US3389492A

US3389492A - Toy

Info

Publication number: US3389492A
Application number: US493159A
Authority: US
Inventors: Leroy J Sullivan; Cashavelly Christy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-10-05
Filing date: 1965-10-05
Publication date: 1968-06-25
Anticipated expiration: 1985-06-25

Description

June 25, 1968 L. J. SULLIVAN ET. AL

TOY

Filed Oct. 5. 1965 FIGQB FIG.4

mvsmoks. usnov JAMES SULLIVAN a? CHRISTY CASHAVELLY A TORNEY.

United States Patent 3,389,492 TOY Leroy J. Sullivan, 24 Woodward Ave., New Haven, Conn. 06512, and Christy Cashavelly, 290 Eastlield Drive, Fairfield, Conn. 06604 Filed Oct. 5, 1965, Ser. No. 493,159 6 Claims. (Cl. 46-7) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to the combination of a water gun including a bubble forming device, and a holster for containing the bubble forming solution. The gun is inserted into the holster containing the bubble solution and withdrawn therefrom to form bubbles which may thereafter be burst by an ejection of Water from the gun.

This invention relates to amusement devices, and particularly to an improved water gun having means integral therewith capable of forming bubbles when the water gun is loaded with water, and to a holster for the water gun adapted to contain a volume of bubble liquid.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a unitary construction including a combined water gun and bubble-forming device, and a holster therefor adapted to contain a quantity of bubble liquid.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a combination'of a water gun including a bubble-forming device, and a holster therefor adapted to contain 21 volume of bubble liquid in which the bubble liquid is prevented from leaking out of the holster.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such a combination of water gun and bubble-forming device with a holster therefor, in which the placing of the gun in the holster causes the bubble-forming portion thereof to be immersed within the bubble liquid; and upon quickly withdrawing the gun from the holster, excess bubble liquid is removed from the muzzle end of the gun and causes the formation of bubbles which act as targets to be broken by a jet of water issuing from the gun when its trigger is pressed.

In one aspect of the invention, a water pistol may comprise a housing adapted to contain a body of water. It may include a double-acting valve device that is rendered elfective by a spring-opposed piston connected to the trigger of the gun.

In another aspect of the invention, the arrangement is such that upon squeezing of the trigger of the gun, a metered quantity of liquid within the reservoir of the gun is caused to be forced out through the muzzle of the gun.

In a further aspect of the invention, the muzzle end of the gun may be provided with an extension, and a ring shaped opening may be provided therein having a bead thereabout so that when the muzzle end of the gun is dipped into bubble-forming solution, a quantity of the solution is entrapped within said extension.

In a still further aspect of the invention, a holster may be provided which may include a lower chamber adapted to contain a quantity of bubble liquid.

In another aspect of the invention, a cross section of the barrel of the gun may be generally U-shaped and. the muzzle end may include a ring-shaped opening so that when the gun is swung in a smooth are, air is caused to pass through the opening and transversely across the gun barrel, so that when the opening is coated with bubble liquid, 2. series of bubbles is formed.

In a further aspect of the invention, the holster may include a relatively porous, resilient material located above the level of bubble liquid within the holster, and it may include a generally U-shaped slit for permitting the passage of the barrel of the gun therethrough. The construcice tion is such that as the barrel of the gun is passed through the resilient, porous material, it snugly fits the contour thereof, and when the gun is quickly withdrawn from the holster, the resilient material removes excess bubble liquid from the barrel of the gun while retaining sutficient to form bubbles. Furthermore, the quick removal of the gun from the holster and raising it to firing position causes air to be forced through the bubble-forming opening at the muzzle end of the gun, thereby forming a plurality of bubbles which act as targets to be broken by jets of water from the water gun when its trigger is squeezed.

The above, other objects and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawing which are merely exemplary.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevational view of a gun and holster to which the principles of the invention have been applied;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view of the holster er se;

FIG. 3 is a view looking along line 3-3 in the direction of the arrows of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a view showing the manner in which the gun is removed from the holster, forming the bubbles acting as targets to be broken by jets of water from the gun.

Referring to the drawing, the principles of the invention have been shown as applied to a water gun 10 including a hollow housing 11 having a handgrip 12. The entire interior of the housing 11 may be hollow, forming a water chamber that may be filled through an opening 13 that is closed by a removable plug 14. The housing 11 also includes a frame or guard 15 surrounding a trigger 16 that is pivotally or reciprocably mounted within a slot 17 in a manner well known in the art.

A valve 18 may be mounted within the chamber in housing 11 and it may include a compartment 19' having inlet and outlet passages 20 and 21, respectively. A tubular member 22 may be connected to the inlet passage 20, and it may include a ball 23 that normally rests on the top of the tubular element 22 when the gun is in firing position.

A fitting 25 may be attached to the outlet 21, and a ball 26 may normally rest on the top of outlet 21 by the action of a spring 26'. A tube 27 may connect the fitting 25 to a nozzle 28.

