US3494345A

US3494345A - Repeating self-projecting elastic band type gun

Info

Publication number: US3494345A
Application number: US722937A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward Griffiths
Original assignee: Britains Ltd
Current assignee: Britains Ltd
Priority date: 1967-04-25
Filing date: 1968-04-22
Publication date: 1970-02-10
Anticipated expiration: 1987-02-10
Also published as: FR1561739A; GB1159349A

Description

E. G R! FFITHS Feb. 10, 1970 REPEATING SELF-PROJECTING ELASTIC BAND TYPE GUN Filed April 22, 1968 United States Patent M 3,494,345 REPEATING SELF-PROJECTING ELASTIC BAND TYPE GUN Edward Grifliths, Ermelo, Transvaal, Republic of South Africa, assignor to Britains Limited, Walthamstow, London, England, a British company Filed Apr. 22, 1968, Ser. No. 722,937 Claims priority, application Republic of South Africa, Apr. 25, 1967, 67/2,411 Int. Cl. F41b 7/00, 7/08 US. Cl. 124-19 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to toys. More particularly it relates to a toy gun for projecting elastic bands.

The well-known method of projecting an elastic band consists in stretching the band over a longitudinal body and then releasing the rear end of the band from the body. Toy guns embodying this principle have been known for many years but, to the best of the applicants knowledge, no such gun has yet been devised which is capable of being loaded with several bands so that it can project the bands in rapid succession.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide such a gun.

A toy gun according to the invention is provided with a firing recess in the body of the gun adapted to accommodate the rear end of a stretched elastic band, means to disengage the band from the firing recess to project the band away from the gun, a series of non-firing recesses or the like in the body of the gun each of which is adapted to accommodate the rear end of a stretched elastic band, and means to transfer each band in a non-firing recess to an adjacent recess in the direction of the firing recess so that as a band is displaced from the firing recess another band takes its place.

Further according to the invention the disengaging means and the transferring means are constituted by a member movable relative to the body of the gun, the member being provided with a series of secondary recesses which are staggered in relation to the firing and the nonfiring recesses.

Further according to the invention the movable member is adapted to be moved by means of a trigger on the gun.

To illustrate the invention an embodiment thereof is described hereunder with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is substantially a side elevation of the gun of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional side elevation of the gun;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view of a part of FIGURE 1 showing the positions of the elastic bands in the firing and the non-firing recesses; and

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 showing how the band in the firing recess is disengaged and how the bands in the non-firing recesses are transferred to the adjacent recesses.

3,494,345 Patented Feb. 10, 1970 With reference to FIGURE 1 the gun 10 is provided with a barrel 11 and a trigger 12.

As can be seen from FIGURE 2 the trigger 12 is formed integrally with an element 13 which is slidable in an internal cavity 14 formed in the body of the gun.

The cavity 14 extends to the rear end 15 of the gun so that the rear end 15 takes the form of two sides 16 flanking a slot 17 through which the rear end 18 of the element 13 can protrude. This arrangement is apparent from FIG- URE 1.

The two sides 16 at the rear end 15 of the gun are provided with a series of registering recesses. To facilitate explanation the uppermost of these recesses will be referred to the firing recess 19 and the remaining recesses will be referred to as the non-firing recesses 20.

The rear end 18 of the element 13 is similarly provided with a series of recesses. These will be referred to as the secondary recesses 21. As can be seen from the drawings, particularly FIGURE 2, the secondary recesses 21 are out of register with the firing and non-firing

recesses

19 and 20. In other words the one set of recesses is staggered in relation to the other set. The arrangement is such that any particular secondary recess 21 is slightly below the corresponding firing or non-firing recess.

To prepare the gun for firing an elastic band 22 is positioned around the gun and stretched between a notch 23 on the element 13 and a notch 24 on the forward end of the body of the gun. The purpose of the band 22 is to bias the trigger to its normal position shown in FIG- URE 1.

Three additional elastic bands 25 are then stretched between a notch 26 at the front of the barrel and each of the firing and the

non-firing recesses

19 and 20. When the trigger is pulled back the rear end 18 of the element 13 emerges from the slot 17. The hump above the uppermost secondary recess 21 thus passes underneath the uppermost band 25 i.e. the band in the firing recess 19. This band is thus disengaged from the firing recess and it is projected away from the gun. At the same time the hump above the second highest secondary recess 21 passes underneath the second highest band 25 and this band therefore slides into the uppermost secondary recess 21. When the trigger is released the hump above the uppermost non-firing recess 20 passes underneath this band and the band therefore slides into the firing recess 19. In a similar manner the third highest band 25 is simultaneously transferred to the uppermost non-firing recess.

It follows therefore that the three bands 25 will be projected one after the other simply by pulling the trigger three times.

I claim:

1. A toy gun for projecting elastic bands comprising, a firing recess means in the body of the gun adapted to accommodate the rear end of a stretched elastic band, means to disengage the band from the firing recess means to project the band away from the gun, a series of nonfiring recess means in the body of the gun each of which is adapted to accommodate the rear end of a stretched elastic band, and means to transfer each successive elastic band in a non-firing recess means to an adjacent recess means in the direction of the firing recess means so that as a stretched band is displaced from the firing recess means another band takes its place from the adjacent nowfiring recess means.

2. The invention as claimed in claim 1 in which the disengaging means and the transferring means are constituted by a single member movable relative to the body of the gun, the member being provided with a series of secondary recesses which are staggered, said disengaging means comprising a curved biasing member to bias the stretched elastic band off the firing recess means on the 3 4' ody of the gun and the transfer means comprises a series References Cited f recesses staggered in relation to the now-firing recess UNITED STATES PATENTS leans in the body of the gun so that said recesses on 1 461257 7/1923 Thompson 124 18 member bias the stretched bands Ofi the non- Coventry ring recess means in the body of the gun into the ad- 5 3 437 034 4 19 9 Hytgr 124 19 icent recesses in the direction of the firing recess means. 7 3. The invention as claimed in claim 2 comprising a ANTON OECHSLE, Prlmary EXamlneI rigger on the gun to move the member. WILLIAM R. BROWNE, Assistant Examiner