Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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1
TOY GUN
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a.toy gun, in which the
shooting of bullets charged in a loading chamber and the
automatic supply of the loading chamber with the bullets are
caused by the action of a gas pressure and, more particularly,
in which the bullets to be charged in the loading chamber and
shot are exemplified by paint containing bullets for discharging
paint when crushed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
In the field of a model gun called the toy gun (or air
soft gun) in which a bullet is short from a barrel in accordance
with the operation of a trigger and in which a slider arranged
along the barrel is moved for supplying a next bullet, there
is known a toy gun, in which the shooting of a bullet charged
in a loading chamber disposed at the back of the barrel is done
by using a gas pressure and in which the automatic supply of
a bullet to the loading chamber by the movement of the slider
is also done by using the gas pressure.
Generally in this toy gun, the grip is provided with a
magazine for holding a plurality of bullets , and an accumulation
chamber for reserving.gas. Each time the bullet charged in
the loading chamber is shot by using the gas pressure from the
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accumulation chamber formed in the grip, the gas pressure from
the accumulation chamber is further used to move the slider
backward and then forward ~in the direction along the barrel,
so that the bullets held in the magazine disposed in the grip
can be supplied to the emptied loading ch-amber and shot
automatically . Usually in this toy gun in which the gas pressure
is used to shoot the bullet charged in the loading chamber and
to supply the bullet to the loading chamber , the gas to be reserved
in the accumulation chamber is exemplified by a liquefied gas
under a low pressure, and the bullet to be charged in the loading
chamber is a sham' one called the "BB bullet" made of plastics
and having a relatively small diameter such as about 6 mm.
Apart from the toy gun using the aforementioned sharnbullet
of a diameter of about & mm, on the other hand, there is also
known a toy gun, which uses a paint containing bullet (as will
be called the "paint bullet" ) having a relatively large diameter
exceeding 10 mm, such as about 17 mm and made easily crushable
to discharge the paint (for example, a.s referred.to the
non-patent publication: "MonthlyMagazineGun, October" , issued
on October 1, 1992 by Kokusai Shuppan Kabushiki Gaisha, pp.
66 to 75) .
In the toy gun using the paint bullet: given a relatively
large diameter and a relatively heavy weight by containing the
paint, as disclosed in the aforementioned non-patent
publication, a gas tank charged with carbonate gas (i . a . , C02
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gas) underahighpressureisarrangedintheframe,andamagazine
called the "loader" capable of holding a plurality of paint
bullets is so mounted in the rear portion. of the barrel with
an upward protrusion through a feeding port.
In the frame , moreover , there are arranged a movable member
formed by combining an upper bolt and a lower bolt, and a valve
mechanism formed by arranging an exhaust valve movably in an
air chamber formed by a cylinder member . The valve mechanism
is provided with first and second gas passages and a connection
gas passage for connecting those gas passages . When the trigger
is pulled to shoot the paint bullet charged in the rear portion
of the barrel, moreover, the movable member is advanced by the
biasing force of a spring member to act on the movable member,
thereby to provide the communication between the first gas
passage formed in the valve mechanism and the barrel and to
move the exhaust valve from the position, at which the gas
pressure from the gas tank is not introduced into the connection
gas passage, to the position, at which the gas pressure from
the gas tank is introduced into the connection gas passage.
As a result, the gas pressure from the gas tank flows into both
f
the first and second gas passages through the connection gas
passage. The gas pressure having entered the first gas passage
is guided into the barrel so that it is used for shooting the
paint bullet.
When the paint bullet is shot, moreover , the movable member ,
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which is caused when advanced to take the position for closing
a feeding port from the barrel, is retracted by the raised gas
pressure coming from the gas tank and acting through the second
gas passage formed in the valve mechanism. As a result, the
exhaust valve is moved from the position, at which the gas
pressure from the gas tank is introduced into the connection
gas passage, to the position, at which the gas pressure from
the gas tank is not introduced into the connection gas passage,
and the feeding port and the rear portion of the barrel are
made to communication so that one of the paint bullets held
in the loader drops by its own weight to the rear portion of
the barrel through the feeding port and is charged. Each time
the paint bullets charged in the rear portion of the barrel
are shot, the emptied barrel is automatically ,supplied at its
rear portion with a new paint bullet.
In the aforementioned toy gun in which the shooting of
the paint bullet. charged in the rear portion of the barrel acting
substantially as the loading chamber and the supply of the paint
bullet to the rear portion of the barrel are performed by using
the gas pressure, the gas pressure from the gas tank is introduced
into the first gas passage through the connection gas passage
by the movement of the exhaust valve, as caused by the forward
movement of the movable member, and the gas pressure from the
gas tank is also partially introduced into the second gas passage
through the connection gas passage when it is used for shooting
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the paint bullet . However, the introduction of the gas pressure
into the second gas passage is substantially the leakage of
the gas pressure from the connection gas passage, for the time
period from the introduction start to the instant when the paint
bullet is shot by the gas pressure introduced into the first
gas passage, so that the gas pressure to be guided from the
gas tank to the connection gas passage for shooting the paint
bullet is partially lost. In the toy gun constructed to avoid
the situation in which the gas pressure to be used for shooting
the paint bullet might otherwise be partially lost, moreover,
gas under a high pressure has to be employed, so that the gas
tank as the gas supply source is so charged with a high-pressure
gas such as the C02 gas as to ensure the shooting the paint
bullet having a relatively heavy weight.
