GB2035107A - Spinning top - Google Patents

Abstract

A spinning top comprises spring means 55 for storing energy for subsequent rotational drive of the top, release means 46 for releasing said spring means to cause the top to rotate, and illuminating means within said top including a switch which operates automatically to cause illumination as the top rotates. The switch is preferably formed by a spring loaded contact arm movable in relation to the top and a contact fixed in relation to the top, said contact arm making with the fixed contact when a predetermined speed of rotation of the top is achieved and breaking below said predetermined speed. The bottom part 13 is rotated relative to the top part 11 to wind the spring up. A ratchet mechanism prevents premature unwinding of the spring. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Spinning top This invention relates to a spinning top having a device for illuminating the top while it is spinning.

According to the invention there is provided a spinning top comprising spring means for storing energy for subsequent rotational drive of the top, release means for releasing said spring means to cause the top to rotate, and illuminating means within said top including a switch which operates automatically to cause illumination as the top rotates.

The switch is preferably formed by a spring loaded contact arm movable in relation to the top and a contact fixed in relation to the top, said contact arm making with the fixed contact when a predetermined speed of rotation of the top is achieved and breaking below said predetermined seed.

Preferably the top is formed in two portions, an upper portion containing the spring means and release means and a lower potion which becomes detached from the upper portion for spinning and which houses the illuminating means.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, purely by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawngs in which: Figure 1 shows an elevational view, partly in cross-section of a spinning top according to the invention; Figure 2 shows a view of the lower housing part base from above; Figure 3 shows a view of the lower housing part from above, with the cover in position; and Figure 4 shows a view of the upper housing part from below.

The spinning top 10 according to the invention and shown in the drawings comprising an upper housing part 11 and a lower housing part 1 3. The latter consists of a lower housing part base 14, which is provided with a downwardly directed centrally located spinning point 16, and a lower housing part cover 1 7.

The base 14 and the cover 1 7 are normally secured together by the location of lugs 1 9 formed on the base cover 1 7 in undercut recesses 20 defined within the rim of the base 14 in such a manner that the cover may be moved from the base by rotating the cover 1 7 relative to the base 1 4 until a position is reached where the lugs 1 9 are able to pass through spaces 22 formed in the rim of the base 14 and opening into the undercut recesses 20.

Referring to Fig. 2, the base 14 of the lower housing part is formed of a transparent or translucent material and has housed therein a light source in the form of a low voltage bulb 23 which is retained in position between a bulb retaining member 25 and a support web 26. The support web is formed with three electrically conductive portions 28, 29, 30 separated by insulating portions 31. The portions 28 and 30 of the support web 26 extend to opposite sides of the base 1 4 and are so spaced in relation to each other that a low voltage battery 34 can be securely but removeably retained between them.

The bulb 23 is of the type having a first electrical contact provided by a tip 35 formed in its base and a second contact provided by a screw threaded portion 37. The tip 35 is in contact with the portion 30 of the web 26 and thereby is in electrical connection with one pole of the battery 34. The screw threaded portion 37 is in contact with the middle portion 29 of the web 26, this portion of the web having an arm 38 which extends beneath the battery 34 and is provided at its free end with a first switch contact 40. The lower portion 28 of the web 26, i.e that portion which is in contact with the battery 34, has secured thereto on that side of the battery remote from the bulb 23, a spring arm 41 the free end of which carries a second switch contact in the form of a block 43.The arrangement is such that in the normal position the spring arm 41 holds the block 43 away from the first switch contact 40 thereby maintaining the switch in the "off" position.

Rotation of the base 14, however, results in centrifugal force acting on the block 43 to bend the spring arm 41 into the position 41' in which the block 43 is in contact with the switch contact 40 thereby turning the switch "on". Thus, rotation of the base 14, above a predetermined speed, causes the bulb 23 to light up.

Referring to Fig. 1 it can be seen that the upper housing part 11 is dome-shaped and is provided at its top with an aperture 44 through which a cap 46 partly protrudes.The cap is secured at the upper end of a shaft 47, the lower end of which carries a disc 49 having on its underside a substantially rectilinear drive member 50. The outer wall of the upper housing part 11 supports a shoulder 52 which is secured to a centrally mounted hollow cylindrical portion 53, coazial with the shaft 47. A helical spring 55 is mounted between the lower end of the shaft 47 and the cylindrical potion 53 in such a manner that rotation of the pin in one direction relative to the cylindrical portion causes the spring to be tensioned, while allowing the axial movement of the pin in the downward direction.

