US3766902A - Projectile type toy for projecting electrostatically charged projectiles - Google Patents

Abstract

The specification shows a projectile type toy in which a lightweight, preferably foamed, resilient projectile is moved through a barrel and projected out the open end thereof, with the barrel and projectile being formed of materials such that a charge of static electricity is imparted to the projectile as it moves along the barrel. The projectile upon leaving the barrel will, therefore, cling to dry surfaces, such as clothing and drapery materials and the like, whereby the device can be employed solely for amusement or in connection with a game but is, nevertheless, harmless.

Description

United States Patent 1 1 Repinski 1 Oct. 23, 1973 [54] PROJECTILE TYPE TOY FOR PROJECTING 2,921,573 1/1960 Horowitz et a] 273/106 E X LECTR CHARGED 1,538,640 5/1925 Krusi 273/1065 A PROJECTILES FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [76] Inventor: Robert Repinski, R.D. N0. 2 (Box 589,629 6/1947 Great Britain; 273/1065 R 235 F), Blairsville, Pa. Primary ExaminerRichard C. Pinkham [22] Filed June 1971 Assistant Examiner-R. T. Stouffer [21] Appl. No.: 152,752 Att0rneyMelvin A. Crosby [52] U.S. Cl. 124/13 R, 124/30 R, 273/106 R, [57] FT 273/106 E, 273/D|G 2 The specrficatlon shows a pro ect1le type toy 1n whlch 51 rm. Cl. F4111 1/00 a lightweight, Preferably med, P i is [58] Field of Search 124/13 R, 13 A, 30 R- moved hmugh barrel and Projected the 273/106 R 106 E, 1065 R 1065 A 1065' end thereof, with the barrel and projectile being B b 2 formed of materials such that a charge of static electricity is imparted to the projectile as it moves along [56] References Cited the barrel. The projectile upon leaving the barrel will, UNITED STATES PATENTS therefore, cling to dry surfaces, such as clothing and drapery materials and the like, whereby the device can 5,115,197 2/l9l6 Harmon, Jr. 124/13 R be employed solely for amusement or in connection gg fiz r 235; with a game but is, nevertheless, harmless.

2,483,752 10/1949 Buhl 124/30 R UX 2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures 4 L l a I L10 I 1 PAIENIEB lit! 23 I973 luvturon. ROBERT J. REPINSKI 65 W W;

PROJECTILE TYPE TOY FOR PROJECTINGv ELECTROSTATICALLY CHARGED PROJECTILES The present invention relates to a projectile type toy, and is particularly concerned with a toy of this nature which is harmless in use but which canbe employed in a variety of ways for amusement or in the playing of games.

Toys guns and the like are known butin agreat many cases projectiles are employed which are hard and nonyielding. Such projectiles can cause damage or injury. Further, projectile type toys, such astoy guns and the like, are quite often relatively complicated and expensive and are subject to getting out of order and breakmg.

With the foregoing in mind, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of a projectile type toy which is quite inexpensive and easy to manufacture and which is not readily subject to getting out of order or breaking.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of aprojectile typetoy which is completely safe to use.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a projectile typetoy in which the projectile is adapted to cling to fabrics, and the like, but which does not employ suction cups and other instrumentalities of this nature for effecting the clinging.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a projectile type toy of the nature referred to in which projectiles can be fed repetitively into the toy so that it can operate in a substantially semi-automatic manner.

The foregoing objects as well as still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reference to the following detailed specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a projectile type toy according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a typical projectile;

FIG. 3 shows a modified arrangement for the barrel end of the plunger forming a part of the toy;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view showing a modified manner of forming the handgrip end of the plunger of the toy;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view showing a form of the toy which includes a spring fed magazine; I

FIG. 6 is a side view showing a modified form which the projectile can take;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view through a typical projectile showing a weight included therein; and

FIG. 8 is a view like FIG. 5, which shows a gravity type magazine connected with the barrel of the toy.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION by theplunger will stop shortof the discharge end of the barrel and then the nextprojectilepushed through the barrel by the plunger will develop air pressure behind the first mentioned projectile andproject it from the discharge end of the barrel at considerable velocity.

