US2659177A - Bubble blowing gun - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 17, 1953 P. KOPF BUBBLE BLOWING GUN Filed June 18, 1951 INVENTOR. PHIL /P K OPF.

ATTORNEK v Patented Nov. 17, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE v BUBBLE BLOWING GUN Philip Kopf, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application June 18, 1951, Serial No. 232,180 Claims. (01. 46-8) This invention relates to a bubble blowing gun.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a toy gun which may be used to blow a plurality of bubbles, from a single loading thereof of bubble blowing solution, and a succession of trigger actions.

More specifically, the toy gun herein claimed may be filled with a sufiicient quantity of bubble blowing liquid solution to provide for the blowing of many thousands of soap bubbles without refilling. It is necessary, however, to cock the gun from time to time and each time the gun is cocked the trigger may be actuated to blow a plurality of bubbles, and then again actuated several more times to repeat the process, before it is necessary to cook the gun again. The bubble blowing gun herein claimed may be designated as a repeater, therefore, in two respects: In the first place, a single filling prov des it with suflicient bubble blowing solution to enable it to blow many hundreds of bubbles and in the second place, a single cooking of the gun enables it to blow a plurality of bubbles each of a number of times that the trigger is reciprocated.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a self-cocking bubble blowing gun which automatically cocks itself in preparation for a serie of bubble blowing operations when the trigger is retracted part-way. The gun is provided with the following elements: a reservoir containing a bubble blowing solution, a film holding wand or loop, an air compressor and blower, and a trigger mechanism. The trigger mechanism is connected both to the wand and to the air compressor and blower. The normal or inactive position of the loop is in the solution. When the trigger mechanism is initially actuated, that is when the trigger is retracted to the ex-' tent of approximately half a stroke, it swings the loop out of the liquid and into operative position relative to the air compressor and blower. The loop now holds a film of the liquid and it is ready for the bubble blowing operation. Further retraction of the trigger actuates the air compressor and blower and directs a current of air against the film in th loop, thereby causing the formation of a plurality of bubbles. The gun is clearly self-cocking in the sense that all that need be done to operate it is to pull the trigger.

Another object of this invention is th provision of a bubble blowing gun of the. character described which has a reservoir for a substantial quantity of bubble blowing liquid and a cover for said reservoir which automatically closes the reservoir when the gun is not in use. This is an important feature since it tends to prevent spilling of the liquid out of the reservoir.

A preferred form of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a soap bubble blowing gun made in accordance with this invention, the reservoir being shown closed and the trigger being shown in its forwardmost or inoperative position.

Fig. 2 is a front View thereof.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1, but showing the trigger in retracted or operative position, the reservoir being open and the bubble blowing wand being shown in elevated, operative position.

Fig. 4 is a View similar to that of Fig, 2, but showing the reservoir open and the bubble blowing wand in elevated, operative position.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to that of Fig. 3, but showing the gun in vertical, longitudinal section to expose all of its working parts.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section showing how the trigger mechanism acts upon the bubble blowing wand.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 'I--"! of Fig. 6.

The bubble blowing gun Ill shown in the drawing includes a barrel l2, a handle it attached to said barrel and a trigger it which is pivotally mounted on said handle by means of a pin or rivet It. It will be noted in the drawingthat barrel I2 is tubular and handle I4 is hollow. An

opening Ina is provided in the wall of the barrel so as to provide communication between the inside of the barrel and the inside of the handle. It will be noted in Fig. 5 that the upper end [612 of the trigger projects into th barrel in order to actuate the air compressing and blowing mechanism which will hereinafter be described.

,At the muzzle end of the barrel is a pair of brackets 20, and a tank or container 22 is supported by said brackets a spaced distance below and in front of the muzzle. Tank or container 22 is adapted to serve as a reservoir for bubble blowing liquid 24 shown in Fig. 4. The top of the tank or container is open, and it is provided with a hinged cover 26- whieh is normally urged into closed position relative to the open top of the tank or container by means of a spring 28. The cover is hinged at 26a at one side of the I barrel so that it moves past the muzzle end of the gun in its swinging movement downwardly into closed position relative to the tank or container and upwardly into elevated position, out of line with thelongitudinal axis of the barrel. A rubber gasket 26b is provided on cover 26 to prevent leakage of the bubble liquid 24 between said cover and the top of the tank or reservoir when the cover is in closed position relative thereto.

