US3419269A

US3419269A - Skipping toy and exerciser with counter means

Info

Publication number: US3419269A
Application number: US679892A
Authority: US
Inventors: Saffer Michael
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1967-11-01
Filing date: 1967-11-01
Publication date: 1968-12-31
Anticipated expiration: 1985-12-31

Description

Dec. 31, 1968 M. SAFFER 3,419,269

SKIPPING TOY AND EXERCISEIR WITH COUNTER MEANS Filed Nov. l, ,1967 Sheet of 2 FIG. 1

INVENTOR. Michael Saffer ATTORNEY Dec. 31, 1968 M. SAFFER 3,419,269

SKIPPING TOY AND EXERCISER WITH COUNTER MEANS Filed Nov 1, 1967 Sheet 2 of z FIG.4 FIG.2

l L 24 25 23 17 22 L- 26 L f 36 "1 3? l 18 *1 T v I) L 43 J z "I I III" p I I :TE 45 32 21 6 35 '2 46 34 a4 2O \L 3 a United States Patent 3,419,269 SKIPPING TOY AND EXERCISER WITH COUNTER MEANS Michael Salter, 135-05 Coolidge Ave., Jamaica, N.Y. 11435 Filed Nov. 1, 1967, Ser. No. 679,892 4 Claims. (Cl. 272-74) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A skipping toy and exerciser including a handle adapted to be held in a substantially vertical position, with a cord extending from one end of the handle for swinging movement radially in a horizontal plane in response to movement of the handle in a curved path, together with counter means for registering the number of revolutions of the swinging cord.

Background of the invention A toy device and exerciser is known in the art which permits the user to in effect skip rope using but a single hand to manipulate the device. Such device comprises a rigid stick with a swivel mounted on one end thereof, to which is attached a radially extending flexible cord or the like. Upon moving the upper, handle portion of the stick in a curved path, with a single band, the cord will swing about the handle in a horizontal plane, allowing the user of the device to jump over the swinging cord at each revolution thereof, for amusement or exercise.

It would be desirable to count the successive revolutions of the swinging cord to record the number of revolutions before a miss occurs, or to prescribe a program of exercise. Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide an improved skipping toy and exerciser which includes counter means operatively connected to the swinging cord thereof to count and record revolutions thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a device of the character described counter means which is compact and of light weight; which is of simple construction including a minimum number of parts; which is economical to manufacture; and is readily assembled with the other components of the device.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the skipping toy and exerciser embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the counter means and swivel, with parts broken away;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view, with parts cut away, looking at the left hand end of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of one section of the housing means for the counter.

Description of the preferred embodiment As shown in FIG. 1, the skipping toy and exerciser is generally indicated at 10. The same comprises a stick 11 which may be rigid or semirigid, being formed of wood, plastic or the like. The stick 11 has a handle portion 12 at one end thereof and swivel means generally indicated at 13, mounted on the other end thereof. A flexible cord 14 is attached at one end thereof to swivel means 13 while a weight in ball form 15 is secured to the other end of cord 14.

It is understood that in use, the stick 11 is held with one hand in a substantially vertical position and manipulated to move the same in a curved or part elliptical Patented Dec. 31, 1968 housing portion 16 having a socket portion 17 extending from one end thereof for receiving therein the lower end of stick 11.

Housing 16 is formed of molded plastic and to facilitate manufacture and assembly, comprises symmetrically related, vertically split

sections

18, 19 which include outer

end wall portions

20, 21 respectively having meeting vertical edges;

side wall portions

22, 23 respectively and flat

top wall portions

24, 25. The longitudinal, opposed edges of

top wall portions

24, 25 are spaced to form a narrow slot 26, for the purpose hereinafter appearing.

A dome member 27 of transparent molded plastic is seated on the peripheral portions of

top wall portions

24, 25 and is secured thereto by adhesive or the like. Dome member 27 comprises semicircular side wall portions 28 inclined upwardly and toward each other, being joined by tapered end wall portions 29 which merge with a convexly curved top wall 30.

The swivel means 13 takes the form of a right angle member having a long arm 31 and a short arm 32. Arm 31 is disposed on the longitudinal axis of housing 16 and stick 11 with the major portion thereof extending through an opening 33 in the

end wall portions

20, 21 into the interior of said housing 16. Arm 31 is arranged for free rotation and to this end, longitudinally spaced, molded bearing supports 34 extend from the inner surfaces of

side walls

22, 23 of housing 16, together with a molded end bearing support 35, said supports also being vertically split and matching on assembly of the

housing sections

18, 19.

