US2697896A - Cord twist rotatable structure - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 28, 1954 A. E. ISCHINGER 2,697,395

. CORD TWIST ROTATABLE STRUCTURE Filed April 4, 1950 s Sheets-Sheet 1 FIE-.3

f INVENTOR:

. BY AAAAA E If Dec. 28,1954 lscHlNGER 2,697,896

CORD TWIST ROTATABLE STRUCTURE Filed April 4, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR:

ATTORNEY.

Dec. 28, 1954 A. E. ISCHINGER CORD TWIST ROTATABLE STRUCTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 4, 1950 FIG. 5

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent O 2,697,896 CORD TWIST ROTATABLE STRUCTURE Alfred E. Ischinger, Reading, Pa. Application April 4, 1950, Serial No. 153,826 9 Claims. (Cl. 46-62) This invention relates to toy, game, or other devices hav ng a reversely alternating whirling, or spinning motion, and more particularly concerns novel means for effecting efficient operation of such a device as well as qu ck and easy combination and separation of certain constituent parts thereof.

One object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved device of the type indicated.

Another object is to provide such a device having certam structural and functional features of advantage over the s1m1lar prior art devices.

Another object is to provide such a device which comprises a novel whirl-action, or twist-action unit, in conjunction w th means for effecting quick and easy combination therewith and separation therefrom, of one or more individual whirl elements adapted to serve one purpose or another.

A further object is to provide such a device in which the said connecting means embodies a resilient feature that enables smooth, easy and efiicient operation of the evice.

It is also an object to provide such a device in which sald connecting means exerts a gripping action that increases and decreases during rotation of the whirl element in either direction.

Another object is to provide such a device which comprises a rotatable member, a whirl-action member for operatlng the rotatable member, and yield-action means on one of said members arranged to effect separable connection of said members for rotational operation thereof in unison.

An additional object is to provide a novel whirl-action unit having means for separably holding whirl elements of different size, shape, or configuration.

Another object is to provide such a whirl-action unit having distensible whirl element connecting means.

It is also an object to provide such a whirl-action unit which includes universal whirl element connecting means. Another object is to provide such a whirl-action unit having self-adjustable whirl element gripping means.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of such a whirl-action unit comprising means adapted to separably hold in novel manner, either one,

of a succession of different elements to be reversely whlrled, rotated, or spun, by the operation of the unit.

A further object is to provide such a whirl-action unit which comprises a ring-like, or a tubular, or a centerless member of resilient material, of such size and shape that it can be distended, distorted, stretched, or expanded, for the purpose of receiving and separably holding by contracting force and frictional engagement, one or more different whirl elements to be operated by the unit.

Another object is to provide such a whirl-action unit which comprises a member made of resilient material, such as rubber, flat or round spring brass or spring steel wire, sheet or tubular material, etc., and which member is of such size and shape that it can be distended, distorted, stretched, or expanded, from its normal relaxed configuration so as to receive and separably hold by frictional engagement and contracting force, any one of a great variety of different elements to be operated by the unit.

Another object is to provide such a whirl-action unit, in which the resilient member has separably, or otherwise attached thereto, at opposite points, flexible string-like elements that are adapted to be twisted during operation of the unit, and which elements are provided at their outer free ends with suitable finger engaging means, such as a rigid or a resilient ring, into which a finger may be easily inserted by the operator of the device.

A further object is to provide a novel centerless whirlable element which is adapted to be cooperatively combined with a whirl-action unit in the manner and for the purpose hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings:

Frgure 1 is a perspective view of one form of my invention, the parts thereof being shown in their inoperative position.

2 is a perspective view of another form of my invent1on with the parts thereof shown in their inopera tlve position.

Fig. 3 is a detail elevational view of the hollow cylindrical whirling element shown in Figure 1 and forming part of my invention.

