US3137966A - Gyroscope toy with free wheeling drive and heavy duty bearings for the flywheel - Google Patents

Gyroscope toy with free wheeling drive and heavy duty bearings for the flywheel Download PDF

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Publication number
US3137966A
US3137966A US169517A US16951762A US3137966A US 3137966 A US3137966 A US 3137966A US 169517 A US169517 A US 169517A US 16951762 A US16951762 A US 16951762A US 3137966 A US3137966 A US 3137966A
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United States
Prior art keywords
housing
gyroscope
toy
wheel
spindle
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US169517A
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Raymond J Lohr
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Louis Marx and Co Inc
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Louis Marx and Co Inc
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Priority to US169517A priority Critical patent/US3137966A/en
Priority to GB25651/62A priority patent/GB1008765A/en
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    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63HTOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
    • A63H1/00Tops
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10TTECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T74/00Machine element or mechanism
    • Y10T74/12Gyroscopes
    • Y10T74/1204Gyroscopes with caging or parking means
    • Y10T74/1207Rotor spin and cage release type
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10TTECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T74/00Machine element or mechanism
    • Y10T74/12Gyroscopes
    • Y10T74/1282Gyroscopes with rotor drive

Definitions

  • the general object of the invention is to improve gyroscope toys.
  • a more particular object is to provide a gyroscope toy which is substantial in size and which has a relatively large-diameter weighty iiy wheel or rotor so that the gyroscope exerts very substantial inertia and precession forces, and yet is safe for use by a child.
  • a further object is to provide effective and inexpensive means to set the fly wheel or rotor into high speed rotation despite its relatively large size.
  • the toy is provided with means to help illustrate the principles of a gyroscope, and some of the many experiments and stunts which may be performed with it.
  • the rotor preferably is fully enclosed and is provided with poles in alignment with the axis of the fly wheel to afford certain operations.
  • the rounded or spherically surfaced ends of the poles are large enough to be provided not only with grooves to facilitate riding on a string or wire, but also with holes therethrough for attachment of a string.
  • the toy is provided with a pedestal having a base and a post, with the upper end of the post cupped to receive a gyroscope pole in vertical, horizontal or angular position.
  • the toy further comprises a yoke with trunnions detachably receivable in bearings diametrically located in the plane of the ily wheel, and the yoke is itself provided half Way between the trunnions with a downwardly directed bearing adapted to be detachably received on the upper end of the pedestal post for free rotation thereon.
  • These parts may be used as detachable girnbals.
  • Still another object of the invention is to provide a sturdy and long wearing gyroscope structure which nevertheless is adapted for inexpensive manufacture, so that it may be sold and used as a toy.
  • a still further object is to enhance the play value of the toy by the provision of certain pockets or recesses in the housing adapted to receive miniature toy simulated space men or launchable miniature toy rockets or the like, such that a child playing with the toy may treat it as a space ship.
  • FIG. 1 is a plan view of a gyroscope toy embodying features of the present invention, with the gyroscope supported by a yoke and pedestal;
  • FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken approximately in the plane of the line 2-2 of FIG. l;
  • FIG. 3 shows the construction of a detachable crank which is employed to energize the gyroscope
  • FIG. 4 is a section taken approximately in the plane of the line 4 4 of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view explanatory of the operation of the step-up gear train.
  • FIG. 6 is a somewhat schematic perspective view showing one use of the toy.
  • the toy comprises an enclosed housing made up of two oppositely dished circular members 12 3,137,966 Patented June 23, 1964 and 14, preferably molded out of an impact-resistant plastics material.
  • a fly Wheel or rotor 16 is rotatably mounted in the housing.
  • a gear box 18 is secured to the housing, in this case to the part 12.
  • the main gear 20 has a socket to detachably receive a readily removable crank 24.
  • Crank 24 is adapted to be inserted through an appropriate opening in the housing and into the socket.
  • the socket is a square hole in the hub or spindle of main gear 20, and it slidably receives the matingly square end 26 of the crank.
  • the crank is made of heavy square wire having a width of, say, 1A; inch.
  • the outer end of the crank rotatably receives a molded plastic handle 2S (FIG. 3) which may be held in position by a friction washer received inside the enlarged end of the handle, said washer having angularly disposed outwardly directed tabs which bite into the square Wire to securely resist removal of the handle, without, however, preventing free rotation thereof.
  • the gyroscope is rather sizeable, and in the particular example here illustrated the housing has a diameter of 71/2 inches.
  • the housing may be held securely while turning the crank vigorously at gradually increasing speed until a suitable high speed is obtained.
  • the drive is preferably an overrunning or free wheeling drive, and for this purpose the gear box preferably includes an elongated or slot shaped bearing shown at 30 in FIGS. 4 and 5. The disengagement of the gear train may, if desired, be
  • Y* assisted by a light spring wire shown at 32.
  • One end of the wire is anchored at 34, and the other or movable'end bears against the spindle 36 and tends to move it to the outward or disengaged position shown in FIG. 4, in which pinion 22 is freed for high speed rotation.
  • FIG. 5 when the crank is turned in the direction indicated by the arrow, the shaft 36 is urged toward pinion 22.
  • the gear train in the present case includes a plurality of intermediate compound gears which cumulatively have a very high step-up ratio.
  • the main gear 20 meshes with a pinion 38 which drives a gearA 40, which in turn meshes with a pinion 42 which drives a gear 44.
  • the latter is adapted to mesh with and drive the fly wheel pinion 22, as illustrated in FIG. 5, but when no drive force is applied to the crank the inertia rotation of the y wheel and pinion 22 turns pinion 42 in such direction that it moves to the outer end of the bearing slot 30, as shown in FIG. 4, thereby disengaging the gear ltrain from the fly wheel pinion. This disengagement is further assured by spring 32.
  • the toy preferably includes a pedestal made up of a base 45 carrying a post 46.
  • the top end of the post has a concavity 48, best shown in FIG. 2.
  • the outwardly dished sides 12 and 14 of the housing have poles 50 and 52. These poles project in opposite direction at the center of the sides 12 and 14, and are therefore in alignment with the axis of the spindle S4 which carries the fly wheel 16.
  • the ends of the poles are somewhat enlarged and spherically shaped, as indicated at 56.
  • Each pole is preferably provided with an open slot 58 adapted to receive a string or wire on which the toy may ride, with the axis in upright position.
