US3665637A

US3665637A - Bubble pipe toy

Info

Publication number: US3665637A
Application number: US97092A
Authority: US
Inventors: Irving Starr
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-12-11
Filing date: 1970-12-11
Publication date: 1972-05-30
Anticipated expiration: 1989-05-30

Abstract

A bubble pipe toy for blowing bubbles. The bubble pipe is in the form of a tubular pipe having an upstanding chimney over which a ring element in the form of an L-shaped wand is fitted. The wand may be integrally formed on the pipe or in a preferred form has a square end receivable within a socket having a square opening to provide registry of the ring over the chimney. The pipe further receives toy figurines, such as in the shape of a locomotive or other toy, which is snapped or molded directly on the tubular pipe with the chimney fitting through the toy. The pipe is simply employed by dipping the ring element of the wand into a soapy solution and blowing through the pipe with air expelled through the chimney and forming bubbles from a soapy film over the ring element.

Description

United States Patent Starr [541 BUBBLE PIPE TOY Irving Starr, 28 Bullitt Park Place, Columbus, Ohio 43209 22 Filed: Dec.1l, 1970 21 Appl. No.: 97,092

[72] Inventor:

52 us. Cl ..46/6 11 [451 May 30,1972

Primary Examinerbouis G. Mancene Assistant ExaminerD. L. Weinhold Att0rneyR0gers, Ezell, Eilers & Robbins [5 7] ABSTRACT A bubble pipe toy for blowing bubbles. The bubble pipe is in the form of a tubular pipe having an upstanding chimney over which a ring element in the form of an L-shaped wand is fitted. The wand may be integrally formed on the pipe or in a preferred form has a square end receivable within a socket having a square opening to provide registry of the ring over the chimney. The pipe further receives toy figurines, such as in the shape of a locomotive or other toy, which is snapped or molded directly on the tubular pipe with the chimney fitting through the toy. The pipe is simply employed by dipping the ring element of the wand into a soapy solution and blowing through the pipe with air expelled through the chimney and forming bubbles from a soapy film over the ring element.

11 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures BUBBLE PIPE TOY SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the past, various types of bubble pipe toys have been devised. Such conventional bubble pipes employ simply a pipe, as in the nature of a normal smoking pipe, which is dipped into a soapy solution and bubbles are blown through the pipe. Other bubble toys employ a wand or ring element dipped into soapy solution with bubbles being formed by blowing the soapy film from the ring.

By means of the instant invention, there has been devised a simple bubble pipe made in the form of various supportable toy members which can be readily employed by the child of tender years. The toy provides a focus of interest and various types of figurines, as in the form of a locomotive, airplane, ball, and the like, can be utilized. The bubble pipe incorporates a tubular member open at one end and closed at the other with an open smoke-stack or chimney intermediate the ends. A socket is provided so that an L-shaped wand having a ring element can be fitted within the socket to provide the ring element in registry over the open chimney. By making the socket of a characterized opening, such as square or elliptical, and the end of the wand of a mating characterized configuration, the wand can be taken away from the bubble pipe or simply installed in immediate registration for use.

The operation of the bubble pipe toy is extremely simple in that, once erected, the wand is simply dipped into a soapy solution and is ready for use. Bubbles are blown by merely blowing through the open end of the pipe, with air being expelled through the chimney and through the film over the ring element of the wand, to form bubbles. The bubbles rising from the pipe simulate the smoking action and when the toy figurine, such as a locomotive or other toy is employed, bubbles simulate smoke from the smoke-stack of the locomotive or other toy figurines.

Various toy figurines can be employed as desired, such that the focus of the interest of the child can be maintained by ready interchangeability. Further, the bubble pipe is extremely simple to use by the incorporation of the registered wand over the chimney of the bubble pipe so that bubbles can be formed with no difficulty. By nature of the construction, the bubble pipe and wand are rugged since they can conventionally be made of plastic construction and are easy to use and inexpensive in cost.

The above features are objects of this invention and further objects will appear in the detailed description which follows and will be otherwise apparent to those skilled in the art.

