US3548538A - Toy gun - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 22, 1970 J. CHRBTOFFEL ET AL 3,548,538

TOY GUN Filed March 4, 1968 United States Patent 3,548,538 TOY GUN Julius M. Christolfel and Lester F. Phillips, Houston,

Tex., assignors to Parris Manufacturing Co., Savannah,

Tenn., a corporation of Iowa Filed Mar. 4, 1968, Ser. No. 709,996 Int. Cl. A63h 5/04 U.S. Cl. 46178 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A toy gun having a stock with a barrel mounted thereon, a restriction in the barrel near the muzzle and, a springloaded plunger positioned in the barrel and adapted to be cocked and when released, to travel rapidly through said barrel toward the muzzle end of the barrel to force air rapidly through such restriction. This abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application which, of course, is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Toy guns have been made with corks adapted to be positioned in the muzzle end of the gun barrel to produce a pop sound when the gun is fired. Some toy guns have been provided with other means of producing sounds, such as, whistles and pops when they were fired. However, none of the sounds so produced have been both safe and have an adequate play value. Some prior toy guns have produced a louder sound but have expelled a blast of air which may be harmful to individuals.

SUMMARY The present invention relates to an improved toy gun.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved toy gun which, when fired, produces a safe sound having an adequate play value.

Another object is to provide an improved toy rifie which produces a sound when fired and is of long lasting, sturdy construction.

A further object is to provide an improved toy rifle in which the sound produced is resonated and directed in the direction in which the rifle is pointed.

Still another object is to provide an improved toy gun having sound producing components so positioned in the barrel thereof to prevent their ejection from the barrel.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are hereinafter described in relation to the device illustrated in the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view partly in section, of a toy rifle embodying the novel features of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional 'view of the muzzle end of the rifle barrel showing the details of the sound producing components.

FIG. 3 is a detailed, longitudinal sectional View of the insert restriction which is mounted near the muzzle end of the barrel.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in FIG. 1, the toy rifle 10 includes the stock 12, the barrel 14 mounted on the stock 12, the cocking lever 16, the trigger 18 and the resonator 22. A simulated telescopic sight 20 is secured to stock 12 in a position over the breech end of barrel 14 and is generally aligned therewith.

A spring loaded plunger 24 is slidably mounted within barrel 14. The plunger 24 includes the head 26 having the annular cup 28 mounted thereon, the stem 30 which is secured to head 26 and extends through the barrel 14 to a suitable cocking and firing mechanism (not shown) mounted in stock 12. The spring 32 surrounds the stem 30 between head 26 and washer 34. The washer 34 is suitably secured within barrel 14 as by the annular crimp 36 which extends around barrel 14 to produce an inner shoulder against which washer 34 abuts.

The cooking and firing mechanism for the gun of the present invention is preferred to be similar to that mechanism disclosed in the Cecil L. Parris Pat. No. 2,649,849 issued Aug. 25, 1953, and entitled Pistol Construction. It should be understood, however, that any suitable cocking mechanism may be used which moves the plunger toward the breech end of the barrel and retains the plunger in such position until fired or released by actuation of the trigger 18 and thereafter allows the plunger to move rapidly through the barrel toward the muzzle end responsive to the force exerted by spring 32.

When the gun 10 is fired, the movement of plunger, because of the inclusion of cup 28, forces the air in the barrel toward the muzzle end. To provide the desired sound, a means is included within the barrel near the muzzle end to define a restricted flow passageway through which the air must flow to exhaust from the barrel 14. Such means includes the plastic sleeve 38 which defines a central bore 40 in which the insert 42 is positioned. The plastic sleeve 38 is held in position within the barrel 14 by the washer 44 which abuts the crimp 46 in barrel 14. The crimp 46 extends around barrel 14 to define an internal shoulder and an external groove. Insert 42 is preferably forced into the bore 40 of plastic sleeve 38. The inner diameter of washer 44 is less than the external diameter of insert 42 to assure that insert 42 is not ejected from barrel 14 at any time.

Plastic sleeve 38 functions to support insert 42 within the muzzle end of the barrel 14 and also to absorb the shock of impacting of head 26 of the plunger 24 thereon. For this reason, the sleeve 38 is preferred to be plastic. A particular plastic which may be used for sleeve 38 is a modified vinyl tubing sold by U.S. Stoneware Company under the trademark Tygon. This product is further identified as surgical and pharmaceutical tubing, formulation S221 having a Durometer hardness (Shore A) of 66-72, a tensile strength of 2000-2100 psi. and an elongation of 400 percent. Any other suitable plastic material may be used for sleeve 38 which will absorb the impact of plunger 24 and retain insert 42 in position within its bore 40.

Insert 42 defines an axially extending bore 48 as best seen in FIG. 3. One end of bore 48, the inlet, flares outwardly as indicated at 50. When insert is positioned within barrel 14, the flare 50 faces away from the muzzle end of barrel 14. It is preferred that flare 50 be generally concave as shown to produce the best sound. The diameter of bore 48 is within the range of 0.060 to 0.090 inch. With a barrel 14 having an internal diameter of onehalf inch, it is preferred that the diameter of bore 48 be 0.072 inch. With a barrel 14 having an internal diameter of three-fourth inch, it is preferred that the diameter of bore 48 be 0.075 inch. With this construction of the means restricting the exhaust of air from the barrel, the desired sound is produced each time the gun 10 is fired Without endangering the safety of individuals.

