GB2027597A

GB2027597A - Labyrinth ball puzzle

Info

Publication number: GB2027597A
Application number: GB7926446A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: PALTTALA V
Current assignee: PALTTALA V
Priority date: 1978-08-09
Filing date: 1979-07-30
Publication date: 1980-02-27
Also published as: FI55445C; FI55445B

Abstract

A ball 21 dropped into a hole 6 is directed to a hole 7 by tilting a casing 1 and rotating perforated cylinders 11, 12, 13. Wire guideways 17, 18 limit the path of the ball in the upper half of the puzzle. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Toy functioning on the labyrinth principle This invention is a toy functioning on the labyrinth principle. It is composed of a mantle with a cylindrical hollow and at least one hollow cylinder that is cocentric with the axle of the hollow, whereat there is on the mantle surface of the cylinder or cylinders, that are at a distance from each other and lying one inside the other, at least one hole for the ball.

This kind of toy is known from the USA Patent Publication No. 3 901 510. It is meant to make the balls inside the tranparent mantle vanish through the holes of the cylinder that is firmly fixed to the mantle by affecting the balls first with centrifugal force rotating the mantle and then by centripetal force stopping the rotation of the mantle.

The purpose with the above described invention is to achieve a toy, the degree of difficulty of which can be varied to a very great extent and that gives much interesting entertainment for long periods to children of all ages. This purpose is reach with a toy identical to the invention, characteristic of which is a construction in which the cylinder or cylinders are fastened with bearings to the mantle so that they can be turned around their axis with regard to the mantle and from the outside of the mantle and in the space between the cylinder or cylinders there are organs restricting the ball movements with regard to the mantle.

A performance type as favourable as the one of a toy according to the invention is described more clearly hereunder with reference to the enclosed drawing, in which figure 1 shows a toy according to the invention in longitudinal section figure 2 shows the toy from above figure 3 shows the toy from one end and figure 4 shows one of the ball movement restricting organs.

The toy in the figures is mainly composed of a mantle 1, which reckoned from its outer surface has the form of a parallel prism and which has at least one cylindrical hollow 2. In the right-side end of the mantle (figure 1) is a middle opening with a diameter smaller than the hollow and the opposite end is closed with a plate 3 that is fixed to the mantle e.g. with screws. In the surface bordering on the hollow there are two grooves 4 and 5 parallel with the centre axle of the hollow, the first of which is in connection with the outer space through the crosswise boring 6 and the other through the crosswise boring 7.

Inside the hollow there are three cocentric cylinders one inside the other 8, 9 and 10, which are from their left-side open end fastened with bearings to the cocentric grooves in the inside surface of the plate and in the right-side end of which there are for the cylinders 8 and 9 hollow and for the cylinder 10 closed extensions 11, 12 and 13, which push out from the middle opening of the mantle and function as turn-buttons of the cylinders. In the mantle part of each cylinder there is a hole 14, 15 and 1 6, by means of which the space between the mantle and the outer cylinder 8 is connected to the inner space 10 of the innermost cylinder via the spaces between the cylinders.

Furthermore, to the inner surface of the plate 3 two outstretched U-formed wire bows 17 and 18 are fixed, which push out into the spaces between the cylinders 8 and 9 as well as 9 and 10 and the form of which is shown in the figure No. 4. These b-ows are parallel with the middle axle of the mantle and they restrict the ball movement so that it can roll in these intermediate passages only lengthwise with regard to the bows, which have same restricting influence on the ball movement as the grooves 4 and 5. The distance of the bow forks is favourably almost the same or somewhat greater than the diameter of the. ball.

The outer end of the boring 7 is favourable, covered by the plate 20 that is turned aroundthe screw 1 9. The plate prevents the ball from falling down to the floor.

The toy according to the invention functions as follows: Aball 21, made e.g. of steel, is dropped through the boring 6 into the groove 4, along which it can roll when the axle of the mantle is tilted. At the same when tilting the axle, in order to guide the ball to the hole 14 in the axle direction the cylinder 8 is turned from the turn-button 11 in order to get the hole 14 close to the groove 4.

When the hole is by the groove and the ball by the hole, the ball drops down through the hole between the forks of the bow 17, where it rolls in the axle direction to the outer surface of the cylinder 9 till by turning the turn-button 12 the hole 1 5 is guided close to the bow 17 and the ball close to the hole. As soon as the ball has dropped down through the hole 15 the same proceeding is repeated till the ball is guided through the hole 1 6 into the inner space of the cylinder 10.

Hereafter, one has to try to turn the cylinder 10 so that the hole 1 6 is direct downwards, whereat, when reaching in the axle direction the hole, the ball drops through the hole to the inner surface of the cylinder 9 that is now, in its turn, turned from the turn-button 12 in order to make the ball drop down through the hole 15 to the inner surface of the cylinder 8. Now the hole 14 of this cylinder ought two be guided close to the groove 5 and the ball, in the axle direction, to the hole, so it could drop down into the groove 5 and further from there to the boring 7 and then out This last stage can still be made more difficult by making the groove 5 crosswise in another place than the boring 7 as shown in figure 3.The groove and the boring must then be connected to each other with a crosswise groove 22 that can be extended to both sides of the boring 7, so that one cannot find out the position of the groove 5 by looking from the end of the boring.

'The degrae of difficulty of a toy according to the invention can simply be varied by decreasing or increasing the number of cylinders from that stated above and making the holes, grooves and restricting organs as big as wanted. Furthermore, it is to be observed that the location of the holes 14-1 6 in axle direction in the figure 1 is only as instruction and that there can be several holes in each cylinder.

The toy can be made of plastic, wood, metal or similar not transparent material and to its shape it can also be cylindric or oblong. The mantle can, if so wished, be enveloped with a transparent cover in order to avoid ball-loss, and the borings 6 and 7, of course, be arranged also otherwise. e.g. so that the ball is placed into the toy from one end of the groove 4. Also the ball movements restricting organs can be formed differing from the above and made of other material.

Claims

1. A toy functioning on the labyrinth principle, which is composed of a mantle (1) with a cylindrical hollow (2) and at least one cylinder (8-10) that is cocentric with the axle of the hollow, whereat there is on the mantle surface of the cylinder or cylinders that are at a distance from each other and lying one inside the other, at least one hole for the ball (21), characterized in that the cylinder of cylinders (8-10) are fastened with bearings to the mantle (1) so that they can be turned around their axis with regard to the mantle and from the outside of the mantle, and in the space between the cylinder or cylinders there are organs (4, 5, 17, 18) restricting the ball (21) movements with regard to the mantle.

2. A toy according to the patent claim 1, characterized in that in the other end of the cylinders there is an extension (11-13) which pushes out from the other end of the mantle (1) and is the longer the smaller the diameter of the cylinder is in question.

3. A toy according to the patent claims 1 or 2, characterized in that there is an organ restricting the ball movements a U-formed bow in the axle direction (17,18) which is fixed to the end of the mantle (1).

4. A toy according to the patent claim 3, characterized in that the distance of the bow forks corresponds, at least, to the diameter of the ball.

5. A toy according to the patent claims 1 or 2, characterized in that there is an organ restricting the ball movements a groove (4, 5) in the wall of the mantle hollow (2).