Patent Publication Number: US-2015083101-A1

Title: Toy launch apparatus with safety valve

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application which claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119(e) and 120 to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/881,595, filed Sep. 24, 2013. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a toy launch apparatus, and, more particularly, to a toy launch apparatus that has a very efficient safety valve to prevent operation of the launch apparatus unless a projectile of predetermined shape is inserted. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Toys and other devices that discharge objects have been designed in the past with various housing and internal elements. These devices are designed to discharge specifically design projectiles that eliminate or greatly reduce bodily injury and property damage. Undesirable objects for such devices may include hard and/or sharp items, such as pencils or marbles. To insure that users do not succeed in inserting workable objects into discharge devices that are dangerous and/or destructive, safety features have been developed. One such safety feature is found in a patent issued in 1996 to D&#39;Andrade, U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,050, and entitled “Safety Nozzle For Projectile Shooting Air Gun.” The &#39;050 patent purports to disclose a safety mechanism having a nozzle with a front portion  111  and a rear portion  103  and a movable valve element  121  biased by a spring  141  against a hollow launch tube  115 . The valve element is located in the path of airflow from an inlet  105  to a hollow chamber  117  inside the launch tube. The valve element  121  has a cross shaped configuration with air passage openings  127 ,  129 ,  131 ,  143  above and below the horizontal arm of the cross. To operate, forward extending posts  123 ,  125  are engaged by a rear portion of a hollow projectile  161  when the projectile is inserted into the nozzle. The projectile pushes the posts  123 ,  125  rearward, and the posts push the valve element  121  rearward against the biasing spring. This opens the air passageway around the cross-shaped valve element. When pressurized air is introduced through the inlet  105  the projectile is discharged, and with the projectile discharged, the biasing spring closes the valve element against the launch tube. 
     The valve element does not open unless the inserted projectile has a predetermined shape that allows engagement with the two posts. However, a problem with the nozzle and the valve element is that the air pressure generated by a launch spring must bear against and flow around the valve element before reaching the projectile to cause discharge. This airflow route causes a pressure drop, a loss of energy that is not desirable or efficient. 
     The inventions discussed in connection with the described embodiments below address these and other deficiencies of the prior art. The features and advantages of the present inventions will be explained in or become apparent from the following summary and description of the preferred embodiments considered together with the accompanying drawings. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, an advantageous method and apparatus are provided in the form of a toy launch apparatus that is designed to discharge soft foam projectiles. The launcher includes an efficient safety valve to prevent many unacceptable or undesirable objects from being inserted into the launcher and yet minimizes a pressure drop in operation. The launch apparatus is easily operated, even by young children, and requires a properly designed projectile to be inserted, a slide to be moved rearward to cock a launch spring, and a trigger pull to be actuated. The launch apparatus with the safety valve also has the advantages of being relatively simple, easy to operate, fun to use, safe, relatively inexpensive, compact and yet, structurally robust. 
     Briefly summarized, the invention relates to a toy launch apparatus with a safety valve including a housing, a dart receiving structure mounted in the housing, an air passageway structure mounted in the housing in communication with the dart receiving structure, the air passageway structure including a peripheral wall with an outer surface, a rearward end open to air flow through the air passageway, the wall extending forward from the rearward end, and a port in the wall, a valve sleeve slideable along the outer surface of the wall between a first position blocking the port in the wall to air flow, and a second position spaced away from the port and spaced away from air flow through the air passageway. 
     The invention also relates to a method for making a toy launch apparatus with a safety valve, the steps of the method including forming a housing, mounting a dart receiving structure in the housing, forming an air passageway structure in the housing, the air passageway including an open rearward end, a peripheral wall extending forward and a port in the wall, placing the air passageway structure in communication with the dart receiving structure, forming a blocking structure having a flange, mounting the blocking structure to the peripheral wall, the blocking structure being movable between a forward position to block the port and a rearward position to unblock the port, and when in the rearward position the blocking structure is spaced from air flow through the passageway structure, mounting a valve spring to the blocking structure to bias the blocking structure to the forward position, mounting a cylinder in the housing, the cylinder being in communication with the air passageway structure, and mounting a piston in the cylinder. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the invention, the accompanying drawings and detailed description illustrate preferred embodiments thereof, from which the invention, its structures, its construction and operation, its processes, and many related advantages may be readily understood and appreciated. 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a toy launch apparatus in the form of a toy rifle. 
