AN IMPROVED TOY AIR-GUN OR PISTOL
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of the firm of Allison Brothers, of 52 Chancery Lane,
London, in the county of Middlesex, Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention for "AN IMPROVED TOY AIR-GUN OR PISTOL," a communication to
me from abroad by Elijah J. B. Whitaker, of the City, County and State of New
York, in the United States of America, Toy Manufacturer, to be as follows :-
"
This invention relates to a simple "pop-gun or air-gun designed as a child's toy.
It consists in uniting the outer plug or stopper for the tube of the gun with its
plunger, by a flexible connection of such length as that when the plunger is drawn
back into the tube far enough to produce by its forward movement the required
compression of air, it shall operate automatically to seat the plug in the mouth of
the tube tightly enough to perunit of such compression.
It consists furthermore in fitting to the inner end of the tube a second plug or
stopper mounted to slide freely on the stem of the plunger and adapted to be
driven to its seat in the tube by the forward movement of the plunger so as to be
forcibly expelled therefrom by the compression of the air produced by the back-
ward movement of the plunger.
"
The open ended tube of the pop-gun may be of any suitable description, of any
suitable material and of any desirable outward configuration.
Within the tube is fitted, in the customary manner, a piston or plunger adapted
to traverse freely therein with as nearly as possible an air-tight joint.
This plunger is actuated in the customary manner by a rod secured centrally
thereto and which is of such length as that it will extend out far enough from the
rear end of the tube when the plunger is near to its forward end, to receive a
suitable handle, or otherwise furnish a proper hold for the operator.
A plug or stopper is made to fit securely into the front end of the tube and for
this purpose it is preferably made of cork or other elastic material and of a slightly
tapering form so that it shall enter and wedge closely into its seat.
A similar plug or stopper is fitted into the rear end of the tube, and is centrally
perforated to admit of the passage through it of the plunger rod with as uearly as
possiblo an air-tight joint.

page_text: The front stopper is firmly connected to the front end of the plunger by a strong
flexible cord of such length as that when the plunger is drawn back to the rear end
of the tube into close proximity to the seat for the rear stopper, the front stopper
will be thereby automatically drawn and fitted into its seat and the plunger
arrested so that it may not be withdrawn entirely from the tube. The stopper is
arrested when it becomes properly seated by. means of a shoulder or an off-set on
its front end.
The rear stopper moves freely upon the plunger-rod and is drivon into its seat in
the rear of the tube when the plunger is pushed inward into proximity to the seat
for the front stopper, by means of an off-set of any suitable description formed upon
the rod, this off-set serving also as a stop to prevent the plunger fron: passing too
far into the tube.
As an equivalent for the flexible cord to couple the plunger with the stopper,
I contemplate the use of two wires secured firmly to the plug and adapted to pass
freely through the plunger, their entire withdrawal being-prevented by stops on
their outer ends, so that the plunger and stopper shall have free movement
independent of each other except so far as limited by the length of said wires; or
a single inflexible rod or wire may be used to project centrally from the plunger in
a right line with, or as an extension of, its rod, and to play freely through the
stopper with an air-tight joint, the withdrawal of the stopper therefrom being
prevented by a stop on the end of said rod.
Although the.automatic pop-gun is preferably constructed with a rear stopper to
act as an auxiliary to the front stopper and so make the pop-gun double-acting, it is
evident that the invention is applicable to a single acting pop-gun working with but
a single plug or stopper.
In the use of the device, when the plunger is drawn back to its full extent into
the tube, the front stopper is thereby drawn into its seat plugging and closing
completely the front end of the tube. If now the plunger be pushed forcibly
forward, the body of air confined between the plunger and stopper will be com-
pressed until the frictional contact of the stopper with the tube is overcome and
the stopper violently expelled, the expansion of the compressed air thereby released
producing a loud report.
As the plunger is thus pushed forward to expel the front stopper the rear stopper
will be carried to its sent by the off-set on the handle, thus closing the rear end of
the tube so that as the plunger is drawn back the air confined between it and said
rear stopper is in turn compressed to produce its expulsion and a second loud report.
As the front stopper becomes seated by this movement of the plunger, the gun is
charged in readiness for a repition of the first movement and by a quick move-
ment of the plunger back and forth a constant succession of loud explosive reports
may be very rapidly produced.
Dated this Seventeenth low of T1001

