US2456341A - Siren top - Google Patents

Description

O. THORESEN Dec. 14, 1948.

SIREN TOP Filed Oct 3, 1946 i2 jIEZIIENTOR TMW wwad W may Patented Dec. 14, 1948 UNITED STATES IATENT DFFICE.

' 4\.Cla1imS. (G1. 46-436) invention pertains to asound producing toy top and more particularly, to a siren top.

'Ith'as beenwan object-of 'my'inventionto provide a new :and improved .iorm of top capable of producing sound during its-rotation.

Another object has been to 'provide a simple,

inexpensive and eificient form of siren top.

A further object has been to provide a top having :at least two par-ts capable of relative motion with respect to each other, having :pas-

sageways therethrough tor producingsound effects, and having -a :relatively low-coeflicient of friction with-respect to each other.

A-st-ill further object has been to devise a to having a low center of gravity and capable of spinning for-a long period of time.

These and many otherobj-ects of my invention will appear to those skilled in the art from the description ofthe exemplary embodiments thereof, as well as from the appended .-claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 iso side view in elevation of an exemplary formof top illustrating my invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the toy top of Figure-1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view in elevation taken along theline .III-IIIof Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an exploded view in elevation of the top shown in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive;

Figure .5 is .a top ViBW, partially in section, taken along the line VV .o'fFigure v3;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectionsimila-r to Figure 3, but showing -.a modified form of .my invention;

Figure '7 .is aperspective View in elevation of a vane-element used in the embodiment of Fig-- ure 6..

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Figures 1 to .5, inclusive, l'have provided a lower bodyorhousing portion 10, an upper-cover body portion 15 constructed and arranged .to be rotated .by .a shaft .25. The shaft '25,,is journaled within the upper and lower .bod flportions i5 and ill, see particularlyFig-ures .3 and .5.

As shown particularly .in Figure .3, the lower body portion i is provided with a rounded off spinner tip or insert -l.l secured thereto and mounted thereon for rotation-therewith, and a series of air passages or holes 13 about the periphery of side walls thereof. The "upper or coverlid portion t i-siprovided withdownwardly extending lip portions shaving va l-removable friction fit with the side Walls oi thetlower body portion ill to provide a substantially complete- 1y enclosing housing .body. An upper .taoe of I 2 the cover portion l5is provided with-a plurality of air passages or holes it through which fluid may enter the inside of'the top to produce-sound effects. The center oi the body 15 is drilled out toreceive the shaft 25 and provided with a hear- *ing housing H which 'may carry ball bearings H3 and an inner sleeve race I9. race 119 is rotatably mounted about portion 21 of the shaft The "upwardly open cup-shaped iIOtOI' portion or element 26 has ana'upwardly; centrally-extending huh-portion 21'] that is drilled outtosecurely receive mounting portions 2 8 and 72.9 of ,thesrotat-ing shaft '25 infisuch a mannerwthat the rotor will -'turn with the *shafty25. The 1'0t0l.1:2l0 is providedmwith upwardlyextending side walls that are slightly-spaced apart from the side walls ofthe lower-body i0 and have a series of holes or passageways '22 about the pieripheryzthereof, preferably in substantial alignment with the holes l3-0f:. the:body-l-0. v

The rotating stem 25 has a ltmirled portion 26 for winding a string or cord therealoout, a portion .2lthat is rr-otatably carried by :the ball bearing assembly 41, and :a lower 'end tllthat is rotatably carried by athrusnbearing opening in the spinner .-or downwardly projecting tip-element H.

The top may be actuated by winding a piece of string laboutitheaknurled portion 26. Rotation may .bepreven-ted duringthe winding operation by holding theupper portion of the stem 25 or by inserting a pin-or stickthrough apair of registeringpassageways l3 and .22. When the string is quickly pulled off the knurled portion 216, the .rotor .22 .will have .a high speed of rotation and air will he forced by centrifugal action I through passageways I l-,6 into the inside of the rotor .20., out through passageways 22 and $3 to produce a siren-likes0und effect.

Due to the low coefficient :of friction, the top hasa long continued, high ,speed rate of spin. The relative rotation between the rotor 23 and the outer body 40-. aids the sou-ndefiect. The low center --ofgravity of the top increases itseffectiveness and efiicien-cy. Since the shaft25 does not directly-engage the floor, but engages it .indirectly through the tip-I l, which may .be an integral part of I10 or aninsert, the length of rotative movement is further enhanced.

In Figures fiend 7,, :Ihave .shown a-modified embodiment of-myinvention in which the parts l0, -.I5 ..and .25 maybe constructed substantially the same as inthe previous embodiment.v Howeverplsproyideian additional element 31 which,

as shown particularly in Figure '7, has a central mounting hole 32 permitting it to fit over the hub 2| of the rotor 20, and outwardly extending vane supporting portions 33 which cooperate with upwardly extending walls of the rotor 26, see Figure 6. A series of spaced apart, verticallyupset or upwardly extending vanes or wall portions 34 extend from the support portions 33 to provide segregated fluid chambers within the rotor 20. The auxiliary eleme'nt3l is preferably mounted so it will rotate with the rotor 20. When used, it increases the weight of the top slightly; it may be employed to change the sound effect by reason of the increased complexity of the air passages thereby provided,

and also, by turning it about the hub- 2! to change its relative position within therotor 20.

