U.S. patent application number 11/203535 was filed with the patent office on 2007-02-15 for rapid-firing projectile launcher.
Invention is credited to Steven Eric Tschech.
Application Number | 20070034197 11/203535 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37741457 |
Filed Date | 2007-02-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070034197 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tschech; Steven Eric |
February 15, 2007 |
Rapid-firing projectile launcher
Abstract
A projectile launcher has a magazine of launching chambers for
holding a plurality of projectiles at the launcher's front end. The
projectiles are launchable by the delivery of a blast of compressed
air through each chamber's respective air inlet. The air inlets are
uniformly spaced in a substantially cylindrical array about the
magazine. A piston with a handle is adjacent to the rear end of the
launcher body. The piston has a longitudinal axis coaxial with the
cylindrical array, and the piston is movable in back-stroke and
fore-stroke motions along that axis for inhaling air into the
launcher during the back-stroke and exhaling air from the launcher
though one of said air inlets in blasts of compressed air during
the fore-stroke. A rotatable diverter directs the blasts to one of
the air inlets individually and sequentially upon successive
backstroke and fore-stroke cycles of the piston.
Inventors: |
Tschech; Steven Eric;
(Sturgeon Bay, WI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FRANCIS EDWARD MARINO
394 MEREDITH NECK ROAD
MEREDITH
NH
03253
US
|
Family ID: |
37741457 |
Appl. No.: |
11/203535 |
Filed: |
August 15, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
124/65 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41B 11/641 20130101;
F41B 11/54 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
124/065 |
International
Class: |
F41B 11/00 20060101
F41B011/00 |
Claims
1. A projectile launcher comprising a launcher body having a front
end with a magazine adjacent thereto, said magazine comprises a
plurality of forwardly directed launching chambers, each of said
launching chambers comprises an air inlet and each of said chambers
is adapted for receiving a projectile therein so that the
projectile is launchable there-from by the delivery of a blast of
compressed air through said chamber's respective air inlet, said
air inlets are substantially uniformly spaced in a substantially
cylindrical array about said magazine to define a central axis;
said launcher further comprises a piston and said launcher body
further has a rear end with a handle adjacent thereto for engaging
said piston, said piston having a longitudinal axis coaxial with
said central axis of said cylindrical array, and said piston being
reciprocally movable in back-stroke and fore-stroke motions along
its longitudinal axis by grasping said handle for inhaling air into
said launcher body during said back-stroke motion and exhaling air
from said launcher body though one of said air inlets in blasts of
compressed air during said fore-stroke motion, said blasts of
compressed air being discharged through a rotatable diverter
adapted to direct said blasts to one of said air inlets of said
launching chambers individually and sequentially upon successive
back-stroke and fore-stroke cycles of said piston.
2. The projectile launcher of claim 1 wherein substantially all
fore-stroke force is directed along said central axis.
3. The projectile launcher of claim 1 wherein said rotatable
diverter comprises a set of forward ratcheting teeth and a set of
rearward ratcheting teeth and said launcher body comprises a set of
rear ratchet teeth adapted to mate with said rearward ratchet teeth
and a set of front ratchet teeth adapted to mate with said forward
ratchet teeth, and wherein said rotatable diverter is adapted to
move longitudinally along said central axis in the same direction
as and during movement of said piston so that said rear and
rearward ratchet teeth are engaged during said back-stroke and said
front and forward ratchet teeth are engaged during said
fore-stroke, and wherein said ratchet teeth are adapted so that
said engagements cause rotation of said rotatable disk from a first
rotational position before said backstroke wherein said diverter is
positioned to direct air to a first chamber's air inlet to a second
rotational position during said fore-stroke wherein said diverter
is positioned to direct air to a second chamber's air inlet, said
second chamber being adjacent to said first chamber.
4. The projectile launcher of claim 3 wherein substantially all
fore-stroke force is directed along said central axis.
5. The projectile launcher of claim 3 further comprising an intake
hole for allowing air to be inhaled into said launcher body and
wherein said rotatable diverter is adapted to unblock said intake
hole during said back-stroke so air can be more efficiently inhaled
during and said rotatable diverter is adapted to block said intake
hole during said fore-stroke so that substantially all of said
inhaled air is exhaled during said fore-stroke through said second
chamber's air inlet.
6. The projectile launcher of claim 5 wherein substantially all
fore-stroke force is directed along said central axis.
7. The projectile launcher of claim 6 wherein said magazine is
disposed in stationary and nonrotatable relation to said body.
