US2508880A - Gyro toy - Google Patents

Description

P. AMATO GYRO TOY May 23, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 11, 1946 JNVENTOR.

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May 23, 1950 P. AMAT 2,508,880

cyRo TOY Filed Dec. 11, 1946 Q 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR. PETER AMAT P. AMATO GYRO TOY May 23, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 11, 1946 INVENTOR.

' PETER Ammo Patented May 23, 1950 XB QX Deter Amino, "Brooklyn, N. .L gpgliofllqnljgqgmhgr 11, 1946, Serial 'No. "715,546 :1 Qlaim. (01.46- 5'0) "This irwen-tlon z elam so oys a r me mover delivers ene gy 141 arus ng 211. -de ined movement of a traveller-element. In garryingrput .i r emion, the erma e @0f he gy op is d and bwirme o me iraren s ional sm th Y o, r1. .s 9 s'yrossone Qeratioxs, th ne amner of m ment .l rew 11 is isai s m bseeuse-e mm, @1141 even Me rr e ase a M q moonsidsmh in ig m is inst u t e a mace nmemvi ati b nation l flcfienss a eomb t 21 s n- :1h'-?a t e atom bomb may :besubmtm to au omat c mam; mhsreh ne Ma -:be sh t. even when atheusands of v11:35iarwary,

here 11: 1 :the present .inrpant on nterest imz and valua e .imveraeo ion bstwsaen o the e hand, the mtemal igs msaop tom-lie si slr oped and responsible for w mecessional be: 113mm 10f 1a ggyms orze iilha-t is pnessssi nfi time m mit saw m ma r $9 4111; e; one end 2 m ii e .lxe izpntsl may ;b @4 d-des1rably is employee to allow r 815E711 I @isplmment; symss gpic element 'QQ'FIiQ sneer one em. ofi aiq em er nd i .SuQh r aiiiQx; ther eto ex ends sub antially along the general length of extensiorg of member, em rm a oresa d irasl lle lem is by said :mmber mar other ea mha eof,

When. as (is rm preier srl mg t avelle -elemeat is a min stu s molars i s moveme ts ar r ont m ed by 491-1: Su symscop s mime M wa 93 a ipropell ible my as i pro 1%: y th .presem inv ntio ha the airplane whil saptive yet in flight moves at different speeds, rises iQr ira smfi zs kles ie lend ng, and

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di ss an m ms.- As in: msse J mar, .pgn er'sfipfiqf openafioa 9 X d mem the erein gymsoopfikmmt erptafitmg wan;

J2me while 'x aya smg i s e mular p of a tsmately mom or limbs upembeddar somewhat slsarnly. m; e cs "s mewm s arp he eag es of am 499 9, more over, 'maybe modified as desired gm; "wget 1119; be elled grows-spas! o di tance rr i l :p unit in e al o time a sob -mpd fi l i2 s'ired, and this agqgrging tor/9,119,115 epergy ggglir firms to th m a plied manually an th mel as and when desired during roi ztfigrr of fire g yro 9ops-e em t- 'llle prim mover 1 197 "th 'purms 9t 9111- ning the gyroscope-6 M29 .Thl $31. 311741; b? sfie Wat q var sms slfisir ntways a ns h m ous' difieren't'means. ll e spin may b? v mparml. 2y 9 1mm? s l vsr of s nsr y 5 s2 stersd sour e 9; ens fi pr me ewwndmsnr q 11 spin. a r, m". m W .stsr sq ag maintainsi i y sub ia tialy .m wqi aneous eqlive y "L m: gyr scop -22 s: @2 of a. st re of nsrsy 9 1.