  • each pole has a hole 59 passing diametrically through the spherical end. A string may be passed through hole 59, and knotted or used double, so that the gyroscope may be suspended by the string to perform certain stunts.
  • the spherical configuration at the ends 56 of the pedestal may be rested on the pedestal with one end 58 received at the top of the post 46, as shown in broken lines at 46' in FIG. 2.
  • the height of the pedestal is suicient for the housing to clear the pedestal base, and a table surface or the like on which the pedestal may be resting, with the poles in horizontal position.
  • the force of precession then causes the gyroscope to revolve bodily about the post.
  • the gyroscope also may be placed on the post with the poles in upright position, or in angular position.
  • the toy preferably additionally includes a generally semicircular yoke 60 which is larger in radius than the housing of the gyroscope.
  • the yoke has trunnions 62 which are 180 degrees apart at the ends of the yoke.
  • the yoke further includes an outwardly projecting bearing 64 located half way between the trunnions 62.
  • the housing has diametrically opposed bearings on its edges to detachably receive the trunnions 62. In the present case the bearings are simply holes passing through the edges, as indicated at 66.
  • the yoke 60 is preferably made of a suitable plastics material, and may be flexed outwardly enough for removal of one trunnion 62 from its bearing 66. Thereupon the other trunnion is readily removed, thereby freeing the gyroscope housing from the yoke 60.
  • the bearing 64 at the bottom of the yoke is dimensioned to be detachably received by a mating part 68 at the 4upper end of post 46.
  • the parts have a freely rotational fit.
  • the free rotation of the gyroscope housing on trunnions 62, and the free rotation of yoke 60 on the post 46, provides a somewhat gimbal-like arrangement which permits the performance of additional experiments and stunts.
  • the fly wheel 16 is preferably stamped out of heavy gage sheet metal, having a thickness of at least lz inch. Its mass may be reduced near the center while maintaining it at the periphery by stamping a ring of holes through the metal, and in the present case there are four such holes indicated at 70 in FIG. 4. The fly wheel is made accurately so that it is balanced for high speed rotation.
  • the fly wheel is carried on a preferably die cast spindle 54, and in FIG. 2 it will be seen that this includes an integral hub disc 72 with axially directed integral rivets 74.
  • the center hole of the fly wheel is received over a cylindrical hub portion 76, and small additional holes receive the rivets.
  • the y wheel is held securely in position by upsetting or riveting the ends of the rivets 74.
  • the disc 72 is preferably reinforced by triangularly shaped integral webs 78, and the driven pinion previously referred to is also molded integrally with the spindle 54.
  • the ends of the spindle have axially directed holes which are accurately located in the piece as molded.
  • Two separate hardened steel pins 80 preferably of uniform diameter, and highly polished, have their inner ends received tightly in the holes of the spindle.
  • the housing parts 12 and 14 have bearings S2 secured in seats 84 molded integrally with the sides of the housing.
  • These bearings 82 are preferably porous bronze bearings which may be impregnated with a lubricant, so that they remain permanently self-lubricated.
  • the bearings 82 receive the outer ends of the pins 80 for free rotation of the pins and spindle and fly wheel.
  • the gear housing 18 preferably is stamped out of two pieces of sheet metal.
  • One piece has a bearing wall 86 with four side walls 88 and 90 bent outwardly therefrom.
  • the other piece has a bearing wall 92 and a narrow peripheral ange 94, so that it ts over the open face of the rst part like the cover of a box.
  • the walls 88 and 90 have tongues which pass through mating slots in the cover wall 92. If desired, a few extra tongues may be bent over the cover wall to preliminarily hold the gear box and gearing in assembled relation.
  • There are four main tongues 96 which pass straight through mating slots in the plastic housing wall 12, and which are bent over in mating recesses on the outside of wall 12 to securely lock the gear housing on the wall 12, as shown in FIG. 1.
  • Poles 50 and 52 are preferably separately molded, each with a concave portion 100 and a flat base portion 102. The latter is received in a mating seat 104, and is permanently secured in position, as by the use of a cement or solvent.
  • the pole portions 50 and 52 are molded out of a suitable plastics material such as hard polystyrene.
  • the housing parts 12 and 14, however, are preferably molded out of a super impact-resistant polystyrene, in order to withstand breakage in the event that the gyroscope is dropped when playing or experimenting with the same.
  • the housing part 14 is molded with several pockets or recesses indicated at 106. These facilitate play with the toy as a simulated space ship, and for that purpose the toy is preferably sold with some accessory parts, simulating space men, reproduced in miniature size. Also miniature spring-launched rockets may be provided, and referring to FIG. 6, the gyroscope housing is shown carried by yoke 60 on pedestal 46, with a pair of rockets being launched as indicated at 112 and 114. To launch these, a release part may be pressed by means of nger pressure, as indicated at 116, and the stability of the present gyroscope is so great that there is no difficulty in applying this linger pressure while the gyroscope is in operation.
  • the housing With the gyroscope housing removed from the yoke, the housing may be grasped in ones hands, and the inertia force and also the force of precession may be realized by attempting to turn the housing with ones hands.
  • the device may be stood on one pole or the other, and used as a spinning top. It may be rested on one linger, with the poles either erect or horizontal or at an angle. The device may be held in two hands by the two poles, and the forces involved will be experienced when attempting to change the position of the poles.
  • a string may be passed around the upper pole, and if drawn like the reins of a horse, the gyroscope immediately ducks away from the string, like a balky mule.
  • the string also may be used to change the angle of the pole axis.
  • the gyroscope By stretching a string or wire taut, at a slight angle to horizontal, the gyroscope may be placed with the groove of a pole resting on the wire, for a slide along the wire. Other stunts may be performed after tying a string securely around one pole, or passing it through a hole in the pole and then holding the string doubled. With the gyroscope disposed at the lower end of the string at an angle, like the tilted axis of the earth, the gyroscope may be swung about a lighted lamp to illustrate how the earth orbits about the sun with its pole pointing always in the same direction, thus helping explain the change from summer to winter. With the poles horizontal and a string doubled loosely around one pole, the device may be rolled along the ground like a hoop.
