Mechanical guns and projectors – Fluid pressure – With control for discharge of fluid pressure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-24
2001-11-27
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3643)
Mechanical guns and projectors
Fluid pressure
With control for discharge of fluid pressure
C124S056000, C124S075000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06321737
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to toy rocket launchers and more particular to toy and model rocket launchers which utilize compressed air to propel a rocket.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
For decades, toy rockets have been popular playthings for children of all ages. Such rockets have been made available in all shapes and sizes and many models have been provided with their own propellant. Most toy rockets that have been the playthings of children are designed to be launched by one of various means into the air for flight.
One method of launching rockets has been with the use of solid fuel rocket engines. These solid fuel rocket engines provide ample thrust to launch a rocket several hundred feet into the air. However, there are many dangers involved with the use of solid fuel engines. For instance, once the engine is ignited its burn can not be stopped until the entire fuel supply of the engine has been utilized. Another danger associated with these rockets is that they may be launched in any orientation. As such, if a rocket tips over prior to launch or is even purposely directed in a direction other than vertical, the rocket nevertheless will be launched. Such a misdirected launching poses an extremely dangerous situation to both property and spectators.
Rockets have also been designed to include a pressure tank in which pressurized air or water is stored and expelled through a nozzle in order to propel the rocket, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,153. However, once these rockets are fully pressurized they cannot be removed from the launcher without firing the rocket. Many of these types of rockets do not include safety mechanisms which prevent the rocket from firing should it be oriented in a position other than vertical. As such, many of these rockets may be accidentally or purposely fired at people or property.
Another popular method of launching toy rockets has been with a launcher which utilizes compressed air behind the rocket to propel it forward, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,216. While these rockets do not utilize dangerous solid fuel burning engines, they still have the problem of being capable of being launched in a non-vertical orientation.
Recently, rockets have been designed to incorporate a safety mechanism to ensure the rocket is oriented vertically during launch, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,414,153. Here, a pneumatic latch prevents the release of the rocket from the launcher if the rocket is off-set from a generally vertical orientation. While this aids is preventing the launching of a mis-oriented rocket such does not render the rocket harmless. It should be noted the rocket described herein remains pressurized and ready to launch. As such, if a child manually disengages the rocket, the compressed air will still be discharged and the rocket will be launched.
Accordingly, it is seen that a need remains for a rocket which may deploy only in a vertical orientation and rendered harmless should an attempt be made to fire the rocket in a mis-oriented position. It is to the provision of such therefore that the present invention is primarily directed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a preferred form of the invention a rocket launcher comprises an air pump for providing a supply of pressurized air, a pressure cell in fluid communication with the pump through conduit means, and a launch tube in fluid communication with the pressure cell through a first pressure sensitive release valve. The conduit means has a first conduit extending between the pump and the first pressure sensitive release valve and a second conduit in fluid communication with the first conduit and the pressure cell. The second conduit has an orientation sensitive check valve means for preventing the flow of air from the pressure cell to the first conduit when the launch tube is oriented in a generally vertical position and for allowing the flow of air from the pressure cell to the first conduit when the launch tube is offset from a generally vertical position. The launcher also has a pressure release valve coupled to the first conduit. With this construction and with the launch tube in a generally vertical position, the orientation sensitive check valve means prevents air from flowing from the pressure cell into the first conduit with the actuation of the pressure release valve, thereby causing the actuation of the first pressure sensitive release valve and the release of pressurized air into the launch tube, and with the launch tube in an offset position the orientation sensitive check valve means allows the flow of air from the pressure cell into the first conduit means with the actuation of the pressure release valve thereby decompressing the pressure cell and preventing the release of pressurized air into the launch tube.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1713432 (1929-05-01), Griggs
patent: 2023124 (1935-12-01), Dickover
patent: 2147003 (1939-02-01), Von Kozurik
patent: 2312244 (1943-02-01), Feltman
patent: 2357951 (1944-09-01), Hale
patent: 2409653 (1946-10-01), Amdur
patent: 2505428 (1950-04-01), Pope
patent: 2654973 (1953-10-01), Lemelson
patent: 2733699 (1956-02-01), Krinsky
patent: 2927398 (1960-03-01), Kaye et al.