The short arm 32 extends from the outwardly projecting portion of long arm 31, and terminates in an eye portion 36 for securing the cord 14 thereto. It will be apparent that as stick 11 is manipulated as described above, cord 14 will swing about said stick 11, causing arm 31 of the swivel means to rotate on its longitudinal axis. The rotation of arm 31 is operative to actuate counter means which includes a circular disc 37 having gear teeth 38 on the periphery thereof.

Disc 37 is rotatably mounted on a molded short stub shaft portion 39 extending horizontally from a molded upright portion 40 integral with top Wall portion 25 and located centrally at the inner edge thereof. Stub shaft portion 39 is received in an opening 41 formed in a molded upright portion 42 integral with top wall portion 24 and located in opposed relation to upright portion 40. Each of

upright portions

40, 42 include upstanding therefrom integrally molded pointed portions 43.

Swivel arm 31 has afiixed thereto a short worm gear portion 45 which lies between supports 34, with collars 46 afiixed to arm 31 and abutting supports 34 to retain said arm against longitudinal movement. Worm gear portion 45 meshes with the gear teeth 38 on disc 37, the lower portion of which projects downwardly through slot 26 into the interior of housing 16; and the axial portion thereof being located between

upright portions

40, 42.

It will be apparent that as cord 14 swings about stick 11, as the same is manipulated as described above, swivel means 13 will rotate and cause rotation of the disc 37 which is scaled about the periphery thereof, and includes indicia 47 which indicate the number of revolutions of the cord 14. The disc 37 is readily rotated back to its 0 starting position by turning swivel means 13 through its short arm 32 in the proper direction.

The members forming counter and recording means 15 are of light weight and the complete assembly does not unduly increase the weight of device 10 as a whole.

As various changes might be made in the herein disclosed embodiment of the invention without departing from the spirit thereof, it is understood that all matter herein shown or described shall be deemed illustrative and not limiting except as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A skipping toy and exerciser comprising an elongated member having a handle portion at one end thereof, swivel means rotatably mounted on the other end of said member, cord means extending from said swivel means for swinging movement about said elongated member in response to movement of said elongated member in a curved path, counter means mounted on said other end of the elongated member, coacting means on said swivel means and said counter means foractuating said counter means to count and record the number of revolutions of said cord means, and housing means secured to said other end of the elongated member for containing said counter means, said swivel means comprising an angle member having one arm with a major portion thereof extending through said housing means with its longitudinal axis coincident with the longitudinal axis of said elongated member and the other arm of said angle member being located exteriorly of said housing means and being connected to said cord means, said counter means including a counter disc arranged for rotation about an axis transverse to the axis of said one arm of the angle member, meshing gear means on said disc and said one arm of the angle member for rotating said disc in response to swinging movement of said cord means, said housing means comprising top wall portions having opposed spaced edges to form a slot therebetween, the lower portion of said disc projecting through said slot into the interior of said housing.

2. A toy as in claim 1 and further including transparent dome means for enclosing the upper portion of said disc, said dome means including peripheral lower portions secured to peripheral portions of the top walls 5 of said housing means.

3. A toy as in claim 2 wherein said top Wall portions of the housing include opposed upstanding portions for rotatably mounting said disc, therebetween.

4. A toy as in claim 1 wherein said housing means includes opposed wall portions, means on said opposed wall portions for rotatably mounting the one arm of said swivel means, and said meshing gear means comprising worm gear means on said one arm of the swivel means, said disc having gear teeth on the periphery thereof in meshing relation to said worm gear means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 418,608 12/1889 Fowler 235-103 512,815 1/1894 Denier 272--75 540,604 6/1895 Weiss 235--103 1,189,307 7/1916 Stokes. 1,458,323 6/1923 Burnhaim 235--103 1,505,473 8/1924 Klubnick.

1,826,944 10/1931 McGavin 27275 1,975,020 9/1934 Sanford 27257 2,506,825 5/1950 Carlson 235-403 2,655,376 10/1953 Hull.

2,777,439 1/ 1957 Tuttle 27268 2,944,817 7/1960 Stiller. 3,110,493 11/1963 Thompson.

FOREIGN PATENTS 227,726 10/1909' Germany.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD W. DIAZ, 111., Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.