US2946152A - Musical toy hoop - Google Patents

Description

July 26, 1960 L. R. RUBIN MUSICAL TOY HOOP Filed Sept. -l5, 1958 FIG. 3

FIG. 2

INVENTOR. LEONARD a RUBIN BY MM H W ATTORNEY United States Patent MUSICAL TOY HOOP Leonard R. Rubin, Wynnewood, Pa., assignor to Harry Rubin & Sons, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Sept. 15, 1958, Ser. No. 761,025

1 Claim. (Cl. 46-175) The present invention relates to a toy hoop, and more particularly to a toy hoop which may be revolved about the users body, or a body member of the user.

The rotation of hoops about ones body or body member, such as an arm or ones neck, has a great appeal to a wide variety of persons. Thus, the satisfactory rotation of a hoop of this nature requires a fair degree of skill. Moreover, the rotation of hoops constitutes an excellent form of exercise, and furthermore serves to develop good coordination and reflexes.

For these and other reasons, toy hoops formed from lightweight but durable and scratch resistant plastic materials have achieved widespread acceptance.

This invention has as an object the provision of a novel toy hoop.

This invention has as another object the provision of a toy hoop which gives off an audible sound when rotated.

This invention has as yet another object the provision of a toy hop which will enable its user to audibly gauge the degree of effectiveness of rotation of such hoop.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in the drawings forms which are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like parts:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the toy hoop of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the toy hoop of the present invention shown in Figure 1 taken through a portion of the hoop which carries a bell.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view similar to that of- Figure 2 but revealing another embodiment of the present invention.

The toy hoop of the present invention is designated generally as 10. Toy hoop should be of an internal diameter which is sufficiently large to enable such toy hoop to be spun or rotated about a persons body, as well as about the body members, such as arms or legs. As a general rule the internal diameter of toy hoops of the present invention should be at least twelve inches, and preferably greater than this length. I have found that the most satisfactory internal diameter generally lies between thirty and thirty-four inches, although this figure can be varied.

The toy hoop 10 is preferably formed of an extruded plastic tubing which is light in weight and yet durable and capable of resisting abrasion, shock, and the other disturbances encountered in the normal use of the hoop 10. I have found that extruded polyethylene is particularly useful for forming the toy hoop 10, but that other plastic materials may be utilized.

In the drawings, the tubing which forms the hoop 10 is designated 12 and comprises polyethylene tubing having ridges 14 on its exterior surface. The tubing 12 may be colored, or may be translucent, or opaque. I

2,946,152 Patented July 26, 1960 "ice 2 have found that tubing having an outside diameter of from three-quarters to one and one-quarter inches is satisfactory, and that such tubing may have a relatively thin wall thickness, such as of the order of about onesixteenth inch or so.

The ridges 14 which confer both frictional and strength characteristics upon the tubing 12 are not essential, and it is to be understood that the toy hoop of the present invention comprehends hoops having a completely smooth outer surface.

The toy hoop 10 of the present invention may have its abutting ends 16 and 18 cemented or otherwise adhesively joined together, or the same may be joined by other means, such as thermosealing. Alternatively, as in the illustrated embodiment, the ends 16 and 18 may be joined together through the use of an interior plugfitting 20 which frictionally engages the interior wall surface of the ends 16 and 18. Staples 22, or analogous means, may be used to insure engagement between the plug fitting 20 and the tubing 12.

The interior of the tubing 12 is provided with means for creating sound, which in the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, comprises a hell or bells 24. The hell or bells 24 may be free to rotate within the interior of tubing 12. If desired, one or more compartmentation plugs 26 may be provided within the interior of toy hoop 10. Such plugs may comprise a circular disc, wedged or press fitted within the tubing 12. Separate bells 24 may be provided in each of the compartments within the'hoop 10. Alternatively, the use of compartmentation plugs 26 may be unnecessary or undesirable depending upon the tastes of the user, and the present invention comprehends a toy hoop 10 which is devoid of interior compartmentation.

The wall of the tubing 12 may be perforated, as by holes 28, or may be imperforate. The use of a perforated tubing has the advantage of providing release for the sounds generated within the interior of the tubing, and may also add an additional component of sound due to the whistle efiect of the tubing moving through the air.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the tubing 30 is imperforate. Preferably, the toy hoop 10a is noncompartmented.

The means for creating sound in the embodiment of Figure 3 comprises granules 32. Such granules 32 may include a wide variety of materials, such as buckshot, rice, wheat, and other grains, gravel, etc. The movement of the granules 32 within the tubing 30 produces the sound. 7

The toy hoop of the present invention will emit a sound when rotated by the user, such as when spun about the users body. A skilled user can gauge the extent of rotation from the sound being emitted from his specific toy hoop, since each hoop will have a particular sound characteristic which will depend upon the extent and rate of rotation at which the hoop is traveling.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claim, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:

A toy hoop comprising a substantially circular closed loop of a light weight durable plastic hollow tubing, the ends of said tubing being joined together in endwise abutting relation by a plug fitting disposed within the interior of the two ends and frictionally engaging the interior wall surface of the ends, said hoop having an internal diameter of at least 12 inches, a plurality of circumferentially spaced compartmentation plugs press fitted within the interior of the hollow tubing, said plugs cooperating with said tubing to form closed compartments within said tubing and thereby prevent communication between adjacent compartments, means for creating sound upon the rotation of the hoop disposed Within the hollow tubing and between the compartmentation plugs; and ridges extending along the entire length of the outer surface of the hollow tubing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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