US3643643A - Bow or elastic device for propelling projectiles - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for launching missiles, such as rocks, steel balls, or arrows, having an adjustable lock and a novel triggering mechanism, mounted on a support, the rock or ball-launching mechanism having a missile pocket secured to the power unit by swivel connections and having a trigger-receiving latch mounted thereon, said triggering mechanism providing means for triggering the missile launch and for releasing the lock for readjustment, in sequence both the latch mechanisms are in the same housing and the lock engages the pocket member and the latch engages the base member.

Description

United States Patent J ordan [54] BOW 0R ELASTIC DEVICE FOR PROPELLING PROJECTILES [72] Inventor: Clarence C. Jordan, Box 224, Splendora,

Tex. 77372 [22] Filed: Sept. 29, 1969 21] Appl. No.: 861,870

[52] U.S.Cl. ..124/20 R, 124/25, 124/41, 124/35 [51] Int. Cl ..F4lb 5/00, F4lb 7/00 [58] FleldolSearch ..124/17,21,24,35,41,40, 124/20, 25

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 369,153 8/1887 Alley 124/21 Effinger 124/21 5] Feb. 22, 1972' Rebikoff ..124/40 X Pankratz ..124/35 X Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-William R. Browne Attorney-Ranseler O. Wyatt [5 7] ABSTRACT A device for launching missiles, such as rocks, steel balls, or arrows, having an adjustable lock and a novel triggering mechanism, mounted on a support, the rock or ball-launching mechanism having a missile pocket secured to the power unit by swivel connections and having a trigger-receiving latch mounted thereon, said triggering mechanism providing means for triggering the missile launch and for releasing the lock for readjustment, in sequence both the latch mechanisms are in the same housing and the lock engages the pocket member and the latch engages the base member.

5 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDFEB22 1m 3.643.643 sumznrz I f/answre 6 (Tara an INVENTOR.

BOW OR ELASTIC DEVICE FOR PROPELLING PROJECTILES SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A missile launcher having a power means for effecting a launch, and having an adjustable lock for maintaining the missile-launching means in a selected position for launching, and novel triggering means for effecting a launch and for releasing the lock after the missile is launched.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device, showing the missile projector locked in a selected position for launching.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the device, showing another type of missile mounted in the launching means.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged elevational view, partially in cross section, of the missile pocket and trigger connection.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the forward end of the launching lock housing and the track it is mounted in.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view, in cross section, of the loci;

and track, taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5, and

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the missile-launching lock, in cross section, showing the trigger mechanism position immediately after the missile has been launched.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings thenumeral 1 designates a base member having a flatupper surface 2 on which thetracks 3, 3 are mounted, such as by anchoring angle irons thereon, the overturned portion of the angle irons extending over said upper surface and being spaced a sufficient distance from said surface to provide a free space for thebaseplate 4 of thelock housing 5 to slide. A series of longitudinalaxial openings 6, 6 are formed in thesurface 2 of the base member, which have their forward end faces vertical and their rearward end faces tapered, and a releasingbar 7 extends rearwardly from the forward end of saidbase member surface 2.

A power means, such as therubberbands 8, 8, secured to theupright posts 9, 9 has themissile pocket 10, which may be formed of leather or fabric, one end being a flat vertical wall, and the sidewalls being tapered forwardly. One end of a swivel connector, as 11, is sewed between the several layers of the material of the pocket at the end of the taper of each sidewall, and the other end of the respective swivels receives one end of therespective rubberbands 8, 8. A small bit of fabric, as 12, is faced against the inside wall of the rubberband where it is tied to the swivel to prevent the rubber from creeping, and escaping the tie. Avertical plate 13 is mounted between the layers of material at the other end of thepocket 10, and a threadedshaft 14 extends laterally from theplate 13 to receive thelatch 15, which has a threaded chamber in one end for that purpose.

The trigger mechanism consists of asuitable housing 5 in which the mechanism is mounted, and the launching trigger assembly is mounted in the upper half of the housing, and has the spring loaded upperpivotal bar 16 and the spring loaded lowerpivotal bar 17. Anupstanding pawl 18 is integral with thelower bar 17 and has the laterally extendedfinger 19 against which one end of thebar 16 bears. Thecontrol bar 20 extends through thehousing 5 and a laterally projecting stud 21 is in position to bear against one end of thepivotal bar 16 when thebar 20 is depressed, causing the other end of thebar 16 to lift thepawl 18. The lower end of thepawl 18 extends beneath thepivotal bar 17 and engages thelatch 15. As thepawl 18 is lifted, the latch is released. Astop 31 limits the downward movement of thebar 17.

