Patent Publication Number: US-3880279-A

Title: Throw-trinket encasement

Description:
United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,880,279 Gambel 5] Apr. 29, 1975 [541 THROW&#39;TRINKET ENCASEMENT FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS inventor? Charles Gambel 3500 21.621 11/1896 United Kingdom 2061.8  
  Monticello Ave., New Orleans, La. 701 18 Primary E.\&#39;amir1erWilliam T. Dixson, Jr. 22 i 1 1972 Assistant ExaminerSteven E. Lipman Au ,.4 F C h ,Db&amp; [2]] App]. No: 307,205 cuggrrtlgn gem 0r lrm us man ar y [52] US. Cl. 206/8; 46/2; 46/87; [57] ABSTRACT 161/16; 206/523 A generally spherical shaped encasement having a [5 l] Il&#39;tl. Cl. AiSc 11/28 central cavity and a Slot for access thereto Such that a [58] held of Search 40/1 l 87; small coin or doubloon can be inserted within the cav- 206/1 46 R146 FCI&#39;46 ity of this sphere and maintained therein when the 22.3O1 161/161 H7 trinket is thrown. The sphere can be constructed of material which is not frangible on impact with the [56] References cued ground or may be an inflatable balloon-like encase- U T S S PATENTS ment. The encasement is of such dimensions that it 2635.385 4 1953 Brown 46/87 x an be asily r tri d y hand r asily picked up 2.653.703 9/1953 Krauss 206/.84 from the ground by a small child. 3.080.963 3/1963 Rothgart 206/.84 3.406.746 10/1968 Abildgaard 206/46 FR x 5 Clams 2 Drawmg F&#39;gum TI-IROW-TRINKET ENCASEMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a trinket encasement which is capable of receiving and holding a coin or similar article and which may be thrown and retrieved intact by an individual, and from which the coin or similar article may be removed with ease.  
 2. Prior Art During parades or similar events in which a large crowd gathers along the streets of a city as the parade moves through the streets, it is common for the various parties in the parade to throw, in a showering manner, souvenirs to the crowd. These souvenirs have special attraction to young children for esthetic reasons, and also to adults because of their value as collectors items, and are thus highly sought after when thrown into the crowd.  
  A particular type of souvenir which is thrown in many parades is a doubloon-like coin. When children and adults alike attempt to retrieve these coins from the street, their fingers and hands are often injured as a result of the crowd scurring about to retrieve these coins. Since the coins land flat, it is necessary to extend ones fingers in order to pick one up, leaving the hand vulnerable to being stepped on by other members of the crowd.  
  Additionally, since the coins can be thrown with considerable force and are of such a shape that they could cause considerable injury to an eye or other portion of the head and face, some cities have considered outlawing the throwing of such trinkets during parades, thus removing the danger. However, such a solution is felt not to be desireable because of the enjoyment by and satisfaction of individuals who manage to retrieve these various trinkets, and especially since it has become a traditional part of many parades.  
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention overcomes the above-described disadvantages of such throw trinkets by providing an encasement for the trinkets which will allow them to be thrown in a safe manner and not have sharp projections which would cause serious injury to an eye or other part of the head and face, and which can be easily retrieved by both children and adults without fear of having ones fingers or hands being stepped on. An additional advantage of such a throw trinket encasement is that it may be easily caught in flight, unlike a coin, and thus remove the necessity of retrieving the article from the ground.  
  The throw trinket is comprised of a generally spherically shaped device, capable of being thrown by a person and having a central cavity therein with means of access thereto such that a coin or doubloon or similar souvenir item may be temporarily received therein and will not be dislodged by throwing the device. It is made of material which will not shatter on impact and the souvenir coin may be easily removed by an individual from the cavity through the access opening of the encasement.  
 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a pictorial view showing an embodiment of the invention with a coin positioned in the central cavity thereof.  
  FIG. 2 is a pictorial view showing an additional embodiment of the invention also with a coin positioned in its central cavity.  