8. The projectile launcher of claim 7 wherein the plurality of
launching chambers is a first number and the number of teeth in
each set of said front, forward, rear and rearward ratchet teeth is
equal to said first number.
9. The projectile launcher of claim 8 wherein said first number is
an even number.
10. The projectile launcher of claim 9 wherein said first number is
eight.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a toy for shooting or
launching projectiles in rapid succession. More specifically, it is
a toy gun adapted to shoot a continuous stream of soft projectiles,
powered by the compressed air created by a repeated pumping action.
In the preferred embodiment, two identical launchers are arranged
side-by-side to maximize that number of projectiles the may be
launched without reloading.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Projectile launchers that shoot soft foam projectiles by
delivering blasts of compressed air thereto have become very
popular in recent years. Launchers that are capable of sequentially
launching a plurality of projectiles without reloading have been
found to have even greater levels of appeal. However, the prior art
projectile launchers of this type have included complex, unreliable
and expensive indexing arrangements for delivering blasts of
compressed air to sequentially arranged projectiles. Further, prior
art firing mechanisms have been less than "user friendly",
resulting in both a slowing of actual launching and fatigue by the
user.
[0003] The present invention provides a new and extremely simple
projectile launcher, having only a user-operated linear piston and
one additional moving component, which is adapted for reliably and
tirelessly launching a plurality of sequential projectiles in a
continuous stream. Accordingly, the projectile launching apparatus
according to the present invention is substantially simpler,
cheaper to manufacture, easier to use, less tiring, more reliable,
and thereby more effective than the heretofore-available air
powered projectile launching devices.
[0004] More specifically, the projectile launching apparatus of the
present invention comprises a launcher body having a magazine
thereon which includes a plurality of forwardly directed launching
chambers. Each of the launching chambers includes an air inlet, and
each is adapted for receiving a projectile thereon so that the
projectile is launchable from the launching chamber thereof by
delivering a blast of compressed air thereto. The air inlets of the
magazine are disposed in substantially uniformly spaced relation in
a substantially circular array, and the launcher further includes a
piston and cylinder assembly, which is linearly movable within the
launcher body. The piston and cylinder assembly includes an air
outlet, which directs air into an indexing manifold. Depending on
the radial position of the indexing manifold, air passing
there-through is directed by the manifold towards a particular
launching chamber. A blast of air is created with each forward
motion of the piston by the user.
[0005] The blast of air has two purposes. The primary purpose is to
provide air power for launching the projectile in one of the
chambers. The secondary purpose is to provide air power for
rotationally indexing the manifold so that the manifold is arranged
after each stroke to provide air power to the next adjacent
launching chamber with the next stroke.
[0006] Prior art launchers, such, employ various mechanisms for
compressing air for powering the projectile launching. Mechanisms
such as that taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,535,729 require the user to
pull a lever in a non-linear and rearward motion to launch a
projectile. Aside from the complications of this elaborate
mechanism, it is found to cause inaccuracy in aiming and shooting
the projectiles. The piston and cylinder assembly of the present
invention has an axis of translation that is co-axial with the axis
of the launching magazine. The force applied by the user to actuate
the piston is directly along the line of intended fire. Aside from
providing a more simple and reliable mechanism for both the
manufacturer and user, this arrangement has been found to enhance
aiming and to improve the accuracy of projectiles being fired.
Further, because the piston's motion is a short linear stroke, it
is possible for a user to quickly and easily operate the piston and
cylinder assembly in order to rapidly launch a plurality of
sequential projectiles from the magazine without adversely
effecting aim and accuracy.
[0007] Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention
to provide an effective new launcher mechanism for easily and
accurately launching a plurality of projectiles from a magazine of
a projectile launcher without reloading the launcher.
[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
projectile launcher having a stationary projectile magazine which
is adapted for receiving a plurality of projectiles thereon and for
powering those projectiles via a blast of air from a piston and
cylinder mechanism arranged for linear motion along the intended
line of fire. More preferably, the piston and cylinder motion is
coaxial with the average line of fire.
[0009] Other objects, features and advantages of the invention
shall become apparent in view of the following description and
drawings of the preferred embodiment thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is an action view showing a projectile launcher in
accordance with the best mode of the present invention in the act
of firing projectiles;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of a second embodiment of a
projectile launcher according to the invention and having dual
side-by-side launcher mechanisms;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the launcher of FIG. 2
with its top housing removed to show the internal components;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a left-side exploded perspective view of a
launcher mechanism of the launcher of either FIG. 1 or FIG. 2;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a right-side exploded perspective view of the
launcher mechanism of FIG. 4;
[0015] FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the diverter, part of the
cylinder cap, and the chamber cap of the launcher mechanism of FIG.
