US3405459A - Animated educational and amusement device - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 15, 1968 P. BELOKIN, JR

ANIMATED EDUCATIONAL AND AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed May 6, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheei 1 INVENTOR: PA L BELOKIN JR.

HARBAUGH fld THOMAS, Aflys.

Oct. 15, 1968 BELOKlN, JR 3,405,459

ANIMATED EDUCATIONAL AND AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed May 6, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheei 2 INVENTORI PA L BELOKIN JR.

HARBAUG and THOMAS. An sj;

3,405,459 ANIMATED EDUCATIONAL AND AMUSEMENT DEVICE Paul Beloltin, Ira, Berwyn, Ill., assignor to Schenley Industries, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 6, 1966, Ser. No. 548,235 13 Claims. (CI. 35-31) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE erally spherical resilient play-piece, carry said play piece upwardly, and release said play-piece in free-fall through said labyrinth at about the top of the arc of rotation.

This invention relates to an animated, educational amusement and advertising display device and more particularly to such a device having a plural-pocketed rotating member with means to successively move a playpiece, such as a ball, into said pockets at random in an attention-attracting manner, with or without certain light effects in combination therewith. A feature of this inven tion is that the device can be used as a simple animated advertising display, or as an amusement device, educational device or game in combination with means on which a player or players may enter and record the various locations of the random fall of the play-piece or playpieces into the pockets of the rotating member.

A wide variety of means are used in prior art game boards, attention arrestors, pin-ball games and the like to assure the random fall of a play-piece into pockets, troughs, stalls, etc. for purposes of attracting attention, providing amusement or to provide a game of chance. These devices are arranged horizontally or vertically and the freed play-piece locates itself by striking a labyrinth of pins, weirs, troughs, springs and moving levers in its course therethrough. Mechanical elevators are used to return the play-piece to a starting point.

In devices of this nature the parts which contact and carry the play-piece are of fixed configuration and generally the speed of any moving parts contacting the playpiece is substantially constant, particularly where simplicity in design is an objective. However in so designing the device a problem of attaining truly random fall, travel and placement of the free-moving play-piece therein arises. Contrary to expectations what would appear to be obvious changes in design such as changes in the size, shape, arrangement and density or resilience of parts to overcome this problem are either not successful or aggravate same. Even in those devices wherein the velocity of release of the play-piece can be varied over randomly chosen values or several play-pieces are used in sequence or simultaneously certain combinations of paths are repeatedly taken by the play-piece or play-pieces because of the inherently constant factors in the design of the fixed parts. When this occurs the usefulness of the device as an animated advertising display, amusement device, educational device, or game is diminished. This problem of attaining prolonged utility and novelty is particularly difficult where only one play-piece is used.

States Patent 3,405,459 Patented Oct. 15, 1968 In accordance with this invention the discovery has been made that within the inherently constant factors of density, size, shape, resiliency, etc., of the fixed parts contacting and controlling the movement of a play-piece there is an essentially critical arrangement with certain parameters which insures random travel and placement of the playpiece or play-pieces therein. Furthermore it has been found that where a play-piece is repeatedly released at substantially the same location, velocity, angle of fall, etc., to fall through a labyrinth of obstacles for purposes of random placement therein or upon certain other moving parts, there are certain parameters in the placement, spacing, dimensions and configuration of these parts which insure truly random movement with c0nsequent prolonged utility, novelty and attractiveness either as an advertising display, amusement device, educational device or game.

It is well known in the arts of education, advertising and amusement, that use can be made of mechanical parts, motion, color and sound to attract and hold ones attention and provide a dominant recollection or recall pattern in the viewer or user of the device. For these purposes the animated device should invite active participation on a competitive or non-competitive basis in such a manner as to stimulate the sensory-motor responses and psychologically assist a favorable response-action to the subject, the product or the stimulus of the game, and provide associations and recollections thereon which are persistent.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide an animated educational, amusement and advertising display device having these characteristics.

