US3858348A

US3858348A - Rotatable bobbin and tethered spinning object

Info

Publication number: US3858348A
Application number: US417291A
Authority: US
Inventors: Paul L Brown
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-01-21
Filing date: 1973-11-19
Publication date: 1975-01-07
Anticipated expiration: 1992-01-07

Abstract

A bobbin rotatably mounted on a handle and upon which a cord may be caused to wind and unwind as well as caused to spin upon itself to effect the spinning of an object fastened to the outer end of the cord, the object being susceptible to controlled constant and variable flights and other maneuvers.

Description

1 1 W l llited 18m tent 1191 1111 3,858,348

town 1 Jan. 7, 1975 [5 RoTATABLE BOBBIN AND TETHERIED 3,287,846 11/1966 Frangos 46/61 SPINNHNG 3,717,949 2/1973 Radovan...

3,724,121 4/1973 Atkins 46/61 [76] Inventor: Paul L. Brown, 982 Lakevlew Way,

Redwood City, Calif. 94062 22 Filed; Nov. 9 973 Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner-Marvin Siskind [2]] Appl. No.: 417,291

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 219,776, Jan. 21,

1972, Pat. No. 3,834,069. [57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 46/61, 46/67 A bobbin rotatably mounted on a handle and upon [51] Int. Cl A6311 1/32 which a cord may be caused to wind and unwind as [58] Field of Search 46/47, 60, 61, 65, 67, well as caused to spin upon itself to effect the spinning 46/70, 71, 73, 62, 63 of an object fastened to the outer end of the cord, the object being susceptible to controlled constant and [56] References Cited variable flights and other maneuvers.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,384,972 7/1921 Sandstrom 46/70 7 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures Patented Jan. 7, 1975 3,858,348

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ROTATABLE BOBBIN AND TETHERED SPINNING OBJECT This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Ser. No. 219,776, filed Jan. 21, 1972, now US. Pat. No. 3,834,069 and entitled Hand Manipulated Toy, and pertains to an invention directed to a toy embodying means for effecting different and an increased number of maneuvers over and above the maneuvers that can be accomplished by the invention disclosed and claimed in my aforesaid co-pending application.

For example, the hand manipulated toy of the aforesaid co-pending application can be so handled as to flip the suspended ball to the left and to the right as well as out in front and side, with double flips and multiple flips in the same and opposite directions; it can be shifted from one hand to the other while the object is in motion in orbit; it can accomplish single and alternate under-leg passes as well as rear passes; it can be manipulated so as to cup the ball in the hand; and it can be handed-off to other persons while the object is in motion with centrifugal or other motion. The flightcontrolled toy of the present invention can be played with to accomplish not only all of the foregoing actions but also to jump the fence using the arm or hand as a simulated fence; it can accomplish an around the May Pole attitude from low to high levels while in motion; it can be powered in a roll on the floor or other flat surface; it can accomplish a Figure 8 while in controlled motion; it can rock back and forth in a single or Rocka-bye baby motion; it can fly over the Rainbow; it can be controlled in a deep sleep while spinning; it can walk up on arm; it can accomplish a whip action with consecutive lashes; it can provide a flexible shaft spin as well as an overhead roll; and it can develope a series of geometric patterns all under the control of a person playing with the toy. Accordingly, my improved toy illustrated and described therein has the capacity of developing concentration of the mind; developing muscular toning and coordination; and at the same time providing an amusing as well as an educational toy for the enjoyment of all.

A primary object of my present invention is to provide a flight-controlled toy which has the capability of accomplishing a multiplicity of different and increased number of maneuvers thereby enhancing the entertainment value thereof.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a flight-controlled toy of the indicated nature which is additionally characterized by and affording the playing of an increased number of different games by one player or a plurality of players each maneuvering a separate and like toy.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a flight-controlled toy of the aforementioned character which includes means for rendering a suspended object into a simulated deep sleep and susceptible to easy change-over to flight maneuvers and vice-versa.

Another object of my present invention is to provide a flight-controlled toy which additionally is readily converted to a controlled spinning in the manner of a spinning toy top.

