Toy vehicle and launcher using contractive power of liquid expanded chamber to propel vehicle

A toy vehicle and launcher combination comprising:

• a self propelled toy vehicle for use in combination with a source of liquid under pressure, said toy vehicle having a front and a rear end, said vehicle comprising;
• a frame,
• means defining an expandable and contractible chamber mounted on the frame,
• said chamber defining means having a thick wall and having an entrance-exit facing toward the rear end of the vehicle;
• and
• a launcher comprising,
• means for a releasibly holding the vehicle against forward movement,
• means for providing liquid such as water, under pressure to the entrance/exit of the chamber defining means for filing and expanding substantially the chamber defining means,
• means for releasibly maintaining the water in the expanded chamber defining means, and
• means for generally simultaneously releasing the vehicle from the launcher holding means and releasing the liquid from the chamber defining means,
• the chamber defining means being proportioned and arranged so that when the liquid is released from the expanded chamber defining means, the chamber defining means exerts substantial and sufficient force on the liquid to expel it outwardly through the entrance/exit to thereby propel the vehicle forwardly at a substantial velocity, the liquid being expelled in a slow steady sustained stream relative to the stream that would be provided by a gas of comparable quantity.

A self propelled toy vehicle for use in combination with a source of liquid under pressure, said toy vehicle having a front and a rear end and comprising;

• a frame ,
• means defining an expandable and contractible chamber mounted on the frame,
• said chamber defining means having an entrance-exit facing toward the rear end of the vehicle,
• said entrance/exit being adapted to receive a quantity of liquid such as water under pressure therethrough and into the chamber defining means to expand the chamber defining means a substantial amount,
• said chamber defining means being proportioned and arranged so that when it is so expanded, it will exert substantial and sufficient force on the liquid in the chamber to expel the liquid from the chamber through the entrance/exit at a substantial velocity in the direction of the rear end of the vehicle to thereby propel the vehicle in the opposite forward direction at a substantial velocity, said chamber defining means defining a single bulbous part made from a substantially expandable and contractible material, said part being open at one end and having a thick tubular central wall portion, said open end having an annular integrally formed flange portion that extends radially outwardly for attachment of the part to the frame, and
• a rigid outer enclosure mounted on the frame and generally surrounding the expandable chamber defining means, said enclosure engaging said flange portion of said chamber defining part to secure said part in place while the part is being expanded.