For the purpose of illustration, there is shown the accompanying drawings, examples and modifications of my invention, It is to be understood that these examples are for the purpose of illustration only and the invention is not limited thereto.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view partly broken away of the bubble pipe, with the wand removed;

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation of the bubble pipe;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view in front elevation of a bubble P p FIG. 4 is a view in section, taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the bubble wand;

FIG. 6 is a view in side elevation of the wand;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view in section taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view in side elevation on a reduced scale of the bubble pipe with an attached fire engine toy shown partially in dotted lines for the interior construction;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view in section taken on the line 99 FIG. 12 is an enlarged view in section taken on the line 12- 12 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a top plan view on a reduced scale showing the bubble pipe fitted with a further modified toy in the form of an airplane;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged view in section taken on the line 14- 14 of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a view in section taken on the line l5l5 of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a view in side elevation on a reduced scale showing the bubble pipe with a further modified toy in the form of a ball fitting over an extension on the bubble pipe;

FIG. 17 is an enlarged view in section on the line l7-l7 of FIG. 16.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The bubble pipe toy of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 20. It is comprised of the main components in the form of the pipe 22, best shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 and an L-shaped wand 24 shown in FIGS. 5 through 7. It is adapted to be used with various types of toy figurines, such as the fire engine 26 of FIG. 8, the locomotive 28 shown in FIG. 1 1, the toy airplane 30 in FIG. 13, and the ball 32 of FIG. 16.

The pipe 22 is comprised of a tapered, tubular member 34 having an open end 36 which is larger than the closed end 38. An upstanding chimney 40 is provided adjacent the closed end. A wand receiving socket 42 is connected to the closed end 38 and has a socket 44 open at the top and closed at the bottom of a characterized cross-section, such as the square cross-section shown in FIGS. 1-4.

The wand 24, best shown in FIGS. 5-7 is of an L-shaped configuration, comprised of the L-shaped body 46. The end 48 which is adapted to be received within the socket has a square cross-section that fits within the socket in mating and registering relation to present the ring-like element 50 connected at the other end of the wand over the chimney 40.

The bubble pipe toy is shown in FIG. 8 provided with a toy figurine in the form of the fire engine 26. The engine is hollow and made of plastic material, semi-rigid but with a slight degree of flexibility. It has a shell-like body 51 which is open at the bottom 52. The front 54 and the rear 56 are each provided with a semi-circular recess 58 with a protruding flange portion 60, such that the body 51 of the fire engine can simply be snapped on the pipe 34 over the recess 58 with the flange 60 being deformed in the connecting operation and then holding the body of the fire engine because of the resilient hugging nature of the flange 60. The fire engine body is further provided with an opening 62 which fits in registry over the chimney 40 of the bubble pipe such that air can be expelled through the pipe chimney and opening 62 to the ring-like element 50 of the wand 24 in the bubble forming operation.

A further modified toy is shown in FIGS. 11-12 where a locomotive 26 is provided. The construction of the toy figu rine locomotive 26 is similar to that of the fire engine in that the hollow body 66 is provided with the cut out recesses in the ends to which similar reference numerals are given. A smokestack 68 is provided upon the body, which opens into the interior of the locomotive. The smoke-stack is open at the top and fits concentrically over the chimney 40 of the pipe in the relationship shown in FIGS. 11-12. By this construction, the air can be expelled through the pipe, the chimney of the pipe and the smoke-stack of the locomotive to the ring element 50 of the wand to form bubbles.

Another modified toy figurine is shown in FIGS. 13, 14 and 15 in the form of an airplane body 30. In this embodiment, the airplane has a hollow body 72 which rests on top of the pipe. The body is provided with an opening 74 which fits in frictional engagement about the chimney 40 of the pipe so as to hold the airplane on the top of the tubular member 34 of the bubble pipe.

A still further modified form of figurine is shown in FIGS. 16 and 17 in the form of the hollow ball figurine 32. In this embodiment the ball figurine hollow body 78 is provided with a depending tubular extension or collar 80 having a pair of U- shaped grooves or recesses 82 such that the ball can be fitted over the bubble pipe in the relationship shown in FIGS. 16 and 17. The figurine body 78 has a circular opening 84 at the top which receives a support tube 86 fitting over the chimney and through the ball figurine. Thus, the extension tube 86 serves both as a support and passage for the air through the opening 84. It will be understood that the ball figurine 32 may be made in the form of a head or any other conventional toy shape.

The bubble pipe of this invention is adapted for simple employment and for use need only the connection of the wand 24 to the tubular pipe 22. This is simply effected by inserting the square end 48 of the wand into the square shaped opening 44 of the pipe in the relationship shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 4. Because of the square cross-section, the wand is presented with the ring element 50 directly over the chimney 40 of the pipe. The pipe is then ready for use.

