An Improved Toy Shooting Range and Spring Gun or Pistol.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 26th June, 1891-Accepted, 21st Nov., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Toy Shooting Range and Spring Gun or Pistol.
I JAMES GILBERT CUMMING No. 88 Polwarth Gardens, Edinburgh, Mechanical
and Electrical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-I
To carry out my invention I preferably construct my apparatus as follows:
construct a framework of box like shape provided with a division in which there is
a slot or opening large enough for a pre-arranged coin to pass through. A window
is provided through which the said division, and slot or opening may be seen:
Attached to the framework is an apparatus in the form of a spring gun or pistol.
The muzzle of the said gun or pistol is directed to, or faces the said slot or opening:
A gauge which is partly open faced is provided in the said gun or pistol and in this
gauge a pre-arranged coin has to be placed by the operator: When the coin is
placed in the gauge it moves a spring catch or pawl and this movement has the
effect of freeing or unlocking the mechanism of the gun or pistol, and the operator
is then enabled to pull the trigger thereof: When he pulls the trigger the coin is
fired or shot by the gun or pistol towards the aforesaid division in the frame work,
and if correct aim has been taken by the operator the coin passes through the said
slot or opening, rings a bell, and falls down an inclined plane into such a position
as enables the operator to recover it: If correct aim has not been taken, or if the
coin does not pass through the said slot or opening it falls down another inclined plane
into a receptacle for receiving the same: The gun or pistol used for the purpose
and in the manner aforesaid is constructed as follows:-The mechanism consists of
two spindles an upper and a lower spindle-both of which are carried through or
on suitable bearings: The upper spindle is provided with the hammer which strikes
the coin on the trigger being pulled: This spindle is also provided at one end
with a recoil spring, and the other end thereof, is provided with a propelling spring.
To this upper spindle is also attached a strong metal projection on which there
works a spring catch that is carried on the lower spindle and works on a centre:
To the lower spindle is attached the trigger: To one end of this lower spindle is
also attached a recoil spring, which after the trigger has been pulled brings the
spindle back to its normal position: On the mechanism being freed by the placing
of coin and the trigger being pulled, the spring catch on the lower spindle, acting
as it does on the aforesaid metal projection upon the upper spindle, moves back the
upper spindle along with it: On the spring catch moving against a metal projection
it turns on its centre and thereupon frees or releases the upper spindle: At the
period when the upper spindle is thus freed by the action of the spring catch the
propelling spring with which the upper spindle is provided as aforesaid is compressed
and on being freed as aforesaid it propels the upper spindle forward and the hammer
thereon strikes and propels the coin.
The gun or pistol apparatus may be constructed with or without the catch or
pawl for freeing or unlocking the mechanism so that any size of coin may be used
or it may be constructed to shoot darts or other articles. The apparatus may also
be constructed to deliver small articles to successful operators.
Dated this Twentieth day of November in the year One thousand eight
hundred and ninety

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Toy Shooting Range and Spring Gun or Pistol.
I, JAMES GILBERT CUMMING of 88 Polwarth, Edinburgh, Mechanical and
Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
This invention which relates to an improved toy shooting range and spring gun
or pistol has for its object to provide a shooting range apparatus which can be
actuated by the operator on a prearranged coin being placed in a spring gun or
pistol forming part of the said apparatus and which prearranged coin on being
placed in the spring gun or pistol opens or releases the mechanism thereof and so
enables the operator to fire or shoot the coin into a box in which are arranged
⚫suitable divisions bull's eye slot and bell. If correct aim has been taken the coin
will pass through the bull's eye slot, strike the bell and be returned to the operator
but if incorrect aim has been taken the coin will not be returned as it will drop
into a suitable receptacle contained in the box and so be retained.
And in order that my said invention may be more readily understood and easily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the
accompanying drawings. Figure 1 Sheet 1 of the drawings is a transverse section
of the box or range to which the spring gun or pistol is attached as shewn and
Figure 14, is a detail view of a part of the back portion of the said box or range,
Figures 2, 3 and 4, Sheet 2, are respectively a plan, side elevation partly in section
and plan with top plates off of my improved spring gun or pistol, and Figures 5, 6
and 7, Sheet 3, are plan; elevation partly in section; and front view, respectively of
a modification of my gun or pistol.
Referring to the said drawings I construct of iron or other suitable material a
framework A, preferably of a box like shape as shewn and provided with a division B
having a slot or opening C, large enough for a prearranged coin to pass through ;
the said frame or box is also provided with a glass window D, through which the
said division B, and slot or opening C may be seen.
To the front of the said frame
or box AI attach my spring gun or pistol E preferably as shewn that is by means
of a cross bolt and nut e, carried in suitable lugs a, provided at each side of the
opening a', in the said frame or box in which the muzzle of the said spring gun or
pistol is inserted and being thus attached the muzzle is pointed to the division B
and aim may be taken by the operator at the slot or opening C. The said gun or
pistol E is provided on its top with a partly open-faced gauge (to be hereinafter
described) into which the operator places a prearranged coin and so moves a spring
catch or pawl which has the effect of freeing or unlocking the mechanism of the
spring gun or pistol and the operator is then enabled to pull the trigger thereof and
so fire or shoot the coin towards the said division B, and if correct aim has been
taken the coin passes through the slot or opening C, and is directed by means of
angled guide pieces c, shewn in elevation in the detail view Figure 1^ to fall down
and so ring a bell F provided at back of frame or box A, and thence down the
inclined plane a, which is formed in the said frame or box A, and onto the flat
piece a, from which it may be easily withdrawn by the operator through the
opening at, if correct aim has not been taken by the operator or if the coin does
not pass through the slot or opening C, it falls upon a deflecting plate B', thence
down another inclined plane B33 into a receptacle A, for receiving the coins and
from which they may be taken by the proprietor unlocking the door a
deflecting plate B', is an opening 6, opposite the muzzle of the pistol and through
which the coins are fired or shot at slot C.
In the
The said gun or pistol E Figures 2, 3 and 4, Sheet 2 is preferably constructed as
follows. The mechanism consists of two spindles an upper G, and a lower spindle H,
both of which are carried through or on hearings I. the said unner spindle G. is