 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of the throw trinket encasement in the form of a sphere 10, having access opening 12 with a coin 14 inserted in a central cavity 16.  
  The sphere 10 is preferably made of styrofoam or other similar light-weight material approximately 2 inches in diameter. Cut along a great circle of the sphere 10 is an access opening 12 approximately linches wide by 3/32 of an inch thick and extending into the sphere approximately I-% inches. The actual dimensions of the access opening 12 and the internal cavity 16 should be adjusted so as to provide a tight friction fit between a coin or doubloon 14, which would be inserted in the cavity 16, to prevent the coin from being dislodged from the sphere when it is thrown and lands on the ground or is caught by an individual.  
  The coin is positioned on a great circle of the sphere 10 in order to provide directional stability for the throw trinket when it is being thrown broadcast to the crowd, although this is not essential.  
  In addition to the access opening 12, a groove or indentation 18 is provided at the central portion of the opening and perpendicular thereto to allow an individual to place his fingers on either side of the coin 14 to permit easy removal from the sphere 10. This may obviously be accomplished by other means such as making the depth of the cavity less than the diameter of the coin so as to cause an edge of the coin to protrude from the side of the sphere an adequate amount so that it may be gripped by the fingers for removal.  
  It is an additional advantage of the above described embodiment that after the coin is removed from the throw trinket encasement, the encasement may be used as a toy ball for a child. Also, the surface of the encasement may be brightly colored and/or imprinted with designs or advertisements of a merchant.  
  FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the invention consisting of a balloon-type casing 20 having an opening 22 in a stem portion 24. The balloon-type member 20 should be made of rubber or similar material which can be expanded into a sphere by introducing air through the opening 22 in the stem 24. The opening 22 should be of adequate distention that a coin or doubloon 14 may be inserted therethrough into the central portion of sphere 20.  
  After the doubloon is inserted in the manner above described, the balloon may be expanded and then sealed off by constricting the stern portion 24 by tying or other suitable means. This will then provide a spherical-type member 20 which may be tossed to a crowd and may be caught or retreived easily from the ground and from which the coin 14 may be easily removed.  
  This embodiment, like the previously described embodiment, may be imprinted with a merchants advertisement and/or brightly colored.  
  Although the foregoing description illustrates the preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations are possible. All such variations as would be obvious to those skilled in this art are intended to be included within the scope of this invention.  
 What is claimed is:  
  l. A spherically shaped throw-trinket encasement for use in parades or similar events where it is desirable to shower coin-like objects on the attendant crowd without causing bodily injury such as lacerations due to sharp corners or edges, and for allowing the coin-like objects to be retrieved by the intended recipients with ease and reduced risk of injury,  
 said spherically shaped encasement having a central cavity therein with upper and lower internal parallel surfaces disposed apart an adequate distance to provide a friction fit with upper and lower surfaces of a coin which may be positioned within said cavity so as to retain said coin when said encasement is thrown and to prevent it from separating from said encasement during flight, an access slot on the surface of said encasement providing an entrance to said cavity, and having dimensions sufficient to allow said coin to be positioned within said cavity and to be removed therefrom by the intended recipient.  
  2. A throw trinket encasement as defined in claim 1 wherein said access slot is positioned along a portion of a great circle of said spherically body.  
  3. A throw trinket encasement as defined in claim 1 wherein said central cavity is defined generally by a segment of a sphere concentric with said spherical body and of lesser diameter and is symmetrical about a great circle of said spherical body.  
  4. A throw trinket encasement as defined in claim 1 wherein said spherically shaped body is made of styrofoam;  
 said central cavity is a segment of a sphere disposed concentrically with said spherical body, of lesser diameter, is symmetrical about a great circle of said spherical body and of adequate width to provide a friction fit for a coin inserted therein such that it cannot be easily dislodged by throwing;  
 said access slot is symmetrical about the same great circle as said cavity and of adequate dimension to allow a coin to be inserted therethrough.  
  5. A throw trinket encasement as defined in claim 1 including a doubloon-like coin positioned within said cavity so as to be easily removable therefrom.