In the toy gun which is adapted to shoot the paint bullet
and to supply the paint bullet to the loading chamber by utiliz ing
the gas pressure, therefore, it is desired to avoid the situation,
in which the gas pressure to be used for shooting the paint
bullet charged in the loading chamber might otherwise be
partially lost . It is accordingly desired that the paint bullet
charged in the loading chamber is reliably shot even by using
the~low-pressure gas. In the prior art, however, there has
not been found the toy gun, which can satisfy those desired.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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Accordingly, it is an object of th.e present invention
to provide a toy gun which is adapted to shoot a paint bullet
arid to supply the paint bullet to a loading chamber by utilizing
gas pressure, and which avoids the aforementioned disadvantages
encountered with the prior art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide
a toy gun, which can be freed from the situats.on that gas pressure
to be used for shooting 'a bullet from a loading chamber might
otherwise be partially lost, when the shooting of the bullet
charged in the loading chamber disposed i_n a barrel and the
supply of the bullet to the loading chamber are done by using
the gas pressure, and which can reliably shoot a paint bullet
charged in the loading chamber , even when the :bullet to be charged
in the loading chamber is the paint bullet having a relatively
heavy weight and when the gas to be used is exemplified by gas
under a lower pressure than that of COz gas.
According to the first aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a toy gun comprising: a frame including a
barrel, a loading chamber formed in the barrel, a magazine for
holding bullets to be charged in the loading chamber, and a
trigger; a movable member arranged with a pressure receiving
potion in the frame and made movable in a first direction toward
the loading chamber and in a second direction opposed to the-
f first direction; a drive mechanism for moving the movable member
in the first direction in response to the operation of the
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trigger; a gas supply controller connected to a gas outlet
passage for taking a gas supply state, in which gas is supplied,
as the movable member moves in the first direction; and a gas
flow control mechanism arranged movably with respect to the
movable member and forming a first gas passage for guiding the
gas into the loading chamber and a second gas passage for guiding
the gas to the pressure receiving portion, whereby, for a period
in which the gas supply controller takes the gas supply state
as the movable member moves in the first direction, the gas
flow control mechanism transfers from a first state, in which
the first gas passage is opened whereas the second gas passage
is closed to supply the gas obtained in the gas outlet passage
to the loading chamber through the first gas passage, to a second
state, in which the first gas passage is closed whereas the
second gas passage is opened to apply the gas obtained in the
gas outlet passage to the pressure receiving portion through
the second gas passage, so that the movable member is moved
in the second direction thereby to make preparations for
supplying the ballet from the magazine to the loading chamber .
In the second aspect of the invention, paint the bullets
to be held in the magazine are paint bullets for discharging
paint when crushed.
Tn the toy gun thus constructed according to the invention ,
the gas supply controller is held in the gas supply state to
supply the gas to the gas outlet passage, accordingly as the
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movable member moves in the first direction to the loading
chamber in accordance with the operation of the trigger . The
gas thus supplied to the gas outlet passage is guided to the
loading chamber through such the first ga s passage in the gas
flow control mechanism to open the first gas passage and to
close the second gas passage so that it is used for shooting
the bullet charged in the loading chamber . This bullet shooting,
i . a . , the movement of the bullet from the loading chamber lowers
the gas pressure in the gas flow control mechanism. By the
action of the gas flow control mechanism accompanying the
lowering of the gas pressure, the first gas passage is changed
from the open state to the closed state, and the second gas
passage is changed from the closed state to the open state.
As a result, the gas, as fed to the gas outlet passage by the
movement of the movable member in the first direction to the
loading chamber, acts the pressure receiving. portion formed
on the movable member through the second gas passage so that
the movable member is moved in the second direction apart from
the loading chamber, to take the state for making preparations
for supplying the loading chamber with the bullet.
In the gas flow control mechanism, therefore, when the
gas fed to the gas outlet passage is fed to th.e loading chamber
through the first gas passage, the second gas passage is closed
to prevent the situation, in which the gas flows into th.e second
gas passage. As a result, the.situation, in which the gas
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pressure to be used for shooting the-bullet charged in the loading
chamber is partially lost, is reliably avoided to use the gas
supplied to. the gas outlet passage, effer_tively for shooting
the bullet. As a result, not only in case the bullet to be
supplied from the magazine to the loading chamber is exemplified
by the paint bullet having a relatively heavy weight but also
in case the low-pressure gas is supplied from the gas supply
means to the gas outlet passage, it is possible to shoot the
paint bullet reliably from the loading chamber.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a sectional view presented for describing the
construction and actions of one embodiment of a toy.gun according
to the invention defined in any of Claims 1 to 6;
Fig. 2 is a sectional view presented, for describing the
construction and actions of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a sectional view presented. for describing the
construction and actions of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is a sectional view presented for describing the
construction and actions of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1;
Fig. 5 is a sectional view presented for describing the
construction and actions of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1;
Fig. 6 is a sectional view presented for describing the
construction and actions of the embodiment shown in Fig, l;
Fig. 7 is a sectional view presented for describing the
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construction and actions of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1;
arid
Fig. 8 is a sectional view presente~.d for describing the
construction and actions of the embodiment shown,in Fig. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Fig. 1 is a sectional view presented for describing the
construction and actions of one embodiment of a toy gun according
to the invention defined in any of Claims 1 to 6.
