US3111319A - Toy gun with attached floating target - Google Patents

Description

NOV. 19, ELI-MAN ETAL TOY GUN WITH ATTACHED FLOATING TARGET Filed Dec. 27, 1960 1NVENTORS=' GEORGE LERN ER JULIUS ELLMAN ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,111,319 TOY GUN WITH ATTACHED FLGATING TARGET Julius Ellman, 1672 E. 7th St., Brooklyn 30, N.Y., and George Lerner, 12 Prospect Court, Freeport, N.Y. Filed Dec. 27, 1960, Ser. No. 78,500 6 Claims. (Cl. 2731i)1) This invention relates to toys and, more particularly, to a target toy.

t is an object of the present invention to provide a target toy having a projectile launcher and a target mounted thereupon, which will oscillate relative to the path of flight of the projectile so as to present a moving target for testing the accuracy and skill and coordination of the operator.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a target toy in the form of a projectile launcher having a target movable relative to the path flight of the projectile, which is completely self-contained, and which can be effectively controlled by the operator exclusive of outside influences.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a moving target toy of the above type which will enable the operator to control the rate of oscillation of the target across the path of flight of the projectile, thus enabling the operator to test his aim and firing skill under various operating conditions.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a target toy made in accordance with one form of the present invention in actual use.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the slightly modified form of construction.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational View of still another form of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of a slightly modified form of mounting means.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of still another form of mounting means forming a part of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing, and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, a target toy It) made in accordance with one form of the present invention is shown to include a simulated pistol 12 that forms a launcher for a dart type projectile 14 having a suction cup mounted at the leading end thereof. A housing 16 depending from the launcher 12 has a front wall 13 with an aperture 2%} through which one end of an arm 22 extends. This arm 22 is constructed of a spring-like material with the one end 24 thereof engaged upon a mounting stud 26 within the housing 13. A target plate 28 is secured upon the opposite free end of the arm 22 and orientated for oscillating movement relative to the flight path of the projectile 14.

It will thus be recognized that due to the inherent resilience of the arm 22, and because of the guiding action of the slot 2% in the front wall 18 of the housing 16, the target 28 can be made to oscillate within a substantially single plane relative to the flight path of the projectile 14, thus enabling the operator to release the projectile 14 whenever desired for movement toward the target 28. Scoring can be accounted for by various indicia imprinted upon the face of the target 28.

Reference is now made to FIG. 2 of the drawing, wherein a slightly modified form of construction 36} is shown to include a projectile launcher 32 having a housing 34 extending laterally outwardly from one side thereof. This housing 34 has a front wall 36 with an aperture 33 through which the flexible arm 40 extends, with the one end 42 thereof secured to a mounting post 44 within the "ice housing 34. The opposite end of the arm 40 is secured to a target plate 46 which is movable relative to the flight path of the projectile in a substantially horizontal plane, as compared to the movement of the target plate in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

Reference is now made to FIG. 3 of the drawing, wherein a further embodiment 40 of the present invention is shown to include a projectile launcher 42 having a mounting plate 44 projecting upwardly from the top thereof. A substantially rigid arm 43 has one end pivotally mounted upon the hinge pin 46 carried by the mounting plate 44 for movement within a substantially vertical plane. The opposite end of the arm 48 supports a target plate 56 for movement within a vertical plane relative to the flight path of the projectile of the launcher. Ylieldable means, which may be in the form of an elastic band 52, is secured at opposite ends to mounting plate 44 at 54, and to the arm 48 at 56. Due to the eccentric mounting of the one end of the yieldable means 52 upon the mounting plate 44, relative to the hinge axis of the pivot pin 46 of the arm 48, such elastic band will normally yieldably resist pivotal movement of the arm 43 into a centered position extending substantially parallel to the flight path of the projectile. If desired, a tension coil spring, or the like, may be substituted for the elastic band 52 with corresponding results.

it will be seen that when the target is mounted to swing in a vertical line from below the line of fire, as in FIG. 1, the weight of the target tends to maintain it below the line of tire, making it necessary to bounce the tar-get into firing range. In the form shown in FIG. 3, where the target is supported from overhead, the yieldable means, whether spring or rubber band, is arranged to maintain the target above the line or" fire, and thus again making it necessary to bounce the target into firing range. In cases, however, where the target is mounted to swing in a horizontal line, the spring as in FIG. 2, is so arranged or bent that it will maintain the target to one side of the line of fire, thus making it necessary to impart a horizontally swinging motion to the target.

