GB2492768A

GB2492768A - A catapult

Info

Publication number: GB2492768A
Application number: GB201111815A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Adam Heathcote Penning; Damian Keith Clarke
Original assignee: Korda Developments Ltd
Current assignee: Korda Developments Ltd
Priority date: 2011-07-11
Filing date: 2011-07-11
Publication date: 2013-01-16
Anticipated expiration: 2031-07-11
Also published as: GB2492768B; GB201111815D0

Abstract

A catapult (2) comprises a handle (4), a pair of arms (6), a pouch (8), elastic material (10) connecting the pouch (8) to the arms (6), and securing means (12) which secures the elastic material (10) to the arms (6). The length of the elastic material (10) from ends (14) of the arms (6) to the pouch (8) is able to be adjusted in order to vary the firing distance of the catapult (2). The elastic material (10) extends along the arms (6) and inside the arms (6) with the securing means (12) comprising a slot (16) which extends along each one of the arms (6) and which has an open mouth (18) extending along a side (20) of the arm (6) which faces a user during firing of the catapult (2), a plurality of securing formations (22) extending along the length of the slot (16), and a securing member (24) which is attached to an end portion (26) of the elastic material (10) and which is locatable in a chosen one of the securing formations (22) and thereby to adjust the length of the elastic material (10).

Description

I

A CATAPULT

This invention relates to a catapult.

Catapults are well known and they comprise a handle, a pair of arms, a pouch, and elastic material connecting the pouch to the arms. There are sometimes occasions in which the length of the elastic material connecting the pouch to the arms needs to be varied, in order to vary the firing distance of the catapult. This is especially so in fishing where a catapult is used by an angler to fire ball from the pouch to different distances in order to attract fish.

Catapults are also known which permit the adjustment of the length of the elastic material in order to vary the firing distance of the catapult. These known catapults are provided with securing means which secures the elastic material to the arms such that the length of the elastic material from the ends of the arms to the pouch is able to be adjusted. These known catapults tend to be of a complex construction, and they are thus costly to manufacture.

It is an aim of the present invention of the present invention to obviate or reduce the above mentioned problem.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided a catapult comprising a handle, a pair of arms, a pouch, elastic material connecting the pouch to the arms, and securing means which secures the elastic material to the arms such that the length of the elastic material from ends of the arms to the pouch is able to be adjusted in order to vary the firing distance of the catapult, and the catapult being such that: (i) the elastic material extends along the arms and inside the arms; and (ii) the securing means comprises a slot which extends along each one of the arms and which has an open mouth extending along a side of the arm which faces a user during firing of the catapult, a plurality of securing formations extending along the length of the slot, and a securing member which is attached to an end portion of the elastic material and which is locatable in a chosen one of the securing formations and thereby to adjust the length of the elastic material.

The catapult of the present invention is able to be manufactured in a cost effective manner, whilst at the same time enabling easy adjustment of the length of the elastic material via the securing means. The catapult is able to be moulded from a plastics material.

The catapult may be one in which the securing formations are pairs of notches with one notch of each pair being in one edge of the slot, the other notch of each pair being in the other edge of the slot, and the two notches being opposite each other. Other types of securing formations may be employed.

Where the securing formations are the pairs of notches, then the securing member may be a peg which is locatable in a chosen one of the pair of notches. Other types of securing member may be employed.

The catapult may be one in which the securing formations include a hole for each pair of the notches, and a pin on the peg, the hole being in a side of the arm opposite the open mouth of the slot, and the pin being locatable in the hole. The pin and hole arrangement acts as auxiliary retaining means for retaining the peg in its chosen pair of notches. Other types of auxiliary retaining means may be employed.

The catapult may include at least one clip for each arm, the clip being such that it fits around the arm and closes the open mouth of the slot and thereby retains the elastic material in the arni. Preferably the clip locates in a groove in the arm.

Usually, the elastic material will be in two separate portions, with one portion extending from one of the arms to the pouch, and the other portion extending from the other one of the arms to the pouch. If desired, the elastic material could be one single piece of elastic material, for example such that a centre portion of the elastic material is housed in the handle.

The pouch may include a pull member for use in pulling the pouch away from the arms for firing of the catapult.

Preferably, the pouch is made of a flexible material. The flexible material may be a net material. Alternatively, the flexible material may be a continuous walled sheet material.

The elastic material may connect to the pouch by rotatable connecting means. The rotatable connecting means may be a peg on the end of the elastic material, and an aperture which is in the pouch and in which the peg rotates. Other types of rotatable connecting means may be employed.

The catapult may include hand grip formations on the handle. The hand grip formations may be a plurality of spaced apart ribs. Other types of hand grip formations may be employed.

