US3161988A - Air-borne autogyro toy - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 22, 1964 A. E. JUNKER 3,161,988

AIR-BORNE AUTOGYRO TOY Filed May 28, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I NV EN TOR. Z5 fl/"flold 5 Junker 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 28, 1962 INVENTOR. fl/wold 1 Junker United States Patent Conn.

Filed hiay 28, 1962, Ser. No. 198,633 6 Claims. (Cl. 46-75) This invention relates to airborne toys, and more particularly to toys of this type which are held captive and are hand-guided.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved air-borne toy of the captive, hand-guided type, which combines impeller blades and a non-turning figure in a novel manner to enable each to readily carry out its function in the most expedient manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved, guided and captive air-borne toy as above set forth, wherein the non-turning figure portion may be advantageously that of an animate object, as for example an astronaut.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved toy as above characterized, which arouses a great deal of interest and enthusiasm in children, and which tends to hold their interest for an appreciable period of time.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved toy in accordance with the foregoing, which is safe in use, durable and not likely to easily get out of order.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improved air-borne, captive, hand-guided toy as set forth, wherein there are relatively few parts which may be easily and quickly assembled, and wherein the manufacturing and fabrication cost is low.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, similar characters of reference are used to designate like components, throughout the several views, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the air-borne captive toy as provided by the invention, illustrating one embodiment thereof.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the toy, shown on a reduced scale.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the hand-powered driving mechanism for the toy, with the casing thereof illustrated in broken outline.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section of the impellerblade and non-turning figure assembly of the to, illustrating the interior details.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, the toy illustrated therein comprise-s essentially three salient parts or assemblies, a handpowered driving assembly indicated generally by the numeral Iii, a power transmitting flexible cable 12, and an impeller blade and figure assembly designated 14.

As shown in FIG. 3, the driving assembly comprises a rigid frame 16 having a U-shaped crossed member having upstanding bearing arms 22 in which there is carried a shaft 24 having a handle portion or offset 26 provided with a turnable handle proper 28. i

The frame member 18 has a stationary second handle 30 at one end, and at its other end has an upstanding post or stanchion 32 provided with a bearing enlargement 34 in which a spiral coil spring 36 is loosely received. The coil spring 36 constitutes the flexible driving element of the cable assemblage, and at its one end is fixedly secured to a pinion 38 which is turnably carried by a relatively stiff but flexible wire 4% constituting the second element of the cable. The wire it? is supported in a second upright or stanchion 42 carried by the frame member 18, and is also supported at another point 44 on the frame member, adjacent the handle 36 thereof. For this latter purpose, the end of the wire 40 is bent downward, as shown. The entire hand-powered driving assemblage shown in FIG. 3 is enclosed in a suitable casing 46, details of which are not given herein since they per se constitute no part of the present invention.

On the shaft 24 there is fixedly secured a driving gear 46 which meshes with the pinion 33 and by which the latter may be turned in response to turning of the handle 26, 28.

With the above organization, when the driving device is held with the handle 33 in one hand and the handle 26, 28 turned with the other hand the driving spring 36 will be turned by virtue of its driving connection with the pinion 33, such spring being turnably supported or carried on the non-turning wire 46.

Considering now FIGS. 1 and 4, the impeller blade and non-turning figure assemblage of the toy comprises a hub 5% which is fixedly attached to the other end of the driving spring 36 to be rotated thereby. On the hub 50 are relatively long, flexible impeller blades 52 which may be minature versions of well known helicopter blades. The supporting wire 40 which extends through and carries the driving coil spring 36 passes upward through the hub 54 and ha an upward projecting terminal portion 54, on which there is carried a means 56 constituting a portion of a figure, such figure in the illustrated embodiment of the invention simulating an astronaut. The figure 56 has an internal bearing sleeve portion 58 adapted to receive the upstanding extremity 54 of the Wire ll whereby the figure is supported above the hub 5i) and prevented from turning by its frictional engagement with the wire 40, 54. It will be seen that the figure 56 may be easily lifted from the wire extension 54 and replaced by other figures representing or simulating other objects, either animate or inanimate.

in accordance with the present invention, at a point adjacent and below the turnable hub 50, the supporting bearing wire as has a gradual right angle bend indicated generally by the numeral 62. By virtue of the flexible nature of the coil spring 35, such spring readily follows this bend and at the same time transmits motion in spite of the curvature imparted to it by the bend.

Accordingly, as seen in FIG. 2, with the cable 12 stretched out in a substantially horizontal position, the hub 50 and the blades 52 will be disposed with their axes substantially vertical, whereby turning of the hub and blades. will impart an upward force or lift to the bladeand-ligure assemblage.

Further, in accordance with the invention, there is provided a second means constituting a figure which may simulate various objects, disposed below the hub 50 and turnably carried thereby, the said second means however being prevented from turning by a stop element which it has, and which is engageable with the flexible cable 12. As shown in the figure, the second means simulates the lower portion of the body of an astronaut, being indicated generally by the numeral 66.

The hub 50 has a depending bearing portion 68 with a retainer shoulder '79, on which the means 66 is rotatably carried. One of the depending legs 72 of the means 66 will constitute the said stop by virtue of itsengagement with the bent portion of the flexible cable 12. Accordingly, as the hub 50 and blades 52 are caused to rotate, there is a tendency for the lower portion of the astronauts body to also rotate but such rotation will be prevented by virtue of engagement of said one of the as- -trc-nauts legs with the driving cable 12. Such engagement, however, will not appreciably hinder the turning movement of the hub 50 and blade 52, as will be readily understood.

