Improvements in and connected with Tops.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Jan., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 13th Oct., 1890-Accepted, 27th Dec., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Tops.
I CHARLES EDWIN GILL Commission Agent, of 183 Wilton Street Northwich
in the County of Chester do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to certain improvements in whips, whiptops and pegtops.
In whiptops and pegtops as are ordinarily made, the body of the tops are made
out of a solid piece of wood, turned up in a lathe or machine.
The said whiptops are made with one or more beads or bands upon the body, or
upper portion, the lower portion; or that part of the top which tapers off to the
peg, is made with a plain or smooth surface, the iron peg is inserted in a hole
provided for the same, the whole when put together being solid.
In my improved whiptops and pegtops, I prefer not to make them solid as is the
case in ordinary tops; but prefer to make them hollow, leaving the bottom or
lower portion solid, or somewhat thicker and heavier than the top part.
In the case of humming and musical tops, I prefer not to make them of one
uniform thickness throughout but to provide them with one or more solid bands
or rings.
Tops so constructed will spin better and steadier.
In the case of whiptops where it tapers off to the peg, I prefer not to make the
surface plain or smooth, as is the case in ordinary tops; but preferably make them
with fine ribs or lines running upwards or otherwise.
The advantage of this is obvious, as the lash of the whip is more particularly
applied to this part of the top, the lines or ribs will prevent the lash slipping to such
an extent as is the case upon a smooth surface.
The tops made as described will gather more of the force applied to it by the
whiplash.
The top may be left open, but I preferably cover the top or hollow part with a
thin or light covering or lid. The said covering to be soldered, rivetted, or other-
wise fastened to the body of the top, which covering will be provided with an upright
stud or pin in the centre.
The said pin or stud is to dispense with the tedious method of wrapping the
The said stud
whiplash round the top in order to commence spinning the same.
may also be applied to ordinary whiptops.
In the case of my improved whiptops and pegtops, I propose having them made
either of wood, hard stoneware, earthenware, india rubber, tin, iron, brass, or other
suitable metal or material; and to have them moulded, turned, or pressed out,
as circumstances and material may require; also to make them as musical or
humming tops, or otherwise.
In the case of whips, I prefer to have the stocks made. of wood, to be round,
hexagon or otherwise.
When the lash is fastened to the stock, I prefer having a hole pierced or bored
through the wood an inch or so from the end; the said hole to come out at the end
of the stock in the centre. The end to be provided with a ferule, or wrapped with
wire to prevent splitting.
One object of my invention is to advertise by means of the said whips and tops,
any article which may be described briefly.
I purpose having the wording on the whips and tops, impressed, either with a
stamp or die, moulded, printed or covered with printed paper or other suitable
material. The advertiser will thereby be enabled to make his goods very widely
known at a small cost; as the novelty of the tops and whips, and the different

page_text: wording applied thereon will cause attraction thereto, and will cause the advertise-
ment to be associated with that of play; thus making an impression upon the childrens
minds which they seldom or never forget.
Doted this 11th dow of Ian 1800
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Tops.
I, CHARLES EDWIN' GILL of 183 Wilton Street Northwich in the County of
Chester Insurance Agent 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 present invention relates to children's tops generally known by the names of
peg-tops whip-tops and whips and the object of said invention is to improve the
construction of the ordinary peg or whip top so that they become more easy to spin
and also to so improve the construction of the whip that the lash thereof may be
more expeditiously secured to the stock than is the case with whips as arranged
hitherto to attain which I construct my improved whips and my improved tops in
the manner hereinafter described and partly set forth in the accompanying sheet of
drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a part sectional elevation of my improved whip.
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of one form of my improved whip top and
Fig. 3 is also a sectional elevation of a modified form of my improved top.
Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in each view.
Referring to Fig. 1. the whip is made with a stock A having a hole a¹ formed
down the top part thereof and extending through to the side of the stock as shown.
It will be obvious however that the stock A may be made with a hole a¹ extending
any distance down the centre thereof and where preferred instead of said hole
extending through to the side it may extend to the lower or opposite end of said
stock.
The whip lash B is threaded through the hole a¹ and drawn up with force until it
is prevented passing up any further by means of the knot b'.
Referring to Fig. 2 the whip top C is made hollow and is preferably of the ordinary
shape externally excepting the conical or tapered portion of is arranged with vertical
flutes not shown-so as to give the whip lash B a better pull on the top in order
to spin it more easily.
The said top C is made with a central hollow portion e² formed so as to give
the top a greater weight at its lower part or peg end c³ than at its upper portion.
The hollow portion may be covered by a lid c which fits tight to the top C as
shown. The peg c may be either made with-when the top C is composed of
metal or fixed to the top when made of wood which latter is preferable.
Referring to Fig. 3 the top C is constructed with an annular hollow part c² and
the centre of said top has a projecting portion c which extends from the lower part
of the annular hollow to preferably above the upper portion of the side of said
top as shown.
I would have it understood that my invention as illustrated at Figs. 2 and 3 is also
applicable to peg tops or tops which are spun by means of a string coiled round the
taper or conical parts thereof that is to say such tops may be constructed with a
hollow portion and arranged with a lid shown at Fig. 2 and they may be also
made with a projecting piece and annular hollow portion c³ as illustrated at
Fig. 3.
When my invention is applied to such tops as just before set forth it will be
obvious that the conical portion e' is arranged with the usual annular flutes in
order to receive the whip cord or string which is to be wound thereupon in the
ordinary way.

page_text: By constructing a peg or whip top in accordance with my present invention the
lower portion thereof becomes heavier than the upper and consequently the said tops
become more easy to spin and will spin longer with the same force than peg or whip
tops constructed as hitherto and also with respect to my improved whip the lash
thereof can be more expeditiously secured to the stock than is the case with whips
used for this purpose and constructed in the manner heretofore.
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 whip used for spinning tops or as a childs toy constructed with a hole a¹
extending down the centre of the stock and through the side substantially as
described and illustrated at Fig. 1 of the drawings annexed.
2. In a whip for spinning tops or for children's play the use of a hole a¹ formed
in the stock A for the reception of the lash B extending right through stock A.
substantially as described.
3. Constructing whip or peg tops C with hollow portions e² in order to make
them heavier at their lower parts substantially as described and illustrated at Fig. 2
of the accompanying drawings.
4. In combination with a whip or peg top C constructed with a hollow centre
portion the use of a lid c substantially as described and shown at Fig. 2 of the
said drawings.
5. Whip or peg tops constructed with annular hollow portions and central
projecting pieces or stems c substantially as described and illustrated at Fig. 3 of
the drawings accompanying this Specification.
Dated this 11th day of October 1890.
H. F. BOUGHTON, M.I. Mech. E.,
Barnsley and Sheffield, Agent.