An object of this invention is to provide an animated device which incorporates motion, color and the element of suspense in certain combinations to be adaptable to stimulation of memory, sensory-motor responses and competitive play of even a casual viewer.

Another object of this invention is to provide an animated display device of this nature having a pluralpocketed rotating means with means to provide for the random drop of a play-piece into said pockets in an attention-getting manner.

A object of this invention is to provide an educational or amusement device wherein the paths of the random falls of a play-piece are totally unexpected, hidden from view and interest-arousing.

A further object of this invention is to provide an animated device which can be used as an advertisement device, amusement device, educational device or a game without the necessity of any material modifications.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a device of this nature which attracts attention and is psychologically stimulating to the viewer.

These and other objects of this invention will be described or become apparent as the specification proceeds. The invention is illustrated in one of its embodiments by the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective View, partially in section, of the device of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the front of the device with the front cover member removed;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 33 of FIG. 2 with the front cover in place;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing one from of auxiliary score-card for use with the device of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the auxiliary score-card showing the use of colored indicia thereon;

FIG. 6 is a front plan view of the device of this inven-' tion employing a random or patterned lighting effect therein; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of one form of arrangement designed to produce an unusual lighting effect.

Referring to the drawings the device is shown to comprise a generally circular body or housing member 10 formed of a back plate 12 joined at edge 14 to cover 16 having a centrally-located flat front display panel 18. Back plate 12 and cover 16 are formed preferably by vacuum-drawing, with their matching inwardly curved, peripheral edges abutting at joint 14 in a smooth curvilinear surface. Joint 14 is sealed by the use of strong adhesive, such as epoxy resin to form a tamper-proof housing. Back plate 12 has rearwardly extending circumferential shoulder 20 joining to back wall 22 from which depend rearwardly extending, spaced, legs or hollow bosses 24 and 26, preferably located at the top and bottom respectively of wall 22. Boss 24 has an aperture 28 therein for the purpose of engaging hook 30 attached to wall 32 to hold the device at or above eye level in a room. Legs 24 and 26 are preferably molded as integral parts of wall 22 and have their respective end walls i.e. 34 in a common plane equidistant from Wall 22 so that the device hangs vertically against the room Wall. Bosses 24 and 26 can be circular or square in cross-section or of any other configuration as long as they serve the intended purpose. In one embodiment boss 24 is circular and boss 26 is rectangular or arcuate in design with its longitudinal axis extending horizontally of wall 22 to provide the equivalent of 3-point contact with wall 22.

Wall 22 has a depending inwardly recessed housing 36 which may be centrally located or as illustrated is slightly off-center of the back plate 12 to accommodate conventionally-designed reduction gear 38 and drive motor 40 mounted therein. A motor cover member 42, having its end wall 44 spaced inwardly from the plane of wall 34 and of bosses 24 and 26 is provided to protect the motor, same being held to wall 22 by screws 45. Cover 42 is preferably perforated or open-sided to provide ventilation for motor 40. Apertures can be provided in housing 10 for ventilation purposes.

Drive shaft 46 extends through a suitable hole in housing 36 at approximately the center of the body 10 and has a hub 48 to which is attached rotating means or disc 50 by means of screws 52 or other securing means. Hub 48 is splined or otherwise attached to shaft 46 as by means of Allen screw 54 so that the disc is rotated by the operation of motor 40. The outer circumferential edge 56 of disc 50 is spaced slightly from the inner surface of housing 10 and at a point substantially in the middle of the curve of the matching surfaces thereof. Motor 40 and reduction gear 38 can drive shaft 46 at any desired speed i.e. to 20 r.p.m. or higher. Preferably the speed of rotation is about 1 to 2 r.p.m.

