Improvements in Tops.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec:, 1899-Accepted, 3rd Mar., 1900
Improvements in Tops.
We, ADOLPHUS ELROD POTEET and JUSTUS WARNER LOBB, both residing at
803, West Broadway, Sedalia, in the County of Pettis, and State of Missouri,
United States of America, Gentlemen, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion 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 toy spinning tops, and has for its object to provide
certain new and useful improvements, whereby the top is protected against being
split, when "plugged" by another top, and also to provide means for damaging
the hand of an unauthorized person who attempts to snatch up" the top while
the latter is spinning.
With these and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the
combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described,.
shown in the accompanying drawing, and particularly pointed out in the appended
claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor
details may be made, within the scope of the appended claims without departing
from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.
In the drawing:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a toy top, constructed in accordance with the
present invention.
Figure 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view thereof.
Figure 3 is a top plan view of the upper end of the top body.
Corresponding parts in the several figures of drawing are designated by like
characters of reference.
Referring to the accompanying drawing, 1 designates the body of the top,
which is preferably in the form of an inverted cone, and provided at the apex
of the latter and at the lower end of the top body, with a pointed plug 2, upon
which the top body is designed to spin.
Surmounting the upper end of the top body, is a frustro-conical head 3, having
a circumferential groove 4, formed at the base thereof, the opposite outer edges 3
being substantially sharp or abrupt.
Fitting snugly the substantially flat upper end of the head is a convex metallic
crown piece 7, which embraces said upper end of the head so as to entirely cover
and protect the latter, and is provided with an attaching shank or pin 8, which
projects at the under or concaved side of the crown piece, and is driven centrally
into the head 5.
From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the sharp edges of
the groove 4, will cut the hand of a person who attempts to pick up the top by
the upper end thereof and while said top is spinning, and therefore this groove
is designed to deter an unauthorized person from "snatching up" the top.
It frequently happens that a top which is "plugged" or struck by another top,
during the progress of a game, and centrally upon the upper end thereof, is split
in half, and thereby rendered useless. By the provision of the metallic crown
piece 7, such splitting of the top body is prevented, for the crown piece receives

page_text: the impact of the plug of the other top, and being convex, the latter top merely
glances off without damage to the top which is struck.
'
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is;-
A toy spinning top, comprising a top body, having a pointed plug at its lower
end, and a frustro-conical head at its upper end, said head having a circumferential
groove formed at its base, the opposite outer edges of the groove being sharp or
abrupt, and a convex metallic crown piece fitting snugly and entirely covering
the upper end of the head, and having an attaching shank or pin driven into the
head.
Dated this 21st day of December 1899.
BOULT, WADE & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicants,