Ammunition chain for toy projectiles

• US 20090151710A1
• Filed: 01/30/2008
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Buzz Bee Toys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Buzz Bee Toys (Hk) Co., Limited
• Inventors: Zimmerman, Jeffrey C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,146,281 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 124/48
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 11/89 for toys
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 39/087 Feed belts manufactured from fabric or plastics material

Abstract

A link for a toy ammunition chain made up of a plurality of links hinged together side-by-side in articulated fashion includes a cylindrical body adapted to receive a soft projectile. A first hinge component extends laterally from the body and has a pair of hinge pins. A second hinge component extends laterally from the body at a position opposite the first hinge component and has a pair of recesses each for pivotally receiving a hinge pin of an adjacent link in the chain.

Claims

1. A link for a toy ammunition chain made up of a plurality of said links hinged together side-by-side in articulated fashion, the link comprising:

a substantially cylindrical body adapted to receive a soft projectile therein;

a first hinge component extending laterally from the body and comprising a pair of hinge pins; and

a second hinge component extending laterally from the body at a position substantially opposite the first hinge component and comprising a pair of recesses each adapted to pivotally receive a hinge pin of an adjacent said link in the chain.

2. The link of claim 1, wherein the first hinge component is formed as a plastics moulding and wherein the first hinge component comprises a hinge boss moulded integrally with the body and wherein the hinge pins are moulded integrally with the hinge boss.

3. The link of claim 2, wherein the second hinge component comprises a pair of the hinge lugs mutually spaced apart sufficiently to receive a hinge boss of an adjacent said link in the chain, each hinge lug comprising one of said recesses.

4. The link of claim 3, wherein at least one of the hinge lugs comprises a cut-out extending from its recess to enable lateral insertion of a hinge pin of an adjacent said link in the chain.

5. The link of claim 1, wherein the body has open ends and the body comprises a through-passage extending between said open ends, the through-passage being wider at one open end than the other open end.

6. The link of claim 1, wherein the body contains a soft projectile.

7. A toy ammunition chain made up of a plurality of the links of claim 1 hinged together side-by-side in articulated fashion.

8. In combination with the toy ammunition chain of claim 7, a toy gun comprising an advancing sprocket having teeth shaped to engage with each link of the chain for drawing each link into a firing position.

9. A toy ammunition chain made up of a plurality of the links of claim 2 hinged together side-by-side in articulated fashion.

10. A toy ammunition chain made up of a plurality of the links of claim 3 hinged together side-by-side in articulated fashion.

11. A toy ammunition chain made up of a plurality of the links of claim 4 hinged together side-by-side in articulated fashion.

12. A toy ammunition chain made up of a plurality of the links of claim 5 hinged together side-by-side in articulated fashion.

13. A toy ammunition chain made up of a plurality of the links of claim 6 hinged together side-by-side in articulated fashion.