Trick device

April 9, 1935. g. schrOdel 1,997,235

TRICK DEVICE Filed March 3Q, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 1

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April 9, 1935.

1,997,235

G. SCHRODEL

TRICK DEVICE

Filed March 30, 1933

Sheets-Sheet 2

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April 9,1935. g. schrOdel 1,997,235

TRICK DEVICE Filed March 30, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 3

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April 9, 1935.

1,997,235

G. SCHRODEL

TRICK DEVICE

Filed March 30, 1933

Sheets-Sheet 4

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April 9, 1935.

G. SCHRODEL

TRICK DEVICE

Filed March 30, 1933

1,997,235

Sheets-Sheet 5

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Patented Apr. 9, 1935

1,997,235

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

1,997,235

TRICK DEVICE

Georg Schrodel, Nuremberg, Germany

Application March 3®, 1933, Serial No. 663,632 In Germany October 19, 1932

Claims. (Cl. 272—27)

This invention relates to a trick novelty of the form of a container made in imitation of articles of use of box-like or other shape and has for its object to cause the emission of showers of sparks, 5 when such imitations are used in the normal manner, and thereby to produce a humorous effect.

This effect is produced through a spark-producing device being built into the container, 10 which is under the action of an arresting device which, on the article embodied in the trick novelty being put into use, is released and thereby allows the spark-producing device to go into action.

Figures 1 to 20 illustrate several constructional 15-'forms of such a trick novelty. .

In the first constructional form shown in FigThe second constructional form shown in Figs. 3 and 4 shows only this difference, that the trick novelty has the form of a cigarette case or a snuff box provided with a hinged lid q. In this case, the hinged lid is provided with an arresting spring which, when the hinged lid q is in the closed position bears against the friction wheel and prevents it from running down.

In the third constructional form shown in Figures 5 and 6 the arrangement of a match-box is ]ό substantially retained, the only difference being that the outer sliding case a is provided on the side wall facing the arresting spring k and at some distance from its end with a lateral opening r, through which the projection m of the u arresting spring k can spring out in the manner shown in Figure 6 when the match container b is slid upwards or to the left, thereby liberating the clockwork mechanism. The sliding box a is in this ease provided on its upper side with a 20 suitable opening s which, When the match container is in the closed position, is covered by the covering plate o, but which, When the matchbox is in the position in which the projection m of the arresting spring k springs outward, is un- ₂5 covered and allows the shower of sparks to emerge. Owing to this arrangement the spark producing device becomes operative irrespective of whether the match container b is pushed in one direction until the projection m of the arresting _R0 spring k springs outwards over the end of the sliding case, or whether the match container is pushed in the other direction until the projection m of the arresting spring k can spring out through the opening r in the side wall of the sliding 35 case a.

In place of the arresting spring fc which springs out through Openings Z, q in the walls of the inner container and the sliding case, a two-armed lever 2® may be used, as shown in the construe- ₄₀tional form of Fig. 6α, which with its elongated transverse Slot 21 is adapted to turn on the pin 22 and is capable of lateral displacement. The two-armed lever 2® is provided on its inner side with the brake block 24 which coacts with the ₄₅pinion 23 and which in the closed position is pressed against the said pinion 23 owing to the outer wall of the sliding case a forcing the'protuberances 25 of the two-armed lever 2 0, which are adapted to project outwards, through the 50 slots Z of the inner container b and consequently_;the lever itself . inwards. On one. protuberance 25 being, however, released through the inner container being pushed in one direction or the other, the pressure of the teeth of the pinion 23 63 ures 1 and 2 an imitation of a match-box is Chosen as the container, the outer sliding case a being made without the bottom wall for making the „ bottom of the inner box δ more readily accessible, so that the outer sliding case only engages over the box b which is open at the top by means of lateral flanges c. In the inner box a clockwork mechanism cZ is disposed, the last shaft e of _r- which rotating at the greatest angular velocity ²⁰ has a friction wheel f mounted on it. Against the latter is-held so as to be in operative association therewith a flint i which is held in a sleeve g under the action of a helical spring h. On one „n side wall of the inner match container δ is mounted a leaf spring k, a projection m of which extends outwardly through an opening Z while an arresting finger n of the spring projects into the interior of the box in such a manner that, when the box .,- is closed, the arresting finger n bears against the periphery of the friction wheel /, thus preventing it from running down. When, however, the container δ is pushed out, the projection m of the leaf spring k springs out through the opening Z to such an extent that the arresting finger n re⁴⁰ leases the friction wheel / and the latter scrapes over the flint which is held against it by spring action, thus producing a strong shower of sparks. For increasing the humorous effect and in order .. that the effective arrangement shall not be no^4a ticeable, the inner slide box b is preferably covered mi its upper side with a covering plate o representing matches, which covering plate is provided only at the place below which the flint bears e0 against the friction wheel with an opening p, through which the sparks can emerge.