It has been discovered that the sound produced by the gun may be further improved by use of the resonator 22. Resonator 22 is shown in FIG. 2 to be an annular plastic sleeve defining an annular inwardly projecting rib 52, the shoulder 56 and a bore 54 which has an increasing diameter in the direction outwardly from the muzzle end of barrel 14. The resonator 22 is positioned in surrounding relation to and extends outwardly from the muzzle end of barrel 14, and by the engagement of the shoulder 56 on the exterior of resonator 22 with the end of barrel 14. Resonator 22 is retained in such position by the engagement of rib 52 within the groove defined on the exterior of barrel 14 by the crimp 46. It is believed that the resonator 22 improves the sound produced by firing gun by resonating and directing such sound. The addition of resonator does improve the sound so it has greater play value without increasing the sound level to the extent that the safety of the gun is in any way impaired.

Another feature of the toy gun of the present invention is that a drop of light oil can be added to the muzzle end of the barrel and each time the gun is fired a small plume of oil mist is produced at the muzzle end of the barrel. It is believed that the high velocity of air rushing through the restriction is sufficient to atomize minute portions of the oil drop to thus produce the plume at the muzzle. One drop of oil has been found to be suflicient to produce the plume even after the gun has been fired many times. Because of the restriction in the barrel the volume of air ejected therefrom each time the gun is fired is very small. This volume is so small that the gun is absolutely safe for use by small children in play. The sound produced by the toy gun has ben found to have acceptable play value, i.e., it is sufficiently realistic to children that they are satisfied to use it in play. Also, the sound level is not so loud as to cause discomfort or annoyance.

The improved toy gun of the present invention produces a realistic sound when fired and is of sturdy longlasting construction. Further, this improved gun, which utilizes components to provide a restriction in the barrel, prevents the components from being fired or ejected from the barrel. These components which are positioned in the barrel also have a shock absorption capacity so that the impact of the plunger with such components does not damage the components.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention are illustrative and explanatory thereof, and various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction, may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A toy gun, comprising a stock,

a barrel secured on said stock,

a spring loaded plunger movably mounted in said barrel,

means for cocking said plunger whereby the plunger is moved away from the muzzle end of said barrel,

a trigger connected to release said plunger whereby it moves rapidly toward the muzzle end of said barrel, and

an insert mounted within said barrel near the muzzle end thereof,

said insert defining a small diameter central bore to provide a restricted, continuously open, flow passageway outlet for the air from said barrel,

said central bore of said insert being of a diameter to produce an acceptable sound responsive to the rush of air therethrough when said plunger is released.

2. A toy gun according to claim 1 wherein the diameter of said flow passageway is within the range from 0.060 to 0.090 inch.

3. A toy gun according to claim 1 including a resonator mounted in surrounding relation to the muzzle end of said barrel.

4. A toy gun according to claim l including a plastic sleeve positioned in surrounding relation to and extending beyond the muzzle end of said barrel, said sleeve having an outwardly flaring internal surface in the direction outwardly of the muzzle end of said barrel to improve the sound produced by the gun.

5. A toy gun according to claim 1 wherein said insert defines a concave inlet to its central bore facing said plunger.

6. A toy gun, comprising a stock,

a barrel mounted on said stock,

a spring loaded plunger movably mounted in said barrel,

means for cocking said plunger whereby the plunger is moved away from the muzzle end of said barrel,

a trigger connected to release said plunger whereby it moves rapidly toward the muzzle end of said barrel,

a plastic sleeve secured within said barrel near the muzzle end thereof and defining a central bore extending therethrough, and

an insert mounted within the central bore of said plastic sleeve having a central axial flow passageway defining a restricted flow passageway whereby the rapid flow of air through said flow passageway responsive to the rapid movement of said plunger following its release toward the muzzle end of said barrel produces a safe sound having acceptable play value.

7. A toy gun acording to claim 6 including a metal washer positioned within said barrel at the muzzle end of said plastic sleeve, and

means retaining said washer within said barrel,

said Washer having an internal diameter smaller than the external diameter of said insert whereby said insert if it is forced through the central bore in said sleeve is prevented from being ejected from said barrel by engagement with said Washer.

8. A toy gun according to claim 7 wherein said plastic sleeve is a modified vinyl material.

9. A toy gun according to claim 7 wherein said retaining means includes a crimp in said barrel defining an inwardly extending shoulder for retaining said washer within said barrel and including, a second plastic sleeve having an outwardly flaring inner surface and an annular inwardly projecting rib,

said second plastic sleeve adapted to be positioned in surrounding relation to and extending beyond the muzzle end of said barrel with said rib engaging the crimp in said barrel to retain said second sleeve in such position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,237,928 8/1917 MacLean 124-14 1,248,507 12/1917 Lefever 12413 1,287,780 12/1918 Stanard 12414 1,779,892 10/1930 Roe 46178UX 2,055,960 9/1936 Lefever 46--178 2,145,277 1/1939 Reardon 12414 2,729,208 1/1956 Gaeke 124--14 2,937,638 5/1960 Rauglas 124-14 FOREIGN PATENTS 580,417 1924 France 46-174 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner

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