An Improved Spinning Top or Toy.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Sept., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 7th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 4th Apr., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Spinning Top or Toy.
I, WILLIAM WILSON HORN, of the firm of Horn & Son, of 151, Strand,,
London, Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
(a communication to me from abroad by Harvey Yeager, of Forty Fort, Pennsyl-;
vania, United States of America, Inventor) to be as follows:-
This invention relates to that class of toy which requires to be spun by hand, and;
is especially applicable to tops of the class known as humming tops," and its
object is to devise an improved means of imparting rotary motion to the,
said toy.
In carrying this invention..into effect, I fix within or upon the body of thei
top, a short spindle having a screw thread thereon, the said spindle being co-axial,
with the axis of rotation. Fitting loosely upon said spindle is a hollow stem.
which is provided with a catch pawl, or like device, which is adapted to engage:
the screw thread on the spindle and rotate it in one direction upon depressing,
the hollow stem, but yields when the stem is moved in the opposite direction,
whereby the retraction of the stem can be effected without causing a reverse motion
of the spindle.
.
A spring or other device within the hollow stem raises the same upon removing.
the force by which it was depressed.
It will thus be seen that by the reciprocal motion of the stem, a continuous
motion is imparted to the toy.
Dated this 17th day of September 1890.
: !
HORN & SON,
Applicant's Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Spinning Top or Toy.
I, WILLIAM WILSON HORN, of the firm of Horn & Son, of 151, Strand, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention,
(a communication to me from abroad by Harvey Yeager, of Forty Fort, Pennsyl-
vania, United States of America, Inventor) and in what manner the same, is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The object of my invention is to so construct a top or like toy that the spinning
of the same can be effected by a simple movement of an operating stem or handle;
no winding-cord being necessary. This object I attain in the manner hereinafter
set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a vertical section, partly in elevation, of a spinning-top constructed
in accordance with my invention.
Fig. 2 is an enlarged section of part of the same; and
Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are views illustrating modifications of the invention.
1..
A represents the body of the top, which in the present instance is a hollow structure
composed of sheet metal spun into appropriate form, although it will be understood
that the top may be made of other material, and may, if desired, be solid, with
the exception of the central opening for the reception of the spinning device.
The device, as shown in Fig. 1, consists of a spinning-rod a, secured to and
projecting upward within the top, and a spinning-stem b, which is free to move
vertically through an opening in the upper portion of the top: The spinning-rod a
Price 8d.
.
1
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page_text: has formed upon it an external screw-thread d, of comparatively steep pitch, and
the spinning-stem is tubular, so that it can be moved up and down over the
spinning-rod a, the upper end of said spinning-tube being by preference provided
with an operating knob or button f, so that pressure can be conveniently applied
to the same.
To the outside of the tube is pivoted a lever g, one arm of which is acted upon
by a spring h, the tendency of which is to maintain the end of the other arm of the
lever in engagement with the screw-thread d of the spinning-rod, said engaging
end of the lever being preferably abrupt on its under side and inclined or beveled
on its upper side, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3, or the thread d may, if desired,
be abrupt on the upper side and beveled on the under side, in which case the
beveling of the end of the lever will not be necessary. (See Fig. 2.)
g
Within the spinning-tube b and between the knob or button at the upper end of
the same and a cap i at the upper end of the spinning-rod a is interposed a coiled
spring m, the tendency of which is to maintain the spinning-tube b at the limit of
its upward movement. When the tube is forced downward by pressure exerted
upon the knob or button f, the engagement of the lever g with the screw-thread d
of the spinning-rod a causes the latter to turn until the engaging end of the lever
has reached the bottom of the thread. If pressure is now removed from the knob
or button at the upper end of the spinning-tube, the spring m will cause the same
to rise, the end of the lever 9 yielding as it passes each convolution of the thread d
on the spinning-rod, owing to the bevel of the engaging-faces of the thread and
lever. A further depression of the spinning-tube will in like manner impart a
further forward impulse to the spinning-rod a, and hence to the top, and by depressing
the spinning-stem 6 a number of times in succession the top may be caused to rotate
with extreme rapidity.
g
Instead of forming the thread d upon the spinning-rod and providing the spinning-
stem with a spring finger or catch for engaging with said thread, the relation of
the parts may, if desired, be reversed, as shown, for instance, in Fig. 4, in which
the thread d is formed upon the spinning-stem b, and the spinning-rod a of the top
is hollow and contains the spring m for elevating the spinning-stem, a spring-catch g₁
being secured to or forming part of the spinning-rod for engaging with the thread
of the stem as the latter is pushed downward and slipping over said. thread as the
latter rises under the influence of the spring m. The lower end of the spinning-
rod a projects beyond the casing of the top and has a supporting-button n swiveled
thereto, this button forming a fixed base or step on which the top can spin without
detriment to the supporting-surface, the provision of such a supporting button or
step, moreover, insuring the spinning of the top as readily and easily upon
a carpet or other soft surface as upon the table, floor, or other hard and unyielding
surface.
If instead of the base or step a ring n' or like attachment for the finger is used,
as shown, for instance, in Fig. 5, the top is transformed into a whizzer or buzzing
toy, the ring being adapted to a finger of one hand, and the stem 6 operated by the
thumb of the same hand or by the other hand.
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 combination of a top or like toy with a spinning or rotating device therefor
consisting of a spinning-rod secured to the top and a spinning-stem free to move in
and out, one of said parts having a screw-thread and the other having a finger or
catch which engages with the screw-thread and imparts rotating movement when the
spinning-stem is moved in one direction, but yields when the stem is moved in the
opposite direction, whereby the retraction of the stem can be effected without causing
reverse rotation, substantially as specified.
2. The combination of a top or like toy with a spinning or rotating device therefor
consisting of a spinning-rod secured to the top, a spinning-stem free to move in and

page_text: out, and a spring for retracting said stem after it has been depressed, one of said
parts having a screw-thread and the other having a finger or catch which engages
with said thread and turns the spinning-rod when the spinning-stem is moved in one
direction, but yields on the movement of the stem in the opposite direction substan-
tially as specified.
3. The combination of the top or like toy with a spinning or rotating device therefor
consisting of a spinning-rod secured to the top and having a screw-thread, a spinning-
stem free to move in and out, a spring for retracting the stem after it has been
depressed, a lever hung to the stem, and a spring acting on one arm of said lever,
so as to maintain its other arm in engagement with the thread of the spinning-rod,
substantially as specified.
Dated this 7th day of February 1891.
HORN & SON,
Applicant's Agents.