US3515111A - Spring actuated projectile projecting device - Google Patents

Description

\ P. AUGE SPRING ACTUATED PROJECTILE PROJECTING DEVICE June 2, 1970 Filed Aug. 19, 1968 I N V! 1W '1' R PETER AUGE ATTORNE Y3 United States Patent 3,515,111 SPRING ACTUATED PROJECTILE PROJECTING DEVICE Peter Ange, Hong Kong, British Crown Colony, assignor to Ce De Candy, Inc-, Elizabeth, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Aug. 19, 1968, Ser. No. 753,363 Int. Cl. F41b 7/00 U.S. Cl. 12416 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A holder for small projectiles or confections having a disc-shape, provided with a spring-loaded hammer that may be released to forcibly eject the projectile or confection from a slot in the housing.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Field of invention This invention relates generally to holders for small projectiles having provision for forcibly expelling them, and particularly to dispensers for confectionary lozenges wherein the lozenge may be forcibly expelled from the dispenser.

Prior art Children take delight in using devices which expel small projectiles. Often, the small projectiles may be confections, but they lose their significance as such, and they become pellets in the game of marksmanship. The sling shot is the classic example of this type of device. The popgun with its captive cork-on-a-string is another example.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION To satisfy the dual longings for (a) a device for expelling projectiles and (b) a holder for confections, the present apparatus has been devised. It has an automatic feed for small projectiles or lozenges by which they are delivered to a discharge slot; and there is a spring-loaded hammer that can be snapped back and released, to propel the projectile or lozenge from the discharge slot.

DRAWINGS PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The holder for small projectiles or confections is a generally tubular housing 11. It has an integral top end 12. Immediately adjacent to the end 12, there is a transverse slot 13 in the housing 11. Extending outwardly from the slot 13, there are lateral enlargements 14, connected together by an integral strap 15. A generally flat hammer 16 is located in the housing 11 opposite to the slot 13, and is dimensioned to slide in and out of the slot 13. A pin 17 carries the hammer 16 and passes through the enlargements 14. The hammer 16 is pivotable on the pin. A spring 18, under tension engages the strap 15 and the back of the hammer 16, normally urging it into the slot. A detent 19 serves the dual function of restraining the hammer 16 from moving completely through the slot, keeping it in closing relation to the slot 13. The detent 19 also performs the function of being the means by which the hammer 16 may be moved out of the slot 13, leaving the space formerly occupied by the hammer 16, as a seat in the housing for a pellet 20.

The other end 21 of the housing 11 is open and is provided with a cap 22, frictionally engaged therewith. A spring 23 in the housing bears on the cap 22, and also on a crown 24. A stack of pellets 20, under urging of the crown 24, are moved toward the slot 13, and against the hammer 16, when the hammer occupies the position shown in FIG. 2. However, when the hammer 16 is pivoted out of the housing 11, through the slot 13 to the position shown in FIG. 3, the end pellet moves into the seat defined :by the space formerly occupied by the hammer 16, against the top 12, and opposite the slot 13. When the detent 19 is no longer overcome, the hammer 16 springs back vigorously into the slot 13, forcibly ejecting the pellet from out of the slot 13. Each pivoting of the hammer 16 permits a successive pellet 20, to move into the space opposite the slot 13, and to be expelled vigorously by the spring 18, which drives the hammer 16.

The housing 11 is refillable by removing the end cap 22, the spring 23 and the crown 24, and inserting another stack of pellets 20. The pellets 20 may be merely projectiles, or may be small disc-shaped confections. The detent 19 limits the inward pivoting of the hammer 16 by engaging the vestigial wall section 25 adjacent to the slot The housing 11 can function as a holder-dispenser for confectionary lozenges such are prized by small children. It can also be used as propulsive agent for the same lozenges, which may also fulfill the function of pellets or projectiles.

The foregoing description is merely intended to illustrate an embodiment of the invention. The component parts have been shown and described. They each may have substitutes which may perform a substantially similar function; such substitutes may be known as proper substitutes for the said components and may have actually been known or invented before the present invention; these substitutes are contemplated as being within the scope of the appended claims, although they are not specifically catalogued herein.

What is claimed:

1. A holder for small projectiles comprising (a) an elongated, hollow, housing for a stack of flat pellets,

(b) a transverse slot at one end of the housing for discharging pellets,

(c) a generally flat hammer disposed in the housing in closing relation to the transverse slot, and pivotably attached to the housing so as to be movable into and out of said slot,

(d) a detent 0n the hammer in abutment with the housing, and extending outside of the housing whereby the hammer may be pivoted out of the housing through the slot,

(e) a spring normally urging the hammer into the housing, whereby when the hammer is pivoted out of the housing and permitted to snap back into the housing under urging by the spring when the detent is released, said hammer will engage a pellet in the seat, forcibly expelling it through the slot out of the housing.

2. The device according to claim 1, and

(a) a removable refill cap at one end of the housing.

3. The device according to claim 1, and

(a) a spring in the housing for normally urging pellets against the hammer.

4 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1924 Rogers 221232 U.S. Cl. X.R.

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