         FIG. 2  is an isometric view the toy rifle shown in  FIG. 1 , with part of the housing removed to reveal internal mechanisms. 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged isometric view of a rearward portion of the toy rifle shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a diagrammatic side elevation view of the portion of the toy rifle shown in  FIG. 3 , highlighting certain internal mechanisms and a disengaged dart magazine. 
         FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic side elevation view of the internal mechanisms shown in  FIG. 4 , including a cylinder and a piston, and the disengaged dart magazine, but without an outline of a rifle housing. 
         FIG. 6  is a diagrammatic side elevation view like that shown in  FIG. 5 , but with the dart magazine connected to the rifle, a launch spring in a relaxed configuration, and a dart in the magazine aligned with a dart tube in the rifle. 
         FIG. 7  is a diagrammatic side elevation view like those shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , but with a cocking handle drawn partially rearward, the launch spring partially compressed, a return spring partially extended, an air chamber partially formed in the cylinder, and the dart tube partially positioned around the dart. 
         FIG. 8  is a diagrammatic side elevation view like those shown in  FIGS. 5-7 , but with the cocking handle drawn fully rearward, the launch spring fully compressed, the return spring fully extended, the air chamber fully formed and the dart fully received by the dart tube. 
         FIG. 9  is a diagrammatic side elevation view like those shown in  FIGS. 5-8 , but with the cocking handle returned forward after the toy rifle is fully cocked. 
         FIG. 10  is a diagrammatic side elevation view like those shown in  FIGS. 5-9 , but after a trigger is pulled, such that the launch spring is partially extended and the air chamber is partly contracted, but with the return spring still fully extended. 
         FIG. 11  is a diagrammatic side elevation view like those shown in  FIGS. 5-10 , where the launch spring is relaxed and the air chamber is fully contracted, and the return spring remains fully extended. 
         FIG. 12  is a diagrammatic side elevation view like those shown in  FIGS. 5-11 , where the return spring is relaxed after pulling the dart tube and the cylinder rearward to the positions shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 13  is an isometric view of another toy launch apparatus in the form of a toy gun. 
         FIG. 14  is a diagrammatic side elevation view of a cylinder, a piston, a dart tube and featuring a safety valve in an open configuration. 
         FIG. 15  is an enlarged view taken within the circle  15 - 15  of  FIG. 14 . 
         FIG. 16  is a diagrammatic side elevation view like that shown in  FIG. 14 , where the safety valve is in a closed configuration. 
         FIG. 17  is an enlarged view taken within the circle  17 - 17  of  FIG. 16 . 
         FIG. 18  is an isometric view of a stationary valve component of the safety valve. 
         FIG. 19  is an elevation view of the stationary valve component shown in  FIG. 18 . 
         FIG. 20  is an isometric view of a slideable valve component of the safety valve. 
         FIG. 21  is a side elevation view of the slideable valve component shown in  FIG. 20 . 
         FIG. 22  is a front elevation view of the slideable valve component shown in  FIGS. 20 and 21 . 
         FIG. 23  is a diagrammatic elevation view of an alternative version of the dart tube and safety valve. 
         FIG. 24  is a flow diagram of a method for making a toy launch apparatus with the safety valve. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     The following description is provided to enable those skilled in the art to make and use the described embodiments set forth in the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention. Various modifications, equivalents, variations, and alternatives, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Any and all such modifications, variations, equivalents, and alternatives are intended to fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is illustrated a toy launch apparatus in the form of a toy dart-launching rifle  10  having an outer shell or housing  12  including a barrel portion  14  in a forward end portion of the rifle, a grip portion  16 , and a shoulder stock portion  18  in a rearward end portion of the rifle. The rifle  10  also includes a trigger  20 , a bolt or cocking handle  22  and a mountable magazine  24  filled with darts. The toy launch apparatus may have the appearance of a stylized rifle as shown, of a more realistic rifle, of a gun (as shown in  FIG. 13 ), or of any other fanciful weapon. The darts in the magazine are preferably formed of soft foam such as those marketed under the brand NERF®. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , there are shown internal mechanisms mounted to the toy rifle  10 , including a cylinder  30  and a piston  32 . The cylinder  30  has a rear portion  36  and a front portion  38 . The piston  32  is at a rear end portion  40  of an inner tube  42  that is mounted in the cylinder and that supports an air passageway structure in the form of an elongated pipe  44  having a tubular air passageway  46 . The air passageway  46  extends from the piston  32  forward to communicate with a loaded dart. A launch spring  48  is mounted between the front portion  38  of the cylinder  30  and the piston  32  to provide energy for launching a dart. The arrangement of the cylinder  30  and the piston  32  allows relative movements between them as will be explain in more detail below. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , both the cylinder and the piston are movable but air is compressed when the cylinder  30  moves toward the piston  32  that is stationary. 