Other objects of the invention, together with some of the advantageous features thereof, will appear from the following description of an embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings and exemplifying the best mode of construction of the invention and the manner of using the same. The appended claims are intended to cover the embodiment illustrated as well as variations thereof within the scope and purview of my invention.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the present invention; this view showing the assembled toy in position for grasping and initiating flight and other manuevers.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 1; this view showing the rotational mounting of the bobbin.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged frontal view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 taken in the direction indicated by the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; this view showing the sleep slot of the outer flange of the bobbin and in :full lines a portion of a cord wound upon itself on the hub or shaft of the bobbin.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the outer flange assembly of the bobbin of the embodiment of FIG. 1 showing the feeder groove in the bobbin hub for facilitaring the feeding and mounting of the initial and replacement cords supporting the object thereon.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional elevational view of one type of object which can be suspended on the cord of an embodiment of the invention, such type of object being illustrated in full lines and side elevation in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a reduced perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 with perspective views of the right and left hands of a player; this view illustrating the manner of initiating play action, with an arrow indicating the initial downward thrust of the cord suspended object.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view in full and dash lines of the embodiment of FIG. 1 with a hand grasping the handle; this view showing in full lines one flight position of the cord and supported object and by'means of a small arrow the direction of the flight, and also showing in dash lines a series of flight positions of the cord and object.

FIG. 8 is a composite view of the: embodiment of FIG. 1 showing in reducedside elevation the toy, with object omitted, in a horizontal position and also showing in front elevation the cord-suspended object in a sleep position spinning on a flat surface with the hand holding the handle of the toy in a vertical position and the cord spinning in a pattern effected by the actuation thereof.

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the assembled toy.

One embodiment of my present invention in a flightcontrolled toy comprises a handle, a bobbin mounted for rotation on said handle and consisting of a relatively large inner flange and a relatively small outer flange having a radial slot therein, together with a single strand cord connected at its inner end to said bobbin, and an object fastened to the outer end of said cord; said object being adapted to be moved either in a succession of orbital flights of constant radius about said bobbin or to be moved in orbital flights of variable radii with respect to said bobbin by manipulation of said handle held by a player in horizontal positions with said cord winding upon and unwinding from the hub of said bobbin as well as being adapted to enter a sleep attitude by shifting said handle and the hand of a player to vertical positions while simultaneously causing said cord to enter and remain in said radial slot of said outer flange of the bobbin.

As particularly illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the annexed drawings my improved flight-controlled toy comprises four main elements and includes a handle 11, a bobbin 12, a cord 13 and an object 14. The handle 11 may be fabricated from wood, as shown, and is so formed as to provide a centrally located cavity 16 therein for receiving a press-fitted spindle 17 upon which the bobbin 12 is mounted for relative rotational movement with respect to handle 11. The inner end of handle 11 is preferably bevelled to facilitate the threading or feeding of the cord 13 onto the bobbin, including replacement cords whenever desired; such bevelled portion of handle 11 being designated by reference numeral 18 and merging into an inner flat face 19.

In accordance with the present invention the bobbin 12 of the assembly is specially constructed so as to provide generally an inner relatively large flange 21 and an outer relatively small flange 22 which are conveniently fabricated from a suitable plastic material, such as a urea condensate or a phenol condensate, in separate but connectable units or as an integral molded unit. As shown, the inner flange 21 is formed with a bevelled periphery 23 merging into a flat inner face 24 and is provided with an outer opening 26 for passing handle 11 that is bounded by an annular metal rim 27 to lend a peripheral gyroscopic weight thereto. The specially constructed outer flange 22 is formed with a radial slot 28 therein extending from a central opening 29 to the periphery 31 of the flange through which it opens to the exterior of the flange thus providing an entrance 32 to the radial or sleep slot 28. Outer small flange 22 carries an integral axle 33 through which the spindle 17 passes and which is so formed as to provide a shoulder 34 thereon which engages the flat inner face 24 of inner flange 21 to space the outer flange therefrom and to define a hub 36 upon which and from which the cord 13 is wound and unwound within the relatively narrow formed channel 37 between the flat inner face 24 of inner flange 21 and the flat inner face 38 of outer flange 22. It is to be observed, by reference to FIG. 3 that the cord 13 winds upon itself over the hub 36 in a stacked manner within the channel 37, as shown by the full lines of FIG. 3, thereby assuring smooth and uniform action in the winding and unwinding of the cord 13 on the hub of the bobbin as well as preventing fouling thereof.