by 'wlrippi g t9 w an ler; sendin smug, 99r or ot er i f sri ls mem er "weir 9: the shad; of t e rg r sssms-elemsm or 912 Mul er fixed-on said shaft. Theselast mentionedgrg 051s o p ime m v r asfionsazl se s 9 s m tria rotati oims gs? ops-911mm at e i sly m 9; mad, WEIKJ'JQ gr; 1!? decelerates as the imparted 'rggpgegmm gg wly dissipatsg :iu her sxemplifiost g 9mm in sm oy 1 s un vsmfizruously '9 intermi tently :o by .2- Swiss of rep at d ;.n9w im ul es po qus mii as un desires 51 4: W bout "handling the gyr -el mrat as th W emmgimems I the lover}. I} a read rsie rsr to. operation yr/ iii *be by remote -goritrgl as jby as 0.5 an el t ic "mo r housefl in a ol o cea ng, ifi m qrfim tbe c si nst tutin the g r m nfi, arm with q tam auxiliar ss s eil, as, i instance a Pa r 9? slip-Flos ac i i em t9 ma 911mm 1 9 t e m9- qr s es ite th *pasu r mo me t of ah qm movable pa rwm b at 9. n a one and arri s lr rsi-ar lat g im? it QPPWIP? $911 2?!- riss 12h: imme: m in mova'hl P rt i a long, preferably slenfler rod or wand, glesgrgply at me s sm .iz he em s asiricifi r a r a wi lqlzmrb mem s v hrs Wan t wil 2.? gelled. serves $9 mm- 1 'Jbhe air semi-Ye mamwords the airman? trav' ls impugn m nd Sing thisp th m have .a mum fi m 9f van.@919.en a m ge eral plan on othe respe ts. ut newrnhsi ss a way red aihn zun a .sura ort Ior Inc ward. me Jes er mounted. {int rm dia e rugs a ut We palm of pivoting. That is, the wand is not only preferably a lever of the first class with a fulcrum intermediate its ends but is also preferably given a universal pivotal mounting. In that case, and with an electric motor used as above, two sliprings will be of value as aforesaid for energizing the motor while overcoming the difiiculty of using conducting wires which by-pass the support carrying'the universal mounting for the wand.

For further comprehensionof the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended. claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming. a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of one embodiw ment of a toy constructed in accordance with this invention. h

'F'ig'. 2 is an elevational' view, partially in section, the cutting plane being indicated in Fig. 1 bythe line 2-2.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view in perspective.

Fig.4 is, on a further enlarged scale, a section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3..

Fig. 5 is'a perspective view. showing'the gyroelement of Figs. 1-4.

Fig. 5A is a portion of a diametral section of said gyro-element, to give details of construction not elsewhere illustrated.

Fig; 6 shows this embodiment, complete in side elevation. Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view, showing, on a comparatively minute scale, certain parts seen in Figs. 1-5, and illustrating in dot-and-dash lines what may be'ass'umed to be the highest-level and the lowest-level circular paths of all the .various paths of travel of the airplane, and also having other delineations to graphically illustrate the zone of possible travels of the airplane at heights above the wand when the latter i horizontal.

Fig. 8 is a schematic view, showing develop- .ments of said highest-level and lowest-level paths and showing also the development of an intermediate-level path.

. Fig. 9 is a similar view, but with the develop- .'.ments last referred spread vertically, showing .certain of the take-'off'angles which can be'eir- ;hibited by the airplane, and a typical cruising path characterized by undulations with crests and troughs vertically displaced above and below the general line of forward travel of the airplane. Fig. 10 is partially an end elevation of a gyroelement pursuant to another embodiment, one containing a clock spring, looking toward the ,face of the element remote fromits connection with the wand; this view largely being a section taken on the line l0l 0 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 11 is a diametra-l section taken through the stub-cylindrical casing of the gyro-element, ,with certainparts shown-in elevation. f 'Fig. 12 shows the"spring-winding'key in per- .spective. U A gyro-toy made" pursuant to the present invention as, such toy is shown herein, comprises the combination of a rotor .to' act as a gyro-element, such as the element marked in Figs. 1-6, a wand'2l on one end of whichthe element 26 is journalled for spinningjabout an axis of revolu- ,tion aligned withthe direction of longitudinal extension of the wand, a support 22 here shown as underlying the wand and. so in the present case adapted to be placed "on the floor or on a Figs. 3 and 4 I foil.

tabletop or the like, a universal pivotal connection 23 between the wand and the top of the support at a point between the ends of the wand, and, on the other end of the wand, a miniature airplane 24.

The two gyro-elements shown in the drawings (the element 20, in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1-9; and the element 25, in the form of the invention shown in .Figs. 10 and 11) correspond "in function; and one, as to the main casing formation, is in many respects a replica V of the other.

Preliminarily it may be well to note certain structural features common to the casing characteristics of the gyro- elements 20 and 25. Referring first to the gyro-element 25, the same comprises, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, a pair of fairly shallow cups 26 and 21, one snap-fitted into another as indicated at 30 thereby to provide a casing stub-cylindrical in shape. The end walls of such casing are dishedinwardly at 26 and 21' and then are arched outwardly as shown at 25" and 21".

