US2238384A - Pneumatic amusement machine gun - Google Patents

Description

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April 15, 1941.

CHARLESA.FLTMA/V- INVENTOR.

BY 7:4" I. Mwnw w I ATTORNEY;

Patented Apr. 15, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE V 2,238,384 PNEUMATIC AMUSEMENT MACHINE GUN Charles A. Feltman, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application June 1, 1939, Serial No. 276,762

12 Claims.

neously into the magazine back of the balls, The

halls are therefore continuously blown from the magazine and through the barrel as long as the valve is open or until the supply of balls is exhausted; The magazine is made air-tight for this purpose and is provided with an air-tight cover which can be removed for placing a new charge of the balls into the magazine. For conmeans to relieve the excessive pressure on the pin it it should happen to bear directly against a ball. The pins for this purpose are made of two telescopically connected parts with a sprin holding the parts apart. I A further object of my invention is to provide means for counting the number of successive charges of the balls fired from the gun. I employ for this purpose a counter of an ordinary construction, mechanically connected with the cover on the magazine in such amanner that the counter registers every time the cover is opened for placing a new charge of the balls in the venience oi the attendants in the shooting gal- I lery, the charging opening is at the front end of the gun where it is more accessible to them.

Another object of my invention is to provide means to automatically control the rate of movement ofthe balls from the magazine into the barrel. .This object is accomplished in my invention by the provision of reciprocating sliding pins alternately obstructing the passage for the balls and spaced apart so as to admit one ball at a time, the front pin alternately closing and opening the passage for the balls through the barrel, the other pin alternately closing and opening the passage for the balls from the magazine into the barrel. I operate the pins preferably by an electric motor and by adjustingits speed I can control the rate at which the balls are projected from the barrel, By making the pins of a smaller diameter than the barrel, it'is magazine. The connection between the counter and the cover is also useful in that it serves as a flexible attachment preventing. the loss of the cover when it is opened.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the accompanying speciflcation and drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevationof my machine of Fi 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the magazine cover;

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail view of one oi the ball-feeding pins;

Fig. 5 is a detail view of a cam-which operates the pin; and V Fig." 8 is a fractional sectional view of a block with passages for the balls, showing a modified construction of a ball-feeding pin.

Fig. 7 is a detailed view of a ball control attachment.

My machine gun in one of its practical embodiments as shown in Fig, 1, comprises a barrel I fitted at the rear end in a block 2, the latter hav- As a modification, the front pins may be made in the form of a flat bar completely closing the barrel so that the air flow is stopped every time anew ball is moved from the magazine into the v a barrel, Such an arrangement is useful where it is desired to economize in the use of the compressed air.

A further object of my invention is to provide ing a bore 3 forming continuation of the bore of the barrel. A tube 4 is also'fltted in the block 2 at the rear end, the block having a curved bassage 5 connecting the tube 4 with the bore 3. The tube 4 forms a magazine for balls 8 which can roll from the tube into the barrel, the passage 5 being inclined forward at an angle to the barrel. The front end of the tube or tubular magazine 4 is fitted into a block 1 which is also provided with an opening for supporting the front end of the barrel i. The block 2 is mounted on a bracket I which also supportsa valve I connected at the bottom by a flexible pipe Ill with a source of com-pressed air (not shown) or other suitable fluid under pressure. The exhaust end of the valve is connected by a pipe i I and suitable fittings, such as an elbow l2 and a tee IS, with the bore 3 of the block 2. A pipe ll extends from.

the tee l3 and is attached at the other end to the front block, being connected by a passage- II with a bore I6 forming a continuation of the bore of-the tubular magazine 4. The front end of the bore [0 is closed by a pin ll attached to a cover or can ll slidably fitted. over a cylindrical extene Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2 2 pulling on the trigger.

sion is at the front end of the block I, The pin I! and the cap l6 close a filling hole 26 in the extension IS, the hole being used for placing new charges of the balls into the magazine.

The cap is provided with angular slots 2| (Fig.

3) engaging pins 22 fitted in the extension I! so that the cap can be locked in the closed position by turning so as to place the pins in the ends of the slots. A resilient washer 23 at the bottom of the cap provides sufficient frictional pressure against the pins in the locked position in order to prevent spontaneous loosening or the cap from the pins. The sealing pin I1 is threaded into the bottom of the cap and is locked by a nut 24. By adjusting the position of the pin H in the cap it is possible to partly close the passage l5, thereby adjusting the amount of the compressed air passing into the magazine. I have found that the air pressure in the magazine should be maintained below the air pressure in the barrel in order to prevent jamming of the balls in the curved passage in the rear block 2.

