Toy gun

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6695676
  • Patent Number
    6,695,676
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, August 1, 2002
    22 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, February 24, 2004
    21 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Examiners
    • Ackun; Jacob K.
    • Miller; Bena B.
    Agents
    • Harrison; John M.
Abstract
A toy gun including a housing and a pair of drums rotatably mounted in the housing. Multiple drum splines provided on each of the drums mesh with the drum splines on the other drum, and a drive mechanism operably engages the drums for selectively rotating the drums. A bubble strip having a plurality of air bubbles can be advanced between the drums responsive to operation of the drive mechanism. The drums successively rupture the air bubbles, which simulates the firing of bullets, and create a repetitive popping sound which resembles the sound of rapid gunfire from an automatic gun.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




Field of the Invention




This invention relates to toy guns and more particularly, to a toy gun including a housing and a pair of splined drums rotatably mounted in the housing and disposed in meshing relationship with each other. A drive mechanism operably engages the drums for selectively rotating the drums. A bubble strip simulating bullets and having a plurality of air bubbles can be advanced between the drums responsive to operation of the drive mechanism, such that the drum splines of the drums successively rupture the air bubbles “bullets” and create a repetitive popping sound which resembles the sound of rapid gunfire from an automatic gun.




A common type of toy gun is the cap gun, which utilizes either a paper strip or a plastic ring impregnated with gunpowder to create a loud noise simulating the sound of gunfire when a trigger-actuated hammer strikes the gunpowder in the strip or ring. However, cap guns have been known to occasionally cause slight bums on the hands of cap gun users, in addition to creating small projectiles of paper or plastic which may cause eye injury upon detonation of the gunpowder.




Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a toy gun which is safe to use.




Another object of this invention is to provide a toy gun which is capable of simulating the sound of gunfire.




Still another object of this invention is to provide a toy gun which is capable of simulating the sound of repetitive and rapid fire from a machine gun.




Yet another object of this invention is to provide a toy gun which is capable of rupturing successive air bubbles that simulate bullets in a bubble strip to create a repetitive popping sound that resembles the rapid-fire sound of an automatic gun.




A still further object of this invention is to provide a toy gun which typically includes a housing; a pair of drums rotatably mounted in the housing; multiple drum splines provided on each of the drums, which drum splines on each drum mesh with the drum splines on the other drum; a drive mechanism operably engaging at least one of the drums for selectively rotating the drums; and a bubble strip having a plurality of air bubbles “bullets” for advancement between the drums responsive to operation of the drive mechanism, such that the drum splines crimp the bubble strip and successively rupture the air bubbles “bullets” to create a repetitive popping sound which resembles the sound of rapid gunfire from an automatic gun.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




These and other objects of the invention are provided in a toy gun typically including a housing and a pair of drums rotatably mounted in the housing. Multiple drum splines provided on each of the drums mesh with the drum splines on the other drum. A drive mechanism operably engages the drums for selectively rotating the drums. An elongated bubble (bullet) strip having a plurality of air bubbles “bullets” can be advanced between the drums responsive to operation of the drive mechanism. The drum splines crimp the bubble strip and successively rupture the air bubbles “bullets” to create a repetitive popping sound which resembles the sound of rapid gunfire from an automatic gun.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:





FIG. 1

is a rear perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of the toy gun of this invention, with the toy gun shaped in the configuration of a rifle;





FIG. 2

is a rear perspective view of an alternative, pistol-shaped embodiment of the toy gun of this invention;





FIG. 3

is a rear perspective view of a cannon-shaped embodiment of the toy gun;





FIG. 4

is an exploded, perspective view of the rifle embodiment of the toy gun illustrated in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 5

is an enlarged perspective view, partially in section, of the toy gun illustrated in

FIG. 4

, with a safety clutch included in the drive train for the meshing drums of the toy gun;





FIG. 6

is a transverse sectional view, taken along section lines


6





6


in

FIG. 4

, of the toy gun;





FIG. 7

is a sectional view, taken along section lines


7





7


in

FIG. 5

, of a typical bubble strip “bullet” belt component of the toy gun, illustrating a cross-sectional view of an air bubble “bullet” in the bubble strip belt;





FIG. 8

is a perspective view of another embodiment of the toy gun;





FIG. 9

is an exploded, perspective view of the toy gun illustrated in

FIG. 8

;





FIG. 10

is a perspective view, partially in section, of yet another embodiment of the toy gun;





FIG. 11

is a longitudinal sectional view, taken along section lines


11





11


in

FIG. 10

, of an ammo (bubble bullet and belt) container component of the toy gun;





FIG. 12

is a rear perspective view of yet another embodiment of the toy gun;





FIG. 13

is a sectional view, taken along section lines


13





13


in

FIG. 12

, of an alternative ammo container component of the toy gun; and





FIG. 14

is a perspective view, partially in section, of still another embodiment of the toy gun of this invention, illustrating an alternative drive mechanism for the toy gun.











DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS




Referring initially to FIGS.


1


and


4


-


7


of the drawings, an illustrative embodiment of the toy gun of this invention is generally illustrated by reference numeral


1


. The toy gun


1


typically includes a housing


2


, which in the embodiment illustrated in

FIG. 1

is shaped in the configuration of a rifle. The housing


2


typically includes a stock


3


and an elongated barrel


5


, joined by a receiver


4


, which barrel


5


may be fitted with a simulated muzzle


7


. A grip


6


is typically provided on the underside of the barrel


5


, and a trigger guard


9


extends between the stock


3


and the grip


6


. As illustrated in

FIG. 4

, the housing


2


may be constructed of a shell


13


, which is fitted to a complementary cover


14


. Accordingly, the stock


3


of the housing


2


includes a shell portion


3




a


of the shell


13


, which shell portion


3




a


joins a congruent cover portion


3




b


of the cover


14


to define the stock


3


having a stock interior


3




c.


In like manner, the receiver


4


of the housing


2


is characterized by a shell portion


4




a


which joins a matching cover portion


4




b


to define the receiver


4


having a receiver interior


4




c.


The grip


6


includes a shell portion


6




a


which joins a cover portion


6




b


to define a grip interior


6




c.


Further, the trigger guard


9


may include a shell portion


9




a


of the shell


13


which joins a cover portion


9




b


on the cover


14


to define the trigger guard


9


. As further illustrated in

FIG. 4

, a pair of parallel drum support tabs


16


spans the receiver interior


4




c


in spaced-apart relationship to each other, and an elongated drive drum


18


and an elongated idle drum


19


, each provided with multiple drum splines


21


, is rotatably mounted between the drum support tabs


16


with the drum splines


21


of the drive drum


18


meshing with the drum splines


21


of the idle drum


19


, as illustrated in FIG.


6


. The drive drum


18


and the idle drum


19


may each be characterized by a pair of drum discs


20


, between which the drum splines


21


extend, as particularly illustrated in FIG.


5


. Drum axles (not illustrated) extend centrally through the respective drive drum


18


and idle drum


19


, and the ends of each drum axle are seated in a corresponding pair of respective axle receptacles


17


on the respective drum support tabs


16


to rotatably mount the drive drum


18


and the idle drum


19


between the drum support tabs


16


. It is understood that any suitable alternative mechanism may be used to rotatably mount the drive drum


18


and the idle drum


19


in the housing


2


. An elongated strip receiver


11


, defining a receiver opening


11




a


which is disposed in substantial alignment with the mesh junction


22


between the drive drum


18


and the idle drum


19


, may be provided on the cover


14


of the housing


2


. As illustrated in

FIG. 6

, an elongated exit opening


12


is provided in the shell


13


in substantial alignment with the mesh junction


22


between the drive drum


18


and the idle drum


19


, the purpose of which receiver opening


11




a


and exit opening


12


will be hereinafter described.




As further illustrated in

FIGS. 4 and 5

, an electric motor


27


is mounted in the grip interior


6




c


of the grip


6


, and is fitted with a motor shaft


28


which engages the drive drum


18


. In one embodiment, illustrated in

FIG. 5

, the motor shaft


28


extends from a safety clutch


30


engaged by the electric motor


27


, the purpose of which safety clutch


30


will be hereinafter described. In the embodiment illustrated in

FIG. 4

, the motor shaft


28


is coupled directly to the electric motor


27


. In the embodiments of the toy gun


1


illustrated in

FIGS. 4 and 5

, the electric motor


27


is connected by wiring


29


to a switch


24


, contained in the receiver interior


4




c


and fitted with a trigger


8


which extends from the housing


2


adjacent to the trigger guard


9


. The electric motor


27


and the switch


24


are each further connected by means of additional wiring


29


to a battery receptacle


25


for receiving one or multiple batteries (not illustrated), as needed to power the electric motor


