US2351762A

US2351762A - Toy

Info

Publication number: US2351762A
Application number: US433273A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank M Hoover
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1942-03-04
Filing date: 1942-03-04
Publication date: 1944-06-20
Anticipated expiration: 1961-06-20

Description

June 20, 1944. HOOVER 2,351,762

- I TOY Filed March 4, 1942 Zmnentor FRANK M How ER u' y W attorney Patented June 20, 1944 OFFICE TOY Frank M. Hoover, Youngstown, Ohio Application March 4, 1942, Serial N 0. 433,273

3 Claims.

' This invention relates to toys, and more particularly is concerned with a toy in the form of a ball having means movably associated with the inside of the ball.

It is the general object of my invention to provide an interesting and novel toy for babies and young children and including a transparent hollow ball having a roly poly positioned freely inside of the ball.

Another object of my invention is to provide .a hollow transparent body, such as a ball, having a figure positioned freely inside and simulating a desired object, and with the figure being provided with a shape and/or with means for automatically bringing the figure to a vertical position after rolling movement of the body is stopped or substantially stopped.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an unusual and highly interesting roller-type toy for children.

The foregoing and other objects of my invention are achieved by the provision of a toy comprising a hollow substantially spherical ball of transparent relatively thin material, a figure simulating a desired object and positioned freely inside of the ball and of less vertical height than the inside diameter of the ball, and a weight carried in the base of the figure so that the figure will always stand substantially vertically when the ball is at rest.

For a better understanding of my invention reference should be had to the accompanying drawing wherein the single figure illustrates in side elevation a typical embodiment of my invention.

In the drawing, the numeral I indicates generally a hollow substantially spherical ball of transparent material. It will be understood that the transparent material for the ball may be any one of a wide variety of colorless transparent plastics, for example, Celluloid, cellulose acetate, or other cellulose derivatives, casein, rubber, formaldehyde or other base plastics.

The ball [0 may be made in a Wide variety of ways, but is preferably made in two parts joined together in a substantially diametrical plane, and with the parts having an inter-engaging male and female joint, indicated specifically by the numeral Ill. The two parts of the ball III are preferably secured together by a thermoplastic or by a thermo-setting plastic cement which will firmly hold the parts of the ball together throughout the normal operating life of the ball. The plastic cement employed to hold the parts of the ball together will, of course, be

applied to the joint l2 in the manner that-will be well understood by those skilled in the art.

Positioned inside of the ball I0 is a figure or object, indicated as a whole by the numeral I4, which may be made to simulate any desired object or figure, and which is so constructed that the figure I4 will automatically position itself substantially vertically when the ball I0 is at rest, or is substantially at rest. In other-words, the figure l4 takes the form of a roly poly, and the use of the term roly poly in both this specification and in the claims, is intended to cover such objects or figures that when knocked over will automatically position themselves vertically because of a round base and a relatively heavy weight carried therein.

The roly poly illustrated in the drawing simulates a human figure, such as a clown, and I preferably construct my roly poly in this manner. However, I contemplate making the roly poly to simulate an animal, for example, certain of the figures rendered popular in comics or animated cartoons. The roly poly illustrated in the drawing includes a substantially spherical body portion [6 joined to a substantially spherical head portion [8, and the body and head of the roly poly are preferably made of relatively light weight material, and may be made hollow. The exact details of the shape and construction of the roly poly are unimportant so far as my invention is concerned as long as the base of the body of the roly poly is substantially spherical and the vertical height of the roly poly is less, or is considerably less, than the inside diameter of the ball In. In order to automatically position the roly poly in an upright position a relatively heavy weight 20 is secured in or is carried by the base of the roly poly. Or the base of the roly poly may be made of extra thickness to serve as the weight. The roly poly is ordinarily positioned freely inside of the ball [0, i. e. it is not secured in any manner to the ball. However, at least certain of the advan tages of the invention are retained when the roly poly is secured inside of the ball.

In the use of the toy or my invention the ball can be rolled along the floor, table, bed or other surface, and during the rolling of the ball the roly poly will tumble head-over-heels inside of the ball to the delight and amusement of the child handling or seeing the toy. The weight 20 may be sufiiciently heavy so that the ball will have an eccentric unbalanced movement which is often unusual and interesting. In any event, as the ball I0 begins to slow up the weight 20 functions to bring the roly poly to an upright vertical position inside of the ball and exerts an unusual and entertaining braking action on the ball which will bring the ball to a shuddering or jerking stop, if the weight is made sufiieiently heavy, and will leave the roly poly'rocking somewhat drunkenly inside of the ball but in complete control of the ball and to the amusement and entertainment of the onlooker.

From the foregoing it will berecognized that the objects of my invention have been achieved by the provision of an intersecting and an unusual toy which has particular appeal to younger children. The toy when properly constructed has an almost indefinite life inasmuch as there are no parts to Wear out or to become disconnected due to use. By making the roly poly figure [4 to simulate an odd, laughable, or other character and in bright colors and with the roly poly figure being readily visible from all directions through the transparent ball cover a par- 7 ticularly interesting and entertaining toy is provided.

I will'be recognized that many of the features and advantages of my invention will be retained if the ball I0 is made in the form of a cylinder or other body which Will roll, and the term roller-body as employed in the claims is intended to include any and all bodies which will roll whether round, cylindrical, polygonal or the like.

While in accordance with the patent statutes I have specifica1ly illustrated and described my invention, it should be understood that I am not to be limited thereto or thereby, but that the scope of my invention is defined in the appended transparent material and having substantially smooth and unobstructed inner and outer surfaces, and a roly poly figure positioned within the ball and of less vertical height and less transverse extent in all directions than the internal diameter of the ball, said figure being free for independent universal rolling, tumbling and teetering movements in the ball and about its inner surface when the ball or rocked or rolled and having a rounded base for contact with the inner surface of the ball and to adapt it to stand upright therein when the ball is stationary, and a weight disposed at the base of the figure and tending to hold it normally upright and to norma11y maintain its base in frictional engagement with the internal surface of the ball and to hold the latter from rolling movement, said weighted base operating when the ball is rolled to cause an irregular rolling motion of the ball and operating when the ball is rocked or is about to come to a stop on a rolling motion to exert a braking effect on the ball, whereby wabbly or like eccentric motions are concurrently imparted both to the ball and figure at the ends of such rocking or rolling motions thereof.

2. A toy comprising a hollow, substantially spherical ball of transparent material having a substantially smooth outer periphery, and a roly poly positioned freely inside of the ball, said roly poly having a height greater than about onehalf of the diameter of the ball.

3. A toy comprising a hollow spherical ball of transparent material, and a roly poly figure positioned within the ball and of less vertical height and less transverse extent in all directions than the internal diameter of the ball, said figure being free for independent rolling, tumbling and teetering movements in the ball when the ball is rocked or rolled.

FRANK M HOOVER.