patent: 3025633 (1962-03-01), Kaye et al.
patent: 3049832 (1962-08-01), Joffe
patent: 3121292 (1964-02-01), Butler et al.
patent: 3218755 (1965-11-01), Quercetti
patent: 3308803 (1967-03-01), Walther
patent: 3397476 (1968-08-01), Weber
patent: 3415010 (1968-12-01), Belz
patent: 3510980 (1970-05-01), Pippin, Jr.
patent: 3878827 (1975-04-01), Newgarde, Jr.
patent: 3943656 (1976-03-01), Green
patent: 3962818 (1976-06-01), Pippin
patent: 4004566 (1977-01-01), Fischer
patent: 4073280 (1978-02-01), Koehn
patent: 4083349 (1978-04-01), Clifford
patent: 4159705 (1979-07-01), Jacoby
patent: 4223472 (1980-09-01), Feket et al.
patent: 4411249 (1983-10-01), Fogarty et al.
patent: 4466213 (1984-08-01), Alberico et al.
patent: 4687455 (1987-08-01), Sculatti
patent: 4819609 (1989-04-01), Tippmann
patent: 4848307 (1989-07-01), Tsao
patent: 4890767 (1990-01-01), Burlison
patent: 4897065 (1990-01-01), Fertig et al.
patent: 4928661 (1990-05-01), Bordt et al.
patent: 4955512 (1990-09-01), Sharples
patent: 5090708 (1992-02-01), Gerlitz et al.
patent: 5097816 (1992-03-01), Miller
patent: 5097985 (1992-03-01), Jones
patent: 5188557 (1993-02-01), Brown
patent: 5229531 (1993-07-01), Song
patent: 5280778 (1994-01-01), Kotsiopoulos
patent: 5280917 (1994-01-01), Ortiz
patent: 5339791 (1994-08-01), Sullivan
patent: 5343849 (1994-09-01), Steer
patent: 5343850 (1994-09-01), Steer
patent: 5349938 (1994-09-01), Farrell
patent: 5370278 (1994-12-01), Raynie
patent: 5373832 (1994-12-01), D'Andrade
patent: 5381778 (1995-01-01), D'Andrade
patent: 5413514 (1995-05-01), Milligan
patent: 5415152 (1995-05-01), Adamson et al.
patent: 5415153 (1995-05-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 5450839 (1995-09-01), Nicolaevich et al.
patent: 5471968 (1995-12-01), Lee
patent: 5497758 (1996-03-01), Dobbins et al.
patent: 5515837 (1996-05-01), Nin et al.
patent: 5529050 (1996-06-01), D'Andrade
patent: 5538453 (1996-07-01), Johnson
patent: 5553598 (1996-09-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 5605140 (1997-02-01), Griffin
patent: 5613483 (1997-03-01), Lukas et al.
patent: 5653216 (1997-08-01), Johnson
patent: 5673679 (1997-10-01), Walters
patent: 5701879 (1997-12-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 5704342 (1998-01-01), Gibson et al.
patent: 5722383 (1998-03-01), Tippman, Sr. et al.
patent: 5769066 (1998-06-01), Schneider
patent: 5771875 (1998-06-01), Sullivan
patent: 5794606 (1998-08-01), Deak
patent: 5816232 (1998-10-01), Bell
patent: 5819717 (1998-10-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 5878734 (1999-03-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 5881706 (1999-03-01), Carson
patent: 2587911-A1 (1985-10-01), None
Applewhite John T.
Johnson Lonnie G.
Matthews Jeffrey Shane
Baker, Donelson Bearman & Caldwell
Jakel Kevin
Johnson Research & Development Co., Inc.
Jordan Charles T.
LandOfFree
Toy rocket launcher does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Toy rocket launcher, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Toy rocket launcher will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2604223