27


. The battery receptacle


25


is typically contained in the stock interior


3




c


of the stock


3


and fitted with a receptacle cap


26


which can be accessed through a cap opening


10


(

FIG. 4

) provided in the rear end of the stock


3


. The receptacle cap


26


can be removed from the battery receptacle


25


to insert and remove batteries (not illustrated) in the battery receptacle


25


, as needed. Accordingly, depression of the trigger


8


completes the circuit between the switch


24


, the battery receptacle


25


and the electric motor


27


and energizes the electric motor


27


to rotate the drive drum


18


through the motor shaft


28


.




As illustrated in

FIGS. 1 and 7

and hereinafter further described, the toy gun


1


is designed to utilize a bubble strip


32


, which simulates an ammunition belt to create a repetitive popping sound which resembles the rapid-fire sound of an automatic gun. The bubble strip


32


is similar in design to conventional plastic air bubble packing sheets or strips and, as illustrated in

FIG. 7

, typically includes an elongated, plastic strip body


32




a


having a first panel strip


33


which is sealed against a plastic second panel strip


34


. The first panel strip


33


and the second panel strip


34


are separated from each other at multiple air bubbles


35


, each simulating a bullet and defined by an air cavity


35




a,


which air bubbles


35


are spaced from each other at regular intervals along the longitudinal axis of the bubble wrap strip


32


. As illustrated in

FIG. 1

, the air bubbles


35


may be shaped in the size and configuration of bullets, as illustrated, or in the configuration of any type of ammunition. In one embodiment, some or all of the air cavities


35




a


may contain small quantities of powder


37


, as further illustrated in

FIG. 7

, for generating simulated smoke as the air bubbles “bullets”


35


are ruptured as hereinafter described. In another embodiment, the air cavity


35




a


of each air bubble


35


contains air without powder. It is understood that the strip body


32




a


of the bubble strip


32


may have any alternative structure other than the first panel strip


33


and the second panel strip


34


to incorporate the air bubbles


35


therein.




Referring next to FIGS.


1


and


4


-


6


of the drawings, in use of the toy gun


1


, one end of the bubble strip


32


is initially inserted in the receiver opening


11




a


of the strip receiver


11


on the housing


2


, until the bubble strip


32


contacts the mesh junction


22


between the meshing drive drum


18


and idle drum


19


. The trigger


8


is then depressed to close the circuit between the switch


24


, the battery compartment


25


and the electric motor


27


, whereupon the electric motor


27


rotates the motor shaft


28


which, in turn, rotates the drive drum


18


, and the drive drum


18


rotates the idle drum


19


by means of the meshing drum splines


21


. In the embodiment illustrated in

FIG. 5

, the electric motor


27


rotates the drive shaft


28


through the safety clutch


30


. Accordingly, the drum splines


21


draw the bubble strip


32


between the drive drum


18


and the idle drum


19


and crimp the bubble strip


32


as the drum splines


21


of the drive drum


18


engage the drum splines


21


of the idle drum


19


, as illustrated in FIG.


6


. The meshing drum splines


21


further crush and rupture the air bubbles


35


, such that the air rapidly escapes from the air cavities


35




a


(

FIG. 7

) of the successive air bubbles


35


and creates a repetitive popping sound which resembles the rapid-fire sound of an automatic weapon. Furthermore, in the embodiment of the toy gun


1


in which powder


37


(

FIG. 7

) is contained in some or all of the air cavities


35




a


of the air bubbles


35


, the powder


37


escapes from the rupturing air cavities


35




a


and wafts through the exit opening


12


of the housing


2


to resemble smoke. As the bubble strip


32


is gradually advanced between the drive drum


18


and idle drum


19


and out the exit opening


12


of the housing


2


by continued operation of the trigger


8


, the air bubbles


35


of the bubble strip


32


are successively ruptured to form multiple bursted air bubbles


36


, as illustrated in FIG.


6


. With respect to the toy gun


1


illustrated in

FIG. 5

, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that under circumstances in which the drive drum


18


encounters resistance to rotation such as, for example, responsive to inadvertent lodging of a child's finger (not illustrated) between the drive drum


18


and the idle drum


19


, the safety clutch


30


disengages the motor shaft


28


from the electric motor


27


to prevent continued rotation of the drive drum


18


and the idle drum


19


.




