US2946151A

US2946151A - Rocket and satellite toy apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2946151A
Application number: US738763A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Charles H Traylor
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-05-29
Filing date: 1958-05-29
Publication date: 1960-07-26
Anticipated expiration: 1977-07-26

Description

July 26, 1960 c. H. TRAYLoR, JR

ROCKET AND SATELLITE Toy APPARATUS I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 29, 1958 2 `s B 4 66 n. 2 s w 4o a m Hmm 54 mi A IMM A l )Ullflllh `.ue Af 8 d 2 l 1 66 O NIIHAHB. W. F.- l A V M INVENTOR. CHARLES HTRAY Longa,

A 770/?/VVS July 26,L 1960 c. H. TRAYLoR, JR 2,946,151

ROCKET AND SATELLITE TOY APPARATUS Filed May 29, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1G: [al e-4` f M 33o i L02 5 1; I l M8 'a l 0 0 O 1 so e@ a f@ .A 1 11e 82 N-

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3,5? l I i," .I l In?. il@ 2 ,l A o8 u 11A 28 8 L' l l ;Llo o 6 ""*1 14 lo s o i INVENTOR. CHARLES HTRAYLQQAQ.

July 26, 1960 c:` H. TRAYLOR, JR

ROCKET AND SATELLITE Toy APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 29, 1958 K y INVENTOR.

CHARLES Hffzrnozpe 147 Taf/Vm yfor support upon a door or table.

vUnited States Patent ,j

y 2,946,151 ROCKET SATELLITE TOY APPARATUS Charles H. Traylor, Llr., Box 145, `Walreilield, Va.

Filed May 29, 1958, Ser. No. 738,763

4 Claims. (Cl. 46-74) The present invention relates to toys generally and in' particular' to a rocket and satellite toy apparatus.

An object of 4the present invention is 'to provide a toy apparatus in the form of a rocket launcher, a rocket, and 'a `satellite carried by the rocket, such apparatus lending itself to amusing and instructive play for children, one which is automatic in operation, and one highly eiective in action.

Another object of the present invention is to provide ya rocket and satellite toy apparatus which is sturdy in construction, one foolproof in operation, one economical to manufacture and assemble, and one which is commercially practical.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in vconjunction with the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure l is an elevational View, partially in section, showing the rocket and satellite toy apparatus according y'to the present invention with the rocket in position on the upper end of the launching member of the apparatus;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the upper end of the launching member showing the rocket-driving plunger and spring in cocked position;

Figure 3 is a View taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view similarto Figure 2, showing the Figure 9 is a view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 7 Figure 10 is a partial sectional view of the elevating means for Vthe rocket member removed from the rocl'et member;

Figure 1l is a view partially schematic 'and as seen onv line 11-11 of Figure 5, showing the motor reversing switch in a neutral position;

Figure 12 is a view similar to Figure 1l, showing vthe switch in a position for elevating the rocket launching member; and l Figure 13 is a view similar to Figures ll and l2, showing the switch in the rock-et launching member lowering position.

'Referring in greater detail to the drawings in which f like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the rocket and satellite toy apparatus of the present invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 20 and comprises a base 22 having a flat bottom surface At one endl of the base 22 is a motor or control housing 24 and at the other end is a platform yor support 26 representing a launching pad. A lower wall 28 extends around the perimeter of the support 26 and serves as a guide for the lower end of an upstanding launchingl member 30 when the latter is positioned upon the support 26, The upper end of A lhollow cylinder 33 having a closed lower end andA an lopen upper end is secured by its upper end in the cap 34 in concentric relation with respect to the aperture 36. A coil spring 40 is positioned within the cylinder 38 and has its lower end resting upon the closed end 42 of the cylinder 38, A plunger 44 having a head 46 on its upper end and a base 4801i its lower end is positioned within the aperture 36 with its head 46 normally resting upon the upper surface of the cap 34. The base 48 of the plunger 44 bears against the upper end of the spring 40 and is engaged by the free end 5t) of a spring leaf lever 52, constituting a latch means, which is positioned beneath the cap 34. The lever 52 is mounted upon the outermost tube 54. Telescoping within the tube S4 is an intermediate tube 56, and into the tube 56 is telescopically received an innermost tubev S8. In Figure 1, Athe

respective tubes

54, 56 and 58 are shown in nested positions and in Figure 10, saidtubes are shown in extended positions.

