US2637139A - Toy airplane - Google Patents

Description

. J. R. HARRIS May 5, 1953 TOY AIRPLANE 2 SHEETS-SHEETl Filed Feb. 2, 1945 INVENTOR. John R. Harris ATTORNEHS 4)- 5, 1953 J. R. HARRIS 2,637,139

TOY AIRPLANE Filed Feb. 2, 1945 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 I02. l \7 l6 M "a INVENTOR.

9 m By John R. Harris 6 G) \zz- 1 ATTO RNEHS Patented May 5, 1953 UNITED 8 Claims.

This, invention concerns toy aeroplanes and refers, more particularly, to a toy capable of flight on being swans in a circle at the end of a string, and having a propeller which under such conditions revolves and simulates on a small scale but with great realism th sound of a real aeroplane engine heard from the ground.

An aeroplane having this and other features was first described by me in U. S. LettersPatent No. 1,776,222. Subject application relates to improvements in the earlier toy. Chief among the other features just mentioned was that the toy could be assembled from suitably slitted and scored cardboard blanks Without the use of tools or adhesives and with very few pins or other fastenings.

An object of the present invention is to make the sound emitted by the propeller a more faithful imitation of the sound of a real engine.

Another object is to decrease the number of blanks necessary for assembling the plane.

Another object is to simplify the contour of the remaining blanks.

Another object is to provide overlapping and interlocking tabs, each of which extends integrally with the plane body for the entire distance of its opposite end corresponding tab, producing a more rigid interlocking construction.

Another object is to reduce. the number of locations at which the blanks must be interlocked to produce the assembled plane.

Another object is the provision of a connection for the string which will permit more intricate f the toy, such as landing it, taxiabove the head.

, etc will become apparent in the following specification.

In accomplishing the objects of the present invention, it was found desirable to provide a metallic propeller having re rward facing cam surfaces engaging forward facing metallic cam surfaces attached to the body of the plane, resulting in axial reciprocation oi the propeller during revolution, the attendant noise being conducted immediately to the entire plane body which acts as a sounding board, eliminating the separate sounding board of the earlier model. The propeller is rendered more noisy by being mounted slightly eccentrically. A further improvement in the propeller is that the leading edges are rounded, minimizing the possibility of the user being cut by sharp edges. This rounding preferably occurs by forming a tube from which the blades trail, tube constituting a. reinforcement of the propeller along its entire length.

5 The propelle' shaft 1s more firmly arllxed by being hooked into a specially provided slot. The simulated engine noise is amplified by mounting the propeller on the apex of a substantially pyramidal. nacelle communicating with the plane body, whereby a megaphone effect is obtained. The form of the invention comprising a downwardly open body moreover re uires no rearward intra-engagement in order to obtain necessary rigidity. The forward intra-engagement of the body provides the aforementioned substantially pyramidal nacelle and also provides integrally an axle housing, eliminating the separate landing frame of the former model. In an alternative form, the landing frame has been provided with an interengagement with the body to fix it against lateral movement. Additional motor gondolas, each carrying a propeller, have been devised for attachment to the wing, making the plane more noisy and more visually impressive.

The rudder has been. stabilized in the vertical plane by two pairs of vertically displaced engagement with other members.

Holes have been located on the wing on either side of. the body and near the center of gravity of the completely formed plane for the attachmerit of the string which extends downward through one hole and upward through the other ,hole and having each end separatel knotted to prevent its pulling through, thus permitting the toy to be flown in one direction or in the opposite direction by drawing the free length of cord so that it extends through one hole or the hole on the opposite side of the wing.

In operation, the above improvements result in a simpler and more rigid toy and one which gives off a louder and more realistic simulation of engine noise and is capable of more extensive maneuvers.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings showing, by way of example, preferred embodiments of the inventive idea.

in the drawings:

Figure l is a Vertical median longitudinal section of the toy embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a section alone the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 Figure 1;

Figure l is a section along Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the toy;

Figure 6 is a detail of the propeller mounting;

Figure 'l is a side elevation of the toy;

Figure 8 is a plan view of the cardboard blanks is a section along the line t-t of the line li of and other parts of the plane in flat condition, as sold.

