US 4,059,917 AGranted

Simulated firecracker

AssigneeMattel, Inc.

InventorsLarry Averett Sims, William John Kelley

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Abstract

A noisemaking toy, more particularly, a simulated firecracker is presented which includes an elongate hollow cylindrical body and an elongated cord extending from one end; a piston assembly located within the body attached to the cord; a compression spring is provided for driving the piston; and a cap detonating assembly is located at the remote end of the body, the assembly containing a trigger mechanism which extends within the cylinder in the path of travel of the piston; and a sound generating means for emitting a whistle is coupled to the piston; whereby withdrawal of the cord to retract the piston and compress the spring, followed by release of the cord, allows the piston to travel forward along the axis of the body at a controlled rate, providing a whistling sound for a predetermined interval of time followed by the actuation of the cap detonating means.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A firecracker which comprises:

a cylindrical tube, said tube having a first wall closing one end and an aperture through said end wall;
a resiliant cord extending through said aperture into said tube;
piston means located within said tube in sealing engagement with the inner walls thereof and adapted to travel therethrough and pressurize a portion of said tube;
helical spring means connected in between said piston and said first end wall for driving said piston means;
means coupling said cord to said piston for permitting said cord to retract said piston to a loaded position and concurrently to compress said spring;
acoustic sound generating means coupled to said piston means for generating a whistle-like sound over a predetermined interval of time upon release of said cord;
a cap-detonating means, including a base;
a detonating cap-receiving anvil means;
hammer means adapted to pivot and strike said cap-receiving anvil means for exploding any cap placed thereon;
shoulder pin means mounted to said base for pivotally mounting said hammer means for pivotal movement transverse to the axis of said tube;
torsion spring means mounted on said shoulder pin means coupled to said hammer means for driving said hammer means;
latch means for holding said hammer means in a loaded position;
latch pin means for releasing said latch means in response to a force thereon;
said base being carried at the remaining end of said tube in sealing engagement therewith;
a passage through said base;
said latch pin means extending through said passage for slidable movement therein with an end of said pin located in the path of travel of said piston means, said compression spring means having sufficient force to push said piston means into engagement with and move said latch pin means, whereby upon release of said cord a whistle-like sound is emitted for a short interval of time followed by explosion of an installed cap.

13 more elements

A toy comprising:

a pneumatic tube;
cap-detonating means coupled to said tube, said cap-detonating means for detonating a cap responsive to actuation of a trigger means;
piston means located in said tube, said piston means being axially movable through said tube;
compression spring means for driving said piston means;
cord means coupled to said piston means for withdrawing said piston to a first position and compressing said spring means;
said piston means including seal means for providing a seal between said piston means and the inner walls of said pneumatic tube;
said piston means further including air passage means for allowing restricted passage of air between the front and back sides of said piston means;
and means locating said trigger means at a predetermined position remote from said first position in the path of travel of said piston means;
whereby upon release of said cord means said piston is driven by said spring means and moves forward along said tube to pressurize said pneumatic tube, creating a pressure differential between the front and back side of the piston means, and whereby said piston means moves forward slowly as air passes through said air passage means over a period of time and is incident upon and actuates said trigger means.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.