US3554546A

US3554546A - Spring whip

Info

Publication number: US3554546A
Application number: US757842A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harold N Brauhut
Original assignee: HONEY TOY IND Inc
Current assignee: HONEY TOY IND Inc
Priority date: 1968-09-06
Filing date: 1968-09-06
Publication date: 1971-01-12
Anticipated expiration: 1988-01-12

Abstract

As a defensive weapon, a spring whip formed of interconnected lengths of springs wherein the selected diameters of the springs provide a compact, telescoped arrangement which contributes to the convenience of carrying the device and the conventional spring construction which consists of a succession of helical turns permits interconnecting the spring lengths in their extending operative positions by merely providing variations in the diameters of cooperating helical turns that produce wedging engagement between adjacent spring lengths.

Description

United States Patent [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,726,554 9/1929 Gagnor.........................

[72] Inventor Harold Brauhut c/o Honey Toy Industries Inc. 200 Fifth Ave., New York, NY. 10010 757.842

[21 I App]. No. [22] Filed Sept. 6, 1968 [45] Patented Jan. 12. 1971 ABSTRACT: As a defensive weapon, a spring whip fonned of interconnected lengths of springs wherein the selected diame- [54] SPRING WHIP ea v. I mmfmdmm mw wi 8 m 5 fi ie g8 ah y ft biln og m 3 C dihtnew mmdwwmm fl hn.n CcWnm fifnn fm 00w oe m 68 m et mmmm r. at kk mfe m mn O ae o m c a m o P 2. a e e m mh m m w hmmhw a XS mmm m e .l. u et e.lt .m ho. IbW hI-IS .m m m 0 g Mmcm gmn u em mmk o s l s .m n. E CnOrn e e up t.3S..lD.t.S 9 s u wmfd M15133 2 1 2 bb/ 38 663 AB m mwm m W W n n n H mm m h D m mm 1" "QM w n m a L m M C 0 C L M 4U I F .1 1i .1 7. 0 5 5 5 .l .l. r...

PATENTEBJAiumsn 355454 FIG. I.

I m FIG. 3.

INVENTOR. HAROLD N BRA UN HUT Attorneys SPRING WHIP The present invention relates generally to a self-defense weapon, and more particularly to a spring whip adapted to be conveniently carried on the person and thus available to be readilyput to use in an emergency situation.

There is a need for a defensive weapon not necessarily of lethal capacity but nevertheless capable of inflicting a degree of pain sufficient to as act as a deterrent, which can be conveniently carried in a womans purse, in a mans coat pocket, or other such location, from which it can readily be put to use in an emergency situation. Prior art efforts have been restricted, undoubtedly because of the limitations of space, either to alarms rather than actual defensive weapons per se or to the use of weapons, such as firearms or chemicals, which are extremely dangerous. These available prior art weapons are convenient to carry on the person for emergency use but are not used because they present too great a hazard to be kept at home. Alarms on the hand are sufficiently compact, but in only summoning aid are obviously of limited value to the uses user.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved defensive weapon overcoming the foregoing and other shortcomings of the prior art. Specifically, it is an object to provide a spring whip which can be placed in a compact condition for convenience in carrying and readily converted therefrom into an elongated configuration effectively serving as a whip.

A spring whip demonstrating objects and advantages of the present invention includes a hollow housing, serving as a handgrip, in which several spring lengths are movable from a compact, telescoped storage position into an interconnected, elongated whipping position.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of a presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiment in accordance with the present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the defensive weapon hereof with the spring lengths thereof in their storage position within the handgrip of the weapon;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view, in longitudinal section, illustrating the spring lengths in their extended position from the handgrip; and

FIG. 3 is a detailed end view of the centrally disposed spring length.

Reference 5 is now made to the drawings, wherein there is shown a defensive weapon, specifically, a spring whip, generally designated 10, demonstrating objects and advantages of the present invention. As its name implies, the defensive weapon is constructed essentially of lengths of springs. In the illustrated embodiment there are two in number, namely, springs 12 ad and 14 and these, as clearly shown in FIG. 2, have an interconnected position forming an elongated configuration in which they effectively serve as a whip. The primary contemplated use of the weapon 10, as already noted, is for self-defense, and to this end, the

springs

12, 14, in addition to having an extending whipping position as illustrated in FIG. 2, also have a compact, telescoped storage position such that the weapon or device can be conveniently carried in a woman's purse, in a mans coat pocket, or other such location, form which it can conveniently be put to use in an emergency situation.