At the muzzle end of the barrel i2 is a nozzle 38 having a pair of longitudinally extending air pas sages 30a and 30?), respectively. These air passages are parallel to each other and to the longitudinal axis of the barrel, and they are disposed on opposite sides of said longitudinal axis. At the opposite end of the barrel is a breech block 32 having a centrally disposed hole 32a formed therein in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the barrel. mounted in the barrel as is a second. piston or plunger 36. The two pistons or plungersare' con- A piston or plunger 3 ll is,slid'ablsltank to push it upwardly into open position when the loop is itself swung upwardly into operative position. This projection also serves another important function: It will be understood that when the loop swings upwardly from the bubble blowing liquid in the tank, it carries a film of said liquid up with it. Surface tension would ordinarily tend to anchor said film both to the wand and to. cover 2.6 which said loop engages. It is, of course, necessary toublow the film off .the loop in order to form bubbles. Projection 44a tends to. weaken the attraction or adhesion of the film nected to each other by means of arod 38 -whicl r 1' extends longitudinally of the barrel along its longitudinal axis. A leather or fiber washer 4-0 is secured to that side of piston 34 which faces nozzle 30:. A compression spring 42 is mounted in the barrel, its forward endbearing againstnozzle 3i! and its backend bearing against-washei'-4U. The action of the spring is to'tend to thrust the entire piston assembly backwardly, and reference is here made to the two pistons 34.and.36; rod 38 and washerMl: When said-piston assembly is thrust backwardly, the backend of rod 38 enters and projects through hole 32a in breech block 32. It will be-understoodthat the two pistons serve to support eachother. by means of rod 38 in proper position in barrel i2- forsliding movement therein. Opening ainbarrel [2 would tend to defeat-this. purpose since it would deprive piston 35 of adequate support. It is at this point thatrod 38' enters hole 32a and becomes self-supporting in axial alignment with the barrel.

It has been statedthat the upper end a of the trigger projects upwardly into the. barrel through opening 3a.. It will be seen from the drawings that said upper end Ilia is bifurcated, and that it straddlesrodw', oneofthe furcations lBa being clearly visible in Fig. 5. It will also be seen in said- Fig. 5 that said bifurcated end-Ilia of the trigger engages the back side of piston 36. Hence,'when the trigger'is pulled-backwardly by the child using-the gun, its upper bifurcated" end moves forwardly and pushes the entire pieton assemblyforwardly against'the action of spring- 42. This has the'efiectof compressing the air in the barrel, that is, in-that portion of'the barrel which lies betweenwasher 40 and nozz-le- 30, and it has the further effect of-blowing said" air'forwardly through passages 34m and- 30b, -re spectively. This is clearly shown in Fig. 3-. Whenthe trigger is released, in whole or in part; its upper end moves backwardly in responseto-the action of the spring the entirepiston assembly also movesbackwardly at the'same time; The effect is to place the triggerin position for furtheruse and to draw air into the barrelthrough said passages 30a and30b.

A bubble blowing wireloop 44 is provided, having a shank 46 which is bent at right angles to the plane of the loop. The shank is journaled' into-a boss 48- in theback wal1 22iz or the tank or container 22. It is byreason of this arrangement, and with shank 45 serving as a pi-ntl'e or fulcrum, that the loop is'enabled to swing upwardly intooperative position and downwardlyinto inoperative position; It will be 'notedthat loop 44. is ring shaped'with a small projection d l'a extending radially 'outwardly therefrom.- It" is this projection, which engages. the cover: of the to said cover and, therefore, renders it possible to blowbubbles by blowing air against the film.

. A coupling 50 secures shank 46 to a fiat bar 52.

