US3678615A - Toy tops - Google Patents

Abstract

A toy top comprising a top body which is induced to rotate about an upstanding shaft by means of a spin imparting rod. A figure carrier rotatably mounted within the top body. A transmission gear for imparting rotation to the figure carrier when the top body is rotated. The transmission gear consisting of a pinion secured to the top body and rotatable about the shaft, pairs of first and second gearwheels rotatably mounted at diametrically opposite ends of the bearing carrier, the first gearwheels meshing with the pinion and the second gearwheels meshing with teeth on the figure carrier.

Description

United States Patent Balleis [45] July 25, 1972 TOY TOPS 1,180,291 l2/196l Germany ..46/65 [72} Inventor: Peter Balleis, Hermann-Lons-Str. 55, D- P E LO M 8502 Zirndorf near Nuernberg, Germany ancene Assistant Exammer-J. Q. Lever Filed! 1969 Att0mey-Richards & Geier 21 A 1. No.: 882 556 I I pp 57 ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application priumy Di A toy top comprising a top body which is induced to rotate about an upstanding shaft by means of a spin imparting rod. A 1958 63 H figure carrier rotatably mounted within the top body. A transmission gear for imparting rotation to the figure carrier when [52] US. Cl ..46/68 the p y is rotated. The transmission gear consisting of a 2; g pinion secured to the top body and rotatable about the shaft, 1 e o are I 6 pairs of first and second gearwheels rotatably mounted at diametrically opposite ends of the bearing carrier, the first [56] Reterences Cited gearwheels meshing with the pinion and the second FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS gearwheels meshing with teeth on the figure carrier.

1,143,706 2/1969 Canada ..46/65 3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures I2 l5 l0 Patented July 25, 1972 3,678,615

HIIIllllllllllllllllllll' TOY TOPS The invention relates to a toy top driven by a spin-imparting rod.

In a known construction, the top body consists of a transparent hood and a base dish is mounted for rotation on a fixed axis and is adapted to be driven by means of a spin-imparting rod. Within the top body, there is connected with the latter, by means of web or a plate, a pinion which is rotatable on the fixed axis and which meshes with a gearwheel mounted for rotation in a plate fast on the shaft and on which there is disposed a further pinion meshing with a gearwheel of rotatable figure carrier. This driven pinion for. the figure carrier is fitted in a transmission housing secured to the above-mentioned plate. The movement derived from the top body is therefore transmitted from the drive pinion to the fixedly mounted gearwheel, from the latter to the pinion in the transmission housing and from the latter to the drive gearwheel of the figure carrier.

It is an object of the invention to simplify the construction of this transmission.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a toy top comprising a top body mounted to be driven by a spin imparting rod and which is rotatable on a fixed shaft, a pinion carried by the top body so as to be rotatable about the fixed shaft, a bearing carrier located in the top body and which is non-rotatably mounted on the fixed shaft, a first gearwheel rotatably carried by the bearing carrier so as to mesh with the pinion, second gearwheel rotatably carried by the bearing carrier on a side thereof remote from the first gearwheel, said second gearwheel being coupled to the first gearwheel so as to be rotatable therewith, and a rotatably mounted carrier having teeth thereon which mesh with the second gearwheel.

Preferably there are provided, two first gearwheels and two second gearwheels, each pair of first and second gearwheels being mounted diametrically opposite each other.

The words gearwheel and pinion are to be considered to be synonymous insofar as it depends on the motion ratios which it is desired to achieve whether, of a given pair of toothed wheels, one is to be considered to constitute gearwheel and the other a pinion. The ratio values do not in any way change the kinematics. With the construction of the present invention the hitherto used transmission or gearing housing for the drive pinion of the figure carrier may be dispensed with.

The novel gearing system may be further developed by making the diameter of the bearing carrier only sightly larger than the axial spacing of the pair of gearwheels, so that the gearwheels and pinions are substantially freely exposed and the child is able to observe the functioning of the gearing.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the top made in accordance with the invention, and

FIG. 2 shows the top according to FIG. 1, partially in section.

