Blow gun

Abstract

A blow gun made of interconnected tubular members simulating the shape of a rifle that includes a first tubular member with a section being an open ended elongate barrel having a closed end chamber functioning also as a handle. A second tubular member is connected to the first member between the open and closed ends of the barrel providing an air input passage into the barrel and closed chamber at the intersection of the same. A fourth member may be connected to the first member projecting therefrom providing a second handle. The blow gun is capable of projecting compressible projectiles, preferably biodegradable projectiles, more preferably edible projectiles such as marshmallows.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to a blow gun made from tubular members constructed to simulate a rifle and utilizes soft projectiles, particularly compressible edible projectiles such as miniature marshmallows.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Hand held blow guns are well known consisting of an elongate straight tube with the mouth piece being at one end of the tubular member and the opposite end being the projectile discharge end. A conventional projectile is for one instance a dart like object with an outer peripheral edge in close fit relation with the internal bore of the tubular member and in another instance the projectile is a spherical object such as a “pea”.

In the following references there are disclosed blow guns, ball launching devices, toys and the like of various constructions and variously shaped blow guns: U.S. Pat. No. 6,588,413 B2 granted Jul. 8, 2003 by Y. Nagasue; U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,826 granted Dec. 22, 1998 by C. Guthrie; U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,271 granted Apr. 16, 1996 by J, Actor; U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,656 granted Jan. 3, 1995 by D. Lewinski; U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,849 granted Sep. 6, 1994 by M. Steer; U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,842 granted May 19, 1992 by R. Moormann; U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,482 granted May 6, 1986 by V. Di Pietro; U.S. Pat. No. 4,438,587 granted Mar. 27, 1984 by J. Marino; U.S. Pat. No. 4,054,120 granted Oct. 18, 1977 by C. Foley; U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,657 granted Dec. 25, 1973 by M. Zaid; U.S. Pat. No. 3,685,828 granted Aug. 22, 1972 by W. Getgey; U.S. Pat. No. 3,220,398 granted Nov. 30, 1965 by W. Martin; U.S. Pat. No. 2,679,838 granted Jun. 1, 1954 by J. Thompson; U.S. Pat. No. 2,580,613 granted Jan. 1, 1952 by P. Seibel et al; U.S. Pat. No. 2,427,490 granted Sep. 16, 1947 by O. Berrayarza et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 1,152,447 granted Sep. 7, 1915 By W. Sproull; U.S. Pat. No. 282,765 granted Feb. 25, 1986 by R. Shipman; and PCT Publication WO 84/01425 published Apr. 12, 1984.

None of the foregoing references disclose a blow gun wherein the blow pipe is located intermediate the length of a passage that is closed at one end and open at the other and from which a projectile inserted into the blow pipe is propelled from the open end of the passage by quick puff of air into the blow pipe inlet.

Moreover, none of the above references suggest that marshmallows be utilized as the projectile, whereas in the instant invention, marshmallows provide a perfect source of an edible and compressible projectile providing ammunition for the blow gun of the instant invention. The description of what is a marshmallow and how to make one is set forth in an article entitled “Marshmallows” by Knowledge and Information Services, The Schumacher Centre for Technology & Development, Bourton Hall, Bourton-on Dunsmare, Rugby, Warwickshire CV239QZ, United Kingdom, said reference article being incorporated by reference herein.

More particularly, marshmallows are light, fluffy sweet confectionery product made by beating air into a sugar solution containing a type of gum or gelatin together with color and/or flavor. Beating air into the gelatine solution produces a porous structure including small air bubbles therein. The gelatine hardens and traps the air added to the mixture producing a marshmallow product which is spongy and slightly rubbery. The mixture is poured into a mold and allowed to set. The basic ingredients are sugar (40-48%); glucose (0-25%); water (4-30%); gelatine (2-3%); and optionally a flavor or colorant. Marshmallows can be made with or without egg-white (albumen), and marshmallows made without egg-white are reported to be more stable and less prone to spoilage.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a simply constructed blow gun.

One preferred embodiment of the present invention utilizes tubular members simulating the shape of a rifle. It comprises a first tubular member defining a first and a second contiguous section. The first section is an open ended elongate barrel and the second section is a closed chamber and functionally a handle or stock. A second tubular member is connected to the first member generally perpendicular thereto at the intersection of the first and second sections providing a projectile and an air input passage into the barrel and the closed chamber at the intersection thereof. A fourth member connected to the first elongate section generally perpendicular thereto and projecting therefrom provides a handle.

A further principal object of the present invention is to provide a blow gun constructed of inter-connected tubular members and arranged to provide two spaced apart handgrip handles and blow piece that has an input to the barrel air passage at a position intermediate the two handles.

