US1144938A - Top. - Google Patents

Description

H. M. HOWARD. TOP- AFPUCATION FILED MAR. 19, 1914.

1,l%4,9i38. Patented June 29, 1915.

HAROLD M. HOWARD, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

TOP.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 29, 1915.

Application fild March 19, 1914. Serial No. 825,822.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HAROLD M. HOWARD, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tops, of which the following isa specification. 1

The presentinvention relates to a top adapted to be set into rotation or to be spun, serving as a toy.

The object of the invention is to provide a top of this character which has means for containing one or more smaller or secondary tops and means for setting such secondary tops in rotation and causingthem to spin independently when the mam or primary top is spun.

The novel features in which my present invention resides and which I desire to protect are explained in detail in the following specification. I

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical sectional view of a construction of top in which I have embodied the principles of my invention. .Fig. 2'is a plan and horizontal section on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view looking upwardly from line 33' ofcFig. 1. F ig. 4 is a detail plan view of the upper end of the top. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a detail of the top. Fig. 6 is an elevation partly in section of the device employed for spinning the top. Fig. 7 is an under plan view of the spinning device.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all'the figures.

The device or toy in which my invention is embodied consists in a main or primary top 10, or parent top, and one or more secondary or subsidiary tops 11. Preferably there are two or a multiple of two secondary tops which are adapted to be placed within the parent top, in positions symmetrically arranged about the axis of the parent top so as to balance one another. The parent top has cavities 12 in its sides sufficient in number to contain thesecondary tops and of such size that one of those secondary topscmay be placed wholly in one of such cavities.

In the body of the parent top'there' is a central space 13 which contains a disk 14, the latter being secured to a shaft 15 in a manner such as to be a rigid part of such shaft. Said shaft '15 extends above and below the disk 14 and has bearings at 16 and 17 in the upper and lower parts of the parent top. It projects beyond the upper end of the top and through a head or stem 18 which is attached to or otherwise made as a rigid part of the upper end of the top. Shaft 15 is adapted to turn in the top, and also to move endwise therein, and it is pressed upon upwardly by a spring 19. Said spring is contained in a socket 20 in the body of the top below the disk and presses upwardly either against the disk or against any other suitable abutment which may be provided on the shaft to take the thrust of the spring. Shaft 15 is also provided with collars 21 placed close together and providing a groove between them which contains the inner ends of springs 22. Such springs are fastened at their outer ends to the rim or peripheral part of the upper portion of the main top. There are as many springs as there are cavities '12 in the sides of the top and each spring is located in the middle of the upper part of its respective cavity, extending thence into engagement with the collars21. The outer end of each spring is provided in its under side with a longitudinal groove or guideway 23 extending inward a short distance and terminating in a socket 24. Directly below theguideway 23 of the spring, the bottom of the recess is provided with a guideway 25 which extends outwardly and on a downward slant to the outer surface of the top, and at the inner end ofthis guideway 25 is a socket or depression 26. The secondary top 11 has pivots 27 and 28 at its upper and lower ends and these pivots are contained in the sockets 24 and 26, respectively. The disk 14 and the secondary tops 11 have such dimensions, and the sockets 24 and 26 are so placed, that when the secondary top is placed in the sockets a point on its surface makes contact with the rim of the disk 14. Preferably the socket 26 is nearer the axis of the main top than the socket 24, wherefore the axis of the secondary top is inclined as shown in Fig. 1, with advantageous results to be presently described. When the secondary .tops are in place and the shaft 15, disk 14, and springs 22 are brought into the position shown by the solid lines in Fig. 1, the secondary tops are securely held within the main top by the engagement of their pivots with the sockets described. Theshaft may be retained in this position by a locking pin 29 which is-adapted to be placed in a passage in the head 18 and passed through a hole in the shaft. The secondary tops are thereby locked in place and the main top may be moved about and laid down without danger of the smaller tops falling out.

