US1559232A - Spinning top - Google Patents

Description

ocr. 27,1925. 1,559,232

' J. J. ESPER SPINNING TOP Filed May 31 1924 III IIII l l I l 1 m Bum llllllllllllnmllll ATTORNEN- Paienieaoa. 27,1925.

i UNITED STATES y 1,559,232 PATENT OFFICE.

l.Torna J. ESPER, oF Dnannonn, MICHIGAN.

' j SPINNING "roP.

Application 'med may 31, 1924. se'rm No. 717,026.

To zZ-Z whomt't'may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. Earns, c1t1 zen of the United States, residing at Dearborn, county of -Wayne, State 0I Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Spinnin description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My v.invention relates to spinning tops n shown in the accompanying drawings and more particularly described in the following specification and claims.

The object of this invention 1s to provide a top, simple in construction and operation, embodying a spring concealed therein adapted to actuate the top u on manually 'turning a knob fitted to a ongitudinally movable spindle rotatable within the top to which the-spring is connected.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for holding the spring under tension until manually released bythe operator shifting the spindle longitudinally upon settingthe top upon the floor, or other support on which he desires to spin the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide means by which the knob mounted on the end of the spindle may be automatically released from operative engagement with thespindle when the latter is shifted longitudinally to release the ratchet' wheel lcontrolling vthe rotation of the top, thereby overcoming any tendency to fracture the spring due to the spindle being held by the operator against the expanding action of the operating spring.

A further object-of the invention is to construct atop in which `the operating and controlling mechanism are hidden within the body of the top and the'knob mounted on the end of the spindle, thereby concealing thesev parts from view that they may not be tampered with and producing a toy of neat and finished appearance.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds the invention further resides in the combination-and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed it being understood that changes may be made in the precise embodiment Aof the invention herein disclosed without departing from thespirit of.

the same'.

In the drawings accompanying this speci- 'ication1 Tops, and declare the following to be a JIull, clear, and exact Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view through ythe top showing the spindle to which the driving spring is attached and on which is mounted a ratchet wheel engaged by a dog whereby the operator may Wind the spring and secure thesame while under tension.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the spindle shifted longitudinally thus releasing the ratchet wheel from the controlling dog that the top may be actuated by the driving project through a longitudinal slot formed inthe spindle.

Referring now to the letters of reference placed upon the drawings:

A, A1 denote the body of the top preferably formed ofrsheet, metal, connected together by an overlapping or other joiritA2.

B, indicates a tapering pin provided with.

a cylindrical socket B1 vextending into? the body of the top. C, represents a longitudinally movable and rotatable spindle, the4 lower .end of which projects into the socket B1 ofthe pin B, its upper projectingend being fitted with a knob D lfor manually rotating the spindle.

E, designates a helical spring, the outer end of which isriveted to the wall of the u top as indicated at e, its inner end projecting through a longitudinal slot C1 formed in the spindle C.

Instead of forming the spindle with an elongated slot to provide for its movement over the spring, any other suitable constriiction may, of course, be employed for conecting the spring with the spindle.

F, denotes a ratchet wheel secured to the llO ,.G, that the latter may be maintained in yieldable engagement with tlie' ratchet The spindle C at its upper end is -relatively smaller in diameter at the. point where it passes. through the lmob D, which is counterbored below to receive a washer C2 mounted upon the spindle and overlap- 4pingthe wall ofthe knob.

C3 represents a washerI fitted to the upper end of the spindle and lodged in the counterbore formed on the upper' side of the knob. C4 designates' a cotter pin eX- tending through the spindle 'and overlap-.-

ping the washer. The spindle within the knob is grooved as indicated at I to form a shoulder or ratchet tooth, to receive a balldog J, yieldingly forced to the limit of its movement by a spring K housedin a bore formed in the knob.

L, denotes a sheet metal cap fitted to the knob adapted to receive Athe thrust of vthe spring K, and to cover the upper counters-1* bore in the knob and the end of the Spindler; thereby giving the knob a lneat and inishedlf; .appearance Having now indicated the several `arts by reference letters the construction an op.- eration of the device will be readily linderstood.

