Amusement device featuring variable lighting effects

An amusement device providing a variety of lighting effects in which a housing is provided with a source of light positioned below two transparent turntables mounted for rotation, a mechanism for rotating the turntables, an independently operated mechanism for varying both the direction and speed of rotation of one of the turntables relative to the other, and a plurality of discs provided with a variety of cut-out patterns to be positioned on top of the turntables.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention falls in the general category of amusement devices 
permitting a child to produce a variety of color patterns, and in 
particular to a toy wherein two transparent, rotatably mounted turntables 
are constructed to be simultaneously rotated with a first manually 
operable device, and wherein variation in the speed and direction of 
rotation of one of the turntables relative to the other turntable is 
achieved by operating a second manually operable device. Designed to be 
mounted on one or both of the turntables are a plurality of discs having 
varying cut-out patterns. A light is positioned below the rotating, 
transparent turntables such that as the controls are operated a variety of 
different colored, lighting patterns may be achieved.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The cabinet 10 of the amusement device of the present invention, as 
illustrated in FIG. 1, is provided with controls, including an electrical 
switch 12, a rotatably mounted driving mechanism 14 and a rotatably 
mounted adjustment device 16. Reverting momentarily to FIG. 7 it will be 
apparent that the bottom of the cabinet 10 is provided with a housing 18 
and a cover 20 therefor within which batteries (not illustrated) are 
located. In similar manner, a light bulb 22 and appropriate electrical 
fixture 24 is positioned within a housing 26 which is also provided with a 
cover 28. Appropriate electrical wiring (not illustrated) is used to 
connect the batteries within the housing 18 to the electrical fixture 24 
such that when the switch 12 is turned to the "ON" position the lamp 22 is 
illuminated. 
Turning now to FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be apparent that a transparent plate 
30 is suitably mounted within the cabinet 10 above the lamp 22, and a 
shaft 32 is secured within the wall 34 of the plate 30. A first turntable 
36 is provided with a hub 38 which is mounted over the shaft 32 permitting 
the turntable 36 to rotate. It will be apparent from the shading of the 
turntable 36, as illustrated in FIG. 2, that three different colors may be 
employed to create desirable lighting effects. Along the periphery of the 
turntable 36 there is provided a rack of continuous teeth 40. 
A second turntable 42 is provided with a hub 44 which fits over the hub 38 
of the turntable 36 in such a manner as to permit the second turntable 42 
to rotate about the shaft 32. The turntable 44 is also provided along its 
periphery with a continuous rack of teeth 46. 
The gearing mechanisms for rotating the turntables 36 and 42 are mounted 
within a chassis 48 which, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5, is 
appropriately mounted within the cabinet 10. From FIGS. 3-5, it will be 
apparent that the driving mechanism or knob 14 is fixedly secured to a 
shaft 50 which is appropriately journalled within the walls of the chassis 
48 for rotation. Fixedly secured to the rotating shaft 50 is a gear 52. 
The reference numeral 54 designates a gear wheel which, as illustrated in 
FIG. 4, is provided along the top surface thereof with radially extending 
ribs 56 which function, as described hereinafter, as teeth. Above the gear 
wheel 54 is located a smaller gear 58. The gears 54 and 58 are formed as 
an integral part of the shaft 60 which, as illustrated in FIG. 5, is 
appropriately journalled at one end to a wall of the chassis 48. 
Surrounding the shaft 60 is a spring 62 which tends to urge the gears 54 
and 58 away from the wall of the chassis 48. 
The shaft 64 is also appropriately journaled for rotation with respect to 
the walls of the chassis 48 and, as seen in FIG. 4, is provided with gear 
wheels 66 and 68 which are integrally formed as a single unit fixedly 
secured to the shaft 64. The teeth of the gear wheel 54 mesh with the 
teeth of the gear wheel 66. 
A still further shaft 70 is journalled for rotation with respect to the 
walls of the chassis 48. Mounted for rotation about the shaft 70 is a gear 
72, the teeth of which mesh with the teeth of gear 68. In similar manner, 
a gear 74 is mounted to rotate freely with respect to the shaft 70 and 
formed as an integral part thereof is a smaller gear 76. 
From the foregoing, it will be apparent that as the driving mechanism or 
handle 14 is rotated the gear 52 fixedly secured to the shaft 50 rotates 
in the direction indicated in FIG. 4. Since the gears 52 and 58 mesh with 
each other, and since the gears 58 and 54 are an integral part of each 
other, the gear 54 is thus caused to rotate. Moreover, since the gears 54 
and 66 mesh with each other, the gear 66, and the larger gear 68 which is 
an integral part thereof, is caused to rotate. Since the gears 68 and 72 
mesh, rotation of gear 68 in turn causes the gear 72 to rotate. Since the 
teeth of the gear 72 mesh with the continuous rack of teeth 46 of the 
turntable 42 it is apparent that rotation of the gear 72 causes the 
turntable 42 to rotate. 