It is to be noted that the axle 33 is formed with a straight or flat inner face 33 having a central passage therein communicating with the central passage of the axle through which the spindle 17 is passed uponassembling the bobbin 12 and mounting of the bobbin for rotation on handle 11. Also, that the spindle 17 is formed or cast with a head 17' thereon which abuts the outer flat face 35 of the axle 33 and holds the confronting inner flat faces 19 of handle 11 and the inner flat face 33 of the axle in spaced apart relation to permit unimpeded rotation of bobbin 12 relative to the handle 11.

With further reference to the bobbin construction, I provide means therein for allowing easy feeding or threading of the cord 13 into operative position fastened at its inner end to the bobbin and retained thereon by means of a simple knot 39. This easy feeding, of course, covers not only the initial cord 13 as one element of my improved toy but also all replacement cords. The outer flange 22 of the specially constructed bobbin 12, accordingly, is so formed as to provide a groove 41 in the bobbin axle 33 which extends for the length of the axle and opens at one end into the central opening 29 in outer flange 22 and opens at its other end to the space afforded by the opening 26 of inner flange 21. The outer end of cord 13, prior to mounting the object l4 thereon, is readily slipped through the formed groove or passage 41 and extended through the central opening 29 of outer flange 22 until the knot 39 on the inner end of the cord 13 engages the inside of the flat inner surface 24 of inner flange 21 adjacent to the passage 41 to thus suspend the cord 13 on the bobbin. Should the cord 13 at any time become damaged and need replacing, it can easily be withdrawn by inserting the fingers of a hand into opening 26 of the flange 21, grasping the knot 39 and pulling the damaged cord 13 out of the central opening 29 of outer flange 22 through groove 41 of axle 33 and through opening 26 of the inner flange after first disengagingthe object 14 from the outer end thereof. A replacement cord 13 can then as easily be inserted and suspended from the bobbin.

While the cord 13 can be made of any desired material and to an indeterminate length with woven or twisted strands, I preferably construct the cord 13 to a single strand and utilize braided nylon of round crosssection to avoid unraveling thereof inasmuch as the cord during the playing with the toy is twisted both clockwise and counter-clockwise. Preferably, the braided nylon employed should be of such strength as to withstand up to a 50 pound weight suspended thereon in order to prevent breakage thereof. The cord 13 conveniently is of round cross-section so that it will readily stack itself in convolutions upon the hub 36 of the bobbin, see FIG. 3, thus lending itself to smooth winding and unwinding from the hub as well as reducing to a minimum the likelihood of fouling thereof during the playing of any game with the toy.

In accordance with the present invention, I provide for suspension on cord 13, a specially fabricated generally disclike object 14, as more particularly illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5 of the annexed drawings, simulating the so-called flying objects which appear to be moving in space. Preferably the object 14 of my present combination is formed to an inversely conical shape with a tapering point 51 on which it may be made to spin on a flat surface 52 such as a side-walk or a dwelling floor whenever the object is lowered to such surface while the toy is manipulated so as to spin the cord 13. It is to be appreciated, however, that the object 14 can be constructed to a spherical shape, such as a solid or hollow rubber ball of the general type shown in my co-pending patent application, Ser. No. 219,776, entitled Hand Manipulated Toy, which can be made to spin or whirl about itself or walk along a surface, or which can take in oval shape or other shape, as desired. It is to be further appreciated that the wave pattern created in the twirling or spinning cord 13, as indicated at 53 in FIG. 8, is somewhat similar to the convoluted or sine waves formed by the power-driven cord employed in the toy described and claimed in my US. Pat. No. 3,545,126, entitled Vibratory Multi-Wave Toy, issued to me on Dec. 8, 1970.