page_text: provided with the hammer K, which strikes the coin on the trigger L, being pulled,
and is also provided at its one end with a recoil spring g, which acts on a stud or
pin g, and at its other end with a propelling spring g', which is secured in the
handle e', of the said gun or pistol E and which rests against the bearings on which
the upper spindle is carried. To the said upper spindle G, is also attached a strong
metal projection g³, against which a spring catch h, works. The said spring catch,
is carried by the lower spindle H and works on a centre h¹. The lower spindle H
also has the trigger L attached, and it is provided at its one end with a recoil
spring 4, which after the trigger has been pulled brings the said spindle H back to
its normal position. The arrangement being such that on the spring catch or
pawl M after mentioned mounted above the said spindles being freed by the placing
of a coin in the open faced gauge N provided on the top of the gun or pistol E and
the trigger L pulled, the spring catch h, of the lower spindle H acts on the metal
projection g, of the upper spindle G, and so pulls the said spindle back until the
said spring catch h, is partly turned on its centre owing to its lower end h³, coming
in contact with a fixed metal projection or pin h, and thereupon frees or releases
the upper spindle G which is then propelled forward by the spring g, and therefore
causes the hammer K to strike and so fire or shoot the coin forward. The spindle G
when thus propelled forward imparts such a motion to the hammer K that the
hammer K after having struck the coin follows it a certain length before being
returned to its normal position by the recoil spring g, the hammer K thus imparting
greater momentum to the coin. The said open faced coin gauge N is preferably
shaped as shewn in plan in Figure 2 Sheet 2 so as to enable the operator to see if the
slot or gauge is empty and also to regain the coin if the gun or pistol should miss
fire. The spring catch or pawl M is mounted below the open faced gauge and
carried on a centre m, and operated as follows. It has a catch m', as shown in
Figure 4, which bears against the hammer K, by means of the spring m², thus
preventing the trigger being pulled until the pawl is pushed aside by the coin
moving against the pin m³, when the coin is shot from the gauge the spring m²,
brings the pawl back to a position preventing the trigger being pulled till another
coin has been placed.
The said gun or pistol may be constructed without the spring catch or pawl M,
for freeing or unlocking the mechanism so that any size of coin or equivalent
article may be used. Or as shown in Figures 5 to 7, inclusive of the drawings, the
said gun or pistol may be so constructed as to shoot darts or equivalent articles,
that is to say, by dispensing with the spring catch or pawl, and forming the gauge
as a circular tube or barrel N' which is provided with an opening n through which
the darts or other articles N³, are placed against the front end of the hammer K,
which is preferably provided with an extension or front arm k¹, so as to ensure the
shooting of the dart N, the remainder of the gun or pistol is as already described,
with the exception, that the pistol need not necessarily be so broad as is shown in
Figures 2. and 4, thus providing a spring gun or pistol which may be used to fire of
shoot darts; or other equivalent articles, without any freeing or unlocking
mechanism, the whole arrangement being such that on a dart N' being placed in
the gauge barrel N¹ and the trigger L pulled, the dart is shot out.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.
First The general arrangement construction and combination of the various
parts constituting my coin freed shooting range apparatus substantially as and for
the purposes herein before described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
Second-In coin freed shooting range apparatus constructing the same with a
window whereby the bull's eye slot may be seen, substantially as herein before
described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
Third—The general arrangement construction and combination of the various

page_text: parts constituting my spring gun or pistol all substantially as and for the purposes
herein before described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
Fourth In spring guns or pistols, the means, whereby any size of coin, or a
dart or other article, may be fired or shot substantially as hereinbefore described
and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Fifth In coin freed spring guns or pistols the construction of an open faced
gauge N which allows an operator to see if the slot or gauge is blocked before
placing his coin and which enables him if the gun or pistol miss fire to recover
the coin substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn in the accompanying
drawings.
Sixth In coin freed spring guns or pistols the combination of a propelling and
recoil spring substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn in the accompanying
drawings.
T
JOHNSONS,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.