US3110125A - Spinning top toy assembly - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 12, 1963 J. E. GIBSON, JR 3,110,125

SPINNING TOP TOY ASSEMBLY Filed July 2, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l 6 \36\ f 7 28- I l2 40 8 [24 6 0 I? b /6 g" lf y za 64 g 62 W Q5 4 INVENTOR JAMES E. GIBSON JR.

ATTORNEYS Nov. 12, 1963 J. E. GIBSON, JR

SPINNING TOP TOY ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 2, 1962 JAMES E. G/BSON JR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,110,125 SPINNING TOP TQY ASSEMBLY James E. Gibson, Sin, 1665 Emery Road, High Point, N.C. Filed July 2, 1962, Ser. No. 206,575 13 Claims. (Cl. 46-66) This invention relates generally to toys, and is particularly concerned with a spinning toy top assembly.

Various types of spinning tops have heretofore been suggested for use as toys. As well known, some prior top constructions incorporate a generally conical top body and are intended to be set in spinning motion by means of an operating cord Wrapped evenly and uniformly about the outer conical surface thereof. Still other top constructions include a conical body and mechanical means, usually in the form of a high-pitched screw means for setting the top body in spinning motion. Even other spinning top assemblies take the form of a return-top construction, commonly known as a Yo-yo, and certain of these lattenmentioned types include an external projecting tip adapting the top body to rotate normally about a vertical axis.

Although the prior spinning top type toys have met with widespread use, each of the prior constructions is generally adapted for use primarily by children within a given age group. Operation of each of the prior units in question requires generally a predetermined de ree of manipulation, and accordingly a generally predetermined dexterity of the operator; Thus, any one prior construction may be so easily operated that it presents a challenge only to the smaller children, only to the teenager, or only to the pre-teenager. For example, top constructions which incorporate a conical body and a high-pitch screw-type mechanical operating means and which are set in spinning motion by depression of an elongate screw rod can usually be operated by a child of five years age or less. Such tops, while amusing, do not normally present a sufiicient challenge to older children to retain their interest in the operation thereof for an extended or repeating periods of time. The return top type units or Yoyos are sufficiently complex to operate so as to provide amusement for a child in the pre-tecn age group, but this type construction is generally too difiicult to operate for the smaller child.

Gyroscopic type constructions often provide interest and amusement to the teenager, but many of these constructions require a dexterity and manipulation which surpass the ability of younger children. Thus, as should be apparent from the preceding discussion, prior spinning top type toys have generally been gauged for use by given age groups, and any one toy is accordingly somewhat limited in its use.

In contrast to the prior art, the present invention has as its primary object the provision of a spinning toy top assembly which can be operated in a plurality of different ways presenting different degrees of required manipulation ability and/or dexterity, whereby the assembly affords a challenge to different age groups. More specifically, it is a prirnary object of the present invention to provide a spinning toy top assembly which is so constructed that it can be set into basic operation by a young child, that it can be set into spinning operation by a somewhat older child in at least two different ways, and that it can be set in gyroscopic operation by an even older group of children and/ or adults. Still further in this regard, the

invention has as an important object thereof the provision of a toy which presents different degrees of challenge in operation to a user whereby the toy affords amusement and presents an interesting problem to an entire family, including those families in which there are only small children and those families wherein there are several children spaced in age.

Consistent with the foregoing primary and general objects of the invention, the following specific objects are significant: (a) the provision of a spinning toy top assembly comprising a spinning top body, a detachable support handle, and an operating cord wherein the body and handle are so constructed that the handle can serve to support the body when the operating cord is used to set the body in spinning motion and also used to support the spinning tip of the body after the same is set in spinning motion so as to permit gyroscopic action of the body by the user; (12) the provision of such an assembly wherein the top body can be set into spinning operation by a user with sulficient dexterity with a throwing b ack-hand type motion; (0) to provide such a spinning top assembly, which in addition to other operating features thereof, sounds a whistle, preferably of varying pitch, when the top body is spinning at suificient speeds; (d) to provide such an assembly which yields all of the aforesaid characteristics and advantages, yet which can be inexpensively produced in durable form so as to be available to the ordinary purchaser at a low price and usable without repair for extended periods of time; (2) to provide such an assembly wherein the component parts thereof can be formed of various types of materials including wood and moldable plastics, thus lending the production of the assembly to high speed and automatic production operation; and (f) to provide such an assembly wherein the top body thereof is shaped and formed to insure maximum aerodynamic balance and resultant efficient operation.