     The inner tube  42  includes a front-end portion  50 . The inner tube front-end portion  50  supports a front bushing  52  for mounting and supporting a front-end portion  54  of the elongated pipe  44 . The rear end portion  40  of the inner tube  42  supports a rear bushing  56 . The rear bushing  56  mounts and supporting a rear end portion  58  of the elongated pipe  44 . Also, mounted to the rear bushing  56  is the piston  32  having an O-ring mounting  60  and an O-ring seal  62 . A dart receiving structure in the form of a dart tube  64  is mounted to the front bushing  52 . The dart tube replaces a bolt of a real rifle using metal-jacketed ammunition and eliminates the problem of soft darts jamming against one another. 
     The rear portion  36  of the cylinder  30  forms with the piston  32  an air chamber  70  between them, and air in the air chamber  70  is able to communicate with the dart tube  64  through the piston  32 , the rear bushing  56 , the air passageway  46  in the pipe  44 , and the front bushing  52 . The cylinder  30  is slideable relative to the piston  32  between an extended position, shown in  FIG. 9 , and a refracted position, shown in  FIG. 11 , such that the volume of the air chamber  70  is variable as a function of the position of the cylinder  30  relative to the piston  32 . 
     The cylinder  30  also includes longitudinally extending slot-shaped air ports, such as the ports  72 ,  74 ,  FIG. 3 , to allow air from the air chamber  70  to easily escape as the air chamber contracts during relative movement of the cylinder and the piston, thereby allowing the moving element, the cylinder in the  FIGS. 1-3 , embodiment, to gather momentum after the trigger  20  is pulled. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the rifle  10  is shown in diagrammatic form stripped of some elements for clarity, and with the magazine  24  detached from the rifle. When the magazine is inserted into a rifle breech  94 , a dart, such as the top dart  84 , is located in a launch chamber  92  aligned with the dart tube  64 , as well as the cylinder  30  and the inner tube  42 . Before cocking, the dart tube  64 , the inner tube  42  with the piston  32 , and the cylinder  30  are in rearward positions as shown. To cock the rifle, additional elements to those already mentioned are present, including a linkage in the form of a first rack  100 , a second rack  102  and a gear train  104  connecting the first and second racks. The cocking handle  22  is connected to the first rack  100  and when an operator moves the handle rearward, the first rack  100  also moves rearward. The rearward motion of the first rack  100  is converted by the gear train  104  to forward motion of the second rack  102 , and when the handle  22  is returned forward to complete cocking of the rifle, the first rack  100  returns forward and because of the gear train  104  the second rack  102  returns rearward. When the second rack moves forward, the launch spring  48  is compressed as the piston  32  and the dart tube  64  move forward, while the cylinder stays stationary. A first fastener, including a pivot bar  108  mounted to the housing for engagement with a cross bar  110  mounted on the dart tube  64 , restrains the dart tube  64  and the piston  32  in forward positions. In the meantime, a second fastener, including a sear  114  mounted to the housing and a tab  116  mounted to the cylinder  30 , restrains the cylinder  30  in a rearward position. 
