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US 4,227,341 AGranted
Ring toy
OwnerWilliam A. Kaul, Jr.inventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ring toy including a generally T-shaped first member having a wheel rotatably mounted thereon, so that the toy can be advanced over the ground to impel a rolling ring, and a generally T-shaped second member pivotally connected to the first member for pivotal movement of the second member with respect to the first member so that the toy is self-standing. The toy also includes a ring launching device and a ring holder to store a ring or a plurality of rings.
Claims6
A ring toy, comprising:
- a generally T-shaped first member having an elongated generally linear center piece, said center piece having a front generally planar surface a back generally planar surface, opposite generally parallel side surfaces, a first, handle end, a second end spaced from said first end, and a first cross piece perpendicularly connected to said front surface of said center piece at said second end of said center piece and extending transversely beyond said side edges, said first cross piece having a front surface, a back surface, a top surface, a bottom surface and a pair of opposite spaced ends, each of said ends of said first cross piece having notches formed therein;
- a generally T-shaped second member having a pair of parallel elongated side pieces spaced the width of said center piece, each of said side pieces having a front surface, a back surface, opposite generally parallel spaced inner and outer side surfaces and first and second spaced ends, and a second cross piece connected transversely to said front surface at said second ends of said side pieces and extending beyond said outer surfaces, said second cross piece having a front surface, a back surface, a top surface, and a bottom surface;
- said side pieces being pivotally connected at said first ends to said center piece between said first and second ends thereof, for pivotal movement of said second cross piece toward and away from said first cross piece so that said bottom surface of said second cross piece abuts said top surface of said first cross piece and so that said second and first cross pieces are generally coplanar and said side pieces and center piece are generally coplanar when said back surface of said second cross piece is in planar contact with said front surface of said center piece;
- a wheel;
- a pair of spaced wheel support members connected to and extending from said back surface of said first cross piece to rotatably mount said wheel;
- a latch pivotally connected to said back surface of one of said side pieces for pivotal movement across said back surfaces of said center pieces and the other of said side pieces to releasably secure said first member to said second member;
- a generally U-shaped member including a pair of arms having first bent ends, and a bottom portion transversely interconnecting said arms, each of said first bent ends being pivotally secured to said outer edge of one of said side pieces;
- a guide member secured to said back surface of said center piece and configured to define therewith a slot within which said bottom portion of said U-shaped member slides to limit said pivotal movement of said second member with respect to said first member;
- and
- a cylindrical roller rotatably mounted within said bottom edge of said first cross piece.
7 more elements
A ring launching device for initiating rolling movement of a ring, comprising:
- a base member having a launching surface, said launching surface having a longitudinal axis;
- ring retention means;
- means for mounting said retention means on said base member to engage the inner periphery of a ring to be launched;
- means for resiliently holding said retention means in engagement with the inner periphery of a ring to be launched to retain the ring between said retention means and said launching surface;
- and
- means for moving said retention member out of said engagement to release the ring,
- wherein said retention means further comprises a second end spaced from said first end and extending inwardly toward said axis, and wherein said holding means comprises an elastic member encircling said base member and said retention member to bias said second ends of said member toward said launching surface, and wherein said moving means comprises a lever having one end positioned beneath said second end away from said launching surface and outwardly from said axis, and means for pivotally mounting said lever on said base member.
4 more elements
A ring launching device for initiating rolling movement of a ring, comprising:
- a base member having a launching surface, said launching surface having a longitudinal axis;
- ring retention means;
- means for mounting said retention means on said base member to engage the inner periphery of a ring to be launched;
- means for resiliently holding said retention means in engagement with the inner periphery of a ring to be launched to retain the ring between said retention means and said launching surface;
- and
- means for moving said retention member out of said engagement to release the ring,
- wherein the means mounting said retention means comprises a pair of mutually spaced longitudinal ring guide members mounted on said base member and directed away from and generally parallel to said axis, each of said guide members having a recess formed therein, said elongated member being rotatably mounted within one of said guide members and having a second end portion extending inwardly toward said axis, said first end of each of said side elongated members being positioned within said recesses formed in said guide members.
4 more elements
A ring launching device for initiating rolling motion of a ring comprising:
- a base member including an elongated generally planar launching surface having a longitudinal axis;
- a pair of mutually spaced longitudinal ring guide members mounted on said launching surface and directed away from and generally parallel to said axis to define a trackway therebetween, each of said guide members further including a recess and a bore extending from said recess to an end of said guide member;
- a pair of elongated members having first and second ends, one of said elongated members being rotatably mounted within said bore of each of said guide members, a first end of each of said elongated members having a portion extending generally toward said axis, and a second end of each of said members having a portion angled inwardly toward said axis, and a further portion extending from said angled portion generally parallel to said axis, and a final portion extending generally toward, said axis, said first ends being positioned within the recesses of said guide members;
- a post mounted on said launching surface and spaced from said second bent ends of said pieces;
- a lever pivotally mounted on said post, one end of said lever having a notch formed therein positioned beneath said first portions of said ends of said members;
- and
- a resilient means encircling said base member and said further portions of said second ends of said pieces to bias said second bent ends into said notch of said lever.
4 more elements
In a ring toy, in combination:
- a launching track;
- a launching device having a first, ring holding position and a second, ring releasing position;
- and
- means pivotally securing said device to said track so that said device is gravitationally actuated between said positions as the angle of said track with respect to the vertical varies above and below a predetermined value.
1 more element
In a ring toy, in combination:
- a launching track;
- a launching device having a first, ring holding position and a second, ring releasing position;
- and
- means pivotally securing said device to said track so that said device is gravitationally actuated from said first position to said second position as the angle of said track with respect to the vertical decreases beyond a predetermined value.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.