This slot p might also of course be provided in one side wall of the sliding box, in which case the friction wheel and the flint would have to be cor¢5 respondingly positioned.

will push the brake block 24 aside and the clockwork mechanism will run down, producing sparks.

The fourth constructional form shown in Figs. 7 and 8 which is made in imitation of a packet of cigarettes also has a sliding case a and a box &amp; representing a cigarette container, in which the clockwork mechanism d with the spark producing device f, i is housed. The inner slidable box has the two covering flaps t, u which are usual in cigarette packets and of which the covering flap u is provided with an opening p above _________ __________ muuuu the place of contact of the friction wheel f with wheel the brake block n of the arresting spring the flint i. The sliding box a has a window s ^;.’· ’ ' .....“ ‘ in its upper side, similar to that shown in the constructional form according to Figures 1 and 2, so that on the inner box b being displaced in one direction or the other, the shower of sparks can emerge either at the end of the sliding box or out of the opening s. The arresting device for the clockwork mechanism is in this case a brake block Ό provided on the inside of the sliding case a, which block in the closed position forces the flap n against.the friction wheel f and thereby prevents the wound up clockwork mechanism from running down. By displacing the inner box &amp; in one direction , or the other, the brake block, is eased off the friction wheel f so that the clockwork mechanism runs down and the shower of sparks emerges at the end of the sliding case or through the opening s.

The constructional form shown in Figures 9 and 10 is made in imitation of a pocket lighter, in which by operating a pressure knob the spring cover is to be released. In this case the spring cover is connected rigidly .to the casing a in which the clockwork mechanism d with the flint. i and the friction wheel f are housed. Against the friction wheel f the spring w presses a brake block a:, the pressure-applying bar y of which extends outwards and is provided at its outer end with the pressure knob a. The top wall of the casing is provided with an opening p, through which the shower of sparks emerges when, by. pressure on the knob a, the friction Wheel f is released and the clockwork mechanism can run down.

In Figure 11 a constructional form is shown, which again represents a pocket lighter of the 50 kind having casings a, b which are adapted to slide one in the other and of which the inner casing b contains the clockwork mechanism d and tht friction wheel / with the flint i.

The two casings are provided with openings 55 P> s- Against the friction wheel / the brake block x bears, which is mounted on a two-armed lever 2, 3. The arm 3 of the latter terminates in an inclined surface 4 which, on striking against the finger rest 5, slides on the latter, thereby 60 lifting the brake block x from the friction wheel f at the moment in which the openings p and s come in register with one another, so that through these openings the clockwork mechanism which-at the same moment runs down can 65 throw out its shower of sparks.

In Figure 12 the principle underlying the invention is shown as applied to a box-like con- , tamer having the form of a fire-arm, in the der 30 which casing a of which the clockwork mechanism d 70 is housed, an arresting lever 7 attached to the trigger 6 bearing against the friction wheel A The trigger with the arresting lever is under the influence of a helical spring 8 which presses the arresting lever -7 against the friction wheel.

In front of the place of contact of the fric1,997,235 ·.'· ' ' --tion wheel f and the flint i an opening p forming a sham muzzle is provided in the casing a, through which the shower of sparks can emerge, . on the trigger being pressed.

