US2516367A - Paper optical illusion toy - Google Patents

Description

July 25, 195o f c. C. Loup 2,516,367

PAPER oPTIcAL ILLu-lQN. 'roy Fiied Dc. 8. 1949l q @om yowfey fis required.

Patented July 25, 1950 U Nflrso sTAff-TaEsf lvPairs,NT toFsulla .L I .,2516367.. r-.iriaaoprrcsp mansion-TOY ,Carey-Claude-Cloud, Morgantown, 11nd. Application December s, 1949,3seria1j-n. minis My invention relates to an 'optical illusion-"toy which is made entirely of paper. y It isamongthe v'objects of my invention 'to'provide -atoy-'which can be made in an extremely economical manner vthrough the use ofl no material other thanpaper. -and ink. There are many commercial products to intrigue the child into buying the productin order to obtain the novelty. y Y l l ADue to the high cost of manufacturing, any'toy or novelty which is 'at all complicated'lor whichi requires any amount of ass-znlblyv workv in its'con- `struction, 'cannot be used'forthis purpose.

Itis among the objections offmy inventionto provide a toy or novelty which is particularly 'deprinted and die cut from one largesheet and then separated. No metal, plastic orassembly work It isa further object'of my invention-"to provide such a paper toyor `novelty which'is unusual and which will amuse,and,fa.scin`ate a child or an adult. This is accomplished by providing a toy which comprises a piece of lpaper -with an imager? on each side. Through the use of the paper itself, the childV can cause-the paper'to be rotated rapidly, so that both sides of the 'paperfpass-before his eyes in rapidsuccession',

It is well known that the human eye retains -an-i' Yimage for a period beyond v tlitime when the object is actually present before the eye. v.lor-.that reason, the effect of the rapid rotation of my toy is to cause theimages 'onthe two sides of the vpaper to appear to besullerimposed upon` eachs; other. Using this principlafthere is anendless' "extremely important'in'the saleofv theproductsqo 1 -because it is hiddeninside' 'the'v package "and serves andi change Without devReferringfto 'theldrawings -Fig. .l is a front `view 'of one-side of my paper opticalftoy'blank; Eig2 'is affront view of the Voppositeside of myblank; Fig. 3 is'afront view f-myblankshowingvthe corners removed;.11ig.`:4.is'=a front kview of my "blanki'showingfthe end fportionsV twistedto form strings; .Fig. 5 is :a top' plan View .of my blank with'itheend portions twisted toform' strings and Fig 6 is afront View'. of my` toy "inzuse,` vshowing 4the'positioning'of the handsfan'dithe optical-"llilusion -effect which is achieved 1 through 'opera- 'ft'ion of my toy.

A preferred embodiment offmyf nventioncom- 'i'prises .a substantially "at'v rectangular blank I0, V which lisvfpreferably formed :of `a `tough, .longfbered paper stock'ffor strength. 'Other/type :of

paper, cardboard 'or other material may be used.

signed for this type of use.' AMyA toy is constructedf: fg'fBlank "H15 is 'provided'at each-of. its four Vcorners Ventirely of paper or cardboard, which isprin'ted and die cut. A large number of 'them can be with right angle die Cuts II,y I2, I`3-and' I4. lvlEach ofr these cuts isesulastantiallysquareI -in shapefand is roundedat itsright'an'gle turn.

lThe cutting rules whichfmake 'the four icorner cuts tI I-,if-I'2, I3 :and "I4 are nioked to'makea/dull 'spot so that the-:corners `are not cutentirely-Yfree from" the 'blank I0.

"The 'portions .of blank I0 which vare outlined .by :'II, I2, I=3^and :I4 comprise Aalmost all 'offdzheends i'of hlankflil, leaving'ronly -narrowvend portionsIS and I6 vof theblank-between them.

1- 'A' pair of' straight line cuts` i1 `and lfnextendslon- .fguresuperimposed .on 2a black vbackgroundiis -best for 'obtaining the desired optical effect. Pictures fl and r!) afre'so positioned Aandzdesigned wstartling effect when-superimposed.