In order to effect removable suspension of the object 14 on cord, as well as to removably attach the object 14 to the bobbin 12 to afford a compact unit for ready packing and carrying about the toy, I preferably mold the object 14 from a urea or phenol condensate or from a low impact polyethylene or the like to provide disclike structure including a flat top having a central opening 56 and down-turned extremities 57. As particularly illustrated in FIG. 5 of the annexed drawings, the disclike object is surmounted with a hollow cylindrical boss 58 which merges with the top of the disc and the wall 59 of which bounds a cavity 60 that communicates with the opening 56. The inside of wall 59 of boss 58 is formed with an annular recess 61 therein for receiving the periphery 31 of the outer flange 22 of bobbin 12 when the object 14 is press-fitted and removably mounted on such flange for easy portability of the toy as a unit, as well as for easy packaging. The molded construction of the object 14 of my present invention is such that an annular bead 62 is formed on the top of the disc and bounds the opening 56; such head 62 serving to effect the removable mounting of a metal coupler 63 which gives gyro weight to object 14 and which is fashioned with a cooperating annular recess 64 in its outer wall for the reception of the annular head 62. As shown, the coupler 63 is provided with a through passage 65 in which a flanged sleeve 66 is fitted and supported; such sleeve serving to pass the cord 13 which is extended through the cavity 60 of the boss 58 and knotted as at 67, to hold the object 14 thereon. To complete the structure of the suspended object in order that when it is lowered to a flat surface it can be made to spin, the tip 51 is provided with a pointed lowermost extremity 68, and in order to gain access to the knot 67 of cord 13 whenever it is desired to replace a used cord with a new one, I form an annular recess 69 in the inner wall of coupler 63 for receiving an annular bead 70 on outer wall of the tip 51 when the tip is snap-fitted into a retained position on the coupler 63.

It is to be observed that when the object 14 has been manipulated into a cruising or sleeping attitude by flipping of the wrist of the person holding the handle 11 from a horizontal to a vertical position as indicated in FIG. 8 of the annexed drawings, the spinning cord 13 acts as a flexible shaft and imparts'an inertia spinning of the sleeve 66 which, in turn causes the object 14 to spin inasmuch as the sleeve 66 has frictional engagement with the gyro-weight coupler 63. While in this cruising or sleeping attitude, the tip 68 of the object can be lowered to a smooth surface, as indicated at 52 in FIG. 8, such as a tile or hardwood floor of a dwelling or a concrete walk or the like, to cause the object 14 to spin as a toy top with a developed or generated eccentric pattern 53 in cord 13 and with a portion of the cord in the sleep-slot 28 of the outer flange 22 of bobbin 12. Moreover, it will be further observed that changes in attitudes of the object 14 from various long and short orbital flights, as indicated both by the arrow 71 in FIG. 7 and the various dash-line positions of the cord 13 and object 14 in this same view, to the sleep attitude shown in FIG. 8 and vice-versa, can be effected with ease and by the dexterity of the person playing with the toy. Thus, by flipping of the wrist of the person grasping the handle 11, from horizontal to vertical positions and vice-versa, the cord 13 may be caused to enter sleep-slot 28 of outer flange 22 to bring the object to a sleep attitude, see FIG. 8, and with another flip of the wrist bring the cord 13 out of the sleep-slot 28 and cause it to enter any one of a variety of flight attitudes or variety of flight-controlled orbital positions with the suspended object 14 moving about through space in a manner somewhat like the so-called unidentified flying objects, all within the increasing skill and dexterity of the person playing with the toy; the person thus developing a keen sense of timing while having more and more fun with others also playing with the toy. The initial action of each of the flights is indicated by the arrow 72 of FIG. 6.