The catapult may be moulded from a plastics material. Any suitable and appropriate plastics material may be employed. Any suitable and appropriate elastic material may be employed for connecting the pouch to the arms.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a catapult; Figure 2 shows in enlarged form part of the catapult of Figure 1 and illustrates the operation of securing means forming part of the catapult; Figure 3 is a view like Figure 2 but shows the securing means in its securing position; Figure 4 is a view like Figure 2 but viewed from an opposite end of the catapult to that shown in Figure 2; Figure 5 is a view like Figure 4 but shows the securing means in its secured position; Figure 6 is a top view of part of the catapult shown in Figure 1 and shows the connection of elastic material to a pouch by rotatable connecting means; Figure 7 is a perspective view from the front of the pouch and the rotatable connecting means; Figure 8 is a perspective view from the rear of the pouch and the rotatable connecting means; and Figure 9 is a front view of the pouch.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a catapult 2 comprising a handle 4, a pair of arms 6 and a pouch 8. Elastic material 10 connects the pouch 8 to the arms 6. Securing means 12 secures the elastic material 10 to the arms 6 such that the length of the elastic material from ends 14 of the arms 6 to the pouch 8 is able to be adjusted in order to vary the firing distance of the catapult 2.

As shown in Figures 1 -5, the catapult 2 is such that the elastic material 10 extends along the arms 6 and inside the arms 6.

The catapult 2 is also such that the securing means comprises a slot 16 which extends along each one of the arms 6. Each slot 16 has an open mouth 18 extending along a side 20 of the arms 6 which faces a user during tiring of the catapult 2. The securing means also comprises a plurality of securing formations 22 along the length of the slot 16. The securing means 12 further comprises a securing member 24 which is attached to an end portion 26 of the elastic material 10. The securing member 24 locates in a chosen one of the securing formations 22 and thereby to adjust the length of the elastic material 10.

The securing formations 22 are pairs of notches 28. One of the notches 28 of each pair of notches 28 is in one edge 30 of the slot 16. The other notch 28 of each pair of notches 28 is in the other edge 32 of the slot 16. The two notches 28 are opposite each other.

The securing member 24 is a peg which locates in a chosen pair of the notches 28.

The securing formations 22 include a hole 34 for each pair of notches 28. The securing formations 22 also include a pin 36 on the peg. The hole 34 is in a side of the arm 6 opposite the open mouth 18 of the slot 16. The pin 36 locates in the hole 34 of the chosen pair of notches 28.

The catapult 2 includes a clip 38 for each arm 6. The clip 38 is such that it fits around the arm 6 and closes the open mouth 18 of the slot 16 and thereby retains the elastic material 10 in the arm 6. The clip 38 locates in a groove 40 in the arm 6.

The elastic material 10 is in two separate portions lOa and lOb. One portion 1 Oa extends from one of the arms 6 to the pouch 8. The other portion lOb extends from the other one of the arms 6 to the pouch 8.

The pouch 8 includes a pull member 42 for use in pulling the pouch 8 away from the arms 6 for firing of the catapult 2. The pull member 42 comprises a body part 44 which is aftached to the pouch 8, and a grip part 46 which is gripped between the user's forefinger and thumb.

The pouch 8 is made of a flexible material. More specifically, the pouch B is made of a net material.

As shown in Figures 6 -9, the elastic material 10 is connected to the pouch 8 by rotatable connecting means 48. The rotatable connecting means 48 comprises a first peg 50 in a first end 52 of the elastic material 10 adjacent the pouch 8. The rotatable connecting means 48 also comprises a second peg 54 in a second end 56 of the elastic material 10 adjacent the pouch 8.

The rotatable connecting means 48 also comprises a first aperture 58 which is in the pouch 8 and in which the first peg 50 rotates. A second aperture 60 is in the pouch 8. The second peg 54 rotates in the second aperture 60.

The first peg 50 has a first end 62 which is positioned inside the first end 52 of the elastic material 10. The second peg 54 has a first end 6.4 which is positioned inside the second end 56 of the elastic material 10. Thus the elastic material 10 is secured to the first and second pegs 50, 54, with the first and second pegs 50, 54 also being rotatably located in their respect first and second apertures 58, 60.

The first and second pegs 50, 54 each has an enlarged diameter portion 66 against which the first and second ends 52, 56 of the elastic material 10 abuts. The first and second pegs 50, 54 each has a reduced diameter portion 68 which is positioned in its first or second aperture 58, 60 and which rotates in that aperture. The first and second pegs 50, 54 each has a further enlarged diameter portion 70 which forms with the enlarged diameter portion 66 a pair of abutment members which retain the first and second pegs 50, 54 in their respective first and second apertures 58, 60, and such that the reduced diameter portion 68 of each peg 50, 54 is able to rotate in its aperture 58. 60.