One or more lamps such as fluorescent lamp 60 is mounted behind disc 50 by means of electrical connectors 62' attached to back wall 22. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, lamp 60 is elongated with its axis lying substantially along the diameter of body member 10 but off-set slightly to by-pass shaft 46. Any form or shape of lamp can be used, including neon lamps. If desired, a plurality of individual lamp bulbs can be arranged in spaced, circumferential relationship around the inside periphery of wall 22. The lamps can also be attached to the inside of wall 22 in a circular pattern intermediate the housing 36 and shoulder 20 or around housing 36 as desired. Connectors 62 can be arranged to receive acircular fluorescent lamp having a diameter equal to or slightly less than the length of lamp 60, as is illustrated at 60' in FIG. 2. The necessary electrical connections to motor 40 and lamp 60 are shown generally at 58 in simplified form in FIG. 3 and are omitted from the other figures. Said electrical connections are provided with a switch (not shown).

Disc 50 has a plurality of equally spaced symmetricallyarranged curvilinear cups 66 attached to the front face thereof and equally spaced inwardly from edge 56 so as to be in'circular alignment with the center of shaft 46. The outer edges of cups 66 are spaced from the curved inner surface and front of cover 16 as indicated at 68 and 69, respectively. One or more free play-pieces such as ball is within housing 10, same being continuously carried by and dropped by the cup means 66 as disc 50 rotates in a manner to be described. Disc 50 also carries a labyrinth of spaced projections illustrated by the plurality of pins 72, in this case circumferentially arranged and equally spaced about a circle concentric with the circle of peripherally-located cups 66. The extended ends of pins 72 are also spaced from the inside surface of cover 16. The spacing AA (FIG. 2) between the outermost edge of each cup and the nearest back surface of the adjacent cup in front of it is slightly less than the effective diameter of play-piece 70. The effective space BB between adjacent pins 72 on disc 50 is slightly greater than the effective diameter of play-piece 70. Space CC between the inner leading edge of each cup and the nearest surface of the adjacent cup in front of it is greater than the effective diameter of the play-piece to allow free ingress at the bottom and egress at the top, at or near the zenith of rotation. Where projections are used nearer the center of disc 50 they are likewise spaced. A central projection can also be used. The inside diameter of each cup 66 is preferably greater than the effective outside diameter of play-piece 70. Also the space 69 between the outer edge of each cup 66 and the inner surface of cover 16 is less than the effective diameter of a play-piece.

The cup means 66 can be any configuration which serves the function of allowing the play-piece 70 to lodge momentarily therein as same is rotated upwardly from a point at or near the bottom of the device and then drops the play-piece 70 when it curves at a given point at or near the zenith of its top rotation. Thus, any desired shape of recess for momentary retention of the play-piece can be used in the cup means. The outer surface of cups 66 need not be curvilinear as shown and can be of any desired configuration. The cup means can be formed integral with disc 50 or separately formed and attached thereto by a resinous adhesive or other securing means. The cup means can be of plain configuration or bear any desired indica or color for identification to promote attention, provide amusement or form the basis of an educational or game sequence of events as will be more fully described.

To illustrate one aspect of this invention, each cup is color coded by various colored discs 74 of substantially the same diameter as the cup. The colored discs 74 are fastened to or part of the rotating disc 50 and each is located on the back side of disc 50 in juxtaposition to each cup. Preferably the cups 66 and colored discs 74 are of larger diameter than the play-piece 70 so that when the play-piece is located in a given cup a portion of the disc can be seen extending thereabove for identification. Any arrangement or shape of assorted colored indicia may be used. In the embodiment shown the disc 50 is made of transparent plastic or sufiicient thickness and rigidity to support and carry the cups and play-piece in uniform rotational movement. The indicia 74 are applied on the back side thereof to avoid wear by the ball and are applied by painting or silk-screening a dye composition thereon. If desired a coating of clear plastic or translucent white plastic composition can be sprayed thereover for permanency This allows continuous light transmission through each indicia 74 as it rotates and gives an unusual visual effect. Phosphorescent or luminescent dyes can be used.

