GB2325174A - Toy - Google Patents

Abstract

An improved toy has a handle 4 attached to two strings 2,3 of slightly different lengths with objects such as weights at their ends opposite from the handle. The toy is played with by swinging the two objects 5 in opposite directions around the handle. In one improvement, the objects are or incorporate sound devices arranged to sound when they are swung (Figures 2 and 3). In another improvement, the objects are or incorporate lights and a switch arranged to switch on the lights when they are swung (Figures 4 and 5). The sound device or lights are arranged to operate or have their mode of operation changed in accordance with the speed at which they are swung. This is effected by means of the differing centrifugal force in the strings, which differs with the speed of swinging.

Description

TOY The present invention relates to a toy.

It is known to swing an object on the end of a string. A particular type of toy has a handle attached to two strings of slightly different lengths with weights at their ends opposite from the handle. The toy is played with by swinging the two objects in opposite directions around the handle.

The object of the present invention is to improve this type of toy.

According to the invention there is provided a toy comprising: ahandle two strings of slightly different lengths attached to the handle, and weights at the ends of the strings opposite from the handle, wherein the weights are or incorporate sound devices arranged to sound when they are swung, or lights and a switch arranged to switch on the lights when they are swung, or both sound devices and lights and a switch.

The sound devices can be whistles, pipes, reeds or the like.

The lights can be incandescent lights, light emitting diodes or the like.

Preferably the sound devices or the lights or both where both are provided are arranged to operate or have their mode of operation changed in accordance with the speed at which they are swung. Conveniently this is effected by means of the differing centrifugal force in the strings, which differs with the speed of swinging. However, the arrangement may be such that the differing centrifugal force may be detected in some component other than the string.

In one embodiment one or both of the stings are made from an elastic material.

As the toy is swung around the differing effect of gravity and centrifugal force vary the sound of the whistle.

To help understanding of the invention, embodiments thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved toy of the invention in use, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of one whistling object of the toy of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a similar cross-sectional view of another whistling object, Figure 4 is a similar diagrammatic view of an illuminated swinging object of another improved toy and Figure 5 is a similar view of another illuminated object.

Turning first to Figure 1, there is shown a toy 1 having two strings 2,3 a handle 4 and a whistle 5 at the end of each string. In use, the handle is worked up and down with the whistles 5 swinging around the handle. They move in substantially the same plane but do not collide, because as shown string 2 is slightly shorter than string 3.

The whistles can be plain blanked tubes. Alter natively, as shown in Figure 2, the tube 6 has a piston 7. The piston is attached to the tube's string 2. A spring 8 is arranged under the piston, between it and a blanked end 9 of the tube, the string passing through the blanked end. The arrangement is such that as the whistle is swung, the centrifugal force of the tube compresses the spring more and more as the whistle is swung faster and faster. The result is that the note of the whistle changes with speed of its swing.

The alternative of Figure 3 has the string 32 fixed to the blanked end 39 of the tube 36. The spring 38 is attached to the blanked end. This arrangement differs from that of Figure 2 in that the faster the whistle is swung, the closer the piston 37 approaches the open end of the tube, so that a higher note is generated for faster swinging.

Figure 4 shows an object 45 in which an light emitting diode 41 is mounted.

The object's string 42 is a twin wire, of which one wire 42' is connected direct to the LED. The other wire 42" is connected to a switch contact 43 with a spring 44 holding the contact from the LED's other terminal 46. The mass of the contact and the spring's characteristic is such that as the object is swung, the contact 43 flies out to contact the terminal 46 at a certain swinging speed. The opposite ends of the wires 42',42" are connected to a battery in the handle of the toy so that the LED is switched on at the certain swinging speed. The other object of the toy can have a switch with a spring having a different characteristic such that it switches on at a different swinging speed.

Its LED can be of a different colour so that initially one colour lights and then as the swinging speed is increased another colour lights.

Figure 5 shows an alternative switch in which the wires 52',52" carry springs 58 and contacts 53 in a manner similar to the spring 8 and piston 7 ofthe whistle of Figure 2, so that as the object is swung faster, the contacts make with the terminals 56 of the LED 51.

Alternatively, one or both of the strings 2, 3 are made from an elastic material.

As the toy is swung round the differing effects of gravity and centrifugal force vary the sound of the whistle.

The invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above described embodiments. For instance, in a simpler electrical arrangement, the switches for the LEDs may be in the handle. They may be conventional pull switches, arranged to make contact once the toy has be swung at a certain speed. They can be pulled again by hand to switch the LEDs off after swinging.

In a non-illustrated alternative, the two strings of the toy can be secured at different longitudinal positions on the handle to avoid large swing objections colliding.

The strings may be attached to collars rotatable on the handle to allow free swinging of the strings.

Claims (14)

Claims:

1. A toy comprising: ahandle two strings of slightly different lengths attached to the handle, and weights at the ends of the strings opposite from the handle, wherein the weights are or incorporate sound devices arranged to sound when they are swung, or lights and a switch arranged to switch on the lights when they are swung, or both sound devices and lights and a switch.

2. A toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sound devices are whistles, pipes or reeds.

3. A toy as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lights are incandescent lights, or light emitting diodes.

4. A toy as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the sound devices or the lights or both where both are provided are arranged to operate or have their mode of operation changed in accordance with the speed at which they are swung.

5. A toy as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the whistle consists of a tube with a piston attached via a spring to its string, such that as the whistle is swung the centrifugal force of the tube compresses the spring altering the length of the tube and lowering the note of the whistle.

6. A toy as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the whistle consists of a tube with its blanked end attached to the string, and with a disc attached via a spring to the internal blanked end, such that as the whistle is swung the disc is forced towards the open end of the tube producing a higher note from the whistle.

7. A toy as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the handle contains a battery, the light is a light emitting diode, and the string is a double wire connected to the battery, with one connection directly to the LED and the other connection to a switch contact with a spring holding the contact from the LED's other terminal, such that as the weight is swung the contact moves to contact the LED's terminal.

8. A toy as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the handle contains a battery, the string is a double wire connected to the battery, and the light is a light emitting diode mounted in a tube, the contacts being mounted on pistons on springs connected to the wires such that as the weight is swung compresses the springs which make contact with the LED illuminating the LED.

9. A toy as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the switches for the LED's are in the handle.

10. A toy as claimed in claim 9, wherein the switches are conventional pull switches, arranges to make contact one the toy has been swung as a certain speed.

11. A toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein the strings are secured at different longitudinal positions on the handle.

12. A toy as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the stings are attached to collars rotatable on the handle to allow free swinging of the strings.

13. A toy as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein one or both of the strings are made from an elastic material.

14. A toy substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 & 2, or Figure 3, or Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.