GB2220582A - A toy - Google Patents

Abstract

A toy comprises a housing 11 and a slider 13 mounted in the housing for movement between first and second positions. The slider 13 includes two hand grips 14 and 15 provided at or adjacent two opposite ends of the housing, respectively. The toy further comprises ejection means which are operable in response to the movement of the slider 13. The ejection means include a nozzle 22, a water pump 26 and an electric motor 27, a crank mechanism 28, a water reservoir 29, and batteries 41. In use, the toy provides an ejection of water towards a person holding one of the hand grips 14 or 15 when the slider 13 is in the first position, and towards a person holding the other hand grip 15 or 14 when the slider 13 is in the second position. The nozzle 22 is pivoted by movement of the interconnecting rods 16, 17 of the slider 13 and the motor 27 is activated by either of the micro-switches 42,43. Springs 19 centralise the slider 13. The toy may be arranged to launch table tennis balls. <IMAGE>

Description

A TOY The present invention relates to a toy.

In its broadest aspect the invention provides a toy comprising a housing, ejection means supported by the housing, and at least two manually operable members, said ejection means being operable in response to movement of the manually operable members and including outlet means for ejecting a liquid or a projectile in a direction which varies according to the force differential or differentials applied to the manually operable members.

In a preferred aspect of the invention, there is provided a toy comprising a housing, an operating member mounted in the housing for movement between first and second positions, the operating member including or being connected to two hand grips at or adjacent to two opposite ends of the housing, respectively, and ejection means operable in response to movement of the operating member, said ejection means including outlet means for in use ejecting a liquid or projectile towards a person holding one of the hand grips when the operating member is in a first position and for in use ejecting a liquid or projectile towards a person holding the other hand grip when the operating member is in a second position.

Other preferred and/or optional features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying claims.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a side view of one embodiment of a toy in accordance with the invention, with one part of the housing removed.

Referring to the drawing, a toy 10 shown therein comprises an elongate two-part housing 11, only one part 12 of which is shown. An operating member in the form of a slider 13 is supported in the housing 11. The slider 13 includes two manually operable members in the form of hand grips 14 and 15 provided at or adjacent to opposite ends of the housing 11.

The slider 13 also includes two parallel rods 16 and 17 connecting the hand grips 14 and 15 together. The rods 16 and 17 are mounted for slidable movement in guide walls 18 so that the slider 13 can slide in a direction parallel to the longitudinal extent of the housing 11 between first and second positions.

The slider 13 is biassed into a central position with respect to the housing 11 by two compression springs 19. The springs 19 are seated in recesses 20 in the two hand grips 14 and 15 and co-operate with respective end walls 21 of the housing 11.

A nozzle 22 is pivotably supported in an opening 23 in the housing 11 midway between the ends of the housing 11. The nozzle 22 has a bifurcated lower end 24 which receives a lateral projection 25 on the upper rod 16 so that movement of the slider 13 pivots the nozzle 22.

The toy 10 further comprises a water pump 26, an electric motor 27, a crank mechanism 28, a water reservoir 29 and a battery compartment 30, all accommodated in the housing 11. The pump 26 is driven by the motor 27 by means of the crank mechanism 28 to deliver water from the reservoir 29 to the nozzle 22 through a flexible tube 31.

The pump 26 includes in known manner a pump chamber 32, a spring loaded piston 33 reciprocably mounted in the chamber 32, a first non-return valve 34 between a pump inlet 36 and the chamber 32, and a second non-return valve 35 between a pump outlet 37 and the chamber 32.

The water pump 26 operates in conventional manner as follows. When the piston 33 is moved to the right as shown in the drawing the reduction in air pressure in the chamber 32 will cause water from the reservoir 29 to be drawn into the chamber 32 via the inlet 36 and non-return valve 34. When the piston 33 is moved to the left, the water in the chamber 32 is forced through the non-return valve 35 and is delivered via the outlet 37 and the tube 31 to the nozzle 22.

