US3326551A

US3326551A - Water driven hoop toy

Info

Publication number: US3326551A
Application number: US419899A
Authority: US
Inventors: William A Clarke
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-12-21
Filing date: 1964-12-21
Publication date: 1967-06-20
Anticipated expiration: 1984-06-20

Description

June 20, 1967 w RK WATER DRIVEN HOOP TOY Filed Dec. 21, 1964 INVENTOR. W/AL/AM 4 awe/e5 ran 4 56, 441/0555 a @AMJAPAL United States Patent 3,326,551 WATER DRIVEN HOOP TOY William A. Clarke, 211 Demmick, Venice, Calif. 90291 Filed Dec. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 419,899 7 Claims. (Cl. 272-74) This invention relates to water powered toys, and has particular reference to a water driven hoop adapted to rotate while providing a water spray in the plane of the hoop so that a person may jump through the hoop hence through a sheet of water spray while it is turning.

In theory, such a device as outlined above seems simple. However, considerable difficulty is encountered between theory and practice when it is discovered that the desirable design characteristics for a practical water hoop are competing and mutually inconsistent in that the solution to one problem tends to defeat the solution to the other. For example: the hoop and its support must be of very inexpensive construction, for otherwise it has no value to the public as a toy. For appeal, it is a practical necessity that the hoop be constructed of plastic. It is found, however, that a thin tubular hoop having a diameter of say 4 feet is a highly unstable structure due to the weight of the water and due to its sensitivity to the direction of the jets which form the water spray. The hoop must take advantage of the average water pressure available from a normal garden hose both to provide the spray and to produce a moderately slow turning motion. And, the hoop, its support, and its turning motion must be chosen so that the device is not a hazard; for example, so that the hoop does not trip a person jumping through it, so that the structure will be stable yet will yield with the impact of a persons body easily enough to prevent harm to the person and to the toy.

I have achieved a design which incorporates a unique compromise in competing design characteristics, and which I believe provides for the first time a practical toy of this nature. In accordance with my invention, the water driven hoop is adapted to turn about a vertical axis. The hoop is mounted atop a stand for rotation about a vertical axis coincident with the diameter of the hoop. The hoop has a plurality of fine spray holes therein spaced around its inner periphery and oriented toward the center of the plane of the hoop. The hoop has at least two lateral drive holes therein, oriented approximately normal to the plane of the hoop. The lateral drive holes are spaced on opposite sides of the vertical axis and face in opposite directions from the plane of the hoop. A water passageway communicates with the interior of the hoop through the mounting means which supports the hoop on the stand.

By mounting the hoop for rotation about a vertical axis, a relatively short non-hazardous stand may be employed which maintains the hoop low to the ground, and water jets may be employed to produce a moderately slow turning action about the vertical axis. All taken together, the hazard of tripping or damaging the person or hoop by impact or falling, is greatly reduced.

Mounting the hoop close to the ground for rotation about a vertical axis increases the problem of stability, and is as well an invitation for the person to step on the hoop as they jump through it. In one embodiment of my invention I have solved these problems, while permitting a very inexpensive plastic construction, by providing the hoop with a substantially flat area extending around its inner periphery. This helps oppose the troublesome instability factor of the hoop tending to bend over in its own plane under the weight of the water, and greatly facilitates and reduces the cost of the manufacturing process for providing accurately oriented spray holes around the inner periphery of the hoop.

3,326,55 l Patented June 20, 1967 In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the hoop is a composite of a hollow base member of relatively heavy construction forming a substantial lower section of the hoop and an elongated curved tubular member of relatively light construction forming the major and upper section of the hoop. This permits essentially a two piece construction for the hoop, and provides a separate base member which is relatively strong to support the weight of the hoop, and one which can conveniently include a mounting fitting and which provides a place for a person to step when going through the hoop.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the lateral drive holes are formed in the base member, since their size, location and orientation is very sensitive and should not depend on the assembly process. The base member has an arcuate curvature with a plurality of spray holes formed on the inner periphery of its arc, so that the hoop as a whole is circular with continuous spray around its periphery.

