U.S. patent number 3,900,987 [Application Number 05/291,143] was granted by the patent office on 1975-08-26 for amusement device.
Invention is credited to Leslie W. Holt.
United States Patent |
3,900,987 |
Holt |
August 26, 1975 |
Amusement device
Abstract
A device adapted to be thrown through the air and to spin about
an axis through the device as it sails through the air. The device
has a number of whistles on the outer periphery thereof for
emitting a sound as it spins due to the air passing through the
whistles because of the spinning action thereof. The whistles are
symmetrically disposed on the device to provide dynamic balance
therefor.
Inventors: |
Holt; Leslie W. (Menlo Park,
CA) |
Family
ID: |
23119038 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/291,143 |
Filed: |
October 20, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/571;
473/588 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63H
33/18 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63H
33/00 (20060101); A63H 33/18 (20060101); A63h
027/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;46/74D,52,63,66
;273/16B |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Mancene; Louis G.
Assistant Examiner: Lever; J. Q.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Townsend and Townsend
Claims
I claim:
1. An amusement device to be sailed through the air with a spinning
motion comprising: a hollow, circular, dome-shaped body provided
with an open bottom, a central axis, and an outer periphery, said
body adapted to be thrown with a spinning action through the air so
that the body spins about said central axis and sails through the
air; a number ofo elongated whistles mounted on said body at said
outer periphery at symmetrically and circumferentially spaced
locations thereon, each whistle having an air passage extending at
least partially through the body and circumferentially of said
outer periphery, and a vent extending inwardly from said outer
periphery to said passage and communicating therewith, there being
an inclined vane adjacent to each vent and extending into the
corresponding passage, each whistle having an air inlet opening at
least partially facing the direction of spin of the body, and an
air scoop surrounding each air inlet opening, respectively, and
projecting outwardly therefrom, whereby air will enter each air
inlet opening as the body spins about said central axis and sails
through the air to thereby cause a sound to be emitted by each
whistle as a function of the spinning action thereof.
Description
This invention relates to improvements adapted to be sailed through
the air and, more particularly, to such a device having whistle
structure thereon.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional amusement devices to be sailed through the air are
generally circular and designed with aerodynamic principles in mind
so that they can be thrown and caused to sail through the air with
a spinning motion. Thus, they remain airborne for certain distances
due to a lifting force exerted by the relative movement of air due
to the spinning action. Such a device, after being thrown,
eventually settles to the ground as the spinning action continues,
thus providing amusement and delight to users of the device.
Such conventional devices are essentially noise-free as they sail
through the air because of the desire to keep the structure thereof
aerodynamically clean. If sound were to be emitted from such a
device as it sails through the air and spins, it would add to the
enjoyment of the use of the device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed to improvements in devices of the type
described, wherein such a device has whistle structure mounted on
it to cause a sound to be emitted therefrom as it sails through the
air with the sound being generated as a function of the spinning
action of the device. To this end, a dome-shaped or dish-shaped
device has a circular body whose outer periphery is provided with a
number of whistles thereon with the whistles being symmetrically
disposed to provide dynamical balance for the body. This will
permit it to remain in flight and to spin continuously until it
falls to the ground. The spinning action of the device causes
quiescent air adjacent to the spinning device to enter the whistles
at the relative rotational speed of the device and to cause the
sound to be generated with the sound being of sufficient amplitude
to be heard by persons throwing the device back and forth to each
other.
Each whistle has an air inlet opening, an air passage extending at
least partially through it, and a lateral vent communicating with
the passage and providing the exit from which the sound is emitted.
The device can be formed with a continuous ring defining whistles
being in the ring itself. In the alternative, the device can have a
number of spaced bosses on the outer periphery of a dome-shaped or
dish-shaped with each boss having a whistle therein responsive to
the spinning action of the device. The dome or dish shape of the
body can be of thin wall construction and the body has an interior
depth sufficient to sustain the lift of the device as it sails
through the air. The device can be of a one-piece construction and
can be formed from a moldable, metallic, or other suitable
material.