To wind the top the operator grasps the` body portion in one hand land the knob in the other, pulling the spindle outwardly until the ratchet wheel F contacts with the inner wall of the top, as indicated in Figure .1, it isvthen in position to be engaged by thev dog G,the operator may: then wind up the spring. Upon the completion of the winding operation the operator while still grasping the knob forces the pointed end of the tapering pin upon the floor or other surface on. which the top is to be spun. This action causes the spindle to -move downwardly releasing the ratchet wheel F, from engagement -with the dog G, whereupon the top will spin on its pivot pin as will be readily understood.

The spring actuated dog J-concealed in the knob-serves to connect the knob with the spindle in order that the latter may be turned to wind the spring. Upon the spindle being shifted longitudinally-as before explained-to release the ratchet gear F from engagement with the dog G, the 'knob will be free to turn upon the/ spindle evendif still held by the operator, without danger. of breaking'the spring. This will be readily apparent from the fact that when the spring is wound up by clockwise rotation of the ratchet wheel F is in engagement with the pawl G and it is desired to wind up the spring the knob is grasped by the operator and the top is heldby one hand while the knob is rotated clockwise with the other hand. This will rotate the spindle under the action of the knob and. the spindle and spring will be held against backward Inovementby the ratchet whe;l F and pawl G.

-In this manner the top may be wound up as tightly as desired and when it is desired ,t0 spin the top the spindle is'shifted longil I tudinally to disengage the ratchet wheel from the pawl and the to'p will operate as heretofore explained. n u

Having thus described my invention what I lclaim is:

1. In a device of the character described;

a" body portion fitted with a'pivot pin; a

longitudinally movable and .rotatablev spin- ,'dleextending through the wall of the top land supported' at its inner end uponl the pivot pin, the outer end of the spindle being fitted with a knob for manually rotating the latter; a helical spring having its outer end connected with the wall of the top and its inner end with the spindle; a ratchet wheel mounted upon the spindle, and a dog adapted to engage theu ratchet wheel, whereby thespring may. be held under tension while being manually'wound, said spindle being adapted to be manually shifted to release the ratchet wheel. from the engaging dog, wherebythe spring may actuate thev top, and mechanism for clutching the knob to the spindlewhen theknob is .manually rotated and for unclutching the spindle from the knob when the spindle isl actuated by the helical spring.

2. In a device of the character described; a body portion fitted withva tapering pin having a socket at its upper end; a rotatable and longitudinally movable spindle having one end extending intosaid socket, theother end of the spindle extending above the body of the top; a knob fitted to the upperend of the spindle for manually rotating the latter;

a helical spring, having its outer end secured to the body of the top and its inner end projecting through an elongated slot yin -the spindle for engagement with the latter;

a ratchet wheel secured to the spindle; a spring actuated dog adapted to engage the ratchet Wheel upon' manually .shifting the spindle in one direction and -to release the ratchet wheel upon shifting the s indle in the oppositey direction; means a apted to connect the knob with the spindle for Winding the spring and to be automatically re.- leased therefrom. upon the top Starting to spin, Without removing the knob from the spindle.

3. In a device of vthe character described; a chambered body portion provide of a spindle; a longitudinally movable and rotatable'spindle having vone end fitted into said socket and its opposite end extendingl through the Wall of the top; a knob fitted to the projecting end of'said spindle; a helical spring housedwithin the chambered bodyportion secured at one end tothe Wall of the top its opposite end projecting through chambered' body portion; arspring actuated dog adapted to ,engage said ratchet Wheel When'the spindle is manually shifted in one direction 'and to be released romengagewith ar pivot pin having a socket to receive the end menttherewith upon shifting the longitudinally movable spindle in tsopposite direction a knob fitted to the projecting end of thespindle provided with means Afor auto matically engaging the spindle, whereby the latter may be manually rotated to Wind the helical .spring and for releasing the spindle from engagement with the knob upon the top being rotated by said helical spring,

Without removing the knob from the Spindler 4. In a device of thecharacter described, a body portion, a'rotatable, longitudinally movable spindle mounted in the body 'por-v tion, a helical spring connected at one end with the body portion and at the other end with a spindle, ratchet mechanism for holding the `spring under tension while being lmanually Wound by the spindle, a vknob permanently mounted on the. upper end ofthe spindle, and clutch mechanism for clutching the knob to the spindle when the knob is manually rotated for winding the spring,

said clutch mechanism being .arranged to j unclutch the spindle from the knob when the spindle is actuated by the spring.

In testimony whereof, "I sign this specification. -f

JOHN J. Esrnn.'

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