Patent Publication Number: US-7721722-B1

Title: Water-powered toy guns and method

Description:
The present invention relates generally to toy guns and pertains, more specifically, to a toy gun and method utilized to launch a projectile in response to pressurized air, powered by water under pressure supplied from a readily available source of water under pressure. 
   Toy guns have been popular playthings for a very long time. In particular, toy guns which utilize pressurized air to launch a projectile have gained widespread appeal among both children and adults. Toy guns of this type have been adapted to launch a variety of projectiles, most of which are generally lightweight items, such as synthetic polymeric foam balls, Ping-Pong balls, air-filled balloons, and the like, requiring only modestly elevated air pressure to propel the projectiles over a minimally satisfactory range. 
   Launching a projectile over a longer range requires concomitant higher air pressure, not easily attained with current toy gun constructions and operating procedures. Moreover, the launching of heavier projectiles, such as water-filled balloons, paint balls and similar objects, requires higher air pressure for attaining reasonable results. Further, the repetitive generation of higher air pressure for serial launchings is not easily accomplished in currently available air pressure-operated toy gun constructions and procedures. In general, the effort required to generate higher air pressures in previous toy guns, and to do so repetitively, has discouraged the use of such toy guns beyond the leisurely launching of relatively lightweight projectiles over a modest range. 
   The present invention provides a toy gun and method of operation which overcomes the aforesaid drawbacks of previous toy guns of the type described above. As such, the present invention attains several objects and advantages, some of which are summarized as follows: Provides a toy gun powered by a conveniently available source of water under pressure, such as a garden hose connected to a municipal water supply, a household water supply or a similar source of water under pressure, to generate pressurized air for launching a projectile; enables the launching of serial projectiles repetitively with minimal effort, in response to pressurized air; allows the launch of projectiles of relatively higher weight, such as water-filled balloons, in response to readily-generated pressurized air in a toy gun; launches projectiles over a greater range utilizing pressurized air made readily available in a toy gun; simplifies the operation of a toy gun in which pressurized air is utilized for launching a projectile; reduces the effort needed to establish pressurized air within a toy gun which launches a projectile in response to pressurized air; increases the amusement value of toy guns of the type which launch a projectile in response to pressurized air, by reducing the effort required to establish requisite air pressure within the toy gun; provides a toy gun construction and operating procedure which attains exemplary performance over an extended service life. 
   The above objects and advantages, as well as further objects and advantages, are attained by the present invention, which may be described briefly as a toy gun for launching a projectile in response to pressurized air, the toy gun being powered by water under pressure supplied from an available source of water under pressure, the toy gun comprising: a barrel for launching the projectile; a firing chamber for being coupled with the projectile to be launched, the firing chamber communicating with the barrel; an air chamber; a trigger valve located between the firing chamber and the air chamber for selectively opening and closing communication between the firing chamber and the air chamber; an air compressor communicating with the air chamber for supplying air under pressure to the air chamber; an actuator coupled with the air compressor for operating the air compressor to supply air under pressure to the air chamber; and a water coupling arrangement for coupling the actuator with the source of water under pressure; the actuator being configured for operation in response to water under pressure such that upon introducing water under pressure to the actuator, the actuator will operate the air compressor to supply air under pressure to the air chamber, whereby upon coupling of a projectile with the firing chamber, operation of the trigger valve to selectively open communication between the air chamber and the firing chamber will release air under pressure from the air chamber to the firing chamber for launching the projectile along the barrel. 
   In addition, the present invention provides a method for launching a toy projectile utilizing water under pressure, from an available source of water under pressure, comprising: coupling the projectile with a firing chamber adjacent a barrel; admitting water under pressure from the source of water under pressure into an actuator coupled with an air compressor to create compressed air in response to admitting water under pressure into the actuator; accumulating the compressed air in an air chamber; and subsequently opening communication between the air chamber and the firing chamber, such that the open communication provides the firing chamber with an essentially instantaneous volume of compressed air under pressure sufficient to effect launching of the projectile along the barrel. 

