US3126880A - Dart field game - Google Patents

Description

March 31, 1964 LQE 3,126,880

DART FIELD GAME Filed D80. 18, 1961 20 5 2 2 5 )36 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,126,880 DART FIELD GAME Earl E. Lee, Rte. 3, 1808 W. 2nd St., Bartlesville, Gkla. Filed Dec. 18, 196i, Ser. No. 160,371 1 Claim. (Cl. 124-22) This invention relates to improvements in toys and provides a novel form of a dart or arrow, a means for projecting the same, and a series of indicator stakes or ribbon markers for scoring.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved dart and a simple hand-operated throwing device whereby the arrow may be launched into flight. It is a further object of the invention to provide an arrow which can be launched into flight and hurled a considerable distance by the propulsion of a resilient tension member.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a projectile and target game by means of which the skill of a player may be tried and developed.

Further my invention consists in the novel details of construction, in the combination, connection and arrangement of parts, and in the cooperative effect between projectile, launcher, and target to provide an indication of skill of the player or players.

The improved arrow or dart of my invention is characterized by having a cylindrical body having one end equipped with a four-way stabilizer and its other end with a metallic point for sticking in the target area. A cordattaching notch is located forward of its center of longitudinal balance to receive the thrust bead of the launcher or throwing device. The throwing device comprises an elongated member having a groove running its full length on top to receive and act as a guide for one of the darts stabilizers as the dart travels down the elongated member, a handle and aiming stabilizer extending from the bottom of said elongated member, a tapered end on said grooved member having a flexible cord affixed thereto, and a notchengaging head or knob formed in the free end of the cord.

The invention, together with its objects and advantages, will be best appreciated when the following detailed description thereof is read with reference to the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated what is presently considered a preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the projecting device of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of one form of the dart in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 3 is a view partly in cross section of the front or landing end of one embodiment of the dart of this invention;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view showing the apparatus in the hands of the user with the dart about to be projected; and

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of a single form of a target area.

Referring to FIGURE 1, it will be seen that the projecting device or launcher 1 comprises a handle 2, a direction stabilizer 3 with its leading corners angular and its back side rounded to fit the hand as shown in FIGURE 4, the launcher body 4, tapered end 6, dart stabilizer guide 7 flared at firing end of launcher 1 to provide sufficient room for the expansion of rubber thrust member 11, distance indicating scale 3, and dart thrust means 9 comprising rubber tubing 11, metal connector 12, nylon connecting cord 13, holding knots 13a and 13h, thrust bead l4, and staple 17 for attaching said thrust means 9 to tapered end 6 of projecting device 1. Knot 13a in the fixed end of cord 13 is held within the end of rubber tubing 11 by means of metal connector 12, commonly a short length of copper tubing that fits around the end of rubber tubing 11 and encircled cord 13 and is flattened to clamp around one end of tubing 11 to compress it around nylon connecting cord 13 adjacent knot 13a to form a solid connection therebetween. Knot 13b formed in the free end of cord 13 acts as a stay for thrust bead 14, holding it on cord 13. Dart thrust means 9 attaches to tapered end 6 of projecting device 1 by means of staple 17.

The dart 20 shown in FIGURE 2 comprises a landing pin 21, a main body portion or shaft 22, a tail or stabilizer 23, and a thrust hook 24 located forward of the center of longitudinal balance of dart 20. Landing pin 21 is embedded in the forward end of shaft 22, leaving a sharp end exposed for penetration in the target area. The other end of shaft 22 is notched to hold the stabilizer 23 which is normally held in place by screws. In a preferred embodiment, stabilizer 23 consists of 4 vanes but may have one or more vanes. Dart 20 may be of one-piece construction or may be formed of a single shaft with landing pin, stabilizer, and thrust hook attached. Thrust hook 24 normally comprises a metal hook having a point 24a located diametrically opposite to the hook portion with a screw 24b, normally countersunk to prevent any interference with the release of thrust bead 14 on firing, located intermediate the end to hold the hook to the shaft 22. Point 24a keeps hook 24 from turning around the axis of its screw holder 24!). In another embodiment as shown in FIGURE 3, the forward end of shaft 22 is equipped with a cavity 26 fitted with a loose fitting blunt plunger 2? having a spring loaded bearing 31 that positions in groove 32 around the inside periphery of said cavity 26 to keep plunger 29 from falling out in flight. Upon impact on a concerete or hard surface where the use of a conventional pointed dart is not practical, plunger 29 is pushed further into cavity 26 and against spring 27 held within cavity 26 by screw 28 to expel the air and any marking powder through holes 33 that has been placed within the cavity 26. The dart is easily loaded with the marking powder by removing plunger 29.

