US1077340A - Amusement device. - Google Patents

Description

W. R. GRAHAM.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.4,1912.

1,077,340. Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM R. GRAHAM, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO HATTIE B. GRAHAM, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

Application filed November 4, 1912. Serial N 0. 729,402.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. Gnu-mm, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this, specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to amusement devices and is designed with the object of providing an attractive and interesting device, particularly for the amusement of juveniles.

Primarily the device is one adapted to be held in the hand and embodying a plurality of rotary members journaled one within the other, and with their axes offset, but preferably all intersecting at a common center, whereby the rotary members may rotate simultaneously in different intersecting planes and in different directions.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,-Figure 1 is an elevation of an amusement device embodying the present'invention; Fig. 2 is a detail View on an enlarged scale with parts broken away and in section to illustrate the construction of the pivotal connections between the several parts. F ig. 3 is an elevation illustrating a slightly modified arrangement of the pivots.

Like letters of reference in the figures indicate the same parts.

The frame of the device is conveniently and by preference formed of a single length of wire, the two end'portions A constitutin arms which diverge from each other and have their extremities A bent into a single line and directed each toward the other. As shown, the intermediate portion of the wire which constitutes the frame is formed into a handle B, although it is obvious that a handle of any ordinary construction may be applied to the intermediate portion of the frame, as is usual in many tools and implements adapted to be held in the hand of the user.

For imparting rigidity to the frame the portions of the wire at the bases of the diverging arms A are preferably connected together, as by solder or other fastening means at C.

The extreme ends of the arms A, A, are reduced in diameter so as to form pivots or journals a upon which there is mounted a ring D, which ring is of such diameter that it may freely revolve on the pivots without interference with the arms A or any fixed portion of the device which would interfere with its free rotation. The ring is conveniently formed of wire corresponding to the wire from which the frame is formed, .said wire being provided with diametrically opposite openings or bearings 03, for the reception of the journals a.

In addition to the bearings 03 the ring D is also provided with diametrically opposite seats for inwardly projecting studs or journal pins E, the location of said seats being usually at right angles to the bearings 03 before referred to, but they may be at any desired angle, for example, as shown in F ig. 3, where they are diagonally disposed with relation to the axis of the ring. In order that the pins may be held firmly without possibility of outward displacement, they are tapered as shown at c and seated firmly in the seats in the ring by a sufficient outward pressure to insure their retention.

A second ring or annular body F is journaled on the pins 6, the bearings f in which the ends of the pins e seat being extended only part way through the ring F, whereby the pins are prevented from any possible accidental displacement by inward movement, and at the same time relatively loose bearings are provided which will permit the ring to rotate freely.

In the device as thus constructed it is obvious that the two annular bodies or rings D and F may rotate freely in intersecting planes, and in the same or opposite directions, and by mounting in the inner ring a suitable body which will be'attractive in appearance, a childs interest in the device may be greatly increased. Conveniently, a simple sphere is journaled in the inner annular ring, F, such, for example, as the celluloid ball G shown in the drawing, the axis of the ball being-at anangle to'the axis of-the ring F, usually, as shown, at rightangles to the axis of the ring. A cheap and convenient way of mounting the-sphere is-to-Jform openings gthrough the ring F at diametri cally opposite points and to pass a pivot or small wire H through the same and'ithrough; the sphere, so as to extend across the ring, ,and after-the wire is inplace, portionsofi the, same intermediate the ring. andsides of the wall of the sphere are "flattened or offset "by; lateral pressure so as to form lateral en- *largements -h, which enlargements-perform the dual function of retaining the pivot against longitudinal displacement in -.the ring, and of holdin thesphere-central within the ring, there y preserving a practically uniform spacing between the sphere and-ring, whileperrnitting the parts to rotate=freely and independently of each other.

The sphere or central body may flforni a rattle, for which purpose-shot or other'loose;

' bodies -may be located within'iujas is usual -i n rattles'for infantile amusement.

