Patent ID: 7381112

Claim:
An apparatus adapted to receive a motion-inducing input from a forced-air column obtained from a discharge opening of a ventilation system of a dwelling, the apparatus comprising: a base adapted to dispose a novelty item in the path of said forced-air column; said novelty item being disposable for rotation with respect to said base and about a vertically oriented axis depending from a low-friction support comprising a source of magnetic energy and a coupling structure attracted to said magnetic source, said novelty item being associated with an impeller system adapted to receive said discharged air stream to effect said rotation; an adjustable counterweight system operable substantially to match the weight of a suspended said novelty item to a suspending force generated between said source of magnetic energy and said coupling structure; and a safety catch mechanism operable to maintain said novelty item in a captured relationship with said base in the event of a decoupling between said novelty item and said low friction support.