US2515171A - Transparent hollow toy ball - Google Patents

Description

July 18, 1950 M. c. ABEL TRANSPARENT HOLLOW TOY BALL Filed May 20; 1946 Mom COEDELL ABEL,

IN VEN TOR.

gftorlzej Patented July 18, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

The present invention relates to a hollow transparent or translucent toy containing a body of liquid, such as water, which can gravitate or be forced from one chamber to another while at the same time causing interesting and amusing visual and optical effects.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a transparentplastic toy of hollow construction divided into chambers and containing a body of liquid which is, transferrable from one chamber to another by gravity or by pressure.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a hollow transparent toy divided into chambers by a partition which affords communication between the chambers.

A further object of the invention comprises the provision of a hollow transparent toy which, upon successive inversions, displays interesting, amusing and attractive effects.

Other and still further objects and advantages will be appreciatedby those skilled in this art or will be apparent or pointed out hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical medial section taken through a preferred toy embodying my present invention. I

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but in which the toy has been rotated through an angle of.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of a modified form of toy having a barrel shape.

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of a dumb-bellshaped form of toy.

Fig. 5 isa fragmentary view of the partition showing the relationship of the port to a spherical object within the toy.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional View showing a detail of the invention drawn to an enlarged scale to show the sealing means at the joint of the two halves of the toy.

The toy of Figs. 1 and 2 may be spherical or globular and will be hereinafter termed ballshaped for convenience and brevity, it being understood that such term is used in its broad and generic sense embracing numerous variations in size, outline and appearance. The ball-shaped form of toy represents the preferred embodiment of the invention and is composed of three structural members, namely, the hemi-spherical members I0 and II and the compartmentingmember I2 which divides the hollow interior into a plurality of chambers I3 and [4. Members I0 and II are preferably of transparent plastic material but may be made of glass, if desired,

or other suitable material. For best results, members I 0 and II should be clear and highly transparent, but may, optionally, be translucent or partially decorated on portions of their surfaces to carry out a desired motif or to suggest or enhance a desired visual or optical effect. Either of the hemispherical members (II in the particular illustration shown in the drawing) may be shaped to receive the other, such as the offset flange I5 of hemisphere I I and at such flange members It, II and I2 are cemented together in permanent association.

Compartmenting member I2 is provided with one or more apertures I 6 which afford communication between chambers I3 and I4. These apertures may be centrally located, as shown, or may be arranged in a pattern or group in one or more areas of member l2. While a frustoconical shield I1 is shown as surrounding one side of apertures I6, such may be omitted, if preferred, or varied as to shape and size. An arcuate vent-pipe I8 rises from one side of member I2 (the opposite side from shield II) adjacent the outer edge of such member and extends well up into chamber I3, terminating close to the.

paddles I9 of rotatable water-wheel 2!] mounted on a standard 2| projecting radially inwardly from the polar portion of hemisphere 95!. Memher it is provided with an aperture 22 which is of relatively long and narrow oval shape and the central part of which communicates with thebore of vent-pipe I8.

The toy contains a body of liquid, preferably water, a bod of air or other gas, and a suitable assortment of balls 23, imitation fish 24 and imitation turtles Z5 and/ or other marine animals and objects, some being on each side of member I2.

' A toy figure, represented at 26, is positioned at the polar portion of hemisphere II and extends radially inwardly as illustrated, the said figure being diametrically opposite water-wheel '20 and both being in line with one or more (preferably a group) of apertures It. Each of the members IE3 and II has an external base 2! at its polar portion which is capable of serving as a stand.

ensure the raining eifect, said agent being any of the many compounds well-known for reducing surfac tensions, such as the cationic agents of the quaternary ammonium type. Air displaced by the transfer of liquid from chamber I 3 to chamber it passes through aperture 22 and ventpipe t8, the movement of air causing some turning of water-wheel 2B. The free objects in chamber 13 drop with the lowering liquid level and the objects in chamber I 4 rise with the rising liquid level. These objects are preferably, but not necessarily, buoyant so that they float and they are usually appropriately or attractively colored, in this connection it being pointed out that the Water or other liquid body may also be colored as by the addition of a dye or coloring material.

When the toy is inverted to the position of Fig. 2, liquid runs down vent-pipe l8 and impinges against the vanes of the wat r-wheel 20 to turn it; Displaced air finds its way up through the apertures H3. The character of aperture 22 prevents it from being sealed ofi if one of the balls 2'3or objects happens to rest over such aperture m as'will be appreciated. Instead of making th toy ball-shaped, it may, if desired, begiven some other form such as that of a barrel (Fig. 3) or a dumb-bell (Fig. 4) Besides, the toy, if desired, may havemore than two compartments or chambers all of which may com municate. l' hese modifications will be under-- stood without any detailed explanation thereof in view of the numerals thereon. Other modifications may be resorted to without departing from v the spirit or principle of the invention which is rather defined by the appended claims.