page_text: London, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature
of said invention for "AN IMPROVED TOY AIR-GUN OR PISTOL," a communication to
me from abroad by Elijah Jefferson Bond Whitaker, of the City, County and State
of New York, in the United States of America, Toy Manufacturer, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to a simple "pop-gun" or air-gun designed as a child's
toy.
It consists in uniting the outer plug or stopper for the tube of the gun with its
plunger, by a flexible connection of such length as that when the plunger is drawn
back into the tube far enough to produce by its forward movement the required
compression of air, it shall operate automatically to scat the plug in the mouth of
the tubo tightly enough to permit of such compression.
'It consists furthermore in fitting to the inner end of the tube a second plug or
stopper mounted to slido freely on the stem of the plunger and adapted to be driven
to its seat in the tube by the forward movement of the plunger so as to be forcibly
expelled therefrom by the compression of the air produced by the backward
movement of the plunger.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1, is a longitudinal sectional view of my improved pop-gun when ready
for action to discharge its front stopper, and-
Figure 2, a similar view, illustrating the device in readiness for action to produce
a discharge of the rear stopper.
Figures 3 and 4, illustrate modifications of the invention.
A, represents the open ended tube of the pop-gun which may be of any suitable
description, of any suitable material and of any desirable outward configuration.
Within the tube is fitted, in the customary manner, a piston or plunger B, adapted
to traverse freely therein with as nearly as possible an air-tight joint.
This plunger B, is actuated in the customary manner by a rod C, secured
centrally thereto and which is of such length as that it will extend out far enough
from the rear end of the tube when the plunger is near to its forward end, to
receive a suitable handle D, or otherwise furnish a proper hold for the operator.
A plug or stopper E, is made to fit securely into the front end of the tube and
for this purpose it is preferably. made of cork or other elastic material and of a
slightly tapering form so that it shall enter and wedge closely into its sent.
A similar plug or stopper El, is fitted into the rear end of the tube, and is
centrally perforated to admit of the passage through it of the plunger rod C, with
as nearly as possible an air-tight joint.

page_text: The front stopper E, is firmly connected to the front end of the plunger B, by a
strong flexible cord F, of such length as that when the plunger is drawn back to
the rear end of the tube into close proximity to the scat for the rear stopper E¹, as
shown in Figure 1, the front stopper E, will be thereby automatically drawn and
fitted into its seat and the plunger arrested so that it may not be withdrawn
entirely from the tube. The stopper is arrested when it becomes properly seated
by means of a shoulder or an offset h, on its front end and which may be formed
by an outer over-lapping plate G, (see Figure 2).
The rear stopper E, moves freely, upon the plunger rod C, and is driven into its
seat in the rear of the tube when the plunger B, is pushed inward into proximity
to the seat for the front stopper E, (as shown in Figure 2) by means of a shoulder
or an offset i, of any suitable description formed upon the rod, this shoulder or
offset serving also as a stop to prevent the plunger from passing too far into the
tube.
As an equivalent for the flexible cord F, to couple the plunger B, with tho
stopper E, I contemplate the use of two wires S, S, Fig. 3, secured firmly to the
plug and adapted to pass freely through the plunger, thoir entire withdrawal being
prevented by stops on their outer ends, so that the plunger and stopper shall have
free movement independent of cach other except so far as limited by the length of
said wires; or a single inflexible rod or wire T, (Fig. 4) may be used to project
centrally from the plunger B, in a right line with, or as an extension of, its rod C,
and to play freely through the stopper E, with an air-tight joint, the withdrawal
of the stopper therefrom being prevented by a stop on the end of said rod T.
Although I have described the automatic pop-gun as preferably constructed with
a rear stopper E', to act as an auxiliary to the front stopper E, and so make the
pop-gun double-acting, it is evident that the invention is applicable to a single-
acting pop-gun working with but a single plug or stopper E.
In the use of the device, when the plunger B, is drawn back to its full extent into
the tube A, the front stopper E, is thereby drawn into its sent plugging and closing
completely the front end of the tube. If now the plunger be pushed forcibly
forward the body of air confined between the plunger and stopper will be
compressed until the frictional contact of the stopper with the tube is overcome and
the stopper violently expelled, the expansion of the compressed air thereby released
producing a loud report.
As the plunger is thus pushed forward to expel the front stopper E, the rear
stopper E, will be carried to its seat by the shoulder i, on the handle, thus closing
the rear end of the tube so that as the plunger is drawn back the air compressed
between it and said rear stopper is in turn compressed to produce its expulsion
and a second loud report. As the front stopper becomes seated by this movement
of the plunger the gun is charged in readiness for a repetition of the first movement
and by a quick movement of the plunger back and forth a constant succession of
loud explosive roports may be very rapidly produced.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1st A self-charging pop-gun consisting of an open-ended tube; a plunger working
in said tube; a plug or stopper adapted to close one end thereof; and a cord or
rod coupling the stopper with the plunger and permitting a limited indepondent
movement of the two, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein
set forth.
2nd A double-acting, self-charging pop-gun, consisting of an open-ended tube; a
plunger working in said tube; a rod actuating said plunger and extending out
from one end of the tube; a plug, or stopper moving upon said rod and adapted to

page_text: close the end of the tube and to be driven to its seat by an offset or shoulder on the
rod; and a second plug or stopper adapted to close the opposite end of the tube
and which is coupled to the plunger by a cord or rod permitting a limited
independent movement of the two, all substantially in the manner and for the
purpose herein set forth.
Dated this 12th day of March 1903