Improvements in Toy Guns or Pistols and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Toy Guns or Pistols and the like.
HENRY MARLES, 72 Cobden Road, Brighton, in the County of Sussex, Mechanic,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists of improvements in toy guns, pistols or like apparatus
for projecting marbles, pellets, or other suitable projectiles.
The object being to produce a cheaply made and effective gun or pistol that
may be easily loaded and may retain the projectile until purposely released by
means of the trigger or catch, thus allowing the barrel to be held in any position
without fear of the projectile falling out.
It consists necessarily of a hollow barrel containing a spiral spring, and a trigger.
or catch for retaining and releasing the projectile and spring. The handle of
the gun or pistol being preferably formed by a continuation of the barrel, which
may be made in two lateral halves fixed together, or in one continuous piece
rolled into the shape of a barrel and continued to form a suitable handle. The
whole being preferably made from sheet metal by a process of stamping and
bending.
To allow of the gun being easily loaded without the assistance of a ramrod
the barrel has a longitudinal slot or opening in one or both sides so that the pro-
jectile when placed within the barrel against the end of the spring may be taken
hold of by the finger and thumb of the operator and forced along, compressing
the said spring with it until the said projectile passes the point where the trigger
is pivotted, when the said trigger, which normally lies parallel to the barrel,
being pivotted thereto, assumes a vertical position. The end nearest the muzzle
rising within the barrel acts as a stop for the projectile and spring, while the
opposite end dropping down forms a lever for the finger to pull upon for releasing
the said projectile and spring.
To effect this rising of the end of the trigger within the barrel, a spur or pro-
jection may be provided on the said trigger which projects sufficiently within
the said barrel to be acted upon by the projectile. The spiral spring in this
case being rather smaller in diameter than the barrel, to allow it to pass over the
said projection or spur.
When the spring with the projectile is sufficiently compressed and the trigger
has turned upon its pivot into its vertical position, the said trigger is moved
bodily forward while still retaining the vertical position until its forward edge
which is suitably notched or shaped, comes in contact and engages with the end
of the slot in which the said trigger works. Or, with a suitable cross peice which
may be provided in the slot for engaging with the aforementioned notch in the
trigger.
Thus preventing the force exerted by the compressed spring against the upper
end of said trigger, from pushing the latter over, until the said trigger is pulled
back beyond the catch, which is done when necessary by pulling upon the lower
end of the trigger.

page_text: To allow of this forward movement of the trigger while in its vertical position,
the hole in which the pivot of the said trigger works is purposely elongated.
A modified form of this trigger may be made by continuing the upper part
of the trigger sufficiently to reach accross the diameter of the larrel and engage
with a suitable stop or catch on the opposite innerside of the said barrel. Or, a 5
spring trigger of any suitable formation may be employed for retaining and
releasing the projectile and spring.
Improvements in Toy Guns or Pistols and the like.
HENRY MARLES, 72 Cobden Road Brighton in the County of Sussex, Mechanic,
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 relates to improvements in toy guns, pistols, or like apparatus
for shooting marbles, pellets, or other suitable projectiles.
The object being to produce a cheaply made and effective gun that may be
easily loaded, and that will retain the projectile until the same is purposely released
by means of the trigger. Thus allowing the gun to be held in any position without
fear of the said projectile falling out.
As will be seen by the accompanying drawings the apparatus consists of a hollow
barrel containing a spiral spring, with a trigger which also acts as a catch for
retaining and releasing the projectile.
The handle and barrel being formed in one continuous peice, preferably from
sheet metal, by a process of stamping and bending.
Figures 1 and 2 are side and front view respectively of the preferred form of
gun.
The spring A and trigger B. being shewn here in their normal positions.
To allow of the gun being readily loaded without the assistance of a ramrod,
the barrel D. has a longitudinal slot or opening C on each side so that the pro-
jectile when placed within the barrel against the end of the spring, may be taken
hold of by the finger and thumb of the operator and forced along, compressing
the spring with it, until the said projectile passes the pivot E. of the trigger,
when the said trigger is made to assume a vertical position, as in Figure 3, the
end of the trigger nearest the muzzle of the gun rising within the barrel acts
as a stop or catch for the projectile F, thus retaining the spring in compression,
while the opposite end of the said trigger, dropping down, forms a lever G. for
the finger to pull upon for releasing the projectile.
Figure 4 shews a modification in which the raising of the end of the trigger
within the barrel is effected by a spur or projection H. on the said trigger, pro-
jecting sufficiently within the barrel to be acted upon by the projectile when the
latter is being forced down the said barrel.
The spiral spring in this case being rather smaller in diameter to allow it to
pass over the said spur H.
When the spring is sufficiently compressed by the projectile, and the trigger
has turned upon its pivot into the vertical position, the said trigger is moved
bodily forward and the notch I. in its forward edge engages with the crosspeice
or pin J.

page_text: To allow of this forward movement of the trigger, the hole through which the
pivot passes is elongated as shewn by the dotted lines.
Another modified form of this trigger may be made by continuing the upper
part of the same to reach across the diameter of the barrel and engage with a
suitable stop or catch on the opposite side of the said barrel.
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:-
1. The manufacture and use of toy guns or pistols substantially in the manner
herein described and illustrated by the drawings.
2. The toy guns being so constructed as to retain the projectile when the muzzle
of the gun is held downwards, in the manner herein described and illustrated.
Dated this 18th day of October 1897.
HENRY MARLES.