Referring next to

FIG. 2

of the drawings, in another embodiment of the invention the toy gun is generally illustrated by reference numeral


39


. The housing


2


of the toy gun


39


is shaped in the configuration of a pistol, having a body


44


which includes a handgrip


40


and is fitted with a receiver


47


from which extends a barrel


41


. A drive drum


18


and an idle drum


19


(

FIG. 4

) are rotatably mounted in the body


44


and the receiver


47


, as heretofore described with respect to the toy gun


1


illustrated in FIG.


1


. An electric motor


27


(

FIG. 4

) typically provided in the body


44


engages the drive drum


18


, and a battery receptacle


25


(

FIG. 4

) for receiving one or multiple batteries (not illustrated), as needed to power the electric motor


27


, is provided typically in the handgrip


40


. A strip receiver


11


is typically provided on the housing


2


for receiving a bubble strip


32


. Accordingly, actuation of a trigger


8


provided on the handgrip


40


operates the electric motor


27


to rotate the drive drum


18


and idle drum


19


and draw the bubble strip


32


through the housing


2


such that the drum splines


21


crimp the bubble strip


32


and rupture the successive air bubbles


35


to produce a repetitive popping sound, in the manner heretofore described with respect to the toy gun


1


illustrated in

FIGS. 1 and 6

.




Referring next to

FIG. 3

of the drawings, in yet another embodiment the toy gun is generally illustrated by reference numeral


45


and is shaped in the configuration of a cannon. The housing


2


of the toy gun


45


typically includes a foot


46


, which extends rearwardly from a body


50


that is typically fitted with a pair of wheels


49


and a receiver


47


, from which receiver


47


a barrel


48


extends. A trigger (not illustrated) is typically provided on the underside of the body


50


. Accordingly, the trigger (not illustrated) of the toy gun


45


can be depressed to actuate an electric motor


27


(

FIG. 4

) contained typically in the body


50


, to advance the bubble strip


32


through a strip receiver


11


provided on the housing


2


and rupture the air bubbles


35


, in the manner heretofore described with respect to the toy gun


1


illustrated in FIG.


6


.




Referring next to

FIGS. 8 and 9

of the drawings, in yet another embodiment of the invention the toy gun is generally illustrated by reference numeral


65


, and utilizes a tensioned coil spring


67


contained in the housing


2


, rather than the electric motor


27


heretofore described with respect to

FIG. 4

, to rotate a drive drum


18


and a meshing idle drum


19


contained in the housing


2


responsive to depression of a trigger


8


on the toy gun


65


. The cover portion


6




b


of the grip


6


of the housing


2


is fitted with a spring windup dial


66


, which engages the coil spring


67


provided in the grip interior


6




c


in such a manner that the coil spring


67


is tensioned responsive to rotation of the spring windup dial


66


, according to the knowledge of those skilled in the art. The coil spring


67


is further coupled to a switch


24


typically by means of a spring release rod


70


, such that depression of a trigger


8


in the switch


24


releases tension of the coil spring


67


. The coil spring


67


is mounted on a spring shaft


72


which further mounts a spring gear


68


that meshes with a shaft gear


69


provided on a drive shaft


71


, coupled to the drive drum


18


for rotation with the drive shaft


71


. Accordingly, depression of the trigger


8


releases tension in the coil spring


67


by actuation of the spring release rod


70


, which coil spring


67


rotates the drive drum


18


through the spring shaft


72


, the spring gear


68


, the shaft gear


69


and the drive shaft


71


to advance a bubble strip


32


through the strip receiver


11


and between the drive drum


18


and the idle drum


19


in the housing


2


, as heretofore described.




