US3495581A

US3495581A - Self-projecting elastic band gun

Info

Publication number: US3495581A
Application number: US631801A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alberto Birlain Schafler
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1967-01-25
Filing date: 1967-04-18
Publication date: 1970-02-17
Anticipated expiration: 1987-02-17
Also published as: GB1204272A; ES349738A1; DE1678409A1; FR1551686A

Description

Feb. 11, 1970 B. SCHAFLER SELF-PROJECTIKG ELASTIC BAND GUN med April 18. 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.

/ N VEN TOR A/berfo Bir/aln Schaflr Attorneys.

Feb. '17, 1970.

AB. SCHAFLER SELF-PROJECTING ELASTIC GUN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 18, 1967 I N VE N TOR A/berfo Blr/ain Schaf/er m/ ezwb Afforneys.

3,495,581 SELF-PROJECTIN G ELASTIC BAND GUN Alberto Birlain Schafler, Colima 220-Desp. 106, Col. Roma, Mexico City, Mexico Filed Apr. 18, 1967, Ser. No. 631,801 Claims priority, application Mexico, Jan. 25, 1967,

Int. Cl. F41b %/02; F411? 7/00 US. Cl. 124-18 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device for projecting an endless stretched rubber band having a first and second retaining means mounted on a body member shaped like a pistol. The second retaining means is fixed on additional body members, is spaced from the first retaining means, and is shaped so that the band can be stretched over the retaining means and released upon pivotable movement of the releasing mechamsm.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The present invention relates to a toy pistol of attractive novel characteristics provided with a novel means to shoot a rubber band, or the like towards a predetermined target.

Description of the prior art At the present time, toy pistols of many diverse characteristics are known. These pistols include those that simply simulate the sound of real pistols by means of percussion caps or similar devices, and those that shoot various type projectiles such as wooden bullets, water or plastic cylindrical projectiles, etc., the main purpose of these pistols being to simulate real pistols in childrens games, or to accomplish impacts against such targets as soldiers, figures, or discs having target zones of progressive values, and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a toy pistol of conventional appearance which can be inexpensively manufactured, and which is adapted to use easily acquired, extremely low costing projectiles.

The present invention relates to a new type of toy pistol that comprises, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a pistol of any type or form made of cardboard, wood, plastic, metal or any other adequate material, and having a special trigger which, when operated, frees a stretched rubber band, shooting it towards the chosen target. The piston may be formed by a main body member and a releasing mechanism rotatably mounted with respect thereto by means of a bolt or any other supporting means capable of allowing free movement of the releasing mechanism, the latter including a lower projection operable as a trigger, a first upper projection simulating a percussion hammer and a second upper protuberance which releases the rearward end of the band. v

According to a further feature of the present invention, a pistol sight comprising a front right and a rear sight is provided which, along with the above-mentioned releasing mechanism, is intended to hold the rubber band. Therefore, on operation of the trigger, the hammer is displaced upwardly and forwardly, causing the releasing and subsequent projecting of the rubber band held by the first and second retaining means.

ice

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings for a better understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention, which drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the objects of the invention and its principles, and are not to be construed as restrictions or limitations on its scope. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the assembled toy pistol of the present invention, illustrating the exterior or visible parts thereof;

FIG. 2 is a schematic'cross section of the main body member of the toy piston of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view, with a parital schematic cross section, of the toy pistol of the present invention immediately before release of the rubber band.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring specifically to the drawings, the toy pistol of the present invention includes a main body member shown in FIG. 2, and two additional body members adapted to be assembled with the main body member to form the piston shown in FIG. 1.

As shown specifically in FIG. 1, the assembled pistol, in general, includes in addition to the main body member a handle 4, a trigger guard 5, a body portion 7 which includes a rear sight 11 the second retaining means and a barrel 8, all of these portions being formed by on and the above-mentioned additional body members.

Referring specifically to FIG. 2, the main member 12, which is in the form of a plate normally assembled between the additional body members, includes a releasing mechanism 14 rotatably mounted in a cutout portion 13 thereof, and a front sight 9, the first retaining means. The releasing mechanism 14 includes a trigger 6 and a simulated percussion hammer 17 having a forward protuberance 16, the hammer and protuberance being separated by a notch, the releasing mechanism being mounted for pivotal motion in cutout portion 13 about a bolt 15 which also serves to fix the additional body members to the main body member. The width of the main body member 12 exceeds that of the releasing mechanism 14 to allow free pivotal motion of the latter after the additional body members are assembled on the main body member, and this assembly can be effected by securing means in addition to bolt 15.

As shown in FIG. 1, an elastic band 10 can be stretched over the front sight 9 and the rear sight 11 and into the notch between the hammer and protuberance 16, the distance between the point of rotation 15 of the releasing mechanism 14 and the point where the rear portion of band 10 engages the notch behind protuberance 16 being small enough to prevent premature release of the stretched band 10.

In FIG. 3 the releasing mechanism 14 is shown just before it releases band 10. As shown, trigger 6 has been manually actuated to move rearwardly about the axis of pivot 15 causing protuberance 16 to rise and move forward, thus causing disengagement of the band from the rear sight 11 and the notch behind protuberance 16 and the resulting projection of the band over forward gun sight 9 and towards its intended target.

Of course, variations of the specific construction and arrangement of this type mechanism herein disclosed can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

=I claim:

1. A self-projecting elastic band gun comprising a fiat plate as a main body member having the general form of a pistol with a cut-out recess in the upper surface thereof, two additional body members of the same planar shape of the main body member and of identical but oppositely formed three-dimensional configuration to provide a simulated pistol when assembled on each side of said main member, means to secure said additional body members to said main member, a first elastic band retaining member formed as a front gun sight on the upper surface of said main body member at the muzzle end thereof, a second elastic band retaining member spaced from said first retaining means and comprising means extending integrally upwardly from each of said additional body members at a height substantially that of said front sight to form a rear gun sight on the upper surface of said gun at the rear end thereof when the main body member and additional body members are secured together, and a mechanism to release said elastic band from said second retaining means pivotally mounted in said recess in said main body member on said securing means, a portion of said release mechanism being adapted to engage said elastic band when said band is engaged with said second retaining means.

2. The gun according to claim 1 wherein said front sight comprises a blade member having an upwardly sloping top surface and a front surface sloping downwardly and rearwardly to form at the muzzle a notch to retain the forward end of the band and wherein said rear gun sight comprises an upright element integrally formed on the upper rear surface of each additional body memher, each element having a rear face which slopes downwardly and forwardly to form a notch, the two notches thus formed retaining the rear end of the band.

3. The gun according to claim 1 wherein the releasing mechanism comprises a fiat plate having a trigger-like projection formed on the lower side, a first protuberance formed on the upper rear side of said plate as a simulated percussion hammer, and a second protuberance formed on the upper side of said plate and forward of said first protuberance, a notch in said plate between said protuberances and a recess in said plate to receive the said securing means, said forward protuberance having a shape to engage said band when said band is engaged with second retaining member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,234,163 7/1917 Henderson 12417 1,619,275 3/1927 Smith 124-18 2,215,721 9/1940 Cass 124-18 2,680,434 6/1954 Lodahl 124-18 FOREIGN PATENTS 977,057 12/ 1964 Great Britain.

RICARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner WILLIAM R. BROWNE, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X-Ri l24-35