The top is constructed in the following manner. Pivotally mounted on a shaft 2 secured in a stationary top base 1 is a top body 3 consisting of a base dish 4 and a transparent hood 5. Secured between the base dish 4 and the hood 5 is a plate 16 to which is secured a pinion 8 rotatable about the shaft 2. For driving the top there is employed a spin-imparting rod 6 having a knob 6. By moving the knob 6' upwardly and downwardly, the top body 3 is put into rotation. This drive is widely known and is therefore not shown in detail. Due to the rotation of the top, the drive pinion 8 is entrained. Whereas, in the case of known tops, it is conventional to associate only one pair of gearwheels with the pinion 8 in the case of this example there are two such gearwheel pairs 9, 9' and 10, 10', for the mounting of which, according to the invention, no special gearing housing is provided; on the contrary, they are mounted directly in a bearing carrier 1 ll fast on the shaft 2, in such manner that the gearwheels 9, 10 are disposed below the bearing carrier 11, whereas the gearwheels or pinions 9', 10' are disposed thereabove. The design of the gearing is there fore greatly simplified. Furthermore, the space otherwise required for the gear housing is now available for other purposes.

The pinions 9', 10' mesh with the toothing of a rotatably mounted disc 12 constituting the figure carrier. FIGS. 13, 13, which are designed as swings, are of course immaterial for the invention, and this applies also to air vanes for sound production.

The example of embodiment shows a symmetrical drive having two pairs of wheels. However, this is not intended to exclude a design comprising only one pair.

The mounting of the wheels 9, 9' or 10, 10' is especially simple if the pinions 9' and 10 are provided with pins 14 pressed into bores 15 formed in bushes on the wheels 9, 10.

As may be appreciated from FIG. 1, the bearing carrier 11 is only just sufiiciently large to make the wheels of the gearing freely visible, so that the child is able to observe how the movement of the wheels 9, 10 is transmitted to the figure carrier wheel 12.

I claim:

1. A toy top, comprising a base,

a fixed shaft vertically mounted in said base,

a top body rotatably mounted on said fixed shaft and having a transparent dome,

a pin imparting rod operatively coupled to said top body,

pinion secured to said top body and rotatable about said fixed shaft,

a plate-like body horizontally disposed within said top body above said pinion and non-rotatably secured to said fixed shaft,

a bearing bushing in said plate-like body,

a first gear wheel rotatably mounted in said bushing on the underside of said plate-like body and meshing with said pinion,

a second gear wheel rotatably n'lounted in said bushing on the upper side of said plate-like body, and

a circular figure carrier rotatably disposed on said fixed shaft within said top body and having circumferential gear teeth meshing with said second gear wheel.

2. A toy top according to claim 1, wherein said first gear wheel comprises hollow stud penetrating said bushing and wherein said second gear wheel comprises fixed shaft fixedly secured in said hollow stud.

3. A toy top according to claim 2, having two first and two second gear wheels diametrically disposed relatively to said figure carrier.

Claims (3)

1. A toy top, comprising a base, a fixed shaft vertically mounted in said base, a top body rotatably mounted on said fixed shaft and having a transparent dome, a pin imparting rod operatively coupled to said top body, pinion secured to said top body and rotatable about said fixed shaft, a plate-like body horizontally disposed within said top body above said pinion and non-rotatably secured to said fixed shaft, a bearing bushing in said plate-like body, a first gear wheel rotatably mounted in said bushing on the underside of said plate-like body and meshing with said pinion, a second gear wheel rotatably mounted in said bushing on the upper side of said plate-like body, and a circular figure carrier rotatably disposed on said fixed shaft within said top body and having circumferential gear teeth meshing with said second gear wheel.

2. A toy top according to claim 1, wherein said first gear wheel comprises hollow stud penetrating said bushing and wherein said second gear wheel comprises fixed shaft fixedly secured in said hollow stud.

3. A toy top according to claim 2, having two first and two second gear wheels diametrically disposed relatively to said figure carrier.

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