   
     The present invention will be understood more fully, while still further objects and advantages will become apparent, in the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a pictorial view of a toy gun constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the toy gun; 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of a portion  3  of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the toy gun; 
       FIG. 5  is a fragmentary, top, rear, right side pictorial view of the toy gun; 
       FIGS. 6 ,  7  and  8  are diagrammatic longitudinal cross-sectional views illustrating various stages during a cycle of operation of the toy gun; 
       FIGS. 9 ,  10  and  11  are diagrammatic longitudinal cross-sectional views showing further stages during the cycle of operation of the toy gun; 
       FIGS. 12 ,  13  and  14  are diagrammatic longitudinal cross-sectional views showing still further stages during completion of the cycle of operation of the toy gun; 
       FIG. 15  is a front and right side pictorial view of the toy gun; 
       FIG. 16  is rear and left side pictorial view of the toy gun, with portions cut away to show internal details; 
       FIGS. 17 and 18  are fragmentary pictorial views illustrating the preparation of a projectile to be launched by the toy gun; 
       FIGS. 19 and 20  are diagrammatic lateral cross-sectional views showing an optional modification of the toy gun, provided as a safety feature; 
       FIG. 21  is a pictorial view with portions cut away illustrating component parts of a toy gun constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 22  is an enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view showing details of construction of the portion of the embodiment of the toy gun illustrated in  FIG. 21 . 
   

   Referring now to the drawing, and especially to  FIGS. 1 through 4  thereof, a toy gun constructed in accordance with the present invention is shown at  20  and is seen to include a barrel  22  and an operating mechanism  24  integrated with the barrel  22  and selectively operated to effect launching of a projectile along the barrel  22 . In the preferred embodiment, a projectile is to be launched through the barrel  22 , as described below. A stand  30  includes a rear foot  32  mounted for pivotal movement at a rear pivotal connection  34 , and a forward foot  36  affixed to the lower end  38  of a post  40  which extends upwardly from forward foot  36  to a forward pivotal connection  42  which connects post  40  with a slide  44 . 
   Slide  44  is slidable along a track  46  which extends in a direction essentially parallel to the barrel  22  and may be locked in one of several locations along the track  46  by a lock  50  which includes a latch pin  52  selectively engaged with a complementary one of several sockets  54  spaced apart along the length of track  46 . Upon placement of the feet  32  and  36  upon a given surface, such as horizontal ground surface  56 , slide  44  may be freed selectively for movement along track  46  by gripping finger grip  60  of lock  50  and pulling downwardly to flex latch arm  62  of lock  50  and displace latch pin  52  away from track  46 , enabling slide  44  to be moved along track  46  to any selected location where latch pin  52  then can be engaged with a corresponding socket  54  to lock slide  44  in place at the selected location. The lock  50 , together with the pivotal connections  34  and  42 , enables the placement of barrel  22  at a desired angle of inclination  66  for subsequent launching of a projectile, as will be described in detail below. 
   In the illustrated preferred embodiment, once the barrel  22  is placed at the desired angle of inclination  66 , a projectile, shown in  FIG. 5  in the form of a water-filled balloon  70 , is inserted into gun  20  through a loading port  72  adjacent the lower rearward end  74  of the barrel  22 , and the loading port  72  is sealed shut by means of a cover  76  which is fitted over the loading port  72  subsequent to insertion of the balloon  70 . 
   Toy gun  20  is powered by water under pressure supplied by a conveniently available source of water under pressure, such as a garden hose  80  connected to a municipal water supply, a household water supply or a similar source of water under pressure, shown as a water supply  82 . Toy gun  20  is coupled with water supply  82 , through garden hose  80 , by a water coupling arrangement which includes an operating valve assembly in the form of a water valve  90  coupled to garden hose  80  by a coupling  92 . A valve lever  94  operates water valve  90  selectively to power the toy gun  20  as described below in connection with  FIGS. 6 through 8 . 
