US3393909A - Geared escapement device - Google Patents

Description

Filed March 28, 1966 S y mm m EH N VS wk N 0 IE J T N u r M .u A u a, E m m 4 M#-/ Z x 2 I I! 9 1 2 w United States Patent;

3,393,909 GEAREID ESCAPEMENT DEVICE Athclstan F. Spillraus, Mound, Minn., assignor to Experimentoy Corp., Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed Mar. 28, 1966, Ser. No. 537,999 Claims. (Cl. 272-31) This invention pertains to amusement devices. More particularly, it pertains to a geared escapement which is motivated by potential energy and which effects incremental controlled conversion of that energy into kinetic energy by utilizing centrifugal force as a control parameter.

It is an object of this invention to provide an amusement device which produces whirling and spinning visual effects as it slowly descends a cord or filament.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device which moves down a cord or filament incrementally at a fixed rate of descent, which rate may be predetermined in the design of the device.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in effect, a gravity operated motor the output of which is used to produce centrifugal effects.

Other objects of the invention are to provide amusement devices of the character described which are rugged in construction, economical to produce, highly efficient in operation, have an indefinite life and require no outside energy source such as a battery.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like parts, and in which:

FIGURE 1 represents a fragmentary elevation of an embodiment of the invention, partly in section.

FIGURE 2 represents a section taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 represents a fragmentary section taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

The apparatus of the invention, generally characterized by the number 5, as shown in FIGURE 1, is supported by a tensioned cord or filament 8. The cord may be hung from an overhead supporting member 10 (e.g. a ceiling) with a hook-eye 9 and is tensioned as 'by a weight 11, which may be spherical. Obviously, cord 8 should have a tensile strength sufficient to support the weight and apparatus 5 and have a diameter and other characteristics (e.g. coefficient of friction) suitably correlated to requirements of and the various dimensions and clearances of the apparatus. Weight 11, in addition to tensioning cord 8, serves as a stop and limits the descent of apparatus 5 down cord 8.

Apparatus 5 includes a gear housing, generally 6, which has side walls 6a and 6b, a bottom 60 and a top 6d. As shown in FIGURE 1, this housing is generally rectangular in cross-section but can assume any form which will conveniently enclose gears and provide journal supports. The housing further includes at least one radially-extending cantilevered arm 7 provided with a dependent integral stop portion such as 7a and 7b. Although in the instant embodiment two such arms 7 are shown, this is intended to be a non-limiting exemplification. The radial extension of arms 7 are preferably equal with respect to the vertical center line of the apparatus.

The gearing system, which is provided within housing 6, includes a horizontal drive shaft 14 which is suitably journaled into side walls on and 6b for rotation with respect thereto as with trunnions 15. If desired, friction may be further reduced by the provision of suitable bearings. Fixedly mounted on shaft 14 are a drive sheave 12 and a ring gear 17. Top 6d is provided with a cord aperture 13 which is in general vertical alignment with the groove in sheave 12. Ring gear 17 drives a spur gear 18 which is fixedly mounted on a hollow output shaft 19. One end of output shaft 19 is journaled for rotation in a bracket 20, which is affixed to the housing 6 as, for instance, to side wall 61). The other end of shaft 19 passes through bottom 60 with respect to which it rotates, and is provided with an upper stop 21 and a lower stop 22 (which may conveniently be incorporated in a bushing). Consideration of the structure which has been described will indicate that rotation of drive sheave 12 causes proportional rotation of output shaft 19.

At least one horizontal pole, generally 25, is fixedly mounted on that end of shaft 19 which protrudes through bottom 6c. Mounting may be accomplished as with a fixed sleeve 16 from which there are cantilevered one or more poles 25. Each pole may conveniently be provided with an offset 25a, a straight radially extending intermediate portion 25b and a terminal eye 250. In the embodiments shown, the distance from the center line of shaft 19 to offset 25a is slightly greater than the radius of weight 11 so that, at the lower limit of descent of apparatus 5 on cord 8, there is no contact between pole 25 and weight 11. Further, as will be apparent from FIGURE 1, the radial extension of the pole 25 is less than the radial extension of cantilevered arms 7. As with the arms 7, one or more poles may be: provided. In the embodiment shown, two such poles are provided for balance and to minimize torquing tendencies of sleeve 16 on shaft 19.

One or more of the terminal eyes 25c are provided with a thread 27 at the distal end which is mounted a pith ball 29 or some other equivalent relatively light weight.

The cooperation which exists between cord 8 and the apparatus 5 is best explained with reference to FIGURE 3. Cord 8 is threaded through the hollow interior of shaft 19 and is looped one or more times around sheave 12 before passing out of housing 6 through aperture 13. The top of shaft 19 may be provided with an interior bevel 23 to minimize friction. When the full weight of apparatus 5 is hung on cord 8 the cord frictionally engages sheave 12 and the potential energy of the apparatus is fully utilized to rotate shaft 14. In order to raise apparatus 5 with respect to cord 8, it is only necessary to relieve the tension in the cord, as by lifting weight 11, whereupon friction between the cord and the sheave is reduced so that the apparatus can be slid upward with respect to the cord without turning sheave 12.

