Improved Spinning Top.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL
Improved Spinning Top.
I, WILLIAM HENRY HAWKINGS, of 38 Flora Street Plymouth, in the County of
Devon, Ironmonger, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object a spinning top which will receive and hold a
percussion cap in such a manner that when the top is thrown to the ground in the act
of spinning the previously inserted cap will be exploded.
For this purpose I employ a peg or spike of greater length than the body of the
top and this I arrange to slide in a central opening through the latter.
This peg or spike is normally pressed upwards by a coil or other spring against a
cross piece of U or other convenient form secured over the upper end of the opening
through the top body, so that cap placed between the upper end of the spike and the
underside of the cross piece will be securely held and exploded when the top is thrown
to the ground in the act of spinning and the peg or spike forced upwards by the force
of the impact.
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CASTLE SMITH,
"Invention" Office; Mitre Court, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.
Improved Spinning Top.
I, WILLIAM HENRY HAWKINGS, of 38 Flora Street, Plymouth, in the County of
Devon, Ironmonger, 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 has for its object a spinning peg-top which will receive and hold a
percussion cap or amorce in such a manner that when the top is thrown to the ground
in the act of spinning, the previously inserted cap will be exploded.
For this purpose I employ a peg or spike of greater length than the body of the top
and this I arrange to slide in a central opening through the latter.
The head of this peg or spike is flattened like the head of a French nail, which
bead is normally pressed upwards, by a coil or other spring, against a metal staple
or cross-piece of U or other convenient form secured over the upper end of the said
central opening through the top body, so that a cap or amorce placed between the
upper end of the spike and the underside of the cross-piece will be securely held and
exploded when the top is thrown to the ground in the act of spinning, and the peg or
spike forced upwards by the force of the impact.
In order that my invention may be more easily understood and readily carried into
practical effect I will now describe it in connection with the accompanying drawing,
which is an elevation, partly in section, of the top, a representing the body of the top

page_text: usually constructed of wood, shown in section, having the peg or spike 6 passing
through a central vertical opening and capable of sliding freely therein. Surrounding
the upper part of the peg or spike is the coiled spring having one end thereof
countersunk in and bearing against the body a and the other end thereof bearing
against the flattened head d of the peg or spike 6 and thus holding the top of the
said peg or spike bin contact with the cross-piece e of metal or other suitable
material, attached to the body of the top a by means of the screws f. A percussion
cap having been placed between the peg or spike head d and cross-piece e the top
is spun in the ordinary way, whereupon the force of the impact of the point of the
peg or spike b with the ground explodes the said cap.
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 spinning peg-top having the spike or peg the cross-piece e and coiled
spring c. The said spike or peg being capable of sliding in a longitudinal opening
in the said top and being retained therein and held in contact with the said cross-
piece by means of the said coiled spring, substantially as and for the purpose herein
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
(2.) In combination with a spinning peg-top apparatus for exploding an amorce
or percussion cap in the act of spinning.
Dated this 10th 1 .An
CASTLE SMITH,
"Invention " Office, Mitre Court, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.