Back plate 12. may be made of any moldable opaque plastic material such as phenol-formaldehyde, furan, ureaformaldehyde, vinyl chloride-acetate, polyesters, diallyl phthalate, polyacrylate ester, styrene or polyethylene. Various reinforcing and filling materials such as wood flour, asbestos, mica, glass fiber, macerated fabric, cord filler, rags, cellulose may be used to reduce the cost and increase the strength and durability. Cover 16, pegs 72 and cups 7-4 :may be likewise formed. Preferably, these latter members are formed of transparent or translucent plastics or those plastics having unusual light transmitting properties such as melamine-formaldehyde (Without filler), polysulfide-epoxide, isomerized rubber, vinyl acetate, some forms of vinyl chloride, vinyl alcohol, glyceryl phthalate, polystyrene and the like polymerized compositions. Preferably these latter parts are formed of resinous molding compositions which have the property of transmitting over 88% of the light falling on their surfaces such as allyl cast resins, methyl methacrylate resin, Lucite or Plexiglas, unfilled polystyrene, and heat and chemically resistant types of modified styrene. Playpiece 70 can be any desired shape i.e. cubical, elliptical, pyramidal, spheroidal or spherical; of any of the foregoing materials of construction. Preferably play-piece 70 is spherical and formed of a material of high resiliency or bounce such as an elastomer material or a hollow plastic sphere such as a ping pong ball. The play-piece or ball may be variously colored or bear other indicia.

The operation of the device thus far described is as follows. The rotation of shaft 46 at about 2 rpm. through reduction gear means 38, in a counter clock-wise direction lifts play-piece 70 to position D at the top of the device about four times a minute. Here the open side of the cup allows piece 70' to drop onto moving pins 72 as for example at position D From this point it :may bounce to position D against one of the cup edges and then fall to position D where one or the other of the bottom-most cups picks it up and carries it back to position D. There is the possibility that the play-piece 70 may fall or bounce straight through the spaced pins directly to the bottom of the device for immediate pick-up or where it can rebound or ricochet far to one side or the other, or it may bounce from position D to D and arrive at a position in a cup that is already part way up toward the drop position D. The play-piece thus may be forced to follow any number of paths as it bounces and ricochets from peg to peg or cup to cup, and until it actually comes to rest in a given cup the possibilities are open for it to arrive at rest in any cup in the sequence. This construction assures that the path of travel of the play-piece is random, and never an established path or a path that occurs more often than others.

One aspect of this invention comprises the use of separate means on which an observer or player can record the sequence of events taking place in the device. Thus an auxiliary piece of paper, cardboard or coaster on which are arranged indicia corresponding to several or all of cups 66 can be used on which to record or note the random fall of the play-piece 70 therein, for amusement or educational purposes. One such embodiment is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 wherein a coaster 80, comprising a flat circular piece of pressed absorbent board is shown for use as a pad on which to place a glass or mug 82. Coaster 80 has afiixed to or as a part of its top surface a plurality of discs 84- arranged in concentric circles along several diameters of the coaster 80. Discs 84- may bear any type of indicia such as colors, letters, numbers, geometric figures, dots, flags, etc. which correspond to the indicia or discs 74 within cups 66. Various arrangements of discs 84 on coaster 80 may be used. They may be arranged in a circle, square, triangle or in a straight line. The discs may be blanks and any designated disc may be a free entry.

In the embodiment shown the discs 74 on rotating disc 50 are color coded to show, beginning at top center, the six colors red, blue, purple, orange, green and yellow. This sequence is repeated around the device so that the same is repeated a total of four times for the twenty four cups. On coaster 80 the discs are color coded to represent, for example in the vertical diameter the colors green, purple, orange, blank, blue, green and blue. Dilferent sequencies are used in the other rows of colored discs such that in each row one or two colors are repeated and one color is missing in the sequence.