  • a pole When using a pedestal, a pole may be rested on the pedestal, with the poles upright or horizontal or at an angle. When horizontal the downward force of gravity results in a horizontal precession force which causes the housing to revolve bodily about the pedestal. By changing from one pole to the other the direction of revolution about the post is reversed. With the housing at an angle on the pedestal the latter may be held in one hand and moved around a room while turning or facing in different directions to show how the poles remain pointing in a fixed direction, because of gyroscopic inertia.
  • the housing With the housing mounted in the yoke, and with the yoke on its pedestal, the housing may be tilted to any desired position, and it maintains that position. If the pedestal is moved about, or one holding it faces in dilererent directions the poles do not change direction, and act like a gyro compass in gimbals. If a force is exerted directly on the poles or housing to change their position, the yoke turns about the pedestal because of precession force. If one turns the yoke about the post, the housing revolves on the yoke trunnions, without anyone touching the housing. Turning the yoke in opposite direction causes the housing to revolve on the trunnions in opposite direction.
  • the toy in addition to the foregoing and many other experiments and stunts which may be devised, to show either gyroscopic inertia, or precession, the toy also may be played with as a space satellite or space Vehicle toy, with the aid of accessories such as miniature toy space men and rockets etc., the latter being schematically illustrated in FIG. 6.
  • a gyroscope toy comprising an enclosed housing made of two oppositely dished circular housing members, a large diameter massive ily wheel rotatably mounted therein, a gear box secured inside said housing, a train of step-up gearing in said gear box including a main gear and a pinion on the ily wheel, the main gear having a socket to detachably receive a readily removable crank handle, a crank handle of large radius adapted to be inserted through the housing wall and into the socket, and said gearing comprising means providing an overrunning or free Wheeling drive for the ily Wheel.
  • a gyroscope toy comprising an enclosed housing made of two oppositely dished circular members molded out of an impact-resistant plastics material, a large diameter massive fly wheel rotatably mounted therein, said housing members having short outwardly projecting poles in alignment with the axis of the ily wheel, said housing being an oblate spheroid having a height only a fraction of its diameter, a gear box secured inside said housing, a train of step-up gearing in said gear box including a main driving gear and a plurality of intermediate cornpound ⁇ gears and a driven pinion on the ily wheel, the main gear having a socket to detachably receive a readily removable crank, a crank of large radius adapted to be inserted through the housing wall and into the socket, and a slot-shaped bearing receiving one of the intermediate gears to provide an overrunning or free wheeling drive for the ily Wheel.
  • a gyroscope toy comprising a housing having oppositely projecting poles, a ily wheel rotatably mounted in said housing on a spindle which is in alignment with said poles, means to facilitate setting the ily wheel into high speed rotation, a generally semicircular yoke having trunnions 180 degrees apart at the ends of the yoke and having an outwardly projecting bearing half way between the trunnions, said housing having diametrically opposed bearings on its edges in the plane of the ily wheel to detachably receive the trunnions, a pedestal including a base and a post carried thereby, and mems at the top of the post to readily detachably receive the bearing of the yoke with a freely rotatable lit.
  • a gyroscope toy comprising a housing having oppositely projecting poles, a ily wheel rotatably mounted in said housing on a spindle which is in alignment with said poles, means to facilitate setting the ily wheel into high speed rotation, a generally semicircular yoke having trunnions 180 degrees part at the ends of the yoke and having an outwardly projecting bearing half way between the trunnions, said housing having diametrically opposed bearings on its edges in the plane of the ily wheel to detachably receive the trunnions, a pedestal including a base and a post carried thereby, and means at the top of the post to readily detachably receive the bearing of the yoke with a freely rotatable lit, the top end of the post having a concavity dimensioned to receive the end of a pole of the housing with the housing overhung from the post.
  • a gyroscopel toy comprising an enclosed housing made of two oppositely dished circular members, oppositely projecting poles at the center of said members, a ily wheel rotatably mounted in said housing on a spindle which is in alignment with said poles, means to faciliate setting the ily wheel into high speed rotation, a generally semicircular yoke having trunnions degrees apart at the ends of the yoke and having an outwardly projecting bearing half way between the trunnions, said housing having ydiametrically opposed bearings on its edges in the plane of the ily wheel to detachably receive the trunnions, a pedestal including a base and a post carried thereby, and means at the top of the post to readily detachably receive the bearing of the yoke with a freely rotatable iit.
  • a gyroscope toy comprising an enclosed housing made of two oppositely dished circular members, oppositely projecting poles at the center of said members, a ily Wheel rotatably mounted in said housing on a spindle which is in alignment with said poles, means to facilitate setting the ily wheel into high speed rotation, a generally semicircular yoke having trunnions 180 degrees apart at the ends of the yoke and having an outwardly projecting bearing half way between the trunnions, said housing having diametrically opposed bearings on its edges in the piane of the ily Wheel to detachably receive the trunnions, a pedestal including a base and a post carried thereby, and means at the top of the post to readily detachably receive the bearing of the yoke with a freely rotatable fit, the top end of the post having a concavity dimensioned to receive the end of a pole of the housing with the housing overhung from the post.
  • a gyroscope toy comprising a housing carrying a ily wheel, said ily wheel being stamped out of heavy gage sheet metal, a die cast spindle having an integral hub portion carrying said ily wheel, said spindle having axially directed holes at the ends of the spindle, hardened steel pins of uniform diameter having their inner ends received in said holes, said housing having bearings receiving the outer ends of said pins for free rotation.
  • a gyroscope toy comprising a housing carrying a ily wheel, said housing being an oblate spheroid made of two oppositely dished circular sides and having a height which is only a fraction of its diameter, said ily wheel being stamped out of heavy gage sheet metal and having a diameter approaching that of the housing, a die cast spindle carrying said ily wheel, said spindle having an integral hub disc with projecting integral rivets receiving the ily wheel and also having axially directed holes at the ends of the spindle, hardened steel pins of uniform diameter having their inner ends received in said holes, said housing having bearings receiving the outer ends of said pins for free rotation.
  • a gyroscope toy comprising a housing carrying a fly wheel, said ily wheel being stamped out of heavy gage sheet metal, a die cast spindle carrying said ily Wheel, said spindle having an integral hub disc with axially directed integral rivets receiving the ily wheel and having axially directed holes at the ends of the spindle, and hardened steel pins of uniform diameter having their inner ends received in said holes, said housing having bearings receiving the outer ends of said pins for free rotation of the spindle and ily wheel.