Turning now to the details of construction of the spring whip 10, the same includes a hollow cylindrical housing 10a bounding an internal cylindrically shaped storage compartment 10b, provided with an upper entrance opening 10c normally closed with a friction-fit cap 16 after placement of the

springs

12, 14 within the storage compartment 10b. The opposite end of the housing 10a has a conical lip 10d which provides a lower housing exit opening of a progressively diminishadd to the convenience of carrying the defensive weapon 10, also includes a pocket clip construction 18.

From the foregoing description, it should be readily appreciated that the housing 10a effectively serves not only as a storage compartment for the

springs

12, 14 when the defensive weapon is not being used, but also as a handgrip for the weapon during use. To place the weapon 10 in condition for use, the

springs

12, 14 need only be projected from their telescoped stored position within the housing 100, as illustrated in FIG. 1, into their whipping extending position from the housing 10a, as illustrated in FIG. 2. To achieve this, spring 12, which will be understood to be a conventional, helically wound spring, has at one end (the upper end as viewed in FIG. 2) the last two of its

helical turns

12a, 12b made in progressively increasing diameters so that it is not possible for the spring 12 to fit through the progressively diminishing exit opening 10e. At the opposite end of the spring 12, the last two of its

helical turns

12c, 12d are made with a progressively diminishing diameter so as to serve the same purpose as the conical lip 1011, but with respect to the spring length 14 as will now be described.

Spring 14, like spring 12, is a conventional, helically wound spring, At the end of spring 14, which cooperates with spring 12, the last two of its helical turns, 14a, 14b, are made in progressively increasing diameters so that when the springs l2, 14 are projected into their extending positions from the storage compartment 10b, the respective helical turns 12c, 12d, and 14a, 14b, form a wedging engagement with each other to hold the springs l2, 14 in their extended positions.

To facilitate the movement of the

springs

12, 14 into their projected positions extending from the storage compartment 10b, plural weights 20 are movably disposed within the hollow interior of the spring 14 and are confined to this area by the bent respective opposite ends 14c, 14d of this spring.

From the foregoing, it should be readily appreciated that the defensive weapon 10 hereof is effective for purposes of self-defense defense in that the

springs

12 and 14 can inflict sufficient pain to act as a deterrent, and the telescoped, storage positions of the

spring

12, 14 within the cylindrical housing 100 in an obvious manner contribute to the cone convenience of carrying the defensive weapon on the person of the user until it is required in an emergency situation.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of 'the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly an d in a manner consistent with the spirit and c scope of the invention herein.

lclaim:

1. As a defensive weapon, a spring whip comprising a hollow housing serving as a handgrip bounding an internal storage compartment, plural lengths of helically wound springs including a center spring and at least one outer spring, said springs being of selected diameter sizes operatively arranged relevant to each other so as to be movable between a telescoped storage position within said storage compartment and a whipping position extending therefrom, said selected diameters of said springs being effective to cause interconnection of said telescoped ends of said springs in said extending positions thereof, plural weights movably disposed within said center spring, and spaced means confining said weights within said center spring so that the movement of said weights projects said springs into said extending positions thereof.

2. A defensive weapon as defined in claim 1 wherein said interconnected ends of adjacent telescoped pairs of said springs are of cooperating progressively diminishing diameters so as to cause a wedging engagement therebetween at the terminaing extent for a purpose soon to be described. Housing 10a, to

tion of movement of said springs into said extending positions thereof.

3. A defensive weapon as defined in claim 1, wherein said spaced confining means comprise opposite ends of said center spring extending inwardly to be disposed in the path of movement of said with weights.

spring end and said conical lip cooperating to cause a wedging engagement therebetween at the termination of movement of said springs into said extending positions thereof.

Claims

2. A defensive weapon as defined in claim 1 wherein said interconnected ends of adjacent telescoped pairs of said springs are of cooperating progressively diminishing diameters so as to cause a wedging engagement therebetween at the termination of movement of said springs into said extending positions thereof.

4. A defensive weapon as defined in claim 1, wherein said housing is provided with a conical lip defining an exit opening of a progressively diminishing extent, said outer spring including an end of progressively increasing diameter said outer spring end and said conical lip cooperating to cause a wedging engagement therebetween at the termination of movement of said springs into said extending positions thereof.