To use the device for amusement the color of the cup which catches the ball 70 after each drop is observed and recorded in a selected row in the coaster, as by placing an X thereon. Each player may arbitrarily select a different row for his play or tWo or more players may select the same row as desired. As the succeeding revolutions of disc 50 cause the ball 70 to drop into different colored cups, an X is placed in that row by the player. When all of the discs in one row are so marked by a player he may be the winner, depending on the rules of the game. It is seen that a given players chances of winning depends not only on the random fall of the ball 70 but also on the row he may choose for play. All of the coasters used by a group of players may be the same or different, the latter used to introduce another factor of irregularity interest, or accident to the play.

Numbers may be used instead of letters on the cups 66 in which event cards may be used with the device, each card being variously labeled such as addition, multiplication, subtraction or division. In the embodiment shown, twenty-four cups are shown. These could bear the numbers 1 to 10 in sequential or varied arrangement around the rotating disc. Each card could have two blanks thereon with the indicated sign for addition, multiplication" etc. adjacent thereto. One learning arithmetic can take a card and place the two numbers thereon corresponding to two consecutive falls of the ball 70 into the cups as the device is operating. By these means the student is called upon to add, or subtract, etc. any combination of numbers from 1 to 10 in random sequence and desirable irregularity. At the same time, the dropping of the ball, its travel up to the point D etc., attracts the student and holds his attention, making the learning of arithmetic a game rather than a chore.

In another illustration of the use of the device of this invention in education, the indicia 74 and 84 can be arranged to test ones knowledge of any subject by arranging the message on the rotating disc to correspond to a number of questions while the card bears corresponding or multiple choice answers. To illustrate, the rotating disc can have 50 cups each bearing the name of a State of the United States while the indicia on the card bears the names of the capitals, state flowers, nickname, etc. The back side of the card 80 can have a summary of correct answers.

As previously stated, the device of this invention, in another embodiment, incorporates certain attention-attracting lighting effects. Referring to FIGS. 3, 6 and 7, the back side of the face of cover 16 is indented at 86 to facilitate the insertion of an opaque sheet of paper or cardboard the front of which can have a design, ad or picture 88 thereon, same being visible through the transparent plastic of flat surface 18. Such an opaque sheet can also be fastened to the outer surface 18. A series of various arranged holes 90 are provided in the inserted opaque sheet through which light can pass. The pins 72 are arranged on disc 50 to register with any sequence of holes 90 as the disc is rotated. The lamp 60, in this case a circular fluorescent lamp or a sequence of individual spaced bulbs is located behind each hole 90. As disc 50 rotates it carries the pins 72 to a point of registry between a hole 90 and the lamp 60. By making the pins 72 of a plastic having good light transmitting properties, the holes will brighten or transmit a beam of light (arrows) therethrough in accordance with the sequence of such points of registration. Such a point is shown at 92 in FIG. 6. Diiferent elfects can be obtained depending on the arrangement of these parts. If the pins and holes are in the same circle, that is equidistant from the rotational center of disc 50 and equally spaced, all of the holes will become points of light simultaneously as disc 50 rotates. If there are more pins than holes the effect will be to produce a series of lights passing or rotating in a direction opposite to the direction of rotaiton of disc 50. If there are more holes than pins the opposite efiect can be obtained. The

pins and holes can be arranged in any design, such as to produce a pin wheel effect or vortex.

This invention accordingly is directed to an animated device including a vertically disposed, generally circular housing means orientable along 'a horizontal axis containing a rotatable means mounted thereon with a plurality of recessed cup means circumferentially spaced around the periphery thereof and a labyrinth of spaced projections on the rotating means located in any desired design between the cups and the rotational center of the device. A free play-piece is provided between the housing and the rotating means and is adapted to pass between the projections and lodge momentarily in one of the recesses and be carried upwardly to be released in free-fall at or near the top or zenith of rotation. The labyrinth of projections is spaced from the inner edges of the cup means a distance great enough to allow free passage of the play-piece therebetween within the confines of the housing.