The crank mechanism 28 comprises a crank shaft 38 driven by a crank wheel 39, in turn driven by the motor 27 via a reduction gear train 40.

Batteries 41 in the compartment 30 provide electrical power to the motor 27. To control the operation of the motor 27, two micro-switches 42 and 43 are attached to the hand grips 14 and 15, respectively.

Each micro-switch 42, 43 has an operating member 44 which co-operates with a respective end wall 21 of the housing 11 in a manner to be described hereinafter. The micro-switches 42 and 43 are electrically connected in parallel between the motor 27 and the batteries 41 so that either micro-switch 42, 43 will trigger the motor 27 when closed.

The toy 10 is intended for use by two players. The players face one another and each player takes hold of one of the hand grips 14, 15. The players then squeeze the hand grips 14 and 15 simultaneously. The slider 13 will move relative to the housing 11 towards the player exerting the most force and during this movement of the slider 13 the nozzle 22 will pivot towards the player exerting the least force.

The slider 13 may move to and fro but eventually one player will succeed in moving the slider 13 far enough from its central position to cause the operating member 44 of one of the micro-switches 42 and 43 to engage an adjacent end wall 21 of the housing 11. The micro-switch 42, 43 will close to energise the motor 27 and the pump 26 will operate to discharge water through the nozzle 22 towards the other player.

When the slider 13 is released, it will return to its central position under the action of the two springs 19 and is ready for the next play.

It is envisaged that instead of the pivotable nozzle 22, the toy could have two fixed. nozzles and means for selectively connecting the pump to one or other nozzle. Also instead of the nozzle 22, pump 26 and reservoir 29, the toy could be provided with a mechanism for launching projectiles, such as table tennis balls, towards a losing player.

It is also envisaged that the toy could have more than two hand grips and in this case the operating member could be movable between more than two positions. Further, the hand grips could be provided outside the housing, and connected to the operating member by mechanical drive transmission links, such as pull chords.

Various other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (14)

1. A toy comprising a housing, ejection means supported by the housing, and at least two manually operable members, said ejection means being operable in response to movement of the manually operable members and including outlet means for ejecting a liquid or a projectile in a direction which varies according to the force differential or differentials applied to the manually operable members.

2. A toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outlet means comprises a single outlet member movable in response to changes in the force differential or differentials applied to the manually operable members.

3. A toy as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said ejection means includes a reservoir for liquid, a power driven pump, and outlet means in the form of one or more nozzles.

4. A toy as claimed in claim 3, wherein the pump is driven by an electric motor.

5. A toy comprising a housing, an operating member mounted in the housing for movement between first and second positions, the operating member including or being connected to two hand grips at or adjacent to two opposite ends of the housing, respectively, and ejection means operable in response to movement of the operating member, said ejection means including outlet means for in use ejecting a liquid or projectile towards a person holding one of the hand grips when the operating member is in a first position and for in use ejecting a liquid or projectile towards a person holding the other hand grip when the operating member is in a second position.

6. A toy as claimed in claim 5, wherein said outlet means comprises a single outlet member angularly movable in response to movement of the operating member.

7. A toy as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the operating member is a slider.

8. A toy as claimed in claim 7, further including means for urging the slider towards a position intermediate said first and second positions.

9. A toy as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein said ejection means includes a reservoir for a liquid, a power driven pump, outlet means in the form of a nozzle, and means operable in response to movement of the operating member for operating the pump so as to deliver liquid from the reservoir to the nozzle.

10. A toy as claimed in claim 9, wherein said pump is driven by an electric motor and said pump operating means comprises two electrical switches operable to energise the motor when said operating member is in said first and second positions, respectively.

11. A toy as claimed in claim 10, wherein the two electrical switches are carried by the two hand grips, respectively, and have switch operating members which make contact with a part of the housing when the operating member is in said first and second positions, respectively.

12. A toy as claimed in claim 10 or claim 11, wherein the motor is connected to the pump through a crank mechanism.

13. A toy as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the pump is connected to the nozzle by a flexible pipe.

14. A toy substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.