  • a gyroscope toy comprising a housing, a ily wheel rotatably mounted therein, a gear box secured to said housing, a train oi step-up gearing in said gear box including a main gear and a pinion on the fly wheel spindle, the main gear having a socket to detachably receive a readily removable crank handle, a crank handle adapted to be inserted into the socket, and said gearing comprising means providing an overrunning or free wheeling drive for the ily wheel, the ily wheel being made of heavy gage sheet metal, a die cast spindle having an integral hub carrying the ily wheel, the spindle having axially directed holes at its ends, hardened steel pins of uniform diameter haivng their inner ends received in said holes, and the housing having bearings which receive the outer ends of said pins for free rotation therein.
  • a gyroscope toy comprising an enclosed housing made of two oppositely dished circular members molded out of an impact-resistant plastics material, a large diameter ily wheel rotatably mounted therein, a gear box secured inside said housing, a train of step-up gearing in said gear box including a main driving gear and a plurality of intermediate compound gears and a driven pinion on the ily wheel spindle, the main gear having a socket to detachably receive a readily removable crank, a large radius crank adapted to be inserted through the housing wall and into the socket, a slot shaped bearing receiving one of the intermediate gears to provide an overrunning of free wheeling drive for the ily wheel, the ily wheel being made of heavy gage sheet metal, a die cast spindle having an integral hub carrying the ily Wheel, the spindle having axially directed holes at its ends, hardened steel pins of uniform diameter having their inner ends received in said holes, and the housing having bearings which receive the outer ends of said pins for free rotation therein.
  • a gyroscope toy comprising a housing, a ily wheel rotatably mounted therein, a gear box secured inside said housing, a train of step-up gearing in said gear box including a main gear and a pinion on the ily wheel spindle, the main gear having a socket to detachably receive a readily removable crank handle, a crank handle adapted to be inserted into the socket, said gearing comprising means providing an overrunning or free wheeling drive for the ily wheel, the ily wheel being made of heavy gage sheet metal, a die cast spindle having an integral hub disc with axially directed integral rivets receiving the ily wheel, said pinion being integrally formed on said spindle, said spindle having axially directed holes at its ends, hardened steel pins of uniform diameter having their inner ends received in said holes, and the housing having bearings which receive the outer ends of said pins for free rotation therein.
  • a gyroscope toy comprising an enclosed housing made of two oppositely dished circular members molded out of an impact-resistant plastics material, a large diameter ily wheel rotatably mounted therein, a gear box secured inside said housing, a train of step-up gearing in said gear box including a main driving gear and a plurality of intermediate compound gears and a driven pinion on the ily wheel spindle, the main gear having a socket to detachably receive a readily removable crank, a large radius crank adapted to be inserted through the housing wall and into the socket, a slot shaped bearing receiving one of the intermediate gears to provide an overrunning or free wheeling drive for the ily wheel, the ily wheel being made of heavy gage sheet metal, a die cast spindle having an integral hub disc with axially directed integral rivets receiving the ily Wheel, and the aforesaid pinion also being formed integrally with the spindle, said spindle having axially directed holes at its ends, hardened steel pins of uniform diameter
  • a gyroscope toy comprising an enclosed housing made of two oppositely dished circular members, said housing eing an oblate spheroid having a height which is only a fraction of its diameter, said circular members having outwardly projecting poles on the short axis of the housing, a ily wheel having a diameter approaching that of the housing rotatably mounted therein, a sheet metal gear box secured to one of said members inside the housing, a train of step-up gearing in said gear box including a main driving gear and a driven pinion on the ily wheel, the main gear having a socket to detachably receive a readily removable crank, a crank adapted to be inserted through the housing wall and into the socket, said gearing comprising means providing an overrunning or free wheeling drive for the ily wheel, the axis of said ily wheel being in alignment with the poles.
  • a gyroscope toy comprising an enclosed housing made of two oppositely dished circular members molded out of an impact-resistant plastics material, said housing being an oblate spheroid having a height which is only a fraction of its diameter, said circular members having outwardly projecting poles on the short axis of the housing, the ends of the poles being approximately spherical and having a transverse hole and a slot, a large diameter ily wheel having a diameter approaching that of the housing rotatably mounted therein, a sheet metal gear box secured to one of said members inside the housing, a train of step-up gearing in said gear box including a main driving gear and a plurality of intermediate compound gears and a driven pinion on the ily wheel, the main gear having a socket to detachably receive a readily removable crank, a large radius crank adapted to be inserted through the housing wall and into the socket, a slot shaped bearing receiving one of the intermediate gears to provide an overrunning or free Wheeling drive for the

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Description

June 23, 1964 R. J. LOHR 3,137,965 GYROSCOPE TOY WITH FREE WHEELING DRIVE AND HEAVY DUTY BEARINGS FOR THE FLY WHEEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 29, 1962 INVENTOR /Py/l/m/l/o J7 0f/,6 45 F/ 6.3 BY
June 23, 1964 R. J. LoHR GYRoscoPE TOY WITH FREE WHEELING DRIVE AND HEAvYDuTY BEARINGS FOR THE FLY WHEEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 29, 1962 INVENTOR. PWA/wvo J 0A/K BY 2 I Z TTOiIY-TYG United States Patent O Pa., assigner to Louis Marx dz York, NY., a corporation of This invention relates to toys, and more particularly to gyroscope toys.
The general object of the invention is to improve gyroscope toys. A more particular object is to provide a gyroscope toy which is substantial in size and which has a relatively large-diameter weighty iiy wheel or rotor so that the gyroscope exerts very substantial inertia and precession forces, and yet is safe for use by a child.
A further object is to provide effective and inexpensive means to set the fly wheel or rotor into high speed rotation despite its relatively large size.
Another object is to equip the toy with means to help illustrate the principles of a gyroscope, and some of the many experiments and stunts which may be performed with it. The rotor preferably is fully enclosed and is provided with poles in alignment with the axis of the fly wheel to afford certain operations. The rounded or spherically surfaced ends of the poles are large enough to be provided not only with grooves to facilitate riding on a string or wire, but also with holes therethrough for attachment of a string. The toy is provided with a pedestal having a base and a post, with the upper end of the post cupped to receive a gyroscope pole in vertical, horizontal or angular position. The toy further comprises a yoke with trunnions detachably receivable in bearings diametrically located in the plane of the ily wheel, and the yoke is itself provided half Way between the trunnions with a downwardly directed bearing adapted to be detachably received on the upper end of the pedestal post for free rotation thereon. These parts may be used as detachable girnbals.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a sturdy and long wearing gyroscope structure which nevertheless is adapted for inexpensive manufacture, so that it may be sold and used as a toy. A still further object is to enhance the play value of the toy by the provision of certain pockets or recesses in the housing adapted to receive miniature toy simulated space men or launchable miniature toy rockets or the like, such that a child playing with the toy may treat it as a space ship.