An object of the present invention is to provide a blow gun that utilizes soft projectiles.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a blow gun which can be formed from tubular material comprises of paper, cardboard, metal, or plastic or combinations thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a blow gun which utilizes projectiles which are biodegradable.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a blow gun which utilizes projectiles which are edible.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a blow gun which utilizes projectiles which are marshmallows.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a blow gun which utilizes projectiles which are compressible.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a blow gun which utilizes projectiles which are light weight.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a blow gun which utilizes projectiles which are composed of sugar and gum (i.e. gelatine).

Another object of the present invention is to provide a blow gun whereby an marshmallow projectile can be dislodged by washing in hot water.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a blow gun whereby a handle can be utilized for a magazine for the projectile ammunition

Another object of the present invention is to provide a blow gun which utilizes projectiles can be treated by dipping in water solution or licking by the user to create a projectile having a front sticky surface.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a blow gun which utilizes projectiles can be treated by dipping in a solution having a coloring agent or dye to create a projectile having a surface which leaves a mark upon striking a target.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a blow gun which utilizes tubes held together by coaxial joints to provide a means for rotating the tubes allowing the tubes to form a barrel which shoots projectiles around corners at a selected angle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a blow gun whereby the caps on the handles can provide an air tight fit by a compression fit or by threaded engagement.

A further principal object of the present invention is to provide a blow gun constructed of inter-connected tubular members and arranged to provide two spaced apart handgrip handles and a blow piece that has an input to the barrel air passage at a position intermediate the two handles.

These and other objects of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A better understanding of the present invention will be had upon reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an oblique view of one preferred embodiment blow gun of the present invention showing a rotatable projectile and air input passage portion; and

FIG. 2 is an oblique view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 showing a handle having a handle extension with an end cap both with a threaded engagement providing a removable and/or refillable magazine.

FIG. 3 is a oblique view of the embodiment of the embodiment of FIG. 1 showing the air flow conduit being rotational around the horizontal axis;

FIG. 4 is a oblique view of the embodiment of the embodiment of FIG. 1 showing the embodiment without the first handle; and

FIG. 5 is a oblique view of the embodiment of the embodiment of FIG. 1 showing an elongated first section extending past the air flow conduit a short distance before being capped without the second section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, is a blow gun constructed from inter-connected tubular members forming an open barrel section with a closed handle section together with an input section disposed thereinbetween.

As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, show preferred embodiments whereby the blow gun is provided with a first and second contiguous sections 11 and 12, forming a barrel and handle section respectively, defining elongated tubes with an input air flow conduit 13 connected thereto at a tee 2 forming a junction connecting the sections. The first barrel section 11 includes at least a first elongate member 14 with a through flow air (projectile) passage 15 having a discharge open end 16 from which a projectile can be discharged.

In one preferred embodiment, a first handle 17 projects downwardly from the member 14 at approximately a right angle, and can be grasped by one hand of a person using the device. Of course, the first handle 17 is a convenience and optional, and not necessary to the operation of the blow gun. The elongate member 14 and handle 17 can be formed integrally joined together via molding, welding, or constructed from tubular members. To assemble the blow gun from individual components sections of tubing can be used in combination with tees and end caps. For example, a first handle tee 5 having a straight tubular section 4 and a short intersecting tubular section 6 extending at an angle therefrom having a bore with a larger internal diameter than the external diameter of the elongate member 14 can be used as a connecting member. The elongate member 14 can slide through the straight section of the tee 5. The intersecting tubular section 6 may function as a handle 17 depending upon its length or another short tubular member may be connected to the tee 5. For instance, a handle 17 having an external diameter sized and shaped to cooperatively engage the intersecting joint 6 of the tee 5 can be friction pressed therein or thereover depending upon the selected internal and external diameter of the handle. The handle 17 is pressed into the tee 5 in the embodiments shown in the drawings. The distal end of the handle 17 is closed by a cap 23 (shown) or plug. The cap 23 and tubular members comprising the barrel and handles may be press fitted together, glued together, or threaded and screwed together to form an air tight seal therebetween.

As shown in FIG. 2, the handle can include a retaining member 22, such as a slide or pin member so that the handle 17 can be filled with projectiles and be stored between the slide member and the end cap 23 to function as a magazine. The end cap 23 would be threadably 28 connected or connected with a friction fit to the handle 23 in order to be removable and facilitate access to the ammunition.

Alternatively, instead of sliding the elongate member 14 through the short tubular section 4 of the tee 5, the elongate member 14 can be pressed into the end of the tee 5 and a second elongate member 8 can be pressed into the opposing end of the short tubular section 4 of the tee 5 to extend the barrel section 14.

In at least one preferred embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1-4, a second handle section 12 has a major portion thereof angularly disposed with respect to the axial length of the first barrel section 11 and provides a second handle section 12 that can be grasped by the other hand of the person using the device. The second handle section 12 is capped at the free outer end by a cap 18 providing a closed internal air chamber 19 communicating with the air input conduit (i.e. blow pipe) 13 and the barrel passage 15. As shown, the second handle section 12 is an elongated tubular member 27 connecting to the barrel section 11 by an elbow 26 having an internal diameter corresponding to the outside diameter of the second handle section 12 and barrel section 11. The elbow 26 provides a convenient angle for gripping the second handle section 12; however, the elbow 26 is not necessary for the blow gun to function. In fact, a cap or plug could be used to form an air tight seal at the distal end of the barrel section 11 as shown in FIG. 5.