The parts of the aeroplane, as illustrated in Figure 8, comprise the body blank I8, Wing I I, extra gondola blanks I2, rudder l3, elevator I4, propeller I5, stylus I6, resonator I'I, axle I8, and wheels I9. The body blank ID has a median longitudinal scored line 20 along what may be called the backbone of the plane, this being the high portion of the plane as assembled, the material to either side of it being bent down therefrom to form the sides 2|, 22. The broken lines in Figure 8 only denote score lines on the blank rather than hidden lines as usual, the score lines being indented lines created to facilitate folding of the hat pieces into pieces constituting parts of the toy plane.

Body blank I further has two integral nacelle tabs 23, 24 located forwardly and adapted to form the nacelle 25 upon being folded. The tab 23 comprises everything outward of the score line 23 on which the slit 2'! is located. This includes the triangular portion 28 which has a projection 29 beyond the short boundaries 3!] and 39A which are substantially perpendicular to the side boundary line 3| of the body blank ID. The score line 32 at an acute angle to score line 32 and at an oblique angle to boundary 34, and the boundary 36 extending at an oblique angle to the front line 3'! of body blank It), the boundary 38 extending substantially parallel to front line 31, and the boundary 39 connecting lines 31 and 38. A catch tab 49 is formed at the juncture of boundaries 34 and 35.

The tab 24 comprises all the material outward of the score line 4|, including the triangle 42, which has a projection 43 beyond the short boundary 44 which is substantially perpendicular to the side boundary line 45 of body blank I 0. Tab 24 also includes the rectangular strip 45 rearwardly adjacent triangle 42 across score line 4'! and the triangle 48 across score line 49. Triangle 48 is bounded outwardly by score lines 58, separating it from terminal tabs 52, 53, which are separated from each other by slit 54. Lock tab 55 projects from the outward boundaiy 55 of triangle 42.

The areas included by the triangle 4B, and the terminal tabs 52 and 53 separated by slit 54 combine to form a jam tab, which in folded position permits the slit 54 to engage the catch tab 48 of the polygon 33, While the outer boundaries of tabs 52 and 53 bear against the folds on score lines 26 and 4| respectively and the surface of the triangular area 48 bears against the outer boundary 34 of polygon 33 (see Figures 1 and 2). The frictional contact of the aforementioned element causes the jamming effect to hold these parts in position.

The propeller shaft mounting is provided by three score lines 51, 58, 59. The central line 5? is a prolongation of backbone line 20 and perpendicularly bisects the front boundary 31. The side lines 58, 59 are the sides of an isosceles triangle based online 31, the apex of which is on the backbone line 20, the apex bein cut out to form the rearward pointing arrowhead 68 and shaft 6 l, the shaft 6|, which is a slot, being symmetrically disposed on the central line 51. Outside the lines 58, 59 are the nacelle side portions 82, 63, merging into the body side portions 2|, 22, respectively.

To the rear of the nacelle sides 62, 63 extend the curved wing slits 84-, 65, substantially longitudinally of body Ill. The rearmost portion of the body I8 has the form of a rather blunt trefoil, of which, after folding, the outside leaves 66, 6'! represent from either side the silhouette of the rear wheel of the plane and the central foil 68 represents the tail. The rearmost portion of body I 9 also bears the elevator slits 69, l0 and the forward and rear rudder slits ll, 72, respectively.

The wing comprises body engaging tabs l3, l4, and tabs 15 and slots 16 for engaging the additional gondolas I2. It also has two small holes, 11, WA, to either side of and relatively close to the central point laterally of the plane and near the center of gravity of the assembled toy.

The gondola blanks l2 comprise the central longitudinal belly score line l8, the nac-elle side score lines 19, 88, the center nacelle score line 8| in prolongation of line l8, and the rearward facing cut out arrow-head 82 and shank which is a slot, all symmetrically disposed at the apex of lines it, and on line 8|. Outside the lines '29, 88 are the gondola nacelle side portions 84, 85. Score lines 86, 81' extend rearward substantially perpedicularly to front boundary 88 and outward of the last mentioned score lines are the substantially triangular nacelle top tabs 89, 98, with forwardly directed apexes and of which the score lines 88, ill form the hypotenuses. Tab 9| extends from the long side of tab 39 and slot 92 is located on score line 81 longitudinally coincident with tab 9 Jam tab 33 extends rearwardly from tab 89 and score line 94. The nacelle tail portion comprises the two substantially kidneyshaped tail tabs 95, 98 partially articulated by the inwardly and rearwardly extending slits 9T, 98.