The projectiles are compressed withinthe barrel and, thus, sealingly engage the inside of the barrel and in moving through the barrel have a. charge of static electricity imparted thereto so that .theprojectiles will cling to clothing, drapery and curtain material, and the like.

The barrel may be a simple tubular member and the projectiles put into the one end of the barrel one at a time, or the barrel maybe provided with a lateralmagazine from which theprojectiles move oneata time into the barrel forprojection therethrough.

The projectiles may consist simply of extremely lightweight foamedplastic material, such as polystyrene,or they may include internal weight elements so that they will stay in flight for a greater distance after being expelled from the discharge end of the barrel.

DETAILEDDESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings somewhat more in detail, in FIG. 1, the toy illustrated comprises a barrel 10 open at both ends and, preferably, having an enlarged end portion at 12 and which may include a flaredmouth portion 14. Portion 12 is adapted to receive a projectile l6loosely, while the said projectile when moved rightwardly from enlarged portion 12 of the barrel along theinclined region 18 of the barrel, will be somewhat compressed in the main portion of the: barrel. A plunger is providedhavinga handgrip 20 and anelongated part 22 for pushing the projectiles into the barrel and therealong. As will be seen in FIG. 1, the projectile in enlarged portion 12 of the barrel will be pushed to the position occupied byprojectile 24 near the right end of the barrel in FIG. 1, and which right end is the discharge end of the barrel.

When a projectile has been pushed to the position occupied by the projectile at 24, the next projectile pushed into the left end of the barrel by the plunger will entrap air in the barrel between the projectiles and the pressure developed on the entrapped air as the plunger is pushed into the barrel will expel projectile 24 relatively rapidly from the right end of the barrel.

The barrel of the toy is formed of plastic material and the projectiles are a foamed plastic material, such as foamed polystyrene, so that the projectiles have imparted thereto a charge of static electricity as they move through the barrel. The projectile discharged from the discharge end of the barrel will thus cling to fabric such as clothing, drapery material, and the like, when it strikes the material. Thus, the toy according to the present invention can be used for games and for target practice, or purely for amusement, while no damage or injury can come about on account of the lightweight resilient projectiles.

Atypical projectile 16 is shown in perspective in FIG. 2, wherein it will be seen to comprise a cylindrical member which, as mentioned, fits loosely in the enlarged portion 12 of the bore but fits snugly in the reduced diameter portion of the bore so as sealingly to engage the periphery of the barrel.

The plunger, shown in FIG. 1, can be a simple rodlike member of, for example, wood or plastic, or it can have aseal element 26 mounted on the projectile end as shown in FIG. 3. With the arrangement of FIG. 3, the

plunger itself can entrap air in the barrel and cause a projectile disposed therein to be expelled from the discharge end of the barrel.

The plunger in FIG. 1 has a handgrip portion larger than the diameter of the barrel and anelongated portion 22 freely fitting in the barrel and in FIG. 4, there is shown an arrangement wherein the entire length of the plunger is formed to a single diameter and the handgrip portion is separated from the other portion by an undercutregion 28 in which is placed aring 30 of rubber or plastic material.

FIG. shows a modification in whichbarrel 32 has anenlarged portion 34 at the rear end which has a.slot 36 in the side with amagazine 38 connected to the side of the barrel and adapted for receivingprojectiles 40 in stacked relation. Acap 42 on the bottom of the magazine contains a spring 44 which biases the projectiles toward the barrel.Plunger 46 is operable for picking up a projectile disposed in the enlarged end of the barrel and will push it along the barrel, while preventing further projectiles from moving from the magazine into the barrel.

