US3633560A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Bird-scare cannon with ball recovery
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1969-09-30
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Granted: 1972-01-11
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Expires: 1989-09-30
Abstract
Abstract Cannon for scaring birds and other undesirable creatures, comprising an elongated reservoir wherein a plurality of balls is stored and which can be pressurized. The balls are expelled one by one when the air pressure in the reservoir attains a value capable of foregoing one ball through an orifice in the reservoir wall, overcoming the resisting frictional force between the orifice and the ball. Either the balls or the orifice wall can be made elastic or deformable while the other element is made relatively rigid or nondeformable. A recovering device is associated with the cannon, consisting of a circular tube into which the balls expelled by the cannon are shot, and from where they may be discharged into a container or the like.
Inventors
- 👤 Waldemar Teixeira Defreitas
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 05:04
CPC Classifications
F; F41; F41B; F41B11/00; F41B11/50; F41B11/57
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
313 words
A bird-scare cannon, comprising: airtight reservoir means adapted to contain a plurality of balls of a specific diameter, and provided with an airtight door through which said balls can be introduced; said reservoir means also having a portion formed with an orifice having a diameter slightly smaller than that of said balls; one of said reservoir means portion, on the one hand, and said balls, on the other hand, being of an elastic material yielding to the material of the other; said orifice constituting the muzzle of the cannon; wherein said orifice does not allow passage of said balls therethrough when the air pressure within said reservoir means is in the range of atmospheric pressure, and permits the passage of one ball when said balls, one after the other, are seated on said orifice and occlude the same hermetically; means for periodically compressing the air inside said reservoir means until said air pressure attains a value capable of transmitting to said one ball, when seated on said orifice and pressed thereagainst, a force higher than the resisting frictional force between said orifice and said one ball; whereby said balls are periodically expelled from the cannon, one after the other, with the production of an explosion which is adapted to scare away birds and other creatures, and means for recovering said balls upon having been expelled from the cannon, including: a substantially circular tube having a first opening for receiving said balls which subsequently rotate within said tube owing to their kinetic energy; and a second spaced-apart opening for discharging said balls from said tube; said openings as well as said tube having a diameter larger than that of said balls; said recovering means being disposed at a shooting distance from the cannon so that said first opening faces said orifice; and said second opening being disposed at a lowermost point of said tube.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
313 words
A bird-scare cannon, comprising: airtight reservoir means adapted to contain a plurality of balls of a specific diameter, and provided with an airtight door through which said balls can be introduced; said reservoir means also having a portion formed with an orifice having a diameter slightly smaller than that of said balls; one of said reservoir means portion, on the one hand, and said balls, on the other hand, being of an elastic material yielding to the material of the other; said orifice constituting the muzzle of the cannon; wherein said orifice does not allow passage of said balls therethrough when the air pressure within said reservoir means is in the range of atmospheric pressure, and permits the passage of one ball when said balls, one after the other, are seated on said orifice and occlude the same hermetically; means for periodically compressing the air inside said reservoir means until said air pressure attains a value capable of transmitting to said one ball, when seated on said orifice and pressed thereagainst, a force higher than the resisting frictional force between said orifice and said one ball; whereby said balls are periodically expelled from the cannon, one after the other, with the production of an explosion which is adapted to scare away birds and other creatures, and means for recovering said balls upon having been expelled from the cannon, including: a substantially circular tube having a first opening for receiving said balls which subsequently rotate within said tube owing to their kinetic energy; and a second spaced-apart opening for discharging said balls from said tube; said openings as well as said tube having a diameter larger than that of said balls; said recovering means being disposed at a shooting distance from the cannon so that said first opening faces said orifice; and said second opening being disposed at a lowermost point of said tube.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
The bird-scare cannon as defined in claim 1, further comprising adjustable clamp means at least partly surrounding said circular tube a short distance away from said first opening, for diminishing the radius of curvature of said tube and thus for preventing said balls from exiting through said first opening during their rotation within said tube.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
The bird-scare cannon as defined in claim 1, further comprising container means with an opening, disposed so as to be underneath said second opening of the circular tube, whereby said balls are collected in said container means by gravity after they have lost their kinetic energy during their rotation within said tube.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-01-10 | 1975-07-12 | 1976-01-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-01-10 | 1979-07-12 | 1980-01-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-01-10 | 1983-07-12 | 1984-01-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |