Patent Publication Number: US-2016244282-A1

Title: Device and method for throwing money

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to systems and methods for distributing money, paper, textiles, business cards, coins, or any other items that may be accelerated from a surface to their intended target. 
     “Making it rain” is a popular activity that generally refers to when an individual holds a stack of bills in one hand and uses their fingers of the other hand to peel off bills one at a time in rapid fashion and/or throw out small increments of bills to musicians, dancers, and other entertainers, valets, doormen, or any other service providers. The bills float in the air, creating the effect of raining money. This is usually done with stacks of single dollar bills for effect. Particularly in establishments where it is desirable to distribute large quantities of currency to numerous intended targets, the traditional method of “making it rain” is somewhat ponderous and requires manual dexterity that many lack. Thus, there is a need for a more efficient system of “making it rain.” 
     Hand-held rotary power tools have found considerable commercial success for several decades because of their low-cost and capability of accepting a wide variety of drills, grinding wheels, milling tools, and many other tool bits. The present inventor has surprisingly discovered a novel and unobvious use for such tools and has conceived a novel and unobvious system and device that enables and facilitates the new use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is a method for accelerating coins and paper currency from a surface to an intended target, comprising the step of providing a handheld, battery-powered rotary tool comprising a wheel, a shaft, a drive mechanism, and a switch for activating the drive mechanism, where the wheel is fixedly attached to the shaft and the shaft is rotationally connected to the drive mechanism, such that the wheel rotates about an axis defined by the shaft when the drive is activated, and where at least the outermost periphery of the wheel is composed of a material capable of frictionally engaging a surface of said currency. The invention also includes the steps of arranging currency in a stack and positioning the stack on a surface that is located a distance away from the target, positioning the wheel so that the outermost periphery of the wheel is above a top surface of the stack and the axis is approximately perpendicular to the direction of the target, and causing the outermost periphery of the wheel to contact a topmost piece of currency in the stack, at a time when the drive mechanism is activated by the switch, so that a portion of the outermost periphery frictionally engages the topmost piece of currency and accelerates the topmost piece of currency in the direction of the target and along an initial path substantially defined by an orientation of the top surface of the stack and by the perpendicular relationship of the axis to the target. 
     The invention also includes a related system for accelerating coins or paper currency from a surface to an intended target. The system includes a substantially flat, movable surface, a stack of currency resting on top of the surface and having an uppermost piece of currency, and a handheld, battery-powered rotary tool that includes a wheel, a shaft, a drive mechanism, and a switch for activating the drive mechanism, where the wheel is fixedly attached to the shaft and the shaft is rotationally connected to the drive mechanism, so that the wheel rotates about an axis defined by the shaft when the drive is activated, where at least the outermost periphery of the wheel is composed of a material capable of frictionally engaging a surface of said currency, wherein the wheel is alternatively placed in a first position adjacent to but not in contact with the stack and a second position in which the wheel is placed in contact with the uppermost piece of currency. When the drive mechanism is activated with the switch, the outermost periphery of the wheel causes a topmost piece of currency to accelerate in the direction of the target and along an initial path substantially defined by an orientation of the top surface of the stack and by a perpendicular relationship of the axis to the target. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is a flow chart showing one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows a custom built device that may be used as part of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  shows publicly available devices that may be used as part of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 4 and 5  show a device similar to that of  FIG. 2  but where the battery is contained within a cylindrical body. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     For simplicity and illustrative purposes, the principles of the present invention are described by referring to various exemplary embodiments thereof. Although the preferred embodiments of the invention are particularly disclosed herein, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that the same principles are equally applicable to and can be implemented in other systems, and that any such variation would be within such modifications that do not part from the scope of the present invention. Before explaining the disclosed embodiments of the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of any particular arrangement shown, since the invention is capable of other embodiments. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Further, although certain methods are described with reference to certain steps that are presented herein in certain order, in many instances, these steps may be performed in any order as would be appreciated by one skilled in the art, and the methods are not limited to the particular arrangement of steps disclosed herein. 
     The present invention provides systems and methods for distributing money to an entertainer, service provider, or any other target. Systems in accordance with the present invention include a stack of currency in the form of paper currency or coinage, a mechanical means for moving the currency, and a flat surface from which to move the currency. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a hand-held rotary tool comprising a rubber or soft plastic wheel attached to a shaft. The shaft is rotationally connected to a drive mechanism. When the drive mechanism is activated, the wheel rotates. This rotation, when applied to a stack of currency, accelerates the currency into the desired direction. 