To accomplish the foregoing general objects, and other more specific objects which will hereinafter appear, the invention resides in the gyroscope elements and their relation one to another as are hereinafter more particularly described in the following specification. The specification is accompanied by drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a gyroscope toy embodying features of the present invention, with the gyroscope supported by a yoke and pedestal;
FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken approximately in the plane of the line 2-2 of FIG. l;
FIG. 3 shows the construction of a detachable crank which is employed to energize the gyroscope;
FIG. 4 is a section taken approximately in the plane of the line 4 4 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view explanatory of the operation of the step-up gear train; and
FIG. 6 is a somewhat schematic perspective view showing one use of the toy.
Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to FIGS. 2 and 4, the toy comprises an enclosed housing made up of two oppositely dished circular members 12 3,137,966 Patented June 23, 1964 and 14, preferably molded out of an impact-resistant plastics material. A fly Wheel or rotor 16 is rotatably mounted in the housing. A gear box 18 is secured to the housing, in this case to the part 12. There is a train of step-up gearing in gear box 18, and this includes a main driving gear 20 and a plurality of intermediate compound gears, leading to a driven pinion 22 on the y wheel.
The main gear 20 has a socket to detachably receive a readily removable crank 24. Crank 24 is adapted to be inserted through an appropriate opening in the housing and into the socket. In the present case the socket is a square hole in the hub or spindle of main gear 20, and it slidably receives the matingly square end 26 of the crank. The crank is made of heavy square wire having a width of, say, 1A; inch. The outer end of the crank rotatably receives a molded plastic handle 2S (FIG. 3) which may be held in position by a friction washer received inside the enlarged end of the handle, said washer having angularly disposed outwardly directed tabs which bite into the square Wire to securely resist removal of the handle, without, however, preventing free rotation thereof.
The gyroscope is rather sizeable, and in the particular example here illustrated the housing has a diameter of 71/2 inches. The housing may be held securely while turning the crank vigorously at gradually increasing speed until a suitable high speed is obtained. The drive is preferably an overrunning or free wheeling drive, and for this purpose the gear box preferably includes an elongated or slot shaped bearing shown at 30 in FIGS. 4 and 5. The disengagement of the gear train may, if desired, be
Y* assisted by a light spring wire shown at 32. One end of the wire is anchored at 34, and the other or movable'end bears against the spindle 36 and tends to move it to the outward or disengaged position shown in FIG. 4, in which pinion 22 is freed for high speed rotation. However, as shown in FIG. 5, when the crank is turned in the direction indicated by the arrow, the shaft 36 is urged toward pinion 22.
The gear train in the present case includes a plurality of intermediate compound gears which cumulatively have a very high step-up ratio. In the drawing the main gear 20 meshes with a pinion 38 which drives a gearA 40, which in turn meshes with a pinion 42 which drives a gear 44. The latter is adapted to mesh with and drive the fly wheel pinion 22, as illustrated in FIG. 5, but when no drive force is applied to the crank the inertia rotation of the y wheel and pinion 22 turns pinion 42 in such direction that it moves to the outer end of the bearing slot 30, as shown in FIG. 4, thereby disengaging the gear ltrain from the fly wheel pinion. This disengagement is further assured by spring 32. Y
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the toy preferably includes a pedestal made up of a base 45 carrying a post 46. The top end of the post has a concavity 48, best shown in FIG. 2. The outwardly dished sides 12 and 14 of the housing have poles 50 and 52. These poles project in opposite direction at the center of the sides 12 and 14, and are therefore in alignment with the axis of the spindle S4 which carries the fly wheel 16. The ends of the poles are somewhat enlarged and spherically shaped, as indicated at 56. Each pole is preferably provided with an open slot 58 adapted to receive a string or wire on which the toy may ride, with the axis in upright position. In addition each pole has a hole 59 passing diametrically through the spherical end. A string may be passed through hole 59, and knotted or used double, so that the gyroscope may be suspended by the string to perform certain stunts. V
l The spherical configuration at the ends 56 of the pedestal. The gyroscope therefore may be rested on the pedestal with one end 58 received at the top of the post 46, as shown in broken lines at 46' in FIG. 2. The height of the pedestal is suicient for the housing to clear the pedestal base, and a table surface or the like on which the pedestal may be resting, with the poles in horizontal position. The force of precession then causes the gyroscope to revolve bodily about the post. Of course the gyroscope also may be placed on the post with the poles in upright position, or in angular position.
Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the toy preferably additionally includes a generally semicircular yoke 60 which is larger in radius than the housing of the gyroscope. The yoke has trunnions 62 which are 180 degrees apart at the ends of the yoke. The yoke further includes an outwardly projecting bearing 64 located half way between the trunnions 62. The housing has diametrically opposed bearings on its edges to detachably receive the trunnions 62. In the present case the bearings are simply holes passing through the edges, as indicated at 66. The yoke 60 is preferably made of a suitable plastics material, and may be flexed outwardly enough for removal of one trunnion 62 from its bearing 66. Thereupon the other trunnion is readily removed, thereby freeing the gyroscope housing from the yoke 60.
The bearing 64 at the bottom of the yoke is dimensioned to be detachably received by a mating part 68 at the 4upper end of post 46. The parts have a freely rotational fit. The free rotation of the gyroscope housing on trunnions 62, and the free rotation of yoke 60 on the post 46, provides a somewhat gimbal-like arrangement which permits the performance of additional experiments and stunts.
Reverting to FIGS. 1 and 4, the fly wheel 16 is preferably stamped out of heavy gage sheet metal, having a thickness of at least lz inch. Its mass may be reduced near the center while maintaining it at the periphery by stamping a ring of holes through the metal, and in the present case there are four such holes indicated at 70 in FIG. 4. The fly wheel is made accurately so that it is balanced for high speed rotation.