In the employment of the basic pipe, the user simply dips the ring element 50 into the conventional soapy solution used in blowing bubbles. The dipping of the ring into the soapy solution forms a film across the opening of the ring and to form bubbles, the user simply blows into the enlarged open end 36 of the pipe. Because of the constricted nature of the pipe and the tapering towards the chimney, a concentration of force is provided through the chimney which is restricted in size to expel air toward the open ring element. As the air strikes the soapy film held in the ring by the normal surface tension of the soapy solution, bubbles are blown upwardly and the pipe has the appearance of an Indian peace pipe with simulated smoke formed by the bubbles. For blowing additional bubbles, the operation is repeated with the ring 50 of the wand being dipped again into the soapy solution for further bubble blowing.

The various forms of the modified toy figurines shown in FIGS. 8 through 16 are adapted for ready interchangeability. Thus, the fire engine 26 of FIG. 8 can simply be snapped on the tubular body 34 of the pipe in the relation shown. This operation takes only a matter of seconds, with the open recesses 58 of the body being snapped over the tubular pipe body 34, in the relationship shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The opening 62 in the body is presented over the chimney 40 of the pipe and bubbles are blown in the same fashion as previously described.

When the figurine in the form of a locomotive is desired to be used, the assembly operation is effected in the same manner as described for the fire engine 26 of FIG. 8. Thus the locomotive body 51 is simply snapped over the tapered body 34 of the pipe in the relationship shown in FIG. 12. In this assembly the open smoke-stack 68 of the locomotive fits over the chimney of the pipe and the registration of the smokestack under the ring of the wand provides simulated smoke emanating from the locomotives smoke-stack as bubbles are blown upwardly from the wand. This relationship is shown in FIG. 11.

The assembly of the airplane 30 shown in FIGS. 13-15 is effected by simply placing the opening 74 of the airplane body over the chimney 40 of the bubble pipe. This relationship is shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 and because of the resiliency of the plastic body of the airplane, the airplane is firmly held on to the top of the bubble pipe by the frictional interfitting of the chimney into the opening-74 of the airplane body.

The modification of FIGS. 16-17 is likewise simply installed. In this modification, the extension tube 86 is fitted over the chimney of the bubble pipe and then the figurine 32 is fitted over the pipe with the opening 84 fitting over the tubular extension. Then, by the U-shaped grooves 82, the ball figurine rests on the tubular body 34 and the fitting of extension 86 through the top opening in the ball, further provides support for the figurine. Where the figurine takes the form of a head, the blowing of bubbles through the head figurine simulates smoke coming from the top of the head and the figurine blowing its top."

Various changes and modifications may be made within this invention as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are within the scope and teaching of this invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A bubble pipe comprising an elongated tubular member having opposed open and closed ends, a chimney member opening into the interior of the tubular member adjacent the closed end and extending perpendicularly from the tubular member and an L-shaped bubble wand, said wand having a ring element fitting in registry over said chimney.

2. The bubble pipe of claim 1 in which the wand is supported in a socket at the closed end of the tubular member receiving an end of the L-shaped wand.

3. The bubble pipe of claim 2 in which the socket has a characterized opening and the wand has an end having a characterized cross-section mating with the socket opening to provide the registration of the wand ring element over said chimney.

4. The bubble pipe of claim 2 in which the tubular member tapers from the open end to the closed end.

5. The bubble pipe of claim 3 in which the socket means is in the form of a sleeve at the closed end of the pipe which is open at a top side of the pipe to receive the characterized end of the wand.

6. The bubble pipe of claim 1 in which a toy figurine is supported upon said tubular member, said figurine having a hollow body open at the bottom, means on said body for attaching the body'to the pipe and an opening in the top of the figurine in registry with said chimney.

7. The bubble pipe of claim 6 in which the figurine body has at least one end wall provided with a substantially semi-circular slot means adapted to frictionally clamp upon the tubular body of the pipe.

8. The bubble pipe of claim 7 in which the figurine body is in the form of a steam locomotive having an open topped smoke-stack fitting concentrically over the pipe chimney.

9. The bubble pipe of claim 6 in which the figurine body is adapted to rest upon the top of the tubular member and has a top wall provided with an opening adapted to fit over and frictionally engage the sides of the pipe chimney.

10. The bubble pipe of claim 6 in which the figurine body has a globular shape and is provided with a top opening adapted to frictionally receive a tubular extension member connected to said chimney.

11. A bubble forming toy comprising an elongated tubular member having an air blowing inlet opening and an air outlet opening into the side of the tubular member adjacent a closed end of the tubular member an L-shaped bubble wand supported by the tubular member, said wand having a closed ring element fitting in registry over the air outlet opening.

Claims

6. The bubble pipe of claim 1 in which a toy figurine is supported upon said tubular member, said figurine having a hollow body open at the bottom, means on said body for attaching the body to the pipe and an opening in the top of the figurine in registry with said chimney.