Hook and loop air gun and method therefor

• US 5,845,629 A
• Filed: 03/25/1997
• Issued: 12/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RAT A-Tat Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ratpak, Inc.
• Inventors: Ratliff, Michael Carson
• Primary Examiner(s): Ricci, John A.
• Application Number:
  US08/823,969
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 124/48, 124/51.1, 124/56, 124/58, 124/59, 124/66, 124/67, 124/72, 273/DIG. 30, 473/573
• US Class Current: 124/56
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 11/89 for toys
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 1/01 Target discs characterised by their material, structure or surface, e.g. clay pigeon targets characterised by their materialF41J5/044 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 6/10 Air gun pellets ; Ammunition for air guns, e.g. propellant-gas containers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 273/30 Hooked pile fabric fastener

Abstract

A gun and target system and method is disclosed wherein a hook-and-loop ball is fired through an air or gas gun at a hook-and-loop target.

Claims

1. A combination gun, projectile therefor, and target comprising in combination:

at least one of a compressed air gun and a compressed gas gun having a barrel;

at least one spherical projectile located in said gun and having an entire exterior surface comprising at least one of hook material and loop material;

said barrel being dimensioned to receive each of said at least one spherical projectile;

means located in a barrel of said gun for holding a circumferential peripheral portion of said spherical projectile in compression;

means for aligning said spherical projectile with said barrel through which said spherical projectile can pass only by being circumferentially compressed in the barrel;

means for applying at least one of propulsion gas and propulsion air to said projectile to rapidly project said spherical projectile through the barrel; and

a target spaced from said air gun or gas gun and comprising a surface of at least one of hook material and loop material opposite to the hook and loop material of said spherical projectile.

2. The combination gun, projectile therefor, and target of claim 1 wherein said target further comprises a layer of resilient material underlying said surface of at least one of hook material and loop material.

3. The combination gun, projectile therefor, and target of claim 1 further comprising means for spring-loading, in succession, a plurality of said projectiles.

4. The combination gun, projectile therefor, and target of claim 1 wherein said projectile is covered with hook material.

5. The combination gun, projectile therefor, and target of claim 1 wherein said projectile is covered with loop material.

6. The combination gun, projectile therefor, and target of claim 1 wherein said surface of said target comprises hook material.

7. The combination gun, projectile therefor, and target of claim 1 wherein said surface of said target comprises loop material.

8. A method for providing a combination gun, projectile therefor, and target comprising the steps of:

providing at least one of a compressed air gun and a compressed gas gun having a barrel;

providing at least one spherical projectile located in said gun and having an entire exterior surface comprising at least one of hook material and loop material;

said barrel being dimensioned to receive each of said at least one spherical projectile;

providing means located in a barrel of said gun for holding a circumferential peripheral portion of said spherical projectile in compression;

providing means for aligning said spherical projectile with said barrel through which said spherical projectile can pass only by being circumferentially compressed in the barrel;

providing means for applying at least one of propulsion gas and propulsion air to said projectile to rapidly project said spherical projectile through the barrel; and

providing a target spaced from said air gun or gas gun and comprising a surface of at least one of hook material and loop material opposite to the hook and loop material of said spherical projectile.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said target further comprises a layer of resilient material underlying said surface of at least one of hook material and loop material.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of providing means for spring-loading, in succession, a plurality of said projectiles.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein said projectile is covered with hook material.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein said projectile is covered with loop material.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein said surface of said target comprises hook material.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein said surface of said target comprises loop material.