Improvements in Spinning Tops.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 7th June, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 9th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 11th Apr., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spinning Tops.
I, WILLIAM JOHN MURGATROYD, of 26, Rayleigh Street, Paley Road,
Bradford, in the County of York, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in peg-tops, whip-tops and other spinning
tops, and its object is to provide a top that will sound a note or give forth sound
most of the time whilst it is spinning.
For this purpose I form a circular central chamber in the top having a central
opening above, or two or more eccentric openings preferably placed equidistant apart
in a concentric annular groove formed at the top of the top. Two or more holes
communicating with the said chamber are formed at the largest part or approximately
the largest part of the top in a plane at right angles to the axis of the top. These
holes are preferably more or less tangential to the said chamber and the sides of
the holes opposite to the direction in which the top rotates when spinning are
preferably curved away from the direction of rotation so as to enlarge the holes.
outwards with the object of more fully utilizing centrifugal force when the top is.
spinning to draw air out of the chamber and thereby create an air current from the
central opening or openings through the chamber and out at said holes.
A horizontal disc or a partition is placed across said chamber between the central
opening and the said holes and this disc or partition is fitted with a reed or reeds
or equivalent device adapted to produce sound vibrations under the action of the
current of air created in the above described manner.
A piece of gauze may be placed a suitable distance above the said disc.
The said opening or openings may be made in the underside of the top.
Dated this 6th day of June 1895
DRACUP & NOWELL,
Bradford, Agents.
Improvements in Spinning Tops.
I, WILLIAM JOHN MURGATROYD, of 26 Rayleigh Street, Paley Road,
Bradford, in the County of York, Engineer, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in peg-tops and whip-tops, and its object
is to provide a top that will sound a note or give forth sound most of the time whilst
it is spinning.
For this purpose I form a circular central chamber in the top having a central
opening above, or two or more eccentric openings preferably placed equidistant apart
in a concentric annular groove formed in the top of the top. Two or more boles
communicating with the said chamber are formed at the largest part or approximately
the largest part of the top in a plane at right angles to the axis of the top. These
holes are tangential to the said chamber and the sides of the holes opposite to the:

page_text: direction in which the top rotates when spinning are preferably curved away from
the direction of rotation so as to enlarge the holes outward with the object of more
fully utilizing centrifugal force when the top is spinning to draw air out of the
chamber and thereby create an air current from the central opening or openings
through the chamber and out at said holes.
A horizontal disc or a partition is placed across said chamber between the central
opening and the said holes and this disc or partition is fitted with a reed or reeds or
equivalent devices adapted to produce sound vibrations under the action of the
current of air created in the above described manner.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying sheet of drawings forming a part of
this Specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in each of the figures.
Figure 1, represents an elevation of a whip top made in accordance with my
invention.
Figure 2, represents a plan view of the same.
Figure 3, represents a section on the broken line a, b of Figure 1; and Figure 4,
represents a section on the line a, b Figure 3.
Figure 5, represents an elevation of a peg top made in accordance with my
invention.
Figure 6, represents a plan view of the same.
Figure 7, represents a section on the broken line y, z of Figure 5; and Figure 8,
represents a section on the line y, z Figure 7.
Figures 9 and 10 represent a diametrical section and a plan view of a peg top and
illustrate a slight modification hereinafter referred to.
Each of the tops A has a central recess B formed in it and radial openings C
branch off from said recess to the periphery of the top. An annular projection or
shoulder D is provided in the chamber to form a seat for the reed disc E provided
with openings F, F over which the reeds G, G are fixed. A thin washer H of felt
or other suitable material is preferably placed between the disc E and the seat D
to form an air tight joint. The perforated piece of wood or other suitable
material J is glued or otherwise secured in the recess above the disc E to fix the
latter in position. The underside J 2 of J is hollowed out so as to leave a clear
space above the reeds. The piece J preferably projects a little distance at the
top and is rounded so as to form a mouth piece and enable the reeds to be sounded
by blowing into the chamber with the mouth. Besides the central perforation K
in J perforations K2 are formed around it and these latter perforations are
preferably made in an annular groove K 3 in the piece J.
In Figures 9 and 10 one central opening K 2 is employed instead of the said
perforations and a piece of wire gauze L is preferably fixed across a suitable
distance above the said reed plate.
In the peg top the curved sides C 2 of the opening C are on the opposite side to
the curved sides C 2 of the whip top for the reason that a peg top revolves in the
reverse direction to a whip top.
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:
A peg or whip top formed with a central recess across which- a partition is fixed
having one or more openings fitted with a reed or reeds, and which recess is
provided with an opening or openings in the top and one or more lateral openings,
substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 6th day of March 1896
DRACUP & NOWELL,
Bradford, Patent Agents.