The embodiment shown in Fig. 1 is provided with a barrel
2 , a loading chamber 4 disposed on the rear side of the barrel
2 , a magaz ine 5 , a gas chamber 8 , a movable member 10 , a trigger
30, and a frame 40 having a grip 3~1. The magazine 5 is located
above the loading chamber 4 and enabled to hold a plurality
of paint bullets P, which have a relatively large diameter of
about 11 mm and which discharge paint when crushed, for example.
Moreover, the magazine 5 is provided with a bullet discharge
port 5a, which has a diameter slightly larger than that of the
paint bullet P held in the magazine 5 while confronting the
loading chamber 4, so that the loading chamber 4 is supplied
with one paint bullet P when this paint bullet P drops by its
own weight into the loading chamber 4 through the bullet
discharge port 5a.
The paint bullet P having dropped by its own weight from
the magazine 5 in the loading chamber 4 takes an inlet position
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4a and a loading position 4b ahead of the former in the loading
chamber 4. The positioning of the paint bullet P at the inlet
position 4a in the loading chamber 4 is done by a retaining
member, which has a pair of small protrusions 32 (although only
one is shown),and.is arranged in the loading chamber 4, and
a gas flow control mechanism 50, which will be described
hereinafter. On the other hand, the positioning of the paint
bullet P at the Loading position 4b in the loading chamber 4
is done by both an annular seal member 33 , which is arranged
in the loading chamber 4, and the gas flow control mechanism
50.
To the gas chamber 8, there is connected a gas outlet
passage 34. In this gas outlet passage 34,, there is arranged
a control valve 35, which is made movable in the direction along
the barrel 2. The gas outlet passage 34 :is extended upward
from the gas chamber 8 and has an upper opening 34a opened in
the vicinity of the loading chamber 4. The gas outlet passage
34 is so controlled by the control valve 35 arranged therein
that it is. kept a.t an open state, in which it communicates with
the gas chamber 8, and at a closed state, in which its
communication with the gas chamber 8 is b:Locked.
The control valve 35 includes a valve function portion
35a held in the gas chamber 8, and a piston portion 35b having
a coil spring 36 wound thereon. The control valve 35 is biased
by the coil spring 36 in the direction to keep the gas outlet
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passage 34 in the closed state . In the piston portion 35b of
the control value 35, moreover, there is inserted a lock member
38, which can move up and down. This lock member 38 has radially
enlarged upper and lower end portions, and a coil spring 39
is arranged in the 'lower endportion. This coil spring 39 applies
the upward and downward biasing forces to the lock member 38.
When the control valve 35 takes the position, at which
the gas outlet passage 34 is kept in the closed state by the
valve function portion 35a, as shown in Fig, l, it brings the
piston portion 35b into downward abutment against the lower
end portion of the lock member 38 and blocks the upward movement
of the lock member 38 against the biasing force of the coil
spring 39 thereby to keep the lock member 38 at a lower position.
With the gas chamber 8,~moreover, there communicates a
gas supply passage 41, to which there is connected a pipe 42
extending from the external gas supply source such as a gas
bomb. The gas supply passage 41 introduces the gas, as supplied
from the external gas supply source via the pipe 42 , into the
gas chamber 8.
The movable member 20 engages with a hole 11, which is
so formed in the frame 40 at the back of the barrel 2 as to
extend in the direction along the barrel 2 , so that it can move
in the direction toward the loading chamber 4 and in the opposite
direction apart from the loading chamber 4. With respect to
that movable member 10 , moreover, the gas flow control mechanism
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50 is so arranged movably in the direction along the barrel
2 while being partially inserted in the movable member 10 . To
this movable member 10 , on the other hand, there is connected
a drive mechanism 15 for it. This drive mechanism 15 is
constructed to include a moving member 16 engaging mechanically
with the movable member 10 , and a coil spring 43 extending to
the outside from a.hole 17 opened in the rear end portion of
the moving member 16. An engaging step 18 is formed on the
lower portion of the moving member 16.
In connection with the drive mechanism 15, in the portion
of the frame 40 below the hole 11, there is disposed a bottomed
cylindrical guide 44, which extends in the direction along the
barrel 2. A stem 45 is disposed at the back of the bottomed
cylindrical guide 44. In the bottom of this bottomed
cylindrical guide 44, there is formed a through hole 46, into
which the piston portion 35b of the control valve 35 is movably
inserted. The stem 45 protrudes from the rear side portion
in the frame 40 toward the bottomed cylindrical guide 44.
The moving member 16 constructing the drive mechanism
15 is inserted from its front end side into the bottomed
cylindrical guide 44. Moreover, the coil spring 43
constructing the drive mechanism 15 is wound on the stem 45
formed at the frame 40 and has a portion inserted in the hole
17 formed in the moving member 16 . As a result, the coil spring
43 is guided by the bottomed cylindrical guide 44 to apply such
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a biasing force to the moving member 16 as to move forward together
with the movable member 10.