The input conduit 13 has a mouth piece open end 20 and if desired a detachable mouth piece 21, shown in broken line, can be used for sanitary reasons when for example more than one person is entitled to use the device. The air input conduit 13 is connected in fluid flow communication with the first barrel section 11 and second handle section 12, at the intersection thereof by means of a tee 2 as described heretofore having the same structural elements as tee 5. The tee 2 has a short straight section 25 connecting the barrel section 11 and handle section 12. An intersecting tubular section 24 extends at 90 degrees in a direction upwardly and rearwardly from the elongate barrel portion 11. A right angle elbow 3 connects a short vertical input tubular member 7 with a short horizontal tubular member 13. Of course, the input conduit 13 could be molded or welded to form a integral one piece unit, or the input conduit 13 could be formed from a single curved piece of tubing. However, one of the novel features of the present invention is the separation (nonalignment) of the input tubing 13 from the barrel 11. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the elbow and/or horizontal portion of the input conduit 13 is rotatable with respect to the tee 2 enabling the user to shoot around corners or objects.

A novel feature of the present invention is that the first barrel section 11, the first handle 17 and the input conduit 13 lie in a common plane and the hand grip handle portion 12 of the second section is angularly disposed with respect to that plane extending in a direction downwardly and away therefrom. The angle is not critical and may be selected by the user. With the common plane disposition of the components one gets a good sense of aiming at a target in a horizontal sense leaving only to judgement a vertical disposition of the barrel at the time of shooting for hitting the target at hand with a projectile.

As seen in the drawing the inter-connected pieces forming the gun shape include seven pieces of conduit of various lengths, two T-couplings, one 90 degree coupling, one 45 degree coupling and two end caps. In the prototype the conduit internal diameter was 0.612 inches and the air passages including the handle 17 had a total volume of 250 ml. The gun barrel is two pieces of conduit joined together by a T-coupling and a further conduit connected to that coupling provides the handle 17. The section 12 is connected to the gun barrel by a T-coupling and the blow pipe is connected to that coupling. The blow pipe is two pieces of conduit connected together by a 90 degree elbow. The section 12 has two conduits connected together by a 45 degree elbow and a cap closes the outer free end. The other end cap closes the end of the handle 17.

The conduit and couplings can be cemented together and fixed in position relative to one another or they can be held assembled by friction fit which allows manipulating the joint to position one section at various different angles relative to one another to suit the particular user of the device.

As previously mentioned a soft resilient projectile is used with the foregoing gun and more particularly marshmallows, one at a time. A marshmallow is inserted into the open end 20 of the blow pipe 13 and then with a quick puff of air one drives the marshmallow from the barrel open outlet end 16 at an object. The object maybe a fixed or moving target e.g another person with a second gun as described herein. Powder on the surface of the marshmallow leaves a mark on the target marking the hit. A plurality of marshmallows can be loaded into the input chamber and a puff of air forces multiple marshmallows pellets from the gun resulting in a shot gun effect. Wetting an end of a marshmallow tends to make it stick to its target. Dye can also be applied to the projectiles leaving a mark on the target. When using marshmallows as projectiles, cleaning the blow gun simply requires filling the device with hot water to dissolve the marshmallows. It should be noted that the projectiles do not tend to lodge in the handle portions which are capped due to the dead space formed by the air therein. Thus, a novel feature of the present invention lies in the use of a projectile and air source which are in fluid connection with the barrel but are structurally separate therefrom.

The foregoing detailed description is given primarily for clearness of understanding and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom, for modifications will become obvious to those skilled in the art based upon more recent disclosures and may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A blow gun comprising:

a) a first tubular member defining first and second contiguous sections, said first section being an open ended elongate barrel and said second section a closed chamber communicating with said barrel;

b) a second tubular member connected to said first member at the intersection of said first and second sections and providing an air input passage into said barrel and closed chamber at the intersection thereof; and

c) a fourth member connected to said first elongate barrel and projecting therefrom providing a handle.

2. The blow gun as defined in claim 1, wherein a portion of said second section is in axial alignment with said first section and wherein a remaining end portion of said second section is angularly disposed with respect thereto.

3. The blow gun as defined in claim 2, wherein said second and fourth members are in a common plane and wherein said plane passes though the axis of said elongate barrel

4. The blow gun as defined in claim 3, wherein said fourth member has an air chamber and wherein such chamber is in fluid flow communication with said open ended barrel.

5. The blow gun as defined in claim 4, wherein the total volume of said air chambers is approximately 250 ml.

6. The blow gun as defined in claim 2, wherein said second tubular member is L-shaped with an open mouth piece end located in a portion of the member disposed parallel to said elongate barrel.