The compressed air flows through the barrel when the valve 9 is opened and it also flows through the magazine from the front to the rear, driving the balls into the barrel. The balls are accordingly ejected in a steady stream from the barrel l. The valve 8 is controlled by a lever 25 pivoted at 26 in a lug 21 extending from the body of the valve. The upper end of the lever 26- engages the outer end of a valve stem 23, the lower end of the lever being curved in the shape of a finger trigger 29. The valve is opened by A handle 36 is provided at the rear of the gun forming an extension of a casing 3| enclosing the operative parts of the gun. A lug 32 on the under side of the casing 3| is pivotally connected at 33 to the upper end of rangement of the passage 5 has an advantage in that it enables the two pins to be placed side by side or in a parallel relation to each other despite the fact that they operate in diilerent passages. It is evident that such an arrangement would be impossible if the passage 5 were placed at right angles to the bore 3. I

In order to prevent any damage to the pin if it should bear centrally against a ball, the pins are formed of two parts each telescopically fitted into each other. The upper parts'36 and 3! respectively are slidably fitted in screw plugs 50 (Fig. 4) which close the upper opening of bores 5| in the tubular lower portions 33. The upper portions 36 and 31 have enlargements 52 resting against the inner ends of the plugs 50 under pressure of springs 53. The springs are sufiiciently strong for the, normal operation of the pins in separat ing the balls and controlling their passage into the barrel from the magazine, but they yield and allow the pins to telescopically slide into the lower portions when the upper ends of the pins are obstructed by striking, a ball. Retrieving springs 54 are provided 1 the upper portions of the bores for the pinsin-the block 2, urging the pins against the cams by their rollers 39.

The operation of the gun starts when the valve 6 i opened by the pressure on the trigger and stops when the trigger is released. The motor 44 is operated continuously and, in orderto prevent the balls from being discharged into the barrel when the valve 9 is closed, a locking mechanism is provided consisting of a rod 55 slidably supported in the wall of the bracket 3 and having an enlargement 56 engaged by a compression spring 5'! which urges the enlarged portion against the pin 33'. The latter has a notch 53 which can be engaged by a corresponding lug 59 a pin 34 rotatively fitted in a standard 35 which forms a support for the gun. The latter-can be turned in any direction by the handle 36 while operating the valve 9.

In order to automatically maintain a desired rate at which the balls are projected through the barrel, a mechanism is provided consisting of two pins 36 and 31 slidably fitted in the block 2 and alternately engaging the balls in the bore 3 and in the passage 5. The pins have enlarged lower portions 38 and 36 sliding in corresponding bores in the block 2 and provided with rollers 33 at the lower ends engaged by cams 43. The latter are mounted on a shaft 4| extending from a worm gear 42 engaged by a worm 43 (Fig, 2) mounted on the shaft of an electric motor 44. The motor is connected with a casing 45 of the gears and is attached to the frame 3. The cams may have several projections 46 (Fig. 5) as may be required balls. rheostat 41 placed in the circuit of the motor connected with a power line 46. The cams are staggered in order to alternately reciprocate the two pins, one pin rising when the other is being lowered. The pin 31 slides in the bore 3 and controls the passage of the balls through the barrel,

while the pin 36 enters the passage 5 of the magaon the enlargement 56, thereby stopping the movement of the pin 38'. The notch 58 is so placed that the pin is caught by the lug 59 in its upper position in which it closes the passage for the balls through the barrel 1. The corre sponding cam will then continue to rotate under the roller of the pin 36 without causing it to move. a

the passage for the compressed air in the valve 3, a retrieving spring 34 being provided for closing the valve. The air passes into the rear 01' the magazine through the pipe l4 and pushes the balls into the passage 5 from which they are admitted into the bore 3 by the pin 31, the pin 36 limiting the admittance to one ball at a time, and also releasing the ball into the barrel I to be projected at the target. The pins are continuously operated by the motor 44 at a desired speed. When the supply of the balls in the magazine is exhausted, a new charge can be placed through \the charging opening 20 by removing-the cap l8.

The latter is connected at 65 by hinged links 66 and 61 with a lever 66 of a counter 69 of an ordinary construction which registers by the pull of the links every time when the cap is removed. The links are loosely connected together so that they permit turning the cap l6 in order to engage or disengage the pins 22. Simultaneously, with the opening of the valve I, the pin 55 is moved to the right. releasing the lug II from the notch 58, thereby permitting the front pin I! to drop down under action oi. its retrieving spring 54 against its canr 40 which will then reciprocate the pin 31, thereby successively releasing the balls in the barrel, the motor 44 operating :continuously. The valve is closed by its spring .4 when the trigger is released, the pin 55 being simultaneously released through its rods and the bridge 6| which are disengaged from the lever 25. The lug 59 will engage the notch 50 as soon as the pin 38' is raised to the highest position in its travel under action of the cam 40.

