US2785895A

US2785895A - Toy fountain

Info

Publication number: US2785895A
Application number: US393793A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sr Aloys Neveling
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1953-11-23
Filing date: 1953-11-23
Publication date: 1957-03-19
Anticipated expiration: 1974-03-19

Description

March 19, 1957 A. NEVELlNG, SR 2,785,895

TOY FOUNTAIN Filed Nov. 23, 195:5 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Y i IN V EN TOR.

Qioy 63;

March 19, 1957 A. NEVELING, SR

T-OY FOUNTAIN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 23, .1953

- IN VEN TOR.

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United States Patent TOY FOUNTAIN Aloys Neveling, Sr., Chicago, Ill.

Application November 23, 1953, Serial No. 393,793

2 Claims. (Cl. 272-8) This invention relates to improvements in toys and, in particular, to a novel fountain adapted to be operated manually by a child although capable of being connected to the water supply and installed as an ornament on the lawn or elsewhere.

The invention is based upon the discovery that the forces of gravity, centrifugal force and capillary attraction may be utilized to cause a solid vertical stream of water to hold a light weight ball in a suspended spinning position at the side of the stream near its top, whereby there is produced an attractive device particularly adapted for use as a toy or ornament. The ball oscillates vertically at the side of the stream while at the same time rotating about a horizontal axis and simultaneously revolving around the stream and throwing a fine spray of water in all directions, thus presenting a fascinating spectacle which is of value for entertainment and educational purposes.

In the operation of this device the solid stream of water impinges tangentially on the ball and carries it upwardly to a point of balance where the vertical component of the force applied by the stream equals the force of gravity acting on the ball. As the velocity of the stream varies, the ball dances up and down while spinning about its own axis and revolving bodily about the stream so that the device may be properly termed a dancing ball fountain.

The foregoing features and objects of the invention and many others will appear more fully from the following specification taken with theaccompanying drawings in which two embodiments of the invention are illustrated. In the drawings,

Figure 1 shows a side elevation the present invention;

Fig. 2 shows a vertical section taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section similar to a portion of that of Fig.2, showing somewhat diagrammatically the action of the water on the ball;

Fig. 4 is a somewhat diagrammatic plan view of the upper end of the stream and the ball showing the ball revolving bodily about the axis of the stream; and

Fig. 5 shows a partial side elevation and partial 'vertical section through a modified form of the invention adapted for use as a lawn 0rnament.-

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the invention is embodied in a toy comprising a base adapted to rest upon a table or other support 11 and shaped in the form of a circular pan so that it will collect any water dripping from the parts which are located above it. A metal cylinder 12 is located centrally with respect to the base 10 and has its lower edges secured thereto to form a chamber 13 adapted to contain the water which is circulated through the device. The upper end of the cylinder 12 has a water-tight connection with the bottom wall of a drip pan which is of smaller diameter than the base 10 and which is adapted to collect the water flowing over the edges of the collecting pan 15. The drip pan of a toy embodying ice 14 has a central opening 14a around which there is secured the lower edge of a cylinder 16 which extends up wardly therefrom with its top edge secured to the bottom wall 15a of the pan 15.

A water. pipe 18 is secured in the bottom wall 15a of the pan 15 and it has its open lower end located within the chamber 13 to receive the water which is collected in this chamber. The cylinder 16 forms an air chamber 19 around the pipe 18 in which the air is compressed to form a cushion for the water which collects in the chamber 13 and in the lower part of the cylinder 16. The upper end of the pipe 18 extends into a tubular support 20 and has connected therein a hand operated valve 21 and a nozzle 22. The tubular member 20 is provided with a top wall 29a having a centrally located circular aperture therein which is adapted to form a support for a ball 25 adapted to be acted upon by a stream of water discharged through the nozzle 22.

A funnel shaped member 26 terminates at its lower end in a sleeve 260: which fits around the upper end of the tubular member 20 and which is provided with an internal flange 26b adapted to rest upon the top Wall 20a of the tubular member. The funnel shaped member 26 forms a seat for the tapered lower extremity 27a of a tube 27 formed of Celluloid or other transparent material which extends upwardly with its axis in alignment with the axis of the aperture of the nozzle 22 so that when water is moved upwardly through the pipe 18 under pressure, a solid stream 23 is projected vertically upward and carries the ball 25 upwardly from its seat so that it is suspended at the top of the stream 28 and at the side of the axis of the stream, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The water then flows downwardly from the top of the stream along the wall of the tube 27 and it then passes through openings 26:: in the side of the cone-shaped member 26 so that it can then flow downwardly around the outside of the tubular member 20 into the collecting pan 15.

In order to supply pressure for moving the water upwardly from the chamber 13 through the pipe 18 and the nozzle 22, a pipe 29 is connected to the side of the drip pan 14 and arranged to lead through an outwardly flowing check valve 30 to a pump 31 from which a discharge pipe 32 leads through the check valve 33 to the lower part of the chamber 13. The pump 31 may be in the form of a compressible bellows but it is preferably constructed as a reciprocating pump operated by a lever 31a and having a handle 31]; which may be grasped by the hand of the child so that, upon reciprocation of the lever 31a, the water is drawn from the pan 14 through the check valve 36 into the pump and then discharged through the check valve 33 into the chamber 13 from which it passes upwardly under pressure through the open valve 21 and through the nozzle 22, thus causing the discharge of the vertical solid stream of water 28 which carries the ball 25 upwardly and holds it in a suspended position as previously described. The height to which the ball will be elevated by the stream will depend upon the velocity of the water in the stream and the ball may occupy the positions illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 2 or other positions depending upon the operation of the pump 31 and the adjustment of the valve 21. The tube27 is provided at its upper end with an outwardly flared portion 2717 on which there is seated a cover 34 secured to the tube by a hinge 35. The flared portion 27b tends to turn into the tube any water which reaches the extreme upper end thereof and the cover 34 prevents the discharge of any spray from the stream, so that the toy is adapted for indoor use.