The cup means 66 are all shown to be uniformly curvilinear on both back and inner sides. All of the cup means used in a given embodiment need not have the same configuration or cross-sectional shape. It is preferable however that the disc 50 with cups attached be substantially balanced so that the torque required for its rotation is approximately uniform for all revolutions thereof and a substantially uniform velocity is maintained by motor 40. The cups can be formed of closely spaced pins, or be box-shaped, U-shaped, V-shaped or L-shaped as long as they perform the desired function of catching one or more play pieces at or near the bottom segment of the arc of rotation or at any point between the bottom and the top of rotation. The play-piece can conceivably be caught in a recess while same is traveling from a horizontal position to the zenith of rotation, that is, in the recesses between the recess shown to have caught playpiece 70 from position D in FIG. 1 and the recess shown to contain play-piece 70 in this illustration. This function is served as long as the cup means have inwardly facing recesses.

The cup means are preferably substantially semi-cylindrical in cross-section with the plane of the leading edges of the curved wall forming the recess being at an angle opening toward the center of rotation of the device. The opening of each of said cup means are disposed to face in part inwardly and in part in the direction of rotation of said rotating means. The bottom or outer curved edge of each cup means preferably extends slightly beyond the diameter of the cup. Stated otherwise, the inscribed angle subtended by the arc of the opening is about 90and preferably is acute or less than 90. The are of the opening is less than one-half the circumference.

These parts can be economically formed from cylindrical pieces of Plexiglas by cutting same transversely the desired length and then making a longitudinal cut through the short tubular pieces-to the outside of the center line and using the larger of the pieces so produced as the cup means. The remaining smaller section can be used as a projection in the central portion of the disc. Disc 50 and cup means 66 can be formed as an integral whole unit or formed in pie-shaped sections and assembled by means of adhesives. Instead of having straight edges as formed by cutting a tube longitudinally to form the cups, these edges can be rounded or pointed either outwardly or inwardly of the recess. The effective distance between the outermost leading edge of one cup means and the nearest tangential point on the back side of the next adjacent cup may be maintained or obtained by a projection on this leading edge, especially where the play-piece is spherical, since it only makes point contact therewith, unless the space between disc 50 and cover 16 within the housing is too great. The device is generally designed and fabricated so that the play-piece will not rub against or wear any parts or lodge between the cups without falling squarely within a recess. At the same time the play-piece is provided with free ingress and egress to the cup means. This relationship of the cant of each cup means is clearly defined by the relationship of dimensions A-A and CC, where cups 66 are cut centrally from generally tubular pieces the distance AA will always be less than the inside diameter of the cup and distance CC will always be greater than the inside diameter of a cup by amounts sufficient to allow the passage of a play-piece through CC but prevent its passage or lodgement in A-A.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that other modifications can be made in the arrangement, size and configuration of parts without departing from the scope thereof. Thus, the direction of rotation of disc 50 can be clockwise or counterclockwise. The holes 90 in advertising piece 88 can be made transparent or translucent by the securement of clear or colored plastic films thereover. Disc 50 can be double-walled, that is having an outer concentric disc secured to the extended ends of the cups 66, and be rotated with play-piece 70 therebetween. Front cover 16 may be glass and constructed for removal from back plate 12. Cup means 66 need not be exactly radially and circumferentially spaced on disc 50 and may be staggered or otherwise arranged as long as the spacial relationship with play-piece 70 as hereinafter defined is maintained. Coaster may be formed of absorbent material or a more permanent elastomer or plastic. The device can be used with or without the inserted advertising 88.

