Improved Suspension Toy-top.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 5th May, 1898-Accepted, 18th June, 1898
Improved Suspension Toy-top.
I, ERNST PAUL LEHMANN, of 6, Plauerstrasse, Brandenburg-on-the-Havel, Prussia,
in the Empire of Germany, Manufacturer, 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:—
My invention relates to an improved toy-top of that kind, which, instead of
being mounted on a projecting axis to rotate on a stationary bearing surface, is
suspended to a cord or string, which, being wound on round a central drum or
shaft, rapidly unrolls, if the said string or cord is seized at its upper end and the
top proper suffered to freely fall down. The cord or string, while being rapidly
wound off, imparts rotary motion to the top and as soon as the latter reaches the
limit of its downward fall, the top will, owing to its rotary motion, wind up again
the cord or string, if a slight upward pull is given to the cord or string at the
proper moment. Thus the top will alternately fall and rise, its cord or string being
held at its upper hand by one hand.
The improved construction of a toy-top of this kind which forms the object of
this invention, is represented in the accompanying drawings, in Figure 1'in
central vertical section through the axis of the top and in Figure 2 in side view,
whilst Figure 3 is a section through the top showing a modification.
Referring to Figure 1, A A are two flat cups, basins or dishes of any suitable
material, but preferably of sheet-metal. The said cups are placed against each
other with their hollow faces facing each other and their bottom faces turned to
the outside, a small space being left between the two rims of the dishes, forming.
a passage for the string or cord B. The said cups A, are rigidly secured to each
other by a drum C, the ends of which might be soldered to the cups, but I prefer
to secure the said drum by lugs c formed on its ends and projecting through slits
in the bottoms of the cups A, which lugs, being bent, as shown in Figure 2,
connect the drum C, to the cups A. Through the centre of said drum C, a
spindle D is passed projecting, with both its ends through the bottoms of the
cups A, and the said cups are freely revoluble on said spindle D, which may consist
of a hollow stem, as shown, or of a solid shaft.
The purpose of said spindle D, which is loosely fitted through the centre of the
toy-top, is to facilitate winding up of the cord or string B. By seizing the ends of
said spindle D, with two fingers of one hand, and by turning the cups A, by the
other hand, the cord or string B, will be wound up on the drum C, in a very easy
and convenient manner.
t
Inside the said cups A, two similar cups E, but of smaller size, are mounted on the
drum C, the, said cups E, serving as guides for the cord or string B, and also as
means for producing sounds while playing with the toy-top. To produce such
sounds, balls or beads F, of any hard material are put into the casing formed by
the two cups A, which are juxtaposed, which balls or beads, being hurled about as
the top rotates in its falling and rising motion, strike against the cups E, as also
against the cups A, and thereby produce sounds. Other means for producing
sounds while playing with the top may be employed, for instance by fitting metal-

page_text: plates G on the drum C, to turn and slide freely thereon, said plates G acting as
cymbals when striking against the cups E.
The modification of the toy-top illustrated by Figure 3, consists in placing two
cups or flat basins A¹ with their bottom or convex faces against each other and
connecting the same by a drum C, round which the cord or string is to be wound
on and off. On the outside faces the two cups or basins A¹ are covered by a solid
or skeleton sheet a, of metal or any other suitable material. Through the
connecting drum C a short spindle H is loosely passed, projecting into the casings
formed by the cups A¹ and their covers a. The said spindle carries suitable means
for producing sounds, such as bells I, or cymbals G₁, striking against each other
and against the cups A¹, as the toy-top is being played with.
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. A. suspension toy-top consisting of two cups or basins juxtaposed with their
bottom faces turned outside and secured to each other by a central drum, a space
being left between the adjacent rims, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
2. A suspension toy-top consisting of two cups or basins juxtaposed and
connected by a central drum, a central spindle through the said drum and cups,
allowing the same to turn freely on its projecting ends, substantially as and for the
purpose described.
3. A suspension toy-top consisting of two cups or basins juxtaposed and con-
nected by a drum or shaft, a central spindle passing through said cups and
allowing the same to turn freely on its projecting ends, and means, arranged inside
said cups for the purpose of producing sounds as the top is being played with,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
4. A suspension toy-top consisting of two cups or basins juxtaposed with their
convex faces adjacent to each other and a central drum connecting the same, discs
or sheets covering the outside faces of the said cups or basins and a central spindle
placed within the drum, said spindle carrying means for producing sounds as the
top is being played with, substantially as and for the purpose described.
1
Date
day of May 1898.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.