If desired, a highly volatile liquid may be used in place of the water, in which case, application of the warm hand to the surface of the upper compartment ll in Fig. 2, would speed up thetransfer of the liquid from the upper to the lower chamber via tube iii. In such case, however, it would be desirable to evacuate the air from the toy before sealing.

.I-Iaving thus described my invention, w hat a chamber, an apertured compartmenting mernber secured within said chamber and dividing the 7 interior into a pair of compartments, a rotatable water-wheel disposed in one of the compartments,

a toy figure disposed in the other of said compartments, a quantity of liquid within the toy} said liquid being transferrable selectively from one compartment to the other via said apertures, said toy also containing a plurality 'of' free objects, external base portions on opposite sides of the toy so located that when the toy rests on one" base the figure is showered with liquid and a vent pipe providing communication between said compartments, the area of opening in saidvent pipe being greater than the area of any of the apertures;

2. A ball-shaped toy comprising a pair of hollow transparent plastic hemi-spheres'secured together to form a spherical chamber, an apertured partition dividing the interior of the chamber into a pair of hemi-spherical compartments, a rotatable water-wheel disposed at the polar portion of one hemi-sphere, a toy figure disposed at the polar portion of the other hemi-sphere, a body of liquid within the toy, said liquid being transfer'rable selectively from one compartment 'to the" other via said apertures by inverting said toy alternately from one base to the other, said toy also containing a plurality of free objects, and an external base on the polar portion of each such herni-sphere, said partition being also provided with a Vent-pipe, the bore of which communicates with an elongated aperture in said member.

3. An invertable toy comprising a plurality of transparent plastic hollow sections secured to gether to form a chamber, an apertured partition member secured within said toy and dividing the interior into a pair of compartments, an object having a movable portion disposed adjacent one end or said chamber, a toy figure disposed at the other end'of saidchamber, a bod of liquid wholly receivable within one of the compartments, an external base on each end of the toy and a pipe providing communication between said compartments, the distal end of said pipe terminating in close. proximity to said movable portion of said object. I V v i 4. A ball-'shapedtoy campnsi ng a pair of hollow transparent plastic hemi-spheresf'secured togetheiflto form a spherical chamber, an 'apr'tured partition member secured; between said hemipolar portion r one h err ii-spher'e, cheese or said pipe terminating in close proximity to said movable pcr'tio'n, a toy figure disposed atthi" polar portion of the otherhini-sphere, a'body iq'uid wholly receivablewithin gifie of th compartments and transferrable;selectivelyifrorn the eqmpa're ment having said movable portion, the other via said apertures, and from the other compartrn'e'nt to the first m'entionedjccmpartlnent via said pipe, the toy also containing a plurality of free objects and anexternar base the pelarpor'tion of each suoh he ini-spherejsaid tloy'figur'e' being in line with apertures'in said member. I

5. A toy comprising a pair-of transparent hollowsections securedtogethr to form a hermetically sealed chamber, aperturedcompartmenting member secured withi'n'said chamberand dividing the interior thereof intocompar'tments, a fixed object having a movable part anddisposed in one compartment remote from said member,

I a toyfigure disposed in the other compartment remote from saidmenibe'jr, a bod of liduidwithin the toy transferrab'le from" one compartment to the other and containing a plurality"of objects and anegrternal base on eacli s ection'at opposite endsof the chamber, s' idbodylpf' liquid having a volume not greater thansufficient to fillone of the compartments 'a'nd containing a'st rfaceactive agent which'lowersits surface tension appreciably.

6. A ball-shaped toy cprnprising'a "an" or 1151- low transparent plastidl'iefiii spheres secured together to form aspherical chamber, anape'r'tured compartmenting manner: secured'wit h 11 said hemi-s'pheres and dividing we intend" into ap air of hemi-spherical compartments, a pipe providing communication between gampartm'erlts; a rotatable water-wheel disposed'at' the polarre'g'ion of one herni-spher, a ey fi ure disposed at the polar reg-ion of theother'henii-sphere, a body of liquid within the cnambeitransferiabie selectively from the waterwheel'compartment totheo t hr via said apertures, andirom said other compartment to the water-wheelcompartment via said ipes ml ree ec hi e' hamber and an external base on the polar portion of each such hemi-sphere, said body of liquid containing a surface-active agent which lowers its surface tension appreciably.

7. A toy comprising a hollow transparent plastic body, an apertured partition member dividing the interior of the body into a pair of compartments, a rotatable water-w heel disposed at one end of one compartment, a toy figure disposed at an end of the other compartment, a body of liquid within the toy and containing a plurality of free objects, said liquid being transferrable selectively from one compartment to the other via said apertures, and an external base on the end of each such compartment, said partition member being also provided with a vent-pipe, the bore of which communicates with an elongated aperture in said member, and the distal end of said pipe terminating in close proximity to said water-wheel.

MONA CORDELL ABEL.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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