In order to spin the top and thereby put it to its intended use, the spinning device shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is used. This device consists of a shank 30 having a handle 31, and a sleeve 32 rotatably mounted upon the shank. Preferably the shank has a groove or a recess 33 and the sleeve is formed with a bead 34: occupying the recess so as to retain the sleeve permanently on the shank and at the same time permit its free rotation. The shank has a socket'35 at its lower end which is square or otherwise 'noncircular in cross section and receives thesquared or otherwise correspondingly non-circular upper end 36 of the shaft 15, the purpose of the non-circular socket and shaft being to prevent the shaft from rotating when the shank of the spinning device is held stationary. The sleeve 32 is extended below or beyond the lower end of shank 30 and it is given anoncircular outline conforming tothe outline of the head 18 and adapted to fit such head. The projecting end of the sleeve thus forms a socket 37 adapted tofit the head 18 and to impart rotationthereto' when the sleeve is; rotated. The shape of the sockets 25 and 3'1 and of the shaft end 36 and head 18 may, of course, be anything desired, provided the essential functions of preventing the shaft from rotating when the spinning handle is held and causing the top to rotate when the sleeveis rotated, are present.

To set the top in rotation a string or cord is wound about the sleeve 32, the socket of the sleeve is engaged with the head of the top andthe socket of the handle is engaged with the shaft. The locking pin 29 is then withdrawn. The user grasps the handle in one hand and pulls the cord with the other, at the same time holding the top-against the surface on which it is to be spun by downward pressure upon the handle. 7 This pressure is sufficient to retain the shaft 15 in the depressed position shown in full lines in Fig. 1. The rotation of sleeve 32 produced by pulling the cord. causes the top 10 to rotate and carries the secondary tops 11 with a planetary motion aboutthe disk 14, which is held stationary. The small tops thus roll on the edge of the disk, frictionally contact with the disk setting them in rotation about their own axes. When the large top has been set to spinning rapidly the handle is withdrawn, releasing the shaft 15 and allowing thespring 19 to raise the latter. The rise of the shaft places the springs 22 in the raised position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, thus raising the sockets .24 far enough to release the pivots 27 of the small tops. The latter are thus left unconfined and are thrown outwardly V by centrifugal force. The guideways 23 and 25 confine the pivots of the small tops sufficiently to cause the outward movement of the latter to be in radial lines, preventing the small tops from striking the sides of the recesses 12. The downward inclination of the guideway 25 at the bottoms of the recesses permits free egress of the small tops. Thus the latter are thrown out from the main top after being set in rapid rotation and are caused to spin independently on their own axes upon arriving at the supporting surface.

I have previously referred to the inclined positions in which the small tops are held. The inclinations are such that the axes of the small tops converge downwardly toward the axis of the large top. This mode of mounting the small tops retains them more firmly in contact with the disk than they could be held if placed vertically, without at the same time making disengagement of their pivots fromthe containing sockets any more 'difiicult when released. It is possible to make the sides of the retaining sockets so inclined, that is, without abrupt edges or shoulders, that the pivots of the small tops are able to slip easily out of such sockets when the upper sockets are raised as above described. The inclination of the top causes an endwise thrust tobe exerted by the upper pivot against the end of the upper socket, whereby a part of the friction-producing pressure against the disk is absorbed in axial pressure which has the effect of more securely retaining the upper pivot in its socket without increasing the frictional resistance to'rotation of the pivot. The downward inclinations of the guide groove in the bottom of the recess is of advantage in enabling the small topto issue from the recess when it has assumed an upright position after commencing its outward movement. and avoids danger of the pivots being jammed or wedged between the top and bottom of the recess upon assuming the upright position, which the small top tends to assume by virtue of its spinning motion.

Without intending tolimit the invention to any particular details of construction, I may saythat I propose to make the main top in two parts to permit insertion of the disk 1 between them, and that these parts may be securely and permanently connected together after the shaft 15 and disk 14 have been put in place. Suitable bearing sleeves or bushingsand a step for the shaft 15 may be provided in the main top and are contemplated by my invention. It would not be a departure from the invention to provide some other device than the disk 14: to

take the thrust of spring 19, or. to connect the disk with the shaft in any other manused 'in the foregoing specification have been chosen with the purpose of clearlydescribing the particular embodiment of my invention here illustrated and without intent to limit the principles of the invention to elements or devices most exactly de scribed by those' terms. For instance, I have described the members 22'as springs, because these particular members I are springy resilient strips J of metal. Essentially these spring stripsconstitute one embodiment of displaceable means for retaining one of the pivots of the small top, and any'other embodiment of means having the a, same function isconsidered an equivalent of the spring strips shown and is intended to be embraced under the terms used to describe the spring strips 22.

Evidently many modifications "in struction and relative arrangement of the elements herein shown and described may be made and used to secure essentially the same effects accomplished by the construction here illustrated. All such modifications are included within the scope of this invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: a

1. A top having a lateral recess, a" secondary top contained in such recess, and

means for setting said secondary top in independent rotation.