The lower end of the cylindrical portion 53 accommodated an upwardly extending annular portion 56 of the cover 14 in a telescopic manner, the drive member 50 thereby being positioned in a chamber 58 of the cover 1 4.

This chamber is provided with projections 59 having ramped surfaces, one on either side of the chamber, so that the space defined by the chamber is substantially the same as the cross-section of the drive member 50. The ramped surfaces are arranged to increase in height in the anti-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3.

As stated previously, the shaft 47 can be rotated relative to the cylindrical portion 53.

This is achieved by manually rotating the upper housing part 11 relative to the lower housing part 13, the drive member 50 being prevented from rotating in the chamber 58, until release, by the projections 59. This rotation causes the spring 55 to become tensioned. Unwinding of the spring 55 when the lower housing part is released by the hand is prevented by a pawl and ratchet device comprising a plurality of detents 61 carried on the cap 14 and a plurality of resilient pawls 62 carried by the shoulder 52 of the upper housing part 11.

In use, the spinning top operates as follows: As described above the lower housing part 1 3 is rotated by hand relative to the upper housing part1 1, the resilient arms 62 sliding over the pawls 61. When the hand is removed from the lower housing part, the unwinding of the spring 55 is prevented by abutment of the arms 62 against the pawls 61.

The whole device is now held by the upper housing part 11 a few centimetres above a floor or other surface. The cap 46 is pressed downwards relative to the upper housing part 11. This causes the drive member 50 to push the annular portion 56 of the cover 1 7 out of the cylindrical portion 53 of the upper housing part. Immediately the arms 62 become released from the pawls enabling the lower housing part to rotate. Tension in the spring 55 now causes the shaft 47 to rotate so that as long as the drive member 50 is retained in the chamber 58 by the projections 59 this rotation is imparted to the lower housing part 1 3. The latter now falls onto the floor or other surface as shown by 13' in Fig. 1 and continues to rotate on its spinning point 1 6.

As explained above rotation of the lower housing part 1 3 causes the circuit to be completed to the bulb 23. The bulb remains on so long as the lower housing part continues to rotate, but turns off when the rotation ceases Various alterations and modifications can be made to the described embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (9)

1. A spinning top comprising spring means for storing energy for subsequent rotational drive of the top, release means for releasing said spring means to cause the top to rotate, and illuminating means within said top including a switch which operates automatically to cause illumination as the top rotates.

2. A spinning top as claimed in claim 1, wherein said switch comprises a spring loaded contact arm movable in relation to the top and a contact fixed in relation to the top, said contact arm making with the fixed contact when a predetermined speed of rotation of the top is achieved and breaking below said predetermined speed.

3. A spinning top as claimed in claim 2, wherein a support web is provided within the tip and comprises three conductive portions electrically insulated from each other, a first portion for effecting connection between one pole of a battery and a lamp terminal, a second portion for effecting connection between the other lamp terminal and the fixed contact, and the third portion for effecting connection between the movable contact and the other pole of the battery, said web supporting said lamp and said battery.

4. A spinning top as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the top is formed in two portions, an upper portion containing said spring means and release means, and a lower portion which becomes detached from the upper portion for spinning and which houses the illuminating means.

5. A spinning top as claimed in claim 4, wherein said lower portion is formed of a transparent or translucent material.

6. A spinning top as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein the spring means comprises a helical spring carried within a hollow cylindri cal portion, one end of the spring being fixed to the cylindrical portion and the other end being connected to a drive member which engages projections formed on the lower portion of the top.

7. A spinning top as claimed in claim 6, wheren said drive member serves as the release means, said drive member being formed at the bottom of a shaft passing through said spring and being axially movable by means of a cap which partly protrudes through and is held by the upper portion of the top, release being effected as the cap is depressed to cause the drive member to push the bottom portion away from the top portion, the drive member simultaneously causing rotation of the bottom member.

8. A spinning top as claimed in claim 7, wherein winding of the spring is effected by rotation of the top portion relative to the bottom portion, rotation being prevented until release by means of a pawl and ratchet device of which a plurality of resilient pawls carried on the upper portion engage detents formed in the lower portion.

9. A spinning top substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.