Toy balloon with improved skirt and gondola
OwnerBlaise L. McArdle, Frederick E. Tillotsoninventors
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Abstract
The present invention provides an imitation lighter-than-air craft having an improved skirt and gondola. The skirt includes an attachment assembly to ensure that the skirt is snugly positioned against a conventional inflatable balloon, such that the skirt and balloon combine to imitate the envelope of a true lighter-than-air craft. Also provided is an improved gondola which utilizes elements similar or identical to those used in the skirt and attachment assemblies, resulting in savings in manufacturing costs in that a minimum number of different parts are required.
Claims20
An imitation lighter-than-air craft, comprising:
- an inflatable balloon having a inlet valve, said inlet valve including an outwardly disposed neck;
- a locking disc attached to said neck;
- a tubular skirt separate from said disc having a longitudinal bore defined by an inner wall, said locking disc positioned within said bore;
- and
- means for detachably securing said disc to said skirt within said bore at a position along said bore such that said skirt is biased against said balloon.
An imitation lighter-than-air craft, comprising:
- an inflatable balloon having a inlet valve, said inlet valve including an outwardly disposed neck;
- a locking disc attached to said neck;
- a tubular skirt separate from said disc having a longitudinal bore defined by an inner wall, said locking disc positioned within said bore of said tubular skirt;
- means for detachably securing said disc to said skirt within said bore at a position along said bore such that said neck of said balloon is in tension and said skirt is biased against said balloon;
- and
- a gondola assembly, comprising:
- a tubular shell having a longitudinal bore;
- a locking floor disc positioned within said longitudinal bore of said tubular shell;
- means for attaching said locking floor disc to said shell;
- and
- a gondola suspension cord having an upper and a lower end, said upper end attached to said locking disc, and said lower end attached to said locking floor of said gondola assembly, such that said gondola assembly is suspended below said inflatable balloon.
A method of assembling an imitation lighter-than-air craft, comprising the steps of:
- (a) inserting a disc into a first open end of a tubular skirt having a longitudinal bore and an inner wall, said disc being attached to the neck of a balloon;
- (b) transferring said disc toward along the longitudinal bore of said skirt until said disc passes a shoulder extending inwardly from said inner wall of said skirt;
- (c) releasing said disc such that said disc is prevented by said shoulder from passing back through said first open end of said skirt.
A method of assembling an imitation lighter-than-air craft, comprising the steps of:
- (a) inserting a disc into the first open end of a tubular skirt, said disc being attached to the closed neck of an inflated balloon, and said tubular skirt having a longitudinal bore, an inner wall, a second end opposite said first end, and a shoulder intermediate said first and second ends extending inwardly from said inner wall into the bore of said skirt;
- (b) manipulating said disc relative to said skirt while transferring said disc substantially along the longitudinal axis of said skirt until said disc passes said shoulder;
- and
- (c) releasing said disc and said skirt such that said disc is prevented by said shoulder from passing back through said first open end of said balloon.
A method of assembling an imitation lighter-than-air craft, comprising the steps of:
- (a) attaching a disc to the closed neck of an inflated balloon;
- (b) inserting said disc into a first end of a tubular skirt, said tubular skirt having a longitudinal bore, an inner wall, a second end opposite said first end, and a shoulder intermediate said first and second ends extending inwardly from said inner wall into the bore of said skirt;
- (c) manipulating said disc relative to said skirt while transferring said disc substantially along the longitudinal axis of said skirt until said disc passes said shoulder;
- and
- (d) releasing said disc and said skirt such that said disc is prevented by said shoulder from passing back through said first open end of said balloon.
A method of assembling an imitation lighter-than-air craft, comprising the steps of:
- (a) attaching a disc to the closed neck of an inflated balloon, said balloon having an outer surface adjacent to and about said neck;
- (b) inserting said disc into a first end of a tubular skirt, said tubular skirt having a longitudinal bore, an inner wall, a second end opposite said first end, and a shoulder intermediate said first and second ends extending inwardly from said inner wall into the bore of said skirt;
- (c) manipulating said disc relative to said skirt while transferring said disc substantially along the longitudinal axis of said skirt against the tension of said neck until said disc passes said shoulder;
- (d) releasing said disc and said skirt such that said disc is drawn back by the tensile force of said balloon neck such that said disc is biased against said shoulder, and said skirt is biased against said outer surface of said balloon.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.