' 34 and carries the lever 52 with the free end Sti remote from the cap 34.

As shown in Figure 2, the free end Sil of the levery 52 projects through a slot titl provided in the cylinder 38 and engages the base 4S of the plunger 44 on the upper face thereof when the springy 4i) is compressed by a manually applied force to theplunger head 46. The lever 52 carries a projection 62 extending through a slot 64 provided in the outermost tube 54 adjacent the upper end thereof. The slot 64 is in registry with'the slot 60 as clearly shown in Figure 2. A latch release lever is disposed in the space between the launching member 3u and the outermost tube 54, Figures 2 and4, and is pivotally mounted on the projection 62 forlimited rotation about a horizontal axis or pin 65. As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the one end of the lever k66 bears against the 4outer face of the tube 54 and an actuating rod 68 is connected to the other end of the lever 66. Application of a pulling force, as will be explained later, to the rod n 68 effects the movement of the lever 65 from vthe position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 4, effecting the withdrawal of the free'end Sti of the lever 52 out of engagement with the plunger base d, thereby releasing Vthe plunger 44 and permitting its ejection upwardly through the aperture 36 under the action ofthe spring 40.

As seen in Figure 10, the tubes 54 and 56 'are provided with

slots

70 and 72, receiving pins 74 and 75, respectively, the pin 74 being fixed to the upper end of the intermediate tube '56 and the pin 76 being fixed to the upper end of the innermost tube 53. The arrangement of the pins 74 and `76 in the slots '70 and 72 prevent the total disconnection of the

tubes

54, 56, and 5S from each other when'the'y are projected to the extended position relative fto' each other. The slots '7u and 72 extend nearly to thevle'nds of

vthe tubes

54 and 56 and the tubes 54, Staand S3 telescope to the exterior face ofthe closed end'42 of the cylinder 38. An intermediate portion of the cable 78 extends through a hole in the support 26 and the other end of the cable 78 is secured to a reel 80 in the motor or control housing 24, the reel being shown most clearly in Figure 5. A guide tube 82 extends from the housing 24 to the support 26 and has the portion within the support part of the base 22 turned upwardly and in communication with the lower end of the support 26.

A motor 84, of the reversible type, is mounted within the housing 24 and has its shaft 86 directly connected to the reel 80. The guide tube 82 is pivotally supported in a pivot point 88 (Figure 1) so that as the cable 78 is unwound from the reel 80 the guide tube 82 swings from the full line position shown in Figure to the dotted line position.

Mounted upon the motor shaft 86 is a rst bevel gear 90 in meshing engagement with a second bevel gear 92 carried on a shaft 94 which extends from the housing 24 to the part of the base 22 beneath the support 26. Another bevel gear 96 is carried on the end portion of the shaft 94 beneath the-support 26 and is in driving engagement with the bevel gear 98 carried upon a jack shaft 100. The ends of the jack shaft 100 are mounted in suitable bearings provided in the base 22 and a main drive gear 102 is carried upon the shaft 100 adjacent and spaced from the bevel gear 98. The drive gear 102 is in mesh with a pinion 104 carried on a first driven shaft 106. A second driven shaft 108 is positioned in parallel spaced relation with respect to the shaft 106 and, as shown in Figure 5, like the driven shaft 106, has its ends mounted within the elongated portions of the support Wall 28, as shown in Figure 1. A pinion gear 110 on the shaft 106 is in driving relationship with a pinion gear 112 carried by the shaft 108. A tooth sparking wheel 114 is carried upon each of the

shafts

106 and 108 and is in rubbing engagement with a conventional tlint 116 mounted in the wall 28 and biased outwardly by conventional spring means as at 118 in Figure 5.