Referring next to the gyro-element 20, as shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6, here'the casing employed is hollow except for a shaft 28 about which the gyro-element 20 is to revolve. At the side of the gyro-element which faces the universal connection 23 when the toy is'assembled, shaft 28 is projected-for some distance, as seen best in Fig. 5A, through and beyond a hollow pulley or reel 29. The reel adjacent its inner flange 29' may be secured to'the casing in any convenient way; as, for instance, by spot welding. The part of the shaft 28 which enters the hollow gyrocasing after passing beyond reel 29 carries a sleeve 30 held in place by a nut 3| applied to a thread on the end of shaft 28 where it projects slightly beyond collar 39. These features are seen best at the lower part of Fig. 1 and such sleeve and nut coact with a collar 29" (see Fig. 5A) fixed on the shaft within the hollow'reel 29, to limit axial movement of the gyro-element.

Referring now more particularly to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1-9, whichincludes the gyro ele'ment 20, a plurality of holes 32 are shown (Fig.5) as cut in a face of said element, and serve to act siren-like to create a sound suggestive of the roar of an -airplane propeller when'the toy is operated.

The wand 2| is very long andslender and for a' suitable distance at each end is boredaxially to provide terminal sleeves. At a point intermediate its ends, and preferably much closer to its end on which the gyro-element (20 or 25) is to be mounted than its end on which the airplane 24 is to be mounted the wand s drilled laterally for mounting it on 'a horizontal pivot pin, shown at 36 in Fig i. '7 I The ends of the pivot pin 3B ,which after passing through the wand 2| also passes through the tines of an upstanding fork 31, mount a pair of "decorative "additions 38 here made to resemble signalling lights-on a tower at an airfield. These additions are strikingly" s uggestiv of what they represent when conically hollowed out as shown in and when lined with ordinar tin "joint on which th'ejwand is mounted, the pin 35 providing the horizontal pivot:

The gyro-element '20, details of which have been" described above, is another di-sassemblable unit, the same being mounted on one end of the wand 21, by inserting its shaft 28' into a sleeve-'- carrying end portion of the wand. Such end portion, incidentally, is shown very clearly in Fig. 11. The dimensions are such that the shaft has a snug lit in the sleeve of the wand yet not tootight a fit to prevent ready removal of the gyro-element unit.

The support 22 is here shown as including a basal square 42 carrying a pyramidal post 43 at the top of which is a cap 44, upstanding from which is a block 45 drilled to rotatively receive the pin- 39, providing the vertical pivot of the universal joint 23.

The miniature airplane is shown as a monoplane having the usual tail surfaces and at its nosea four-bladed stamped metal propeller loosely pivoted so that the propeller will revolve during "flight of the airplane due to the relative wind.

Referring to Fig. 2, one of the wings 4! mounted on the fuselage 68 is cantedly offset from a rod 50 of about the same diameter as the shaft 28. The rod 58 is of a diameter to fit fairly tightly in the sleeve portion at the appropriate end of the wand 21', yet without too much tightness to prevent rotating the rod '50 in its receptor a suliicient amount to make changes in the angle of incidence of the wings 41 by manually grasping the fuselage and turning the same while the toy is idle. Thus the wings of the airplane may be given any desired climb or dive angle, to have its path of flight aflected by interaction between gyroscope-precession and the angle of incidence of the wings.

Referring next to Fig. '7, only the part of. the

wand 2i between the universal joint and the air-- plane is shown and this merely diagrammatically. Also, all possible travels of the airplane with the wand inclined from the horizontal to lower the airplane are not considered. When centrifugal force is at its maximum, that is, when the gyroscope-element is fairly heavily weighted, and spinning at a high rate of speed, the wand will be held horizontal, and the airplane will have ground speed along the path indicated in dot-and-dash lines at 55-. When the forces acting on the wand to cause the airplane to travel through an orbital path have become dissipated to a point where the universal joint will notallow the wand to droop at its end opposite to the airplane to a greater angle from the horizontal than that indicated in broken lines at 55, the airplane will have an orbital path such as that indicated in dot-and-dash linesat 51. Our assumption is that we are considering path 55 is shown at GI and a development of the path 5'! is shown at 62. In Fig. 7, the vertical dotted line-64 represents the vertical-distance between the horizontal planes including the dotand-dash circles 55 and 51. The mid-point on this line is marked 65 and a development of the orbital path of forward movement of the airplane "when the latter is. in the horizontal plane contaming said mid-point is shownat 6-! in Fig. 8.

In Fig. t, the development 1! is fully-shown, as

is also the vertical line 64, while the developments 6! and B2 are fragmentarily shown. In Figs. 7 and 8 the arrowheads contained in the doteand dash circles and 57' show the directionv of for ward travel of the airplane during spinning of gyro element in the direction indicated by the arrow- 10 in Fig. 1. This spinning isset up by rapidly unreeling a string, cord or the like wrapped for a considerable number of turns around the reel 29 in such fashion that when unreeled, it is unwnipped from the reel in counter clockwise'direction.