The cable wire 40 may be advantageously constituted of spring steel stock, this being also true of the driving helical coil 36. The impeller blades 52 may be constituted of either metal or plastic, and are preferably provided with soft rubber tips '76 to prevent injury if the blade tips should inadvertently come in contact with a person. The figure portions 56 and 66 may be constituted in any suitable manner, of either thin metal, molded plastic or the like. Preferably, as seen in FIG. 4, a slot or cut 73 is provided in the lower figure portion, and such portion is formed to be resilient or flexible. By virtue of this construction it may be spread apart to remove it from the depending bearing portion 68 for replacement with other figures.

In operation, the user grasps the handle 39 in one hand, and turns the handle portion 2a, 23 with the other hand This will cause the hub 5t) and rotor blades 52 to turn, imparting a lifting force to the assemblage 14. By guiding or variously positioning the driving assemblage comprising the casing 48 and handle 30, such action will be transmitted to the blade and figure assemblage through the stationary wire component 40 of the cable 12, whereby the figure may be made. to execute various maneuvers, travelling not' only vertically upward and downward, but also sideways and in angular directions.

It will now be seen from the foregoing that I have provided a unique and novel, interesting air-borne captive toy for children, which is dynamic in its function and provides a high degree of interest. The toy also involves a certain" amount of skill in its use, by virtue of the guiding function of the cable 12. Since it is relatively small and of light weight, there is little danger in its use, especially Where light-weight and soft plastic materials are utilized. The toy is further of durable construction, and involves relatively few components whereby it may beeconomically fabricated and'produced.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims, and portions of the improvement may be used without others.

1. An air-borne toy comprising, in combination:

(a) an elongate non-rotative wire-like element,

(12) a' non-rotative lateral extension fixedly carried at one end of the wire-like element, said element and extension together constituting a non-turning angu- 4 lar configuration adapted to be positioned with the extension substantially upright and the element extending in a horizontal direction,

(0) an elongate flexible sleeve-like turnable drive member encircling both the wire-like element and the said extension,

(d) means for rotatably driving the sleeve-like member while the wire-like element and extension thereof are held against turning,

(e) impeller blades rotatable on the said lateral extension as an axis,

(3) means driving said blades in response to turning of the sleeve-like member, and

(g) means located below the impeller blades and constituting a structure representing a figure, said structure being carried and turnably mounted an said lateral extension and including spaced depending portions engaging opposite sides of the sleeve-like member to prevent the figure from turning when the drive member and impeller blades are turning.

2. A toy as in claim 1, wherein:

(a) there is a second non-turning means constituting a figure, fixedly mounted on the lateral extension above the impeller blades.

3. A toy as in claim 2, wherein:

(a) the lateral extension comprises a slim shaft, and

(b) the said second means has a bore adapted to frictionally receive the slim shaft so as to removably mount the second means thereon.

4. A toy as in claim 1, wherein:

(a) the spaced depending portion of the first means constituting a figure simulate the lower leg portions of an animate object.

5. A toy as in claim 4, wherein:

(a) there is a said second means constituting a figure simulating the upper portion of the animate object.

6. A toy as in claim 5, wherein:

(a) the first and second means are constituted to simu late the body of an astronaut.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS

Claims (1)

1. AN AIR-BORNE TOY COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) AN ELONGATE NON-ROTATIVE WIRE-LIKE ELEMENT, (B) A NON-ROTATIVE LATERAL EXTENSION FIXEDLY CARRIED AT ONE END OF THE WIRE-LIKE ELEMENT, SAID ELEMENT AND EXTENSION TOGETHER CONSTITUTIING A NON-TURNING ANGULAR CONFIGURATION ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED WITH THE EXTENSION SUBSTANTIALLY UPRIGHT AND THE ELEMENT EXTENDING IN A HORIZONTAL DIRECTION, (C) AN ELONGATE FLEXIBLE SLEEVE-LIKE TURNABLE DRIVE MEMBER ENCIRCLING BOTH THE WIRE-LIKE ELEMENT AND THE SAID EXTENSION, (D) MEANS FOR ROTATABLY DRIVING THE SLEEVE-LIKE MEMBER WHILE THE WIRE-LIKE ELEMENT AND EXTENSION THEREOF ARE HELD AGAINST TURNING, (E) IMPELLER BLADES ROTATABLE ON THE SAID LATERAL EXTENSION AS AN AXIS, (F) MEANS DRIVING SAID BLADES IN RESPONSE TO TURNING OF THE SLEEVE-LIKE MEMBER, AND (G) MEANS LOCATED BELOW THE IMPELLER BLADES AND CONSTITUTING A STRUCTURE REPRESENTING A FIGURE, SAID STRUCTURE BEING CARRIED AND TURNABLE MOUNTED AN SAID LATERAL EXTENSION AND INCLUDING SPACED DEPENDING PORTIONS ENGAGING OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE SLEEVE-LIKE MEMBER TO PREVENT THE FIGURE FROM TURNING WHEN THE DRIVE MEMBER AND IMPELLER BLADES ARE TURNING.

Images