Improvements in Toys.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Sept., 1889-Accepted, 23rd Nov., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Toys.
I, ALFRED SPENCER JONES, of No. 25, Vernon Street, in the Parish of Saint
Peter, Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk, Model Maker (Engine) do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates, primarily, to means for covering or intercepting the view of
certain sections of colour upon rapidly revolving discs, whilst other sections of colour
are exposed to view, in such a manner that the covering device shall be free to work
over the face or faces of said dise and receive therefrom a rotary motion in precisely
the same manner as the 'interceptor' card does in the instance of the Chromatic Top;
by where my invention differs from others of a similar nature is in respect of the
motion of the disc (hereafter called the primary disc) being alternately reversed, for
causing the covering device, at the moment the disc's reverse motion commences, to
slip round and expose-by chance-a different section of colour, or colours, to the
vision, thereby rendering the change automatic. To increase, however, the variety
of pleasing and beautiful colour-changes produced I employ one or more loose discs,
suitably coloured and with sections cut out, to play between the face, or faces, of
the primary disc and the covering device before mentioned, by the shifting of which,
automatically by chance, the colour-changes become more kaleidoscopic and the
toy, consequently, more interesting.
The primary disc may be rapidly and conveniently rotated in the middle of a foot.
or so of fine two, three, or fourfold cord or twine, passed through as many holes near
the centre of disc, held between the two hands, by the whirling of which round a few
times it becomes twisted, and, by alternately increasing & diminishing the tension,
the motion in contrary directions may be sustained as in the case of a jewellers' drill-
stock. Or, the primary disc may be rotated upon a pin-fixed in a handle for
convenience of holding in one hand-passing through a small tube firmly fixed in
and projecting from the centre of disc, to which one end of a piece of fine cord is
permanently attached, and upon which it may be wound, whilst the other end is held
in the hand and pulled alternately as the disc rotates in contrary directions,
winding or unwinding the cord from the tube as the case may be. By rotating the
primary disc upon twisted cord its two faces are availing for exhibiting colour-
changes, but in rotating the dise upon a pin only one face can be conveniently so
employed. The latter method, however, I employ for larger discs and the former for
smaller ones, for practical considerations.
Dated this 19th day of February 1889.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Toys.
I, ALFRED SPENCER JONES, of No. 25, Vernon Street, in the Parish of Saint
Peter, Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk, Model Maker, (Engine), 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 means for exhibiting colour-changes and arrangements by
the employment of rapidly revolving discs, and may be classed generally with such
toys as the "chromatic top." The leading feature, however, of my Invention, and
that which makes it differ essentially from all others of a similar kind, consists in
causing the colour-changes and arrangements to appear independent of any thought or

page_text: action on the part of the person using the toy except what is required to give it a
rapid spinning motion alternately in contrary directions by the use of suitable means
provided for that purpose.
The toy in its simplest form consists of a short cylindrical, preferably circular case,
or box, containing a disc of wood, card-board, or other suitable material, variously
painted out in sections on one or both of its faces. The circular sides of said case, or
box, are black and have a portion, or portions, cut out, so that the sections of colour
upon the disc above mentioned, coincident with the openings thus made, are exposed to
view; and as the said disc is free to slip round in its case the various sections of
colour thereupon are each at times exposed to view, forming with each other a variety
of pleasing and beautiful colour combinations, when the toy is given a rapid spinning
motion as above stated. This is done by means of two or more lengths of twine passed
through as many holes near the centre either of disc or case, forming its black
covering-device, above described, as it makes no difference whether motion is given
direct either to the one part or the other. The toy thus constructed is held between
: the two hands and being in the middle of the lengths of twine is whirled round a few
times like a skipping rope to twist the twine, and then pulled tight for a brief
interval, when the toy will spin rapidly until it causes the twine to twist again (which
it must be allowed to do by slackening it) and, by alternately pulling & slackening,
the spinning may be sustained with little effort. At each reversal of motion the disc,
or its case, according to which part receives the motion direct, will slip a little, owing
to its acquired momentum, and thus, by chance, expose a different arrangement or
combination, of colour.
'
When greater variety of changes are required in the toy I construct it with one or
more additional sectionally-coloured discs to play between the face, or faces, of the
primary, or inner, colour disc and its covering-device, or case. These additional,
loose, sectionally coloured discs have portions cut out similar to those of the covering-
device, so that when the openings thus formed coincide with each other the colours
upon the primary disc only are visible, but, when they are more or less out of
coincidence therewith combinations are formed with the arrangements of colour upon
the loose, or secondary disc, or discs, or with each other, in a moro kaleidoscopic
variety than the more simple toy can produce. The larger class of the toy may be
worked upon a pin fixed in a bandle for convenience of holding in one hand whilst
giving the necessary motion to the toy by alternately pulling a single cord with the
other hand, in much the same manner as is done with the common spinning top
except that the cord is permanently attached at one end to the toy that its momentum
may rewind the cord alternately in opposite directions, and thus produce the required
motion in contrary directions when pulled out.
And in order that my Invention may be thoroughly understood I have appended
the accompanying sheet of drawings, which illustrate the simplest form the toy may
assume. Figure 1. is an elevation partly in section of the toy itself. Figure 2. is a
side elevation of one of the painted discs. Figure 3. is a side elevation of the cylindrical
case of the toy. In these figures similar letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts.
A is the short cylindrical case or box B is the painted disc, the variations of the
colours in the sections of the same being indicated by the difference in the shading or
patching. The painted dises may be variously coloured and may consist of two circular
pieces of painted cardboard or other like material separated by one or, if desired, more
than one distance piece G. D D. are the two portions cut out of the circular sides of
the cylindrical case A. E, E are the lengths of twine passed through the form
holes F, F in the painted disc.
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―
1st. The use or employment in toys for producing colour changes by the use of
*-rapidly rotating sectionally coloured dises of loose covering devices receiving by

page_text: simple frictional contact with said discs a rapid spinning motion alternately in contrary
directions, for the purpose of exhibiting, automatically a variety of colour changes and
combinations substantially as described.
2nd. The use or employment, in toys for producing colour changes by the use of
rapidly rotating sectionally coloured discs of loose sectionally coloured discs playing
freely within and receiving a rapid spinning motion (by frictional contact) alternately
in contrary directions froin their respective covering devices, for the purpose of
exhibiting automatically, a variety of colour changes substantially as described.
3rd. The use or employment, in toys for producing colour-changes by the use of
rapidly rotating, sectionally-colourod discs of one or more loose, sectionally coloured
discs with portions cut out, to play between the face of a primary, or inner, colour
disc and its covering device, for the purpose of exhibiting a greater variety of
colour-changes and combinations, substantially as described.
4th. The use or employment in toys for producing colour changes by the use of
rapidly rotating sectionally coloured discs, of the alternate twisting and untwisting
and twisting again of two or more lengths of cord, or twine, for imparting to the
toy a rapid spinning motion alternately in contrary directions, for the purpose of
causing the secondary, or loose, parts of the toy to continue in motion or slip round
a little, by virtue of their acquired momentum, whilst the primary, or driving, part
of the toy is reversing its direction of motion, thereby altering, by chance, their
relative positions with regard to each other, and, consequently, exposing to view
during each spinning period a different combination, or arrangement of colour,
substantially as described.
Dated this 21st day
1000
JAMES
STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers, 20, High Holborn, London, W.C.