The invention lies in the combination, construction, arrangement and organization of the spinning toy top assembly disclosed herein. The invention will be better understood, and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent, when consideration is given to the following detailed description. Such description refers to the annexed drawings presenting preferred and illustrative embodiments of the invention. In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded side View, partially in section, presenting the component parts of the top body and support handle of an assembly constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment hereof;

FIGURE 2 is a side view, partially broken away and partially in section of a complete assembly constructed in accordance herewith and incorporating the component parts shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side view presenting the component parts of an assembly constructed in accordance herewith when the user thereof had manipulated the assembly in position to display a gyroscopic action;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a top body constructed in accordance herewith, FIGURE 4 having been taken as the body is viewed from the normally upper end thereof;

IGURE 5 is a fragmental sectional view presenting the details of construction of a modified form of support handle incorporated in an assembly constructed in accordance herewith;

FIGURE 6 is a side view, partially broken away, of a modified form of top body provided hereby for incor- 2 U poration in an assembly constructed in accordance herewith; and

FIGURE 7 is a fragmental side view of the normally upper end of a top body constructed in accordance with a further modification herein.

If reference is initially made to FIGURE 2, it will be noted that the spin top toy assembly is there generally designated by the numeral 10, and shown as included a spinning top body, generally designated by the numeral 12, a detachable support handle, generally designated by the numeral 14, and an operating cord generally designated by the numeral 16. a

The top body 12 has a conical base section 18 terminating in a generally pointed base tip Ztl. A continuous peripheral recess 22 is provided in the top body 12 between the normally vertical center and top end 24 of the body 12. The recess 22, as shown, is dimensioned to receive a plurality of turns of the operating cord whereby the operating cord can be wrapped within the recess 22.

At the normally top end 24 of the body 12, there is a centrally disposed vertically projecting collar 26 which has a cylindrical outer periphery 28, as shown. The outer diameter of the collar 26 is substantially smaller than the diameter of the top end or top face 24 of the body 12 in the embodiment shown in FIGURE 2, and since the upper end portion of the body 12 as shown in FIGURE 2 is generally cylindrical, the collar has a maximum outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the body 12 adjacent the recess 22 therein.

The operating handle or detachable support handle 14 as also well shown in FIGURE 2, comprises a gripping section 30 and a cup section 32 carried by and projecting from the gripping section 30. The cup section 32 has a base wall 34 and an upstanding ring wall 36 extending in projecting transverse relation to the base wall 34. While the operating or support handle 14 is shown in FIGURE 2 in one operating position thereof with the ring wall 36 extending downwardly from the base wall 34, in accordance with conventional terminology, the cup section may be defined as having a base wall 34 and an upstanding ring wall 36 extending thereabove.

The ring wall 36 of the cup section 32 of the support handle 14 terminates in spaced relation to the gripping section 30 of such handle and defines the open end 38 of the cup section. The ring wall 36 is dimensioned interiorly to freely rotatingly, and yet supportingly, receive the projecting collar 26 therein when the cup section 32 is disposed, as shown in FIGURE 2, over and in surrounding relation to the collar 26.

With the above construction, when the handle is disposed as shown in FIGURE 2, and the base tip is supported on a surface, preferably horizontal, a user can grip the handle 14 with one hand, and grip the operating cord 16, or specifically the figure-engaging loop 17 thereof, with the other hand and by maintaining the handle stationary and pulling the operating cord, the .top body 12 is set into spinning motion. Experience has proved this basic operation to require generally a minimum of dexterity, and accordingly basic operation of the assembly can be achieved by small children. Of course, the fit between the collar :26 and interior surface 37 of the ring wall 36 should be such that there is proper vertical support of the top body and yet comparatively free rotation of the collar within the cup section permitted. It should be noted that the free end it? of the cup section 32 bears against the top end or top surface 24 of the body 12 when the assembly is organized as shown in FIGURE 2, and

. this funther provides some support in the vertical position for the body 12.

Due to the open end construction of the cup section 32 of the support handle 14 and the free engagement thereof with the top body 12 and projecting collar 26 carried thereby, once the top body has been set in spinning motion, the handle 14 can be disassociated with the top body 12, and the top body will remain in spinning motion on the suppont surface where the motion was started. The operating cord 15 is preferably a separate cord wrapped within the recess 22, as explained above, and once the same has been pulled to start the spinning motion, the cord becomes free of engagement with the top body, and the top body remains in a spinning motion free of association with either the operating cord or support handle.