A considerable problem is solved in the preferred embodiment of the invention by virtue of the elongated tubular member having a substantially uniform approximately D shaped cross-sectional configuration, with the hollow base member having recesses in its opposite ends of approximately D shape cross-sectional outline which receive the opposite ends of the tubular member in mating engagement, This provides a very stable support in opposition to the hoops tendency to bend over in its own plane.

The base member may be of molded plastic so as to conveniently and accurately incorporate the needed features, whereas the large extent of the hoop may be formed by the relatively thin wall tubular member of extruded plastic. I have found that ordinary plastic is not suited for the elongated tubular member clue to the weight of the water and the necessity for a thin wall construction. In my experiments I have discovered that high impact styrene or a polypropylene plastic, both very hard materials of high density, are practical for a hoop of this type.

An appreciation of additional factors which affect the hoops construction and its operation may be obtained from the follwing detailed description of a preferred embodiment of my invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the water driven hoop toy of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view, partly in section, illustrating the structural connections between the tubular hoop member, the hollow base member, and the stand;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 illustrating the cross-sectional configurations of the tubular member and the base member; and,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view along line 4-4 of FIG. 2 illustrating the mating ends of the tubular member and base member as Well as the orientation of a typical drive hole.

Referring now to the drawings, a hoop 10 is mounted on top a stand 12 for rotation about a vertical axis 14 coincident with the diameter of the hoop. A plurality of fine spray holes 16 are spaced evenly around the inner periphery of the hoop and are accurately oriented toward the center of the plane of the hoop. At least two lateral drive holes 18, 20 are formed in the hoop on opposite sides of the vertical axis 14. The drive holes 18, 20 are oriented approximately normal to the plane of the hoop, and face in opposite directions from the plane of the hoop. The jets of water shown issuing from the fine spray holes 16 provide a water spray in the plane of the hoop through which a person may jump, and the jets of water issuing from the drive holes 18, 20 produce a moderately slow turning motion of the hoop about the vertical axis 14.

The circular hoop, 10 is formed as a composite of a hollow base member 22 of relatively heavy construction and an elongated curved tubular member 24 of relatively light construction. The base member 22 forms a substantial bottom section of the hoop, and the elongated curved tubular member 24 forms the major and upper section of the hoop.

The elongated tubular member 24 is of extruded polypropylene or highly impact styrene plastic, and has a uniform D-shaped cross-sectional configuration, with the fiat of the D disposed on the inner periphery 26 of its curvature. As best seen in FIG. 3, the tubular member 24 is a relatively thin walled member having a wall thickness A of inch, an exterior height B (measured perpendicular to its inner periphery 26) of inch, and an exterior width C (measured parallel to its inner periphery 26) of inch.

The base member 22 preferably is molded from the same plastic selected for the tubular member 24, and has recesses 28, 30 in its opposite ends of approximately D shape cross-sectional outline which receive the opposite ends of the elongated tubular member in mating engagement. The mating opposite ends of the tubular member 24 and base member 22 are permanently secured by conventional cement.

Generally, the base member 22 has an external crosssectional configuration which is D shaped to match that of the tubular member, but is larger in size. The base member has a greater wall thickness which, at its minimum point D as the typical end recess 30, is inch. The wall thickness of the base member increases by inch interiorly of the recesses 28, 30, so that abutments 32, 34 are provided which serve to locate the opposite ends of the tubular member, and so that there is a smooth bore transition between the tubular member and the base member to minimize water turbulence. The wall thickness of the base member is further increased interiorly adjacent its center for purposes of structural reinforcement, and a depending mounting fitting 36 is formed centrally on the bottom of the exterior peripheral side of the base member. This fitting 36 has a bore 38 which communicates with the interior of the hollow base member and which is threaded at its outer end.

The base member has an overall arcuate curvature which matches that of the tubular member 24 to form a circular hoop of a diameter of 4 feet. The base member occupies a substantial bottom section of the hoop, measuring overall approximately 11, inches arcuate distance centered on the vertical axis 14, which divides the base member into two arms of a length E of /2, inches each.