     A return spring  120 ,  FIG. 4 , is connected at one end to the housing  12  at a post  122 ,  FIG. 3 , and at an opposite end to the cross bar  110 . When the dart tube  64  moves to its forward position the return spring  120  is extended to create a biasing force to return the dart tube to its rearward position. It is noted that this differs from the launch spring  48 , which creates a launching force by being compressed. The trigger  20  is connected to a link  124 ,  FIG. 4 , which is connected to the sear  114 . When an operator pulls the trigger  20 , the link  124  retracts the sear  114  away from the tab  116  and the cylinder  30  snaps forward as the launch spring  48  extends. When the cylinder reaches its forward position, an abutment structure in the form of a nose ramp  125 ,  FIG. 3 , mounted to the cylinder engages and lifts the pivot bar  108  to allow the return spring  120  to bias the dart tube  64 , the inner tube  42  with the piston  32 , as well as the cylinder  30  to their rearward positions to allow spring loading of the next dart from the magazine  24 . This automatic retraction is an important feature of the invention. 
     A magazine latch and release mechanism  126  is mounted to the housing  12  and functions to latch the magazine  24  with a spring biased pin  127  that engages structure around an opening  128  in the magazine. A lever actuator  129  is mounted to the housing to retract the pin  127  when pressed so that the magazine  24  is released or disengaged from the rifle. A small barrier panel  130 ,  FIG. 3 , is positioned just forward of the launch chamber  92  to prevent unwanted forward movement of a loaded dart. When the dart tube  64  is moved fully forward during the process of cocking rifle, the barrier panel  130  pivots to a lowered position to allow the dart to discharge. 
     The general operation of the rifle is explained in more detail with reference to  FIGS. 5-12 . The illustration shown in  FIG. 5  is the same as the illustration shown in  FIG. 4 , except that the portion of the housing outline shown in  FIG. 4  has been eliminated for clarity. In  FIG. 5 , the dart tube  64 , the inner tube  42 , and the cylinder  30  are in their rearward positions, and the cylinder is restrained by the engagement of the sear and tab fastener  114 ,  116 . The cocking handle  22  is in a forward position and the launch spring  48  is in a relaxed configuration. When the magazine is engaged with the rifle by being inserted into the breech  94 ,  FIG. 4 , the uppermost dart  84  becomes aligned with the dart tube  64  as shown in  FIG. 6 , and the pin  134  mounted to the housing is received by the opening  128  in the magazine. Referring now to  FIG. 7 , the cocking handle  22  is shown drawn part way rearward causing the first rack  100  to move rearward, and the second rack  102 , the dart tube  64 , and the inner tube  42  with the piston  32  to move forward while the cylinder  30  remains stationary, resulting in the launch spring  48  being partially compressed between the piston  32  and the forward portion  38  of the cylinder  30 . 
     When the cocking handle  22  is drawn fully rearward, as shown in  FIG. 8 , the dart tube  64  and the inner tube  42  with the piston  32  have moved fully forward with the dart tube  64  enclosing the dart  84 . The launch spring  48  is fully compressed to provide the launch force for discharging the dart. The return spring  120  is fully extended to move the dart tube rearward when released. The cylinder  30  remains restrained by the sear and tab fastener  114 ,  116 , and the pivot bar and cross bar fastener  108 ,  110  becomes engaged so that the dart tube  64  and the inner tube  42  are restrained forward while the cylinder  30  is restrained rearward. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 9 , the cocking handle  22  has been returned forward by the operator to complete a full cocking cycle of the rifle. When the cocking handle  22  is returned to the forward position, the first rack  100  and the second rack  102  are returned to their original positions by operation of the handle  22  and the gear train  104 . The dart tube  64  and the inner tube  42  with the piston  32  remain fully forward in a restrained condition, the launch spring  48  remains fully compressed, the return spring  120  remains fully extended and the cylinder  30  remains rearward also in a restrained condition. 
     When the operator pulls the trigger  20 , the link  124  retracts the sear  114 ,  FIG. 10 . The sear  114  slides away from the tab  116 , and the cylinder  30  is release to snap forward. The launch spring  48  pushes on the front portion  38  of the cylinder  30  causing the cylinder to move forward quickly while the piston remains stationary. The movement of the cylinder is allowed to proceed initially with little or no resistance so as to gain momentum, an important feature of the toy rifle. The movement of the cylinder  30  relative to the piston  32  causes the air chamber  70  to contract quickly through a cylinder first portion resulting in momentum gain of the cylinder, but when the piston  32  enters a cylinder second portion, the ports  72 ,  74  are closed (because the ports are to the right of the piston&#39;s position) and pressure increases quickly. The high pressure is communicated through the air passageway  46  to the dart  84 . As the cylinder reaches its forward position shown in  FIG. 11 , the nose ramp  125 ,  FIGS. 3 and 11 , strikes and disengages the pivot bar  108  from the cross bar  110 . 