Now, in order to understand the gyroscopic action which can be achieved with the invention, assume that the top body was set in spinning motion on a desk or table top, and that the cord and operating handle were then disassociated therefrom with the top body remaining in spinning motion. To achieve the gyroscopic action, or more particularly the display thereof in accordance with the invention, the operating or suppont handle 14 would be inverted from the position shown in FIGURE 2 so that it assumed the position shown in full lines in FIGURE 3. The handle would then be moved adjacent the edge of the surface on which the top body 12 was spinning, as assumed above, and the top body would be directed in any suitable manner, as by a pencil or the like, toward the edge in question. The top body would eventually move off of the edge, and in accordance herewith, the user would attempt to catch the top body as it fell from the surface with the base tip 21% thereof in engagement with the base wall 34 and with the top body 12 still in spinning motion.

The base wall 34, as best shown in FIGURE 3, has a convex face facing the open end 38 of the cup section 32, and this convex face, as also shown in FIGURE 3 has a recess 50 therein disposed at the apex of the convex face 48. The recess 56 is itself cup-shaped and is dimensioned to receive the lower extremity of the base tip it).

The base tip 20 and immediately adjacent portion of the base section 18 of the top body 12 are dimensioned in accordance herewith in correlated relation to the inner diameter of the ring wall 35 and spacing between the open end 38 and base wall 34 of the cup section 32. The correlation between the dimensions in this regard is such that the base tip 29 and immediately adjacent portion of the base section 18 fit freely and tiltably within the ring wall 36 with the lower extremity of the base tip 24 supported on the base wall 34 or more particularly the face 48 thereof. Accordingly, the component parts utilized for gyroscopic display permit tilting of the handle 14, for example, to the dotted-line position shown in FIGURE 3, and the consequent demonstration of gyroscopic action of the top body 12.

\As suggested above, setting the top body in spinning motion with the organization shown in FIGURE 2 is comparatively simple from the manipulation standpoint. However, it has been found that obtaining the gyroscopic display position of the components as shown in FIGURE 3 presents a challenge even to an adult. It should be noted here that the convex face 48 has been included so as to permit the catching of the top body 12 within the cup section 32 with the base tip 20 merely engaging some 7 point on the base wall 34. :By vintue of the convexity and the inherent gyroscopic tendency of the body 12, when spinning, the base tip 21) will ride on the face 48 toward the recess Sil therein to thus set the base tip in the position for gyroscopic display.

Aside from the basic operation, and the gyroscopic display operation, the assembly provides a throwable toy spinning top. For this use, the operating. or support handle 14 is not used, but the operating cord is wrapped within the recess as shown in FlGURE 2 and the top body 12 is held in one hand with the finger loop 1'7 of the operating cord 16 engaged by a suitable finger of such hand. When so gripped, the operator uses a backhand motion throwing the body 12 outwardly, and retaining the loop 17. The body 12 rotates as it unwinds from the comparatively stationary operating cord 16 during this escribed action, and with the proper throwing technique, the base tip engages a horizontal surface with the top body spinning, and the top body remains in a spinning motion. This last-described operation requires possibly more dexterity than the basic operation referred to above and thus presents a different degree of challenge.

Referring again to FIGURE 2 and the preferred details of construction of the preferred embodiment, it will be noted that the base section 18 of the top body is disposed on what may be termed the lower side of the recess 22, and that a generally cylindrical top section 6 3' of the body 12 is disposed on the other side of the recess 22. The top section is essentially in the form of a disc and has an outer diameter at least substantially the same as the outer diameter of the end 62 of the base section 155 remote from the tip 20 thereof. A shaft section 64 of smaller diameter, in a manner explained more fully below, supports the top or disc section 64 in spaced relation to the end 62 of the base section with the faces of the base section and disc or top section adjacent the shaft section 4 defining the walls of the continuous peripheral recess 22.

The top section 69 of the top body 12 has a plurality of radial bores 66 extending therethrough and communicatin interiorly with an axial bore 68 which extends through the collar 26 and into the top or disc section 69 of the top body. The axial bore 58 is preferably formed with a shoulder 78 intermediate the ends thereof, and a Whistle means 72 is disposed within said axial bore in resting engagement above said shoulder 7%. With the provision of the described radial and axial bores, the communication therebetween, and the disposition of the whistle means within the axial bore in spaced relation to the inner or base end 69 thereof, as the top body spins there is a transfer of air through the whistle means and a resultant sounding thereby. It will be noted that the radial bores as communicate with the axial bore 68 adjacent the base 69 thereof, thus facilitating the proper positioning of the shoulder 76 and wafer-shaped Whistle means 72 supported thereby to achieve the required air flow.