In the preferred form of my invention, the element II, the shaft 25, and the bearing assembly l1 are of metal construction. The other parts, such as the housing Ill-I5, the rotor 20, and the element 3|, may be of wood, plastic, glass,';or metal construction. Of c'oursait will be apparent that the immediate bearing surfaces only may be of metal or of any suitable hard material construction and the other portions may be of any suitable material.

Referring particularly to the preferred embodiment of my invention shown in Figures 1 to 5 in- .clusive, it will be noted that thesiren' top is prosubstantially centrally thereof to rest upon a surface about which the top is to be spun. The rotor shaft 25 extends between-the pair of horizontal wall portionsand'is journaled therein. It will be noted that the shaft 25 also extends through a horizontal wall portion that is opposite the wall portion-on which thefspin tip Ii is secured. The cup-shapedinner housing or rotor 20 is open on one of its horizontal sides or faces and is provided witha horizontal wall portion and a substantially circular-shaped, vertical "wall portion which define a secondary air chamber within the primary chamber of the outer housing. It will be noted that the open horizontalside faces the horizontal wall portionof the outer housing which is provided with thei'spaced-apart, airintroducing holes or passages: l6.

The inner, cup-shaped housing or'rotor 20 is securely mounted on thesha'ft 25forrotation therewith, and for relative rotation with respect to the outer housing. The side wall portions of both the outer and inner housings of the top are provided with a series of spaced-apart holes or openings l3 and 22 therethrough; and about their respected peripheries which provide outlets from the secondary air chamber when they are in alignment. It will be noted that the holes i3 and 22 areon substantially the same horizontal plane, and due to the relative rotation between the inner and outer housings, produce desired sirene sound effects. That is, when the shaft 25 is spun by means of a string. for example, rotation 75 the string winding operation and While the stringis directly imparted to the inner housing 20, and is indirectly imported through the shaft bearings to the outer housing "3-45. The small amount of friction in the bearings effects rotative movement of the outer housing, but at a much slower rate than that of inner housing. Another feature of importance is the low center of gravity of the over-all construction; in addition to its contour, the overlapping, mounted relationship of the top wall portion IS on the side wall portion of the lower half ID of the outer housing is important in this connection.

Although for the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various substitutions, subtractions, re-

. visions, and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A siren top comprising, an outer spinner housing having a two-part interfitting construction, said outer housing having a substantially vertical sidewall portion and a pair of spacedapart and substantially horizontal wall portions defining a substantially circular primary air chamber therein, one of the horizontal wall'portions of said outer housing having a series of spaced-apart holes therethrough for introducing air into said primary chamber, one of the horizontal wall portions of said outer housing having a spin tip rigidly secured thereto and extending substantially centrally-downwardly therefrom; a, rotatable shaft extending between the horizontal wall portions of said outer housing and being substantially centrally journaled therein, said rotatable shaft having an upper length extending vertically above the horizontal wall portion of said outer housing that is opposite to the horizontal wall portion having said spin tip; a cup-shaped inner housing securely mounted on said rotatable shaft within said outer housing, said inner housing having a horizontal wall portion and'a vertical side wall portion defining a secondary air chamber therein, the side wall portion of said inner housing terminating opposite to the horizontal wall portion thereof in a, horizontal portion open to said primary air chamber, said inner housing being mounted on said rotatable shaft with its horizontal open portion in vertical alignment with and facing the spaced-apart holes through one of the horizontal portions of said outer housing; the side wall portion of said inner housing having a series of holes therethrough and in a spaced-apart relationship thereabout and entrant to said secondary air chamber; the side wall portion of said outer housing having a series of holes therethrough and in a spaced-apartrelationship thereabout and entrant to said primary air cham- 0 ber; the holes through said inner and outer hous -o ings being located on substantially the same hcrizontal plane with respect to each other to exhaust air from said secondary air chamber when they register with respect to each other; said rotatable shaft being constructed and arranged to directly actuate said inner housing and to indirectly actuate said outer housing through the journaling of said rotatable shaft to rotate said outer housing at a relatively lower speed than said inner housing.

2. A siren top as defined in claim 1v wherein, the upper length of said shaft has a knurled portion for receiving a winding string and has a smooth end portion for holding said shaft during 5 is being pulled off said knurled portion to spin the top.

3. A siren top as defined in claim 1 wherein, the horizontal wall portion of said outer housing that has the series of spaced-apart holes provides a top portion for the top and is provided with a ball-bearing race for journaling said shaft therein, the horizontal wall portion of said outer housing that has the spin tip provides a bottom portion for the top, said spin tip at one end extends into a central opening in said last-mentioned wall portion and is provided with a thrust bearing for journaling a lower end of said shaft, and the open portion of said inner housing faces upwardly thereof.

4. A siren top as defined in claim 1 wherein, a vane element is mounted within said inner housing for rotation therewith, said vane element being provided with a series of spaced-apart and vertically-extending wall portions to provide segregated fluid chambers with said inner housing.

OSCAR THO'RESEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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