Repeating rubber band pistol

A repeating rubber band pistol is shown which includes a frame having a barrel and a handle. A handle recess houses a rotary magazine. A plurality of bands can be stretched between a barrel notch and engagement points on the rotary magazine. A trigger element is mounted within the frame recess and allows controlled movement of the rotary magazine to selectively release rubber bands in single fire fashion with successive trigger pulls.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to toy pistols and specifically to a rubber 
band pistol capable of shooting a plurality of rubber bands without 
reloading. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Rubber band pistols have been popular among children for many years. In the 
prior designs, a single rubber band is typically stretched between a band 
engaging region on the barrel and a cooperating region on the handle. A 
trigger element releases the rubber band from the handle engagement 
region, allowing the rubber band to be propelled forwardly from the barrel 
region. 
The present invention has as its object to provide a rubber band pistol 
which allows a plurality of rubber bands to be shot in repeating fashion 
without reloading. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a repeating rubber band 
pistol of simple design which is economical to manufacture. Another object 
of the invention is to provide a rubber band piston which is reliable in 
operation. 
Additional objects, features and advantages will be apparent in the written 
description which follows. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The repeating rubber band pistol of the invention includes a pistol frame 
having a forward, band engaging region and an upwardly facing recess. A 
rotary magazine is located in the upwardly facing recess and has a 
plurality of radially extending elongated arms for engaging rubber bands 
which are stretched between the forward, band engaging region and selected 
ones of the radially extending arms in readiness for shooting. A trigger 
element is pivotally mounted in the frame recess. The trigger element 
includes stop means receivable between selected ones of the radially 
extending arms to prevent rotation of the magazine within the frame recess 
The trigger element is pivotable between a ready position in which the 
stop means prevents rotation of the magazine and a firing position in 
which the stop means allows limited rotation of the magazine to release a 
rubber band for firing. Biasing means, located within the frame recess, 
normally urge the trigger element toward the ready position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
FIG. 1 shows a repeating rubber band pistol of the invention designated 
generally as 11. The pistol 11 includes a frame 13 having a barrel region 
15 attached to a handle region 17. The barrel region 15 has a band 
receiving region, such as forward barrel notch 19, for engaging one end 21 
of a rubber band 23. The handle region 17 also includes an upwardly facing 
recess 25 defined between opposing sidewalls 27, 29. 
A rotary magazine 31 is mounted on an axle 33 extending transverse to the 
opposing sidewalls 27, 29 of the upwardly facing recess 25. The rotary 
magazine 31 is a spindle-like member with the axle 33 comprising a central 
rotational axis. A plurality of radially extending, elongated arms 35 are 
disposed circumferentially about the central rotational axis 33 on the 
magazine 31 for engaging the opposite ends 37 of a plurality of rubber 
bands (one of which is shown in FIG. 1) which are stretched between the 
forward band engaging region 19 and selected ones of the radially 
extending arms 35 in readiness for shooting. 
A trigger element 39 is pivotally mounted in the frame recess 25 on a 
transverse pin 41 which is located within the handle recess between the 
opposing sidewalls 27, 29. The trigger element 39 is pivotally mounted for 
movement between a ready position (FIG. 1) and a firing position (FIG. 2). 
The trigger element includes first and second stop means, such as cam 
regions 43, 45 which are formed on an interior surface of the trigger 
element 47. As shown in FIG. 1, the spaced cam regions 43, 45 form an 
arcuate gap on the interior surface 47, the gap being of a predetermined 
width, whereby only the first cam region 43 is received between selected 
ones 49, 51 of the radially extending arms 35 to prevent rotation of the 
magazine within the frame recess in the ready position. As shown in FIG. 
2, only the second of the cam regions 45 is received between selected ones 
53, 55 of the radially extending arms in the firing position. 
The trigger element 39 includes an exposed region 57 (FIG. 2) which extends 
upwardly above the handle recess 25. The exposed region 57 includes a 
cross-piece 59 slightly larger than the width of the handle recess 25 for 
supporting a portion of the length of a rubber band 23 stretched between 
the barrel notch 19 and the radially extending arm 61 on the rotary 
magazine 31. 
The trigger element 39 also includes a finger engagement region 63, the 
second cam region 45 and the finger engagement region 63 together forming 
a boot-shaped extension which protrudes at least partly from the handle 
recess 25 into a finger guard opening 65. 
The trigger element 39 also includes a downwardly extending flexible leg 67 
which angles away from the trigger element exterior surface 69 at an acute 
angle. The flexible leg 67 is preferably integrally formed with the 
trigger element 39 from a flexible plastic material and has an a proximate 
end 71 and a distal end 73. The distal end 73 is contactable with an 
additional transverse pin 75 located within the handle recess 25 which 
serves as a biasing point for the flexible leg for normally urging the 
trigger element 39 to the ready position shown in FIG. 1. 
In operation, a first rubber band (23 in FIG. 1) has one end stretched 
between the barrel notch 19 and has an opposite end 37 engaged by a 
selected one of the radially extending arms 35 of the rotary magazine 31. 
The rotary magazine 31 can be rotated in a clockwise direction by pressure 
of the user's fingers on the radially extending arms to further stretch 
the rubber band 23, if desired. Additional rubber bands can then be 
stretched between the barrel notch 19 and other of the selected radially 
extending arms 35. Only one rubber band is illustrated in FIG. 1 for 
simplicity. 
In the ready position shown in FIG. 1, the first cam surface 43 engages the 
interior surface of the radially extending arm 49 preventing rotation of 
the magazine 31. The flexible leg 67 contacts the pin 75, urging the 
trigger element to the ready position. 
As the trigger element is pulled (FIG. 2) the first cam region 43 moves 
from beneath the selected arm 49, thereby allowing the rotary magazine 31 
to rotate in a counterclockwise direction until the radial arm 53 
contracts the second cam region 45. The spacing of the first and second 
cam regions 43, 45 allows only a single radially extending arm 49 to move 
past the first cam region 43 as the trigger is pulled. As the trigger 
pressure is released, the resilient nature of the flexible leg 67 biases 
the trigger element about the pin 41 in a clockwise direction to engage 
the first cam region 43 with the next successive radially extending arm 77 
of the rotary magazine 31. Successive trigger pulls release successive 
bands 23 in single fire order. 
An invention has been provided with several advantages. The trigger and 
rotary magazine design allows a plurality of rubber bands to be shot in 
repeating fashion without reloading. The mechanism is simple in design and 
economical to manufacture. The mechanism is durable and reliable in 
operation. 
While the invention has been shown in only one of its forms, it si not thus 
limited but is susceptible to various changes and modifications without 
departing from the spirit thereof.