Missile-launching weapon

Claim 1

A missile-launching weapon comprising: an elongated frame; a drive member control unit rearwardly mounted on said frame; first and second interchangeable missile guide means, said first and second guide means both having a forward end and a rearward end and formed to support a missile for movement therealong, said rearward ends being interchangeably received by the drive member control unit, each of said first and second guide means being formed from an elongated, rectangularly shaped member and having a longitudinal groove formed therein to receive a portion of said missile; a support bar mounted transversely on said frame and having opposite ends extending laterally from said frame; a pair of torsional springs, one attached to each end of said support bar, each of said springs having a first arm and a second arm; a cable releasably attached to each first spring arm and extending therebetween; a sliding drive member for propelling said missile along either of said guide means, said drive member including downwardly extending legs for slidably engaging either of said guide means for longitudinal movement therealong, said drive member engaged by said cable and movable between a rearward cocked position over the drive member control unit and a forward position over either of the guide means and said drive member formed to include a missile contacting surface, a guide means contacting surface, a cable receiving groove and a forwardly facing angled surface, said cable receiving groove located in a common reference plane with the first spring arms to prevent any upward or downward force from being exerted on the drive member; a retaining tube mounted in a spaced apart, parallel relation to said guide means above said guide means for retaining said missile in said guide means; a control arm having a rearward end and a forward end, the rearward end pivotally mounted in said drive member control unit, and having an upwardly extending projection intermediate said forward and rearward ends adapted to engage the forwardly facing angled surface of said drive member when said drive member is in the rearward cocked position to releasably latch said drive member in that position; a pivotally mounted trigger having a lower finger receiving surface and an upper edge for releasably supporting the forward end of the control arm to hold the projection on said arm in engagement with the forwardly facing surface of the drive member, said trigger pivotable between a position where said forward end of said control arm is supported by said upper edge and a position where the forward end of said control arm is released to allow disengagement of said projection and said drive member and further allowing said drive member to drive said missile along said guide means; a pair of levers, one lever mounted on each end of said support bar, one of said levers being connected, at a point spaced from its mounting, to the second arm of one of said springs and the other of said levers being connected, at a point spaced from its mounting, to the second arm of the other of said springs, each of said levers being pivotable to load its associated spring; and means releasably latching said levers in spring loading positions.