An Improved Optical Toy.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Oct., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 10th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 19th Dec., 1896
An Improved Optical Toy.
I, HENRY BASSETT, 27, Reform Street, West Bromwich, School Teacher
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This consists of a disc, or other suitably shaped piece of wood, or metal, or
cardboard, or other suitable material, which may be ornamented, and may have an
upturned rim round its edge. This disc is placed, or secured, near the centre of a
double cord or thread, which passes through a hole, or holes, near the centre, or is
secured to a piece of wire or other arrangement near the centre. On this disc is
placed one, or more, coloured or multi-coloured circles or other shaped pieces cut
from any suitable material such as sheet metal, cardboard, celluloid, or papier-maché;
each piece has a large central opening through which the doubled cord passes, and
a wire or strip of suitable material may be placed or secured in such a manner that
the coloured piece. or pieces will be kept near to the disc, but will be allowed to
move freely; oue or more pieces of wire may be used, or a piece of mica or other
transparent material may be used instead.
The combination of disc and coloured pieces is made to rotate rapidly by the
twisting and untwisting of the double cord, which may be held one end in each
hand; or one end may be looped under the foot, and the other end placed ou the
finger or a suitable piece of wood or other material held in the hand and forming
a handle. A circular motion is given to the toy which twists the cord; then the
ends are pulled away from each other which untwists the cord and rotates the disc;
when the cord is untwisted the disc continues to revolve, and causes the cord to
twist in the reverse direction. Thus the toy is made to rotate first in one direction,
then in the opposite direction, by the backward and forward movements of the
hands.
Very beautiful optical effects are produced as the coloured pieces are driven out
by centrifugal force to the extent of their central openings, and as the toy spins
with great rapidity and constantly reverses the direction of its rotation, an ever
changing combination of colours is produced, and gives a charming illustration of
the persistence of vision.
Deted this 9th day of October 1806
I, HENRY BASSETT, 27, Reform Street, West Bromwich School Teacher
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
This invention relates to an optical toy consisting of a. disc or other suitably

page_text: shaped piece on which is placed one or more coloured or vari-coloured device or
devices held near to the said disc by a suitable arrangement of wire or cord or
some equivalent to which is attached doubled pieces of cord or thread or string
which is twisted or wound up by the operator giving the toy a circular motion as
the cords are beld,one end in each hand (or one end may be looped under the foot
or to any support) and by pulling the ends of the doubled cords the toy is made to
revolve rapidly by the untwisting of the said cord and the impetus thus imparted
will re-wind or re-twist the said cord; meantime the gyration imparted to the
aforesaid coloured device or devices will thus produce very striking and ever-
varying optical effects by reason of the varying speeds and the alternating direction
of revolution-thus affording amusement and pleasure by means of this novel toy.
In order that my invention may be easily understood and readily carried into
practice I will describe the same with reference to the drawings hereunto
annexed,
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section and
Fig. 2. a plan of one way of carrying out my invention.
Figs. 3 and 4 are modifications of parts of the toy in section.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 A is the dise or other shaped piece of metal or wool
or cardboard or other suitable material and may be ornamented in any desirable
way. B and B are the doubled pieces of cord or string or some equivalent which
are threaded through or secured to loops in the wire D.
C is a coloured or multi-coloured device made of any suitable material or
materials for instance of cardboard, paper, papier-maché, celluloid, or very thin
sheet metal such as tin plate, aluminium or the like; any convenient number of
these devices C may be used each having a large central opening permitting a
certain amount of lateral movement so that its position in relation to the said
dise A constantly changes and produces varied colour effects; these coloured
devices may be of any desirable shape and their outer and inner edges may be
made with any shaped notches and projections.
D is the piece of wire or some equivalent strip of material which passes through
the holes E of the disc A and is bent or curved over so as to keep the coloured
devices C near to the disc A; the ends of this wire may be bent over so as to
meet the disc A as shown at D' and may be secured by soldering or other. means.
The two parts of this wire D at the centre where the cord B is looped may be
secured to or twisted about each other.
F and F are any suitable pieces of wood or other material placed or secured to
the loops at the ends of the double cords B and B and are used as handles; these
pieces F and F may he omitted. In Fig. 3 a modification of the aforesaid wire D
is shown one end of which is secured to an upturned piece A' of the disc A; the
aforesaid doubled cord may pass through holes E. In Fig. 4 the wire D is looped
over one side of the coloured device C as shown and the disc A may have an
upturned rim all round its edge shown in section at A' and one or more pieces of
wire or cord or some equivalent may be put across from one side to the other
secured to the upturned rim to retain the devices C.
It is evident that the wire, or equivalent shown in all the figures may be twisted,
bent, or curved in many ways in order to keep the coloured devices near to the
disc A and that more than one piece, of wire may be used.
The disc or other shaped piece A and the coloured devices C may be dished or
made saucer-shaped and perforated if desired.
A piece of mica or other transparent material may be placed over the coloured
devices and the said wire or cord may pass through holes in the said piece
of mica.
I am aware that prior to this invention toys have been made to show colour
changes by spinning a weight at the end of an elastic cord but my invention
herein described is near the middle of doubled cords and may be operated by

page_text: pulling the aforesaid doubled cords in a horizontal or vertical direction and the
coloured devices are held near to the revolving piece A as described. I make no
claim herein to any toy spinning at the end of an elastic cord.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven--
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination of disc or other shaped piece such as A and the coloured
device or devices such as C held near to the piece A as hereinbefore described and
to which is attached suitable cords such as B to act substantially in the manner
and for the purposes herein before set forth.
2. The improved optical toy constructed and arranged to act substantially in.
the manner and for the purposes herein before described.
Dated this 9th day of November 1896.
HENRY BASSETT.