The trigger 16 acts on a rod 29 of a piston 30, the latter being reciprocably mounted within the compartment 19. A spring 31 within compartment 19 normally urges the piston 30 and the trigger 16 forwardly of the compartment 19 (FIG. 1).

With the gun in firing position (FIG. 4), the compartment within the housing 11 filled with water and the trigger 16 in its rearward position (compressing spring 31), release of the trigger 16 will cause the spring 31 to move piston 30 leftwardly, thereby drawing a metered quantity of water through the inlet tube 22 past the ball 23 into the compartment 19. Squeezing of the trigger 16 then forces the ball 23 onto its seat and the water within compartment 19 upwardly through the outlet 21 and through the tube 27 and out the nozzle 28. The previously described structure is well known water gun construction and per se forms no part of the present invention except in its relationship in the combination with the structure to be described.

Referring to FIG. 1, the forward end of the muzzle of the gun 10 may include an extension 32 of U-shaped cross section but otherwise having substantially the configuration of the muzzle of the gun 10. The forward end of the extension 30 may include an opening 33 surrounded by a bead 34. In the embodiment disclosed, opening 33 is shown elliptical and is located on the top of the muzzle of the gun. It could, of course, be of other configuration and could be located anywhere about the muzzle so long as there is an opening opposite it to permit air to be effective in forming the bubbles with it. The portion of extension 32 opposite opening 33 is open at 35.

Referring to FIG. 2, a holster 36 may comprise an impervious casing which may be made of plastic or other suitable impervious material. The holster 36 may be connected to a belt 37 for strapping around the waist of the user, and may include a compartment 38 adapted to contain bubble liquid. A closure 39 may be provided in the side wall of the holster 36 for filling the compartment 38 with bubble liquid.

The compartment 38 may be closed by a plate 40 that rests on shoulders 41 formed about the interior of the holster 36. An inverted cup-shaped element 42 may rest on top of the plate 40 and may include flange means 43 that will snap into a groove 44 so as to force the peripheral edge of the inverted cup element 42 against the top of plate 40.

Referring to FIG. 3, the top of the inverted cup-shaped element 42 may include a U-shaped opening 45 of such dimension as to receive the cross section of the extension 32 of the water gun It). The plate 40 may include a similar aligned, U-shaped opening 46, and a body of porous, resilient material, such as foam rubber 47, may be entrapped between the inverted cup-shaped element 42 and plate 40.

The porous, resilient member 47 may include a U- shaped slit 48 that lies midway between the sides of the openings 45 and 46 in the member 42 and plate 40. The construction and arrangement of the parts are such that forcing the water gun into the holster 36, the cross sectional construction of extension 32 being the same as that of the U-shaped entrance 45 and 46, causes the slit 48 in the resilient material to separate, thereby permitting insertion of the extension 32 downwardly within the holster to the bottom thereof, immersing the opening 33 within the bubble liquid therein. When the gun 10 is withdrawn to firing position in the manner shown in FIG. 4, air passes downwardly through the opening 33, forming a series of bubbles 49 which may serve as targets to be broken by a jet of water 50 issuing from the muzzle end of the water gun 10 as the trigger 16 is squeezed.

A- less sophisticated closure for the top of compartment 38 may be a sheet of flexible material across the top thereof in which the sheet has a slit therein similar to slit 48, in which case that portion of the resilient sheet within the confines of the slit would act as a flap valve.

Although the various features of the improved water gun, bubble-forming device, and holster have been described in detail to fully disclose one embodiment of the invention, it will be evident that changes may be made in such details, and certain features may be used without others without departing from the principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a toy, the combination comprising a water gun including a muzzle; apertured bubble forming means in and adjacent to the outer end of said muzzle; a holster for said gun, said holster including a compartment for containing bubble forming liquid; and means within said holster for closing the upper end of said compartment, said means being constructed to pass the muzzle end of said gun through said closing means and to close upon Withdrawal of said gun from said holster, a film being formed over said apertured bubble forming means to provide bubbles when said muzzle is withdrawn from said holster and the bubble forming liquid therein.

2. A toy as claimed in claim 1, in which the muzzle end of said gun is of generally U-shaped cross section and said bubble-forming means comprises a through passage in that portion of the U-shaped cross section that joins the legs thereof.

3. A toy as claimed in claim 1, in which the closing means for the upper end of the compartment within the holster comprises resilient material having a U-shaped slit therein.

4. A toy as claimed in claim 2, in which the closing means for the upper end of the compartment within the holster comprises resilient material having a U-shaped slit therein.

5. A toy as claimed in claim 3, in which said resilient material is sponge rubber.

6. A toy as claimed in claim 2, in which the closing means for the upper end of the compartment within the holster comprises spaced disk means between which a layer of sponge rubber is located, said disk means including aligned U-shaped openings adapted to receive the muzzle of said gun, and said sponge rubber layer includes a U-shaped slit lying centrally of the legs of said aligned U-shaped openings.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,518,627 8/1950 Lorenz 46-8 2,832,173 4/1958 Winfield 46-8 2,942,374 6/1960 Mann 467 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner. C. R. WENTZEL, Assistant Examiner.