US2818675A - Toy tops - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 7, 1958 M. 1. GLASS ET AL TOY TOPS Filed. June 8, 1954 ilnited States Patent Q TOY TOPS Marvin I Glass, Chicago, and Fred Zant, Skokie, lll.

Application June 8 1954,- Serial No. 435,298

3 Claims. (Cl. 46-69) This invention relates to a toy top and more particularly to a'top which may operate on water as well ason and.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a toy top which will spin in water, on sand and/ or any surface.

The toy tops of the prior art are made to spin on a fiat solid surface but they are not capable of spinning in water, hence their play value is restricted. With this invention the play value of toy tops is not only increased but is made more fascinating to the child in that it appears that a new phenomenon takes place which defies the law of physics. Heretofore the child could not spin his top in water and he accepted that fact and now with this invention he may do so with a top that is substantially similar in appearance to those now on the market. This invention provides a top which spins in water and hence may be spun in the bathtub and on the beach, and spins for as long a time in water as the present day tops spin on a flat solid surface.

Likewise, it may be spun on sand or on the ground. It can also spin while held in the hand. It therefore has universal application and unlimited play appeal.

Another object of this invention is to provide a top which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and which is easy to operate and which in appearance appears similar to the conventional tops now on the market.

Other objects will become apparent as this description progresses.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view taken on lines 11 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view taken on lines 22 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on lines 33 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is a view taken on lines 44 of Fig. 3.

The toy comprises a hollow body generally formed of two sections 12 and 14 secured together. The lower section 12 is dished, as shown, and has a plurality of spaced circumferential stepped portions progressively tapering inward from the top to the bottom until it tapers to a spinning point indicated at 16. The inside of the spinning point is substantially concave or V shape as at 18 and provides a bearing surface for the tip of the spindle of the spinner presently to be described.

The upper section 14 of the body is of substantially inverted dish shape which has a centrally positioned annular depressed portion or recess 20 at the top thereof. The upper section has a circumferential lip 22 which is permanently secured and locked in the channel 24 of the lower section 12 to lock the two sections permanently together.

The top or spinner generally designated by the numeral 26 comprises a spindle 28, a disc 30 and an upper stem 32 projecting upwardly of the disc. The spindle 28 extends through an opening 15 in the upper section 12 of the body and is secured against removal by a lock washer 17 on the spindle. The end of the spindle has a tapered point 29, and rotates within the concave portion 18 of the lower section of the body. The disc 30 is substan- Ice 2,818,675

Patented Jan. 7, was

tially of an inverted dish shape and extends over the top and downwardly of the uppersection 14 of the body so as to completely cover same but is spacedtherefrom as to be freely rotatable with respect to the body. The underside of the rotatable disc 30 adjacent the spindle 28 has a central annular body portion 34 which is positioned within the circumference of the annular recess 20 but spaced therefrom and spaced from the bottom thereof.

The upper stem 32' supports the windup member generally designated by the numeral 36' as is well understood in the art and as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. The top of the spinner disc 30- is provided with the usual inclined recesses ando'penings which are engaged by the windup member. The windup member and the manner of its engagement with the top of the spinner is conventional and well understood in the art but will be briefly described. The top of the spinner has three circumferentialiy spaced inclined recesses 38, each of which is inclined to provide, a deep portion 39 which inclines upwardly as at 40. Also provided are three circumferentially spaced openings 42'.

The conventional windup member designated by the numeral 36 has a spool shaped body 44 provided with a central bore 46 within which is secured a coil spring 48. It is positioned on the stem 32. The lower end of the coil spring is provided with a hooked end 50 which extends below the bottom of the spool and engages one of the holes 42 so that as the windup member is rotated the coil spring 48 is tensioned. The windup member has a spring biased plunger 52 which overrides the recesses 38 when it is being wound up and permits rotation of the windup member in one direction but prevents rotation in the opposite direction.

The spinning disc may be provided with a plurality of spaced openings 54 so that as it rotates with respect to the body 10 which may be colored with contrasting colors, a very interesting color effect is obtained.

The operation will now be described. With the windup member 36 on the stem 32, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the body 10 and spinner 26 are held stationary with one hand. The windup member 36 is rotated to tension the coil spring 48. After it has been tensioned, the windup member is disengaged by pressing down on the stem 32 which releases the toy. As it is released the spinner 26 is caused to spin with respect to the body 10 at the same speed common to conventional tops. The spinning of the spinner 26 will also cause the body 10 to rotate but at a much slower speed. Since the spinner rotates on the point 29 which is in the body, the spinner rotates with respect to the body even when the body is held stationary or its rotation is arrested. If desired the spinner may be spun by hand without the use of the windup member.

The toy may be released to spin on water and the toy will float with the body rotating slowly in the water while the spinner is rotating rapidly, giving the effect that the entire unit is rapidly spinning in the water. The spinning continues for several minutes. The body may be sealed to prevent the entrance of water or if desired, a number of openings 54 may be provided in the top of the upper section 14 so that if water enters the body 10 it can be discharged through said openings by inverting the toy.

The toy may also be released to spin on a solid surface and the body 10 will slowly rotate on the point 16 while the spinner 26 rotates rapidly as heretofore described. Likewise it may operate in sand or any other surface or may be held in the hand.

This toy provides an unusual top which has no limitations insofar as where it may be operated. It is fascinating and provides great play value for the child.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made from the foregoing without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a toy top adapted to operate on water as well as on land, including a hollow housing having a dish shaped completely closed lower section with a spinning point at the lower end thereof and an upper section rigidly secured to said lower section and forming the top of said housing, and said housing forming a water tight floating compartment, a spinner including an inverted dish shaped member in close proximity to the upper section of the housing and covering same to hide same from view, said spinner having a spindle extending into said housing and rotatable inside the spinning point of said housing, said spinner being rotatable with respect to said housing.

2. In a toy top adapted to operate on Water as well as on land, including a closed hollow housing forming a water tight floating compartment, said hollow housing having a dish shaped completely closed lower section with a spinning point at the lower end thereof for rotation on a land surface, a spinner including an inverted dish shaped member in close proximity to the top of said closed hollow housing and covering same to hide same from view, said spinner having a spindle extending into said housing and rotatable inside the spinning point of 4 said housing so that said spinner is rotatable about said closed hollow housing.

3. In a toy top adapted to operate on water as well as on land, including a closed hollow housing forming a water tight floating compartment, said housing having a dish shaped completely closed lower section with a spinning point at the lower end thereof for rotation on a land surface, a spinner including an inverted dish shaped member in close proximity to the top of said housing and covering same to hide same from view, said spinner having a spindle extending into said closed housing and rotatable inside the spinning point of said housing so that said spinner is rotatable about said closed housing, and a windup member releasably secured to said spinner for actuating same.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 814,962 Irving Mar. 13, 1906 1,401,813 Popper Dec. 27, 1921 1,522,189 Jacovatos Jan. 6, 1925 2,177,873 Savage Oct. 31, 1939 2,456,341 Thoreson Dec. 14, 1948

Images