4;
[0016] FIGS. 7A-7C are series views of the interface of the
diverter, part of the cylinder cap, and the chamber cap of the
launcher mechanism of FIG. 4 showing the rotation of the diverter
during the firing cycle;
[0017] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional side view of the launcher
mechanism of FIG. 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0018] Referring now to the drawings, two embodiments of the
projectile launcher according to the present invention is
illustrated in FIGS. 1-8. The launcher 100 of the preferred
embodiment is shown in FIG. 1. It comprises a body 102, a piston
and cylinder assembly 104, and a launching mechanism 106.
[0019] Launching mechanism 106 has eight equally-spaced launching
chambers 108 within magazine 109 for receiving eight projectiles
110, and a manifold assembly 112 for directing air from the piston
and cylinder assembly 104 to the launching chambers 108, one at a
time and in sequential order upon each successive
extension/compression cycle of the piston 118.
[0020] The piston 118 includes a handle 120 at its distal end. The
piston is adapted to be moved longitudinally within the cylinder
122 from an extended state (as depicted by the extended position of
right-side handle 120R of FIGS. 2 & 3) to a compressed state
(as depicted by compressed position of the left-side handle 120L of
FIGS. 2 & 3).
[0021] With the handle first in its compressed state, and all
launching chambers 108 loaded with projectiles 110, the user grasps
the handle 120 and pulls it rearward into its extending state. The
piston 118 is movably sealed against the cylinder's inner wall 124
by o-ring 126, so this backstroke causes air to be drawn into the
cylinder 122 through intake hole 128. During the extending back
stoke, rotatable diverter 130 is pulled back away from hole 128,
allowing an airflow path from the outside into the cylinder. Rear
ratchet teeth 134 of the diverter engage mating ratchet teeth 136
of cylinder cap 140 during the backstroke to cause a clockwise
rotation of the diverter of 22.5 angular degrees. This is best seen
by reference to FIG. 6 and the series of FIGS. 7A to 7D
[0022] A forward thrust of the handle 120 forces diverter 130
forward to block hole 128 and force the compressing air from the
cylinder 122 though diverter hole 142 of diverter 130. Front
ratchet teeth 144 of the diverter engage ratchet teeth 146 of
chamber cap 150 during the forward thrust to cause a further
clockwise rotation of the diverter of another 22.5 angular degrees.
Air forced from the cylinder 122 through the diverter hole 142 is
directed by the adjacent air channel 154 though that channel's
mating projectile tube 156 and to that tube's launch chamber 108 to
force the projectile 110 from that chamber.
[0023] Looking at FIG. 5, it can be seen that chamber cap 150
comprises an equally spaced array of holes 158 which are aligned
with the potential positions of diverter hole 142. Further,
magazine cap 160 comprises a similar array of inlet holes 162
aligned with the chamber cap holes 158. Magazine cap holes 162 are
connected to radially directed channels 154 which match to similar
channels 164 of projectile tube manifold 170. IN this way, blasts
of compressed air from cylinder 122 are most effectively directed
though diverter hole 142 and to the appropriate projectile tube for
firing the appropriate projectile 110.
[0024] As a result of the 45 angular degree rotation of the
diverter 130 from before to after the backstroke fore-stroke cycle,
it can be understood that rotational diverter 130 causes air on
each successive fore-stroke to be forced to a successive launch
chamber. Additionally, by successively extending and compressing
handle 120, it can be understood that a continuous stream of
projectiles can be fired from successive chambers. The dual
side-by-side launcher of FIGS. 2&3 can rapidly fire 16
projectiles in a nearly continuous stream.
[0025] It should also be of note that, aside from the
longitudinally translatable piston, diverter 130 is the sole moving
component in this mechanism, representing a significant
manufacturing, economic, and reliability advancement over the
prior.
[0026] It should be of further note that the exerted force by the
user during the compressing or "firing" stroke is directly along
the intended line of fire of the projectile, which is found to
improve firing accuracy.
[0027] While the above describes a specific embodiment of the
invention, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that
various modifications and rearrangements may be made without
departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying invention and
that the same is not limited to these particular embodiments except
insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *