Squirt gun

• US 4,591,071 A
• Filed: 10/14/1983
• Issued: 05/27/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lonnie G. Johnson
• Original Assignee: Lonnie G. Johnson
• Inventors: Johnson, Lonnie G.
• Primary Examiner(s): SKAGGS JR, H GRANT
• Application Number:
  US06/541,898
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 340/384 E, 340/406, 116/137 R, 116/139, 222/39, 222/79, 222/323, 222/324, 222/401
• US Class Current: 222/39
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 9/0018 the gas being compressed utilising a manual piston pump
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 9/0071 characterised by special valve arrangements

Abstract

A toy squirt gun which shoots a continuous high velocity stream of water. The squirt gun is configured as a structure facilitating partial filling with water leaving a void for compressed air. The squirt gun includes a nozzle for ejecting water at high velocity, a pressurization pump for compressing air into the gun to pressurize water contained therein, and a trigger actuated flow control valve for shooting the gun by controlling flow of pressurized water through the nozzle. A battery-powered oscillator circuit and a water flow powered sound generator produce futuristic space ray gun sound effects when the gun is shooting.

Claims

1. A toy squirt gun for shooting a continuous stream of water, comprising:

(a) a structure means for containing water and air under high internal pressure, said structure means being configured to facilitate partially filling with water leaving an internal volume for compressed air, a water fill port means, a pressurization pump means, a trigger means, a flow control valve means, a battery-powered oscillator circuit means, a flow actuated sound generator means and a nozzle means;

(b) said fill port means being attached to said structure means and including a removable cap corresponding to an aperture in said structure means, whereby said fill port means provides access for partially filling said squirt gun with water, the cap being resealable so as to not permit leakage when said squirt gun is operating under high internal pressure;

(c) said pressurization pump means being operably coupled to said structure means, providing hand-held support for said squirt gun and operating to compress air into said structure means, said pressurization pump means including a movable member means for facilitating manual actuation thereof;

(d) said nozzle means being coupled to said structure means, said flow control valve means being fluidly coupled via a passageway within said structure means to said nozzle means, said control valve controlling flow of pressurized water to said nozzle means;

to shoot said squirt gun said trigger means being manually actuated to open said control valve means and thereby permit pressurized water flow through said nozzle means, said water flow exiting said nozzle means and thereby said squirt gun at high velocity;

(e) said flow actuated sound generator means including a rotatable impeller means mounted integral and within said structure means and interposed between said control valve means and nozzle means and adapted to rotate when flowing water moves from said control valve means to said nozzle means, and also including vibration means mounted externally on said structure means and operably coupled to said impeller means for activation upon rotation of said impeller means;

wherein said vibration means comprises a horn cylinder means, a horn piston means, a first reed vibrator means and a second reed vibrator means, said first and second reed vibrator means being attached to said cylinder means, said piston means being positioned inside said cylinder means, rotation of said impeller means causing said horn piston means to cycle back and forth inside said horn cylinder means and thereby alternatingly force air through said first and second vibrator means causing said first and second vibrator means to vibrate and produce pulsating sounds; and

(f) said battery operated oscillator circuit means being attached to said structure means and including a switch means for controlling on and off states of said circuit means, said switch means being coupled to said trigger means to simultaneously switch said circuit means to an on state when said trigger means is actuated to shoot said squirt gun, said circuit means operating to produce pulsating sounds when switched to an on state.

2. A toy squirt gun for shooting a high velocity stream of water as disclosed in claim 1 wherein said structure means further includes a rifle scope means mounted parallel to said barrel means to enhance the appearance of said squirt gun.

3. A toy squirt gun for shooting a high velocity stream of water as disclosed in claim 1 wherein said air reservoir means comprises a rifle scope configuration mounted parallel to said barrel means.

4. A toy squirt gun for shooting a high velocity stream of water as disclosed in claim 1 wherein said pressurization pump means is mounted underneath said barrel means.

5. A toy squirt gun for shooting a continuous stream of water, comprising:

(a) a structure means for containing water and air under high internal pressure, said structure means being configured to facilitate partially filling with water leaving an internal volume for compressed air, a water fill port means, a pressurization pump means, a trigger means, a flow control valve means, a battery-powered oscillator circuit means, a flow actuated sound generator means and a nozzle means;

(b) said fill port means being attached to said structure means and including a removable cap corresponding to an aperture in said structure means, whereby said fill port means provides access for partially filling said squirt gun with water, the cap being resealable so as to not permit leakage when said squirt gun is operating under high internal pressure;

(c) said pressurization pump means being operably coupled to said structure means, providing hand-held support for said squirt gun and operating to compress air into said structure means, said pressurization pump means including a movable member means for facilitating manual actuation thereof;

(d) said nozzle means being coupled to said structure means, said flow control valve means being fluidly coupled via a passageway within said structure means to said nozzle means, said control valve controlling flow of pressurized water to said nozzle means;

to shoot said squirt gun said trigger means being manually actuated to open said control valve means and thereby permit pressurized water flow through said nozzle means, said water flow exiting said nozzle means and thereby said squirt gun at high velocity;

(e) said flow actuated sound generator means including a rotatable impeller means mounted integral and within said structure means and interposed between said control valve means and nozzle means and adapted to rotate when flowing water moves from said control valve means to said nozzle means, and also including vibration means mounted externally on said structure means and operably magnetically coupled to said impeller means for activation upon rotation of said impeller means;

(f) said battery operated oscillator circuit means being attached to said structure means and including a switch means for controlling on and off states of said circuit means, said switch means being coupled to said trigger means to simultaneously switch said circuit means to an on state when said trigger means is actuated to shoot said squirt gun, said circuit means operating to produce pulsating sounds when switched to an on state.

