Projectile launcher
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 408,283, filed Sept. 18, 1989, now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to spring operated mechanical guns, and more particularly to a novel such gun wherein one or more spring loaded projectiles are launched sequentially through the actions of a trigger and a hammer similar to those found in conventional firearms. 
     2. Brief Description of the Prior Art 
     In the past, spring loaded projectile launchers, such as dart guns or the like, have employed a latch means, for the retention of a shaftlike projectile within a barrel, comprising a pivotally carried lever having permanently affixed to it a hook for engagement with the projectile and a finger operated trigger for pivoting the lever to disengage the hook for launch of the projectile. Such devices are generally limited to single-shot capability and must be reloaded after each launching of a single projectile. 
     Steiner U.S. Pat. No. 2,888,004 discloses a device for retaining and launching a plurality of projectiles which uses the aforementioned &#34;pivoted lever, hook and trigger&#34; latch structure. Steiner U.S. Pat. No. &#39;004 achieves this capability by assembling a plurality of barrels 20, each provided with a latch 28 having the form previously described. Problems and difficulties are encountered with such a device due to the fact that a single finger operated trigger cannot be employed to selectively release the projectiles as would be the case in a conventional revolver or similar firearm. Rather, separate triggers must be actuated for each of the individual darts. 
     Ayala U.S. Pat. No. 3,009,453 discloses a dart gun having a rotatably carried magazine comprising a plurality of barrels and darts in which a single finger operated trigger selectively releases the darts. Ayala U.S. Pat. No. &#39;453 employs a variation of the previously described latch construction in which a pivoted-trigger-and-lever assembly is made separate from the hook. A magazine 29 is constructed for multiple projectiles 30 to be interfaced with one pivoted-trigger-and-lever assembly 59, 28, 62, 63, 65, 66, 67 wherein each projectile 30 is retained in the magazine 29 by a dedicated spring biased hook 53. Problems and difficulties are encountered with such a projectile launcher which stem largely from certain functional constraints: 
     To effectively disengage hook 53 from projectile tab 50, hook 53 must be withdrawn radially from within the projectile passageway or barrel 46. Therefore, any release means provided must necessarily be oriented to engage and deliver releasing force to the selected hook 53 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of barrel 46. Such is the orientation of Ayala&#39;s trigger operated releasing lever 65, 66, 67. 
     In conventional revolvers the firing or releasing force is delivered by a hammer in the forward direction directly into the longitudinal axis of the barrel. Thus, latch means construction as taught by Ayala will not work with release means like that of a conventional gun which fires a gunpowder charged cartridge. 
     Further, Ayala U.S. Pat. No. &#39;453 employs a pump type mechanism 14, 15, 40, 41, 43, 44, independent of the trigger 59 and requiring two hands for operation, to advance the barrels 46 successively into firing position. In a conventional revolver such magazine advancement is automatic. This typically involves a pawl being pivotally coupled to the trigger or hammer and biased to engage the rear exterior of the magazine, such that during a portion of the trigger&#39;s operating cycle, vertical displacement of the trigger assembly perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the magazine is translated into rotation of the magazine about that axis in an angular amount equal to 360 degrees divided by the number of barrels comprised by the magazine. For a typical magazine of six barrels or less, this requires the trigger assembly to have during its operating stroke a significant vertical displacement at the interface between trigger assembly and magazine. 
     It can be seen that due to the proximity of Ayala&#39;s U.S. Pat. No. &#39;453 fulcrum 63 to the rear plate 31 of magazine 29 and due to the limited movement allowed lever 62 by guide tube 35, there is negligible vertical displacement of either trigger lever 62 or trigger lever 65 at the interface between the pivoted-trigger-and-lever assembly 59, 28, 62, 63, 65 and magazine 29. It might be suggested that modifications could be made to the fulcrum location, or to guides limiting motion of trigger levers 62, 65, or that an advancement interface could be constructed between the interior of magazine 29 and the pivoted-trigger-and-lever assembly members 66, 67 having greater range of motion, whereby sufficient rotation could be achieved. However, applicant submits that such modifications would have interfering effects on other mechanisms and components of the device ultimately resulting in the need for substantial alterations outside the scope of those normally skilled in the art. 
     Therefore, it may be observed that a spring operated mechanical gun having latching means as taught by Ayala U.S. Pat. No. &#39;453 will not work with the releasing hammer of a conventional gun and that a gun having releasing means as taught by Ayala U.S. Pat. No. &#39;453 will not work with the magazine advancement mechanism of a conventional revolver. 