The fly wheel is carried on a preferably die cast spindle 54, and in FIG. 2 it will be seen that this includes an integral hub disc 72 with axially directed integral rivets 74. The center hole of the fly wheel is received over a cylindrical hub portion 76, and small additional holes receive the rivets. The y wheel is held securely in position by upsetting or riveting the ends of the rivets 74. The disc 72 is preferably reinforced by triangularly shaped integral webs 78, and the driven pinion previously referred to is also molded integrally with the spindle 54. The ends of the spindle have axially directed holes which are accurately located in the piece as molded.
Two separate hardened steel pins 80, preferably of uniform diameter, and highly polished, have their inner ends received tightly in the holes of the spindle. The housing parts 12 and 14 have bearings S2 secured in seats 84 molded integrally with the sides of the housing. These bearings 82 are preferably porous bronze bearings which may be impregnated with a lubricant, so that they remain permanently self-lubricated. The bearings 82 receive the outer ends of the pins 80 for free rotation of the pins and spindle and fly wheel.
The gear housing 18 preferably is stamped out of two pieces of sheet metal. One piece has a bearing wall 86 with four side walls 88 and 90 bent outwardly therefrom. The other piece has a bearing wall 92 and a narrow peripheral ange 94, so that it ts over the open face of the rst part like the cover of a box. However, the walls 88 and 90 have tongues which pass through mating slots in the cover wall 92. If desired, a few extra tongues may be bent over the cover wall to preliminarily hold the gear box and gearing in assembled relation. There are four main tongues 96 which pass straight through mating slots in the plastic housing wall 12, and which are bent over in mating recesses on the outside of wall 12 to securely lock the gear housing on the wall 12, as shown in FIG. 1.
Poles 50 and 52 are preferably separately molded, each with a concave portion 100 and a flat base portion 102. The latter is received in a mating seat 104, and is permanently secured in position, as by the use of a cement or solvent. The pole portions 50 and 52 are molded out of a suitable plastics material such as hard polystyrene. The housing parts 12 and 14, however, are preferably molded out of a super impact-resistant polystyrene, in order to withstand breakage in the event that the gyroscope is dropped when playing or experimenting with the same.
Referring to FIG. 2, the housing part 14 is molded with several pockets or recesses indicated at 106. These facilitate play with the toy as a simulated space ship, and for that purpose the toy is preferably sold with some accessory parts, simulating space men, reproduced in miniature size. Also miniature spring-launched rockets may be provided, and referring to FIG. 6, the gyroscope housing is shown carried by yoke 60 on pedestal 46, with a pair of rockets being launched as indicated at 112 and 114. To launch these, a release part may be pressed by means of nger pressure, as indicated at 116, and the stability of the present gyroscope is so great that there is no difficulty in applying this linger pressure while the gyroscope is in operation.
Numerous experiments and stunts may be performed with the toy. With the gyroscope housing removed from the yoke, the housing may be grasped in ones hands, and the inertia force and also the force of precession may be realized by attempting to turn the housing with ones hands. The device may be stood on one pole or the other, and used as a spinning top. It may be rested on one linger, with the poles either erect or horizontal or at an angle. The device may be held in two hands by the two poles, and the forces involved will be experienced when attempting to change the position of the poles.
With the device standing on one pole with the poles upright, a string may be passed around the upper pole, and if drawn like the reins of a horse, the gyroscope immediately ducks away from the string, like a balky mule. The string also may be used to change the angle of the pole axis.
By stretching a string or wire taut, at a slight angle to horizontal, the gyroscope may be placed with the groove of a pole resting on the wire, for a slide along the wire. Other stunts may be performed after tying a string securely around one pole, or passing it through a hole in the pole and then holding the string doubled. With the gyroscope disposed at the lower end of the string at an angle, like the tilted axis of the earth, the gyroscope may be swung about a lighted lamp to illustrate how the earth orbits about the sun with its pole pointing always in the same direction, thus helping explain the change from summer to winter. With the poles horizontal and a string doubled loosely around one pole, the device may be rolled along the ground like a hoop.
When using a pedestal, a pole may be rested on the pedestal, with the poles upright or horizontal or at an angle. When horizontal the downward force of gravity results in a horizontal precession force which causes the housing to revolve bodily about the pedestal. By changing from one pole to the other the direction of revolution about the post is reversed. With the housing at an angle on the pedestal the latter may be held in one hand and moved around a room while turning or facing in different directions to show how the poles remain pointing in a fixed direction, because of gyroscopic inertia.
With the housing mounted in the yoke, and with the yoke on its pedestal, the housing may be tilted to any desired position, and it maintains that position. If the pedestal is moved about, or one holding it faces in dilererent directions the poles do not change direction, and act like a gyro compass in gimbals. If a force is exerted directly on the poles or housing to change their position, the yoke turns about the pedestal because of precession force. If one turns the yoke about the post, the housing revolves on the yoke trunnions, without anyone touching the housing. Turning the yoke in opposite direction causes the housing to revolve on the trunnions in opposite direction.
in addition to the foregoing and many other experiments and stunts which may be devised, to show either gyroscopic inertia, or precession, the toy also may be played with as a space satellite or space Vehicle toy, with the aid of accessories such as miniature toy space men and rockets etc., the latter being schematically illustrated in FIG. 6.
It is believed that the construction and method of operation of the improved gyroscope toy, as well as the advantages thereof, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description. It will also be apparent that while the invention has been described in a preferred form, changes may be made in the structure shown without .departing from the scope of the invention as sought to be defined in the following claims. In the claims the term housing is to be distinguished from the term enclosed housing, because the former is not intended to exclude an open cage.
I claim:
l. A gyroscope toy comprising an enclosed housing made of two oppositely dished circular housing members, a large diameter massive ily wheel rotatably mounted therein, a gear box secured inside said housing, a train of step-up gearing in said gear box including a main gear and a pinion on the ily wheel, the main gear having a socket to detachably receive a readily removable crank handle, a crank handle of large radius adapted to be inserted through the housing wall and into the socket, and said gearing comprising means providing an overrunning or free Wheeling drive for the ily Wheel.