The movable member 10 includes a cylindrical portion 12
forming its front side portion, and a bottomed cylindrical
portion 13 formed to extend to the cylindrical portion 12 . This
cylindrical portion 12 formed such that the diameter of its
forming internal space is made larger than that of the internal
space formed by the bottomed cylindrical portion 13, and is
provided with a front end portion 12a made relatively thicker.
The bottom portion of the bottomed cylindrical portion 13 forms
a first pressure receiving portion 14, on which the gas pressure
from the gas chamber 8 is caused to act selectively. In the
bottom portion of the bottomed cylindrical portion 13 having
such first pressure receiving portion 14, there is formed a
housing portion, in which there are arranged a piston plunger
20 and a coil spring 21 for-applying a biasing force on.the
former. The front end face of the piston plunger 20 forms a
second pressure receiving portion 22 , to which the gas pressure
from,the gas chamber 8 is selectively applied. In short, the
movable member 10 is provided with the first pressure receiving
portion 14 and the second pressure receiving portion 22 formed
on the piston plunger 20.
The gas flow control mechanism 50 r as arranged movably
in the movable member 10, is provided with a first gas passage
51, a second a gas passage 52, and a gas passage forming portion
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55 forming a connection passage 53 for connecting the first
gas passage 51 and the second gas passage 52. And, the gas
flow control mechanism 50 is biased in the direction toward
the bottom of the bottomed cylindrical portion 13 by a coil
spring 47, which is arranged between the portion in the gas
passage forming portion 55 forming the second gas passage 52
and the front end 12a in the cylindrical portion 12 of the movable
member 10.
The first gas passage~51 in the gas passage formingportion
55 is extended from the connection passage 53 toward the loading
chamber 4 and is opened to the loading chamber 4. On the other
hand, the second-gas passage 52 in the gas passage formingportion
55 is extended from the connection passage 53 toward the second
pressure receiving portion 22 and is opened to the first and
second pressure receivi ng portions 14 and 22 . The gas passage
formingportion 55 has its portion forming the second gas passage
52 inserted slidably in the hole 11 so that it can move in the
direction along the moving direction of the movable member 10 ,
i.e., in the direction along the barrel 2. On that portion
in the gas passage forming portion 55 to form the second gas
passage 52 , there is mounted an annular seal member 56 , which ,
is made of an elastic member. This annular seal member 56 abuts
against the cylindrical inner wall of the bottomed cylindrical
portion 13 to seal up the clearance between that cylindrical
inner wall and the outer circumference of that portion in the
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gas passage forming portion 55, which forms the second gas
passage 52.
Moreover, the gas flow control mechanism 50 is provided
with a movable valve 60 including a current plate portion 57
extended in the first gas passage 51 , and a valve functionportion
58 disposed on the rear end side of the current plate portion
57 and arranged in the connection passage 53 . The current plate
portion 57 is constructed by mutually connecting a plurality
of current plates for uniforming the flow of the gas through
the first gas passage 51. A coil spring 61 is engaged with
the rear side of the valve function portion 58. The movable
valve 60 thus provided with the current plate portion 57 and
the valve function portion 58 opens/closes the first gas passage
51 and the second gas passage 52 and is biased by the coil spring
61 in the direction toward the loading chamber 4.
The trigger 30 is turnably attached through a pin 65 to
the frame 40. The trigger 30 engages at its upper end side
with a coil spring 66 arranged in the frame 40 , so that it takes
an operation starting position, as shown in Fig. 1, when the
coil spring 66 takes the longest state, for example. On the
rear side of the trigger 30, there is arranged a plate-shaped
portion 68, which is selectively connected to the moving member
16 through a connection member 67. The plate-shaped portion
68 is turnably attached to the trigger 30 through a pin 69 and
is biased in the direction to protrude to the outside from the
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rear end of the trigger 30 by the spring member (although not
shown) wound on the pin 69.
The cannectionmember 67 is provided with a front abutment
portion 67a for abutting selectively against the plate-shaped
portion 68, and a rear abutment portion 67b for abutting
selectively against the engaging step 18 formed on the moving
member 16. The connection member 67 is further provided at
its central portion with a slot 67c, in which a pin 70 mounted
in the frame 40 is inserted. To the front side of the connection
member 67 , there is connected to the other end of a coil spring
71, one end of which is connected to the frame 40. This coil
spring 71 applies such a biasing force to the connection member
67 as turns it in the counter-clockwise direction, as seen in
Fig. 1. Therefore, the connection member 67 can be displaced
within such a range by the biasing force of the coil spring
71 as is defined by the slot 67c having the piri 70 inserted
therein. Although not shown, the frame 40 is provided with
a stopper member for regulating.the displacement of the
connection member 67.
In the embodiment of the toy gun thus constructed according
to any of Claims 1 to 5 , when the trigger 30 takes the operation
starting position, as shown in Fig. 1, the control valve 35
is caused by the biasing force of the coil spring f6 to take
the position, at which it closes the gas outlet passage 34 to
block the gas flow from the gas chamber 8 to the gas outlet
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' > 18
passage 34, thereby- to keep the.lock member 38 at the lower
position. Moreover, the plate-shaped portion 68 comes upward
into abutment against the front abutment portion 67a of the
connection member 67 thereby to regulate the turn of the
connection member 67 according to the biasing force of the coil
spring 71.
