Breath operated dart apparatus including plastic foam quiver means

A blowgun assembly and associated darts capable of long range accurate target application, comprising an elongate launching tube of exceptionally light weight, high rigidity, and dimensional stability along with an associated mouthpiece and a dart quiver affixed to the tube. The darts comprise a metallic wire shaft with an affixed bulbous member at the rear end which serves as an air piston for dart propulsion and also as a stabilizing member during flight of the dart. The blowgun is proportioned so that the dart is propelled by a brief comfortable puff of air into the mouthpiece by the user, without significant strain. Therefore the blowgun assembly is extremely comfortable to use and very accurate so that its sporting use in very enjoyable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field 
The field of the invention is breath operated blowguns and darts and more 
particularly those adapted for sporting target use. 
2. State of the Art 
Relatively crude breath operated dart guns are common in primitive 
societies as hunting weapons for game, the larger game generally requiring 
a poisoned dart for lethal effect. These devices, are made from naturally 
occurring materials and are of limited range and accuracy. Certain 
primitive blowguns are known to be constructed of two pieces of wood, each 
semicircularly grooved and subsequently joined by glue to provide an 
elongate bore of approximately uniform diameter. These devices tend to 
have rough bores, spoiling dart velocity and range. Further, they are 
easily damaged by rough handling, and are susceptible to moisture and heat 
warpage. The projectiles are best characterized as miniature arrows, 
having elongate wooden shafts and feather stabilizers. They are not 
efficiently launched by the breath of the user. Launching tubes of steel, 
copper, or aluminum are similarly not suitable for long range and high 
accuracy. They are either excessively limber or too heavy for accurate 
aiming, tubes with thin walls for acceptable weight being too limber and 
further easily dented and bent. The cost of more rugged, highly tempered 
metal is prohibitive. Extruded tubes of unreinforced plastic are similarly 
fragile and are not sufficiently stable dimensionally, tending to warp or 
flatten with the passage of time, becoming unuseable, or at least of 
reduced range and accuracy. Launching tubes constructed by winding of 
resin impregnated filament tape about an elongate mandrel are stronger and 
more stable, but are also quite expensive. Very expensive composite launch 
tubes of plastic with an outer shell of metal, although quite rigid, are 
too heavy for the easy handling needed for accurate target use. 
The conventional feather stabilized dart is not well adapted for maximum 
range and accuracy. The feather members, longitudinally aligned and 
presenting minimum frontal area, inefficiently utilize the propulsive 
power of the expelled air, since the air flows largely unused around the 
stem through the spaces between the feather elements. The feather elements 
cause unwanted friction within the launching tube, shortening the range. 
They are fragile and therefore not well adapted to repeated use. The 
shafts are of wood or plastic, and must be, for strength and dimensional 
stability, of relatively large diameter, and contribute substantially to 
aerodynamic drag, shortening the range. 
These shortcomings in the prior art have long frustrated efforts to produce 
easily handled dart blowguns sufficiently accurate for target use capable 
of manufacture at reasonable cost. 
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
With the foregoing in mind, the disadvantages of prior art blowguns are 
eliminated or substantially alleviated by providing an exceptionally 
suitable barrel made possible by the discovery of a tube construction 
unexpectedly exhibiting virtually every property needed for extremely 
accurate long range dart propulsion. Also provided are associated darts 
unusually adapted for launch from the tube into stable long range flight, 
by a brief comfortably provided puff of air. 
Preferably, the launching tube is proportioned to efficiently utilize the 
dart launching breath, so that there is no strain upon the user even at 
long ranges. The exceptional rigidity and light weight of the launching 
tube assures accurate, predictable aiming. The unexpectably suitable tube 
construction, not heretofore used or suggested by the prior art, comprises 
a "pultruded" tube of resin impregnated filaments. The pultruded tube 
comprises multiple filaments of glass or other materials impregnated with 
cured resin. Such a tube is constructed by immersing loosely wound rope of 
the filaments into a reservoir of the resin, inserting the end portion of 
the rope about a cylindrical mandrel, and drawing it about the mandrel 
through an external diameter forming die to extrude excess resin and 
compact the filaments together. The resin is subsequently oven cured to 
provide the final pultruded tube. 
The blowgun may be operated by the engagement of the lips about the near 
end of the launching tube. However, it is advantageous for purposes of 
sanitation and aesthetics to provide an enlarged mouthpiece at the 
launching end of the tube adapted to contact the face of the user about 
his mouth, to avoid the transfer of saliva from one user to the next. 
The blowgun preferably further incorporates a dart holding quiver of 
elastic foam affixed, preferably slideably, to or about the exterior of 
the launching tube, the darts being pierced into the foam. 
