Elastic band type toy cannon

Claim 1

A toy cannon which comprises; an elongate hollow barrel having a breach end and a muzzle end, there being a lengthwise slot extending along a substantial portion of said barrel and terminating short of said muzzle end; a transversely extending projectile plunger slidably received within said barrel; an outwardly projecting, protruding tabular means carried on said plunger and extending to the exterior of said barrel through the lengthwise slot in said barrel; an elongate resilient force means adapted to be joined at one end to a fixed point relative to said barrel and at the other end to said protruding tabular means to impart axial movement to said plunger along said barrel; said force means being housed in cowling means extending along substantially the full length of the barrel and afixed to the outer surface of said barrel; a pivot point near the breach end of said barrel; a latch means pivotly mounted on said pivot point, said latch means incorporating a hook which engages and holds said plunger when said plunger is forced to the rear of said barrel against the force of said force means, said latch means holding said plunger means for a specified interval; base means supporting said barrel and enabling said barrel to be aimed in a specified direction; a turntable included in said base which rotates in a generally horizontal plane about a vertical axis to thereby permit adjustment of said barrel to a specified azimuthal angle; a fixed pivot point included in said base, a means joining said barrel to said pivot point, and a means for locking said barrel at a specified angle of elevation upon rotation about said pivot point; an opening means formed in the side of said barrel which permits said latch means to extend therethrough and which is externally exposed for hand manipulation to release said latch means; and two protruding tabular means carried on said plunger which are arranged diametrically opposite of one another and wherein said barrel has a pair of lengthwise opposing slots, said tabular means protruding respectively through opposing slots.