In the FIG. 5 modification, the magazine can also serve as a handle for the barrel.

As will be seen in FIG. 6,projectiles 48 could be provided having tapering ends 50 which will facilitate movement thereof from the enlarged end of the barrel into the smaller portion thereof.

FIG. 7 shows a projectile 52 having contained therein aweight 54 which will permit the projectile to carry farther when it is projected from the discharge end of the barrel.

In FIG. 8,barrel 56 hashandle 58 thereon and a magazine 60 projecting upwardly from the top of theenlarged portion 62 of the barrel and adapted for receivingprojectiles 64 in stacked relation. The FIG. 8 modification is the same as the FIG. 5 modification, except that the projectiles feed into the enlarged portion of the barrel by gravity rather than being spring urged therein.

Reference has been made to the fact that the plugs or projectiles will cling to clothing and drapery material and the like, but it will be understood that the projectiles will cling to substantially any dry non-conductive surface, including the human body.

Modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a projectile type toy: a tubular barrel formed of unfoamed plastic material and substantially uniform in diameter from end to end, substantially cylindrical resilient projectile means formed of foamed plastic material and slightly larger in diameter than said barre] so as closely and sealingly to fit in said barrel, an enlarged region formed at one end of said barrel coaxially with said barrel and adapted loosely to receive a said projectile means therein, an inwardly tapering region connecting said enlarged region with said barrel, said barrel and said projectile means being formed of materials which will coact to impart a charge of static electricity to said projectile means in response to movement of the projectile means along said barrel, and rod-like plunger means of electrical insulating material smaller in diameter than said barrel operable for moving a said projectile means from said enlarged region into said barrel and then along said barrel from said one end thereof toward the said other end thereof, said plunger means and barrel including the cooperating element of a stop means to arrest the plunger before it runs completely through the barrel whereby a projectile means pushed along the barrel by the plunger means will stop short of said other end of the barrel and will be expelled from the barrel by the air pressure developed between it and the next projectile means pushed along the barrel by said plunger means, with the projectile means, when expelled from the barrel, carrying with it a charge of static electricity imparted to it by movement thereof along the barrel.

2. A projectile type toy according to claim 1 in which said projectile means comprises a plurality of like projectiles, a magazine near said one end of the barrel extending laterally from said enlarged region, said magazine being adapted to receive a plurality of said projectiles in stacked relation, said magazine supplying the projectiles singly to said enlarged region.

Claims (2)

1. In a projectile type toy: a tubular barrel formed of unfoamed plastic material and substantially uniform in diameter from end to end, substantially cylindrical resilient projectile means formed of foamed plastic material and slightly larger in diameter than said barrel so as closely and sealingly to fit in said barrel, an enlarged region formed at one end of said barrel coaxially with said barrel and adapted loosely to receive a said projectile means therein, an inwardly tapering region connecting said enlarged region with said barrel, said barrel and said projectile means being formed of materials which will coact to impart a charge of static electricity to said projectile means in response to movement of the projectile means along said barrel, and rod-like plunger means of electrical insulating material smaller in diameter than said barrel operable for moving a said projectile means from said enlarged region into said barrel and then along said barrel from said one end thereof toward the said other end thereof, said plunger means and barrel including the cooperating element of a stop means to arrest the plunger before it runs completely through the barrel whereby a projectile means pushed along the barrel by the plunger means will stop short of said other end of the barrel and will be expelled from the barrel by the air pressure developed between it and the next projectile means pushed along the barrel by said plunger means, with the projectile means, when expelled from the barrel, carrying with it a charge of static electricity imparted to it by movement thereof along the barrel.

2. A projectile type toy according to claim 1 in which said projectile means comprises a plurality of like projectiles, a magazine near said one end of the barrel extending laterally from said enlarged region, said magazine bEing adapted to receive a plurality of said projectiles in stacked relation, said magazine supplying the projectiles singly to said enlarged region.

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