At this time, the connection member 67 brings its rear
abutment portion 67b into abutment against the engaging step
18 formed on the moving member 16, so that the moving member
16 may take a reference position, at which the movable member
is at the back of the upper end portion of the lock member
38 to take the lower position, and may keep an initial position,
at which the front end of the movingmember 16 is slightly inserted
into the bottomed cylindrical guide 44 . When the movable member
10 takes such reference position, the piston plunger 20 takes
a forward position according to the biasing force of the coil
spring 21, and abuts against the rear end of the gas passage
forming portion 55 in the gas flow control mechanism 50. With
the state in which the opening of the second gas passage 52
is closedby the second pressure receivingportion 22 , therefore ,
the gas passage forming portion 55 is caused to keep the position
slightly spaced from the first pressure receiving portion 14.
The gas passage forming. portion 55 thus p~_aced at the positioxl
slightly spaced from the first pressure receiving portion 14
positions its portion forming the first gas passage 51, above
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the upper opening 34a of the gas outlet passage 34.
When the movable member 10 takes the reference position,
moreover, the movable valve 60 of the gas flow control mechanism
50 takes the forward position according to the biasing force
of the coil spring 61 . As a result, the valve function portion
58 in the movable valve 60 takes the position, at which it brings
the first gas passage 51 into the closed state to block the
communication between itself and the connection passage 53,
and at which it brings the second gas passage 52 into the open
state to communicate with the connection passage 53.
Accordingly, the current plate portion 57 of the movable valve
60 takes the position, at which its leading end is protruded
from the first gas passage 51 into the inlet position 4a of
the loading chamber 4. The paint bullet P having dropped by
its own weight from the magazine 5 into the loading chamber
4 is positioned at the inlet position 4a of the loading chamber
4 by the abutment against_the leading end of the current plate
portion 57 from the rear side and by the abutments against the
paired small protrusions 32 from the left and right sides.
When the paint bullet P is thus positioned at the inlet
position 4a of the loading chamber 4, the trigger 30 is pulled
to turn on the pin 65 while compressing the coil spring 66 so
that it goes from the operation starting position, as shown
in Fig. 1, to an operation completing position, as shown in
Fig. 2. Accordingly, the connection member 67 engaging with
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the trigger 30 through the plate-shaped portion 68 is turned
in the direction against the biasing force of the coil spring
71 . As a result, the rear abutment portion 67b of the connection
member 67 comes out of engagement with the engagement step 18
formed on the moving member 16, so that the moving member 16
starts its forward movement according to the biasing force of
the coil spring 43. The moving member 16 thus moving forward
moves (or advances) the movable member l0 connected mechanically
thereto toward the loading chamber 4 while the front end 12a
of the cylindrical portion 12 being caused to pass over the
lock member 38 taking the lower position, thereby to drive the
movable member 10. And, the moving member 16 proceeds in the
bottomed cylindrical guide 44 toward the control valve 35:
As the movable member 10 advances , the gas flow control
mechanism 50 closes the bullet discharge port 5a of the magazine
5 with that portion of the gas passage forming portion 55, which
forms the first gas passage 51, and transfers the paint bullet
P in abutment against the current plate portion 57 of the movable
valve 60, in the loading chamber 4 from the inlet position 4a
to the loading position 4b while riding over the small
protrusions 32.
The advancing movable member 10 stops i.ts movement toward
the loading chamber 4 when the front end 12a of the cylindrical
portion 12 abuts against the abutment portion 72 formed at the
frame 40, as shown in Fig. 3. At this time, the moving member
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21
16 collides against the piston portion 35b of the control valve
35 from the rear side thereby to move the control valve 35 in
the direction against the biasing force of the coil spring 36.
As a result, the gas outlet passage 34 is transferred from the
closed state, in which its communication with the gas chamber
8 is blocked by the valve function portion 35a of the control
valve 35, to the open state, in which it communicates with the
gas chamber 8 . In accordance with this movement of the control
valve 35 from the closed state to the open state of the gas
outlet passage 34, the lock member 38 is released from the state, .
in which it is kept at the lower position by the piston portion
35b, so that it is lifted by the biasing force of the coil spring
39 from the lower position to an upper position, at which its
upper end abuts against the lower portion of the movable member
10.
The moving member 16 having stopped the movable member
by bringing it into abutment against a.n abutment portion
72 formed on the frame 40 abuts at its front end against the
piston portion 35b of the control valve 35 at the position,
it is spaced by a predetermined distance from the through hole
46 in the bottomed cylindrical guide portion 44, to hold the
control valve 35 at a position to open the gas outlet passage
34 thereby to establish the gas flow from the gas chamber 8
to the gas outlet passage 34. As a result, the piston portion
35b abuts against the lower end of the loclc member 38 taking
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22
the upper position, from its rear side.
