US3643373A - Tethered aerial top - Google Patents

Abstract

A tethered aerial top comprising a pair of circular disks each having a central hub formed with a stepped bore therethrough, a tubular shaft pressed into the larger-diameter portions of the bores and a rivet extending through the tubular shaft and having at one end a head abutting against the end face of the hub on one disk and means connected to the other end of said rivet and abutting against the end face of the hub of the other disk, to thereby securely hold the two disks in spaced and axial alignment with each other.

Description

United States Patent Russell Web. 22, W72

[54] TETHERED AERIAL TOP 3,263,361 8/1966 Bowden ..4-6/61 [72] Inventor: Luther J- Russell, 524 Femwood Road 3,444,644 5/1969 Sayegh ..46/61 K B' Fl 33149 ey lscayne a Primary Examiner--Louls G. Mancene Filedi 1970 Assistant ExaminerRobert F. Cutting [21] AppL No: 8,588 Attorney-Michael S. Striker [57] ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application Priority Data I A tethered aerial top comprising a pair of circular d|sks each Feb. 5, 1969 Spam ..145,3l9 having a cemm| hub f d with a stepped bore therethrough, a tubular shaft pressed into the larger-diameter [52] U.S. Cl 46/61 portions of the bores and a i qz extending through the mbuiar [5]] 1/30 shaft and having at one end a head abutting against the end 0! Search face ofthe hub on one and means Connected to the other end of said rivet and abutting against the end face of the hub [56] References (med of the other disk, to thereby securely hold the two disks in UNITED STATES PATENTS spaced and axial alignment with each other.

3,256,635 6/1966 Radovan ..46/61 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDFEB22 1972 3, 643.373

INVENTOR ATTORNEY TETI-IIERIEII) AERIAL TOP The present invention relates a toy using the gyroscope principle and commonly known as a yo-yo. As is well known, toys of the kind referred to consist of two symmetrical rotatable bodies joined by a shaft to which a string is fitted. The particular form given the two rotatable symmetrical bodies in the present invention enables specially appealing effects to be obtained, both when the toy is in the inoperative position and when it is spinning.

In order to describe the particular forms of the toy of the present invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of the toy according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view in perspective of the integral parts of the toy as shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of a variation of the toy as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the toy.

In the different figures the same indicia are given to corresponding elements or parts.

As can be appreciated from FIGS. l and 2 the toy of the present invention consists of several principal elements, namely the two symmetrical rotatable bodies l and 2. As these rotatable bodies 1 and 2 are of identical shape only rotatable body 1 as shown in FIG. 2 will be described, although use will also be made of the other rotatable body 2 to refer to certain portions which cannot be seen on rotatable body l as illustrated in FIG. 2. This rotatable body is made up primarily of a wheel 3 and a cover 4. The wheel 3 has a flat wall 5 from whose central portion a plurality of radial ribs 6 project, the central portion containing a hole having small protuberances 7. The flat wall 5 is integral with an annular rim 8 which with the flat wall 5 forms a chamber or recess.

The central portion of this chamber contains a projecting cylindrical part 9 which defines the previously described hole llll containing the small protuberances.

This chamber containing the projecting cylindrical portion 9 has a flat bottom 11 to which the said projecting cylindrical portion is made solid.

The projecting cylindrical or 9 is made solid with four spokes 12 of reduced thickness in the portion adjoining the projecting cylindrical part 9 but which outwardly expand in triangular shape to form a type of blade 26 whose thickness gradually diminishes toward the periphery, that is toward the rim 8, forming a border or edge 25 at a distance from the rim 8 to thus provide an exterior channel 13. In this manner the unit of four diametrically opposed spokes l2 and blades 26 form a type of Maltese cross which can be all of the same color or of different colors, thus permitting very decorative effects to be obtained.

The cylindrical part 9 terminates in a base M which is recessed with respect to the base surface 9' and through which the aforementioned hole 10 passes.

The cover 4, which can be completely transparent to obtain special decorative effects and which even can have recessed or built-up portions in order to provide certain additional decorations and even writing, has an arched shape and a flange 15 which fits into the exterior channel 13.