Referring next to

FIGS. 10 and 11

and again to

FIG. 6

of the drawings, in still another embodiment the toy gun of this invention is generally indicated by reference numeral


75


and is fitted with an elongated ammo container


76


, having a container interior


77


for containing the bubble strip


32


. The ammo container


76


typically includes a container neck


76




a


for typically removable attachment to the receiver


4


of the toy gun


75


, typically by means of tabs (not illustrated) provided on the container neck


76




a


and which are removably inserted in respective tab slots (not illustrated) provided in the receiver


4


, or by any other suitable means known to those skilled in the art. In use, the ammo container


76


is removed from the receiver


4


and the bubble strip


32


is placed in the container interior


77


in a multi-folded configuration, as illustrated in

FIG. 11

, to facilitate placement of a substantial length of the bubble strip


32


in the container interior


77


. One end of the bubble strip


32


is extended from the container interior


77


through the container neck


76




a


thereof and is inserted between the meshing drive drum


18


and idle drum


19


. After the ammo container


76


is replaced on the receiver


4


of the toy gun


75


, the trigger


8


(

FIG. 1

) of the toy gun


75


is operated to energize the electric motor


27


, which rotates the drive drum


18


and the idle drum


19


through the motor shaft


28


. Alternatively, the drive drum


18


of the toy gun


75


may be coupled to a coil spring


67


(

FIG. 9

) through a drive shaft


71


for rotating the drive drum


18


, as heretofore described. Accordingly, the drum splines


21


of the drive drum


18


and idle drum


19


pull the bubble strip


32


through the receiver


4


and crimp the bubble strip


32


to progressively rupture the air bubbles


35


, in the manner heretofore described with respect to FIG.


6


. The expended portion of the bubble strip


32


, having the ruptured air bubbles


36


(FIG.


6


), extends through an exit opening


12


(

FIG. 6

) provided the housing


2


of the toy gun


75


, in the manner heretofore described with respect to FIG.


6


. After the entire bubble strip


32


has been dispensed from the container interior


77


, the ammo container


76


can be removed from the receiver


4


and a replacement bubble strip


32


positioned in the container interior


77


for use. While the ammo container


76


of the toy gun


75


has been described above as being removably attached to the receiver


4


, it is understood that the ammo container


76


may be fixedly attached to the receiver


4


instead. In that case, the ammo container


76


may be fitted with a removably cap or panel (not illustrated) for placement of the bubble strip


32


in the container interior


77


.




Referring next to

FIGS. 12 and 13

of the drawings, another embodiment of the toy gun of this invention, generally indicated by reference numeral


90


, resembles a Gatling gun and includes a circular ammo container


93


for containing the bubble strip


32


in a wound or coiled configuration and dispensing the bubble strip


32


to the drive drum


18


and idle drum


19


as heretofore described with respect to the ammo container


76


of FIG.


10


. The circular ammo container


93


may have a container neck


93




a


that is typically removably attached to the bottom of the receiver


4


, according to the knowledge of those skilled in the art and through which container neck


93




a


one end of the bubble strip


32


extends, as illustrated in

FIG. 13. A

strip slot


92


may be provided in the receiver


4


for receiving the expended portion of the bubble strip


32


after the air bubbles


35


thereof are ruptured, as hereinafter described, and a handle


91


, typically provided with multiple finger notches


91




a,


may extend downwardly from the grip


6


of the toy gun


90


. In use, the bubble strip


32


is placed in the circular container interior


94


typically in a wound or coiled configuration, as illustrated in FIG.


13


. One end of the bubble strip


32


is extended from the container neck


93




a


and inserted between the drive drum


18


and the idle drum


19


of the toy gun


90


, as heretofore described with respect to the ammo container


76


of

FIG. 10

, and the container neck


93




a


of the ammo container


93


is attached to the receiver


4


. Upon energizing the electric motor


27


(

FIG. 10

) or coil spring


67


(

FIG. 9

) by depression of the trigger


8


(

FIG. 1

) of the toy gun


90


, the drive drum


18


rotates the idle drum


19


, which together crimp the bubble strip


32


and rupture the air bubbles


35


thereof. As the air bubbles


35


of the bubble strip


32


are ruptured in the receiver


4


, the expended portion of the bubble strip


32


, containing the ruptured air bubbles


35


, is extended from the receiver


4


through the strip slot


92


. After the entire length of bubble strip


32


has been dispensed from the container interior


94


, the ammo container


93


can be removed from the receiver


4


of the toy gun


90


and a replacement bubble strip


32


placed in the container interior


94


and used. While the circular ammo container


93


of the toy gun


90


has been described above as being removably attached to the receiver


4


, it is understood that the circular ammo container


93


may be fixedly attached to the receiver


4


instead. In that case, the circular ammo container


93


may be fitted with a removably cap or panel (not illustrated) for placement of the bubble strip


32


in the container interior


94


.