Preferably, either the bevel gear 90 or the pinion gear 102 may be connected by conventional clutch means to their associated shafts 86 or 100, respectively, so that upon actuation of the motor 84 and rotation of the shaft 86 in one direction the sparking wheels 114 are caused to rub against the iiints 116 and to thereby produce sparks outwardly of the bottom of the launching member 30. Such clutch means is not necessary, however, and is not here illustrated as not a part of the invention and for reasons of simplification.

Referring t-o Figures 6 to 9, a rocket toy is designated generally by the reference numeral 120 and consists in an upwardly tapering body having a suction cup 122 facing upwardly and resiliently connected to its upper end. The toy 120 is closed at its lower larger end by a oor 124 against which -bears one end of a coil spring 126. The other end of the spring 126 bears against the bottom of the compartment 128 having a door 130 pivotally mounted in the body of the toy 1Z0 and normally tlush with the exterior wall of the toy 120. A rod 132 is mounted within the toy 120 for upward and downward movement and is biased to the upward position by means of a spring 134 bearing against a collar 136 carried by the rod 132 inwardly of and adjacent the upper end of the toy 120. A transversely arranged bar 138 is xedly secured to the lower end of the rod 132 and carries a hook 140 on one end engageable with a cooperating lip or hook 142 on the free edge of the door 130.

As shown in Figure 7, the spring 134 normally biases the rod 132 to the position in which the suction cup 122 is above and spaced from the small end of the toy 120. Upon impact of the suction cup 122 with an overhead surface, such as the ceiling of a room as designated by the reference numeral 144 in Figure 8, the rod 132 is pushed downwardly to the position in which the catch or hook 140 is out of engagement with the door hook 142.

4 This permits the opening of the compartment 128 and the ejection therefrom of a toy satellite 146 which is normally carried within the compartment 128. Preferably, the satellite 146 is fabricated of lightweight material or it may be filled with a lighter than air gas if found to be practical.

The means for actuating the releasable latch means embodying the lever 52 to permit the ejectment of the plunger 44 consists in two

other rods

148 and 150 telescopingly arranged with respect to the rod 68, as shown in Figure l. The lower end ofthe rod 150 is ixedly secured to the support 26 and upon upward movement of the launching member 30 in response to actuation of the motor 84 in one direction the

tubes

54 and 56 extend above the tube 58 and the

rods

68, 148, and 150 telescope to their greatest length and trip the lever 66 to effect the release of the plunger 44.

Referring to Figures 11 to 13, means are shown for effecting the automatic reversal of the motor 84. This means consists in a rst switch 152 mounted in one end of a transverse portion of the base 22 adjacent the housing 24 and a second switch 154 mounted in the other end of such base portion. One contact of each

switch

152 and 154 is carried by an actuating rod 156 which is slidably mounted in the base portion and has a portion 158 adjacent one end exteriorly of such base portion. In Figure 11 the

switches

152 and 154 are shown in their open positions. Legs 160 and 162 depend from the actuating rod 156 on each side of the adjacent portion of the guide tube 82 and are engaged thereby as the guide tube 82 moves transversely of the base 22.

In operation, with the switch 152 and the switch 154 open as in Figure 11, finger pressure is applied to the projecting end portion 158 of the rod 156 to close the switch 152 as in Figure 12. This will energize the motor 84 to drive the shaft 86 in one direction effecting the rotation of the reel to unreel the cable 78 therefrom and to project the same upwardly through the innermost tube 58 and thereby elect the extension of the

tubes

54 and 56 above the tube 58 to the position shown in Figure 6. As the tube 54 reaches or nearly reaches the uppermost limit of its movement, the rod 68 and its associated

rods

148 and 150 are projected to the extended positions, as shown in Figure 6, and a pulling force is transmitted to the rod 68 relative to the

extended tubes

54, 56 and 58, causing the lever 66 to tilt about its axis or pin 65 in a counterclockwise direction and apply a force to the tube 54 adjacent the slot 64 through the intermediacy of the one end of the lever 52 to shift the projection 62 outwardly of the slot 64, thereby effecting the withdrawal of the free end 50 of the lever 52 out of engagement with the plunger 48 and the plunger to be ejected upwardly through the aperture 36 under the action of the spring 40. This effects the casting vertically upwardly of the toy and launches the toy 120 into space. Upon striking of the overhead surface or ceiling of a room, the suction cup 122 on the upper end of the toy 120 will cause the toy 120 to cling to the ceiling momentarily and the striking of the suction cup 122 results in the opening of the compartment 128 and ejection of the satellite 146 from the toy 120, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 6.

