Toy Gun

Abstract

A water pistol which includes a main liquid reservoir formed in a part of the casing, a trigger-actuated pump for withdrawing liquid from the main reservoir, and a pressurized liquid reservoir mounted within the main reservoir. A three-way valve is connected between the pump and the pressurized reservoir to selectively supply liquid from the pump to the pressurized liquid reservoir, from the pump to the nozzle of the gun and to the pressurized liquid reservoir, or from the pressurized liquid reservoir to the nozzle.

Description

This invention relates to toy guns intended to discharge a liquid jet.

According to the present invention there is provided in a toy gun, a liquid discharge nozzle, means defining a reservoir adapted to contain liquid under pressure, pump means, a trigger connected to actuate the pump means, means providing for communication between the pump means and the reservoir, and means providing for communication between the pressurized liquid-containing reservoir and the nozzle whereby a jet of liquid can be discharged through the nozzle independently of actuation of the trigger.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a toy gun comprising a casing at least a part of which serves as a liquid reservoir and a part of which forms a barrel, a trigger, a piston-and-cylinder pump, a pump intake valve, a pump discharge valve, means connecting the piston and the trigger, spring means biasing the piston in the direction to effect the suction stroke thereof, means defining a passageway from the liquid reservoir to the pump intake valve, a discharge nozzle at the end of the barrel, means defining a passageway from the pump discharge valve to the nozzle, means defining a pressurized liquid reservoir within the casing, means defining a passageway communicating with the pressurized liquid reservoir, and a three-way distribution valve, said distribution valve being arranged to provide communication selectively between the pump and the pressurized liquid reservoir; between the pump, the nozzle and the pressurized liquid reservoir; and between the pressurized liquid reservoir and the nozzle.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a toy gun in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the toy gun as viewed from the opposite side to that of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a detail to an enlarged scale, and further in section, of a part of the toy gun seen in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section of the chain line IV-IV of FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 illustrate in section, to an enlarged scale, the details of a distributor of the toy gun in three different positions.

Referring now to the drawings, a casing for a toy gun in accordance with the invention includes two substantially symmetrical portions 1A, 1B which are matched together on a longitudinal plane of symmetry. The casing portions 1A, 1B form the stock C, the barrel E and the trigger guard F.

A rear portion of the casing acts as a reservoir S for the liquid to be discharged and edges of the casing and a wall 3 (FIGS. 2 and 3), formed by the two portions 1A, 1B, are so formed as to provide a seal against the leakage of liquid. The seal may further include a groove 5 along the periphery of the reservoir in one of the portions 1B (see FIG. 3 and 4) and a complementary ridge in the other portion 1A (FIG. 4). For gaining access to the reservoir S, a small cover or lid 7 is provided which is pivoted by a pin 9 to the casing and carries a plug 7A extending into a filling orifice in the casing.

A pump cylinder 15 is mounted horizontally (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3) and has a closed rear end 15A and an open forward end. The cylinder is supported within the reservoir S by locating fixtures 11, 12 and 13 forming part of the casing. A pump piston 17 of flexible material is slidable within the pump cylinder 15. The piston 17 is fixed to a rod 19A which is integral with a trigger 19, the latter serving to effect the delivery stroke in the direction of arrow F.sub.1 of FIG. 3. The suction stroke is effected by a spring 21 housed and preloaded within the pump cylinder 15, the spring being additionally loaded during the delivery stroke of the piston.

Adjacent the closed end 15A of the cylinder 15 an intake valve is provided, a movable member of which is formed by a small ball 23 retained within a housing formed by and integral with the cylinder 15 and the end 15A, and by a member 25 of part-cylindrical, part-frustoconical form. An intake pipe 27 fits over the outside of the cylindrical part of the member 25 and the intake pipe extends to the lowest portion (considering the toy gun in the firing position) of the stock C forming a portion of the reservoir S.

On the opposite side of the cylinder 15 to the intake valve 23, 25 a delivery valve is provided which includes a movable member in the form of a small ball 29. The ball 29 is retained within a recess which is partly formed by the cylinder 15 and the end 15A, and partly by a member 31 forming a three-way valve, one of the ways being formed by an extension 31A forming a part-cylindrical, part-frustoconical housing for the movable member 29 of the delivery valve, a second of said ways being formed by an extension 31B, and a third way being formed by an extension 31C. The member 31, in the direction transverse with respect to the axis of the pump cylinder 15, forms a housing for a rotary distributor member 33 having a substantially cylindrical form. The member 33 has an axial extension 33A, passing through the portion 1B of the casing (see FIG. 4) and carries a position-control member 35, which may take up three positions indicated in FIG. 1 by three fixed indicia numbered 1, 2, 3.

In the intermediate position "2" of the member 35 a groove 33B extending over an arc of about 270.degree. in distributor member 33 provides communication between passages formed in the parts 31A, 31B, 31C. In the position, indicated in FIGS. 3 and 5, the member 33 allows communication between the valve controlled by the ball 29 and the passage in the extension 31C. The extension 31C engages a spigot 34 formed in the lower portion of a reservoir 37 which is sealed and pressurized, the reservoir being housed within the reservoir S and being hermetically closed by a cover 37A.

