Magnetically controlled arrhythmical pendulum device
OwnerWilliam B. Beebeinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A display or other type device having intrinsic attention attracting properties and eye appeal is provided in the form of a pendulum type device arranged so the pendulum has an arrhythmic movement in time and/or in space and time. The pendulum may be deviated to one side in its oscillations, and/or temporarily halted at the end of some or all of its oscillations, such unexpected deviations in space and/or in time serving to catch and hold the observer's attention or otherwise amuse onlookers. The arrhythmic movements of the pendulum are controlled by electromagnetic means positioned near the end of the oscillation trajectory of the pendulum.
Claims17
A pendulum type display device comprising:
- (a) a base having a peripheral portion and a central portion,
- (b) a pendulum support associated with said base,
- (c) a pendulum suspension connected to said support,
- (d) a pendulum bob connected to said pendulum suspension, said bob being formed of a magnetizable material,
- (e) electromagnetic means positioned adjacent the peripheral portion of said base and the normal outer extent of an oscillation of said pendulum bob,
- (f) timing means to activate said electromagnetic means to attract and temporarily retain the pendulum bob at the end of an oscillation of said pendulum bob and to deactivate said electromagnetic means after a period of activation to release and allow said pendulum bob to swing away from the vicinity of said magnetic means.
A pendulum type display device comprising:
- (a) a base,
- (b) an elevated support member extending from said base,
- (c) a linear pendulum suspension member movably connected to said support member,
- (d) a pendulum bob attached to the end of said suspension member,
- (e) electromagnetic means positioned to influence oscillation of said pendulum adjacent the extremity of said oscillation,
- (f) means to activate said electromagnetic means with respect to said pendulum and to deactivate said magnetic means with respect to said pendulum near the ends of its oscillations in a pattern which noticeably disturbs the normal oscillation of the pendulum.
A method of using a pendulum as a display device comprising:
- (a) commencing oscillation of the pendulum,
- (b) magnetically attracting the pendulum near the extremity of certain of its oscillations to disturb such oscillation to such an extent as to attract the attention of a casual observer to the aberrant motion when compared to the normal oscillations of a pendulum while at the same time adding to the potential energy of oscillation of the pendulum, and
- (c) interrupting the magnetic attraction to allow the pendulum to resume its normal oscillations.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.