Projectile toy apparatus

A projectile toy includes a plurality of opposing target hoops arranged for selective securement to upper distal end portions of mounting posts. The projectiles are arranged of varying and contrasting colorations utilizing a semi-spherical head formed with a conical central tail portion and a rear tail web for manual grasping of the projectile to permit its hurtling towards an opposing target ring.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The field of invention relates to toy apparatus, and more particularly 
pertains to a new and improved projectile toy apparatus wherein the same 
is arranged to provide for target rings to receive conical projectiles 
therethrough. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Various toss games are utilized throughout the prior art, where frequently 
such toss games are dangerous such as those of elongate dart members and 
the like. The instant invention provides for a game apparatus devoid of 
rigid portions to avoid injury to an associated player employing the game 
apparatus. Examples of prior art structure are set forth in the U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,111,422 to Burcenski where a lawn game is utilized with a stick to 
launch a projectile to a target ring. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,822 to Tsai sets forth an outdoor dart game utilizing a 
sounding chamber at the forward end of the dart. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,713 to Guier sets forth a lawn game with vertically 
slidable targets. 
As such, it may be appreciated that there continues to be a need for a new 
and improved projectile toy apparatus as set forth by the instant 
invention which addresses both the problems of ease of use as well as 
effectiveness in construction and in this respect, the present invention 
substantially fulfills this need. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of toy 
apparatus now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a 
projectile toy apparatus wherein the same is arranged to provide for 
cushioned projectiles to be directed at opposing target rings. As such, 
the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described 
subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved 
projectile toy apparatus which has all the advantages of the prior art toy 
apparatus and none of the disadvantages. 
To attain this, the present invention provides a projectile toy including a 
plurality of opposing target hoops arranged for selective securement to 
upper distal end portions of mounting posts. The projectiles are arranged 
of varying and contrasting colorations utilizing a semi-spherical head 
formed with a conical central tail portion and a rear tail web for manual 
grasping of the projectile to permit its hurtling towards an opposing 
target ring. 
My invention resides not in any one of these features per se, but rather in 
the particular combination of all of them herein disclosed and claimed and 
it is distinguished from the prior art in this particular combination of 
all of its structures for the functions specified. 
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features 
of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that 
follows may be better understood, and in order that the present 
contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, 
additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter 
and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which 
this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the 
designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the 
several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, 
that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions 
insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present 
invention. 
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent 
and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the 
scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar 
with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a 
cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of 
the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention 
of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to 
be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved projectile toy apparatus which has all the advantages of the 
prior art toy apparatus and none of the disadvantages. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved 
projectile toy apparatus which may be easily and efficiently manufactured 
and marketed. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved projectile toy apparatus which is of a durable and reliable 
construction. 
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved projectile toy apparatus which is susceptible of a low cost of 
manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly 
is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby 
making such projectile toy apparatus economically available to the buying 
public. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved projectile toy apparatus which provides in the apparatuses and 
methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while 
simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated 
therewith. 
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various 
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with 
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should 
be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there 
is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 to 17 
thereof, a new and improved projectile toy apparatus embodying the 
principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated 
by the reference numerals 11-39 will be described. 
More specifically, the projectile toy apparatus of the invention 
essentially comprises a plurality of sets of projectile cones including a 
first set of projectile cones 11 and a second set of projectile cones 12. 
Each of the individual projection cones include a semi-spherical head 17 
(see FIGS. 8 and 9), with a conical tail portion extending rearwardly and 
coaxially aligned relative to the semi-cylindrical head. A grasping web 22 
extends rearwardly in coaxial alignment with the conical tail portion 20 
to permit manual grasping of the projectile. A first and second target 
ring 13 and 14 respectively are afforded opposing players that are 
selectively mounted upon a respective first and second mounting post 15 
and 16. 
With reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, the semi-spherical head 17 includes a 
flexible covering to surroundingly enclose a quantity of pellet members 
18, such as beans, plastic beads, and the like, within the semi-spherical 
head 17 bounded by a web floor 19. Extending coaxially relative to the web 
floor is a conical tail portion 20 filled with a fibrous wadding material 
21 to insure cushioning upon impact, be it with the target 13 or 14 or 
another player. In this manner, inadvertent injury is avoided in use of 
the invention. The FIG. 10 illustrates the use of streamer flaps 20a of 
contrasting colorations mounted about the conical tail portion 20. The 
FIG. 11 includes a conical grasping web 22a, wherein the FIGS. 12 and 13 
are provided with a respective first and second spherical head segment to 
include elongate streamer filaments 24 extending rearwardly thereof. 
Alternatively, a spherical shape 25, such as illustrated in FIG. 14, or a 
bullet shape 26, may be utilized. It should be noted, however, that the 
preferred embodiment of the invention employs the projectile structure as 
illustrated in the FIGS. 1, 2, 8, and 9. 
The mounting posts 15 and 16 each include a collar abutment 27 coaxially 
aligned with and spaced below an upper distal end of the respective 
mounting posts, with each mounting post including a pointed lower end 28 
for projection within an underlying ground surface, as illustrated in FIG. 
7. 
The target rings 13 and 14 each include a tubular sleeve 30 that includes a 
post receiving bore 31 therethrough, wherein each bore 31 is tangentially 
oriented relative to each respective target ring. In this manner, the ring 
may be mounted in a vertical orientation, such as illustrated in FIG. 7. 
Alternatively, the ring may be positioned upon a ground surface for 
horizontal orientation. 
The FIG. 16 illustrates the use of a further modified projectile to 
incorporate it with a modified target ring 13a. The target ring includes a 
battery housing 33 fixedly mounted to the tubular sleeve 30 diametrically 
opposed to the mounting of the associated ring structure, with the battery 
housing including at least one, if not a plurality, of batteries 34 to 
effect an electrical communication with arcuate illumination bulbs mounted 
within the housing of the ring 13a to provide illumination during periods 
of limited available light, such as in evening hours. The illumination 
bulbs 35 are denoted as first illumination bulbs and remain illuminated to 
ease viewing of the target. It should be noted that the illumination bulbs 
are arranged to substantially effect in a surrounding relationship 
relative to the central opening of the target ring. 
The modified projectile, as illustrated in FIG. 16, includes a second 
battery 36 contained within the projectile adjacent the head web floor 19. 
Illumination bulb 37 is accordingly in electrical communication with the 
second battery 36 and positioned in contiguous or adjacency relative to 
rear distal ends of a plurality of fiber optic cables 38. The fiber optic 
cables 38 are radially oriented relative to the second illumination bulb 
37 which is concentrically mounted within the semi-spherical head 17. Each 
fiber optic cable 38 is mounted within a cable bore 39 that is also 
radially aligned, wherein upon throwing of the projectiles, as illustrated 
in FIG. 16, the trajectory may be followed by the available lighting from 
the fiber optic cables 38 directed towards the illuminated modified ring 
structure 13a. 
Scoring in play of the game may be formed along arbitrated lines, such as 
providing each player with two points through a successful directioning of 
a projectile through an associated hoop. It should be further noted that 
should all throws be successful in directing a projectile through an 
associated hoop, that player should be awarded a bonus plurality of points 
for such effort. It is contemplated further that the hoops be of 
substantially two feet in diameter for convenience of the players, but it 
is understood that any dimension to accommodate a player's abilities and 
needs may be provided and accordingly various hoops of varying diameters 
may be provided in association with various levels of skill attained by a 
player. 
As to the manner of usage and operation of the instant invention, the same 
should be apparent from the above disclosure, and accordingly no further 
discussion relative to the manner of usage and operation of the instant 
invention shall be provided. 
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the 
optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to 
include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of 
operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to 
one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those 
illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are 
intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the 
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and 
changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired 
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and 
described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may 
be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.