I have found it desirable for most effective performances in controlling both the orbital flights and the sleep attitude of the object 14 to :so construct and assemble the various components of my flight-controlled toy as to provide that the total weight of the object 14 is approximately 67 to percent of the weight of the bobbin 12 with its attendant components. That is to say, if the weight of the latter is approximately grams, the object 14 should weigh approximately 67 to 70 grams; such ratio being similar to the weights of the generally same elements of the hand'manipulated toy described and claimed in my aforementioned copending patent application, Ser. No. 219,776.

The appended claims are intended to cover the invention in all of its exemplifications as well as the numerous attitudes attainable by the object 14 during flight-controlled movements thereof.

I claim:

1. In a flight-controlled toy, a rotatably mounted bob bin comprising opposed flanges of which one flange has a central opening therein and a radial slot therein communicating with said central opening and extending through the periphery thereof, a cord attached at its one end to said bobbin and windable thereon, said cord being adapted to he slipped through said radial slot into said central opening of said one flange, and an object secured to the other end of said cord.

2. In a flight-controlled toy as set forth in claim 1, and a shaft connecting said opposed flanges, said shaft having a straight passage therein communicating at its one end with said central opening of said one flange and extending at its other end through the periphery of said shaft; said straight passage serving to pass said flexible cord, and a knot on said cord to limit the feeding of said cord through said passage and to retain the same on the other of said flanges.

3. In a flight-controlled toy including a flexible cord and an object fastened thereto, a. rotatably mounted bobbin comprising opposed connected flanges of which one flange has a central opening therein and a radial slot therein communicating with said central opening and extending through the periphery thereof, and means for effecting rotation of said bobbin to cause the winding and unwinding of said flexible cord onto and from Said bobbin to move said object into variable orbital paths and to cause said flexible cord to enter said radial slot and remain in said central opening of said one flange to change the flight of said object to a sleep attitude and vice versa.

4. In a flight-controlled toy as set forth in claim 3, and a hub on said outer flange arranged in a space between the inner flat surfaces of said opposed flanges, and means for causing said flexible cord to wind itself upon said hub in a stack of convolutions to effect smooth winding and unwinding of said flexible cord under controlled flight attitudes of said object.

5. In a flight-controlled toy as defined in claim 2, and means on said object to effect spinning thereof on a surface during sleep attitudes thereof and the spinning of said flexible cord.

wherein said object comprises a hollow cylindrical boss, a coupler having a central passage therethrough removably mounted within said boss, and a sleeve fitted into the central passage of said coupler for passing said flexible cord; said sleeve effecting rotation of said boss by frictional engagement with said coupler upon rotation of said flexible cord.

Claims

1. In a flight-controlled toy, a rotatably mounted bobbin comprising opposed flanges of which one flange has a central opening therein and a radial slot therein communicating with said central opening and extending through the periphery thereof, a cord attached at its one end to said bobbin and windable thereon, said cord being adapted to be slipped through said radial slot into said central opening of said one flange, and an object secureD to the other end of said cord.

3. In a flight-controlled toy including a flexible cord and an object fastened thereto, a rotatably mounted bobbin comprising opposed connected flanges of which one flange has a central opening therein and a radial slot therein communicating with said central opening and extending through the periphery thereof, and means for effecting rotation of said bobbin to cause the winding and unwinding of said flexible cord onto and from said bobbin to move said object into variable orbital paths and to cause said flexible cord to enter said radial slot and remain in said central opening of said one flange to change the flight of said object to a sleep attitude and vice versa.

6. In a flight-controlled toy as set forth in claim 2 wherein one of said opposed connected flanges is an outer flange having a periphery of predetermined dimensions, and wherein said object comprises a hollow cylindrical boss having an annular recess on the inside of the wall thereof for receiving said periphery of said outer flange of said bobbin for ready portability and packaging of the toy.

7. In a flight-controlled toy as defined in claim 2, and wherein said object comprises a hollow cylindrical boss, a coupler having a central passage therethrough removably mounted within said boss, and a sleeve fitted into the central passage of said coupler for passing said flexible cord; said sleeve effecting rotation of said boss by frictional engagement with said coupler upon rotation of said flexible cord.