Fig. 4 is a detail elevational view of the ring-like whlrling element shown in Figure 2 and forming part of my invention.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the form of my invention illustrated in Figure l with the parts thereof shown as they appear during one phase of operation of the device.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the form of my invention illustrated in Figure 2 with the parts thereof shown as they appear during one phase of operation of the device.

Fig. 7 is a front elevational view of the form of my invention illustrated in Figure 2 before a whirling element is cooperatively associated therewith.

Fig. 8 is a front elevational view of the form of my invention illustrated in Figure 1 with one form of whirling element being shown in process of being cooperatively associated therewith.

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the arrows 99 in Figure 7.

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially as indicated by the arrows 1010 in Figure 8.

Fig. 11 is an elevational view, taken substantially as indicated by the arrows 11--11 in Figure 2, but of a modified form of my invention.

It will be helpful to an understanding of my invention to first briefly consider the broader aspects thereof. Accordingly, it is pointed out that my device has an unlimited capacity for effecting whirling action of objects for one purpose or another. To this end, the device is provided with universal connecting means arranged to quickly and firmly grip, in self-adjusting manner, practically any object within the gripping capacity of the said connecting means.

The device is designed to facilitate association of an object or element to be whirled, with the device in balanced relation, so as to effect rotation of the element in such manner that its axis will be in line with the whirl action means for perfectly balanced motion. While this is desirable in most cases, an object may also be associated with the device and whirled thereby in such manner that the object is more or less out of balance, in order that the motion thereof will provide a novel effect.

The object, or element, to be whirled, may have a regular, or symmetrical, or an irregular or unsymmetrical outline, shape, or configuration, as long as it has mass, or sufiicient weight, so that it can be spun with sufiicient momentum to produce the desired operational effect. For example, the element to be whirled may be in the form af a ball, cube, disc, cylindrical, tubular or ringlike member, etc., of selected size within the self-adjusting capacity of the connecting means of the device, and operated in either a balanced or unbalanced state, to produce novel effects for entertainment or other purposes.

My invention also provides extremely simple connecting means between a selected element to be whirled and the operating unit of the device, as well as other structural and functional innovations, so that even young ch11- dren can quickly and easily comprehend the mode of operation and assembly of the device and effect 1ts performance without any difficulty or practice.

Construction Referring now more particularly to the form of my invention illustrated by Figures 1, 3, 5, 8 and 10 of the drawings, the device depicted by these figures comprises a twist-action operating unit generally indicated by the letter U, which includes two similar, elongated, flexible and twistable members 1 and 2, of substantially corresponding length, made up of one or more strands of any natural or synthetic material suitable for this purpose. Common string, twine, cord, etc., made of natural or synthetic materials, may be used, and the members 1 and 2 may be treated, or impregnated with wear resistant, moisture repellant, or other products to thereby enhance their lasting quality. The members 1 and '2 may also be dyed or colored as desired, so as to make the device more attractive in appearance.

The members 1 and 2 of the twist-action operating unit U, are provided at the outer ends thereof with loop or ring-like members 3 and 4 into which the fingers of the operator of the device may be inserted, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5, for device holding and operating purposes. The members 3 and 4 are preferably made up of elastic material, such as rubber, or other resilient plastic material, adapted to yield axially as well as transversely, when the device is operated.

The ends of the members 1 and 2 of the twist-action operating unit U, are suitably connected by knots, or otherwise, to the ring-like members 3 and 4 and the whirl element connecting means, or gripping member 5 which, in the form illustrated in Figure 1, comprises a substantially elliptically-shaped member having its long and short inside diameters in right-angular relation to each other. The gripping member 5 is formed of a firm but resilient material that will normally retain its original shape, but will yield to pressure, or tension, for a purpose that will presently appear. Such a material may be spring brass, or spring steel, etc., which when formed or shaped, as shown, will impart a normally permanent configuration, or outline .to the gripping member, that however can be distorted, or distended by pressure, or tension, and will return to its normal shape when permitted to relax.