'Morepre'cisely, said coupling is pinned to the adjacent-ends of said shank and said bar. At the opposite end of bar 52 is a twisted portion 52a. Although the drawing shows a plurality of twists or turns, only a single twist of approximately degrees is required" for the purposes of this invention.

I A tube E l-is pivotally secured at its back end tov trigger I 6 by means of pin 56, located intermedi ate the pin wand the bifurcated end portionifia. The forward end of tube 5 3 receives bar52; as Figs. Sand 6 clearly-show A cap 58 having a rectangular slot til formed therein is affixed tothe forward endof said tube 54. Bar 52 projectsthrough slot Bil as Fig.7 clearly-shows andsince the bar 'isrectangular in cross-section tocorre spend to the shape of the slot relative angular movement: between the-bar and cap 5B is pre vented; but thecapis freetoimove longitudinally ofnthebar. Sincecap Ellis fixed to tube 54, what is said of therrelationship between the cap and the bar is equally true of the relationship. between'thetube and the bar.

When. the trigger is pulled: backwardly its. upper portion movesiorwardly and with it'tube 54 which is. connected :thereto. The starting position of the tube is shown by means of dot-and dash linesinsFig. 6, and it'will there be seen thatthe cap is positioned on one sideofthe twist in the: bar-. As the-tube moves'forwardly. its cap traverses-'the twisted-portion of the bar and since the :tube cannot'rotate by reason of its being pinned to thetrigger, it causes the bar to turn aitullnilfiflr-idegrees. This turning movement of the baron: itstown' longitudinal axis takes place as: the tube moves the distance between lines 62 and St. ina'Fig; 6. The curved arrow A indicates thi'sii turning movement of the bar. Further forwardtmovementoithe tube from line 6 to-the line liliihasino effect upon the angular position ofiitheLban; and this is indicated by means f the straight :arrow B; Arrow B is provided with a head at both-ends to indicatetravelin both directiona:

When the initialf-orward movement of tube 55 causes bar 52 toturn; the effect is to cause the wand'or loopMf to turn with said barand toswing: upwardiyz-fromthe tank into elevated position as shown in Fig. 5; The loop. is now positioned in front :of thenozzle and. since ithas-"beenbrought up. fromathe liquid in the tank-,'it is now-covered with as film of. said. liquid; Furtherforwardmovement of: tube EGE and backward-movement between the limits. indicated by lines 64 and 6% producesmmefieot whatsoever upon: the positional aspect ofebar'52s; and hence. of loop M. Stated differentlmturther. retraction or the trigger does not change thezp'osition. ofathe loopanol said loop remains inoperative position in fironta or the nozzle; Further retraction of: the; trigger doeshave the effect, however, of blowing air through tively connected to said piston, whereby working.

the nozzle and against the liquid film on the wand, thereby causing the formation of bubbles 68. The liquid film is identified in Fig. 3 by means of the reference character ill, and it is there shown somewhat deformed under the pressure of the air and in process of being transformed, in part, into a bubble. The trigger may be worked in both directions within the range indicated by lines 64 and 66, so as to provide a series of air currents directed against the liquid film. When the film is completely blown away, the trigger may be released, and it will move forwardly under the influence of spring 42. This will have the effect of retracting tube 54 to its initial position. Its cap 58 must, therefore, traverse the twist in bar 52, and it will thereby cause said bar to turn in the opposite direction from the direction in which it was caused to turn on the forward movement of tube 5 Consequently, the loop is caused to swing back into the liquid in the tank where it acquires a renewed film. The movement of the loop in this direction is furthered by the action of spring 28 on cover 26 of the tank since said cover bears against the loop under the influence of said spring 28.