".:fAmong thepi-ctureswhich -illustratethis effect are :those .of a' cowboy@ and horse, afdog and efeat,

some or l0 times.

anche? the rectangular blank In, which is die cut and u printed in the manner described above. Following the rst instruction, the child breaks off the four corner pieces. This is accomplished by tearing them along the lines of cuts ll, l2, 'I3 and I4. When this has been done, there remains of the blank l 0 only the picture portion and the two narrow end pieces I5 and I6, Whichiextend outwardly from blank I'Q at each end thereof.

Following the next instruction, the child twists both end portions l5 and I6 into strings. This may be accomplished by merely twisting them Cuts Il and I8 serve to separate the end portions I5 and I6 into two members, which may be twisted around each other in order to simulate a string.

Following the third instruction, the child then 'holds the strings between the thumb and index iinger of each hand and twirls the blank I0 rapid.

ly. The correct manner of holding and twirling my toy is illustrated in the fourth instruction. When my toy is held before the eyes and operated in this manner, pictures I9 and 20 appear to be superimposed on each other.

In making my toy, it should be understood that a plurality of my rectangular-'blanks i0 may be printed and die out from a single sheet of paper or similar material. This may be accomplished by using formed cutting rules to separate.,4

them from each other.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. An optical illusion toy comprising a, substantially flat rectangular paper blank, said blank having four corner die cuts, each of said, corner cuts having a longitudinal portion and a trans-verse portion to outline a substantially square corner of said blank, said blank having a pair of integral end portions positioned between the longitudinal portions of said corner cuts, a pair of straight line cuts bisecting said end portions, said blank having a pair of pictures imprinted on the opposite sides thereof,

said blank having instructions for operation of said toy imprinted in the four corners outlined by said corner cuts, said corner cuts adapted to permit the removal of the four corners from said blank to leave said end portions projecting therefrom, said end portions adapted to be twisted to form strings, said straightl line cuts adapted to facilitate the formation of said end portions into strings, said strings adapted to be held between the thumb and index finger of each hand, said strings when twirled between Said thumbs and 4 index fingers adapted to cause said blank to be rotated rapidly so as to cause said pictures on the opposite sides of said blank to appear to be superimposed on each other to form a single optical impression.

2. An optical illusion toy comprising a substantially dat blank formed of paper, said blank having four corner cuts, each of said corner cuts having a longitudinal portion and a transverse portion to outline a corner of said blank, said blank having a pair of integral end portions positioned between the longitudinal portions of said corner cuts, a pair of straight line cuts extending longitudinally along said end portions, said blank having a pair of pictures on opposite sides thereof, s-aid corner cuts adapted to permit the removal of the corners from said blank to leave said end portions projecting therefrom, said straight line cuts adapted to facilitate the twisting of said end portions to form strings, said strings adapted to be held between the thumb and index ringer of each hand, said strings when twirled between said thumbs and index fingers adapted to cause said blank to be rotated rapidly so as to cause said pictures on the opposite sides of said blank to appear to be superimposed on each other to form a single optical impression.

3. An optical illusion toy comprising a substantially flat blank formed of paper, said blank having four corner cuts, each of said corner cuts having a longitudinal portion and a transverse portion to outline a corner of said blank, said blank having a pair of integral end portions positioned between the longitudinal portions vof said corner cuts, said blank having a pair of pictures on opposite sides thereof,said corner cutsadapted to permit the removal of the corners from said blank to leave said end portions projecting therefrom, said end portions adapted to be twisted to form strings, said strings adapted to be held betweenthe thumb and index nger of each hand, said strings when twirled between said thumbs and index fingers adapted to cause said blank\,to be rotated rapidly so as to cause said picturesbn the opposite sidesl of said blank to appear to be superimposed on each other to form a single optical impression.

CAREY CLAUDE CLOUD.

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

* UNITED .STATES` PATENTS- Number Switzerland Nov. 15, 1929

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