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide dart 
blowguns and associated darts for enjoyable, accurate target use not 
heretofore found in the art. Other principal objects include providing 
such equipment which is exceptionally durable and rugged and economical to 
manufacture. Other objects include the provision of sanitary mouthpiece 
means and convenient dart carrying means of very light weight.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS 
The long range dart blowgun 10 (FIGS. 1-3) comprises an elongate 
cylindrical launching tube 11, a mouthpiece 12, and an associated dart 
assembly 13 adapted for launch through bore 14 of tube 11 by air (Arrows 
15) expelled from the lungs of the user. A dart holding quiver 16 may be 
affixed to launching tube 11. Dart assembly 13 is inserted within bore 14 
with stabilizer/piston ball 20 at the mouthpiece end 17 of launching tube 
11, with shaft 18 resting in bore 14 toward exit end 19. Ball 20, sized 
for unimpeded passage through bore 14, is impelled along with shaft 18 
through and out of bore 14 by a puff of air 15 from the mouth of the user. 
Preferably, the diameter of ball 20 is such that it substantially but 
loosely fills bore 14 so that it is impelled with substantially the full 
force of air 15 upon its rearwardly disposed surface 21, with negligible 
leakage of air therearound. Smaller stabilizer/pistons 20 may be employed 
with less efficiency of propulsion, and correspondingly decreased exit 
velocity and range. 
After ejection from tube 11, dart 13 is stabilized in flight by ball 20, 
the aerodynamic drag thereon providing a straightening moment about the 
dart assembly center of gravity 22. (FIG. 9) Shaft 18 need not be aligned 
with the axis of bore 14 during launch, since dart 13 is immediately 
aligned with its flight path when it becomes airborne. It is important 
that shaft 18 be of small diameter compared to that of ball 20, so that 
the air resistance in flight is concentrated predominantly upon ball 20. 
Also, the total weight of ball 20 is preferably substantially less than 
that of shaft 18, so that the center of gravity 22 is well removed 
forwardly from ball 20, to assure a substantial stabilizing moment in 
flight. Flight attitude corrections are applied to even very minor 
deviations. FIG. 9 shows the resultant aerodynamic drag 24, the 
stabilizing moment arm 25 and the flight direction 26. Shaft 18 is 
preferably of metallic wire, having a very small diameter compared to that 
of ball 20, along with the rigidity needed to penetrate targets 
efficiently. Of the metallic wires and rods, music wire is most desirable, 
being highly tempered and resistant to permanent bending or kinking. 
The piston/stabilizers 20 may be of various bulb-like shapes including 
cylindrical, conical, cylindrical with conical, spherical or elliptical 
leading end portions or even disc-like shapes including dished shapes 
preferably concave in the direction of flight. (FIGS. 4-8) Preferably, the 
stabilizers 20 are constructed as solids of lightweight materials such as 
plastics, wood, cork, or even paper. However, metals may be utilized in 
the disc shapes, and in other shapes in the form of lightweight shells. 
(not illustrated) Aerodymanic characteristics vary somewhat with shape, 
but all serve as effective stabilizers. With all configurations, dart 13 
is stabilized substantially by the rearwardly directed aerodynamic drag 
(Arrows 23, FIG. 9), rather than by laterally directed lift as would be 
provided by feather-like configurations. 
Launch tube 11 is sized and proportioned for substantially effortless, long 
range, breath propulsion of dart 13. Tubes 11 of excessive diameter cause 
the dissipation of the velocity and pressure of the expelled air, 
decreasing the resulting acceleration and final velocity of dart 13. 
Oversized launch tubes require correspondingly large piston/stabilizers 20 
which have greater drag in flight and further decrease range. Unduly small 
tubes, on the other hand restrict the free flow of air from the lungs, 
causing uncomfortable back pressure within the mouth and lungs and 
restricting the flow of propulsive air. Thus, launching tubes 11 of 
intermediate diameter are greatly preferred for sporting target blowguns, 
since they provide greater range and can be operated with greater 
enjoyment. Preferred bore 14 sizes range from about 5/16 to 5/8 inches in 
diameter, with 1/4 to 3/4 inch being approximately the satisfactory 
limits. 
Launch tube length is important to range, accuracy and user enjoyment. 
Excessively long tubes have greater internal volume, and may require 
uncomfortably long bursts of expelled breath to propel the dart through 
the tube. For higher exit velocity, dart 13 is preferably positively urged 
the full length of launching tube 11 so that its velocity is not 
frictionally reduced before exit. Conversely, if launch tube 11 is too 
short, dart 13 is not fully accelerated before being expelled, and the 
full propulsive power of the comfortably expelled breath is not utilized. 