2. A gyroscope toy comprising an enclosed housing made of two oppositely dished circular members molded out of an impact-resistant plastics material, a large diameter massive fly wheel rotatably mounted therein, said housing members having short outwardly projecting poles in alignment with the axis of the ily wheel, said housing being an oblate spheroid having a height only a fraction of its diameter, a gear box secured inside said housing, a train of step-up gearing in said gear box including a main driving gear and a plurality of intermediate cornpound `gears and a driven pinion on the ily wheel, the main gear having a socket to detachably receive a readily removable crank, a crank of large radius adapted to be inserted through the housing wall and into the socket, and a slot-shaped bearing receiving one of the intermediate gears to provide an overrunning or free wheeling drive for the ily Wheel.
3. A gyroscope toy comprising a housing having oppositely projecting poles, a ily wheel rotatably mounted in said housing on a spindle which is in alignment with said poles, means to facilitate setting the ily wheel into high speed rotation, a generally semicircular yoke having trunnions 180 degrees apart at the ends of the yoke and having an outwardly projecting bearing half way between the trunnions, said housing having diametrically opposed bearings on its edges in the plane of the ily wheel to detachably receive the trunnions, a pedestal including a base and a post carried thereby, and mems at the top of the post to readily detachably receive the bearing of the yoke with a freely rotatable lit.
4. A gyroscope toy comprising a housing having oppositely projecting poles, a ily wheel rotatably mounted in said housing on a spindle which is in alignment with said poles, means to facilitate setting the ily wheel into high speed rotation, a generally semicircular yoke having trunnions 180 degrees part at the ends of the yoke and having an outwardly projecting bearing half way between the trunnions, said housing having diametrically opposed bearings on its edges in the plane of the ily wheel to detachably receive the trunnions, a pedestal including a base and a post carried thereby, and means at the top of the post to readily detachably receive the bearing of the yoke with a freely rotatable lit, the top end of the post having a concavity dimensioned to receive the end of a pole of the housing with the housing overhung from the post.
5. A gyroscopel toy comprising an enclosed housing made of two oppositely dished circular members, oppositely projecting poles at the center of said members, a ily wheel rotatably mounted in said housing on a spindle which is in alignment with said poles, means to faciliate setting the ily wheel into high speed rotation, a generally semicircular yoke having trunnions degrees apart at the ends of the yoke and having an outwardly projecting bearing half way between the trunnions, said housing having ydiametrically opposed bearings on its edges in the plane of the ily wheel to detachably receive the trunnions, a pedestal including a base and a post carried thereby, and means at the top of the post to readily detachably receive the bearing of the yoke with a freely rotatable iit.
6. A gyroscope toy comprising an enclosed housing made of two oppositely dished circular members, oppositely projecting poles at the center of said members, a ily Wheel rotatably mounted in said housing on a spindle which is in alignment with said poles, means to facilitate setting the ily wheel into high speed rotation, a generally semicircular yoke having trunnions 180 degrees apart at the ends of the yoke and having an outwardly projecting bearing half way between the trunnions, said housing having diametrically opposed bearings on its edges in the piane of the ily Wheel to detachably receive the trunnions, a pedestal including a base and a post carried thereby, and means at the top of the post to readily detachably receive the bearing of the yoke with a freely rotatable fit, the top end of the post having a concavity dimensioned to receive the end of a pole of the housing with the housing overhung from the post.
7. A gyroscope toy comprising a housing carrying a ily wheel, said ily wheel being stamped out of heavy gage sheet metal, a die cast spindle having an integral hub portion carrying said ily wheel, said spindle having axially directed holes at the ends of the spindle, hardened steel pins of uniform diameter having their inner ends received in said holes, said housing having bearings receiving the outer ends of said pins for free rotation.
8. A gyroscope toy comprising a housing carrying a ily wheel, said housing being an oblate spheroid made of two oppositely dished circular sides and having a height which is only a fraction of its diameter, said ily wheel being stamped out of heavy gage sheet metal and having a diameter approaching that of the housing, a die cast spindle carrying said ily wheel, said spindle having an integral hub disc with projecting integral rivets receiving the ily wheel and also having axially directed holes at the ends of the spindle, hardened steel pins of uniform diameter having their inner ends received in said holes, said housing having bearings receiving the outer ends of said pins for free rotation.
9. A gyroscope toy comprising a housing carrying a fly wheel, said ily wheel being stamped out of heavy gage sheet metal, a die cast spindle carrying said ily Wheel, said spindle having an integral hub disc with axially directed integral rivets receiving the ily wheel and having axially directed holes at the ends of the spindle, and hardened steel pins of uniform diameter having their inner ends received in said holes, said housing having bearings receiving the outer ends of said pins for free rotation of the spindle and ily wheel.
li). A gyroscope toy comprising a housing, a ily wheel rotatably mounted therein, a gear box secured to said housing, a train oi step-up gearing in said gear box including a main gear and a pinion on the fly wheel spindle, the main gear having a socket to detachably receive a readily removable crank handle, a crank handle adapted to be inserted into the socket, and said gearing comprising means providing an overrunning or free wheeling drive for the ily wheel, the ily wheel being made of heavy gage sheet metal, a die cast spindle having an integral hub carrying the ily wheel, the spindle having axially directed holes at its ends, hardened steel pins of uniform diameter haivng their inner ends received in said holes, and the housing having bearings which receive the outer ends of said pins for free rotation therein.
11. A gyroscope toy comprising an enclosed housing made of two oppositely dished circular members molded out of an impact-resistant plastics material, a large diameter ily wheel rotatably mounted therein, a gear box secured inside said housing, a train of step-up gearing in said gear box including a main driving gear and a plurality of intermediate compound gears and a driven pinion on the ily wheel spindle, the main gear having a socket to detachably receive a readily removable crank, a large radius crank adapted to be inserted through the housing wall and into the socket, a slot shaped bearing receiving one of the intermediate gears to provide an overrunning of free wheeling drive for the ily wheel, the ily wheel being made of heavy gage sheet metal, a die cast spindle having an integral hub carrying the ily Wheel, the spindle having axially directed holes at its ends, hardened steel pins of uniform diameter having their inner ends received in said holes, and the housing having bearings which receive the outer ends of said pins for free rotation therein.
12. A gyroscope toy comprising a housing, a ily wheel rotatably mounted therein, a gear box secured inside said housing, a train of step-up gearing in said gear box including a main gear and a pinion on the ily wheel spindle, the main gear having a socket to detachably receive a readily removable crank handle, a crank handle adapted to be inserted into the socket, said gearing comprising means providing an overrunning or free wheeling drive for the ily wheel, the ily wheel being made of heavy gage sheet metal, a die cast spindle having an integral hub disc with axially directed integral rivets receiving the ily wheel, said pinion being integrally formed on said spindle, said spindle having axially directed holes at its ends, hardened steel pins of uniform diameter having their inner ends received in said holes, and the housing having bearings which receive the outer ends of said pins for free rotation therein.