With a device constructed as-hereinbefore described, it is'found' that a sudden rotary movement imparted to the handle will cause the concentric bodies-to spin. The move-- ments of the handle sometimes causes theb'odies to spin in-the same direction and at other times in opposite directions, the-c m-- 'bined 'movements of the parts producing optical effects which are both interesting an -amusing, thus making the device one which is exceedinglyattractwe and -well calculated 1 -to retain interest in it for a long-period.

It will be noted that in"thefor'm of apparatus illustratedinthe drawings and which is the preferredform,;the handle B is of; greater effective dimension transversely in one direction than in the other and owing *to this characteristic the"handle,'when held between the thumb and finger with thegreatest dimension in the-line-of pressure,

' may be causedto snap into a position-with the pressure in the general-minor transverse axis, the result-being that the movement is inaugurated and arrested suddenly. This result is very desirable in order to secure the e'fi'ectivespinning or rotation of the parts,- and it can bebest secured only when the handle is of irregular shape'in cross section or has major and minor axes transversely of the handle, 'wherebythe gripping pressure applied-to the major axis will-result'in a sudden starting-and stopping of the rotary movement.

Having thus described the invention, what 'I claim 'as new and desire to secure by Let-' ters Patentof the United -States, is:

.luIn a toy adapted-to'be held in the vided with oppositely located inwardly directed pivots forming an :axis .at a wide angle from themajor axis ofthe handle, an annular body journaled on said pivots at diametrically. opposite points, and a second annular. body journaled said first mentioned annular body on peripheral pivots formingian axis disposed at an angle to the axis of the first mentioned body, whereby the-bodies may be brought into.. coi .ncide nt planes ,and are free to rotate on their own axes in intersecting planes.

2. In a device of the class described, a handle having "divergent arms formed at their ends into oppositely disposed inwardly directed pivots of less diameter-than the arms, a-i-inghaving :bea'rings-at diametrically oppositepoints in which said pivots are j ournaled,}whereby' the ring. is permitted to rot-ate 'freely'between' thearms, a second ring located withinythe first mentioned ring and havingpivot seats thereinat diametrically opposite points, :and outwardly tapered pivot pin's mourited in the -outer ring and extendln into the seats-in-the inner ring, -whereby oth outward-andinward displace- -ment df qthe pivot pins is prevented and :the inner iing' is' freelysupported for rotation on its own axis independently iof 'the outer r ng.

331 1 -adevic e of the type described, a han'dleyprovide'd with oppositely disposed inwardly directedpivots; a ringhaving dia- :metrically opposite bearings for the reception of saidpivotswhereby the ringis-joiir- "naledfor free rotation on theflhandlqa second ring 'journaled-in the first mentioned ring 011 an-axjs at'an angle to the axis of saidfirst'mentioned ring, and a body jour- -naled concentricallywithin=-the second ring second ring, substantially as described.

ing a jhandle having oppositelydocated, inwardly directed. pivots, a ring j ournaled for free rotation on :said pivots, a second ring journa-led'withinthefirst mentioned ring on an axis at an angle-to the'axis of the 'first -menti -ned ring,thepivotpinsfor safid second mentioned ring being prevented 'from 'moving longitudinally bythe respective rings, a body "ournaled within the inner ;ring, thepivot forsaid body being formed by a wire extending across 'thegring from side to side and-'havi-ngportions' between the bddy-arid' ring transversely'eirlarged to limit the longitudinal movement of the wire, and

' to limit 'the longitudinal movement-of the body on the'wire,whereby 'the latter is'held central within the'ring, but' is free to-rotate.

5. In a toy-tobe h'eld 'in'thehand, the combination with concentric ,member:

hand, 'a handlediav-1ng diverging arms pro-'- mounted on peripheral pivots *forming axes onan axis at'an angle to the axis of-the 1.4:. A device ofthetype described embody- I of a support on which said members are pivference of the gripping pressure from the otally mounted, embodying a handle adaptmajor axis toward the minor axis, substaned to be gripped between the thumb and tially as described.

fingers, said handle having major and minor WILLIAM R. GRAHAM. transverse axes whereby it is of greater Witnesses:

dimension in one direction transversely than ALEXANDER S. STEWART,

in the other and may be rotated by a trans- THOMAS DURANT.

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