In PEG. 4 of the drawing, a modified form of mounting assembly for use with the arrangement shown in FIG. 3, is shown to include a mounting plate 64 secured to the top of the launcher 62 and having an upper terminal portion 65 overlying a portion of the launcher 62. A rigid arm 68 is secured, such as by a hinge pin :56 to a central portion of the mounting plate 64, and a pair of compression coil springs 69 acting be ween the launcher 62, the arm 68, and the terminal portion -65 of the mounting plate, normally maintain the arm 68 in a non-centered position relative to the flight path of the projectile.

In FIG. 5 of the drawing, still another form 7:? of mounting means is shown to include a pair of mounting plates 64( secured to the top of the launcher 72 and having a transversely extending hinge pin 75 which pivotally supports the one end of the arm 73. A torsion spring d9 mounted upon the pin '75 yieldably resists movement of the arm 78 out of a normally non-centered position with respect to the flight path of the projectile.

It will now be recognized that in all embodiments of the present invention, the device is readily operated for the individual simply by initially moving the launcher within the general plane of movement of the target plate, thus setting such target plate into oscillating movement relative to the flight path of the projectile. After the target has been set into motion, the launcher may be actuated to launch the projectile whenever desired, in an attempt to strike a high score target area of the targe plate carried by the respective arm.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to the construction shown in the drawing, it is to be understood that such is not to be construed as im- 3 parting limitations upon the invention, which is best defined by the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described our invention, We claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A target toy comprising, in com in'ation, a projectile launcher for launching the projectile along a flight path, an arm mounted at one end upon said launcher extending substantially parallel to the flight path of said launcher, a target mounted upon the opposite end of said arm, and yieldable means acting between said launcher and said arm accommodating limited reciprocating movement of said tar-get across said flight path in response to movement of the launcher, said yieldable means comprising an elastic element acting between said launcher and said arm, and tending to maintain said target normally out of said flight path.

2. A target toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein said elastic element comprises a yieldable portion of said 3. A target toy as set forth in claim 2, wherein said arm is flexible along the length thereof, said one end being rigidly secured upon said launcher, and said launcher having guide means directing said reciprocating movement of said target Within a single plane.

4. A target toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein said arm is rigid along the length thereof, and said one end of said arm is pivotally mounted upon said launcher for :hinged movement about a single pivot axis.

5. A target toy as set forth in claim 4, wherein said yieldaole means comprises a tension spring having one end secured upon said launcher eccentric to said pivot axis, and said tension spring having an opposite end secured to said arm intermediate the ends thereof.

6. A target toy as set forth in claim 4, wherein said yieldable means comprises at least one compression spring acting between said launcher and said arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 334,293 Seibold Jan. 12, 1886 1,058,931 Zeigler Apr. 15, 1913 1,514,559 Montalbano Nov. 4, 1924 2,210,557 Schillace et al. Aug. 6, 1940 2,976,644 Crisci Mar. 28, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 521,178 Germany Mar. 19, 1931

Claims (1)

1. A TARGET TOY COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A PROJECTILE LAUNCHER FOR LAUNCHING THE PROJECTILE ALONG A FLIGHT PATH, AN ARM MOUNTED AT ONE END UPON SAID LAUNCHER EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE FLIGHT PATH OF SAID LAUNCHER, A TARGET MOUNTED UPON THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID ARM, AND YIELDABLE MEANS ACTING BETWEEN SAID LAUNCHER AND SAID ARM ACCOMMODATING LIMITED RECIPROCATING MOVEMENT OF SAID TARGET ACROSS SAID FLIGHT PATH IN RESPONSE TO MOVEMENT OF THE LAUNCHER, SAID YIELDABLE MEANS COMPRISING AN ELASTIC ELEMENT ACTING BETWEEN SAID LAUNCHER AND SAID ARM, AND TENDING TO MAINTAIN SAID TARGET NORMALLY OUT OF SAID FLIGHT PATH.

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