The drive holes 18, 20 are molded in the base member at a distance F of 3% inches from the axis 14. Preferably, as illustrated in FIG. 4, each drive hole is oriented outwardly from normal to the axis and plane of the hoop 'by a small angle 0 of to degrees, which I find to provide a better and more stable driving action. Where only two drive holes 18, are used, each operating through a lever arm of 3% inches measured from the axis 14, I find that inch is the best comprise diameter for these drive holes. Of course, water pressure at different homes may vary, and if necessary these drive holes may be drilled to a larger size or additional drive holes may be drilled if more driving action is needed. This expedient, however, must be balanced against the prospect of a sufficient water pressure to maintain a proper spray through the holes, and the toy probably will not work properly where the water pressure is very low, say below 40 to 50 lbs. per square inch.

Like the tubular member 24, the base member has the flat of its D configuration disposed on its inner arcuate periphery 40, and the fine spray holes 16 are formed as well around the arcuate periphery of the base member.

In my experiments, I find that a uniform spacing G of 4 inches between successive spray holes 16, with a spray hole diameter of inch, is optimum. A closer spacing reaches the point of reducing the usable water pressure below the average available.

The stand 12 comprises a molded plastic mounting block 42 into which the ends of a curved heavy wire base ring 44 are potted. The heavy wire ring 44 is generally of circular configuration, which I find should be of a diameter of approximately 16 inches.

A conventional tubular swivel 46 which includes an outer sleeve 48 and a rotatable inner sleeve 50, serves to secure the hoop to the stand. The upper end of the inner sleeve 50 of the tubular swivel 46 screws into the threaded bore 38 of the mounting fitting 36 depending centrally from the hollow base member 22, and is fixed for rotation therewith. The outer sleeve 48, at its lower end, screws into a threaded bore 52 provided in the mounting block 42, and is fixed therewith. A tubular nut 54 and associated sealing ring 56 are mounted at the lower end of the inner sleeve 50, the nut 54 screwing interiorly into the lower end of'the inner sleeve 50, and being adjustably fixed for rotation therewith. Y

The threaded bore 52 comprises the upper end of a water passageway 58 which extends through the mounting block 42 and opens through the side wall 60 of the mounting block in a threaded bore 62 which is sized to receive a conventional garden hose fitting64 and washer 66. Thus, when water from the garden hose 68 is turned on, it passes from the garden hose fitting 64 through the passageway 58, through the tubular swivel 46 and into the hollow base member 22 and around the elongated tubular member 24, with water issuing from the drive and spray holes.

Thus, I have provided a water driven hoop which consists essentially of five easy to assemble parts: the wire base ring 44, the mounting block 42, the conventional tubular swivel 46, the hollow base member 22 and the elongated tubular member 24.

The stand 12 may be very short compared to the diameter of the hoop, such that the hoop is supported ver close to the ground.

Iclaim:

1. A water driven hoop adapted to turn about a vertical axis while providing a water spray in the plane of the hoop, comprising a tubular hoop of a diameter suitable for a person to jump through it, a stand for supporting the hoop, means mounting the hoop on the stand for rotation about a vertical axis coincident with a diameter of the hoop, the hoop having a plurality of fine spray holes therein spaced around its inner periphery and oriented toward the center of the plane of the hoop, and also having at least two lateral drive holes therein oriented approximately normal to the plane of the hoop, said lateral drive holes being spaced on opposite sides of said vertical axis and facing in opposite directions from the plane of the hoop, and means defining a water passageway communicating with the interior of said tubular hoop through the mounting means.