The rudder I3 comprises the downward and forward extending tail tab 99 and the three winged tab I 80, the latter comprising lobe |0| extending downward with its rear surface I 82 substantially at right angles to the lower boundary I3 of the rudder I3. The lobe |ll| terminates forwardly in a line I04 substantially parallel to the boundary I93, the lower tab I extends downward therefrom substantially perpendicularly and terminates forwardly in a small catch tab I86, whence the forward tab I9! extends substantially horizontally forward, and then back to the rudder it, a slit I98 being formed between the two. Forward tab IUl thus engages the two body sides 2!, 22 as they meet at the backbone line 2.

The elevator M has a forward slit I 09, a rear slit I I9, and a tab IIIlA.

As best seen in Figures 1 and 6, the propeller i5 is fabricated preferably of light sheet steel by first embossing a longitudinal rib, extending from tip to tip of the propeller blades; the open edges of said rib are then closed to form a substantially cylindrical tube I l l, slightly constricted at each end and suspended slightly eccentrically by the stylus I6 passing through it. The blades H2, H3, extend rearwardly from this tube Ill with which they are integral, one of them, for instance I I2, further extending to the right thereof, while the other, H3, extends to the left thereof. A longitudinally central tab H 3 extends part way around the tube Iii, being integral with it and adapted to present an uninterrupted curved cam surface thereon.

The stylus it acts as a fixed shaft on which the propeller I5 loosely revolves. It may be an ordinary small nail, the body of which includes a square terminal hook H5 and a slight angle substantially midway between thev hoole H6 and the head H8;

The resonator I! may be a well known metallic paper fastener, comprising an oblong body, central holev I lllwhich is usually diamond shaped, and somewhat inward of itsv opposite ends, a sharp pin-like or claw-like projection Iv and a hole [2L The hole l2! can advantageously be replaced by a second projection, I20.

The. plane is assembled by placing the propeller l5. and resonator l l, bent as in Figure 6, along the. line: 122 of Figure on the, stylus l6- with the. hole. H5 to, the rear and the hole H9 to the front, hooking hook H6, in slot 85-, bending the sides 21,. 2.2 of bodyit downward from backbone line 2!], simultaneously depressing. central score line 51,. whereby the triangle included in the. score lines. 58,, 5.9 sinks into the nacelle, frictionally engaging stylus iii along substantially its entire length and; positively through hook llEi preventing it from. pulling out. All the score lines within or bounding tabs 23 and 24 are then bent down, tab, 24. is brought over tab 23 and lock tab. 55 inserted in slit. 2.1, the polygon 33 then acting as a. reinforcement by extending interiorly to the ridge of the body it and naeelle 25, or from bottom to top thereof.

The body sides. 21-, 22 are thus locked up to form the nacelle 25 by opposite and corresponding tabs 23, 24,, each of which extends integrally with the body for the entire length of its opposite and corresponding. tab. The resonator H is now pressed into. place on the nacelle sides iii 2, 63, as shown in Figure 6, the line i2 2 now constituting its front line except that hole I it forms a recess in that line.

Theboundaries 30, A. and Marc new longitudinally coincident, as well as the projections as, 4.3. The axle l8. and wheels t9 are now placed over projections 29, 43 and the triangle es, and

terminal tabs 52, 53 stuffed up into the nacelle,

the triangle d8 resting on the boundary 3t and thetabs 52,, 53 passing to: either side of polygon 33 and extending downward. and outward therefrom, while the catch tab All engages the slit 54,

the axle i8 is. thus encased in a housing, (see Figure 1) formed. by the boundaries 36]; 30A, and M forwardly, by projections 29. and. 43 below, by; strip 46 rearwardly and by a portion of triangle 48; at the top.

The tabs i3, 14, of wing; l! arencw bent down.

and, the wing; slipped into the curved Wing slits 5d,, 65, the tabs 13', M,- then being straightened out in order to-iock the wing in placeiby engaging the interior surfaces of the body side portions, 21,, 22.. Theiwing H isthus maintained in cambered. shape by the curved wing slits 64:, lid, as, best; seen in: Figure 1.

A. propeller, stylus and resonator, assembled as.

above, are next folded into each gondola 12 by placing the stylus Hi below line 8! and the hook H 5 up through slot 83, bending line 8t upward simultaneously with bendingthe belly line it and. lines 79 and 80 downward, folding tab 39 over tab.

99 and doubly lockingthemtogether'by means of tab 9i inserted in slot 552 and jam tab 53' folded back along line M to enclose tab 9E.- and simultaneously jam, against the interior surfaces of the. locked-up gondola nacclle, sides M, 85. The slits 91, 98 are then interengaged with one of the slots l6 and, the corresponding tab it slipped into the gondola, nacelle under tabs 89, 5t, 93 to lock the gondola. onthewing.