When the movable member 10 stops its movement toward the
loading chamber 4, moreover, the paint bullet P transferred
by the gas flow control mechanism 50 comes into abutment against
the annular seal member 33 disposed in the loading chamber 4,
and is positioned at the loading position 4b in the loading
chamber 4 by the annular seal member 33 and the gas flow control
mechanism 50 . The paint bullet P abutting against the annular
seal member 33 applies a pushing force in the direction against
the biasing force of the coil spring 61 to the movable valve
60, and applies a pushing force in the direction against.the
biasing force of the coil spring 21 for bringing the piston
plunger 20 into the forward position, to the gas passage forming
portion 55.
As a result, the movable valve 60 takes the position,
at which the first gas passage 51. is opened by its valve function
portion 58 to communicate with the connection passage 53 , and
at which the second gas passage 52 is closed to block the
communication with the connection passage 53, as shown in Fig.
3. Moreover, the gas passage forming poi°tion 55 causes the
piston plunger 2f to take a retracted position against the
biasing .force of the coil spring 21 thereby to bring its rear
end into abutment against the first and second pressure receiving
portions 14 and 22. As a result, the opening of the second
gas passage 52 is continuously closed by the second pressure
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~a
23
receiving portion 22. Moreover, the connection passage 53 in
the gas passage forming portion 55 is caused to communicate
with the gas outlet passage 34 through the upper opening 34a.
On the other hand, the connection member 67 having the
rear abutment portion 67b disengaged from the engaging step
18 formed on the moving member 16 is displaced by the biasing
force of the coil spring 71 so that it is regulated by the not-shown
stopper member at the position, where it contacts with neither
the plate-shaped portion 68 nor the moving member 16, as shown
in Fig. 3.
The gas outlet passage 34, as opened by the control valve
35, is supplied from the gas chamber 8 with the gas, which is
introduced from the external gassupply source. Specifically,
the gas chamber 8, the control valve 35, the coil spring 36,
the lock member 38, the coil spring 39 and so on construct a
gas supply controller for supplying the gas outlet passage 34
with the gas as the movable member 10 moves toward the loading
chamber 4: And, the gas, as supplied to the gas outlet passage
34 from the gas chamber 8, abruptly flows into the connection
passage 53 , which is made to communicate with the gas outlet
passage 34, in the gas flow control mechanism 50. The gas thus
having abruptly flown into the connection passage 53 is guided
to the loading.position 4b of the loading chamber 4 through
the first gas passage 51 opened by the valve function portion
58 of the movable valve 60. As a result, the high gas pressure
CA 02447419 2003-10-29
~»
24
from the gas chamber 8 acts on the paint bullet P abutting against
the annular seal member 33 so that the paint bullet P is so
moved by the action of the gas pressure as to ride over the
annular seal member 33 from the loading chamber 4 to the front
of the annular seal member 33, as shown in Fig.
The paint bullet P, as moved from the loading chamber
4 into the barrel 2 located in the front, is accelerated toward
the leading end of the barrel 2 while receiving the gas pressure
from the back . Thus , the paint bullet P is moved from the loading
chamber 4 into the barrel 2 on the front side of the former
and is accelerated in the barrel 2 toward the leading end of
the same . Accordingly as the space in the :barrel 2 at the back
of the paint bullet P abruptly expands, the gas pressure in
the loading chamber 4 and in the first gas passage 51 of the
gas flow control mechanism 50 drops. As the gas pressure in
the first gas passage 51 thus drops, the- movable valve 60 is
advanced in the gas flow control mechanism 50 by the biasing
force of the coil spring 61. As a result; by the valve function
portion 58 of the movable valve 60, the first gas passage 51
is closed to block its communication with the connection passage
53 , and the second gas passage 52 is opened to communicate with
the connection passage 53, as shown in Fig. 4. As the gas
pressure in the first gas passage 51 thus drops , the paint bullet
P having moved in the barrel 2 is shot from the leading end
of the barrel 2 till the movable valve 60 is caused by its valve
CA 02447419 2003-10-29
r a 25
function portion 58 to take the position, at which the first
gas passage 51 is closed and at which the second gas passage
52 is opened.
In the gas flow control mechanism 50 , as has been described
above, the first gas passage 51 is closed, but the second gas
passage 52 is opened. As a result, the gas outlet passage 34
is held in the state to communicate with the second gas passage
52 through the connection passage 53. Then, the gas from the
gas chamber 8 through the connection passage 53 and the second
gas passage 52 applies its high pressure to the second pressure
receiving portion 22 for closing the opening of the second gas
passage 52 . This high gas pressure to act on the second pressure
receiving portion 22 retracts the movable member 10 against
the biasing force of the coil spring 43 , as accompanied by the
moving member 16 connected mechanically to the movable member
10. As a result, a pressure chamber 80 of a variable capacity
is formed between the first and second pressure receiving
portions 14 and 22 and the gas flow control mechanism 50 , as
shown in Fig. 5, the gas from the gas chamber 8 through the
connection passage 53 and the second gas passage 52 applies
its high gas pressure not only to the second pressure receiving
portion 22 but also the first pressure receiving portion 14.
Thus, the movable member 10 to receive the high pressure of
the gas through the second gas passage 52 at the first and second
pressure receiving portions 14 and 22 is abruptly retracted
CA 02447419 2003-10-29
26
while expanding the pressure chamber 80.
