U.S. patent number 3,877,611 [Application Number 05/492,527] was granted by the patent office on 1975-04-15 for combination of a water gun and bow.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Marvin Glass & Associates. Invention is credited to Howard J. Morrison, Donald F. Nix.
United States Patent |
3,877,611 |
Morrison , et al. |
April 15, 1975 |
COMBINATION OF A WATER GUN AND BOW
Abstract
A "water gun" type toy which simulates a bow and arrow and for
launching a stream of water. A normally vertical bow portion of the
toy has a reservoir for holding a quantity of water for a plurality
of water "shots." A normally horizontal arrow portion of the toy
acts as a water pump for drawing water from the reservoir as a
simulated arrow portion is pulled against the force of an elastic
string spanning the bow. The arrow includes a piston and cylinder
device with the front portion of the arrow being the cylinder and
the rear or "feather" portion of the arrow being the piston.
Release of the rear portion of arrow forces water through a hole in
the end of the piston portion of the arrow under the biasing of the
elastic string.
Inventors: |
Morrison; Howard J. (Deerfield,
IL), Nix; Donald F. (Hanover Park, IL) |
Assignee: |
Marvin Glass & Associates
(N/A)
|
Family
ID: |
23956621 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/492,527 |
Filed: |
July 29, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
222/78;
222/383.1; 124/23.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41B
9/0078 (20130101); G01F 11/021 (20130101); F41B
9/0037 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G01F
11/02 (20060101); F41B 9/00 (20060101); G01g
013/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;124/22,17,16,37,1,3,41
;222/78,79,383 ;46/7 ;128/218G |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Pinkham; Richard C.
Assistant Examiner: Browne; William R.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Coffee & Sweeney
Claims
We claim:
1. A bow comprising:
a fluid containing reservoir on said bow;
a firing chamber in fluid communication with the reservoir and
having an ejection opening;
reciprocal plunger means mounted within the firing chamber for
forcing water out through said ejection opening; and
check valve means at the ejection opening and between the reservoir
and firing chamber whereby the check valve means permits at least
some of the fluid from the reservoir to enter the firing chamber
when the plunger means is moved by an external force in one
direction to a cocked position and causes said fluid to be expelled
through the ejection opening when the plunger means is moved in an
opposite direction.
2. The bow of claim 1 wherein the firing chamber is an elongated
cylinder device, the plunger comprises a piston and an elongated
shaft, and biasing means to urge the plunger means toward the
ejection opening to eject a "stream" of water therethrough when the
plunger means and shaft are released from said cocked position and
said piston means is caused to move by an external force.
3. The bow of claim 2 wherein the reservoir is generally vertical
and transverse with respect to the firing chamber when the device
is in normal firing position, with portions of the reservoir
extending above and below said chamber.
4. The bow of claim 3 wherein the reservoir is formed around the
firing chamber and secured thereto, said firing chamber being
generally normal to the longitudinal centerline of the bow, the
shaft being slidably received in the firing chamber and projecting
from the belly side of the bow, said shaft simulating an arrow,
said biasing means comprising a string attached to its free ends to
the respective free ends of said bow.
5. A bow comprising:
a generally hollow, normally vertical, bow hand grip portion
grasping by a the user, said hand grip portion having a reservoir
for water or other fluid;
a normally horizontal firing chamber secured to the bow in the
normal position of an arrow and in fluid communication with the
reservoir, with an ejection opening at one end thereof;
reciprocal plunger means slidably within the firing chamber for
forcing water out through said ejection opening, said plunger means
including a shaft portion, said shaft portion simulating an
arrow;
a string means secured to the ends of the bow and engageable with
the shaft portion to bias the plunger means toward the ejection
opening; and
check valve means at the ejection opening and between the reservoir
and firing chamber whereby the check valve means permits at least
some of the fluid from the reservoir to enter the firing chamber
when the plunger means and shaft portion are moved rearwardly
against the biasing of said string means and causing water to be
expelled through the ejection opening when the plunger means and
shaft portion are released and moved in an opposite direction under
the biasing force of the string means.
6. A bow, comprising:
an elongated, normally horizontal, firing chamber with a fluid
ejection opening on one end, a movable plunger means slidably
received within the firing chamber for forcing fluid out one end of
the chamber, said plunger means having a portion thereof projecting
from the firing chamber remote from said fluid ejection
opening;
a normally vertical simulated bow portion connected to the arrow
portion for hand grasping by a user; and
biasing means comprising a string secured generally at the outer
ends of the bow and engageable with the projecting portion of the
plunger means to move the plunger means toward the ejection opening
thereby forcing the fluid through the ejection opening in the form
of a "stream."
Description
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the past, water guns or squirt guns have been provided which
enable the user to eject a stream or "squirt" of water for use by
children or in amusement-type games. Modifications of the principle
also have been produced which use a syringe-type bulb secured to a
weapon such as a knife or a gun to eject a longer "stream" of
water. The present invention encompasses a novel combination
wherein a simulated bow and arrow is used to launch a stream of
water.
