Patent Publication Number: US-4057247-A

Title: Balancing toy set

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to toys and in particular to a balancing figure toy set for the entertainment, amusement and education or preschool children. 
     2. Brief Description of the Prior Art 
     Balancing sets for use in games of skill, such as the one described by Morrison et al in U.S. Pat. No. 3,614,106, entitled &#34;Balancing Puzzle Device&#34;, issued Oct. 19, 1971, have found acceptance in the field. Other stackable devices or sets have been relied upon to acquaint preschool children with differences in sizes and weights of objects. One such commonly acceptable set consists of a series of stackable blocks which, when properly stacked, decrease in size as the stack progresses upwardly. Another common play item for preschool children includes a post on which rings can be placed in a vertical frusto-conical stack with the rings decreasing in size as the stack progresses. Such devices have simplicity and are entertaining and amusing to the preschool child. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a balancing toy set which is useful in the entertainment, amusement and education of children, particularly preschool children. The balancing toy set includes a base portion which has a plurality of verticaly stackable base members thereabove, interengageable with each other to form a stable assembly. A plurality of balancing members are provided to create a stack of balancing members upwardly from the top of the base. Accordingly, upper balancing members are provided with a downwardly protruding tapered point at the bottom thereof. The uppermost members of the assembly include an upwardly facing concave depression for receiving the tapered point at the bottom of a balancing member so that the point and depression combination function has a fulcrum on which the balancing members are balanced. 
     The balancing members all include curved arms protruding outwardly and downwardly from two opposite sides thereof. The arms extend to a position below the fulcrum point of the balancing member and have sufficient weights on the ends thereof to maintain the respective balancing member in stabilized equilibrium even with the additional balancing members intended to be stacked thereon in the stacked condition. 
     While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail a specific embodiment and modification thereof, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the balancing toy in accordance with this invention showing a plurality of balancing figurines stacked on a base assembly; and 
     FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section, on an enlarged scale, through the embodiment of FIG. 1 illustrating interconnection between portions of a stacked base assembly and engagement of the stacked balancing members with the base assembly and with each other. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a base assembly comprised of three stackable units or members including a frusto-conical base member 10 tapering inwardly toward an upper circular lip 12. Base member 10 supports a hollow sphere 14 having a circular groove 16 receiving the upper lip 12 and centering an upstanding lug 18 generally coaxially with the frusto-conical base member 10 and sphere 14. Lug 18 is received by a recessed lug receiver 20 on the bottom of a hollow figurine 22 having an elephant-like form with an upwardly facing concave or cup-like depression 24 at the top thereof. 
     Mounted on the base assembly is a vertical series of balancing members, three shown in the illustrated embodiment. Accordingly, a downwardly pointed fulcrum projection 26 of a first balancing member 28, in the form of a bear-like figurine is received in the cup-like depression 24 and in turn has an upwardly facing concave or cup-like depression 30 which forms a receiver for a downwardly pointed fulcrum projection 32 on the bottom of a second balancing member 34, in the form of a beaver or the like. Balancing member 34 again has a top depression 36 for receiving a downwardly pointed flucrum projection 38 of still a third balancing member 40, in the form of a squirrel or similar small animal. 
     In order to permit the balancing members to stack and be properly balanced, each is provided with a pair of arms 42, 44, 46, having weights 50, 52, 54, respectively, in the form of hollow spheres at the ends of the arms. The spheres 50, 52, 54 may be partially filled with weighting materials such as shot 56, and/or ribs 58. In the exemplary form, the arms 42, 44, 46 will be of resilient members impaling the balancing figures and secured thereto against appreciable longitudinal movement relative thereto. 
     The members of the base assembly have proper serial oriented stacking order as is determined by the lip 12 and groove 16 and by the lug 18 and receiver 20. The balancing members 28, 34 and 40 also have a predetermined stacking order with the largest and heaviest balancing member 28 at the bottom and progressing with balancing members 34 and 40 of lesser weight and size from there up. The combination of arms 42, 44, 46 and spheres 50, 52, 54 and any weights contained within the spheres lowers the center of gravity for each balancing member sufficiently below its fulcrum projection to accommodate its own weight and the weight of all balancing members stacked thereabove so that when the balancing members are stacked in proper order a stable balanced equilibrium is achieved. Once the balancing members are properly stacked a child can be further amused by spinning the balancing members relative to each other with the fulcrum acting as pivot points and the balancing members remaining in their stacked condition. 
     It will be apparent that the present invention has many advantages in the entertainment and amusement of children. Further, the balancing toy exposes children to concepts of weight, size and center of gravity and in this way is partly an educational and instruction toy. 
     The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom as some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.