US2997039A - Device for launching and sailing bottle caps and the like - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 22, 1961 M. F. FEHN 2,997,039

DEVICE FOR LAUNCHING AND SAILING BOTTLE CAPS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 16, 1959 Bk 22 Hr\ INVENTOR.

9 5. W LI iI" ATTORNEY 2,997,039 DEVICE FOR' LAUNCHING AND SAILING BOTTLE CAPS AND THE LIKE Michael F. Fehn, 335 Unruh Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. Filed Se t. 16, "1959, Ser. No. 840,465 2 Claims. (Cl. 124- 5) This invention relates to a toy, and more particularly concerns a device for launching and sailing bottle caps and the like.

People have for many years been amused by sailing bottle caps, coins, stones, and the like, through the air. This sailing has been accomplished for the most part by throwing the articles with the hand. However, articles such as bottle caps, when launched by the unaided hand, travel only a limited distance and do not sail as high and as far as desired.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a device for sailing bottle caps: which enables the operator to sail such bottle caps high and far and for a distance in excess of 200 feet.

It is another object of this invention to provide a bottle cap sailing device which enables the operator to sail the bottle caps in any desired path, whether it be straight, curved, up or down.

It is another object to provide a bottle cap sailing device which may be used with either hand.

It is another object to provide a bottle cap sailing device which may be quickly and easily loaded.

It is another object of this invention to provide a bottle cap sailing device which gives a spin to the bottle cap as it is being propelled therefrom.

Other objects and advantages of this invention, including its simple and inexpensive construction, will further become apparent hereinafter and in the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in top plan of a bottle cap sailing device constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in cross section taken as indicated by the lines and arrows IIII which appear in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in cross section taken by the lines and arrows III-III which appear in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective which illustrates the action of the operator as he manipulates the device to propel a bottle cap therefrom, the full lines showing the start of the whipping action, and the dot-dash lines showing the finish of the whipping action with the bottle cap emerging from the device.

Although specific terms are used in the following description for clarity, these terms are intended to refer only to the structure shown in the drawings and are not intended to define or limit the scope of the invention.

Turning now to the specific embodiment of the invention selected for illustration in the drawings, there is shown a device for launching and sailing bottle caps and the like which comprises an elongated barrel 11, an end panel 12 formed at one end of barrel 11, an exit 13 formed at the other end of the barrel 11, a loading entrance 14 formed in the barrel near end panel 12, and a hand grip 15 which extends from barrel 11. Hand grip 15 serves the functions of positioning the hand of the operator while launching a bottle cap and of preventing barrel 11 from slipping from the hand of the operator as it is being manipulated with a whipping motion to cause the bottle caps to soar into the air.

Barrel 11 is preferably of rectangular cross-section having a top panel 16, a bottom panel 17, and two side panels 18 and 19.

Bottle cap 22 includes a top member 23 and a side member 24 which is serrated along its height.

Hand grip 15 is preferably formed of a part of barrel States Patent 9 Patented Aug. 22, 1961 ice 11 which is peeled back to provide loading entrance 14. Loading entrance 14 provides for quick and easy loading of barrel 11 and eliminates the necessity of loading barrel 11 through exit 13. Hand grip 15 is curved to fit the 5 fingers and prevent barrel 11 from slipping from the operators hand.

Loading entrance 14 is formed in side panel 18 and its height (the distance between top panel 16 and bottom panel -17) is greater than the height of bottle cap side member 24 and smaller than the diameter of bottle cap top member 23, so as to admit bottle cap 22 in a sideways manner and confine the top and bottom of cap 22.

In operation, the barrel 11 is grasped by the hand of the operator in the manner shown in FIG. 4 with the fingers being positioned by the hand grip 15, and bottle cap 22 is placed in side barrel 11 through loading entrance 14. Then the hand is manipulated with a whipping motion to cause bottle cap 22 to move along the inside of barrel I I to be launched from exit 13. During this whipping motion, the serrated side member 24 of bottle cap 22 rotates the length of the barrel 11. against the interior of side panel 19 to thereby acquire a spin which causes the bottle cap 22 to soar into the air and sail therein.

Hand grip 15 prevents the barrel '11 from slipping from the grasp of the operator, especially when the whipping motion is stopped suddenly to forcibly eject bottle cap 22.

One bottle cap may be launched from the device or several may be launched at the same time, as desired. Bottle caps launched by the device sail high and far, inexcess of 200 feet, and follow a straight path, a curved path, or go up or down as desired, depending on how the operator holds and manipulates the device.

The device of this invention may be used by either hand, and is quickly and easily loaded through loading entrance 14. The action of the serrations of bottle cap side member 24 against the length of the interior of side panel 19 gives a spin to bottle cap 22 as it is being propelled from the apparatus.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred embodiment. Various changes may be made in the shape, size and arrangement of parts. For example, equivalent elements may be substituted for those illustrated and described herein, parts may be reversed, and certain features of the' invention may be utilized independently of the use of other featuresfall without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the subjoined claims.

The claimed invention:

1. A toy for launching and sailing bottle caps comprising an elongated barrel, an end panel formed at one end of said barrel, said barrel being open at the other end to form an exit, a loading entrance formed in the barrel near said end panel for admitting said bottle caps, and a hand grip positioned adjacent said loading entrance and extending from said barrel for positioning the hand of the operator while launching the bottle cap and for providing a stop for the fingers to prevent said toy from slipping from the hand when said toy is being used with a whipping motion to cause caps to soar into the air, said hand grip being formed from the barrel and extending away from said loading entrance to provide both the hand grip and the loading entrance.

2. Bottle cap sailing apparatus comprising a bottle cap having a top member and a serrated side member, an elongated barrel of rectangular cross-section having a top, bottom, and two side panels, an end panel formed at one end of said barrel, said barrel being open at the other end to form an exit, a loading entrance formed 6 in one of said side panels adjacent said end panel, the height of said loading entrance being larger than the height of said bottle cap side member and smaller than the diameter of said bottle cap side member so as to admit said bottle cap in a sideways manner and confine the top and bottom of the cap, and a hand grip positioned adjacent said loading entrance and extending in a curved manner from said barrel for positioning the hand of the operator while launching the bottle cap and for providing a stop for the fingers to prevent said barrel from slipping from the hand when said barrel is being manipulated with a whipping motion to cause said bottle cap serrated side member to rotate the length of the barrel interior and cause said bottle cap to soar into the air and sail therein, said hand grip being formed from the barrel and extending away from said loading entrance to provide both the hand grip and the loading entrance.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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