The water gun type device of the present invention is in the form
of a simulated bow and arrow comprising a generally hollow, bow
portion for hand grasping by the user with a cavity therein
providing a reservoir for water or other fluid. A simulated arrow
is mounted on the bow portion intermediate the ends thereof and
generally transversely thereto. The arrow comprises a piston and
cylinder device, with the piston forming a firing chamber in fluid
communication with the reservoir in the bow and having an ejection
opening at one end thereof. A reciprocal plunger means forms the
piston and is slidably received within the firing chamber. A string
is secured to the ends of the bow and to one end of the plunger to
bias the plunger toward the ejection opening. Check valve means is
provided at the ejection opening and between the reservoir and
firing chamber whereby the check valve means causes the fluid from
the reservoir to enter the firing chamber when the plunger is
pulled against the biasing force of the string and causes said
fluid to be expelled through the ejection opening when the plunger
is moved in the opposite direction under the biasing force of the
string after it is released.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent
from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with
the following drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the simulated bow and arrow "water
gun" device of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section, on an enlarged scale, of
the device of the present invention in cocked position;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section, on a further enlarged
scale, of the check valve between the firing chamber and
reservoir;
FIG. 4 is a vertical section similar to FIG. 2 showing the device
in released position; and
FIG. 5 is a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, of the check
valve at the ejection opening.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different
forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described
in detail a specific embodiment therefor, with the understanding
that the present disclosure is to be considered as an
exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not
intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated.
Referring to FIG. 1, the invention, generally designated 10, is a
"water gun" device which simulates a blow and arrow combination.
The device includes a bow portion, generally designated 12, an
arrow portion generally designated 14, and an elastic string 16
stretched across the end points of the bow 12.
The bow portion 12 is generally hollow, and is formed of plastic or
other suitable material. Near the central portion of the bow 12, a
pair of ribs 20 are provided and form an interior cavity providing
a reservoir 22 for the storage of water or other fluid to be used
in the device. A plug 24 is provided in a hole 25 at the uppermost
end of the reservoir 22 to permit the introduction of fluid into
the reservoir to fill the same.
A flexible tube 26 depends from the arrow portion 14 on the inside
of the reservoir 22, generally to the bottom of the reservoir,
providing fluid communication between the reservoir and the arrow
14, as described hereinafter.
The arrow portion 14 is a piston and cylinder type device and
includes a front extended cylinder or firing chamber 28 which may
be molded integrally with or assembled to the bow portion 12, with
portions thereof extending on both sides of the bow 12. The
reservoir is wider than the bow portion for passage of the fluid
thereabout. The cylinder or firing chamber 28 has an ejection
opening 30 at the front end thereof for ejecting a stream of water
into the air.
A spring biased check valve, generally designated 34, is enclosed
within the cylinder 28 near the ejection opening 30. The check
valve 34 includes a valve stem 36 having a rounded head 36a which
is biased by a spring 38 into contact with an inwardly disposed
annular restriction 40 which provides a seat for the valve head
36a.
A second, gravity operated check valve, generally designated 44, is
provided for the firing chamber 28 within the cavity or reservoir
22 of the bow portion 12. The check valve 44 includes a weighted
valve stem 48 having a rounded head 48a disposed within a
downwardly directed tubular portion 50. The tubular portion 50 is
closed by a downwardly tapered, conical trap or seat 52 connected
to or integral with the tube 26. The valve head 48a engages the
conical seat 52 to prevent fluid from slowing from the firing
chamber 28 into the reservoir 22 through the tube 26, when the
device is in its normal vertical orientation shown in the
drawings.
A rear plunger or piston portion 56 of the arrow 14 is slidably
received within the internal diameter of the firing chamber 28 and
is connected to a slidable piston rod or "arrow" 58 protruding from
the end of the firing chamber 28 opposite the ejection opening 30.
The arrow 58 has an enlarged cylindrical portion 60 and four fins
62, similar to feathers, at the rear end thereof. The enlarged
portion 60 provides a stop for the plunger as it engages the back
of the firing chamber 28. The end of the arrow 58 is engageable by
the string 16 in a slot between a pair of tabs 64.
In operation, the reservoir 22 is filled with water or other fluid
through the hole 24. The firing chamber 28 can be filled with water
through the check valve 44, as seen generally in FIG. 3, by drawing
the arrow 58 rearwardly in the direction of arrow A (FIG. 2)
against the biasing force of the string 16. when the arrow is drawn
all the way to the position shown in FIG. 3, with the piston or
plunger at the rear end of the firing chamber, the device is ready
for discharging through check valve 34, as seen in FIG. 2. When
released, the string forces the plunger 56 in a direction opposite
that of arrow A, thereby insuring the closure of the check valve 44
and forcing open the check valve 34, causing a stream of water to
be ejected through the ejection opening 30. However, a user may
readily discharge or eject the water by manually pushing rapidly on
the rear portion 58 of the arrow. The device 10 is shown in its
discharged state in FIG. 4.
The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of
understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be
understood therefrom as some modifications will be obvious to those
skilled in the art.
* * * * *