US55591A - Improvement in toy tops - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcEO F. O. TUCKER AND WILLIAM W. TUCKER, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORS TO THEMSELVES AND N. C. STILES, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN TOY TOPS.

Speciication forming part of Letters Patent No. 55,591, dated June 12, 1866.

.i ence marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the saine, and which said drawings constitute part of this specication, and represent, in-

Fig. l, a side view of the top; Fig. 2, a vertical central section; Fig. 3, the ballast-ring; Fig. el, a side view of the whirling-jack 5 Fig. 5, a vertical central section of the same; Fig. 6, a vertical central section of the top and jack complete and in ,position for whirling the top.

Our invention relates to an improvement in the construction of what are called French tops, and in the mechanism or whirling-jack for whirling the top.

In this class of tops, as heretofore constructed, the metal is necessarily7 very thin, making the top so light that when the whirling commences it jumps or dances about and does not immediately come to a steady revolution on axed point, as other tops which areheavier. This lightness is caused fromthe fact that it is necessary to make the top from sheet metal, in order that it may be evenly balanced, and to spin the metal into the required form it must necessarily be very thin. This jumping or dancing is a serious drawback upon the successful action of the top.

To overcome this difficulty is the iirst object of our invention, which consists in placing a ring of metal or other material near its largest y diameter, which acts as ballast and fully accomplishes its object.

The second part of our invention relates to the whirling-j ack. As heretofore constructed, both in the French and American tops, this is operated by a steel spring coiled within the barrel, which is very liable to break-a great objection in itself; but a greater exists from the fact that children in winding up the spring injure their fingers by the accidental recoil of the spring. This part of our invention, which overcomes the objectiomiconsists in attaching two cords to the cylinder within the barrel,

winding in opposite directions, so that drawing upon the one winds the other around the cylinder, and by means of one of which the top is caused to whirl.

To enable others skilled in the art to construct and use my improvement, I will proceed to describe the same as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

A is the stem; B, the lower portion of the top,denoted in black,Fig. 2; and C, the upper portion, denoted in red, said Fig. 2. These two parts are spun in the usual manner and so as to be joined together by turning the edge of the one over the other, and both secured to the stem A.

Before closing the two parts B and C we form a ring, D, which we prefer to make of wire. (See Fig. 3.) We place it within the top at or near its largest diameter, as seen in Fig. 2. This ring, though of little weight in itself, is sufficient to fully accomplish the object and render the top very steady. If placed nearer the center, or of smaller diameter, it would necessarily be made heavier.

Upon the stem A we iiX a pin, d, by which the whirling-jack operates to whirl the top. This completes the construction of the top.

E is the barrel of the whirling-jack, which may be of any desired form. Through its center we place a cylinder or tube, F, of such size that the stem of the top may set freelyinto it, as seen in Fig. 6. Upon the lower end of the said tube is formed a hook to catch onto the pin d, as seen in Fig. 6. We divide the said tube into two parts by means of a plate, a, and also form heads thereon, c. To each of the said two parts we attach a cord, L and P, winding one of the cords around the tube, as seen in Fig. 6, before inclosing the tube within the barrel, which being done, insert the tube into the barrel, passing the said cords L and P through holes in the side of the barrel. Then place the cover R onto the barrel, securing it thereto in any convenient manner, the said cover and bottom of the barrel forming bearings for the said tube. Then wind up that cord, by drawing up the other, the unwinding of which will revolve the top, place the jack upon the top, as seen in Fig. 6, so that the pin d will rest in the hook, then quickly draw the cord from the barrel, causing the top to whirl, holding the jack in one hand, so that the top may fly from it when the movement ofthe tube has ceased.

By this arrangement the objection to the spring is entirely overcome, and in skillful hands a much more rapid revolution may be obtained.

For convenience We place a light helical spring around the tube, beneath its lower head, as seen in Figs. 5 and 6, the tendency of which is to draw the hook up against the pin, in order to avoid its too easy removal therefrom.

We do not broadly claim a sheet-1netal top neither do we broadly claim a whirling-jack, as such have long,` been known as French inventions; but

What we do claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The arrangement of the ballast-ring D, substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of the two cords L and Witnesses:

JOHN E. EARLE, M. A. HINE.

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