Apartition 22 divides the upper and lower trigger assemblies, and forms a guide for thelatch 20. The lower assembly consists of the upper spring loadedpivotal bar 23, the lower spring loadedpivotal bar 24 and thepawl 25, which is integral with thelower bar 24. Astop 35 limits the lower movement of thebar 23 and theplate 4 limits the lower movement of thebar 24. Thepawl 25 has the laterally extendedfinger 26 against which one end of theupper bar 23 bears. The lower end of thepawl 25 extends below the lowerpivotal bar 24 and through anorifice 27 in thebaseplate 4 and abuts one end of the respectiveaxial openings 6. The lower end face of thepawl 25 is tapered upwardly rearwardly, so that it will readily slide up the slanted face of the orifice6. Thepawl 25 is notched to receive thetapered projection 28 of the spring loadedpivotal latch 29. The lower end of thelatch 29 extends through theorifice 27 of thebaseplate 4, but does not extend into theopenings 6. Thepawl 25 has a notch on one longitudinal side face, as 30, positioned to receive thetapered projection 28 when thepawl 27 is lifted out of engagement with the end face of theopening 6. As thebar 20 is depressed, thelatch 15 is released first and as the depressing action continues, thebar 23 is pivoted to raise thepawl 25 and as the lower end of thepawl 25 clears theopening 6, releasing the housing for sliding action in thetracks 33, and as the depression of thebar 20 continues, thetapered portion 28 of thelatch 29 enters thenotch 30 of thepawl 25 and holds thepawl 25 in raised position. When the housings is moved all the way forward in thetracks 3, 3, thebar 7 contacts the lower end of thelatch 29 and pivots the same, moving thetapered member 28 out of thenotch 30, permitting thebar 24 to return to lowermost position and thepawl 25 to move downwardly into engaging position with the straight end wall of therespective openings 6.

In use the missile may be seated in thepocket 10 and the latch inserted into the upper assembly through theopening 32 until in engagement with thepawl 18 as shown in FIG. 6, and thehousing 5 then pulled backwardly, thepawl 25 moving upwardly as the lower end thereof contacts the slanted ends of theopenings 6, this upward movement being short of sufficient to engage thelatch 29, until thehousing 5 is in the desired position, and at which position thepawl 25 will be abutting the vertical face of one of theopenings 6.

Therubberbands 8, 8, or the like, may be replaced with thebow 33, thebow 33 being anchored to theposts 9, 9 and thebowstring 34 being secured to thepocket 10 by means of the swivels ll, 11.

Many types of missiles may thus be launched. Solid missiles, such as rocks, balls, or the like, as well as explosives, such as firecrackers, grenades, or the like, as well as arrows in all forms.

What is claimed is:

l. A missile launcher having a baseplate, track guiding said base member means for propelling a missile mounted on said base member, locking means movable mounted on said base member for releasably locking the means for propelling a missile in several positions along said track, a missile pocket mounted on said missile-propelling power means, a latch on said pocket engageable by said locking means, means for manually releasing said latch and said locking means, said last mentioned means being manually reciprocated through said locking means, and said means for releasing said latch comprising a member biased into engagement with said latch, a pivoted lever means disposed to lift said member out of engagement with said latch, and a manually actuable shaft reciprocally mounted rearwardly of said lever means for pivoting said lever means and lifting said member.

2. The device defined inclaim 1 wherein said baseplate is slidably guided by a pair of tracks positioned there above, and a base member having longitudinal openings to receive one end of a pawl from said locking means for locking said locking means in a selected position adjacent said track.

3. The device defined inclaim 1 wherein said locking means comprises a housing, said means for manually releasing said latch comprising an upper and a lower trigger assembly in said housing, an actuating shaft extending through both of said assemblies for actuating said assemblies in sequence, said shaft first releasing said missile pocket and thereafter releasing said locking means.

4. A missile launcher having a base member, power means for propelling a missile mounted on said base member, locking means movable mounted on said base member for releasably extending threaded stud and a latch member having one end tapered and the other end having an internally threaded chamber to receive said threaded stud.

5. The device defined inclaim 1 wherein a latch-actuating means is positioned in the locking means to contact said latch on the pocket and to reset said locking means after a missile has been launched.

Claims (5)

1. A missile launcher having a baseplate, track guiding said base member means for propelling a missile mounted on said base member, locking means movable mounted on said base member for releasably locking the means for propelling a missile in several positions along said track, a missile pocket mounted on said missile-propelling power means, a latch on said pocket engageable by said locking means, means foR manually releasing said latch and said locking means, said last mentioned means being manually reciprocated through said locking means, and said means for releasing said latch comprising a member biased into engagement with said latch, a pivoted lever means disposed to lift said member out of engagement with said latch, and a manually actuable shaft reciprocally mounted rearwardly of said lever means for pivoting said lever means and lifting said member.

2. The device defined in claim 1 wherein said baseplate is slidably guided by a pair of tracks positioned there above, and a base member having longitudinal openings to receive one end of a pawl from said locking means for locking said locking means in a selected position adjacent said track.

3. The device defined in claim 1 wherein said locking means comprises a housing, said means for manually releasing said latch comprising an upper and a lower trigger assembly in said housing, an actuating shaft extending through both of said assemblies for actuating said assemblies in sequence, said shaft first releasing said missile pocket and thereafter releasing said locking means.

4. A missile launcher having a base member, power means for propelling a missile mounted on said base member, locking means movable mounted on said base member for releasably locking the means for propelling a missile in several positions along said tracks, a missile pocket mounted on said missile-propelling means, a latch on said pocket engageable by said locking means, means for manually releasing said latch and said locking means, said missile pocket being formed of several layers of material, said means for propelling a missile comprising a swivel connection anchored in each of the respective sides of said pocket an embedded vertical steel plate in the center of said pocket, said plate having a laterally extending threaded stud and a latch member having one end tapered and the other end having an internally threaded chamber to receive said threaded stud.

5. The device defined in claim 1 wherein a latch-actuating means is positioned in the locking means to contact said latch on the pocket and to reset said locking means after a missile has been launched.

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