When the cable 78 has been unwound from the reel 80 the guide tube 82 will be in the position shown in Figure 13 and bearing against the one leg 162 to effect the actuation of the rod 156 to the right, closing the switch 154 and reversing the motor 84 so that the cable 78 is rewound upon the reel 80 and the

tubes

54, 56, and 58 are telescoped to their original position nested together as in Figure 1.

An important feature of the present invention consists in the sparking wheels 114 and their driving connection to the motor 84. The ints 116 are so arranged with reference to their associated sparking wheels 114 that as the motor 84 is initially energized, sparks are thrown outwardly and downwardly from the base of the launching dotarsi member Sil-in a realisticmanner representing lthe Haming of the rocket fuel of Va conventional rocket.:

The cable 78,is preferably fabricated of plastic, woven;- metal, or the like, suicientlyrigid as toresistrbendingin.V

the narrow confine of the tube 58 or the guide tube 82. A certain `amount of slack should be allowed inthe cable 78 so that the sparking wheels 114 reach their maximum speed of rotation prior to moving ofthe launching member. 30 upwardly. Additionally, the.' gears 110%.andj112 shouldbe weighted4 tothereby provide, momentum for the sparking :wheels l,114 .when,.driven; by theA motor- 84 and the associates shafts and gears.

After the launching member 30 has been projected upwardly `by the thrust imparting cable '78 and motor 84, the rocket toy 120 launched into space by the unloading of the spring 40, and the miniature satellite 146 ejected from the compartment 128 by the propelling spring 126, j

the toy 120 may be retrieved and replaced on the upper end of the launching member 30 so that it rests upon the cap 34 and upon the head 46 of the plunger 44. Manually applied pressure to the toy 120 will depress the plunger 44, permitting the free end 5l) of the lever 52 to again engage with the base 4S of the plunger 44 with the tripping element or lever 66 in its upwardly sloping position to which it has been returned by the spring action of the lever 52. The miniature satellite 146 may again be placed within the compartment 12S and the compartment door 134i closed and latched for repeated launching and casting of the satellite into space.

What is claimed is:

l. A rocket and satellite toy apparatus comprising a base adapted to rest upon a supporting surface, a support carried by said base, an upstanding launching member positioned upon said base so that the lower end rests upon said support with the upper end spaced above and in vertical spaced alignment with said support, a vertically disposed spring-loaded plunger positioned within said launching member adjacent to and below the upper end of said launching member and having the upper end normally resting upon the upper end of said launching member, releasablelatch means for holding said plunger in the normal position, a rocket toy normally bridging the upper end of said plunger and supported upon said launching member, an openable and closable door on said rocket toy, a miniature satellite in said rocket toy, propelling meanswithin said rocket toy for ejecting said satellite out of said door when the latter has been moved to the open position, thrust imparting means carried by said base and operatively connected to said launching member for projecting s'aid launching member from the position of rest upon said support vertically upwardly from said base, and a tripping element carried by said thrust imparting means and operable upon execution of the upward movement of said launching member to shift said latch means to the released position and permit the unloading of said plunger and the upper end of said plunger to be forcibly ejected against the rocket toy and launch the rocket toy into space, the door of said rocket toy being shiftable to open position upon contact by the launched rocket toy of an overhead object and permit actuation of the propelling means to eject the satellite into space.

