein.

8. A dart including: a planar vertical body piece having a longitudinally extending middle slot and a longitudinally extending rear slot, said body piece having a slit conmeeting said middle and rear slots at their top ends, said body piece having a rear slit extending rearwardly from the bottom of said rear slot to the rear end of said body piece, said slots and said slits dividing said body portion into upper and lower portions displaceable laterally relative to one another; a planar horizontal wing piece, said wing piece having a front forwardly opening front slot, a middle slot, and a rear rearwardly opening slot, said front and rear slots defining therebetween a front lock portion of said wing piece and said middle and rear slots defining a rear lock portion of said wing piece, said front lock portion of said wing piece being disposed in said middle slot of said body piece, said middle lock portion of said wing piece being disposed in said rear slot of said body piece, said body piece having a middle lock portion between its middle and rear slots disposed in said middle slot of said wing piece, said body piece having front and rear lock portions extending forwardly and rearwardly from its middle and rear slots disposed in said front and rear slots of said wing piece.

9. The dart of claim 8, wherein said body piece has a front forwardly opening slot, said front slot of said body piece decreasing in vertical width forwardly; and a point having a rear end portion of configuration corresponding to said slot disposed therewith and a front end portion projecting forwardly of said body piece.

10. The dart of claim 9, and means extending about a front end portion of said body holding said point against displacement from said slot of said body piece.

11. The dart of claim 10, and means disposed about the tail end portion of said vertical body piece rearwardly of said wing piece holding said upper and lower portions against lateral displacement relative to one another.

12. The dart of claim 8, and means disposed about the tail end portion of said vertical body piece rearwardly of said wing piece holding said upper and lower portions against lateral displacement relative to one another.

13. The dart of claim 12, wherein said body piece has a downwardly extending rearwardly opening hook poltion adjacent its front end which is adapted to be engaged by a means for catapulting the dart into the air.

14. The dart of claim 1, wherein said body piece has a downwardly extending rearwardly opening hook portion adjacent its front end which is adapted to be engaged by a means for catapulting the dart into the air.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

P. E. SHAPIRO, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A DART INCLUDING: A VERTICAL PLANAR BODY PIECE; A POINT SECURED TO SAID BODY PIECE AT ITS FRONT END AND PROJECTING FORWARDLY THEREFROM; AND A HORIZONTAL PLANAR WING PIECE, SAID PIECES HAVING COOPERABLE SLOT AND LOCKING MEANS COMPRISING: IN ONE OF SAID PIECES, A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING AND SPACED SLOTS, A SLIT BETWEEN AND CONNECTING THE UPPER ENDS OF SAID SPACED SLOTS, AND A REARWARDLY OPENING SLIT EXTENDING FROM THE BOTTOM END OF THE REARMOST OF SAID SPACED SLOTS TO PERMIT LATEAL DISPLACEMENT OF THE UPPER AND LOWER PORTIONS OF SAID ONE OF SAID PIECES; AND IN THE OTHER OF SAID PIECES, A FRONT FORWARDLY OPENING SLOT, A MIDDLE SLOT, AND A REARWARDLY OPENING REAR SLOT, WHEREBY UPON LATERAL DISPLACEMENT OF THE UPPER AND LOWER PORTIONS OF SAID FIRST NAMED PIECE, SAID SECOND PIECE MAY BE ASSEMBLED THEREON. PIECE MAY BE ASSEMBLED THEREON.