The elevator I4 is slipped through the eleva tor; slits 69, 10 and: forwardly positioned. against lateral movement. by the tab HM.

The forward tab ID] of rudder i3 is inserted in slit ll point foremost and advanced forward and downward as far as possible before bringing the rudder to its normal position. A slight up and down rocking motion of rudder it around the inner end of slit I08 as a pivot will then serve simultaneously to introduce lower tab m5 into slit Hit, lobe ll'il. into slit TI and tail tab 99 into slits l2 and i H). Rudder i3 is thus locked against forward motion by the interengagement of slits ll andllid, and againstrearward motion by lob-e It I. engaging slit 1 l substantially perpendicularly at. Hi2 and lower tab H15 similarly engaging slit Hit. Rudder I3 is further maintained vertical by both the three winged tab Hit and tail tab 99 engaging both the body it and elevator Hi. The slits Hi9, Ht are thus some distance below the slits l I, it and the geometrical plane which con tains them is substantially vertical. Furthermore, forward tab 'Hll snugly engages the backbone line 2i) of the plane interiorly.

A long cord is now passed dovm through one of the holes ll, HA, and up through the other, each end then being knotted separately. The result is that the cord extends between. the holes Ti, HA beneath the wing H, and either end of it may be drawn out to form a free end extending above the wing l i from either hole I! or NA. 11 the free end extends from hole MA on the right wing or the plane, the plane may be swung in a circle which passes from left to right in front of the swinger, while by drawing out the cord through hole H on the left wing the plane is adapted to be swung in a circle passing from right to left in front of the person swinging it. The above is possible either with or without at taching the extra gondolas l2, but when they are attached, the plane, being heavier, can be swung in a larger circle.

The relative motion between the swung plane and the air through which it travels causes the propellers I51 to revolve on the Styluses it. It has been noted that the blades H2, H3 extend rearwardfrom the tube ill, and also laterally therefrom, one blade to the right, the other to the left, both of which bear the same clockwise relation to the tube Hi, therefore air impinging on these blades from the frontwill cause a revolution of. propeller l5 toward the clear sides of tube Hi opposite. the blades H2, H3, in other words the propeller as viewed. in Figures 6 and 8 would travel counter-clockwise. This is animporta-nt safety feature, asthe leading edge of eachblade is the tube Ill, which cannot cause accidental cuts because it is rounded. A further advantage of the construction is that a tube is a very strong shape, and will resist deformation in case of collision.

The propeller 15 in revolving on stylus it bears rearwardly against resonator ll, which has been designed to present a cammed surface rather than a smooth bearing surface, by reason of the hole. H9 which due to the bending of resonator ljl on line I22. presents from. the side the appearance; of a recess in the front surface of the. resonator ll, into which the propeller l5 may settle momentarily when in proper angular relation,. and out of which it must clunib in order to continue revolving, The tubular backbone I ll of the propeller I5 is the surface which rides, into and: out of the notched front end of the resonator; l;'!.. The result is a considerablereciprocation of propeller l5 axially of stylus: i6,

taking place twice per revolution. This movement of rear surface of the propeller IS in contact with the depression formed by the hole H9 in the resonator l1 when bent on line I22 gives rise to considerable noise, which is transmitted by the stylus and resonator to the nacelle 25 and body ill, the nacelle further acting as a megaphone to cast the sound into the downwardly open plane interior which considered alone or together with the nacelle, is a perfect sounding board. Since the hole I I by which propeller i5 is suspended on stylus i6 is not quite central, propeller I5 is rendered still more noisy in revolution. The noise given off by the plane in flight is similar to the sound of a real miniature aeroplane engine. At greater speeds, as when swinging the plane with ten to fifteen feet of string, a hum develops similar to the propeller noise of a real plane.

It is apparent that the illustration shown above has been given by way of illustration and not by way of limitation and that the above structure is subject to wide variations and modifications, without departing from the scope or intent of the present invention. All of such variations and modifications are to be included within the scope of the present invention.

Wh at is claimed is:

l. A toy aeroplane comprising, in combination with a nacelle portion and a propeller, a stylus constituting a fixed shaft for said propeller, said stylus comprising a head, a propeller supporting portion co-axial with said head, an angular portion bent from said propeller supporting portion, a substantially square hook at the end of said angular portion, the said nacelle portion having a depression the bottom of which acts as a supporting wall for the angular stylus portion and an anchorage for the hook.