2. A water driven hoop adapted to turn about a vertical axis While providing a water spray in the plane of the hoop, comprising a tubular hoop of a diameter suitable for a person to jump through it, a stand for supporting the hoop, means mounting the hoop on the stand for rotation about a vertical axis coincident with a diameter of the hoop, the hoop having a substantially flat area extending around its inner periphery with a plurality of fine spray holes spaced along said area and oriented toward the center of the plane of the hoop, the hoop also having at least two lateral drive holes therein oriented approximately normal to the plane of the hoop, said lateral drive holes being spaced on opposite sides of said vertical axis and facing in opposite directions from the plane of the hoop, and means defining a water passageway communicating with the interior of the hoop through the mounting means.

3. The Water driven hoop of claim 2 wherein the hoop includes a hollow base member of relatively heavy construction forming a substantial lower section of the hoop and an elongated curved tubular member of relatively light construction forming the major and upper section of the hoop.

4. The water driven hoop of claim 3 wherein the elongated curved tubular member has a substantially uniform approximately D shaped cross-sectional configuration, with the fiat of the D disposed on the inner periphery of the curved tubular member, and wherein the hollow base member has recesses in its opposite ends of approximately D shape cross-sectional outline which receive the opposite ends of the elongated tubular member in mating engagement.

5. The water driven hoop of claim 3 wherein the hoop has a diameter of about 4 feet, wherein the elongated curved tubular member is of extruded plastic selected from the group consisting of polypropylene and high impact styrene and has a relatively thin wall thickness, and wherein the hollow base member is of molded plastic and has a substantially greater wall thickness than the elongated tubular member.

6. A water driven hoop adapted to turn about a vertical axis while providing a spray in the plane of the hoop, comprising a tubular hoop of a diameter suitable for a person to jump through it, the hoop including a hollow base member of relatively heavy construction forming a substantial lower section of the hoop and an elongated curved tubular member of relatively light construction forming the major and upper section of the hoop, the base member and the elongated tubular member having mating opposite ends so that taken together they form a complete hoop, a stand having a height which is small compared to the diameter of the hoop, mounting means including a tubular swivel coupled centrally to the base member for mounting the hoop on top the stand for rotation about a vertical axis coincident with a diameter of the hoop, the hoop having a plurality of fine spray holes therein spaced around its inner periphery and oriented toward the center of the plane of the hoop, the base member having at least two lateral drive holes therein oriented approximately normal to the plane of the hoop, said lateral drive holes being spaced 0n opposite sides of said vertical axis and facing in opposite directions from the plane of the hoop, and means defining a water passageway communicating with the interior of the hoop through the mounting means.

7. The Water driven hoop of claim 6 wherein the hollow base member has an arcuate curvature from end to end, with a plurality of said fine spray holes being formed in its wall at spaced locations along its inner arcuate periphery.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,790,732 2/1931 Tichava 239-251 3,107,916 10/1963 Cooper 272 74 3,170,171 2/1965 Mayhew et al. 272-1 FOREIGN PATENTS 99,033 11/1961 Norway.

OTHER REFERENCES The Evening Star, Washington, DC, Apr. 27, 1965, page B22, Skip-A-Roo.

RICHARD C. PlNKHAM, Primary Examiner. A. W. KRAMER, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A WATER DRIVEN HOOP ADAPTED TO TURN ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS WHILE PROVIDING A WATER SPRAY IN THE PLANE OF THE HOOP, COMPRISING A TUBULAR HOOP OF A DIAMETER SUITABLE FOR A PERSON TO JUMP THROUGH IT, A STAND FOR SUPPORTING THE HOOP, MEANS MOUNTING THE HOOP ON THE STAND FOR ROTATION ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS COINCIDENT WITH A DIAMETER OF THE HOOP, THE HOOP HAVING A PLURALITY OF FINE SPRAY HOLES THEREIN SPACED AROUND ITS INNER PERIPHERY AND ORIENTED TOWARD THE CENTER OF THE PLANE OF THE HOOP, AND ALSO HAVING AT LEAST TWO LATERAL DRIVE HOLES THEREIN ORIENTED APPROXIMATELY NORMAL TO THE PLANE OF THE HOOP, SAID LATERAL DRIVE HOLES BEING SPACED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID VERTICAL AXIS AND FACING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS FROM THE