In FIGURE 4 the preferred angular relation between the bores 66 is shown as well as the communication thereof with the axial bore 68, and whistle means '72.

The operating or support handle 14 incorporated in the preferred embodiment hereof advantageously comprises a wood turning shaped to yield the gripping section 3i) and cup section 32. The Walls of the open ended cup can be those resulting from boring inwardly into the cup section. The base wall 34, however, preferably is formed by a suitable low friction insert such as the metal wafer or disc 8t: shown in FIGURE 1. Such disc or wafer 89 is dimensioned to frictionally fit tightly within the ring wall 28 and in resting engagement on the base of the cup. While the preferred embodiment contemplates forming the handle 1 as prescribed above, a modification hereof provides for forming the handle as shown in FIGURE 5. By reference to this figure, it will be noted that the handle 14- there shown includes a gripping section 3%) having an axial bore 82 disposed centrally thereon and opening onto the adjacent free end. The bore 32 is adapted to receive in tight frictional engagement the shaft projection or stud 84 which extends from a cup section element generally designated by the numeral 86. This cup section element has a convex base wall 83 and an upstanding ring wall 9! The free end of the rin wall 90 is beveled as at as, but generally this cup section element provides a corresponding construction to that of the cup section 32 described above. If the cup section element 8-5 is formed as a wood turning, then the recess 4 provided at the apex of the conical base wall 83 thereon can advantageously have inserted therein a small low friction durable bearing cup 96.

It should be understood that the wafer or disc 8t? shown in FIGURE 1 is designed to provide a bearing surface over the entire base inside of the cup section 32. Thus,

this disc or wafer can be formed, for example of suitable bearing materials such as steel, polytetrafluoroethylene (tefion) or other conventional bearing material. However, as suggested in connection with FIGURE 5, the base of the cup can be an exposed wood surface with a small metal or other suitable bearing material, cup provided in the recess thereof to insure continued troublefree operation notwithstanding the bearing action of the base tip 2%. Still further, as also suggested in connection with FIGURE 5, the open end 38 of the cup section 32 can be beveled so as to reduce the frictional engagement between such end and the top end or face 24 of the top body 12 during operation of the assembly with the arrangement of FIGURE 2 to set the top body in spinning motion.

To minimize production costs and facilitate manufacture by mass production techniques, the top body 12 is preferably formed from two mating parts designated respectively in FIGURE 1 as A and B. Part A is, in accordance with the preferred embodiment hereof, a frustoconical wood turning having a cylindrical lip or edge 9% adjacent the outer base thereof and connecting with the outer frusto-conical surface 92, at the end thereof of greatest diameter, the top end as shown. The apex of the frusto-conical part A is provided with an axial bore 94 having an open end 96 at the apex. The end of the part A remote from the apex is provided with an enlarged axial counter bore 98. The axial counter bore 98 is centrally disposed vertically with respect to the axis of part A and extends through a projection collar which extends laterally of the top face 192 of part A.

The axial bore 94 is adapted to receive the shaft 164 of a spear-headed element 166. The spear head 103 of this element is conical and forms the base tip 20 discussed previously. The shaft 164 carries frictional projections or grooves 111 such as included on a conventional nail, whereby the shaft 104 can be frictionally inserted, maintained, and gripped within the axial bore 94 dimensioned to receive the shaft.

The spear headed element 1% is preferably formed of a low friction bearing material such as steel, aluminum, or Teflon, for example. The material selected should have correlated characteristics for proper bearing on the material utilized in forming the bearing surface of the small cup recess in the base wall of the cup section 32 of the operating or support handle 30.

The part B of the top body 12 is preferably also formed as a wood turning and includes and provides the top or disc section as of the body 12, as well as the projecting collar 26 thereof. Still further, part B is provided with the radial bores 66 and the shouldered axial bore 63. In addition, however, the part 13 includes a stub cylindrical projection 116 which is centrally disposed and projects beyond the side of part B opposite that from which the collar 26 projects. The stub projection 11!? of part B and axial counter bore 93 in part A are dimensioned to provide for a tight frictional lit of the stub projection in the counter bore 98. When the stub projection 110 is inserted within the counter bore $8 the lower face 112 of part B from which the stub projects engages the top face 114 of the collar 1% of part A. Thus, with the parts assembled as shown in FIGURE 2, the continuous peripheral recess 22 has side walls defined by the face 152 of part A and the face 112 of part B and a base wall defined by the outer periphery of collar 10% of part A.

