Collapsible projectile launcher

Abstract

A collapsible, locking projectile launching device is movable between a folded closed collapsed configuration for storage and transportation of the device and a locked open extended configuration for use. The includes a forked yoke opposing arms, rotatable locking shafts rotatably mounted over the opposing arms, a projectile launching pouch, and resilient elastic bands connected between the rotatable locking shafts and the projectile launching pouch.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A collapsible, locking projectile launching device movable between a folded closed collapsed configuration and a locked open extended configuration, the collapsible, locking projectile launching device comprising:
 a forked yoke member including a central tubular support shaft having a first end and a second end, a cross-bar portion having a middle portion and first and second opposing arms having first and second opposing end portions, said middle portion being fixedly mounted to the first end of the central tubular support shaft;   first and second rotatable locking shafts having first ends and second ends, said first and second rotatable locking shafts being rotatably mounted over said first and second opposing arms of said forked yoke member, said first and second rotatable locking shafts being rotatably movable between the folded closed collapsed configuration and the locked open extended configuration, said first and second rotatable locking shafts including elastic band mounting members;   a projectile launching pouch having an interior pocket portion configured for releasably receiving and launching a projectile; and   first and second resilient elastic bands connected between the elastic band mounting members of the first and second rotatable locking shafts and the projectile launching pouch.   
     
     
         2 . The collapsible, locking projectile launching device of  claim 1 , wherein said forked yoke member comprises a generally U-shaped rod member. 
     
     
         3 . The collapsible, locking projectile launching device of  claim 1 , wherein said central tubular support shaft is connected to a tubular mounting bracket. 
     
     
         4 . The collapsible, locking projectile launching device of  claim 3 , wherein said tubular mounting bracket includes an opening for receiving and removably connecting to an end of a portable mounting pole assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The collapsible, locking projectile launching device of  claim 3 , wherein said tubular mounting bracket includes an opening for receiving and removably connecting to a fixed mounting shaft structure. 
     
     
         6 . The collapsible, locking projectile launching device of  claim 3 , wherein said tubular mounting bracket includes an aperture for removably engaging a spring loaded detent pin of a mounting shaft structure. 
     
     
         7 . The collapsible, locking projectile launching device of  claim 1 , wherein said forked yoke member includes a cross-bar portion having a middle portion fixedly mounted to the first end of the central tubular support shaft. 
     
     
         8 . The collapsible, locking projectile launching device of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second opposing end portions of said first and second opposing arms curve substantially at right angles away from said central tubular support shaft. 
     
     
         9 . The collapsible, locking projectile launching device of  claim 1 , wherein said second ends of said rotatable locking shafts include at least one locking pin slot configured to receive and engage at least one corresponding locking pin extending radially outward from said first and second opposing end portions of the first and second opposing arms of the forked yoke. 
     
     
         10 . The collapsible, locking projectile launching device of  claim 9 , wherein said at least one locking pin slot comprises opposing first and second slots, and said at least one corresponding locking pin comprises opposing first and second corresponding locking pins. 
     
     
         11 . The collapsible, locking projectile launching device of  claim 9 , wherein said at least one locking pin slot is biased against said at least one corresponding locking pin to releasably lock the collapsible, locking projectile launching device in the locked open extended configuration. 
     
     
         12 . The collapsible, locking projectile launching device of  claim 11 , wherein said at least one locking pin slot is biased against said at least one corresponding locking pin by a compression spring. 
     
     
         13 . The collapsible, locking projectile launching device of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second rotatable locking shafts include first and second curved launching arm extensions having opposing end portions that curve back toward the central tubular support shaft, and first and second pairs of elastic band mounting members configured to engage a first end of said first and second resilient elastic bands. 
     
     
         14 . The collapsible, locking projectile launching device of  claim 13 , wherein said first and second curved launching arm extensions are rotated inwardly toward the central tubular support shaft and the cross bar member of the forked yoke in said folded closed collapsed configuration, and are rotated outwardly away from the central tubular support shaft and the cross bar member of the forked yoke in said locked open extended configuration, with said first ends of the resilient elastic bands spread outwardly and spaced apart from the middle portion of the cross-bar portion of the forked yoke. 
     
     
         15 . The collapsible, locking projectile launching device of  claim 13 , wherein said first and second pairs of elastic band mounting members curve away from the central tubular support shaft. 
     
     
         16 . The collapsible, locking projectile launching device of  claim 13 , wherein each of said first and second pairs of elastic band mounting members is spaced apart by a gap dimensioned to frictionally retain knots formed at said first ends of the resilient elastic bands. 
     
     
         17 . The collapsible, locking projectile launching device of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second opposing end portions of said first and second opposing arms of said yoke member are threaded, and further comprising first and second end caps threadably connected to said first and second opposing end portions of said first and second opposing arms of the yoke member, and wherein said first and second end caps are configured to capture and retain first and second coil springs over the first and second opposing end portions of the first and second opposing arms of the yoke member to bias said first and second rotatable locking shafts in a direction toward the central tubular support shaft. 
     
     
         18 . The collapsible, locking projectile launching device of  claim 1 , wherein said projectile launching pouch comprises two exterior side portions, two exterior side corner portions, and a middle exterior portion, said middle exterior portion including a middle connector strap forming a loop connected to and extending away from said middle exterior portion. 
     
     
         19 . The collapsible, locking projectile launching device of  claim 18 , wherein said middle connector strap includes side portions securely affixed to two exterior side corner portions of said projectile launching pouch and extending along the exterior portion to said first and second corners of the projectile launching pouch. 
     
     
         20 . The collapsible, locking projectile launching device of  claim 19 , wherein said side portions of said middle connector strap form first and second corner loops at said first and second corners of said projectile launching pouch configured to retain and engage knots at said second ends of said first and second resilient elastic bands. 
     
     
         21 . The collapsible, locking projectile launching device of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second resilient elastic bands are tubular.