As shown in Fig. 3, the valve 21 has a rotatable valve member 21a provided with an internal passage 21b adapted to align with the passage through the valve casing andthese' passages are preferably so aligned during the 'besufllcient space to permit the stream 25; to impinge upon the ball ZS'Without'the ball closing the port 22.) iuthe. nozzle through which the water is discharged. The ball 25 is preferably formed of Celluloid or other light weight material and is preferably about thesize of a ping pongball, that is, about 1 inches in diameter. The best results appear to be obtained when the pressure of the water is from 5 to pounds per square inch. When the water is discharged under this pressure from the nozzle 22, it carries the ball upwardly from its. seat and the ball moves laterally until it occupies a position t the side of the stream where it is held by capillary attraction in contactrwith the stream of water. Then, the force of the stream impinging upon the side of the ball causes it to rotate and the vertical component of the force so applied carries the ball upwardly againstthe force of gravity until it reaches an uppermost position where a condition of balance is obtained, whereupon the ball continues to spin about its own axis while at the same time throwing oil sprays of water, as shown at 37 in Fig. 3. Due to the action of centrifugal force, the water appears to collect on the side of the ball which is toward thestream in a blanket 38 bounded by a rotating ridge of water 39 from which the sprays of water 37 fly off. The reaction of the water on the ball causes the ball to rotate about a vertical axis and to move bodily around the axis of: the stream 23, as illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 4. Thus, when the ball is in its uppermost position, it is, spinning about a vertical axis due to thevfor-ce of the stream of water impinging upon its periphery and this motion is combined with a rotary motion of the ball about a horizontal axis and a movement of the ball bodily about the axis of the stream. At the same time, the variation-3f the force the water in the stream 23 causes the ball 25' to move upwardly and downwardly so that a veryinteresting and spectacular etlfect is obtained.

The invention may also be employed as an ornament mounted on a lawn and permanently connected to a water supply, as shown in Fig. 5. As there illustrated, the

invention comprises a base adapted to rest upon the ground 41 and carrying at its upper end a bowl 42 formed of stone, concrete, or other suitable material which'may serve as a bird bath. A water pipe 43 is embedded in the base 46 and extends upwardly through the middle of the bottom of the bowl 42 with a nozzle 44 connected in the upper end thereof. The pipe 43 is connected through a hand operated valve 45 with a pipe 46 ,c on ne o h Water pp y ma n y regulating the valve 45, the velocity of the water discharged u wardly through the nozzle 44 may be regulated. A-cylinder 48 is mounted on the bottom of the bowl 42 and extends upwardly above the top level of the bowl where its rolled edge 48:: serves as a support for a transparent tube 390f Celluloid" or "the-like. This tube is provided with a tapered lower extremity 49a which rests upon the edge 48a of the cylinder and its top edge is flared outwardly as shown at 4%. When the valve is opened, a solid stream 50 is discharged upwardly from the nozzle 44 and the ball 51, which has previously been seated at the bottom end of the tube 49=,-is vcarricd upwardly and caused to partake of the oscillatory and rotating movements which have previously been described. The tapered lower end 49:; of the tubeA ihmt a central opening 49c which is somewhat smaller.thanthediameter of theball 51 so that, when the water has been shut off and the ballSl is in its lower position;ithwilbhesupported somewhat above the upper surface of the nozzle 44. The Water which flies oil from the upper end of the stream 51 flows downwardly along the inner surface of the tube 49 and is discharged into the cylinder 48 from Whichit flows through openings 48b intothe bowl 42 which may then serve as a bird bath.

7 Although twoemboidimcnts ofrthe invention have been shown and'described by way of illustration, it will be understood thatit may be constructed in various other embodiments which come within the scope of the appended claims.

l im:

1. A; fountain comprisinga vertically directednozzle, a ball, means forsupporting said ball above said nozzle in spaced,relation,:thereto, means for supplying water under pressure, tosaid nozzle to cause a solid stream to be discharged vertically and .to suspend said ball above said support byathelaction of the Water stream impinging-substnntially. tangentially on...the ball, and a transparent casingraroundsaid stream andspaced from said ball.

2. A fountain comprising a vertically directed nozzle, a alhmcans including: attube for supporting saidball above .said'nQzzle-inspaced relation theretmmeans for upp y ng water. underflpressureto said noule to cause a Solid stream..to.be discharged vertically and to suspend said balLabove .said support by, the. action of the water stream.impingiug substantially tangentially on the ball, a transparent..casinguaroundusaid stream and spaced from said ball, means for, collecting the water flowing downwardly through said tube, and meansfor causing said waterflpressuremeansto re-discharge the water. so collected. through said. nozzle.

., Relfereucesflited in the fileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 179,977 Turrettini July 18, 1876 362,606 Chadwick MaylO, 1887 5511630 "-Gray Dec. 17, 1895 755,114 Damm Mar. 22; 1904 1,854,613 -Ishikawa Apr. 19, 1932 PATENTS -578,355- Eranee l June 30, 1924 "j REFERENCES .TextbookotPhXdcssby- Spinney, published, by Macmillau,.Co.;,of New YOlEkjiIl 1920, page 155, copy in Patent Ofiice Library,