Patent Publication Number: US-4836818-A

Title: Spinner toy

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The invention relates generally to an amusement device. 
     2. Prior Art 
     Applicant is unaware of any patented devices which are similar to the Spinner Toy. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide an amusement device for providing entertainment to its user. 
     An amusement device includes a substantially circular closed main ring member and a plurality of substantially circular ring elements each having a central aperture surrounding the main ring member for rotation of the ring elements thereabout, each ring element including a plastic trim element surrounding its outer periphery, the plastic trim element providing for rounded edges enabling the facile spinning of the ring elements by hand. The ring elements are configured such that, upon initial spinning of the ring elements by hand-imparted tangential force upon the plastic trim elements, ring element spinning may be maintained by movement of the closed ring main member through the apertures of the ring elements. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from a detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an amusement device arranged in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a front plan view of the device of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line 3--3 through one of the spinning ring elements of FIG. 2; and 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of one of the spinning ring elements mounted to the device of FIG. 1 of FIG. 2 along with its plastic trim element. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The large circular device 100 consists of a 4 Ga. American Steel wire ring 102 with a butt weld ground smooth and is shown in FIG. 1. The diameter of the circular device is approximately 11 7/16&#34;. The large circular device itself can be made of different types of durable metal, fluted, smooth or chrome plated, to cause its 11 7/16&#34; diameter. The steel wire ring must be 2.9946&#39; long. The smaller circular devices 106, 108, 110 and 112 consist of 1&#34;×16-- Ga. U.S.S. Steel washers, of which there are five. See FIGS. 1 and 2. These washers are encased in a plastic trim ring shown at 302 which provides for rounded edges on the washers and allows the washers to be spun by hand. See FIGS. 3 and 4. These smaller circular devices are placed upon the rod before it is manufactured into its finished circular form. 
     The Spinner Toy 100 is operated when the smaller circular devices 106, 108, 110 and 112 are propelled with the operator&#39;s hand, causing them to spin rapidly. The operator then rotates the larger circle 102 rapidly, causing the smaller circles to slowly move toward the top of the larger circle. As the larger circle 102 is rotated, the smaller circles 106, 108, 110 and 112 spin and flutter rapidly. The rotating motion will allow the smaller circles to spin and flutter for long periods of time. 
     While the above description contains many details, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as an exempliciation of one preferred embodiment thereof. Many other variations are possible.