13. A gyroscope toy comprising an enclosed housing made of two oppositely dished circular members molded out of an impact-resistant plastics material, a large diameter ily wheel rotatably mounted therein, a gear box secured inside said housing, a train of step-up gearing in said gear box including a main driving gear and a plurality of intermediate compound gears and a driven pinion on the ily wheel spindle, the main gear having a socket to detachably receive a readily removable crank, a large radius crank adapted to be inserted through the housing wall and into the socket, a slot shaped bearing receiving one of the intermediate gears to provide an overrunning or free wheeling drive for the ily wheel, the ily wheel being made of heavy gage sheet metal, a die cast spindle having an integral hub disc with axially directed integral rivets receiving the ily Wheel, and the aforesaid pinion also being formed integrally with the spindle, said spindle having axially directed holes at its ends, hardened steel pins of uniform diameter having their inner ends received in said holes, and the housing having bearings which receive the outer ends of said pins for free rotation therein.
14. A gyroscope toy comprising an enclosed housing made of two oppositely dished circular members, said housing eing an oblate spheroid having a height which is only a fraction of its diameter, said circular members having outwardly projecting poles on the short axis of the housing, a ily wheel having a diameter approaching that of the housing rotatably mounted therein, a sheet metal gear box secured to one of said members inside the housing, a train of step-up gearing in said gear box including a main driving gear and a driven pinion on the ily wheel, the main gear having a socket to detachably receive a readily removable crank, a crank adapted to be inserted through the housing wall and into the socket, said gearing comprising means providing an overrunning or free wheeling drive for the ily wheel, the axis of said ily wheel being in alignment with the poles.
15. A gyroscope toy comprising an enclosed housing made of two oppositely dished circular members molded out of an impact-resistant plastics material, said housing being an oblate spheroid having a height which is only a fraction of its diameter, said circular members having outwardly projecting poles on the short axis of the housing, the ends of the poles being approximately spherical and having a transverse hole and a slot, a large diameter ily wheel having a diameter approaching that of the housing rotatably mounted therein, a sheet metal gear box secured to one of said members inside the housing, a train of step-up gearing in said gear box including a main driving gear and a plurality of intermediate compound gears and a driven pinion on the ily wheel, the main gear having a socket to detachably receive a readily removable crank, a large radius crank adapted to be inserted through the housing wall and into the socket, a slot shaped bearing receiving one of the intermediate gears to provide an overrunning or free Wheeling drive for the ily wheel, the axis of said ily wheel being in alignment with the poles.
References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 484,960 Hardy Oct. 25, 1892 609,332 Donaldson et al Aug. 16, 1898 788,041 Fultz Apr. 25, 1905 1,185,210 Leavitt May 30, 1916 1,351,630 Edison Aug. 31, 1920 1,701,136 Aronson Feb. 5, 1929 1,772,208 Colwell Aug. 5, 1930 2,082,256 Netschke `lune 1, 1937 2,173,031 Wigal Sept. 12, 1939 2,364,117 Wigal Dec. 5, 1944 2,736,557 Androsiglic Feb. 28, 1956 2,747,326 Doyle May 29, 1956 2,991,584 Kaufman July 11, 1961

Claims (1)

1. A GYROSCOPE TOY COMPRISING AN ENCLOSED HOUSING MADE OF TWO OPPOSITELY DISHED CIRCULAR HOUSING MEMBERS, A LARGE DIAMETER MASSIVE FLY WHEEL ROTATABLY MOUNTED THEREIN, A GEAR BOX SECURED INSIDE SAID HOUSING, A TRAIN OF STEP-UP GEARING IN SAID GEAR BOX INCLUDING A MAIN GEAR AND A PINION ON THE FLY WHEEL, THE MAIN GEAR HAVING A SOCKET TO DETACHABLY RECEIVE A READILY REMOVABLE CRANK HANDLE, A CRANK HANDLE OF LARGE RADIUS ADAPTED TO BE INSERTED THROUGH THE HOUSING WALL AND INTO THE SOCKET, AND SAID GEARING COMPRISING MEANS PROVIDING AN OVERRUNNING OR FREE WHEELING DRIVE FOR THE FLY WHEEL.
US169517A 1962-01-29 1962-01-29 Gyroscope toy with free wheeling drive and heavy duty bearings for the flywheel Expired - Lifetime US3137966A (en)

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US3352174A (en) * 1964-06-05 1967-11-14 West Ronald Frederick Pivotal mountings or connections
US3683526A (en) * 1970-06-08 1972-08-15 Tibor Horvath Optical display device
US4343203A (en) * 1977-07-01 1982-08-10 Sperry Corporation Rotor structure for gyroscopic apparatus
US6406349B1 (en) 1999-07-30 2002-06-18 Toyinnovation, Inc. Gyroscopic toy
US10960316B2 (en) * 2019-04-12 2021-03-30 Mechanical Design Labs, Inc. Gyroscopic desk curios
USD993326S1 (en) * 2022-08-24 2023-07-25 Shenzhen Xinaosheng outdoor products co. LTD Fidget gyroscope

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GB2440205A (en) * 2006-07-15 2008-01-23 Kevin Alan Stevenson Toy, wargaming cradle display means with multi axis movement

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US3352174A (en) * 1964-06-05 1967-11-14 West Ronald Frederick Pivotal mountings or connections
US3683526A (en) * 1970-06-08 1972-08-15 Tibor Horvath Optical display device
US4343203A (en) * 1977-07-01 1982-08-10 Sperry Corporation Rotor structure for gyroscopic apparatus
US6406349B1 (en) 1999-07-30 2002-06-18 Toyinnovation, Inc. Gyroscopic toy
US6607420B2 (en) 1999-07-30 2003-08-19 Toyinnovation, Inc. Gyroscopic toy
US10960316B2 (en) * 2019-04-12 2021-03-30 Mechanical Design Labs, Inc. Gyroscopic desk curios
USD993326S1 (en) * 2022-08-24 2023-07-25 Shenzhen Xinaosheng outdoor products co. LTD Fidget gyroscope

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