Hand-launched toy rocket

A method for quickly and safely hand-launching a toy rocket, comprising the steps of:

• providing a hand-launched toy rocket, said toy rocket comprised of:
• a cylindrical main body tube, said main body tube being open at both the top end and the bottom end, said main body tube having a body tube support ring attached at the top end of said main body tube;
• at least three rocket guide fins firmly attached by mounting means to the outer cylindrical surface at the bottom end of said main body tube, said guide fins being equally spaced around the perimeter of said main body tube;
• a spring support pin firmly attached in through-holes located near the bottom end of said main body tube, said spring support pin being installed by press fit means;
• a compression spring inserted from the top end of said main body tube, said compression spring being supported at the bottom end of said main body tube by said spring support pin;
• a cylindrical inner slide tube, a solid compression spring interface plate firmly attached to the bottom end of said inner slide tube, said inner slide tube being slidably mounted inside said main body tube from said top end allowing said spring interface plate to rest on top of said compression spring, said inner slide tube further having closed-end aligning guide pin slots cut on each side of said inner slide tube and extending most of the height of said inner slide tube;
• a solid inner tube guide pin firmly attached in through-holes located near the top end of said main body tube through said aligning guide pin slots in said inner slide tube, said inner tube guide pin being installed by press fit means;
• a solid material nose cone attached to the top of said inner slide tube by means of an adapter ring, said nose cone having a weight embedded in said solid material;
• a tether ring mounted to the bottom end of said main body tube;
• a launching tether tied to said tether ring for hand-launching said rocket;
• and
• a launching handle attached to the outer end of said tether, whereby said rocket is hand-launched into the air along an initial flight path;
• holding said launching handle in hand of the player;
• swinging said rocket at end of said tether in a vertical circular motion starting in an upward direction;
• releasing said rocket so as to catapult it upward into the sky along an initial flight path;
• observing said rocket reach its apex and start a descent with the heavier nose cone in a downward position;
• said rocket striking the ground so as at impact to force said nose cone and inner sliding tube into said main tube body, thereby compressing said compression spring storing potential energy in said spring;
• releasing said potential energy stored in said compression spring;
• and
• sequentially self-launching said rocket along a second flight path.

A hand-launched toy rocket, comprising:

• a cylindrical main body tube, said main body tube being open at both the top end and the bottom end, said main body being fabricated from a light-weight tubular material, said main body tube having a body tube support ring attached at the top end of said main body tube;
• at least three rocket guide fins firmly attached by mounting means to the outer cylindrical surface at the bottom end of said main body tube, said guide fins being equally spaced around the perimeter of said main body tube;
• a spring support pin firmly attached in through-holes located near the bottom end of said main body tube, said spring support pin being installed by press fit means;
• a compression spring inserted from the top end of said main body tube, said compression spring being supported at the bottom end of said main body tube by said spring support pin;
• a cylindrical inner slide tube, a solid compression spring interface plate firmly attached to the bottom end of said inner slide tube, said inner slide tube being slidably mounted inside said main body tube from said top end allowing said spring interface plate to rest on top of said compression spring, said inner slide tube being fabricated from a light-weight tubular material, said inner slide tube further having closed-end aligning guide pin slots cut on each side of said inner slide tube and extending most of the height of said inner slide tube;
• a solid inner tube guide pin firmly attached in through-holes located near the top end of said main body tube through said aligning guide pin slots in said inner slide tube, said inner tube guide pin being installed by press fit means;
• a molded hard rubber nose cone attached to the top of said inner slide tube by means of an adapter ring, said nose cone having a weight embedded in said molded rubber nose cone, said weight fabricated of a high density metal, said nose cone absorbing the impact forces when said nose cone strikes the ground;
• a tether ring mounted to the bottom end of said main body tube;
• a launching tether tied to said tether ring for hand-launching said rocket, said tether being adjustable in length to accommodate the height of the player launching said rocket;
• and
• a launching handle attached to the outer end of said tether, whereby said rocket is hand-launched into the air along an initial flight path, landing on said nose cone to force said inner sliding tube against said compression spring, thereby storing potential energy in said compression spring, said potential energy being sequentially released by said compression spring to self-launch said rocket along a second flight path.