The primary object of this invention is to provide an amusement
device of the type having a circular body adapted to be sailed with
a spinning action through the air, wherein the device has a whistle
structure on its outer periphery for emitting a sound as a function
of the spinning action to thereby add to the users' enjoyment of
the device.
Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the type
described wherein the whistle structure thereof includes a number
of spaced whistles mounted on the outer periphery of the device at
locations providing aerodynamic balance therefor to permit it to
spin continuously as it sails through the air and until it settles
to the ground.
Other objects of this invention will become apparent as the
following specification progresses, reference being had to the
accompanying drawing for an illustration of the invention.
In the drawing:
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the amusement device of this
invention, showing three whistles on the outer periphery
thereof;
FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the device; and
FIGS. 3 and 4 are cross-sectional views taken along lines 3--3 and
4--4, respectively, of FIG. 1.
The amusement device of this invention is broadly denoted by the
numeral 10 and includes a circular member 12 having an outer
periphery 14 and adapted to be sailed through the air and, as it
does, to spin about a central axis 16 (FIG. 1). Member 12 includes
a central, dome-shaped body 18 and a ring 20 secure to body 18 and
surrounding the open bottom 22 thereof. The ring is preferably
integral with body 18 so that member 12 is of a one-piece
construction. It can be formed of plastic, metal or other material
permitting it to be sailed through the air in a manner such that
the outer surface 23 of body 18, which projects laterally from the
plane of ring 20 as shown in FIG. 2, is above the plane of ring 20.
Thus, member 12 can experience lift in accordance with known
aerodynamic principles so that it will remain in the air for a
certain distance after being thrown, such as 50 to 100 feet,
depending on the initial velocity imparted to it and its initial
height above the ground.
For purposes of illustration, ring 20 has a generally rectangular
cross-section, as shown in FIG. 3; however, it can have other
cross-sections as well. The ring defines outer periphery 14 of
member 12.
Device 10 includes whistle structure on the outer periphery thereof
for emitting a sound as the device sails through the air and spins
about axis 16. Such whistle structure includes three whistles 24 in
ring 20 at symmetrically spaced location about axis 16. The
whistles are arranged so that number 12 is dynamically
balanced.
Each whistle 24 has a air inlet opening 26 at the upstream end of a
short fluid passage 28 which communicates with a relatively long
fluid passage 30 having a downstream open end 32. A vent 34 is
provided in the outer face of ring 20 and communicates with fluid
passage 30. A vane 36 extends partially into the path of the
airflow through passage 28, shown in FIG. 1. Thus, air entering
inlet opening 26 flows through passage 28 and is divided by vane
36, part of the air going out of vent 34 and part of the air
flowing through passage 30. This causes a whistling sound to be
emitted with the pitch of the sound being controlled by the
effective length of passage 30.
An inclined surface 38 in the outer face of ring 20 cooperates with
a curved air scoop 40 adjacent to each air inlet opening 26,
respectively, to direct air into the corresponding inlet opening 26
as number 12 spins about axis 16 in the direction of arrow 42 (FIG.
1).
In operation, device 10 is thrown so that the plane of ring 20
remains substantially horizontal and with body 18 being above such
plane. The device is given an initial spin in the direction of
arrow 42 as it is thrown so that the device will continue to spin
about axis 16 as it sails through the air.
During the time in which the device is in the air and is spinning,
air will be continuously scooped by air scoops 40 for movement
toward respective air inlet openings 26. The air will flow into the
inlet openings, through passages 28 and toward passages 30. As the
air from each passage 28 enters the upstream end of the
corresponding passage 30, the airflow will be split, a portion of
which will flow out of the adjacent vent 34 and a portion of which
will flow through the corresponding passage 30. This will cause a
whistling sound to be emitted by each whistle 24, and such
whistling sound will continue so long as body 12 spins about axis
16 in the direction of arrow 42.
While device 10 has been described with respect to the provision of
ring 20, it is possible to make the device without a continuous
ring. For instance, whistles 24 can be mounted on the outer
periphery of body 18 in any suitable manner provided the body is
dynamically balanced. To this end, it is possible to mold into the
outer periphery of body 18 a number of bosses which are
circumferentially spaced apart and have the whistles formed
therein.
In the claims:
* * * * *