Ammunition and explosives – Projectiles – Target marking
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-08
2001-09-18
Nelson, Peter A. (Department: 3641)
Ammunition and explosives
Projectiles
Target marking
C102S407000, C102S498000, C102S529000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06289819
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to anti-personnel land mines and, more particularly, to a reusable land mine which propels small diameter paint balls.
The sport of paint ball in which individuals or teams of players participate in simulated war games has become increasingly popular in recent years. In paint ball the participants utilize various paint ball weapons which discharge small diameter paint balls to mark the players that have been hit without causing bodily injury.
Paint ball weapons have evolved from single shot pistols and rifles to include automatic weapons and other types of ordinance. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,886 discloses a reusable, mechanically powered paint ball grenade utilizing small diameter paint balls. Once thrown downrange the actuator will function upon impact allowing the grenade halves to collapse crushing the paint balls and causing the paint to be hydromechanically dispersed about the exterior of the device to mark nearby players.
The present invention has been developed to provide a paint ball land mine which is actuated by a trip wire mechanism to enhance the realism of such a simulated war game.
2. Description of Related Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,886 to Craig L. Lush discloses a reusable Paint Ball Grenade which is reloadable with standard caliber paint balls. This device is designed to be grasped in such a way as to engage one or more safety interlocks during the removal of the safety pin. Once thrown down range the actuator will upon impact allowing the grenade halves to be collapsed crushing the paint balls against cutters and causing the paint to be dispersed about the exterior of the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,061 to Leon N. Armer, Jr. et al. discloses a land mine for use in a simulated war game. The land mine device includes a housing having a first chamber adapted to contain a slurry of a marking agent and dispersing agent. A second chamber communicating with the first chamber is adapted to contain a propelling agent such as a cylinder of compressed gas. When a trigger mechanism is actuated the propellant is released into first chamber to drive the slurry from such chamber which in turn directs the slurry in a desired pattern exterior of the housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,961 to Ari Adini discloses a device for the dispersing of rioters which discharges a plurality of pieces of ice which preferably have a spherical shape and are fired at rioters by firing equipment which includes a barrel, a retaining element, and a loading part. The firing equipment further includes a source of pressure medium which is connected by a hose with the loading part of the firing device. The pressure medium source can be performed as an air compressor with an adjustable air pressure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,579 to Carl J. Campagnuolo discloses a military anti-personnel mine training device which simulates battlefield explosive devices with bright flashes of light and buzzer type sounds which works in conjunction with systems that receive these sounds and in turn provide an indication of the damage which would have been inflicted on targeted personnel and equipment.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,972,949 to Norman A. Mac Leod discloses an antipersonnel fragmentation weapon used in close proximity to the defending users of the weapon and with which the only hazard will be from posterior or lateral blasts. The fragmentation beam is in the form of a solid angle, preferably having a horizontal aspect of from 45° to 90° and a vertical aspect of from 10° to 30°.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,475,008 to William S. Catherwood, Jr. discloses a land mine housing in which the base is constructed from sheet metal by stamping and welding operations such that the mine is considerably lighter in weight than the conventional cast iron mine base and is suitable for mass production at a comparatively reduced cost.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,290 discloses a portable, lightweight confetti cannon for projecting confetti to heights of 30 to 40 feet in the air to create a spectacular display for rock concerts or stage shows. The cannon consists of a hollow barrel having a length of at least 8 inches and a length/diameter ratio of at least 14 having a CO
2
cartridge radially mounted in the base. A valve is mounted between the cartridge and the barrel and has a cartridge puncturing mechanism which enables discharge of CO
2
cartridge contents in less than 3 seconds.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 366,283 discloses the ornamental design for a paint ball mine as shown and described therein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a paint ball version of a so-called Claymore Mine as utilized by American troops during WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. The paint ball land mine will discharge paint balls or other marking agent at a velocity which will not inflict bodily injuly.
The paint ball land mine of the present invention utilizes a simple trip wire mechanism which triggers a propellant charge providing realism to the simulated war game. The present land mine is designed to be reloaded for repeated use.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a paint ball land mine which simulates the function of a so-called Claymore mine as known to U.S. military personnel.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a paint ball land mine which utilizes a simple trip wire mechanism and a propellant charge to enhance the realism of the simulated war games.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a paint ball land mine which is capable of delivering paint balls or other marking agent at high velocity without causing bodily injury.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and obvious from a study of the following description and the accompanying drawings which are merely illustrative of such invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 366283 (1996-01-01), Fernandes
patent: 2475008 (1949-07-01), Catherwood, Jr.
patent: 2972949 (1961-02-01), Mac Leod
patent: 4656092 (1987-04-01), Haman et al.
patent: 4690061 (1987-09-01), Armer, Jr. et al.
patent: 4833961 (1989-05-01), Adini
patent: 5149290 (1992-09-01), Reveen
patent: 5207579 (1993-05-01), Campagnuolo
patent: 5254379 (1993-10-01), Kotsiopoulos
patent: 5448951 (1995-09-01), Olsen
patent: 5526750 (1996-06-01), Poor et al.
patent: 5590886 (1997-01-01), Lush
patent: 5639526 (1997-06-01), Kotsiopoulos et al.
patent: 5698813 (1997-12-01), Ramsey et al.
patent: 5877448 (1999-03-01), Denton et al.
patent: 5936190 (1999-08-01), Buzick
patent: 5996503 (1999-12-01), Woodall et al.
Mills Law Firm PLLC
Nelson Peter A.
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