6. A toy squirt gun for shooting a continuous stream of water at high velocity, said squirt gun comprising:

(a) a structure means for containing water and air under pressure, a pressurization pump means configured to facilitate manual actuation thereof for compressing air into said structure means, a trigger means and a flow control valve means for facilitating manual control of shooting of said gun, a fill port means for providing access for partially filling said structure means with water, a nozzle means for increasing the velocity of said water flow stream as said stream is ejected from said gun when said gun is shooting;

(b) said structure means being configured as a gun in appearance and including a barrel means and an air reservoir means as integral parts thereof;

said air reservoir means functioning to prevent said gun from being completely filled with water to insure there is always a volume inside said structure means into which air can be compressed;

(c) said pressurization pump means including a movable member means for facilitating manual actuation thereof and check valve means for permitting one-way flow of compressed air into said structure means, said movable member means being movably coupled to said structure means along said barrel means and being manually actuatable in a back and forth motion to effect pumping of air into said structure means, and said check valve means being fluidly interposed between said movable member means and said structure means and adapted to permit air flow into said structure means and to restrain air and water flow out of said structure means;

(d) said pressurization pump means further comprising a pressurization cylinder means attached to said movable member means, and a pressurization piston means attached to said container, both oriented parallel and adjacent said barrel means, said pressurization piston means being configured to extend into said pressurization cylinder means such that back and forth movement of said movable member means along said barrel means moves said piston means in and out of said cylinder means to effect pumping of air into said structure means;

(e) wherein said pressurization piston means comprises an integral part of said structure means and is hollow so as to provide additional volume for containment of pressurized air and water; and

wherein said check valve means is operably mounted to said pressurization piston means and functions to facilitate one way flow of compressed air into said structure means from said pressurization cylinder means;

(f) said fill port means being attached to said structure means and including a removable cap corresponding to an aperture in said structure means, whereby said fill port means provides access for partially filling said squirt gun with water, the cap being resealable so as to not permit leakage when said squirt gun is operating under high internal pressure; and

(g) said control valve means being fluidly coupled via a passageway within said structure means to said nozzle means, said control valve controlling flow of pressurized water to said nozzle means.

7. A toy squirt gun comprising:

(a) a gun shaped container for holding water and air under pressure, including a barrel portion with a nozzle in its free end, and a passageway within said barrel communicating between said nozzle and the contents of said container;

(b) said container including an access port for filling said container with water;

(c) a removable cap for sealing said access port;

(d) said container including an air reservoir portion which extends upward beyond the height of said access port, said air reservoir being located such that air will be trapped therein when said container is filled with water;

(e) means operably coupled to said container for manually pressurizing the contents of said container;

(f) a control valve operably mounted within said passageway for opening and closing said passageway, including a shaft connected to said valve which projects externally of said container;

(g) a trigger operably connected to said container and the externally projecting portion of said control valve shaft and adapted to open said control valve upon manual activation thereof;

(h) an impeller rotatably mounted within said passageway between said control valve and nozzle, said impeller adapted to rotate upon the movement of fluid within said passageway;

(i) a mechanical sound generator mounted to said container and magnetically connected to said impeller, said sound generator producing a sound in response to rotation of said impeller; and

(j) an electronic sound generator mounted to said container and electrically connected to said trigger for activation upon pulling of said trigger.

8. A toy squirt gun comprising:

(a) a gun shaped container for holding water and air under pressure, including a barrel portion with a nozzle in its free end, and a passageway within said barrel communicating between said nozzle and the contents of said container;

(b) said container including an access port for filling said container with water;

(c) a removable cap for sealing said access port;

(d) said container including an air reservoir portion which extends upward beyond the height of said access port, said air reservoir being located such that air will be trapped therein when said container is filled with water;

(e) means operably coupled to said container for manually pressurizing the contents of said container, including;

a hollow piston portion mounted on said container and projecting therefrom, the hollow portion thereof communicating with contents of said container;

a check valve operably mounted in the free end of said piston for retaining air in said piston injected through said valve;

a hollow pressurization cylinder with one closed end, fitted on said piston like a sleeve for axial slidable movement, the inside diameter of said cylinder being slightly greater than the outside diameter of said piston to allow the entrance of air within said cylinder upon axial movement of said cylinder away from said container; and

flexible seal means mounted on the end of said piston between the walls of said piston and cylinder and adapted to allow one way movement of air into said cylinder when said cylinder is moved axially away from said container;

(f) a control valve operably mounted within said passageway for opening and closing said passageway, including a shaft connected to said valve which projects externally of said container; and

(g) a trigger operably connected to said container and the externally projecting portion of said control valve shaft and adapted to open sid control valve upon manual activation thereof.

9. The squirt gun of claim 8, further comprising:

an impeller rotatably mounted within said passageway between said control valve and nozzle, said impeller adapted to rotate upon the movement of fluid within said passageway; and

a mechanical sound generator mounted to said container and magnetically connected to said impeller, said sound generator producing a sound in response to to rotation of said impeller.