Various elements, or objects, to be whirled, such as exemplified by the cylindrical or tubular element 6, may be inserted into the member 5, in a manner more particularly illustrated in Figure .8. The whirling element 6, has .a somewhat smaller outside diameter than the large inside diameter of the member 5. This variation in diameters of the gripping member 5 in relation to the whirl element 6 will permit the latter to be readily inserted edgew'ise into the lengthwise extending space area of the member 5, as illustrated in Figure 8. By then turning the whirling element 6 to the position indicated in dot- .and-dash lines in Fig. .8, the narrower sides of the memher .5 will be slightly expanded by the element 6, and the latter is firmly gripped between diametrically opposite side portions of the gripping member 5.

In order to prevent peripheral shifting, or displace ment, of the whirling element 6, the latter may be fixed 1y retained in the gripping member 5, by providing the element 6 with a pair of diametrically spaced peripheral notches or keyways 7-7, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3. The inner wall surface of the gripping member 5 will then be frictionally engaged with, or yieldingly pressed into the notches 7--7 of the element 6, during movement \of the element 6 from the full line position to the dotted line position illustrated in Figure 8. This will lockingly position the element 6 centrally in the gripping member 5, as shown.

The modification of my invention, .ures 2, 4 and 6, comprises a gripping member 5 in the form of an endless elastic band, such as a good grade of rubber band, or the like. In this form of my invention a whirling element, exemplified by a ring 8, is forced into the elastic .band 5 or the latter may be snapped around the whirling element 8 in such manner as to locate the ring element, or other whirling element, in a predetermined balanced, or desired position. The rubber band gripping member 5 will tightly hold the element 8 in this position for whirling motion by the modified whirl action operating unit U Since the rubber band gripping member 5 yields more readily than the spring metal member 5 of the previously described form of my invention, and therefore provides greater resilient action in both lengthwise and lateral direction of the device during its operation, it is not necessary to utilize with the member 5 elastic operating handles tor finger engaging members, such as those identi fied by the numerals 3 and 4 in Figs. 1 and 5, and instead rigid handle members, or finger engaging rings 10 and :11 may be substituted at the outer ends of the twistactiion members 1 and 2 as illustrated in Figures 2 an 7.

The gripping member 5 can be expanded and stretched.

illustrated in Figw thin certain limits over large and small objects and eliminates the need for separate locking means on the ob ect to be whirled, since the frictional grip attained on the ob ect is proportionate to the tension which it exerts thereon, which tension is increased during the whirling operation, as the member 5 is pulled lengthwise of the gripping :unit U from the position illustrated in Figure 2 to that illustrated in Figure 6.

The novel whirling elements 6 and 8 of my invention, may be formed of .a substantially rigid material, such as metal, wood, cardboard, hard rubber, glass, plastic material, etc.

In Figure 11, I have shown a modified double loop, or double elastic rubber band gripping member. In this instance two similar elastic rubber .bands 12 are overlappmgly combined for holding the whirling element. The two 'loops'or bands 12 are arranged degrees apart and thus grip the whirling element at four uniformly spaced points along the perimeter thereof. Objects to be whirled, may thus be readily connected in stable and balanced manner with the whirl-action unit.

Operation Both of the devices illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, are operated in similar manner, so that it will suffice to describe the operation of one of these in order to make clear the operational procedure in each instance.

To operate the device illustrated by Figs. 1, 3, 5, 8 and 10, a finger from the right and left hand is inserted into the handles 3 and 4-, respectively, and the device held substantially as illustrated in Figure 5. The gripping member 5 with the element 6 to be whirled, is then given a circular swinging motion between the handles 3 and 4, until the flexible members 1 and 2, of the twist action unit U, are preliminarily twisted. A lengthwise pull on the twist action unit then tends to untwist the members 1 and 2, and in so doing will cause rotation of the gripping member 5 and its therewith associated whirling element 6, which rotation will continue after the cords 1 and 2 are 'untwisted. This will efiect twisting of the members 1 and 2 in the opposite direction until the whirling element is stopped by the opposite twist saturation point of the members 1 and 2 and a certain amount of energy has been stored in handles 3 and 4, -or the flexible resilient gripping member associated therewith, or both. The twisting of the resilient handles 3 and 4, also has a cushioning effect on the final movement of the whirling element which keeps it from coming to an abrupt stop.