2. A rocket and satellite toy apparatus comprising a base adapted to rest upon a supporting surface, a support carried by said base, an upstanding launching member positioned upon said base so that the lower end rests upon said support with the upper end spaced above and in vertical spaced alignment with said support, a cap on the upper end of said launching member, there being an aperture extending vertically through said cap, a vertically disposed spring-loaded plunger positioned within said launching member adjacent to and below said cap and having the upper end normally bridging said aperture and resting upon said cap, releasable latch means for holding said plunger in the normal position, a rocket toy normally bridging the upper end of said plunger and supported upon said cap, an vopenable and; closable ,dooreon-usaidt rocket toy, a miniaturesatellite iuz'said;roeketftQl/lpmzpelling means within ,said rocket toyzforf ejectingm aidg,` satellite out of said ,door when the `latter hasbeentmovedgf to the open position, ,thrustimparting-:means carried by;Jv said -base and operatively connectedV toi-,saidglaunchingg member for projecting said launching member, from the position of rest upon said.support,fvertically-A upwardly, from said base, and atripping element lcarried,by said thrust imparting means -and operable upon ,v-executiontofi the upwardly projecting movement of said launchinggrnem-vA` ber to shift said latch means to the released position and permit the unloading of said plunger and the upper end of said plunger to be forcibly ejected against the rocket toy and launch the rocket toy into space, the door of said rocket toy being shiftable to open position upon contact by the launched rocket toy of an overhead object and permit actuation of the propelling means to eject the satellite into space.

3. A rocket and satellite toy apparatus comprising a base adapted to rest upon a supporting surface, a support carried by said base, an upstanding launching member positioned upon said base so that the lower end rests upon said support with the upper end spaced above and in vertical spaced alignment with said support, a cap on the upper end of said launching member, there being an aperture extending vertically through said cap, a vertically disposed spring-loaded plunger positioned within said launching member adjacent to and below said cap and having the upper end normally bridging said aperture and resting upon said cap, releasable latch means for holding said plunger in the normal position, a rocket toy normally bridging the upper end of said plunger and supported upon said cap, an openable and closable door on said rocket toy, a miniature satellite in said rocket toy, propelling means within said rocket toy for ejecting said satellite out of said door when the latter has been moved to the open position, thrust imparting means including a reel supported on said base for rotary movement about a horizontal axis `and a cable wound upon said reel and having the free end operatively connected to said launching member for projecting said launching member from the position of rest upon said support vertically upwardly from said base, andl a tripping element carried by said thrust imparting means and operable upon execution of the upwardly projecting movement of said launching member to shift said :latch means to the Ireleased position and permit the unloading of said plunger and the upper end of said plunger to be `forcibly ejected against the rocket toy and launch the rocket toy into space, the door of said rockettoy being shiftable to open position upon contact by the launched rocket toy of :an overhead object and permit actuation of the propelling means to eject the satellite into space.

4. A rocket and satellite toy apparatus comprising a base adapted to rest upon a supporting surface, a support carried by said base, an upstanding launching member positioned upon said base Yso that the lower end rests upon said support with the upper end spaced above and in vertical spaced alignment with said support, a cap on the upper end of said launching member, there being an aperture extending vertically through said cap, a vertically disposed spring-loaded plunger positioned within said launching member adjacent to and below said cap and having the upper end normally bridging said aperture and resting upon said oap, releasable latch means for holding said plunger-n the normal position, a rocket toy normally bridging the upper end of s-aid plunger and supported upon said cap, an openable and closable door on said rocket toy, a miniature satellite in said rocket toy, Y propelling means within said rocket toy for ejecting said satellite out of said door` when the latter has been moved to the open position, thrust imparting means including a reel supported on sa-id base 4for rotary movement labout a lhorizontal axis, a plurality of upstanding tubes arranged in telescopic nested position positioned within said launching member and having the upper end of one of said tubes fixedly attached to said cap, vand a cable wound upon said reel and having the free end operatively connected to the portion of said one tube adjacent to Yand below said cap for projecting said launching member from the position of rest upon said support vertically upwardly from said base, and a tn'pping element cariredby 'said' thrust t said plunger to be forcibly ejected -against the rocket toy into space, the door of said rocket toy being shiftabl'e to open position upon contact by the launched rocket toy of an overhead object and permit actuation of the propelling means to eject the satellite into space.

Coleman et a1 Apr. 20, 1954 2,733,699 Krinsky Feb. 7, 1956 2,751,711 Greenwood .Tune 26, 1956