It is understood that my machine gun may be further modified without departing from the spirit of my invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

I=claim as my invention:

1. A pneumatic machine gun comprising a barrel, an air-tight magazine for balls in communication with the rear portion 01 the barrel, two movable members extending into the path of the balls between the magazine and the barrel, one member being adapted to admit the balls into the barrel from the magazine, the second member being adapted to limit the admittance to one ball at a time, means to alternately operate the members for admitting the balls into the barrel at a predtermined rate, means to admit compressed air into the barrel, means to admit the compressed air into the magazine back of the balls, a manually conadmit compressed air into the rear end of the barrel continuation in the block and into the outer end of the magazine for causing air fiow through the magazine and thmugh the barrel,"

thereby projecting the balls from. the barrel, pins slidably fitted in the block and passing into the passage for the balls in the block, the pins diameter 01' one ball, a motor, means to alternately reciprocate, the pins by the motor for admitting the balls into the barrel one at a time, and a retrieving means for the pins, the operative end of at least one pin being adapted to close the bore after the passage 01' every ball, thereby stopping the flow ot the compressed air through the barrel.

4. A pneumatic. machine gun comprising a I ,thereby projecting the balls from the barrel, pins slidably fitted in the block and passing into the passage for the balls in the block, the pins being spaced apart at a distance corresponding to the diameter of one ball, a motor, means to alternately reciprocate the pins by the motor tor admitting the balls into the barrel one at a time, a retrieving means for the pins, and yieldable members interposed between the pins and the pin-reciprocating means,

5. A pneumatic machine un comprisin a barrel, a block supporting the rear end of the barrel and having a bore forming a continuation of the barrel, an air-tight magazine for balls extending at one end into the block, the block having a passage for the balls between the magazine and the barrel, means to simultaneously admit compressed air into'the rear end-oi the barrel continuation in the block and into the outer end of the magazine for causing air flow through the magazine and through the barrel,

, thereby projecting the ballsirom the barrel,-

pins slidably fitted in the block and-passing into i 1 the passage for the ballsin thebloclg'the pins 1 being spaced apart at adistance-corresponding tothe diameter o-tgone' ball, a motor, means to alternately'reciprocatexthe'pins by the motor for admitting the bal'lsinto'the barrel one at a time,

., a retrieving means for thepins, each pin conbeing spaced apart at a distance corresponding to the diameter of one ball, a motor, means to alternately reciprocate the pins by the motor for admitting the balls into the barrel one at a time, and a retrieving means for the pins, the operative ends of the pins being adapted to cover a portion only of the area of the passage, thereby permitting an uninterrupted air flow through the magazine and through the barrel.

3. A pneumatic machine gun comprising a barrel, a block supporting the rear end of the barrel and having a bore forming acontinuatlon of the barrel, an air-tight magazine for balls extending at one end into'the block, the block having a passage for the balls between the magazine and the barrel, means to simultaneously admit sisting of two relatively movable portions resilient membersfor keeping the two portions apart lengthwise, and 'means to limit the outward movement of the two portions of each pin.

6. A pneumatic machine gun comprising a barrel, a blocksupporting the rear end of the barrel and having a bore forming a continuation of the barrel, an air-tight magazine for balls extending at one endinto the block, the block having a passage for the balls between the magazine and the barrel, means to simultaneously admit compressed air into the rear end of the barrel continuation in the block and into the outer endof the magazine for causing air flow through the magazine and through the barrel,

pins slidably fitted in the block and passing into the passage for the balls in the block, the pins being spaced apart at a distance corresponding to the diameter of one ball, a motor, a shaft opcompressed air into the rearend of the barrel eratively connected with the motor, cams on the shaft adapted to alternately'move the pins, and retrieving springs for the pins, the pins being adapted to admit the balls into the barrel at a predetermined rate.

7. A pneumatic machine gun comprising a barrel, a tubular magazine for balls extending alongside the barrel and in communication with the rear end of the barrel, the "magazine being provided with an opening for charging the balls therein, a cover for the magazine, means to admit compressed air into the rear end of the barrel, means to admit compressed air into the front end of the magazine, thereby causing the air to flow through the magazine and out of the barrel together with the balls entrained from the magazine, means to manually control the air-admitting means, the rear portion of the magazine extending into the barrel at an angle, a pin slidably supported at the rear end of the barrel passing into the end portion of the magazine and adapted to control the movement of the balls from the magazine into the barrel, a second pin in parallel relation to the first pin slldably fitted into the barrel in front of the first pin and spaced therefrom at a distance corresponding to the diameter of the ball, a motor, and means to alternately reciprocate the pins by the motor, thereby admitting the balls from the magazine into the barrel at a predetermined rate, the

pins being adapted to control the movement of,

the balls.

