Light ray gun

<img file="US2294558A_D0001.tif" />

Search Room

2,294,558 •362^112’ SR ^;0R^: !2/294»558

Sept 1, 1942.

D. E. HOOKER ETAL

LIGHT RAY GUN

Filed June 26, 1940

<img file="US2294558A_D0002.tif" />

240. ILLUMINA Η0Ν,

Search Room

2,294,558

<img file="US2294558A_D0003.tif" />

Patented Sept. 1, 1942

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,294,558

LIGHT RAY GUN

Donald E. Hooker and Frank G. Nicolaus, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Raymond T. Moloney, Chicago, III.

Application June 26, 1940, Serial No. 342,506

Claims. (CI. 240—6.41)

The invention relates to a light ray shooting gun for use with amusement apparatus or for practicing markmanship.

Such guns usually carry an electric lamp as the light source and an optical system in the gun barrel to make the bullet of light capable of accurate aim. In guns of this type where it is desired to simulate the rapid fire action of a machine gun a problem is encountered because of the after-glow of the light when the electricity therefor is turned off, especially where the target objective includes a photo-electric cell. It is desirable, accordingly, to overcome this difficulty by providing a shutter means in association with the light.

The main object of the invention is to provide an improved light ray shooting gun.

Another object is to provide a practicable light ray shooting gun capable of rapid fire action in simulation of a machine gun without any objectionable after-glow effects.

Another object is to provide a light ray gun including a novel and simple shutter mechanism.

Still another object is to provide improved means for causing the shutter to be actuated at the desired times.

Other important objects will become apparent to those skilled in this art as the disclosure is more fully made.

Briefly, such objects are obtained in a gun having an electric lamp for the light source and an optical system, with a shutter normally spring held in the barrel in light beam cutting off position. Associated with the shutter is an electromagnetic device operable in timed sequence by an electrical control system to move the shutter to permit the beam of light to pass to the target.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a general elevational view, partly in section, and including a typical wiring diagram for the required circuits; and,

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view, taken along the line 2—2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

The gun may be of the shoulder held, submachine gun variety and has a stock 10, barrel ί I, sights 12 and a hand hold piece 13, including an integral, enlarged portion 14 to simulate a magazine. Proximate the handle 13 is a finger pulled trigger 15 pivotally mounted as shown and having a nib 16 normally resting lightly against the under side of a double blade leaf spring contact switch 17 positioned, as shown.

The barrel 11 is carried in a holder 18. The holder 18 at its rear end carries an electric lamp 19 and condenser lens 20, while a projector lens 21 at the front end of the barrel 11 completes the optical system. In advance of the trigger i 5 the barrel 11 is apertured as at 22 and extended upwardly through said opening into the barrel is a shutter 23. This shutter is in fact the core or armature element of an electromagnetic device 24 including a coil spring 25 to push the shutter 23 upwardly when the coil or device 24 is deenergized. The shutter 23 does not completely obstruct the barrel 11 because this is not necessary, since the lens 20 concentrates the light into a thin sharp beam or ray.

From the one side of switch 17 a wire 26 leads to a relay 27, thence by wire 28 to one side of a source of energy 29 and a motor 30. From the other side of the motor a wire 31 leads back to the source 29, said wire 31 including a normally open switch 32 operable to closed position by the relay 27 when the latter is energized. Said relay switch 27—32 acts positively in cutting in and cutting off the motor 30 and for that reason is interposed in the line rather than to have the blade switch 17 do this directly. From wire 31 a return wire 33 leads back to the other blade of the switch 17. Wires 34 connect the lamp 19 with opposite sides of the source of energy 29, as shown.

A circle of contacts 35 is positioned in electrical connection with the gun, a cable of wires represented by line 36 leading from the separate contacts of said contact ring 35 in the well known manner to one side of the device 24, and a wire 37 leading back from the device 24 to the source of energy. A wire 38 runs from'wire 31 to a rotating wiper switch arm 39 operatively associated with the contacts 35 to pass current to the device or solenoid 24 and the arm 39 in any suitable manner it is to be understood will be driven by said motor 30. This completes the detail description arid the manner of use and mode of operation will next be set forth.

In use the gun is held to the marksman’s shoulder and aimed like any gun toward a target. When the trigger 15 is pulled, the switch 17 in the gun can be momentarily closed, or held closed as long as desired by merely holding the trigger back. When the switch 17 is closed the circuit 26, 28, 29 and 33 is closed to cause energization of the relay coil 27. Said coil now pulls to closed position the switch 32, whereupon a circuit 31, 29, is closed to cause operation of the motor 39. Since the lamp 19, by means

2,294,558 of wires 34 is in the motor circuit the said lamp 19 is now lighted, but normally no ray of light passes through the gun barrel because of the shutter 23, pressed upwardly by the spring 25 to light ray obstructing position. The motor 30 5 in any well known way drives the wiper switch arm 39 clockwise and always in the same direction. With the trigger switch held closed now, each time the wiper arm 39 passes over a conductor button in the circle of contacts 35 a 10 circuit 36, 37, 29, 38, 32 is completed to energize the device 24 and electromagnetically pull the core or shutter 23 downwardly against the spring 25 and thus clear the gun barrel and permit the beam of light to pass to the target, if properly 15 aimed.

It can now be seen that when the trigger switch is closed, the shutter is not directly actuated, but that first by means of the relay 27, a motor and lamp circuit is conditioned. The lamp thus 20 burns, but the ray of light is not flashed from the gun until the rotary switch 39 makes a circuit through a contact 35 to energize the device 24. By this arrangement a single flash of light can be flashed if the trigger is only held closed 25 for an instant, or by holding the trigger switch closed for a longer period, the motor 30 is permitted to run and drive the arm 39 successively over the contacts 35 and create a machine gun rapid fire action. It is in this condition when 30 the arm 39 is traveling between contacts 35 and not passing current that the core 24 is deenergized and the shutter snaps to obstructing position to prevent light from the then steadily burning lamp to interfere with the photo-cell at 35 the target. When single shots are rapidly fired the shutter is operative to prevent after-glow from working the photo-cell, in a manner readily understandable.

It can now be seen that an improved light ray 40 shooting gun has been provided which achieves all of the desirable objects heretofore recited.

The intention is to cover herein all changes and modifications not departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the ap- 45 pended claims.