An important feature of this invention is the shape of tank or container 22. It will be noted in Figs. 2 and 4 that the bottom wall of the tank is arcuate in shape, and it will be understood that said arcuate wall is substantially equidistant at all points from the horizontal shank 46 of loop 44. The radial distance from said shank to said arcuate wall exceeds, however, the radial distance from said shank to the top of the loop. Hence it is possible to swing the loop a full 180 degrees from its elevated position in Fig. 4 to a vertically opposite position adjacent the bottom of the tank. Hence the wand will be enabled to take on a film of the bubble-making liquid even though a substantial quantity of the liquid has been consumed and only a small quantity thereof remains at the bottom of the tank. It will be noted in Figs. 2 and 4 that a pair of legs 12 and I l, respectively, are attached to the bottom wall of the tank. The lower ends of these legs are beveled off, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, and it will be understood that these legs may be employed as a stand tosupport the gun on a horizontal surface, such as a table. In such case, the gun would stand in tripod fashion, the two legs and the trigger constituting the three points of support. It will be understood that the gun will tilt forwardly and downwardly when it stands in this manner but it will further be understood that the shape of the tank together with the cover which closes it will prevent the liquid from spilling out of the tank when the gun is in tilted position.

The foregoing is illustrative of a preferred form of this invention. It will be understood, however, that the specific construction shown in the drawing may be modified in many ways and other constructional forms of the invention may be provided, within the broad spirit of the invention and the broad scope of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A bubble blowing gun of the character described, comprising a barrel, a nozzle at the muzzle end of the barrel, a handle at the breech end of the barrel, a piston assembly in the barrel intermediate the nozzle and the handle, a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said handle, the upper end of said lever being operathe lever relative to the handle actuates the piston and causes it to blow air out of the barrel through the nozzle, a tank containing bubble-making liquid secured to the muzzle end of the barrel, a spaced distance below and in front of the nozzle, a liquid-tight closure pivoted on said tank and spring-urged to closed position, a pivotally mounted loop in said tank, and a link connecting said lever to said loop, whereby working the lever relative to the handle causes the loop to pivot out of the tank and into line with the nozzle, and means to raise the closure in advance of the loop.

2. A bubble blowing gun in accordance with claim 1, wherein the loop comprises a ring mount ed on a shank, said ring having a small projection formed thereon and extending radially outwardly therefrom, said projection serving to contact and lift the closure in advance of the ring. 3. A bubble blowing gun of the character described, comprising a barrel, a nozzle at the muzzle end of the barrel, a handle at the breech end of the barrel, a spring-urged piston assembly in the barrel, a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the handle, the upper end of the lever engagingsaid piston assembly to move the piston, whereby retraction of the lower end of the lever causes the upper end to pivot forwardly and to thrust the piston forwardly against the action of the spring, thereby causing a current of air to be blown out of the barrel through the nozzle, a tank containing bubble-making liquid secured to the muzzle end of the barrel a spaced distance below and in front of the nozzle, a wand which is pivotally mounted on said tank for pivotal movement in one direction into inoperative position in said tank and in the opposite direction into operative position in front of the nozzle, and a reciprocating link operatively connecting said lever to said wand, one end of said link being pivotally secured to said lever at a point intermediate the levers fulcrum and its upper end, the connection between the other end of said link and the wand including means to convert the linear movement of the link when the lever is worked, to rotary movement of the wand, whereby retraction of the lower end of the lever causes the wand to pivot out of the tank into operative position in front of the nozzle and whereby forward movement of the lower end of the lever causes the wand to pivot from its operative position in front of the nozzle back to its inoperative position in the tank, said wand comprising a ring mounted on a shank which is disposed in parallel relation to the longitudinal axis of the barrel and which constitutes the pivot on which the wand swings between its inoperative and operative positions, the link between said wand and the lever comprising a fiat bar which is connected at its forward end to said shank and which is twisted at its back end about its ownlongltudinal axis approximately and a tube whose forward end accommodates said fiat bar and whose back end is connected to the lever, whereby the tube is fixed against angular movement about its own longitudinal axis, said tube being provided at its forward end with a slotted cap which engages the fiat bar and transforms the linear movement of the tube when the lever is worked, to angular movement of the flat bar when the slotted cap enters into engagement with the twisted portion of said bar, thereby causing the shank to which said bar is connected and the ring on said shank to pivot.