8. A pneumatic machine gun comprising a barrel, artubular magazine for balls extending alongside the barrel and in communication with the rear end of the barrel, the magazine beingprovided with an opening for charging the balls therein, a cover for the magazine, means to ad- I mit compressed air into the rear end of the barrel, means to admit compressed air into the front end of the magazine, thereby causing the air to flow through the magazine and out of the barrel together with the balls entrained from the magazine, means to manually control the air-admitting means, the rear portion of the magazine extending into the barrel at an angle, a pin slidabiy supported at the rear end of the barrel passing into the end portion of the magazine and adapted to control the movement of the balls from the magazine into the barrel, asecand pin in parallel relation tothe first pin slidably fitted into the barrel in front of the first pin and spaced therefrom at a distance corresponding to the diameter of the ball, a motor, means to alternately reciprocate the pins by the motor, thereby admitting the balls from the magazine into the barrel at a predetermined rate, the pins being adapted to control the movement of the balls, 2. yieldable means to retain the front pin in the closing position for preventing the movement of the balls, and means to manually release the front pin.

9. A pneumatic machine gun comprising a barrel, a tubular magazine for balls extending alongside the barrel and in communication with the rear end of the barrel, the magazine being provided with an opening for charging the balls therein, a cover for the magazine, means toadmit compressed air into the rear end of the barrel, means to admit compressed air into the front end of the magazine, thereby causing the air to flow through the magazine and out of the barrel together with the balls entrained from the magazine, means to manually control the air-admitting means, the rear portion of the magazine extending into the barrel at an angle, a pin slidably supported at the rear end of the barrel passing into the end portion of the magazine and adapted to control the movement of the balls from the magazine into the barrel, a second pin in parallel relation to the first .pin

slidably fitted into the barrel in front of the first pin and spaced therefrom at'a distance corresponding to the diameter of the ball, a motor, means to alternately reciprocate the pins by the motor, thereby admitting the balls from the magazine into the barrel at a predetermined rate,

the pins beingadapted to control the movement of the balls, a yieldable means to retain the front pin in the closing position for preventing the movement of the balls, and means to manually release the front pin, the front pin being adapted in the closing position to close the passage for the air through the barrel.

10. A pneumatic machine gun comprising a barrel, an air-tight tubular magazine for balls, the rear end of the magazine being in communication with the rear end of the barrel, a manually controlled means for simultaneously admitting compressed air into the barrel and into the front end of the magazine for continuously projecting the balls, 8. motor, means to control by the motor the rate of movement of the balls from the magazine into the barrel, a casing enclosing the barrel and the magazine with the air-admitting means, a block connecting the front ends of the barrel and of the magazine and extending in front of the casing, the block having a bore forming a continuation of the magazine and further having an opening for charging the magazine with new balls, and a removable closure for the end of the magazine and for the charging opening.

:11. A pneumatic machine gun comprising a barrel, a tubular magazine for balls extending alongside the barrel and in communication with the rear end of the barrel, the magazine being provided with an opening for charging the balls therein, a cover for the magazine, means to admit compressed air into the rear end of the barrel, means to admit compressed air into the front end of the magazinejthereby causing the air to flow through the magazine and out of the barrel together with the balls entrained from the magazine, means to manually control the airadmitting means, means to maintain a predetermined rate of movement of the balls from the magazine into the barrel, a counter, and means to operate the counter by the cover for counting the number of charges of the balls placed into the magazine.

12. A pneumatic machine gun comprising a barrel, a tubular magazine for balls extending alongside the barrel and in communication with the rear end of the barrel, the magazine being provided with an opening for charging the balls therein, a cover for the magazine, means to admit compressed air into the rear end of the barrel, means .to admit compressed air into the front end of the magazine, thereby causing the air to flow through the magazine and out of the barrel together with the balls entrained from the magazine, means to manually control the airadmitting means, means to maintain a predetermined rate of movement of the balls from the magazine into the barrel, a counter having an operating lever, and flexible connecting members between the counter lever and the cover, the lever being thereby adapted to operate the counter when the cover is removed, the flexible members being further adapted to retain the cover in the removed position. 1

CHARLES A. FEL'I'MAN.

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