Within the above discussed range of bore diameters, launch tube lengths 
ranging from approximately 4 feet to approximately 7 feet have proven to 
be most desirable. 
Dart launching tubes have previously been constructed of a wide variety of 
materials. Weight, rigidity, dimensional stability, economy of 
manufacture, and resistance to moisture and impact are recognized 
important factors in the selection of the material. All of the previously 
used state of the art materials require the designer to seriously 
sacrifice desirable blowgun characteristics, none of the available 
materials exhibiting all or even the majority of the desirable 
characteristics. None of the state of the art materials have permitted the 
construction of a durable, economical blowgun accurate enough, and 
sufficiently easy to use, for target use, especially at long ranges. Long, 
small diameter bores 14 are difficult to fabricate from wood to the 
straightness and smoothness required. Impact and moisture resistance are 
both less than desirable. Prefabricated metal tubes must be quite thin for 
acceptably low weight. They are easily dented or permanently bent, and are 
too limber in lengths required. Any local denting or permanent bending 
renders the blowgun 10 useless. Aiming is difficult because of the gravity 
induced curvature when the tube is held cantilevered horizontally. The 
metal tube may oscillate during the aiming process. Any appreciable 
curvature increases the frictional resistance to dart 13, since it must be 
propelled along the curving bore. Tubular members 11 of synthetic extruded 
plastics fulfill the general requirements of lightness of weight, and are 
generally economical. However, shelf and temperature dimensional stability 
are generally not sufficient. They are easily broken, especially if 
formulated for sufficient hardness. If formulated for less hardness, they 
are easily flattened or bent. Mandrel wrapped tubes 11 of resin 
impregnated filament tape are rugged and have good dimensional stability. 
They are, however, basically quite expensive, and do not without 
additional expensive operations have the exterior smoothness required for 
cosmetic appeal. 
The inventor has discovered a launch tube construction previously unused 
and not suggested in the art, which has virtually none of the previously 
discussed shortcomings in the state of the art materials. This new 
material does in fact unexpectedly permit the design of a comfortably 
operated, accurate, dart blowgun capable of target ranges in excess of 60 
feet. State of the art blowguns, on the other hand, are notoriously 
inaccurate at any range over about 15 feet. The new construction comprises 
a "pultruded" tube 11 of glass or carbon filaments in a matrix of cured 
resin. This construction fulfills virtually all the previously discussed 
requirements for launch tube 11. It is of very low density (0.069 lbs./cu. 
in.) and can therefore have substantial wall thickness to avoid limberness 
while remaining of comfortably aimed weight. Aiming is easily accomplished 
without significant sag or curvature, the modulus of elasticity of the 
resin/filament matrix material being 5.3.times.10.sup.6 lbs./in.sup.2. The 
bore is exceptionally smooth and does not require smoothing operations. 
The ruggedness of the tube is outstanding, the tensile strength of the 
pultruded material being over twice that of steel. Tubes of this 
construction are virtually indestructible with normal rough useage, not 
subject to local denting or flattening, and can withstand extremely high 
impact and bending stresses. Yet the pultruded construction is more 
economical than most alternative materials. The "pultrusion" process 
involves the impregnation of prefabricated loosely wound ropes of the 
filaments with liquid resin (FIG. 10). The filament rope 27 is immersed in 
a reservoir 28 of liquid resin 29 and, when the filaments are thoroughly 
coated with the resin, is threaded upon an elongate metallic mandrel 30 
and drawn thereabout through an outside diameter forming die 31 in an 
exterior wall of the reservoir 28 into a resin curing oven 32. Die 31 
squeezes out excess resin 29 and compresses the filaments together 
radially into a compact mass. When resin 29 is subsequently cured, the 
filaments are bound together in a matrix of cured resin to act as a 
structural tubular unit of great strength and rigidity, exceptionally 
suitable for launch tube 11. 
Mouthpiece 12, bulb or funnel shaped to fit around the lips and direct the 
expelled air into tube 11, is advantageously made of plastic, rubber or 
the like and adapted to frictionally engage end 17 of launch tube 11. 
Blowgun 10 is entirely functional without mouthpiece 12, but less 
desirable for aesthetic and sanitary reasons. Quiver 16 is advantageously 
of low density resilient foam with tube engaging bore 16b sized to lightly 
grip tube 11, so that quiver 16 is easily slideable to the user preferred 
location. The foam of quiver 16 is easily pierced by the shafts 18 of 
darts 13, and its weight is desirably negligible. 
The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing 
from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present 
embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative 
and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the 
appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes 
which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are 
therefore intended to be embraced therein.