4. A bubble blowing gun of the character described, comprising a barrel, a nozzle at the muzzlefendx of.-::the:barrel, -a.'handle at. thwhneeoh. end of the barrel,. aspringeur'ged piston assembly thebarrel; a. lever. pivotally mounted: nterlmfid fil fe its; ends. onthe. handle-b the. upper end of; the lever engaging said1-pistonassemhlr toxmove: th h s: ten; whereby r traction of the. lower end. oi the lever (232135 111116 upper. nd to pivotltorwardly and to. thrust the piston forwardly againstthevaetiqn 0f; the spring; thereby causing; aourrent of. air t0: be, blown out oi the barrel through ..the nozzle ata k: ta n ng, h lermakine iq id. se ured to themuzzleend of thebarrelaspaoed distanoebe-.. low. and in. front. of. the. inozzle awand which. is pivotally mounted on said tank for pivotal movement in onedireotion into .-inoperati ve position in, said tankand in the opposite directioninto,opera.-. tiVQ-POSitiOI-l in front of, the nozzle, and. a, recipro eating link .operatively connecting 'saidelever to.- said wand, one end ot said linkheing pivotally secured tosaid. leverata point. intermediate the levers. fulcrum and its upper end theconnection. between the other end of;said. link; and the. mound including means to convert. the linear movement, of the, link when-the. lever is worked, to rotary movement of the wandmavhereby retraction Ofthe lower; end of the lever. causes the. wand totpivot out of the tank. intooperative position in front of the nozzleand. whereby forward movement of the. lower, end of: the lever causes-the, wand toupivot from, itsoperative position in front of the nozzle back. to its inoperative position in the tankLsaid liquid containing. tank, beingv provided with a hinged. cover and a spring which e,ngag es; said cover and;.-urges it, into closed .positiono lsaid tank, said wand beingpivotally mounted forengagem ntwithsaid cover when thewand is swung upwardly from its inoperative position in thetank to its. operative. positionin. front of the; nozzle. whereby thewand pushes theicover to open. position, against the actionv of the spring when the wand. moves from inoperative to operative position, and whereby the, wandreleasesthe cover for backward movement into. closed position in re sponse. to the action of its. spring when the wand; moves. from operativebaek to inoperativepposi tion.

. A bubble. blowing, gun comprising a. barrel, a nozzle, atethe. muzzle end. of: the: barrel a. hens die tthebr e h nd Qt-theberrel, apistonassemr bly' in. the barrel; intermediatetheino le aml the handle, a. lever pivotally. mountedtinterm diateiits ends onsaid; handle, the upper end oiisaidll ver; being operatively connectedztn said piston whereby: working-the lever relative to,- the. handle ace tuates: the, piston and. causes it. to blow: air; out of: the-barrel; through the nozzle,. a: tank: Qontamin ubble-making; liquidcsecured to, the mnzzleendi of the-barrel aspacedidistance below andiniront: of. the nozzle, a" pivotaliy. mounted wand; imsaid. tankand: means conneoting;..said:: lever to said-z. wand; and actuated: bywearwardmorement; or the lower arm of. the lever: sequentially to. raise. the wand: and then to; causethepistonto. blowzair outofthebarrel by reciprocating; strokes of: the leven. said. means comprising a; flat bar which isacone nested at its. forward end tov said: wand aniwhieb is twisted at. its, back endabout its own. longi: tudinal axis approximately 1:809; and. anelement having its. rear endconnected to; the: upper arm; of: the-lever. whereby it. is. fixed-against. angular: movement about. itseown longitudinal axis, said; element :having on. its'forward end a. slotte.clunein x 23 her which. embraces. the flat. barand' transforms;

PHlL PKO -E References. Cited in the; fil'euo'fl this patent;

UN TED ST TE BATE- 318 Number Name -Date 1-,918,122 Naue -July'11'-, 1933* 2512;732 Holman Dec; 6; 1946 2518,627. Lorenz Aug; 15,1951 2560,5132 Limber Ju1y 1='7",195 l 2,574,117 Luci-wig; -Nov. 6; 195 1 2581;535 Seott- Febi'26, 1952- 2;58 l ,536 Scott Feb. 26-, 1 952

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