What is claimed is:

1. An animated device comprising in combination:

(1) housing means having a horizontal axis and generally fiat spaced front and back members,

(2) rotating means mounted within said housing means and spaced between said front and back members along said horizontal axis,

(3) a plurality of cup means circumferentially spaced around the periphery of one side of said rotating means, said cup means being spaced from said front member and having inwardly facing recesses therein,

(4) a labyrinth of spaced projections on said rotating means between said cups and the center of rotation thereof,

(5) a free play-piece between said housing front member and said rotating means, said play-piece being of such size as to pass between said projections, each of said cup means, while disposed substantially between the bottom and top of the arc of rotation thereof, being adapted to receive said play-piece therein, carry said play-piece upwardly and release said playpiece at about the top of said are of rotation.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which the periphery of said labyrinth of projections is spaced inwardly from the inner peripheral edges of said cup means a distance greater than the effective diameter of said playpiece and said play-piece is a resilient sphere.

3. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which said cup means are substantially semi-cylindrical in cross-section, each of said cup means having an opening for receiving said play-piece disposed to face in part inwardly and in part in the direction of rotation of said rotating means.

4. A device in accordance with claim 3 in which the outermost leading edges of said recesses of said cup means are spaced a distance less than the effective diameter of said play-piece from a point tangential to the back side of the next adjacent cup means and in which the innermost leading edges of said recesses are spaced a distance greater than the effective diameter of said play-piece from a point tangential to the back side of the next adjacent cup means.

5. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which said cup means have identifying indicia thereon.

6. A device in accordance with claim 1 including a light source within said housing and said cup means have light-responsive indicia thereon.

7. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which said labyrinth of projections comprises a series of pins extending substantially horizontally from said rotating means, said pins being light responsive, a light source being located within said housing between said back member and one end of a series of said pins, said front cover being opaque in the area adjacent said series of said pins and having a series of light-transmitting portals therein registerable with the ends of said pins on rotation of said rotating means.

8. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which said cup means are open-sided with semi-cylindrical recesses therein, said play-piece is at least one resilient plastic sphere having a diameter less than the diameters of said recesses, said cup means being equally spaced radially and circumferentially around said disc such that their respective recesses face with the direction of rotation and the effective inner spaces therebetween are greater than the diameter of said play-piece and the effective outer spaces therebetween are less than the diameter of said play-piece.

9. An animated device in accordance with claim 5 in which separate means are provided on which to record the sequence of recesses into which said free play-piece falls in accordance with said indicia.

10. An animated device in accordance with claim 9 in which said indicia are various colors and said separate means comprises a card bearing diametrically disposed rows of corresponding indicia including said colors,

11. An animated device in accordance with claim 9 in which said indicia are numerals and said separate means comprises a card bearing arithmetic formulae in which to enter the numbers corresponding to falls of said playpiece.

12. An animated educational device comprising:

(1) generally cylindrical housing means having a horizontal axis and generally flat spaced front and back members enclosing same,

(2) a disc rotatably mounted on a shaft extending substantially contiguous to said horizontal axis of said housing means,

(3) a plurality of U-shaped indicia-bearing receptacles afiixed t0 and spaced circumferentially around the periphery of one side of said disc, said receptacles having their openings toward the direction of rotation of said disc,

(4) a labyrinth of spaced pins extending from the face of said disc toward and spaced from said front member, said pins being oriented in a circular spaced pattern,

(5) a free generally spherical resilient play-piece between said cover member and said disc, said playpiece having a diameter less than the space between adjacent pins in said circle and less than the effective distance between the leading edges defining the opening of said receptacles but greater than their outside spacing, each of said receptacles, while disposed substantially between the bottom and top of the arc of rotation thereof, being adapted to receive said playpiece, carry said play-piece upwardly, and release said play-piece in free-fall through said labyrinth at about the top of the arc of rotation, and

(6) means to rotate said shaft at a substantially constant speed about /2 to 20 rpm.

13. An animated educational device in accordance with claim 12 including separate means on which to record the sequence of receptacles into which said play-piece falls in accordance with the indicia thereon.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 728,327 5/1903 Tanron. 1,520,697 12/1924 Carlson. 1,564,746 12/ 1925 Barnard. 2,032,677 3/1936 Watson 273-138 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

W. H. GRIEB, Assistant Examiner.

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