US2383305A

US2383305A - Toy

Info

Publication number: US2383305A
Application number: US514833A
Authority: US
Inventors: Greene Joseph
Original assignee: HOLGATE BROTHERS Co
Current assignee: HOLGATE BROTHERS Co
Priority date: 1943-12-18
Filing date: 1943-12-18
Publication date: 1945-08-21
Anticipated expiration: 1962-08-21

Description

Aug. 21, 1945. y EREENE l 2,383,305

y ToY.

Filed Dec. 18, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet .1

Aug. 21, 1945. J. EEEENE V 2,333,305'.`

Patented Aug. 21, 1945 ori-'ice` e.

Toad` y. lJoseph Greeneprlooklyn, N. Y., assigner to Hol- 'i gate Brothers Compan tion of Pennsylvania ,i Application December 1s, 1943, seriai No; 514,833 'l This invention relates to toys and more par` ticularly to an educational toy designed to effect hand andeye coordination, to teach colorfdiscrimination and recognition of the musical scale.

, `One of the objects of the invention isto provide a toy requiring the exercise of skilLin elevating a ball to a point where it will be introduced into a runway that `will return itto its lowest position. i i i i 1A Another object is to supply such a toy in which the ball runway maybe combined with musical elements to simulate thescale, and, also, with vmeans for eiectingthe movement of animatedobjects. 1 l i i l With the foregoing objects `outlined and with other objects `in view, which will appear` as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described indetail, illustrated in the ,accompanyingl drawings, and more particularly pointed out Vin the appended claims@A f l u Referring to the drawings:` i I i l Fig. 1 is a frontl elevation of my` novel toy, Fig. 2 is a vertical 'sectional view on the line 2-2ofFig.l.` f

Fig. 3 isa horizontal sectional view of` a'detail. Fig. 2 is a lvertical sectional view of such detail taken on the line 4-4`of Fig. 3.

In the drawings, I designates a case consisting of `a base II, side` walls`I2, rear wall I3,` and a topll. f The front of the case-may either be open or closed by a transparent wall.` l

Resting on the base is' a vertically disposed strip I5 `provided with an upper edge I6 serving asa l fulcrum for iinger-operated keys I'I. These keys simulate pianokeys and each may be `provided at its bottom with a transverse notch I8 to receive the upper edge of the strip I5. l

Immediately above the' keys, a frontboard I9 extends across the `casing and has its ends secured tothe sides thereof, andextending rearwardly from the upper edge portion of the board `is a substantially horizontal guide strip,20.

1o claims. (c1. 1e-177i e `it is associated will be elevated to a height equal to the next higher post.

The tops of all of the `postse`.reinc1ined toward Y the partitionZI Vand all of themlwith the exception of the tallest one are inclined toward the tallest one, and, therefore', if a marble oir ball 25 is placed on the lowermost one, it can be gradually elevated by the posts to the tallest one of the series by successive manipulation of the keys.

When a keyis depressed, the marble will be `elevated to a level where `it can roll to the next higher post and so on.`

`As the top of the tallest post is inclinedtoward the internal wall 2I, the marble when elevated by the tallest post, can roll therefrom into the entrance 26 of a runway 21. The runway is inclined from 'the entrance toward an exit/28 which l will discharge the marble onto the lowest one of An internal wall 2| is arranged in the case bei :tween the rear wall I3 `and thereai` edge of the `strip 20 and may be provided with decorative figures 22. i

Between the

parts

20 and 2| and guided thereby is aseries of posts 23 that are gradually increased in height from one end of the case to the other. Each of theposts is provided with a. horizontal notch 24 to receive the rear end of a key I1 `and when the key is depressed, the post with which the posts. The entrance and exit are preferably arranged in the internal wall y2l and the runway is positioned between such wall and the rear wall I3. H As the marble rolls downthe runway, itcan be used for the creation of musical sounds. For example, metal plates 23 having different musical tones may be positioned along the bottom`,of.the runway so that the marble will strike eachone `in descending therethrough. .Such plates may`give ,out the `sounds of the musical scale.