2. A toy aeroplane comprising, in combination with a nacelle portion and a propeller, a stylus constituting a fixed shaft for said propeller, said stylus comprising a terminal hook portion, said nacelle portion comprising an opening formed therein, said opening having the shape of an arrow head and shaft and being symmetrically disposed on a central score line and adapted to receive said hook portion, said nacelle portion further comprising integral portions enclosing and frictionally engaging said stylus substantially along the entire length of said stylus.

3. A toy aeroplane comprising a body portion of substantially triangular cross section, said body portion comprising an interlocking nacelle portion, said nacelle portion comprising integrally a polygonal portion extending from bottom to top thereof interiorly and constituting a reinforcement disposed substantially centrally and longitudinally of said body portion.

a. A toy aeroplane comprising a body portion, said body portion comprising a median longitudinal line separating said body into two side portions and constituting a backbone line defined by said side portions, said portions extending downward therefrom, said body portion further comprising forward and rear rudder slits formed therein and located on said backbone line, said aeroplane further comprising an elevator located below said rudder slits and having forward and rear slits formed therein, said aeroplane further comprising a rudder, said rudder comprising a rear tab engaging said two rear slits and a three winged tab, said three winged tab having q O i) two portions engaging said two forward slits and also having a portion engaging said side portions at said backbone line.

5. A body blank for a toy aeroplane comprising an elongated piece of sheet material, said blank comprising a body portion having formed therein a median longitudinal score line constituting a backbone line, said body portion further having a front boundary extending perpendicularly to said backbone line, said body portion further having formed therein score lines constituting substantially the sides of an isosceles triangle based on said front boundary and hav ing its apex on said backbone line, said body portion further having formed therein at said apex an opening in the shape of a rearward pointing arrow head and shaft symmetrically disposed on said backbone line, said blank further comprising two integral nacelle tabs, said tabs comprising triangular portions adjacent said body portion, said body portion further comprising adjacent said tabs short boundary portions extending substantially perpendicular to the side boundaries of said body portion, said triangular portions comprising portions projecting beyond said short boundary portions, one of said nacelle tabs comprising a slit formed therein along part of its inner boundary and further comprising a polygonal outer portion, the other said nacelle tab comprising a lock tab on its outer boundary, a rectangular strip rearwardly adjacent said triangular portion, a further triangular portion to the rear of said rectangular strip and terminal tab portions outward of said second mentioned triangular portion, said body portion further having formed therein slits adapted to receive a wing portion, slits adapted to receive an elevator portion, and slits located on said backbone line and adapted to receive a rudder portion, said body portion further having a rear portion in the shape of a blunt trefoil.

6. A toy aeroplane comprising a body folded along a median longitudinal line to produce a substantially triangular cross sectional aspect, said body comprising corresponding and interlocking tabs, each of said tabs being integral with said body and extending therealong for the entire length of the tab, one of said interlocking tabs including a pair of angularly disposed edges and a catch tab formed at the juncture of said edges, the other of said tabs comprising a triangular portion hinged at its base and a pair of terminal tabs hinged one at each of the other sides of the triangular portion, the said terminal tabs being separated by a slot formed therebetween, the said triangular portion, terminal tabs and slot in combination with the aforementioned angularly disposed edges and catch tab forming jamming means between the said interlocking tabs.

7. In a toy aeroplane having a body portion and wing portions; a stationary propeller shaft disposed on one of the portions and protruding therefrom, a propeller for the shaft, the propeller having a hub and blades, the hub being rotatable and slidable on the shaft, a bent plate disposed in the portions and coacting with the propeller, the plate comprising a pair of angularly disposed surfaces, the juncture of the surfaces having a recess coasting with the hub of the propeller.

8. A toy aeroplane, comprising, in combination, a Wing portion, said wing portion having openings formed therein on opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of the aeroplane and to the side of the center of gravity of the aeroplane, and a cord extending slidably downwardly through one of said openings and upwardly and out of the other opening, one end of the cord being knotted and engaging the Walls of one of said openings.

JOHN R. HARRIS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,542,197 Weber June 16, 1925 Number 10 Name Date Dempster Nov. 2, 1926 Harris Sept. 16, 1930 Marcus June 25, 1935 Stockham Mar. 25, 1941 West July 29, 1941 Haifiey Nov. 23, 1943 McCoy July 25, 1944 Rossiter Mar. 19, 1946

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