As soon asthe cord or the like has wholly left the reel, the gyro-element, which meanwhile had been grasped, and particularly, when the gyroelem'ent is-given a slight manual. thrustto cause it to travel in counter clockwise: direction simui taneously with ungrasping the same, the gyroscope-precession force starts the airplane treyeiling through an orbit of circular travel such as that indicatedby the'dot-and dash circle 55 (Fig. '7), the wand quickly inclining on its horizontal pivot to causethe airplane to rise and exhibit any one of the number of desired take-01f angles, two of which are indicated at Fig. 9 at 13 and '14.

It will now be understood that if the initial would the gyro element is not atits maximum, the take-01f angle will be more like that indicated at T4: than at 13. When, on the other hand. the initialspeedof the gyro-element is very high, theairplane will-have a take-oil angle more like thatindicated' at 13 than that indicated at 14.

Another interesting feature of the toy is that when, after a number of circular travels of the airplane, there is noted a tendency ofthe wand to slow down or evenrpause in its turning about its vertical axis, a slight finger thrust against the wand applied in the predetermined direction of its rotation, apparently releases energy still in the prime mover, and the wandresumes its rotation about its vertical axis. The principle of nutation is involved. Consider the case of a gyro-wheel mounted as is the gyro-element of the present invention near one end of an elongatemember or rod corresponding to the wand 2|, with such member supportedintermedlate its ends on a universalpivotal mounting like that provided for wand 2|, but with a counterpoise movablealong the length of the arm of said rod opposite to the armthereof carrying the gyro-wheel. By setting the counterpoise at different places on the rod, torques about a horizontalaxis can be produced of different magnitudes in either the clockwise or the counterclockwise direction. If. the counterpoise is adjusted to counter-balance the gyro-wheel, and the latter is. started spinning, precession will be exhibited, as is well known, by orbital movement ofthe gyro-wheel about the vertical pivot on which the rod is mounted, and during this orbital movement the rod will remain horizontal.

If, however, the counterpoisc is adjusted on the rod to over-balance the gyro-wheel, on spinning the latter and then releasing therod while holds ing it horizontal, the gyro-wheel will start precessing by moving through a horizontal pathrand at thesame time the end of the rod carrying, the gyro-wheel will alternately dip and rise, so that theprecessing is at uniform velocity. The consequent nodding of the spin-axis is known as nutation. Also,- if the gyro=wheel is started spinning and then the rod released while held hurlzontal but now with". the counterpoise balancing the gyro-wheel, what happens is that there is no precession.

Any yroscope exhibits nutation of the spinaxis on the sudden application of a torque; but the long arm of wand 2| on which traveller-element 24 is carried renders the nodding especially conspicuous. The amplitude of the nutational dip depends upon the amplitude and suddenness of development of the gravity torque. Nutation would continue indefinitely if there were no opposition to the dipping due to air or bearing resistance, as for example in the case of nutation oi the earths axis. In the case of most gyroscopes, the nutation is quickly clamped to zero. Suppose that the gyro is spinning at constant rate in the clockwise direction as seen when viewed from the counterpoise toward the gyro. In addition, suppose that the position of the counterpoise is such that there is a torque in the clockwise direction about the horizontal pivot of the pivotal mounting for the rod; with, however, a zero torque about the vertical axis of said mounting.

At the instant the gyro-frame is released, there is zero precession, and the heavy end of the rod (here the end of wand 2| carrying the gyro-element'ZU or 25) tilts downward below the horizontal. The tilting gives a vertical component of the angular momentum about the horizontal pivot, this directed downward. There being zero torque about the vertical pivot, any angular momentum must be generated about the vertical pivot at the same rate in the direction opposite to the vertical component just mentioned. This is developed by angular velocity (angular momentum) in a vertically upward direction. This precessional velocity is greater than that which would have been produced if the spin-axis had not been tilted so much.

The gyroscope has greater kinetic energy when precessing than when not precessing, though the total energy is constant. In order that the total energy may remain constant, the accelerated precessional velocity is accompanied by a rise of the end of the rod carrying the gyroscope. The inertia of the system carries the heavy end of the wand 2| above the equilibrium position.

As the potential energy is increased by the elevation of said end of the wand, the kinetic energy of rotation must decrease, that is, the precessional velocity must diminish. When the heavy vend of the wand dips, the precessional velocity increases. When said heavy end rises, the precessional velocity decreases.