     Once the pivot bar and the cross bar fastener  108 ,  110  is disengaged, the return spring  120  starts to move the dart tube  64 , the inner tube  42 , and the cylinder  30  to their rearward positions. Thereafter, as shown in  FIG. 12 , the sear  114  reengages the tab  116  of the cylinder  30 . With the dart tube  64  removed from the loading chamber  92 , the magazine  24  may spring load another dart into the loading chamber, or if the magazine is empty or nearly so, the magazine  24  may be separated or disengaged from the rifle by pressing the magazine release actuator  126  and a fresh magazine may be engaged without the operator having to move a bolt or handle or take any action at all, a major advantage that allows for quick reloading during play. 
     An important feature of the present invention is an improved safety valve  200 ,  FIGS. 14-22 . Referring now to  FIG. 14 , there is shown in a diagrammatic drawing, a housing in the form of a cylinder  202 , a rearward located piston  204 , and a dart receiving structure in the form of a forward located dart tube  206 . The safety valve includes a stationary valve component  208 ,  FIGS. 14 ,  16 ,  18  and  19 . The stationary valve component  208  includes an upstream tube portion  210 ,  FIGS. 18 and 19 , where the tube portion  210  includes an outer surface  212  and an upstream or rearward open end  214  bordered with a J-shaped spring seat  216 . The tube portion  210  also includes four openings or ports  220 ,  222 ,  224 ,  226 . Downstream of the four ports is an integral elongated spike  230  for receiving a tubular dart  232 . The dart  232  fits around or over the spike  230 . 
     A slideable valve component  234 ,  FIGS. 20-22  (drawn at twice the scale of the stationary valve component  208 ,  FIGS. 18 and 19 ), includes a tubular sleeve portion  236  mounted around the tube portion  210  of the stationary valve component  208  to slide along the outer surface  212  from a rearward open position shown in  FIGS. 14 and 15 , to a forward closed position shown in  FIGS. 16 and 17 . Downstream of the sleeve portion  236 ,  FIGS. 20-22 , are a flange  238  and extension structures, such as four spaced apart fingers  240 ,  242 ,  244 ,  246 . The flange  238  and the fingers  240 ,  242 ,  244 ,  246  are integral with and extend forward from the sleeve portion  236 . When a dart, such as the dart  232 , is loaded into the dart tube  206 , a rear surface  248  of the loaded dart  232  engages the fingers  240 ,  242 ,  244 ,  246  and pushes the sleeve portion  236  of the slideable valve component  234  rearward or upstream to the open position. When opened, high-pressure air flowing through the open end  214  of the tube portion  210  passes through the ports  220 ,  222 ,  224 ,  226  to the dart. 
     A valve spring  250  positioned between the spring seat  216  of the stationary valve component  208  and the flange  238  of the slideable valve component  234  pushes or biases the slideable valve component  234  forward to the closed position (see  FIGS. 16 and 17 ) when a dart is absent from the dart tube  206  so that the launch apparatus cannot be used to easily discharge an undesirable and/or potentially dangerous object. If an object is unable to move the slideable valve component  234 , air entering the tube portion  210  of the stationary valve component  208  cannot escape through the ports  220 ,  222 ,  224 ,  226  into the dart tube  206  because the sleeve portion  236  of the slideable valve component  234  provides a cover. When the dart  232  is loaded into the dart tube  206  over the spike  230 , the dart bears against and pushes the fingers  240 ,  242 ,  244 ,  246  of the slideable valve component  234  and the sleeve portion  236  moves rearward to uncover and open the ports  220 ,  222 ,  224 ,  226 . 