C bviously and as shown the target 36 as depicted in FIGURE 5 may be provided with scoring areas of different values so that the value of each shot may be readily determined, and the values of the hits counted up for determining the final score of each player. As shown in FIGURE 5, the corners of the scoring area may be marked by flags with string or ribbon forming the diagonals of the rectangle and a paper, etc., disc forming the circular target area.

When playing the game the player or players stand at a predetermined distance from the location of the target area 36 and shoot darts 2% with projecting device 1 in the direction of said target 36, the object, intent and purpose being to cause the darts to travel in a trajectory and land within the higher numbered sections of target 36.

In using projector 1 as shown in FIGURE 4, the player grasps handle 2 in the left hand with his index finger and thumb curved around direction stabilizer 3 to steady the aiming of dart 26. He grasps one of the darts 20 in his right hand by its tail or stabilizer 23 and engages the bead 14 in thrust hook 24. The right hand is then drawn back tensioning the rubber tubing 11 while one of the vanes of stabilizer 23 rides in stabilizer guide 7. When dart 20 has been pulled back far enough as indicated by the distance indicating scale 8 and past experience, the hand is thereupon released from the dart 20. Depending upon the angle of the projector 1, dart 20 will be projected into the air by the propulsion of rubber tubing 11. Dart 20 will rise point foremost into the air and ascribe an arc to the target area if aimed properly.

The projecting device and dart can be made of wood, metal, plastic, or any of a wide variety of materials and in various shapes and sizes while still embodying the features herein set forth. Although I prefer to use small natural rubber surgical tubing for the flexible thrust member of my invention, any type of material having instantaneous memory characteristics would be acceptable and it could be in the form of a single cord, braid, etc. Also, string, fishing cord, etc. can be substituted for nylon cord 13 and still remain within the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

A recreational device comprising a dart having a stabilizer on one end of its shaft and with its forward end equipped With a cavity fitted with a loose fitting blunt plunger having a spring loaded bearing that positions in a groove around the inside periphery of said cavity to keep said plunger from falling out in flight, said plunger to be forced backward on impact and further into said cavity to bear against a spring attached to the bottom of said cavity, said plunger to expel the air and any marking powder through holes connecting said cavity With the outer surface of the sides of the forward end of said dart, and a thrust hook intermediate the approximate center of longitudinal balance and said forward end of said dart, a projector for said dart comprising a longitudinal member having one tapered end, a groove along its length in its topside to act as a guide for the stabilizer of said dart, a cylindrical handle extending from the bottom of said longitudinal member substantially in termediate its center and said tapered end, a directional hand stabilizer at the upper end of said handle and attached to the bottom of said longitudinal member, a dart thrust means attached to the tapered end of said longitudinal member, said thrust means comprising a resilient rubber member having one end attached to said tapered end, a cord attached to the other end of said rubber member with a bead afiixed to the free end of said cord to engage said thrust hook of said dart.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 437,770 Brandenburg Oct. 7, 1890 1,470,934 Ross Oct. 16, 1923 2,109,120 Price Feb. 22, 1938 2,559,458 Orr July 3, 1951 2,708,431 Walker May 17, 1955 3,006,649 Gesick et al Oct. 31, 1961 3,057,337 Rock et a1. Oct. 9, 1962

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