The pouch 8 has a first lug 72 and a second lug 74. The first lug 72 has the first aperture 58. The second lug 74 has the second aperture 60. The first and second apertures 58, 60 are a rim 76 of the pouch 8. The rim 76 is made of rubber or a flexible plastics material. The rim 76 contains the first and second lugs 72, 74.

The use of the rotatable connecting means 48 is advantageous in that the elastic material 10 does not tend to twist, for example in a bag along with other equipment prior to use of the catapult 2, or immediately after firing of the catapult 2 when the elastic material 10 recoils.

The handle 4 has hand grip formations in the form of spaced apart ribs 60. The ribs 60 are on both front and rear faces of the handle 4.

The handle 4 and the arms 6 form a frame of the catapult. The frame is able to be moulded in a plastics material. The elastic material 10 may be any suitable and appropriate elastic material. The pouch 8 is made from a net plastics material. Alternatively, the pouch 8 may be made of a continuous walled sheet material. The pull member 42 may be made of a plastics material. The catapult 2 can thus be easily manufactured, and also such that it is light and uses a minimum of plastics material. This enables the catapult 2 to be manufactured in a cost effective manner which compares favourably with comparable known catapults. The catapult 2 is for use by anglers in firing bait from the pouch B to different distances. The longer the length of elastic material 10 between the arms 6 and the pouch 8, the longer is the firing distance of the catapult 2. The catapult 2 is able to be used to fire bait to different distances to attract fish to the areas where the bait is fired. Any suitable and appropriate bait may be employed including maggots, bread and boilies.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings has been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the shape of the ribs 60 may be varied. A different type of pouch 8 may be employed. The pegs forming the securing means each has a transversely extending gripping rib 62 but more of these ribs 62 may be employed if desired. The eiastic material in the catapult of the invention may be connected to the pouch, for example the pouch 8, by fixed connecting means instead of rotating connecting means. Individual components shown in the drawings are not limited to use in their drawings and they may be used in other drawings and in all aspects of the invention.

Claims

<claim-text>CLAIMS1. A catapult comprising a handle, a pair of arms, a pouch, elastic material connecting the pouch to the arms, and securing means which secures the elastic material to the arms such that the length of the elastic material from ends of the arms to the pouch is able to be adjusted in order to vary the firing distance of the catapult, and the catapult being such that: (i) the elastic material extends along the arms and inside the arms; and (ii) the securing means comprises a slot which extends along each one of the arms and which has an open mouth extending along a side of the arm which faces a user during firing of the catapult, a plurality of securing formations extending along the length of the slot, and a securing member which is attached to an end portion of the elastic material and which is locatable in a chosen one of the securing formations and thereby to adjust the length of the elastic material.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. A catapult according to claim 1 in which the securing formations are pairs of notches, with one notch of each pair being in one edge of the slot, the other notch of each pair being in the other edge of the slot, and the two notches being opposite each other.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. A catapult according to claim 2 in which the securing member is a peg which is locatable in a chosen one of the pair of notches.</claim-text> <claim-text>4. A catapult according to claim 3 in which the securing formations include a hole for each pair of the notches, and a pin on the peg, the hole being in a side of the arm opposite the open mouth of the slot, and the pin being locatable in the hole.</claim-text> <claim-text>5. A catapult according to any one of the preceding claims and including at least one clip for each arm, the clip being such that it fits around the arm and closes the open mouth of the slot and thereby retains the elastic material in the arm.</claim-text> <claim-text>6. A catapult according to claim 5 in which the clip locates in a groove in the arm.</claim-text> <claim-text>7. A catapult according to any one of the preceding claims in which the elastic material is in two separate portions, with one portion extending from one of the arms to the pouch, and the other portion extending from the other one of the arms to the pouch.</claim-text> <claim-text>8. A catapult according to any one of the preceding claims in which the pouch includes a pull member for use in pulling the pouch away from the arms for firing of the catapult.</claim-text> <claim-text>9. A catapult according to any one of the preceding claims in which the pouch is made of a flexible material.</claim-text> <claim-text>10. A catapult according to any one of the preceding claims in which the flexible material is a net material.</claim-text> <claim-text>11. A catapult according to any one of the preceding claims in which the elastic material connects to the pouch by rotatable connecting means.</claim-text> <claim-text>12. A catapult according to claim 11 in which the rotatable connecting means is a peg on the end of the elastic material, and an aperture which is in the pouch and in which the peg rotates.</claim-text> <claim-text>13. A catapult according to any one of the preceding claims and including hand grip formations on the handle.</claim-text> <claim-text>14. A catapult according to claim 13 in which the hand grip formations are a plurality of spaced apart ribs.</claim-text> <claim-text>15. A catapult substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.</claim-text>