Referring next to

FIG. 14

of the drawings, an alternative drive mechanism for the various embodiments of the toy gun of this invention is illustrated, and includes a drive drum


18


and an idle drum


19


rotatably disposed in the receiver


4


, typically between a pair of drum support tabs


16


by means of axle receptacles


17


. The drive drum


18


and idle drum


19


each has multiple drum splines


21


which mesh with the drum splines


21


of the other idle drum


19


or drive drum


18


, respectively. A drive pinion


78


, fitted with multiple pinion teeth


79


, is mounted on a motor shaft


28


engaged by an electric motor


27


, as illustrated. Alternatively, the drive pinion


78


may be mounted on a drive shaft


71


(FIG.


9


), coupled for rotation by a tensioned coil spring


67


(

FIG. 9

) as heretofore described with respect to the toy gun


65


illustrated in FIG.


9


. As further illustrated in

FIG. 14

, the pinion teeth


79


of the drive pinion


78


mesh with the drum splines


21


of the drive drum


18


. By operation of the electric motor


27


or the tensioned coil spring


67


, respectively, the drive pinion


78


rotates with the motor shaft


28


or drive shaft


71


(FIG.


9


), respectively, which drive pinion


78


in turn rotates the meshing drive drum


18


and the drive drum


18


rotates the meshing idle drum


19


. Accordingly, the meshing drum splines


21


of the drive drum


18


and idle drum


19


, respectively, draw the bubble strip


32


through the receiver


4


and progressively crimp and rupture the air bubbles


35


of the bubble strip


32


to simulate the rapid-fire sound of an automatic gun, in the manner heretofore described with respect to FIG.


6


.




It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the toy gun of this invention, in the various embodiments thereof, is safe to use by children of all ages and can be constructed in any size or shape, including the shape of a rifle, a pistol, a cannon, a bomb (not illustrated) or other firearm, in non-exclusive particular. It is understood that any of the various embodiments of the toy gun can utilize either the electric motor


27


(

FIG. 4

) or the coil spring


67


(

FIG. 9

) to rotate the drive drum


18


and the idle drum


19


, as heretofore described. It is further understood that the drive drum


18


and idle drum


19


may be fitted with a crank (not illustrated) to resemble an old-fashioned Gatling gun, for example, which crank is rotated to rotate the drive drum


18


and idle drum


19


and facilitate popping the air bubbles “bullets”


35


in the bubble strip


32


. Furthermore, any of the embodiments of the toy gun may incorporate the safety clutch


30


(

FIG. 5

) between the electric motor


27


and the motor shaft


28


, as heretofore described with respect to the toy gun


1


. It is understood that the housing


2


can be constructed of plastic, wood or metal. Referring again to

FIGS. 7 and 8

of the drawings, it is understood that the air bubbles


35


of the bubble strip


32


can be shaped in the configuration of any form of ammunition, including rifle and machine guns, bullets or the like in non-exclusive particular.




While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications can be made in the invention and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.