The whistle means 72 referred to above is of well known construction and includes a pair of mating cup shaped members 116 and 113, each of which has a small aperture centrally provided in the crown face or wall thereof. Utilization of such a whistle means, as suggested above, requires proper positioning thereof relative to the air passage channel established through the radial bores 65 and axial bore 68, but such positioning can be achieved easily by those familiar with the art from the teachings of this specification with respect to the overall construction of the assembly provided hereby. It is to be noted, however, that a whistle means such as described above affords at least two different tones during spinning operation of the top body 12, and yet, by virtue of the construction herein taught, the whistle means and associated air passage does not interfere with proper aerodynamic balance of the overall unit.

Notwithstanding the fact that the preferred embodiment of the present invention contemplates forming the body 12 primarily from wood, such body can be formed from molded plastic. In this instance, it would be desirable to mold parts A and B as shown in FIGURE 1 so as to minimize molding problems. Moreover, in this instance, in order to avoid expense of materials, it would be desirable to at least mold part A as a hollow body. An exemplary construction of this type is shown in FIGURE 6 partially broken away side view. The top body 12 is shown as having at least the base section thereon molded as a hollow component and filled with a dense material such as sand, the sand being designated by the numeral 139. Filling of hollow-molded articles can be achieved in various ways Well known to those engaged in toy manufacture, and thus a detailed discussion of this modification of the instant invention, further than set forth above, appears unnecessary. The important factor is to understand that the assembly hereof can be formed from various materials and in different ways without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For a still further example, refer to FIGURE 7 wherein the top body 12" is shown as including a generically spherical upper or top section 69.

Although the details of the invention have been discussed at length above, there are certain structural characteristics of possible significance which have not been mentioned; (a) the convexity of the base face within the cup section of the support handle preferably has a mean angle of slope of between five and twenty degrees; ([2) the preferred embodiment contemplates the use of a flat top end or face 24 because this facilitates the printing of indicia thereon and/ or the application of a suitable display or advertising label, decal, or the like, and/or the provision of an attractive geometric design thereon.

After reading the foregoing detailed description, it should be apparent that the objects set forth at the outset of this specification have been successfully achieved. Accordingly,

What is claimed is:

1. A spinning top toy assembly comprising a spinning top body adapted to spin about a vertical axis, a detachable support handle, and an operating cord, said top body having an at least generally conical base section terminating in an at least generally pointed base tip, a continuous peripheral recess between the center and the top end of said body, said recess being dimensioned to receive a plurality of turns of said cord therein, said body carrying at the normally top end thereof a centrally disposed vertically projecting collar having a maximum outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of said body adjacent said recess, said handle comprising a gripping section and a cup section integral with and projecting from said gripping section, said cup section having a base Wall and a ring wall projecting therefrom, said ring wall terminating in spaced relation to said gripping section and defining an open end of said cup section, said base wall having a convex face and a recess disposed at the apex of said convex face, said ring wall being dimensioned interiorly to freely rotatably supportingly receive said projecting collar therein when said cup section is disposed over and in surrounding relation to said collar, said base tip and immediately adjacent portion of said base section of said top body being dimensioned to freely and tiltably fit witd n said ring wall with said base tip supported on the convex face of said base wall so as to.

permit adjustable movement of said top to urge said base tip toward and into said last-mentioned recess during a spinning operation of said top body.

2. A spinning top toy assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said cup section is disposed at one end of, and in longitudinal alignment wi said gripping secti n.

3. A spinning top toy assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said ring wall is formed integrally with said gripping section.

4. A spinning top toy assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein said base wall comprises a low friction insert.

5. A spinning top toy assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein said base wall is formed integrally with said ring wall and includes a low friction insert forming said recess therein.

6. A spinning top toy assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said collar has a cylindrical outer periphery, and said ring wall has a cylindrical inner periphery.

7. A spinning top toy assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein said top body has an axial bore extending through said collar and into the adjacent portion of said top body, wherein said top body also has a plurality of radial bores therethrough extending transversely of said axial bore and communicattherewith, and wherein a whistle means is disposed within said axial bore.