At this time, the piston plunger 20 having the second
pressure receiving portion 22 is enabled.to move from the
retracted position to the forward position according to the
biasing force of the coil spring 21, because the pressure chamber
80 of the variable capacity is formed between the second pressure
receiving portion 22 and the gas flow control mechanism 50.
According to the retraction of the movable member 10 by
the action of the gas pressure, the moving member 18 connected
mechanically to the movable member 10 is spaced backward from
the piston portion 35b of the control Valve 35, as shown in
Fig. 5. As a result, the control valve 35 starts its movement
according to the biasing force of the coil spring 36, but this
movement is instantly stopped by the abutment of the piston
portion 35b of the control valve 35 from the front side against
the lower end of the lock member 38 taking the upper position.
As a result, there is continuously kept the state, in which
the valve function portion 35a of the control valve 35 holds
the gas outlet passage 34 in the open state.
The movable member 10 , as causedto~continue the retraction
together with the moving member 16 by the action of the gas
pressure from the gas chamber 8, brings the moving member 16
into abutment against the rear abutment portion 67b of the
connection member 67, as shown in Fig. 6, and pushes the lock
member 38 taking the upper position in the direction against
CA 02447419 2003-10-29
" . 27
the biasing force of the coil spring 39 by the front end 12a
of the cylindrical portion 12 thereby to move the same from
the upper position to the lower position.
When the lock member 38 is moved from the upper position
to the lower position, the control valve 35 is moved by the
biasing force of the coil spring 36 to return from the state,
in which the value function portion 35a opens the gas outlet
passage 34 to communicate with the gas chamber 8, to the state,
in which the valve function portion 35a closes the gas outlet
passage 34 to block the communication with the gas chamber 8.
As a result, the flow of the gas from the gas chamber 8 into
the gas inlet passage 34 is stopped. The piston portion 35b
of the control valve 35 having closed the gas outlet passage
34 abuts against the lower end of the lock member 38 having
reached the lower position, from the upper side, thereby to
keep the lock member 38 at the lower position.
Even if the gas outlet passage 34 is thus closed by the
control valve 35 thereby to stop the supply of the gas from
the gas chamber 8 to the pressure chamber 80 of the variable
capacity , the movable member 10 continues its further retraction
by its inertia. Just before the movable member 10 moving
together with the moving member 16 reaches the most retracted
position, at which it stops the retraction while abutting against
the rear end of the frame 40, as shown in Fig. 7, that portion
of the gas passage forming portion 55, which forms the second
CA 02447419 2003-10-29
28
gas passage 52, comes out of engagement. with the bottomed
cylindrical portion 13 so that the gas flow control mechanism
50 is retracted as a whole together with the movable member
moving toward the most retracted position.
As a result, the sealing property of the pressure chamber
80 by the annular seal member 56 is lost so that the gas residing
in the pressure chamber $0 and the gas residing in the second
gas passage 52 are released to the atmosphere through a clearance
81 formed between the cylindrical portion 12 and that portion
of the gas passage forming portion 55, which forms the second
gas passage 52. The release of the gas residing in the second
gas passage 52 to the atmosphere is also made through the
connection passage 53, which is released from the mutual
communication with the gas outlet passage 34. Moreover, that
portion of the gas passage forming portion 55, which farms the
first gas passage 51, is positioned above the upper opening
34a of the gas outlet passage 34.
Thus., the movable member 10, which has reached the most
retracted position after the gas residing in the gas flow control
mechanism 50 and the gas residing in the movable member 10 were
released to the atmosphere, instantly turns together with the
moving member 16 or the like to the state, in which it is advanced
to the reference position by the biasing force of the coil spring
43, and the gas flow control mechanism 50 is retracted by the
biasing force of the coil spring 47. The retraction of the
CA 02447419 2003-10-29
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29
gas flow control mechanism 50 by the biasing force of the coil
spring 47 is stopped, as shown in Fig. 8, by the abutment of
the rear end of the gas passage forming portion 55 against the
piston plunger 20 taking the forward position. In this
situation, the opening of the second gas passage 52 in the gas .
passage forming portion 55 is closed by 'the second pressure
receiving portion 22 , and that pprtion of the gas passage forming
portion 55 , which forms the f first gas passage 51, is pos itioned
at the back of the loading chamber 4, thereby to cause the bullet
discharge port 5a of the magazine 5 to communicate with the
inlet position 4a in the loading chamber 4. As a result, the
paint bullet P drops from the magazine 5 into the inlet position
4a in the loading chamber 4. The paint bullet P having dropped
to the inlet position 4a is positioned by the current plate
portion 57 in the movable valve 60 abutting the back of the
paint bullet P and by the paired small protrusions 32.
The advance of the moving member 16 by the biasing force
of the coil spring 43 is stopped, as shown .in Fig. 8, when the
moving member 16 is regulated in position by the connecting
member 57 after the engaging step 18 formed on the moving member
16 abutted against the rear abutment portion 67b of the
connection member 67 from the rear side and advanced the
connection member 67 within .the range defined by the slot 67c
and the pin 70. When the moving member 16 is regulated in
position by the connection member 67, the movable member 10
CA 02447419 2003-10-29
is placed at the reference position which is~at the back of
the upper end portion of the lock member 38 taking the lower
position, and the moving member 16 is placed at the initial
position, in which its front end portion is slightly inserted
into the bottomed cylindrical guide portian 44. Moreover, the
connection member 67 for regulating the pasition of the moving
member 16 pushes th.e plate-shaped portion 68 formed on the
trigger 30, with its front abutment portion 67a from the rear
side thereby to turn the plate-shaped portion 68 in the direction
against the biasing force of the not-shown spring member.