; In the tin container shown in Figs. 13 and 14 : the arrangement is such that in the bottom part 10 of the tin the clockwork mechanism d with the flint i is housed, and a slip-on lid 11 is provided with an opening p, which by being suitably turned can be brought in register with the place where the friction wheel and the flint are in contact with one another. Against the friction * bears, which is held in position by the slip-on lid, but on the latter being turned can spring outwards through an opening I in the bottom part and an opening r in the lid, thus releasing the friction wheel from the arresting spring and allowing the sparks to emerge through the openingp.

If a shower of sparks is to emerge without displacing the slip-on lid I f with respect to the bottom part 10 of the tin, the arrangement is made such, in accordance with Figures 15 and 16, that an arresting spring (2 which is fixed to the bottom of the tin bears against the friction wheel f which is adapted to be driven by the clockwork mechanism d mounted on the bottom of the bottom part 10. The opening p opposite the place of contact between the flint and the friction 30 wheel can be covered by a plate 13 which is mounted on a crank lever 15 which is rotatable about the pin 14 and which bears the pressure knob 16 extending through an opening IT in the tin and is held in the closed position under the 35 influence of a helical spring 18. By depressing the knob IS the lever 15 is caused to rock so far towards the arresting spring 12 that not only is the opening p uncovered, but by a cam-like extension 19 of the covering disc 13 the arresting spring 12 is forced aside to such an extent that the clockwork mechanism can run down and the shower of sparks emerge through the uncovered opening p.

The principle underlying the invention can of course also be applied to other containers in the form of boxes or tins. Thus for instance the clockwork mechanism with the spark-producing device could be housed in a small photographic apparatus, in such a . manner that the sparks emerge through the shutter opening when the said opening is uncovered by actuating a lever like that of a lens shutter and the arresting spring is lifted from the friction wheel.

In place of a container in the form of a box r~ ^J' ” ' ___ for instance a hollow cylindrical container of the shape of a writing implement, such as a fountain pen, a pencil or the like, as shown in Figures 17 and 18. In this constructional form 60 the spark producing device is formed, by a flint i mounted at the upper end of the writing implement, the friction wheel being replaced by a scraper 26. The latter is mounted on a bar 2T : which is guided so as to slide in slots of the discs 05 28, 29 mounted in the barrel a and has in the neighborhood of its lower end an arresting shoulder ?? which is adapted to engage under the guiding disc. The guiding bar 27 which is provided with an outwardly extending guiding pin 70 31 for moving it into its locked position is under the influence of a helical spring 32 which seeks to draw the guiding bar laterally and upwards. Inside the barrel a leaf spring 33 is mounted, at the end of which is an outwardly extending knob in place of a container in the form of a box 5· or tin any. other, shape can of course be used,

1.997.235 3

34, which bears with a pressure pin 35 against the guiding bar 27. If, when the writing implement is used in the normal manner, the finger is laid on the knob 34, the pressure pin 35 releases 5 the retaining shoulder 33 from the disc 28 and the guiding bar is drawn rapidly upwards, the scraper 26 sliding over the flint i and. causing the sparks to emerge out of the opening 36 at the top of the barrel.

Figures 19 and 20 show in plan view, partly in section, and in cross-section a further trick novelty, also in the shape of a match-box, in which in the box b guided in the interior of the sliding casing a and held in position by the lon15 gitudinal .flanges c a clockwork mechanism d is housed. On the shaft e of the latter is mounted the friction wheel 7, against which the flint i bears, which is guided in the sleeve g under the action of a spring. In this constructional form 20 the arrangement is such that on the end of the friction wheel shaft e an. arresting lever 38 is mounted, which in the closed position bears against the upper wall of the sliding casing a and thereby prevents the clockwork mechanism from running down. On the box b being pushed out of the sliding casing a to such an extent that the arresting arm 38 comes in front of the transverse edge lying nearest to it of the sliding casing a, the clockwork mechanism will be released 30 and the sparks will be produced.