   Turning first to  FIG. 6 , water valve  90  includes a valve core  100  which is rotated within a valve housing  110  by operation of the valve lever  94 . In the position shown in  FIG. 6 , valve core  100  directs incoming water from the garden hose  80  through a first valve passage  112  to a conduit  114  which passes the incoming water to a first opening  116  in an actuator  120  which includes a water cylinder  122  and a water piston  124  placed within the water cylinder  122  for reciprocating movement in opposite directions  126  along the water cylinder  122 , the movement preferably being longitudinal movement along a linear path of travel  127  between a near end  128  and a far end  129  of the water cylinder  122 . 
   In the preferred arrangement, an air compressor  130  is placed in tandem with actuator  120  and includes an air cylinder  132  and an air piston  134  placed within the air cylinder  132  for reciprocating movement in opposite directions  136  along the air cylinder  132 , the movement preferably being longitudinal movement along a linear path of travel  137  between a near end  138  and a far end  139  of the air cylinder  132 . Air piston  134  is coupled for movement with water piston  124  by a common connecting rod  140  which passes between the water cylinder  122  and the air cylinder  132 , through a seal  142  located at the far end  129  of the water cylinder  122  which, in the illustrated embodiment, is coincident with the near end  138  of air cylinder  132 . 
   As water under pressure enters water cylinder  122  through opening  116 , adjacent near end  128  of the water cylinder  122 , water piston  124  is driven along water path of travel  127 , as seen in  FIG. 7 , moving air piston  134  along air path of travel  137  and compressing air in the air cylinder  132 . A vent  144  at the near end  138  of the air cylinder  132  enables ambient air to enter air cylinder  132  during such movement of the air piston  134  so that the movement of the air piston  134  is not impeded. The compressed air passes through an air valve in the form of a check valve  150  located at the far end  139  of the air cylinder  132  and into an air chamber  152 . Continued movement of water piston  124  brings the water piston  124  adjacent to the far end  129  of water cylinder  122  and moves the air piston  124  to adjacent the far end  139  of the air cylinder  132 , as seen in  FIG. 8 . Compressed air is accumulated in air chamber  152  where the accumulated compressed air remains captive by virtue of check valve  150 . In short, the compressed air in air chamber  152  has been generated readily by the pressure available at the convenient source provided by water supply  82 , merely by operating valve lever  94 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 9 , insertion of balloon  70  through loading port  72 , as described above in connection with  FIG. 5 , has coupled balloon  70  with a firing chamber  160  located at the lower end  74  of the barrel  22 , and the loading port  72  is sealed shut by cover  76 . A trigger valve  162  is located between the air chamber  152  and the firing chamber  160  and is seen to include a gate  164  mounted for sliding movement within a complementary seat  166  and biased by a leaf spring  168  (also see  FIG. 16 ) into an upper position, as illustrated in  FIG. 9 . Gate  164  carries an aperture  170  which passes through the gate  164 , and seat  166  includes ports  172  and  173  aligned with one another and together providing an air passage  174  between air chamber  152  and firing chamber  160 , which air passage  174  is closed by gate  164  when gate  164  is in the upper position. 
   When it is desired to launch balloon  70 , trigger valve  162  is operated by rapidly pushing down upon a lobe  180  at the upper end of gate  164 , the lobe  180  being integral with the gate  164  and providing a comfortable purchase against which a person&#39;s hand (not shown) can exert a quick and effective force F to overcome the bias of leaf spring  168  and move the gate  164  rapidly to a lower position, as shown in  FIG. 10 . At the lower position of gate  164 , aperture  170  is aligned with ports  172  and  173 , and the compressed air accumulated in air chamber  152  is released through air passage  174  into firing chamber  160 . The size of air passage  174 , established by aperture  170  and ports  172  and  173 , enables the release of compressed air into firing chamber  160  to provide an essentially instantaneous volume of air under elevated pressure sufficient to propel balloon  70  along the barrel  22 , as seen in  FIG. 10 , and effect launching of the balloon  70  at the mouth  184  of barrel  22 , as illustrated in  FIG. 11 . 