As soon as the whirling .element 6 has come to a stop, the energy stored as a result of the twisted strands 1 and 2 and the partial twist given the handles 3 and 4, or to the gripping member 5, or to both of them, as the case maybe, automatically reverses the movement of the gripping member with its associated whirl element and by again pulling the twisted members 3 and 4 lengthwise, the latter will untwist and thereby accelerate the rotational movement of .the whirling element in the opposite direction for the next cycle of operation. In this way the whirling element may be operated through one cycle of operation after another to keep the whirling element in successive substantially uniform spinning motion in opposite directions.

it is to be particularly noted that when the device is operated, the resilient member 5, as well as the resilient members 3 and 4, act to momentarily store up energy at the end of the rotating motion of the device in one direction, for a quick start and reversal of its movement in the opposite direction. The certain amount of lateral twisting action provided by the members 5, 3 and 4, furthermore has a cushioning effect when the whirling element 6 carried thereby, reaches the end of its rotary movement in one direction, and the gripping member 5 and element 6 are brought to a gradual, rather than a sudden stop. Likewise, the stored up potential energy will give the combined gripping member 5 and whirl element 6, an energized but easy start in the reverse direction, at the beginning of the next cycle of operation.

While the above described operation is substantially the same for the device illustrated by Figs. 2, 4, 6, and 7, it is to be noted that, in this form of the invention, the operating unit U includes rigid finger engagement elements or : rigid rings 10 and 11, so that such operational functions as the cushioning elfect during thefinal movement of the rotatable member 8 at the end of its rotation in either direction, the energy storing and releasing action that efiects quick reversal and energetic starting movement of the rotatable member 8 in both directions, the longitudinal yielding and contracting action that takes place during lengthwise pulling and releasing manipulation of the inelastic cord twist elements 1 and 2, etc. all result from the elastic means 5 of the operating unit U that is combined in intermediate relation with said cord twist elements 1 and 2 and is arranged in tensional connection with the rotatable member 8 in such manner that the elastic means S will be expanded and contracted during operation of the said rotatable member.

Due to their centerless or hollow construction, the elements 6 and 8 have certain common salient and advantageous characteristics. For example, the weight of each of these elements is evenly or uniformly distributed along the perimeter thereof. This assures smooth and balanced rotary motion thereof at all times when properly mounted in centralized position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Such or similar whirling elements also have light-weight characteristics of a type not heretofore attained by elements utilized for a similar purpose. The element 6 may be provided with relatively wide exterior and interior surface areas, certain portions of which are clearly visible at all times to the operator of the device, or to other observers watching the operation of the device, which areas may have applied thereto various color, design, or other attention attracting means, to produce desirable visual effects for one purpose or another. Furthermore, since the elements 6 and 8 are hollow, or centerless, cooperating objects, parts, or devices, can be associated with the interior as well as the exterior thereof, if desired. It is also noted that a novel effect is produced when operating the device with such centerless elements 6, or 8, in that the inner ends of the twist members 1 and 2, or 1 and 2 are visible through the central space area thereof and this presents an appearance of unattached centralized points which move toward and from the element 6, or 8, as the members 1 and 2, or 1*- and 2 are alternately tensioned and relaxed by the device operating action.

It will be realized that the whirling elements 6 and 8 of my invention may be provided in various forms, as indicated by the exemplifications thereof shown in the drawings.