In addition, the marblein rolling through the runway, may rotate a disk 30 mounted on a horif Zontal shaft 3|. `If this feature is used, a window 32 in the internalwall 2| may be employed `to exhibit figures `33 on the disk. For example, the front of the internal wall may be decorated to illustrate the Mother Goose rhyme .The cow jumped over the moon. In that event, the moon figure would be arranged beneath the window `32 and the front of the'disk could be provided `with the ligure of a cow which would be periodically displayed in the window as the keys are operated.

As minor details, a bumper 34 may be arranged on one of theside walls at the lower end of the runway to cushion the marble, and immediately forward of the shorter one of the posts aguide strip 35 may be secured to one of the sidewalls to prevent the falling marble from .dropping off `the shortest one of the posts. It will be obvious that more than one marble may beused at the the depression of the keys.

`same time `and may be progressively elevatedl by l 1 wish it distinctly understoodthat the toy dee' as may be convenient and desirable without departing from the salient features thereof. I, therefore, intend the following claims to cover such modifications as naturally fall within the lines in the invention.

What I claim and. desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A toy ,of the character described comprising a wall havingI an, entrance opening and an feXit opening therein, a ball runway communicating with said openings and inclined downwardly from .v

the entrance opening to the exit opening, musical A" lseries being positioned to receive a ball discharged creating means defining a portion of said runway and arranged to be actuated by'said ball as ittravels down the runway, saidyrunwayfbeing ar'- l ranged at one side of said wall, and manually operated means arranged at the opposite side of the wall and comprising successively actuated posts, movable relatively to one another, for progressively elevating a `ball from the exit opening to the entrance opening andvfor discharging the ball into the latter. j l

2.. A toy of the characterl described comprising a wall provided with an entrance opening, an exit opening,` and a window, a ball runway arranged at one sidego s aid wall and inclined downwardly from the entrance opening 'to theexit opening, movable means to display objects through said window, projecting into the runway, and adapted t0 4beactuated by a bau rolling through the runway, and manually operated means arranged parallel to andat the opposite side of fsaid wall and comprisingsuccessively actuated posts, movable relatively to `one another, for progressively elevating a ball from the exit opening to the entrance opening and to cause the ball to roll into the latter opening.

V3. A toy ofthe character described comprising a wall provided with an'entrance opening, an exit opening, and a'window, a ball runway arranged at one side of said wall and inclined downwardly from the entrance opening to thev exit opening,

movable means to' display objects through 'said window, projecting into the runway', and adapted to be actuatedby a ball rolling through the runway, and manually operated means arranged parallelto-and at the opposite side of said wallfor progressively elevating a ball from the exit opening to the entrance opening to cause the -ball to roll into theulatter opening, the last-mentioned means-comprising a series of relatively reciprocatable posts of gradually increasing height from the exit opening to the entrance opening, and a 'n'- ger 'operated'key for raising each post.