   Upon completion of a launch, as described immediately above, valve lever  94  is operated to rotate valve core  100  of water valve  90  so as to open communication between garden hose  80  and a second opening  190  in water cylinder  122  of actuator  120 , through a second valve passage  192  in valve core  100  and a further conduit  194 , as seen in  FIG. 12 . Water under pressure then is directed to water piston  124 , between the water piston  124  and the far end  129  of water cylinder  122 , moving water piston  124  in the direction from the far end  129  of the water cylinder  122  toward the near end  128  of the water cylinder  122 , as seen in  FIG. 13 . At the same time, the first valve passage  112  of the valve core  100  opens communication between the first opening  116  and a drain  198 , enabling the water which filled the water cylinder  122  between the water piston  124  and the near end  128  of the water cylinder  122  to be driven out of the water cylinder  122 , through conduit  114 , for discard through a discard orifice  199  located adjacent mouth  184  of barrel  22 , via a discard water line  197  which communicates with water valve  90  at drain  198  (see  FIG. 15 ), and returning the water piston  124  to the initial position, as illustrated in  FIG. 14 , in readiness for another cycle of operation. As the water piston  124  is returned to the initial position, so to is the air piston  134  returned to the initial position, as shown in  FIG. 14 , drawing a fresh charge of air into air cylinder  132  through a second air valve in the form of a check valve  200  (see  FIGS. 9 and 10 ) at the far end  139  of the air cylinder  132 , while exhausting air from between the air piston  134  and the near end  138  of the air cylinder  132  through vent  144 . The toy gun  20  thus is made ready for another launching operation. It is pointed out that actuator  120  selectively may be operated through multiple cycles prior to launching a single balloon  70  so as to supply increased amounts of compressed air to air chamber  152 , with concomitant higher launching pressures, prior to operating trigger valve  162  to launch the balloon  70 . 
   In order to increase the effectiveness of compressed air in driving balloon  70  out of firing chamber  160 , the firing chamber  160  preferably is primed with some water, placed behind the balloon  70 , as shown at  210  in  FIG. 9 . To that end, a small amount of water can be introduced into firing chamber  160 , either by pouring water through barrel  22  or through loading port  72 , prior to placing balloon  70  into the firing chamber  160 . Alternately, with reference to  FIGS. 15 and 16 , a small volume of water can be introduced into the firing chamber  160  through a water line, shown in the form of priming line  212 , which communicates with water valve  90  at the drain  198 . Thus, upon operation of the actuator  120  to move the water piston  124  from the near end  128  toward the far end  129  of the water cylinder  122 , as described in connection with  FIGS. 6 through 8 , water in water cylinder  124  which remains between water piston  124  and the far end  129  of the water cylinder  122  from a previous cycle of operation of toy gun  20  as described above, is injected into firing chamber  160 , behind balloon  70 , by means of a small priming orifice  214  which communicates with the priming line  212 . Excess water is discarded through discard orifice  199 , via the discard water line  197 . 
   While the priming orifice  214  is of adequate size to pass a sufficient volume of priming water into the firing chamber  160 , the very small size of the priming orifice  214 , together with the water-filled priming line  212 , prevents any significant flow of air under pressure out of the firing chamber  160  through the priming orifice  214 , thereby precluding any deleterious diminishing of the effectiveness of the compressed air in launching the balloon  70 , as described above. As seen in  FIG. 10 , the small amount of water previously placed in the firing chamber  160 , behind the balloon  70  as shown at  210  in  FIG. 9 , becomes entrained in the compressed air released from air chamber  152  into firing chamber  160 , as illustrated at  216  and travels along the barrel  22  to be expelled at the mouth  184  of the barrel  22 , as illustrated in  FIG. 11  at  218 . 
   Turning now to  FIGS. 17 and 18 , toy gun  20  may be provided with a convenient facility for filling a balloon to create a projectile in the form of water-filled balloon  70 . To that end, a filler water valve  220  is branched off a filler pipe, shown in the form of inlet pipe  222 , placed between the garden hose  80  and the water valve  90 . A fitting  224  on the filler water valve  220  enables the temporary coupling of a balloon B with the filler water valve  220  allowing selected entry of water under pressure into balloon B, as illustrated in  FIG. 18 , to establish an appropriate projectile in the form of water-filled balloon  70 . 