     Therefore, a long-standing need has existed to provide a projectile launcher or dart gun for retaining and launching a plurality of shaftlike projectiles or darts, having a projectile magazine which requires no interface with the body of the gun aside from that normally associated with a conventional revolver, i.e.: 
     a means provided by the gun for rotational mounting of the magazine about its longitudinal axis; 
     a hammer provided by the gun aligned to strike forwardly along the longitudinal axis of the barrel and projectile in firing position; and 
     a pawl provided by the gun to translate motion of the gun&#39;s trigger to rotational motion of the magazine. 
     Additionally, in the past it has been conventional practice to employ, in revolvers and toy guns simulating the actions of revolvers, magazine advancement means wherein the magazine is rotated during the portion of the trigger operating cycle from rest position to firing position, immediately prior to the firing stroke of the hammer. 
     Ryan U.S. Pat. No. 2,977,950 demonstrates such a magazine advancement mechanism in which a pawl 100 carried on hammer 75 engages ratchet teeth 38 to rotate cylinder 18 as hammer 75 is drawn rearward from its rest position by actuation of trigger 85. 
     This and other magazine advancement mechanisms which rotate the magazine as the trigger is drawn from a rest position toward a firing position have the disadvantage, with consideration to suction cup type darts, that the suction cup of a dart in or approaching firing position, due to its large diameter with respect to that of the dart shaft, is in view of an operator sighting down the barrel, and movement of suction cups as the trigger is actuated poses a distraction from aiming the gun. 
     Therefore, a need exists to provide a novel magazine advancement means which actuates in response to the return of the trigger means from its firing position to the initial rest position, following the firing stroke of the hammer, thereby allowing the magazine to remain stationary during a time period including the portion of the trigger operating cycle from rest position to firing position and the firing stroke of the hammer. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the above problems and difficulties are obviated by the present invention which provides a novel mechanical gun, capable of discharging suction cup darts, or similar projectiles, through the action of a conventional trigger and hammer, and means for constructing a magazine of multiple projectiles, capable of interfacing with a revolver type magazine advancement mechanism, or other means for automatically advancing projectiles to the firing position in response to an operating cycle of the trigger. 
     The present invention employs a variation of the &#34;pivoted lever, hook and trigger&#34; latch structure of the prior art wherein a pivoted-lever-and-hook assembly is made separate from a trigger. A separate pivoted-lever-and-hook assembly is carried on the magazine for each barrel provided. Inclusion of the pivoted levers on the magazine, along with the specific geometry of the lever, allows the required radially withdrawing motion of the hook, outward from the barrel, to be derived from force delivered to the lever into and along the longitudinal axis of the barrel. Thus, a projectile may be released by action of a conventional hammer on the lever of a barrel in firing position. 
     The present invention further employs a novel magazine advancement mechanism which utilizes the force of a trigger return spring to engage a trigger mounted pawl assembly with a set of ratchet teeth on the magazine so as to advance the barrels successively into alignment with the hammer during the return of the trigger from its firing position to its rest position. Novel retaining means are provided, engageable between the gun body and the magazine, to maintain alignment of the hammer and barrel and to prevent undesired rotation of the magazine. 
     Therefore it is among the primary objectives of the present invention to provide a novel spring loaded dart gun which simulates the action of a gunpowder loaded gun in that the projectile retaining means is adapted to release a projectile when struck by a hammer such as one typical of conventional firearms. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel dart magazine, comprising a plurality of spring launched darts, which is operable with a conventional revolver type magazine advancement mechanism, or similar means for automatically advancing projectiles to the firing position in response to an operating cycle of the trigger. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a toy gun having a novel means for automatically advancing a magazine of multiple projectiles, wherein the magazine is advanced during the portion of the trigger operating cycle in which the trigger returns from its firing position to its rest position. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood with reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a novel mechanical gun incorporating the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a projectile and barrel employed in the device of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an end elevational view, partly in section, of the projectile carrying magazine of the device taken in the direction of arrows 3--3 of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is an end elevational view taken in the direction of arrows 4--4 of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the barrel taken in the direction of arrows 5--5 of FIG. 2; and 
     FIG. 6 is a transverse cross-section of the rear plate of the projectile carrying magazine taken in the direction of arrows 6--6 of FIG. 3. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown by way of illustration, but not of limitation, a mechanical pistol 10 designed and constructed in accordance with this invention. The pistol includes a body 11, having a handle 12, trigger guard 13, a shaft 17 for rotatably mounting a cylindrical magazine 16, a shaft 15 for pivotally mounting a trigger 14, and a shaft 37 for pivotally mounting a hammer 23. The magazine 16 comprises six tubular barrels 26 equally spaced about the longitudinal axis of magazine 16, a plate 19 adapted to support barrels 26 at the forward end of shaft 17 or the end most distant from body 11, and a plate 18 adapted to support barrels 26 about the rearward end of shaft 17 and to interface and engage with a magazine advancement means described later in this text. 
