US1359207A - Foldable-parachute toy - Google Patents

Description

C. U. TYRRELL.

FOLDABLE FABAGHUIE "TOY.

Arrucmon run an 22. m9.

1 ,359,207. Patented N0v. 16, 1920..

ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLAUDE U. IYRRELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FOLDABLE-PARACHUTE TOY.

Application filed May 22, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAUDE U. TYRRELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FoldableParm chute Toys, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to innn-oveinents in foldable parachute toys, the flexibility of which has heretofore been so great that for their operation they must be carried to and dropped from a pre-determined height.

The object of my invention, broadly stated, is to provide a fold-able parachute toy adapted, while in its folded condition, to be projected from the ground upwardly into the air and thereby opened by the resistance of the air quickly following the expenditure of the force propelling it upwardly.

More specifically stated, the object of my invention is to provide a foldable parachute with a stiffening means adapted to be manually forcibly projected from the round upwardly in the air and to open it independently of air pressure immediately following the expenditure of the force for its propulsion into the air.

A further object of my invention is a foldable toy parachute so connected with a propelling means therefor that the force for its propulsion upwardly in the air is directed throughout the length of its folds and whereby the propelling force is utilized to its fullest extent.

With these ends in view my invention finds embodiment in certain features of novelty in the construction, combination, arrangement of parts by which the said objects and certain other objects are attained, all as hereinafter fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 illustrates an inside elevation partly in section of a foldable parachute toy in which my invention finds its embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the parachute in its folded position for forcibly projecting it upwardly into the air.

Fig, 3 is a detached view of one of the stiffening means therefor.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the coil Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 16, 1920.

Serial No. 298,860.

sprin for releasing the parachute from its folde and locked position.

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the weighted body or block to which the stiffening means is secured, and

Fig. 6 is a side elevation partly in section of said block.

Similar characters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the drawings.

The hood member 7 of the parachute may be of any material suitable for its purpose, such for example as woven fabric of cotton or silk, and preferably the latter, but may be of bladder or thin sheet rubber circular in form or of any other form by which it will assume the shape of an um brella when exposed to currents of air directed against its under side.

Secured at intervals of each other are the ends of cords 8 passing through eyes 9 in flexible metallic rods or wires 10, and of which there may be as many as there are cords 8, but as shown in the drawings there are but three equally distant apart at their upper ends, which stiffening wires or rods are curved inwardly and converge until their ends 11 are brought and are preferably soldered together, and are adapted to be projected into an axial socket 12 in a block 13.

The block 13 has the form of an arrow head provided at one side of its stem 14 adjacent the base of the arrow-head niember with an upwardly inclined slot laadapted to be engaged by a ring 16 secured to the top of the parachute hood member when the parachute is folded. as shown inFig. 2, and when the flexible stiffening wires were brought close together, and the corners and cords of the hood member of the parachute are in a position depending below these wires as indicated in Fig. 2.

The stem 14 of the block has the form of a hollow cylinder for inclosing a coil spring 17 surrounding the stiffening wires 10, one end 18 of which spring is fixed to the stem by projecting it through a perforation 19 adjacent the outer end of the stem. the 0pposite end of the spring being seated against the base 20. The function of the sprin 17 is to automatically release the ring 16 rom the slot 15.

As soon as the force. for propelling the parachute upwardly into the air and the frictional resistance against the air of the hood member of the parachute maintaining the ring in the slot, becomes less than that of the force 01' the spring, then the spring automatically operates to push the ring out and free and clear of the slot, and whereupon the stilfening wires 10 will automatically separate to the position shown in Fig. 1, and the block, by reason of its greater weight, will thereby reverse its position and descend by grayity.

As a means for projectin" the parachute upwardly through the air, t e bloek is provided in its side opposite the slot 15 with a notch 21. the direction of which is reversed with reference to the slot 15, the groove or notch 21 being adapted to be engaged by a ring 22 secured to a rubber strap 23, which is adapted to produce the force for the propulsion of the parachute. I

In operation, the parachute, in the folded position shown in Fig. 2, is so held by clasp ir'igit ,top ard its lower end, for eztample w th th" eft hand, then taking hold oi. the freeien ofth e rubber sti ap with the right hand, and then pulling with the left hand away from the right hand until the rubber strap is fully stretched, followed by releasing the arachute from the left hand. By means 0 the force so applied, the parachute may be propelled upwardly through the air to a COIlSldGI'flble distance limited only to the stifiness of the rubber strap and the strength of the operator.

In this connection it should be said that it has been found in practice that a child of six or seven years or upward is able to project the aeroplane to a height of fronr 100 to 200 or more feet, and that the parachute will alwa s fully open out almost at the instant it begins its descent, and as soon as its body ortion is reversed and thearrow head begins its descent.

In operation the pai'achu't is folded against the resistance of the ti fishing, ires and t e mug is engfged with the fidtci tin the b ock-or mew; head as maybe, .The

ring,- following its engagement with the to open concurrently with the cmnmcnce nient of the downward movement of the block.

Having thus described. my lllYUIllllOl]. what I claim. and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 4

1. A foldable parachute toy comprising a foldable hood member provided with a ring secured to the fold-able member, a block ses pended from said. foldable member and hm ing a notch therein adapted to be engaged by said. ring, and a spring adapted for dis connecting the ring from the notch after thpropellin force is overcome by the air.

2. A to dable parachute to comprising a hood member, a ring secured to the top of said member, a block suspended from the foldable' member and having a notch therein adapted to be engaged by the ring, and a spring inclosed by said block adapted to autotriatlcally disconnect the ring from the notch at substantially the limit of the upward movement of the parachute.

3. A foldable parachute toy comprising a fabric hood member, fibrous cords attached thereto, a block member, flexible wires normally stra' ht rigidly secured to said block and conne cied at their opposite end with said cords whereby when said. hood is dis tended, said wires are curved outwardly from the block by the force of the pressure of air distending the hood substantially as and for. the purposes described.

In witness w e'reo'f, I have hereunto set III 'haiidah' a see my seal, this 20th day 6 May A, 1919; y

CL UDE' U. TYRRELL'. [Ls] Witnesses Manta Ritz,

JNtiQ G. Emma.

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