Long range trigger-actuated squirt gun

• US 4,854,480 A
• Filed: 01/04/1988
• Issued: 08/08/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert S. Shindo
• Original Assignee: Robert S. Shindo
• Inventors: Shindo, Robert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin P.
• Application Number:
  US07/140,711
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 222/79, 222/183, 222/105, 222/175, 222/210, 222/212, 446/473, 446/475, 141/2, 141/18, 141/21, 141/25, 141/26
• US Class Current: 222/79
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 9/0838 supply being effected by follower in container, e.g. membrane or floating piston, or by deformation of container
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 9/0009 the pressurised liquid being contained in an expandable chamber, e.g. a bladder or a chamber with a spring-loaded slidable wall
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 9/0062 the liquid being stored in the handle, grip or stock of the gun

Abstract

A squirt gun includes a hollow housing in the form of a gun with a liquid dispensing assembly within the housing. The liquid dispensing assembly includes a rubber tube, expandable upon being filled with liquid, which is connected to a rigid tube with a nozzle at one end, and will dispense liquid from the rubber tube through the nozzle. A pivotable trigger is mounted with one end located to squeeze the rubber tube against the housing. A rigid coil around the rubber tube between the trigger and rigid tube restrains the rubber tube from expansion for the length of the coil. An adapter is provided which is threadable on a faucet, for filling the rubber tube in the squirt gun with water.

Claims

1. A squirt gun, comprising:

a substantially housing having a hollow interior and a passageway communicating from said hollow interior to the exterior of the squirt gun;

said housing and hollow interior having an irregular shape of a gun having a barrel arranged forwardly of and generally parallel to a stock portion and a handle portion extending downwardly from said stock portion,

said passageway being located in said gun barrel;

an expandable elastomeric tube having an open end and a closed end, mounted within said housing, said tube being expandable from a normally collapsed tubular condition to an expanded condition substantially filling the irregularly shaped interior of said housing and expanding into the handle portion, the open end of said tube being mounted within said passageway for communication with the exterior of said aquirt gun; and

an operable trigger mounted on said housing and adapted for exterior actuation, said trigger having means for selectively restraining the flow of fluid from within said expandable tube.

2. The squirt gun of claim 1, further comprising a rigid tube located within said passageway and communicating between said expandable tube and the exterior of said squirt gun.

3. The squirt gun of claim 1, further comprising a nozzle means associated with said passageway for increasing the velocity of fluid passing therethrough.

5. The squirt gun of claim 1, wherein said trigger is pivotally mounted with a lower end projecting exteriorly of said housing and an upper end projecting within the interior of said hollow housing, said upper end pivoting between an off position squeezing said expandable tube against the housing to restrain the flow of fluid therethrough, and an actuated position pivoted away from said expandable tube to allow fluid to flow therethrough.

6. The squirt gun of claim 5, further comprising means for biasing said trigger towards the off position, such that said trigger may be selectively actuated and will then return to its off position under the bias of said biasing means.

4. The squirt gun of claim 4, further comprising a collar means surrounding said expandable tube between said trigger and the open end of said expandable tube, said collar means preventing expansion of said expandable tube therewithin.

7. A long range trigger-actuated squirt gun, comprising:

a substantially hollow housing formed in the shape of a gun having a hollow interior and a barrel portion, a stock portion, and a handle portion;

a rigid tube mounted within said barrel portion and fluidly communicating between the hollow interior of the housing and the exterior of the squirt gun;

an expandable, elastomeric, normally collapsed tube having an open end and a closed end, the open end of said tube being fluidly connected to one end of said rigid tube, said expandable tube being expandable from a normally collapsed condition to an expanded condition substantially filling said stock portion of said housing and expanding into said handle portion;

a trigger operably mounted to said housing with a lower end projecting exteriorly adjacent said handle portion, and an upper end located so as to pivot between an actuated position adjacent said expandable tube and an off position with said upper end squeezing said expandable tube against said housing to restrain fluid flow therethrough; and

means for biasing said trigger towards its off position.