An Improvement in Spinning Tops.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 15th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 17th Nov., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Spinning Tops.
I, JOHN AMOS CAVE of 11, Red Cross Street, in the City of London,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication
to me by Ernest Paul Lehmann of Brandenburg-on-the-Havel, Germany,.
Manufacturer) to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a self-winding spinning top or one in
which the momentum of the top when the string, by which motion is imparted to.
it, is released will cause the string to be wound on the spindle ready for another
operation.
To this end the spindle revolves in an open frame which serves as a handle for
holding the top when it is being spun, and one end of the string is permanently
fastened to the spindle while its other end passes out through the frame so that it
may be grasped and pulled on.
Considerable speed may be imparted to the top by not permitting the string to
fully wind on the spindle for a few turns, the string winding on the spindle in
reverse direction until the top is finally released, when the momentum of the top
winds the string wholly around the spindle.
By A. M. & Win. Clark,
J. A. CAVE,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Spinning Tops.
I, JOHN AMOS CAVE, of 11, Red Cross Street, in the City of London,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, (a communication
to me by Ernest Paul Lehmann, of Brandenburg-on-the-Havel, Germany,
Manufacturer) and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention consists of a self-winding humming, whistling, or other top, or
one in which the momentum of the top when spinning will cause the string by
means of which it is spun, to be wound up on the spindle ready for again spinning
the top.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification, wherein
Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the top, illustrating the mode of
winding the string and spinning the top.
Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, are detail views of the frame or head in which the
spindle turns when the string is pulled.
The body of the top may be a solid or hollow sphere or body of any other
shape and is provided with an upwardly projecting spindle a which is free to
revolve in an open frame or head b of any suitable shape through holes in the
top and bottom of which the spindle passes and which is retained in permanent
connection with the spindle by a knob on the end of the latter. The body of the
top may be provided with two or more holes, for the purpose of producing a
humming, whistling, or musical sound, when the top is spinning. The frame b
D

page_text: serves as a means of holding the top whilst it is being spun, by means of a string c
one end of which is fastened through a hole c¹ in the spindle while its other end is
free to be grasped and pulled on, in the manner shewn.
The winding up of the string on the spindle in the first instance is.effected as
follows: Assuming one or two coils of the string to be wound about the spindle,
the string is pulled so as to impart sufficient inomentum to the top to wind the
string a considerable number of turns on the spindle in the reverse direction, this
operation being repeated if necessary until the string is fully wound. When the
top is spun and the string is released, the momentum of the top winds the string
wholly upon the spindle, the head or frame b revolving with the spindle when
released and the top is spinning.
The head or frame b may be made of sheet metal blanks 1 and 2 stamped out of
the form shewn in Figures 5 and 6, or of any other form, the blank 1 being bent
to the form shewn in Figure 3 and the two united by tongues 3-3, and 4-4, on
the respective parts overlapping and soldered to the other part, as shewn. The
frame, instead of being square, as shewn, and made in two pieces, may be a single
piece in the form of a ring.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
The herein described self-winding top, consisting in the combination, with the
spindle, of the permanently connected handle frame or ring in which the spindle
is free to revolve, and of the permanently attached string for use in the manner
specified.
B
10th day of October 1894.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.