Improvements in or relating to Toy Balloons and similar Inflatable Objects.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Toy Balloons and similar Inflatable
Objects.
I, JOSEPH HARRIS of Woodbourne, Orchard Road, Altrincham, Balloon
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as
follows:-
My invention has reference to india-rubber toy balloons and particularly to those
for advertising purposes, and has for its object to render the inflation of such
balloons easier and more expeditious than heretofore.
In carrying out my invention I form the balloon in the ordinary way, but with
the mouthpiece of, by preference increased strength or thickness, and to such
mouthpiece and projecting into the balloon interior I apply a small tube or pipe of
thin india-rubber. Air blown through the mouthpiece passes through this tube
into the balloon and owing to the pressure on the outer side of the tube at each
cessation of blowing, causes such tube to close or collapse, and so prevent the air
escaping.
To render the said tube more effectual in retaining the air the inner end thereof
is flattened out, and vulcanised to permanently retain its flattened form.
Instead of making the tube as part of the balloon as aforesaid it may be made
separate, and fitted to a wooden or similar mouthpiece fitting into the mouthpiece
of the balloon.
The exhausting of the balloon may be done by removing the wooden mouthpiece,
or by a pin or wire passed down the mouthpiece to open the flattened tube.
In addition to the advantages of automatically retaining the air in the balloon,
the aforesaid tube, on blowing through it, produces a musical note, and thus
renders the balloon a musical toy.
This invention is applicable to air cushions, football bladders and other similar
inflatable objects.
Dhi 17th day of Contember 1805
JOSEPH HARRIS,
By John G. Wilson & Co.,
Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Toy Balloons and similar Inflatable
Objects.
I, JOSEPH HARRIS of Woodbourne, Orchard Road, Altrincham, Balloon
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my said 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 has reference to india-rubber toy balloons and particularly to those

page_text: for advertising purposes, and has for its object to render the inflation of such
balloons easier, and more expeditious, than heretofore.
And in order that my said invention shall be the more readily understood and
carried into practical effect I have hereunto annexed a drawing of my invention in
the form in which I prefer to carry it out in practice, and I will now proceed to
describe the same with the assistance of the various figures and letters of reference
marked thereon.
Fig. 1 illustrates in section the filling nozzle of a balloon, fitted on to a wooden
or similar mouth-piece, and with my improvements applied.
Figs. 23 and 4 illustrate the parts separately.
Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate a slight modification, and Fig. 7 another modification.
In accordance with my invention 1 fit on to the wooden or other mouth-piece (A)
a short tube of india-rubber (B). This tube is of the form shewn more clearly in
Figs. 2 and 3 with flattened part or end (C), and such end is specially vulcanised
to always assume such position, or for its sides always to lie against each other, as
shewn.
With such tube mounted on it, the mouth-piece is introduced into the balloon
filling nozzle (D) with the tube (B) foremost as shewn in Fig. 1.
With the mouth-piece and tube so placed the balloon is ready for inflation. On
blowing through mouth-piece (A) the air passes into the tube (B), and owing to
the thin flexible nature of the flattened portions thereof, readily separates them,
and finds its way into the balloon. As soon now as the blowing ceases the said
flattened end (C) of the tube (B), owing to its bias for remaining closed,
immediately closes, and so prevents the escape of the air in the balloon. On again
blowing, the flattened parts (C) of tube (B) again separate, and allow the ingress
of air, which in time sets up a pressure in the balloon, and thus, each time the
blowing ceases, such pressure acts upon the flattened sides of tube (B), and assists
the tube to close more effectually and prevent the escape of the air.
In this way the tube (1) acts as an automatic non-return air valve and greatly
facilitates the inflation of the balloon.
For exhausting or deflating the balloon a small wire pushed through the
mouth-piece, and through the flattened end of tube (B) will permit the air to
escape.
The flattened end (C) is made of very thin section so as to effectually close the
exit for the air.
If desired the said tube (B) may be fixed to the balloon filling nozzle direct
as shewn in Fig. 7, the section of such nozzle being slightly thicker than
usual at (D) to receive the tube, but I prefer the tube to be loose and on the
mouth-piece.
To prevent the tube (B) being blown off the mouth-piece, this latter is made
slightly wider at the outlet end than at the centre or formed with a boss (A') as
illustrated, and with the balloon filling nozzle stretched over it the said tube is
firmly held.
Owing to the thin edges of the flattened end of tube (B) the blowing in of the
air causes them to vibrate and produce a musical note. To dispense with such note
or sound if desired, the said edges of the tube (B) may be partly cut away as
shewn in Figs. 5 and 6, giving the end of the tube a
"fish-tail" appearance.
For the more perfect working of the valve, the extreme corners (C¹) of the
flattened end are cemented together (see Fig. 5)..
Although described as applied to balloons, which is its chief use, my invention
may be applied to "squeakers," and similar light and inflatable rubber goods.
Having thus 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 and desire to secure by Letters Patent is :-
A flexible tube through which the air for inflating toy balloons and similar

page_text: inflatable rubber goods is blown, with flattened end or outlet orifice, as and for the
purposes set forth and illustrated on the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 10th day of June 1896.
JOSEPH HARRIS,
By John G. Wilson & Co., Rgd. P.A.,
55 Market Street, Manchester, Agents.