Pneumatic launching apparatus employing piston and cylinder cam driving pathways and methods

A toy launching apparatus, comprising:

• a firing mechanism housing;
• a projectile launching barrel;
• an air compression element comprising a cylinder and an elongated breech bolt, the breech bolt having a proximal end at the cylinder and a breech bolt channel extending therethrough for fluid communication from the cylinder through the breech bolt for expelling compressed air from a distal end of the breech bolt;
• a cylinder driving arm connected to the cylinder of the air compression element;
• a breech spring connected between the air compression element and the firing mechanism housing;
• a piston slidably received at the cylinder of the air compression element;
• a piston driving arm attached to the piston;
• a cylinder cam pathway track at the firing mechanism housing;
• a piston cam pathway track at the firing mechanism housing;
• a trigger assembly including a conveyor;
• a piston cam follower linkage having a tracking end at the piston cam pathway track, a piston trigger end pivoted at the conveyor, and a piston follower projecting step for being brought into contact with the piston driving arm;
• a cylinder cam follower linkage having a tracking end at the cylinder cam pathway track, a cylinder trigger end pivoted at the conveyor, and a cylinder follower projecting step for being brought into contact with the cylinder driving arm, the breech spring biased to extend with cylinder cam follower linkage movement imparted to the cylinder and the elongated breech bolt of the air compression element;
• and
• a pre-firing area defining a breech and an alignment passage at the firing mechanism housing including at least one barrel seal aligned with the projectile launching barrel, the breech being capable of receiving one or more projectiles with the breech bolt of the air compression element capable of extending into the pre-firing area to position a received projectile between the distal end of the breech bolt and the barrel seal.

A toy launching method, comprising the steps of:

• providing a receptacle for receiving multiple projectile rounds for launching with a firing mechanism housing through a projectile launching barrel;
• an air compression step using a cylinder and an elongated breech bolt having a channel extending therethrough for fluid communication from the cylinder through the breech bolt for expelling compressed air;
• connecting a cylinder driving arm to the cylinder;
• receiving a piston slidably in the cylinder;
• attaching a piston driving arm to the piston;
• defining a cylinder cam pathway track at the firing mechanism housing;
• defining a piston cam pathway track at the firing mechanism housing;
• integrating a trigger assembly with a conveyor;
• positioning a piston cam follower linkage tracking end at the piston cam pathway track, a piston trigger end pivoted at the conveyor, and a piston follower projection for being brought into contact with the piston driving arm;
• and
• positioning a cylinder cam follower linkage tracking end at the cylinder cam pathway track, a cylinder trigger end pivoted at the conveyor, and a cylinder follower projection for being brought into contact with the cylinder driving arm.