When the trigger 30 is~released in this state from its
pul l ing operati on , the coil spring 6 6 returns from the compre s sed
state to the longest state. As shown in Fig. 1, the trigger
30 is accordingly caused to return to the operation starting
position, and the plate-shaped portion 68 displaces the
connection member 67 while being turned in the direction
according to the biasing force of the spring member acting
thereon, and abuts against the front abutment portion 67a of
the connection member 67 from the lower side thereby to regulate
the turn of the connection member 67 in the direction according
to the biasing force of the coil spring 73..
Thus, the connection member 67 is held in the state to
regulate the position of the moving member 16, by bringing the
plate-shaped portion 68 into abutment from its lower side against
the front abutment portion 67a while being regulated in the
CA 02447419 2003-10-29
31
turn in the direction according to the biasing force of the
coil spring ? 1 , and by bringing the rear abutment portion 67b
into abutment against the engaging step 1$ formed at the moving
member 16 taking the initial position. When the trigger 30
taking the operation starting position is pulled again in that
state, the paint bullet P is shot from the loading chamber 4,
as has been described hereinbefore , and is subsequently supplied
to the loading chamber 4.
The embodiment of the toy gun. provided with the gas flow
control mechanism 50, as has.been described hereinbefore, is
freed from the following situation. When the paint bullet P
is to be shot from the loading chamber 4, the second gas passage
52 in the gas flow control mechanism 50 is closed so that the
gas pressure from the gas chamber $ leading to the gas outlet
passage 34 is not guided to the second gas passage 52 . Therefore ,
there is reliably avoided the situation, in which the gas
pressure to be used for shooting the paint bullet P from the
loading chamber4might otherwise be partiallylost. Therefore,
the gas pressure from the gas chamber 8 is effectively applied
to the paint bullet P charged in the loading chamber 4 so that
the paint bullet P can be reliably shot from the loading chamber
4 even in case the gas to be supplied from the gas chamber 8
to the gas outlet passage 34 is exemplified by a low-pressure
gas such as a Liquefied gas.
Thus, the toy gun according to the invention specified
CA 02447419 2003-10-29
.~ ' 3 2
in the Claims, as exemplified by the toy gun according to the
invention of Claim 6, may also be constructed by providing an
accumulation chamber 8' to be charged with a low-pressure
liquefied gas in the frame 40, in place of the gas chamber 8
in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 to Fig.. 8, so that the gas
supply control means may include the accumulation chamber 8'
to be charged with the low-pressure liquefied gas, in place
of the gas chamber 8.
Moreover, the gas flow control mechanism 50 is constructed
to include the gas passage forming portion 55 arranged movably
in the movable member 10, and the movable valve 60 arranged
movably in the gas passage. forming portion 55, and is not
assembled directly with the frame 40 . Therefore, the gas flow
control mechanism 50 makes the toy gun having itself, simple
in construction and easy in assembly.
In the toy gun thus constructed according to the invention ,
as apparent from the gas supply controller is held in the gas
supply state to supply the gas to the gas outlet passage,
accordingly as the movable member moves in the first direction
to the loading chamber in accordance with the operation of the
trigger, and the gas thus supplied to the gas outlet passage
is guided to the loading chamber through such the first gas
passage in the gas flow control mechanism to open the first
gas passage and to close the second gas passage so that it is
used for shooting the bullet charged in the loading ~ chamber .
CA 02447419 2003-10-29
33
This movement of the bullet from the loading chamber lowers
the gas pressure in the gas flow control mechanism. By the
action of the gas flow control mechanism accompanying the
lowering of the gas pressure, the first gas passage is changed
from the open state to the closed state, and the second gas
passage is changed from the closed state to the open state.
As a result, the gas, as fed to the gas outlet passage by the
movement of the movable member in the first direction to the
loading chamber, acts the pressure receiving portion formed
on the movable member through the second gas passage so that
the movable member is moved in the second direction apart from
the loading chamber, to take the state for making preparations
for supplying the loading chamber with the bullet.
In the gas flow control mechanism, therefore, when the
gas fed to the gas outlet passage is fed to the loading chamber
through the first gas passage, the second gas passage is closed
to prevent the situation, in which the gas flows into the second
gas passage. As a result, the situation, in which the gas
pressure to be used for shooting the bullet charged in the loading
chamber is partially lost, is reliably avoided to us,e the gas
supplied to the gas outlet passage, effectively for shooting
the bullet. As a result, not only in case the bullet to be
supplied from the magazine to the loading chamber is exemplified
by the, paint bullet having a relatively heavy weight but also
in case the low--pressure gas is supplied from the gas supply
CA 02447419 2003-10-29
34
means to the gas outlet passage, it is possible to shoot the
paint bullet reliably from the loading chamber.