     When the sleeve portion  236  is in the open position, air flowing through the safety valve proceeds mostly or entirely unimpeded as symbolized by arrows  252 ,  254 ,  FIG. 15 . The sleeve portion  236  is essentially moved out of the airflow stream as can be seen. Unlike earlier safety valves, there is no interference by a movable valve component with the dart-discharging airflow being pushed downstream by the piston  204  so that more energy is delivered to the dart for discharge. In the prior art, high-pressure air from the piston discharges a dart but also closes the valve because the movable valve component is placed in the path of the flowing air. (See U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,050 identified above.) In the improved safety valve of the present invention almost no energy of the airflow is dissipated by safety valve. Once the dart is discharged, the valve spring  250  alone pushes the slideable valve component  234  forward downstream to the closed position as shown in  FIGS. 16 and 17 . 
     An alternative safety valve  260  is shown in  FIG. 23 , where the stationary valve component  208   a  and the slideable valve component  234   a  may be essentially identical (or modified slightly) from the components already described to handle thin walled darts, such as the dart  262 . For example, the spaced fingers, of which two fingers  240   a,    244   a  are shown, of the slideable valve component  234   a  may have thicker or expanded contact surfaces, such as the surfaces  264 ,  266 , to insure engagement with the thin walled dart  262 . 
     To prevent high-pressure discharge air from escaping down the dart tube  206   a  around a loaded dart, an O-ring seal  268  may be placed in the dart tube  206   a  downstream or forward of the slideable valve component  234   a.  The seal  268  compensates for slight gaps between the outer wall of the dart and the inner wall of the dart tube. The seal may also compensate should the high-pressure discharge air distort the thin walled dart momentarily. 
     O-ring  270  is used to prevent air leaks and an O-ring  272  may be used to act as a shock absorber for the rapidly moving piston  204   a  in the cylinder  202   a.  Identical O-rings are shown in  FIGS. 14-17 . 
     An alternative embodiment of a launch apparatus is illustrated in  FIG. 13 . Instead of the rifle  10 , the toy launch apparatus takes the form of a somewhat stylized gun  300  having a housing or shell  302  with a barrel portion  304  and a grip portion  306 . The gun  300  includes a trigger  308 , a cocking handle  310  and an interior magazine that loads from the top. The gun  300  also includes a cylinder mounted to the housing  302 , a piston mounted in the cylinder, a launch spring mounted in the cylinder rearward of the piston and a dart receiving structure mounted forward of the piston. Unlike the operation of the rifle  10 , in the gun  300  embodiment the cylinder remains stationary and the piston moves to create the relative motion between them. Like the rifle  10 , the dart receiving structure moves between a rearward position to allow a dart to be loaded so that the dart and the dart receiving structure are aligned, and a forward position to receive a first dart and also prevent loading of a second dart before the first dart is discharged. 
     The present invention also includes a method  400 ,  FIG. 24 , for making a toy launch apparatus with a safety valve, the steps of the method including forming a housing  402 , mounting a dart receiving structure in the housing  404 , forming a stationary valve component  406  including an open rearward end, a tube extending forward and a port in the tube, placing the stationary valve component in communication with the dart receiving structure  408 , forming a slideable valve component having a flange  410 , mounting the slideable valve component to the tube of the stationary valve component  412 , the slideable valve component being movable between a forward position to block the port as shown in  FIG. 17 , and a rearward position to unblock the port as shown in  FIG. 15 , and when in the rearward position the slideable valve component is spaced from air flow through the stationary valve component, mounting a valve spring to the slideable valve component  414  to bias the slideable valve component to the forward position, mounting a cylinder in the housing  416 , the cylinder being in communication with the stationary valve component, and mounting a piston in the cylinder  418 . 
     It is noted that throughout this description, words such as “forward,” “rearward,” “front” and “rear,” as well as similar positional terms, refer to portions or elements of the launch apparatus as they are viewed in the drawings relative to other portions, or in relationship to the positions of the apparatus as it will typically be held and moved during play by a user, or to movements of elements based on the configurations illustrated. 
     The toy launch apparatus disclosed in detail above have great play value, are fun to use and easy to operate, and are safe, even for young children, and yet the launch apparatus have robust, but simple structures, that may be produced at reasonable cost. 
     From the foregoing, it can be seen that there has been provided features for an improved toy launch apparatus with a safety valve and a disclosure of methods for making the toy. While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. Therefore, the aim is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. The matters set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings are offered by way of illustrations only and not as limitations. The actual scope of the invention is to be defined by the subsequent claims when viewed in their proper perspective based on the prior art.