An Improved Spinning Top.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Apr., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 15th Oct., 1892-Accepted, 26th Nov., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Spinning Top.
I, RICHARD PILKINGTON, M.A., of 1 Ham Terrace, West Ham Lane, West
Ham, Essex, Clerk in Holy Orders do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The top consists of a disc of metal or other material with an ordinary tubular
axis, and a sharpened peg or pivot at one end; and is spun around an inserted
spindle, either on a plate or on the spindle itself. This spindle is firmly fixed near
to one end of a simple stand, near to the other end of which is also firmly fixed an
upright piece of wood or metal, of about the same height as the spindle, in which a
narrow open slot, or open slots, of different breadths, have been cut to a depth of
an inch or a little more. Through one of these slots the string, for about two thirds
of its length, is drawn, when the top is being spun; and since the string is specially
selected to jam somewhat in the slot, the force required to draw it out, causes one
or two turns around the tubular axis to bind so tightly that the top is spun with
great rapidity and ease, without any farther winding up of the string, the whole
process being most simple, and only requiring three or four seconds from beginning
to end.
Dated this 7th day of April 1892.
RICHARD PilkingtoN, M.A.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Spinning Top.
I, RICHARD PILKINGTON, M.A., of 1 Ham Terrace, West Ham Essex, 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:―
The top consists of a disc of metal or other material with an ordinary tubular
axis, and a sharpened peg or pivot, at one end; and it is spun around an inserted
spindle, either on to a plate, or on the spindle itself generally. This spindle is
firmly fixed near to one end of a simple stand, near to the other end of which is
also firmly fixed an upright piece of wood or metal, of about the same height as the
spindle, in which a narrow open slot, or open slots, of different breadths, have been
cut to the depth of an inch, or a little more. Through one of these slots, the
string, for about two thirds of its length is drawn when the top is being spun, and
since the string is specially selected to jam somewhat, in one or other of the open
slots, the force required to draw it out causes one or two turns around the tubular
axis to bind so tightly, that the top is spun with great rapidity and ease, without
any farther winding up of the string, the whole process being most simple, and only
requiring three or four seconds from beginning to end.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. I represents the whole arrangement of the top A, as ready to be spun.
F is the stand, which may be of any suitable shape, into which the spindle C,
and the piece of wood E, or metal E containing the open slot or slots, are firmly
fixed. B is the tubular axis, in which the spindle's point sustains the top, by the
piece of metal D which is soldered into the end of the tubular axis B, all but the
point D, on which the top can be spun on a plate, if required, by inverting
the stand F; but the best effects are produced when the top is allowed to spin on

page_text: the spindle. G is the string, which has been thrust into a slot at K, and turned
twice on the tubular axis at L.
Fig. II is an enlarged front view of the piece of wood or metal, E with three
slots, H. I. J. cut in it.
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. The piece of wood or metal E with its one or more slots, and its application
to the spinning top generally.
Dated this 15th day of October 1892.
RICHARD PILKINGTON, M.A.