US2781753A

US2781753A - Launcher for a toy aerial propeller

Info

Publication number: US2781753A
Application number: US400902A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frederick K Formis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1953-12-29
Filing date: 1953-12-29
Publication date: 1957-02-19
Anticipated expiration: 1974-02-19

Description

Feb. 19, 1957 F, K FORMls 2,781,753

LAUNCHER FOR A TOY AERIAL PROPELLER Filed Dec. 29, 1955 7 3 l' INVENTOR. FMJerakK'FmzS ATTD RN EYE r' g 2,781,753 Patented Feb. 19, 1957 LAUNCHER FOR A TOY AERIAL PROPELLER Frederick K. Formis, Chattanooga, Tenn.

Application December 29, 1953, Serial No. 400,902 1 Claim. (Cl. 124-16) This invention relates to toys, and in particular a toy of the flying saucer type in which a propeller mounted in a ring is discharged with a spinning action from the end of a handle with the handle held in one hand of an operator and actuated by the other hand.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a mechanical toy in which means is provided for spinnning a propeller whereby the propeller may be discharged with a spinning action.

Various types of toys, Screwdrivers, eggbeaters, and the like have been formed and `operated with a twisted rod, however, in such devices the follower or traveler is held between the thumb and forefnger of a hand or in a handle and for use in spinning a propeller or the like it has been found necessary to provide a completely enclosed handle with a follower positioned to travel on a twisted rod therein in which the follower is actuated by rods slidably mounted in longitudinally disposed grooves in the handle and in which the twisted rod actuates a disc having teeth extended upwardly therefrom at one end of the handle. n

With this thought in mind this invention contemplates means for forming a handle for spinning a propeller or other projectile whereby the propeller is positioned on a toothed-disc at the end of the handle and the disc is rotated by drawing a traveler on a twisted rod toward the end of the handle opposite to that `on which the disc is positioned. A

The object o f this invention is,V therefore, to provide a housing for a spinning device wherein, instead of being held by a hand, a traveler positioned -on a twisted rod in the handle is actuated by rods in grooves inthe inner surface of the handle.

Another object of the invention is to provide an actuator, for spinning a propeller or other projectile in which the projectile is freely mounted on one end of the handle and leaves the mounting means when a predetermined speed is reached.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved toy wherein a spinning projectile is discharged from manually actuated rotating means in a handle in which the device is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies an elongated tubular casing having oppositely disposed grooves in the inner surface thereof, a twisted shaft rotatably mounted in a head in one end of the casing and positioned with the opposite end mounted in a bearing positioned in the casing, an internally threaded follower or carrier mounted on the twisted rod, rods extended from a loop at one end of the casing, slidably mounted in the grooves in the casing and connected to the traveler, and a disc having teeth extended from a face thereof mounted on an end of the twisted rod extended through the head of the casing.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a projectile adapted to be launched by the rotating elements of the handle of the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the projectile.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the casing of this invention, a twisted rod mounted therein being shown in elevation.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the casing or handle shown in Fig. 3 showing a projectile positioned on the disc at the upper end and also showing the device with part of the handle broken away to illustrate the traveler therein, the traveler being shown in an inter mediate position.

Figure 5 is a cross section through the casing taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 4, parts of the projectile being broken away.

Figure 6 is an end elevational view `of the casing showing the rod retaining grooves in the inner surface thereof, the parts being shown on an enlarged scale.

Figure 7 is a detail showing a section taken on line 7--7 of Fig. 1 showing the structure of the projectile.

Figure 8 is a longitudinal section somewhat similar to that shown in Fig. 3 illustrating a modification wherein the lower end of the casing is integral with the cylindrical wall thereof and the traveler actuating rods are extended to facilitate assembling the handle.

Figure 9 is a cross section through the casing showing a modification wherein the grooves of the casing are replaced with longitudinally positioned ribs formed in the wall of the casing. v

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts the improved toy of this invention includes a cylindrical casing 10, a twisted ro'd or shaft 11 rotatably mounted in the casing, a traveler 12 mounted to slide longitudinally in the casing,

rods

13 and 14 connected to the traveler and having a loop 15 on extended ends thereof, a head 16 mounted at one end of the casing, a plug 17 mounted in the opposite end of the casing, and a disc 18 carried by the end of a stem 19 extended from the twisted rod 11.

As illustrated in Figs. 3 and 6 the casing 10 is tubular and may be cylindrical or of any other suitable shape whereby the traveler is held to prevent rotation thereof and in the design shown in Figures 1 through 6, the inner surface is provided with oppositely disposed grooves 20 and 21 in which the'rods 13 and 14 are slidably mounted.

The head 16 is provided with a flange 22 that is secured to the end of the casing 10, as illustrated in Fig. 3 and, also as shown in the drawing the head is provided with a bore through which the stem 19 extends.