Claims
  • 1. A toy gun comprising:a housing shaped in a selected configuration; a first drum and a second drum rotatably mounted in said housing; a plurality of drum splines provided on said first drum and a plurality of drum splines provided on said second drum; wherein said plurality of drum splines provided on said first drum are disposed in meshing relationship to said plurality of drum splines provided on said second drum; a drive mechanism operably engaging said first drum for selectively rotating said first drum; and a bubble strip comprising a plurality of air bubbles for advancement between said first drum and said second drum responsive to operation of said drive mechanism.
  • 2. The toy gun of claim 1 wherein said selected configuration is a pistol shape, a rifle shape, a cannon shape or a Gatling gun shape.
  • 3. The toy gun of claim 1 wherein said drive mechanism is a coil spring or an electric motor.
  • 4. The toy gun of claim 3 wherein said selected configuration is a pistol shape, a rifle shape, a cannon shape or a Gatling gun shape.
  • 5. The toy gun of claim 1 comprising powder provided in at least one of said plurality of air bubbles of said bubble strip.
  • 6. The toy gun of claim 5 wherein said selected configuration is a pistol shape, a rifle shape, a cannon shape or a Gatling gun shape.
  • 7. The toy gun of claim 5 wherein said drive mechanism is a coil spring or an elecric motor.
  • 8. The toy gun of claim 7 wherein said selected configuration is a pistol shape, a rifle shape, a cannon shape or a Gatling gun shape.
  • 9. A toy gun comprising:a housing shaped in a selected configuration; a first drum and a second drum rotatably mounted in said housing; a plurality of first drum splines provide on said first drum and a plurality of second drum splines provided on said second drum; wherein said plurality of first drum splines provide on said first drum are disposed in meshing relationship to said plurality of second drum splines provided on said second drum; a bubble strip comprising a plurality of air bubbles for advancement between said first drum splines and said second drum splines; a drive pinion having a plurality of pinion teeth disposed in meshing relationship to said plurality of first drum splines provide on said first drum; and a drive mechanism operably engaging said drive pinion for selectively rotating said drive pinion and said first drum and said second drum and crushing said air bubbles in said bubble strip between said first drum splines and said second drum splines.
  • 10. The toy gun of claim 9 wherein said selected configuration is a pistol shape, a rifle shape, a cannon shape or a Gatling gun shape.
  • 11. The toy gun of claim 9 wherein said drive mechanism is a coil spring or an electric motor.
  • 12. The toy gun of claim 11 wherein said selected configuration is a pistol shape, a rifle shape, a cannon shape or a Gatling gun shape.
  • 13. A method of simulating a rapid-sound fire of an automatic gun, comprising:providing a toy gun comprising a housing; a first drum and a second drum rotatably mounted in said housing; a plurality of drum splines provided on said first drum and said second drum, respectively, with said plurality of drum splines of said first drum meshing with said plurality of drum splines of said second drum; and a drive mechanism operably engaging said first drum for rotating said first drum; providing a bubble strip comprising a plurality of air bubbles; operating said drive mechanism; and advancing said bubble strip between said first drum and said second drum, whereby said plurality of drum splines of said first drum and said plurality of drum splines of said second drum rupture said plurality of air bubbles of said bubble strip and simulate the rapid-fire sound of the automatic gun.
  • 14. The method of claim 13 comprising powder provided in at least one of said plurality of air bubbles, respectively, for simulating smoke while simulating the rapid-fire sound of the automatic gun.
  • 15. A toy gun comprising:a housing shaped in a configuration generally resembling a firearm; a first drum and a second drum rotatably mounted in said housing; a plurality of first drum splines provide on said first drum and a plurality of second drum splines provided on said second drum; wherein said plurality of first drum splines provide on said first drum are disposed in meshing relationship to said plurality of second drum splines provide on said second drum; a drive mechanism operably engaging said first drum for selectively rotating said first drum; a bubble strip comprising plurality of air bubbles for advancement between said first drum and said second drum and crushing said air bubbles between said first drum splines and said second drum splines responsive to operation of said drive mechanism; and an ammo container carried by said housing.
  • 16. The toy gun of claim 15 wherein said ammo container has a substantially elongated configuration.
  • 17. The toy gun of claim 15 wherein said drive mechanism is a coil spring or an electric motor.
  • 18. The toy gun of claim 17 wherein said container has a substantially elongated configuration.
  • 19. The toy gun of claim 15 wherein said ammo container has a substantially circular configuration.
  • 20. The toy gun of claim 19 wherein said drive mechanism is a coil spring or an electric motor.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of provisional application(s) Nos. 60/309,763, filed Aug. 3, 2001, and 60/366,804, filed Mar. 25, 2002.

US Referenced Citations (15)
Number Name Date Kind
332741 Palmer Dec 1885 A
386535 Graham Jul 1888 A
1419646 Savage Jun 1922 A
2024125 Bochnak Dec 1935 A
2088894 Cathcart Aug 1937 A
2836919 Cathcart Jun 1958 A
3135067 Goldfarb Jun 1964 A
3369535 Bonanno Feb 1968 A
3526052 Ferri Sep 1970 A
3540345 Wolfe Nov 1970 A
3906662 Suzukl et al. Sep 1975 A
4109608 Horikawa Aug 1978 A
4173089 Gruaz Nov 1979 A
4215512 Philipson Aug 1980 A
5271310 Muller Dec 1993 A
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number Date Country
2206291 Jan 1989 GB
Provisional Applications (2)
Number Date Country
60/366804 Mar 2002 US
60/309763 Aug 2001 US