After a few oscillations, the spin-axis will remain at a nearly constant inclination to the vertical and the velocity of precession will remain nearly uniform. The inclination of the spin-axis from the vertical, at any instant, is the angle of nutation.

Referring now to the other one of the two illustrated of the many possible embodiments of the invention, and in this connection directing attention to Figs. 10, 11 and 12, the showing here is of a gyro-element which is given its spinning speed by unwinding of a suitable spring means previously wound so as to be placed under tension.

As already stated, the exterior of the gyroelement 25, .here shown, is similar in most respects to that of the gyro-element 20 of Figs. 1-9. However, the gyro-element 25 is provided interiorly with various parts which will now be described.

A shaft 88,,corresponding to the shaft 28 of 8 the first described embodiment for being fitted into the sleeve portion 89 at an end of the wand 2|, such wand drilled as indicated at 90 for taking the horizontal pivot of the universal joint, extends only part way through the gyro-elements housing. An end portion of the shaft 88 enters a bore within a clutch member 92 and is riveted therein at 93, inside the gyro-element.

The spring 94 to be wound is shown as a band spring wound into a flat spiral as is typical of the main spring of a clock. The rivet 93 attaches one end of spring 94 to clutch member 92.- The other end of the spring is secured as indicated at 95 to an annular weight-casting 96, when it is desired to give a weight-increment to the gyro-element.

The weight 96 is kept from slipping circumferentially of the interior of the gyro-element by a suitable number of long rivets or double-headed studs 97. For simplicity, and for balance, three of such studs are employed, spaced apart To facilitate registration of the apertures in the gyro-element housing and through the annular weight 96, so that the rivets or studs 91 may be quickly attached, the casting may be made to have a single outwardly projecting teat 9B, and for keying with the same the casing 26 forming part of said housing may be dimpled as indicated at 26 Complementary to the circumferential series of clutch teeth on the disc like inner portion 92 of clutch member 92, are similarly arranged teeth on a disc like portion 98 of a clutch member 98. Seated in suitable recesses in clutch members 92 and 98 is an expansile coil spring 99.

Spring 99 normally maintains the two clutch members out of engagement. However, clutch member 98 carries a finger-tip receiving dished end-portion 98" exterior to the gyro-element. When it is desired to wind up the spring 94, it is merely necessary to grasp the gyro-element say with the left hand and, after giving a fingertip pressure to the clutch member 98 by way of its end 98", thus to couple the two clutch members, to insert the winding key 199 shown in Fig. 12 so that its finder [9| enters the bore H32 in clutch member 92 and its transverse blade I03 seats itself in a transverse slot I94 cut diametrally across the end of clutch member 92 where it projects beyond the casing 26 thereupon, proper turning of the key winds up the spring to the desired tension. Just after the key is withdrawn, pressure on the outer end of member 98 is released and the gyro-element ungrasped.

For a toy which should have a relatively low cost of manufacture, the clutch device, including its associated spring means, may be omitted, as there is not a great strain on the muscles of the hand in grasping the gyro-element with sufficient force to prevent it from turning while the spring is being wound up tightly. In various other respects, also, parts of the improvements may be used without others.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the pre cise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

A rotatable toy comprising a wand having a traveller-element mounted on one end thereof and a gyroscope mounted on the other end of said wand, means adjacent said gyroscope supporting said wand for universal movement, said gyroscope comprising a hollow circular casing having opposed, parallel end walls centrally aipertured, said other end of said wand extending through said aperture formed in one of said walls to rotatably support said casing thereon, a clutch member formed on said other end of said wand and disposed within said casing, a shaft mounted in said aperture of the other of said end walls and extending on both sides thereof, the exterior end of said shaft having a diametric slot formed therein and the inner end thereof having a clutch member formed thereon, said first and second clutch members being oppositely disposed and normally spaced apart, resilient means for maintaining said clutch members in their normal positions, a helicoid spring having one of its ends secured to said casing and the other end aflixed to said shaft, a manually operated key for insertion within said slot whereby said shaft may be rotated to wind said spring, and said casing being displaceable in the direc- 10 tion of the longitudinal axis of said wand to effect engagement of said clutch members durin said winding operation.

PETER AMATO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,250,266 Banks Dec. 18, 1917 1,390,923 Pepe Sept. 13, 1921 1,535,502 Southwell Apr. 28, 1925 1,719,252 West et al. July 2, 1929 1,853,204 Eslinger Apr. 12, 1932 2,173,031 Wigal Sept. 12, 1939 2,222,648 Biller Nov. 26, 1940 2,300,649 Christiansen Nov. 3, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 330,377 Italy Oct. 12, 1935 412,112 Great Britain June 21, 1934

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