In the design shown in Fig. 3 the opposite end of the casing is closed with the plug 17 that is provided with a ange 24 and the flange is provided with

openings

25 and 26 through which the

rods

13 and 14 extend. The

rods

13 and 14 are formed from a continuous wire or strand of material and the VWire is bent midway of the length thereof to form the loop 15 from which the wires or

rods

13 and 14 extend. The loop is provided with a tube 27 of resilient material to provide a friction grip and the extended ends of the rods are formed inwardly so that they extend into openings 28 and 29 in the sides of the traveler 12. The lower end of the traveler is provided with a bore 30 and the head at the opposite end is provided with a square opening through which the twisted portion of the rod 11 extends. The end of the traveler is provided with a small boss 32 providing a spacing element between the end of the traveler and inner end of the head 16.

With the parts formed in this manner it will be noted that by drawing the

rods

13 and 14 outwardly by the loop 15 the traveler 12 follows the twisted rod 11 whereby the rod with the disc 18 on the upper end is rotated.

The disc 13 is provided with a spacing hub 33 on one side and projecting teeth 34 on the other, the teeth34 being positioned to register with slots 35 in a propeller 36 that is positioned in a ring 37.

The plug 17 is providedwith a bearing 38 in which the end of the twisted rod 11 is rotatably mounted whereby the twisted rod is held at both ends of thehandle or casing.

The plug 17 is adapted to be secured in the end of the tubular casing 10, particularly where the parts are formed of plastic, with cement or a suitable acid and, as shown in Fig. 4, the plug may be secured in position with pins 39.

In the design shown in Fig. 8 a tubular or cylindrical casing 40, similar to the casing is provided with a plug 41 that .is integral with the casing forming a closed end thereof and the end of the casing is provided with openings 42 and 43 through which wires 44 and 45, similar to the

wires

13 and 14, respectively, extend. The wires or rods 44 andt45 are also provided with a loop 46 similar to the loop and the loop is covered with a tube 47 similar to the tube 27. The end 41 of the casing 40 is provided with a bearing 48 that holds one end of a twisted rod 49, similar to the rod 11 and the opposite end of the rod is rotatably mounted in a head 56 similar to the head 16. The rod 49 is also provided with a traveler 51 similar to the traveler 10, and a disc 52 with teeth 53 extended upwardly therefrom, similar to the disc 18. The wires or rods 44 and 45 are positioned in longitudinally disposed grooves 54 and 55, similar to the grooves 20 and 21 and with the ends of the rods on which the loop is provided extended beyond the end of the casing the parts may be assembled by removing the head `5t) and sliding the rods inwardly with the projecting ends'56 and 57 thereof eX- tended beyond the ends of the casing 40 whereby the ends are adapted to be bent inwardly to `extend into openings, such as the openings 28 and 29, in the traveler. With the ends of the rods secured in this manner to the traveler the rods with the traveler held thereby are drawn into the tubular casing, as shown. The head 50 may then be inserted in the end of the casing and the head may be secured in position by suitable means.

With a projectile, such as the propeller 36 positioned on the disc 52 with the teeth 53 in the slots 35 the traveler 51 is drawn downwardly by the loop 46 and rods 44 and 45, and with rotation of the traveler prevented by the rods 44 and 45 being positioned in the grooves 54 and 55, the twisted rod 49 with the disc 52 on the extended end and the propeller are rotated with the propeller spinning at high speed so that it will take off from the disc 52.

Upon release of the loop 46 a spring 58 inthe casing 40 may return the traveler to the stationary orV starting 4, position, as shown in Figure 8. The action of the spring may also be reversed whereby the traveler 51 is shown to a cocked position by the loop 46, and wherein the spring, when released, drives the traveler toward the spinningr or releasing position.

In the design shown in Figure 9, a casing 60 is formed with inwardly pressed

grooves

61 and 62, which provide ribs 63 and 64 on the insideofthe casing, instead of the grooves, such as theV grooves 20 and 21, anda traveler, such as the traveler 65, is provided with coacting grooves 66 and 67 which prevent rotation of the traveler in relation to the casing.

It will also be understood that the grooves or ribs may be formed by other suitable means. l

I t will be understood that modifications, within the scope of the appended claim, may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spiritof the invention.

What is claimed is:

In a toy, the combination which comprises a tubularv housing havingV longitudinally positioned oppositely disposed grooves in the inner surface and a head in one end and a plug in the opposite end, said head and said plug each having a flange of equal circumference to said housing and engaging the open ends of said housing to retain said head and said plug outwardly of said housing, a bearing in said head and said plug, a twisted rod positioned in the housing with each end of the rod rotatably mounted in one of said bearings, a disc having projections extended therefrom tixedly carried by an end of the rod extended from one end of the housing, a traveler having oppositely disposed openings in sides thereof and threadedly mounted to travel, on said twisted rod, a spring on said twisted rod circumjacent thereto and engaging said traveler to urge said traveler toward said head, a'loop extended from the end of the housing opposite to that from which the end of the rod on, which the diseis positioned extends, and rods extended from the loop into the housing and having inwardly extended ends positioned in the openings of the traveler, said rods being positioned in the grooves in the inner surface of thehousing.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 641,653 Stump Jan. 16, 1900 1,133,235 Paprian Mar. 23, 1915 1,201,866 Pickett Oct. 17, 1916 1,618,856 Abrams n- Feb. 22, 1927 1,918,122 Naue July 1l, 1933 were