   An optional safety feature is illustrated in  FIGS. 19 and 20 , wherein an alternate barrel  22 A is shown provided with a lateral cross-sectional configuration which is slightly out-of-round. In this manner, a dangerously hard, inflexible or heavy spherical projectile SP, such as a billiard ball, a baseball, a bowling ball, a croquette ball, a boule or the like, or any one of a variety of cylindrical objects, will not fill the entire lateral cross-sectional area of the barrel  22 A, leaving some clearance CL between the projectile SP and the barrel wall  230 , as illustrated in  FIG. 19 . Much of the air under pressure released from the air chamber  152  into the firing chamber  160  then will bypass the projectile SP and the pressure behind the projectile SP will be insufficient to launch the projectile SP with any significant force. However, as seen in  FIG. 20 , water-filled balloon  70  is flexible and conformable, and will fill the lateral cross-sectional area of barrel  22 A, thus precluding such clearance between the water-filled balloon  70  and the barrel wall  230  as otherwise might impede launching of the water-filled balloon  70  as described above. 
   In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 21 and 22 , compressed air is supplied to the air chamber  152  during movement of the air piston  134  in each of the two opposite directions  136 . Thus, an air duct  240  is extended between the near end  138  of the air cylinder  132  and the air chamber  152 . Another air valve in the form of a check valve  244  is placed between far end  246  of air duct  240  and air chamber  152 , adjacent the far end  139  of air cylinder  132 . In addition, a further air valve in the form of a check valve  248  is placed at vent  144 . 
   Upon admitting water under pressure to actuator  120  so as to move water piston  124  and air piston  134  in the direction toward respective far ends  129  and  139  of the water cylinder  122  and the air cylinder  132 , as described in connection with  FIGS. 6 through 8 , compressed air will be driven into air chamber  152 , through check valve  150 , as before, with check valve  244  precluding the flow of compressed air from the air chamber  152  into the air duct  240 . At the same time, a fresh charge of ambient air is admitted into air cylinder  132 , between air piston  134  and near end  138  of air cylinder  132 , through vent  144 , as permitted by check valve  248 . However, upon return of the water piston  124  and the air piston  134  toward the respective near ends  128  and  138  of the water cylinder  122  and the air cylinder  132 , as described in connection with  FIGS. 12 through 14 , rather than air being exhausted from air cylinder  132  through vent  144 , the flow of air through vent  144  is precluded by check valve  248 , and air from between the air piston  134  and the near end  138  of the air cylinder  132  is passed through a further port  250  at near end  138 , into air duct  240  and into air chamber  152 , as permitted by check valve  244 . In this manner, compressed air is generated during movement of the water piston  124  in each of the two directions  126 , and the air piston  134  in each of the two directions  136 , thereby establishing a “double-action” which increases the supply of compressed air to the air chamber  152  during each complete cycle of operation of actuator  120 . 
   As an added safety feature, a pressure-relief valve  260  is placed in the wall  262  of air chamber  152  to preclude the build-up of excessive air pressure within the air chamber  152 . The actuator  120  can be operated through multiple cycles of operation to pass greater volumes of compressed air into air chamber  152 , as desired; however, dangerously high air pressure within air chamber  152  is precluded by pressure-relief valve  260 . 
   It will be seen that the present invention attains all of the objects and advantages summarized above, namely: Provides a toy gun powered by a conveniently available source of water under pressure, such as a garden hose, to generate pressurized air for launching a projectile; enables the launching of serial projectiles repetitively with minimal effort, in response to pressurized air; allows the launch of projectiles of relatively higher weight, such as water-filled balloons, in response to readily-generated pressurized air in a toy gun; launches projectiles over a greater range utilizing pressurized air made readily available in a toy gun; simplifies the operation of a toy gun in which pressurized air is utilized for launching a projectile; reduces the effort needed to establish pressurized air within a toy gun which launches a projectile in response to pressurized air; increases the amusement value of toy guns of the type which launch a projectile in response to pressurized air, by reducing the effort required to establish requisite air pressure within the toy gun; provides a toy gun construction and operating procedure which attains exemplary performance over an extended service life. 
   It is to be understood that the above detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention are provided by way of example only. Various details of design, construction and procedure may be modified without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.