8. A spinning top toy assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein said whistle means is wafer shaped, and wherein said axial bore has a shoulder therein engaging the periphery of said whistle means and supporting the same in spaced relation to the base of said axial bore, and wherein said radial bores communicate with said axial bore adjacent the base thereof.

9. A spinning top toy assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein said top body includes a disc section having an outer diameter at least substantially the same as the outer diameter of the end of said base section remote from the tip thereof, and a shaft section of smaller diameter, said shaft section supporting said disc section in spaced relation to the last mentioned end of said base section, the faces of said base section and said disc section adjacent said shaft section defining the walls of said continuous peripheral recess.

10. A spinning top toy assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said collar has a cylindrical outer periphery, and said ring wall has a cylindrical inner periphery.

11. A spinning top toy assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said top body has an axial bore extending through said collar and into the adjacent portion of said top body, wherein said top body also has a plurality of radial bores therethrough extending transversely of said axial bore and communicating therewith, and wherein a whistle means is disposed within said axial bore.

12. A spinning top toy assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein said whistle means is wafer shaped, and wherein said axial bore has a shoulder therein engaging the periphcry of said whistle means and supporting the some in spaced relation to the base of said axial bore, wherein said radial bores communicate with said axial bore adjacent the base thereof, wherein said top body includes a disc section having an outer diameter at least substantially the same as the outer diameter of the end of said base section remote from the tip thereof, and a shaft section of smaller diameter, said shaft section supporting said disc section in spaced relation to the last mentioned end of said base section, the faces of said base section and said disc section adjacent said shaft section defining the walls of said continuous peripheral recess.

. 13. A spinning top toy assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said top body comp-rises a pair of mating components, one of said components providing said base section and having a centrally disposed collar projecting from the end thereon opposite said base tip, said one component having an axial bore therein extending through said last mentioned collar, the other or" said components providing a top section for said body and having a stub projection extending laterally and centrally from one side thereof, said stub projection being frictionally engaged in said axial bore, said one side of said other component and 9 said end of said one component defining the side walls of said peripheral recess, the outer surface of said last mentioned collar providing the base wall of said peripheral recess.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 625,121 Powers May 16, 1899 Hennessy Mar. 25, 1902 Cook Apr. 7, 190 3 Handell Feb. 8, 1916 Murphree Dec. 6, 1932 Laing Dec. 6, 1938 Gill Feb. 14, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS France June 30, 1947

Claims (1)

1. A SPINNING TOP TOY ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A SPINNING TOP BODY ADAPTED TO SPIN ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS, A DETACHABLE SUPPORT HANDLE, AND AN OPERATING CORD, SAID TOP BODY HAVING AN AT LEAST GENERALLY CONICAL BASE SECTION TERMINATING IN AN AT LEAST GENERALLY POINTED BASE TIP, A CONTINUOUS PERIPHERAL RECESS BETWEEN THE CENTER AND THE TOP END OF SAID BODY, SAID RECESS BEING DIMENSIONED TO RECEIVE A PLURALITY OF TURNS OF SAID CORD THEREIN, SAID BODY CARRYING AT THE NORMALLY TOP END THEREOF A CENTRALLY DISPOSED VERTICALLY PROJECTING COLLAR HAVING A MAXIMUM OUTER DIAMETER SMALLER THAN THE OUTER DIAMETER OF SAID BODY ADJACENT SAID RECESS, SAID HANDLE COMPRISING A GRIPPING SECTION AND A CUP SECTION INTEGRAL WITH AND PROJECTING FROM SAID GRIPPING SECTION, SAID CUP SECTION HAVING A BASE WALL AND A RING WALL PROJECTING THEREFROM, SAID RING WALL TERMINATING IN SPACED RELATION TO SAID GRIPPING SECTION AND DEFINING AN OPEN END OF SAID CUP SECTION, SAID BASE WALL HAVING A CONVEX FACE AND A RECESS DISPOSED AT THE APEX OF SAID CONVEX FACE, SAID RING WALL BEING DIMENSIONED INTERIORLY TO FREELY ROTATABLY SUPPORTINGLY RECEIVE SAID PROJECTING COLLAR THEREIN WHEN SAID CUP SECTION IS DISPOSED OVER AND IN SURROUNDING RELATION TO SAID COLLAR, SAID BASE TIP AND IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT PORTION OF SAID BASE SECTION OF SAID TOP BODY BEING DIMENSIONED TO FREELY AND

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