The mechanism for causing the direction of rotation and the speed of the 
turntable 36 to be varied with respect to the turntable 42 will now be 
described. As seen in FIGS. 3-4, the adjustment device or knob 16 is 
mounted for rotation with respect to the cabinet 10 and is provided at the 
bottom thereof with a gear 76 having teeth which mesh with a continuous 
rack of teeth 78 which are provided on the flange 80 of an operating arm 
82 which, as illustrated in FIG. 4, is mounted to rotate about the hub 83 
which is mounted to the chassis 48 for rotation. It will be apparent, as 
illustrated in FIG. 6, that the arm 82, which is mounted for rotation 
about a shaft 84 formed as an integral part of the chassis 48 and which 
extends through the hub 83, is provided at the end thereof with an 
abutment 86 (FIG. 4). A support 88 having upstanding flanges 90 is 
appropriately secured to chassis 48 and is provided, as illustrated in 
FIG. 6, with a shaft 92 mounted to rotate with respect to the flanges 90. 
It will be apparent that the shaft 92 is square in cross-section and 
mounted for sliding movement thereon is a gear wheel 94 having spaced 
therefrom an upstanding disc-like wall 96. From FIG. 4, it is apparent 
that the abutment 86 of the rotating arm 82 is positioned between the gear 
94 and the disc-like wall 96 in such manner that, as illustrated in FIG. 
6, rotation of the arm 82 causes the gear 94 to slide along the shaft 92. 
Secured to the end of the shaft 92 is a spur gear 98 having teeth that 
mesh with the teeth of the gear 76 which is attached to the larger gear 
74. From the foregoing, it will be apparent that when the adjustment 
device or knob 16 is in the position illustrated in FIG. 4 the clockwise 
rotation of the gear 54 causes the radially oriented teeth 56 to mesh with 
the teeth of the gear wheel 94 in turn causing the shaft 92 and the spur 
gear 98 attached thereto to rotate in the direction illustrated in FIG. 4 
which in turn causes the gear wheel 76 and the gear wheel 74 to rotate in 
one direction which in turn causes the turntable 36 to rotate in one 
direction. But as the adjustment device or knob 16 is rotated, the 
engagement of the teeth of the gear 76 with the continuous rack of teeth 
78 of the flange 80 causes the arm 82 to rotate in turn causing the gear 
wheel 94 to slide along the shaft 92. It will be apparent that as the gear 
wheel 94 slides along the shaft 92 it eventually passes the center of 
rotation of the gear wheel 54 at which time the gear wheel 94 begins to 
rotate in the opposite direction. During the time that the gear wheel 94 
moves along the shaft 92 towards the center of the gear wheel 54, the 
speed of rotation of the gear wheel 94 also gradually decreases. When the 
gear wheel 94 reaches the position illustrated generally by phantom lines 
in FIG. 4, it will be apparent that the gear wheel 94 is rotating in the 
direction opposite to that previously described, and, moreover, is once 
again achieving the same rotational velocity as previously described. 
Returning to FIGS. 1 and 2, the reference numeral 100 designates discs 
which are provided with openings 102 in the centers thereof and which are 
designed to be positioned on top of the transparent turntables 36 and 42. 
The discs 100 are provided with cut-out portions designated by the 
reference numeral 104 which, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 8-11, are arranged in 
a wide variety of patterns. The configurations illustrated in the figures, 
as noted above, and merely exemplary as it will be apparent that virtually 
an indefinite number of such configurations is possible. The child may 
position the discs 100 on top of either or both of the turntables 36 and 
42 when using the amusement device of the present invention. When the 
discs 100 are so positioned on top of the turntables 36 and/or 42 the 
handle 14 is rotated either in the clockwise or counterclockwise 
direction, the result of which is to rotate the turntables 36 and 42. 
Light from the bulb 22 passes upwardly through the transparent plate 30 
and turntables 36 and 42 and through only the cut-out portions 104 of the 
discs 100. Then, the child adjusts the position of the knob 16, the result 
of which is to change the rotational velocity of the turntable 36. From 
one extreme position of the knob 16 to the other it will be apparent that 
the turntable 36 may rotate at approximately the same rotational velocity 
as the turntable 42 and in the same direction through the entire range of 
slowing down, stopping, moving in the opposite direction to finally 
achieve rotational velocity of the same magnitude in the opposite 
direction, the result of which is to provide for a wide variety of light 
patterns being emitted through the cut-out portions 104 of the discs 100. 
As indicated previously, the discs 100 may be positioned only on the top 
turntable 42 or on both turntables, and as previously noted, the lower 
turntable 36 may be provided with different colors so as to further 
enhance the lighting effects of the amusement device.