4. A toy of the character described comprising a wall provided with an' upper entrance opening and a lower exit opening, a ball runway arranged atone side of said wall, parallel thereto and in- `clined downwardly from the entrance opening tothe exit opening, a series of relatively reciprocatable posts arranged parallel to the wall at the opposite side thereof, said posts gradually increasing in height from the shortest one of the series lill to thetallestone of the series, the shortest one of the series being'positioned to receive a ball discharged' fromsaid exit opening and the tallest one of the posts being adapted to projecty a ball into said ventrance openingpthe postswhich are shorterthan the-tallest' one having surfaces inclined toward the tallest post so that a ball can roll from a shorter post'to the -neXt higher one when the shorter' post is elevated a sufcient "height,` and a series `of substantially vhorizontal rockable keys projecting away 'from saidwall and 'operatively connected to said' posts for successively from said eXit opening and the tallest one of the posts ybeing adaptedrto project a ball into said '.entrance-opelhg, fthe posts which are shorter -thanvthe tallest-one having surfaces inclined toward the tallest post so that a ball can roll from a shorter post to the next higher one when the shorter post is elevated a sufficient height, and a series of substantially horizontalrockable leys projecting away from 'said' wall 'and operatively connectedto said posts 'for successively elevating the latter'inde'pendently -of one anothensaid posts l 'supporting surfaces inclined toward the tallest post so that a ball can roll from a shorterpost tothe next higher ypost whenthe shorter'p'ost is elevated to a suflicient height, a ball runwayhav; ing an entrance to receivea ball from the supporting surface of thetallest post and an exit to discharge a ball onto the supporting surface of the shortestpos't, 'and manuallypperated means for successively raising the posts independently of one another. Il Y l` 7. A toy of the rcharacter described comprising a substantially Yvertical wall, l a series of relatively reciprocable posts arranged parallel to" the 'wall immediately` in' frontthe'reof,y said vpostsbeing positioned side by sideincloseproximity.-to'one another and gradually increasing inheight from the shortest to the tallest lp'ost' ofiftheseriesgthe posts which are shorter than-thet-allest .one hav,`

is elevated to a suflicient height, a ball' runway,

having an entrance to receive a ball from `,the supporting surface of the tallestpost Aandanexit to discharge a ball onto the supporting surface of the shortest post, the portion of the toy 4immediately in front Aof said supportingsurfaces of the posts being unobstructed so that the lball-if Inot manipulated properlyy can fall forward ,from the Asupporting surface of any `of the posts, and manually operated means `for successively `raising the posts independently .of one another,` .f K

8. `A toy of the icharacterdescrilbed comprising a substantially vertical wall, 'a series `of relatively reciproca'ble posts arrangedparallel to the wall immediately in front thereof, said posts being pousitionedside by side .inwclose proximity tojone .another andv gradually increasing in ,height from the shortest to the 4tallest'post of thel series, ,the

. posts which are shorter than the tallest one hav:-

is elevated to a sufllcient height, a ball runway having an entrance to receive a (ball from the supportingsurface of the tallest post and an` exit to dischlarge a ball onto the supporting surface Vofthe shortest post, and ringer operated keys operatively Iconnected to the posts for successively t `raising them independently of one another;`

` supporting surface at the `lowest elevation, and

9.` A toy of thecharacter described "comprising n a series of substantially vertical relatively reciproca'ble posts positioned side bysidejin close `proximity to one another and having ball supporting surfaces at gradually increasing eleva- C tions from one end of the series toward the other end ofthe series, the supporting surfacesof all l of the posts with the exception of the onehavf e ing the highest supportingsurface being inclined toward the last mentioned post so that a ballv can roll fromthe supporting surf-ace of one post manually operated means for successively raising "the posts independently of one another.`

l0. A toy of the character described comprisling va substantially vertical wall, a series of relal tively reciprocable posts arranged parallel to the i Wall immediately `infront thereof, said posts heying positioned side byside in close proximity to t one anotherand` gradually increasing in height from the shortest tothe tallest post of theseries, t

the posts which are shorter than the tallest one `h'aving ball supporting surfaces inclined toward the tallest post fso. that a ball can roll from a t shorter post to ther next higher postwhen the shorter post is elevated to a 4suiilcient height,l a

ball runway at the rear of the wall having an entrance Cin `the wall adjacent tothe top of the l tallest post and an exit in the wall adjacent to the to the next one having a higher elevation when` a post is moved ftoa predetermined height, `a ball runway having an `entrance to receive a ball `from the supporting surface at the highest eleval t tion and an exit to discharge the lball onto the top of the shortest lpost, and finger operated keys `operatively yconnected to the posts for succes-i sifvely raising them independently of one another.

n i e JOSEPH `GREENE