2. The combination of a primary top, a secondary top mounted in said primary top, means for spinning said primary top, and means for simultaneously causing said secondary top to spin independently of the primary top.

3. A primary top having means for containing a top in its interior, a secondary top mounted rotatably in said means and means for causing said secondary top to rotate independently of the primary top and to be ejected from the primary top.

4. A primary top having a cavity eccentric to its axis, a secondary top contained in said cavity, the primary top having means for supporting the secondary top so that the latter may rotate independently upon its own axis, and means for releasing the secondary top and permitting its egress from the primary top when the latter is spun.

5. A top having a lateral cavity, a secondary top adapted to be contained in said cavity and having pivots on its ends, pivot engaging and supporting means within said cavity constructed to engage said pivots and permit rotation of the secondary contop, means for setting the primary topin rotation and simultaneously causing the secondary top to rotate upon its own axis, and means for displacing one of said pivot containing sockets and of the secondary top.

6. A top comprising a body having a recess in its side, a shaft contained axiallyin said body, a disk secured to said shaft, and

means in said cavity for supporting a secondary top rotatably with the surface of the liatter in contact with the periphery of said isk.

7. A top comprising a body having a lateral cavity, retaining means in said cavity formed and arranged to support a secondary top in position to rotate upon its own axis, a frictional driver for the secondary top arranged in the said body and adapted to make contact with such secondary top, and means for holding said driver stationary when the said body is rotated.

8. The combination of a top, a circular driver contained within saidto'p coaxially therewith, means for holding said driver stationary when the top is rotated, and secondary top rotatably mounted in the first named top in contact with said driver and in such position as to be carried in a planetary manner around said driver when the first-named top is rotated;

9. The combination of a main top, a secondary top having-pivots at opposite ends of its axis, vertically separated sockets in said main topadapted to receive the pivots of said secondary top, one of said sockets being displaceable to release the pivot engaged thereby, and a driver mounted with capability of rotating relatively to the main top arranged to engage the secondary top frictionally for setting the secondary top in independent rotation.

10. A top comprising in combination a toy, a driver, means whereby said driver may be held stationary when said top is rotated, pivot retaining elements associated permitting release with said top, a secondary top having pivots rotatably engageable with said elements, said elements being so placed that said secondary top when its pivots are so engaged or makes contact with said driver, and means for causing displacement of one of said elements to permit release of the secondary top. 1

'11. A toy comprising in combination a primary top, a secondary top, means whereby said primary top supports said secondary top and permits the latter to rotate independently upon its own axis, and means whereby the secondary top may be set in independent rotation when the primary top is rotated.

12. A toy comprising in combination a primary top, a secondary top, means whereby saidprimary top supports and confines said secondary top in aposition aside from the aXis of the'primary top, and permits the secondary top to :rotate about its'ovvn axis, means for setting the secondary top in rotation, and means for releasing the secondary top from the primary top.

13. The combination of a primary top having means for supporting and carrying rotatably a secondary top, a shaft mounted rotatably in said primary top, a driver 'secured to said shaft and adapted to make peripheral frictional contact with a secondary top so carried, and a spinning device comprising a body having means for engagingsaid shaft and holding it from rotating, and a sleeve rotatably mounted on said body and having means for engaging and transmitting rotation to said primary top.

14. A toy comprising in combination, a main top, a secondary top smaller than the main top, said main top having means for supporting said secondary top rotatably at one side of the axis of the main top, a driver mounted rotatably in the main top and including a disk adapted to make frictional contact peripherally with the secondary top, said driver having also a shank portion coaxial with the main top and exposed at the upper end of. the latter, and a spinning device comprising connected relatively rota-- table members, one of said members having means for engaging the shank of sald drlver having a peripheral surface frictionally 'engaging the surfaces of the secondary tops, whereby to drive the latter ,rotatably.

16. A ,top comprising a body having a cavity formed with a pivot bearing in its bottom, a retaining member located in the upper part of said cavity and having a pivot bearing in its .under side, a secondary top having upperand' lower pivots adapted to be engaged with said pivot bearings respectively, said retaining member being movably mounted and adapted to be raised so as to releasethe pivot of the secondary top which is contained; in the bearing thereof,

'7 and a driving'disk contained rotatably in said bodyhaving its periphery in contact with the surface of the secondary top.

In't'estimony whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence of two-witnesses.

7 HAROLD M. HOl/VABD. Witnesses:

C. F. BROWN, P. W. PEZZETTI.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). 0

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