Modifications The improvements specifically shown and described can, of course, be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed, the scope of which is more particularly indicated by the hereto appended claims. For example, if desired, the centerless ring element 8 may be provided with suitable notches like the notches 77 in the element 6, or may be provided with surface markings at diametrically opposite points along its perimeter, to facilitate exact balanced location, or connection therewith, of the gripping member 5. Also, one of the rubber bands 12 shown in Fig. 11, may be utilized to grip the whirling element, or ring 8, in the manner illustrated by Fig. 2, whereas the other rubber band may be arranged to extend through the ring element 8 and utilized to grip some other object in centralized position within the ring element 8, so that the whirl action unit will simultaneously rotate both the ring 8 and object suspended or mounted therein. It is to be understood, therefore, that all such modifications as well as others of this general type, clearly come within the purview of my invention.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising, a rotatable member, and a unit for operating the rotatable member including a pair of inelastic twist-action strands having combined therewith resilient contractile means arranged to clampingly engage opposed peripheral portions of said rotatable member and to be expanded and contracted during rotational operation of the device so as to effect actuation of the rotatable member in a certain manner.

2. A device of the character described comprising in combination, a rotatable element, and a unit for operating said element including a pair of inelastic twistaction strands having combined therewith elastic contractile means arranged to clampingly engage opposed peripheral portions of said element so as to efiect separable connection of said element and unit and adapted to be expanded and contracted during operation of the device so as to effect actuation of the rotatable element in a certain manner.

3. A device of the character described comprising, a rotatable element, and a unit for operating said element including a pair of inelastic twist-action strands having combined therewith an endless resilient clamping contractile member arranged to clampingly engage opposed peripheral portions of said element so as to efiect separable connection of the element with the unit.

4. A device of the character described comprising, a resilient clamp member of substantially elliptical configuration, an element to be whirled about its axis having an outside diameter less than the longer inside diameter of said clamp member to permit the insertion of said element into said clamp member in a plane at right angles thereto, peripheral portions on said element arranged to be engaged by said clamp member during movement of said element into a holding position against the shorter diameter inside surface of said clamp member, and twist-action means attached to said clamp member for effecting rotation thereof.

5. A device of the character described comprising, a

rotatable member, and a unit for operating the rotatable member including a pair of inelastic twist-action strands having combined therewith separate elastic contractile means arranged to clampingly engage opposed peripheral portions of said rotatable member and to be expanded and contracted during operation of the device so as to effect actuation of the rotatable member in a certain manner.

6. A device of the character described comprising in combination, a rotatable element, and a unit for operating said element including a pair of inelastic twistaction strands having combined therewith separate resilient clamping contractile means arranged to clampingly engage opposed peripheral portions of said element so as to effect separable connection of said element and unit and adapted to be expanded and contracted during operation of the device so as to effect actuation of the rotatable element in a certain manner.

7. A device of the character described comprising, a rotatable element, and a unit for operating said element including a pair of inelastic twist-action strands having combined therewith an endless rubber clamping member arranged to clampingly engage opposed peripheral portions of said element so as to eflfect separable connection of the element with the unit and adapted to be expanded and contracted during operation of the device so as to effect actuation of the rotatable element in a certain manner.

8. A rotatable member operating unit of the character described comprising, a pair of inelastic twistaction strands having combined therewith resilient contractile means arranged to clampingly engage opposed peripheral portions of the rotatable member and to be expanded and contracted during operation of the rotatable member so as to effect actuation thereof in a certain manner.

9. A rotatable member operating unit of the char acter described comprising, a pair of inelastic twistaction strands having centrally combined therewith at least one elastic band arranged to be separably connected in tensioned condition with the rotatable member and to be expanded and contracted during operation of the rotatable member so as to effect actuation thereof in a certain manner.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 643,426 Tamzarian Feb. 13, 1900 836,050 Pileghardt Nov. 13, 1906 911,582 Evans Feb. 9, 1909 1,605,538 Gensicki Nov. 2, 1926 1,851,769 Hutchinson Mar. 29, 1932 1,866,226 Sargant July 6, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 28,001 Germany July 29, 1884 378,194 Germany July 9, 1923 610,983 Germany Mar. 20, 1935

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