An axle 16 preferably provided with a central groove 117 is fitted into the hole 10, and over said axle 16 preferably provided with a central groove 17 a string 18 is fitted. The axle l6 contains a hole 119 of a diameter slightly larger than that of hole It] so that a rivet 20 can be fitted whose head 21 rests upon the base 114 while on the opposite side the face of base 9' provides support for a washer 22 containing a hole 23 through which passes the corresponding end of the driven rivet.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3 the possibility is shown of inserting a decorative disc 24 to change the decorative effects between the cover d and the chamber defined by the wheel, said decorative disc being slightly arched to thus conform to the shape of the cover 4 in which it is housed. In this manner it is possible to alter the decorative effects as previously described. In this case the cover t IS preferably completely transparent, although it can also be only partially transparent.

With regard to FIGS. l and 4, it can be seen that from a purely exterior viewpoint the toy gives the impression of two rotatable bodies in which the covers jut out in arched form, giving the whole unit a homogeneous appearance.

Furthermore it is evident that in the construction of this model, certain modifications can be introduced which are covered in the concepts previously explained.

I claim: 1

11. A toy of the character described comprising a pair of circular disks each having a substantially flat face spaced from and facing the flat face of the other disk and an annular rim projecting from peripheral portion of each disk in a direction away from said flat face thereof to form with said disk a chamber having an open end facing away from said flat face; a central hub for each disk integral at one end with the respective disk and projecting into the respective chamber and having opposite said one end an end face, each hub and disk being formed with a central stepped bore therethrough having a larger-diameter portion extending outwardly from said flat face and a smaller-diameter portion extending inwardly from the end face so as to form a shoulder at the junction of said bore portions; a plurality of circumferentially spaced protuberances projecting from the inner surface of said larger-diameter bore portion into the latter; a tubular shaft of a diameter substantially equal to that of the larger bore portions inserted into the larger bore portions of the pair disks and abutting with opposite ends against the shoulders in said bores and held in said bores by said protuberances so as to maintain said disks in spaced axially aligned position; a rivet extending through said hollow shaft and having at one end a rivet head abutting against the end face of the hub on one of said disks and means connected to the other end of said rivet and abutting against the end face of the hub on the other disk; a cover connected to the rim of each disk for closing the open side of the respective chamber; and a string attached at one end] to a portion of said tubular shaft in the space between said disks.

2. A toy as defined in claim l, and including a plurality of spokes projecting radially from said hub in each chamber towards the annular rim of the respective disk.

3. A toy as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said covers is at least in part transparent.

4. A toy as defined in claim 3, wherein said spokes have a color different from that of said disk.

5. A toy as defined in claim I, and including a plurality of ribs on said flat face of each disk and extending radially outwardly from the bore therethrough.

Claims (5)

1. A toy of the character described comprising a pair of circular disks each having a substantially flat face spaced from and facing the flat face of the other disk and an annular rim projecting from peripheral portion of each disk in a direction away from said flat face thereof to form with said disk a chamber having an open end facing away from said flat face; a central hub for each disk integral at one end with the respective disk and projecting into the respective chamber and having opposite said one end an end face, each hub and disk being formed with a central stepped bore therethrough having a larger-diameter portion extending outwardly from said flat face and a smallerdiameter portion extending inwardly from the end face so as to form a shoulder at the junction of said bore portions; a plurality of circumferentially spaced protuberances projecting from the inner surface of said larger-diameter bore portion into the latter; a tubular shaft of a diameter substantially equal to that of the larger bore portions inserted into the larger bore portions of the pair disks and abutting with opposite ends against the shoulders in said bores and held in said bores by said protuberances so as to maintain said disks in spaced axially aligned position; a rivet extending through said hollow shaft and having at one end a rivet head abutting against the end face of the hub on one of said disks and means connected to the other end of said rivet and abutting against the end face of the hub on the other disk; a cover connected to the rim of each disk for closing the open side of the respective chamber; and a string attached at one end to a portion of said tubular shaft in the space between said disks.

2. A toy as defined in claim 1, and including a plurality of spokes projecting radially from said hub in each chamber towards the annular rim of the respective disk.

3. A toy as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said covers is at least in part transparent.

4. A toy as defined in claim 3, wherein said spokes have a color different from that of said disk.

5. A toy as defined in claim 1, and including a plurality of ribs on said flat face of each disk and extending radially outwardly from the bore therethrough.

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