     Each barrel 26 has a central passageway 25 along its longitudinal axis and is fitted with a lever assembly generally indicated in FIG. 1 by reference numeral 34. Lever assembly 34 comprises a release member 31, joined in a 90 degree angle to a latch member 35, about a pair of mounting shafts 32. Latch member 35 includes a hook 33 at its forward end. Lever assembly 34 is pivotally mounted at the rearward end of barrel 26 through engagement of mounting shafts 32 with receptacles 38, such that release member 31 is positioned generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of passageway 25. Receptacles 38 are offset from the longitudinal axis of barrel 26 such that latch member 35 is positioned outside of passageway 25 generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of passageway 25. Plate 18 secures the mounting shafts 32 in receptacles 38. A launch spring 30 is carried longitudinally within passageway 25 such that its rearward end is in contact with release member 31. 
     Loading of a barrel 26 is achieved by inserting the rearward end of a projectile shaft 27, which in the present instance carries a suction cup 28 on its forward end, into the forward end of passageway 25 at plate 19, and further inserting shaft 27 until a tab 29 on shaft 27 slides rearward beyond hook 33. Compression of launch spring 30 against lever assembly release member 31 pivots lever assembly 34 to a latching position wherein hook 33 protrudes through slot 39 into passageway 25, and urges shaft 27 outward from passageway 25 such that tab 29 and hook 33 are locked together, thereby preventing launch spring 30 from further ejecting shaft 27. 
     FIG. 1 depicts the pistol 10 with trigger 14 in its rest position and hammer 23 in its normal position. Firing of pistol 10 and advancement of magazine 16 are achieved as follows. A projection 22 on trigger 14 engages hammer 23 such that pivotal motion of trigger 14 in the direction of handle 12 causes hammer 23 to pivot about shaft 37, and the hammer striking member 24 is drawn rearwardly away from magazine 16. Pivotal motion of trigger 14 also moves an arm 41, which is pivotally mounted to trigger 14, upward within body 11. A pawl 42 is pivotally coupled to the upper end of arm 41, such that the assembly of arm 41 and pawl 42 forms a small angle about the point of coupling. Pawl 42 is urged by return spring 43 into contact with plate 18. Plate 18 comprises on its rearward side six equally spaced ratchet teeth 20 and six equally spaced guides 21. As trigger 14 pivots, pawl 42 slides upward on plate 18 next to a guide 21 in the position indicated by the numeral 21 in FIG. 3 and engages the sloping side 20b of a ratchet tooth 20 from which the guide 21 extends. A detent 40 engages the horizontal face 20a of tooth 20. When tooth 20 and detent 40 are thus engaged, one passageway 25 is aligned with opening 44 of body 11, and magazine 16 is restricted from rotation in the direction opposite that of magazine advancement. Continued pivotal motion of trigger 14 to its firing position causes pawl 42 to slide up and over tooth 20, adjacent to detent 40, and causes hammer 23 to pivot to its reverse position, where it no longer engages projection 22 of trigger 14. A firing spring 36, which is torsionally compressed between body 11 and hammer 23, drives hammer 23 back toward its normal position. Inertia carries hammer 23 beyond the normal position to its forward position such that striking member 24 passes through opening 44 into contact with release member 31 to pivot lever assembly 34 to the releasing position wherein hook 33 is withdrawn from passageway 25, allowing launch spring 30 to eject shaft 27. When trigger 14 is released, return spring 43 forces pawl 42, arm 41 and projection 22 downward to pivot trigger 14 back toward its rest position. Return spring 43 also urges pawl 42 into contact with plate 18, so that as pawl 42 moves downward it engages the horizontal face 20a of tooth 20 to rotate magazine 16 about shaft 17. This engagement of pawl 42 and tooth 20 additionally has a self-reinforcing action as it tends to pivot pawl 42 in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1 whereby pawl 42 is urged into tighter contact with plate 18. As trigger 14 retracts completely from firing position to rest position, the engagement of pawl 42 with tooth 20 rotates magazine 16 by one sixth of one revolution, such that the next passageway 25 in magazine 16 is in alignment with opening 44 and hammer 23. When trigger 14 reaches rest position, pawl 42 engages a guide 21 extending from the next tooth 20 in position for engagement with pawl 42, thereby preventing further rotation of magazine 16. 
     Accordingly, it can be seen that the novel launching apparatus of the present invention provides a plurality of spring loaded projectile launchers compatible with commonly used suction cup darts or similar projectiles, held in a revolving cylinder carried on the body of a gun which uses a conventional trigger and hammer type firing mechanism. The invention provides a simple interface between the magazine and the firing mechanism, and provides an improved magazine advancement mechanism for improved sighting and aesthetic value. 
     While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects and, therefore the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.