In the position of the member 33 shown in FIG. 6 (which is reached by turning the member 33 from the position of FIGS. 3 and 5 in the direction of the arrow f.sub.2 of FIG. 6), communication is established between the passage controlled by ball 29 and the passage in the part 31B. A flexible pipe 39 fitting over the part 31B and this pipe communicates at the other end with a nozzle 41 (FIG. 2) carried by the free end of the barrel E.

In the position of the member 33 shown in FIG. 7 (which is reached by additional rotation of the member 33 in the direction of the arrow f.sub.3 of FIG. 7), communication is established between all three passages corresponding to the parts 31A, 31B, 31C.

The piston rod 19A and the flexible pipe 39 pass through the wall 3 of the reservoir S at annular seats 43 and 45, respectively, which are housed in appropriate recesses of the two portions 1A, 1B of the casing (see FIGS. 2 and 3).

When the member 33 is in the position illustrated in FIG. 6, by actuating the trigger 19 in the direction indicated by the arrow F.sub.1 for each actuation a jet G of the liquid is discharged from nozzle 41, and the jets are intermittent and dependent upon successive actuations of the trigger 19.

By locating the member 33 in the position of FIGS. 3 and 5 and repeatedly actuating the trigger 19, the liquid is introduced into the reservoir 37, thereby creating therein an accumulation of pressurized liquid, which serves to compress air trapped in the reservoir. Thereafter, by rotating the member 33 to the position of FIG. 7, a continuous supply of liquid is delivered from the reservoir 37 to the nozzle 41.

When member 33 is in the configuration of FIG. 7, by repeatedly actuating the trigger 19, a corresponding pressure is generated and maintained within the reservoir 37, since at each active stroke of the piston 17, a portion of the liquid taken from the reservoir S through the valve controlled by the ball 23 and forced by the piston through the valve controlled by the ball 29, feeds the nozzle 41 directly, while the remainder is fed into reservoir 37. In this way, a continuous liquid jet is discharged from the nozzle 41, the liquid being partly that pumped on each actuation of the trigger and partly that stored in the pressurized reservoir 37.

Claims

I claim:

1. A toy gun comprising:

a. a liquid discharge nozzle;

b. a first reservoir for containing liquid;

c. a pump for removing liquid from said first reservoir;

d. a trigger for actuating said pump;

e. a second reservoir for containing liquid under pressure; and

f. means operatively related to said pump for selectively providing communication between the pump and the nozzle, between the pump and the second reservoir, and between the second reservoir and the nozzle.

2. A toy gun as set forth in claim 1 wherein said communication-providing means comprises a distribution valve having a plurality of selectable operating positions.

3. A toy gun as set forth in claim 2 wherein said distribution valve includes an operating position to permit simultaneous communication between the pump and the nozzle and between the second reservoir and the nozzle.

4. A toy gun as set forth in claim 2 wherein said distribution valve includes an operating position for providing communication only between the pump and the nozzle.

5. A toy gun as set forth in claim 2 wherein said distribution valve includes:

a. a first operating position for providing communication between the pump and the second reservoir;

b. a second operating position for providing communication between the pump and the nozzle; and

c. a third operating position to permit simultaneous communication between the pump and the nozzle and between the second reservoir and and the nozzle.

6. A toy gun comprising:

a. a casing at least a part of which serves as a liquid reservoir and another part of which forms a barrel;

b. a discharge nozzle at the end of the barrel;

c. a trigger;

d. a piston-and-cylinder pump;

e. means connecting the piston and the trigger;

f. spring means biasing the piston in the direction to effect a suction stroke thereof;

g. a pump intake valve;

h. means defining a passageway from the liquid reservoir to the pump intake valve;

i. a pump discharge valve;

j. means defining a pressurized liquid reservoir within the casing; and

k. a distribution valve, said distribution valve being arranged to provide communication selectively:

1. between the pump discharge valve and the pressurized liquid reservoir;

2. between the pump discharge valve, the nozzle and the pressurized liquid reservoir; and

3. between the pressurized liquid reservoir and the nozzle.

7. A toy gun as set forth in claim 6 wherein said distribution valve further provides communication selectively between the pump discharge valve and the nozzle.

8. A toy gun as set forth in claim 6, wherein the pressurized reservoir is mounted within the reservoir formed by the casing.

9. A toy gun as set forth in claim 6, wherein the distribution valve includes a rotary member operable from the exterior of the casing.

10. A toy gun as set forth in claim 6, wherein said distribution valve is mounted within the reservoir formed by the casing.

11. A toy gun as set forth in claim 6 wherein said pump intake valve prevents liquid flow from the pump to the first-mentioned reservoir.

12. A toy gun as set forth in claim 6 wherein said pump discharge valve prevents liquid flow from the distribution valve to the pump.

13. A toy gun as set forth in claim 2 wherein said distribution valve includes an operating position for providing communication only between the pump and the second reservoir.