     The present system contemplates the use of any hand-held rotary tool. Examples of such tools are readily available from companies including, but not limited to, Dremel®, Roto-Zip®, and Gyros®. Hand-held rotary tools contemplated by the present invention are typically adjustable in speed with speeds ranging between 500 and 35,000 RPMs. The present invention further contemplates that one of a more mechanical inclination may want to develop a customized hand-held rotary tool for use in the present invention. A custom-made hand-held rotary tool may be designed and constructed using the following exemplary parts, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
     A housing  1  in the nature of a body of a container previously used as a container for lip balm, a battery-operated motor and gear box system  2  (such as, but not limited to Model PKZ3624y by Park Zone), where the gearbox extends beyond the housing, and where the motor is contained within the housing, a battery connector and wire  3  for transmitting power from the battery to the motor, a momentary switch  4  that operates the motor when pushed inwardly toward the body of the container, a battery  5  secured to the housing, and a wheel  6  composed of rubber that is affixed to a shaft  7  of the motor and gearbox system that is rotationally driven by the motor. 
     In one embodiment, all the component parts are sized to fit within a cylindrical container equivalent in size to a cylindrical 15-ounce container of lip balm, for example lip balm sold under the brand ChapStick®, where a cap is made to look like the cap of such a lip-balm container but where the cap is designed to rotate and operate as the wheel of the invention. In another embodiment, depicted in  FIG. 4 , the battery and motor are configured to fit within a portion of a plastic cylinder that can be ¾ inch in diameter, for example, in a cylinder formed from the hollowed-out body of a highlighter as commonly sold by Sharpie® and others. 
     The present invention further embodies methods of “making it rain.” Such methods include the steps of: providing a stack of coins or cash money, providing a hand-held rotary tool, engaging the drive mechanism, and contacting the hand-held rotary tool to the cash or coins in such a way that the cash or coins are distributed in the desired direction. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention contemplates the desire of the user to have the ability to adjust the speed and volume with which the currency is distributed. As such, the present invention contemplates the use of hand-held rotary tools that may be adjusted in term&#39;s of rotational speed. As such, the user is then able to select an optimum rotations per minute (RPM) prior to contacting the rotating wheel to the stack of coins or cash money. The higher the rotational speed, the higher the volume of cash or coins distributed. 
     The system of the invention is used for accelerating coins or paper currency from a surface to an intended target and in one embodiment includes the tool depicted in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . The system includes a substantially flat, movable surface, such as a person&#39;s hand in a substantially horizontal position, and a stack of currency resting on top of the surface. The stack has an uppermost piece of currency and can consist of a stack of dollar bills, a stack of coins, or some combination of bills and coins. As depicted in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the handheld, battery-powered rotary tool  8  includes a wheel  9 , a shaft  10 , a housing  11  that includes a drive mechanism and battery, and a switch  12  for activating the drive mechanism. Wheel  9  is fixedly attached to shaft  10  and the shaft is rotationally connected to the drive mechanism, so that the wheel rotates about an axis defined by the shaft when the drive is activated. At least the outermost periphery of the wheel  13  is composed of a material, such as rubber or soft plastic, that is capable of frictionally engaging the surface of the currency. Since tool  8  is hand-held and preferably sized to fit in a standard pant pocket, it can be easily placed in a first position adjacent to but not in contact with the stack and moved to a second position in which wheel  9  is placed in contact with the uppermost piece of currency. When the drive mechanism is activated  12 , outermost periphery  13  of wheel  9  causes a topmost piece of currency to accelerate in the direction of the target and along an initial path. 
     The initial path is substantially defined by the orientation of the top surface of the stack and by the perpendicular relationship of the axis to the direction of the target. If the stack is held in a hand in a horizontal position, the initial path will be horizontal and in a direction perpendicular to the axis of wheel  9 . By tilting the hand so that the edge of the hand nearest the target is inclined, the trajectory of the currency will correspondingly be inclined. By tilting the hand so that the edge of the hand nearest the target is declined, the trajectory of the currency will correspondingly be declined. 
     In another embodiment, the method of the present invention includes the steps of providing a handheld, battery-powered rotary tool  8  as depicted in  FIGS. 4 and 5  invention, arranging currency in a stack and positioning the stack on a surface, such as a hand or table, that is located a distance away from the target, positioning wheel  9  so that the outermost periphery  13  of the wheel is above a top surface of the stack and the axis of the wheel is approximately perpendicular to the direction of the target, and causing the outermost periphery of the wheel to contact a topmost piece of currency in the stack at a time when the drive mechanism is activated. In this way, a portion of the outermost periphery frictionally engages the topmost piece of currency and accelerates the topmost piece of currency in the direction of the target and along an initial path that is defined for the most part by the way in which the top surface of the stack is oriented and by the perpendicular relationship of the axis of wheel  9  to the target. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art may make various modifications to the described embodiments of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention. The terms and descriptions used herein are set forth by way of illustration only and not meant as limitations. In particular, although the present invention has been described by way of examples, a variety of compositions and processes would practice the inventive concepts described herein. Although the invention has been described and disclosed in various terms and certain embodiments, the scope of the invention is not intended to be, nor should it be deemed to be, limited thereby and such other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved, especially as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims. Those skilled in the art will recognize that these and other variations are possible within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims and their equivalents.