The effect produced by the descent of apparatus 5 with respect to cord 8 can be illustrated with reference to FIGURES 1 and 2. Assume that the cord 8, as shown in FIGURE 1, is tensioned and in frictional engagement with sheave 12 and that thread 27 is as shown on the left side of FIGURE 1. The potential energy cannot be released because rotation of sheave 12, shaft 14, shaft 19, and pole assembly 25 is prevented because thread 27 is wound about stop 7a. However, upon the passage of time, pith ball 29 will drop on stop 7a and thread 27 will completely unwind. Once thread 27 is disengaged from stop 7a, so that it hangs substantially vertically downward from terminal eye 250, there is no longer anything to prevent rotation of shaft 14. Rotation of shaft .14 ensues and causes the pole 25 to move in the direction indicated by the arcuate arrow in FIGURE 2. As shown in phantom, in FIGURE 2, when the arm portion 25b is intermediate stops 7!; and 7b, pith ball 29 swings outward by virtue of centrifugal force to describe a circle having a radius, with respect to shaft 19, which is greater than the radius of stop 7b with respect thereto. Consequently, thread 27 strikes stop 7b and the centrifugal force of 3 pith ball 29 causes the thread to wind itself about stop 7b as shown in phantom in FIGURES 1 and 2. The unwinding action described initially with respect to stop 7a thereupon ensues and the cycle is repeated for each 180 of rotation of pole 25.

In the embodiment shown, only one of the poles 25 is provided with a thread and a pith ball. Also, as stated above, two stops 7a and 7b are provided. Movement therefore occurs in 180 increments. The variations which are possible are obvious. It is possible to have the winding and unwinding action occur once for every revolution of pole 25 (e.g. using a single arm) or once in each quadrant (e.g. using four arms). Furthermore, the same effect can be achieved with a plurality of stops and a single weighted thread or with a plurality of weighted threads and a single stop.

Therefore, in view of the variations and modifications which can be made to the invention disclosed herein and in further view of other modifications, which will doubtless become evident to others skilled in the art dependent upon their individual preferences and particular needs, I claim all such modifications and variations of my invention, as disclosed herein, insofar as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of my claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An amusement device comprising a vertically extending elongated flexible member; means placing said member in tension; an apparatus mounted on and supported by said member and adapted to descend thereupon, said apparatus including an escapement which only permits descent of said apparatus on said member in fixed increments of length.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said escapement is regulated by centrifugal force.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said escapement includes an arm; a thread dependent from said arm; a weight on said thread; means for rotating said arm so as to cause said thread to extend radially in response to centrifugal force, and a stop in the path of travel of said thread about which said thread first winds and then unwinds, downward motion of said apparatus on said elongated member ceasing as long as said thread is wound about said stop.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said apparatus comprises a housing through which said flexible member passes; a sheave within said housing in frictional driving engagement with said flexible member; a gear train within said housing driven by said sheave; an output shaft driven by said gear train and extending outside said housing; at least one radially extending pole mounted on said shaft and rotating therewith; a thread dependent from the distal end of said pole; a weight mounted on said thread, rotation of said shaft causing said thread to extend radially from the end of said pole in response to centrifugal force; at least one stop mounted on said housing including a portion positioned in the extended radial path of travel of said thread, said thread upon contacting said stop portion first winding about it and then unwinding from it; motion of said gear train and progress of said apparatus down said flexible member being halted so long as said thread is wound about said stop.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 which includes a plurality of stops.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 which includes a plurality of poles at least one of which is provided with a weighted thread.

'7. The apparatus of claim 6 which includes a plurality of stops.

8. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said output shaft is hollow and wherein said flexible member passes out of said housing through the core of said shaft.

9. The device of claim 4 wherein the means for placing said elongated member in tension is a weight hung at the bottom thereof, said weight being shaped to limit the extent of travel of said apparatus down said member.

10. The device of claim 4 wherein said elongated member is a cord.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,211,930 1/1917 Frederick 272-31 1,814,105 7/1931 Wolf 272-31 2,518,840 8/1950 Funstall 46132 3,261,604 7/1966 Clark 46-47 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. AN AMUSEMENT DEVICE COMPRISING A VERTICALLY EXTENDING ELONGATED FLEXIBLE MEMBER; MEANS PLACING SAID MEMBERS IN TENSION; AN APPARATUS MOUNTED ON AND SUPPORTED BY SAID MEMBER AND ADAPTED TO DESCEND THEREUPON SAID APPARATUS INCLUDING AN ESCAPEMENT WHICH ONLY PERMITS DECENT OF SAID APPARATUS ON SAID MEMBER IN FIXED INCREMENTS OF LENGTH.

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