Amusement device

2,321,371

R. C. DU

PONT

AMUSEMENT

DEVICE

Filed Aug.

9, 1940

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INVENTOR

Richard C. cluPorit

BY attorney

June 8, 1943.

2,321,371

Sheets-Sheet 2

R. C. DU PONT

AMUSEMENT DEVICE

Filed Aug. 9, '1S40

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BY

Ct) AJLxu Y\x GLcaJUa

ATTORNEY

Patented June 8, 1943

2,321,371

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,321,371

AMUSEMENT DEVICE

Richard C. du Font, Wilmington, Del.

Application August 9, 1940, Serial No. 351,931

Claims.

This invention relates to amusement devices and more particularly to an improved device of the type including a missile and a throwing implement for hurling the missile with both a forward and rotational velocity and also adapted to catch a thrown missile.

In accordance with the present invention, a missile or rotor is provided which is essentially cylindrical in shape. A throwing implement (hereinafter called a “tossing and receiving stick” or simply “stick”) is provided having a generally unciform body formed with an inner flat surface on which the rotor is caused to roll to impart a rotational velocity to the rotor. The longer of the legs or arms of the unciform body is concavely shaped and preferably provided with a friction surface whereby the rotor can be hurled by means of the stick and at the same time has a rotational velocity imparted to it. The other, and shorter leg, is adapted to engage and catch the rotor when it is traveling toward the operator, or player.

An object of the invention is the provision of an improved amusement device of the stick and missile type wherein the missile can be thrown so that it will return to the thrower, or follow a predetermined path to another player.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved tossing and receiving stick so formed that the operator can conveniently and rapidly catch and hurl the missile.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a missile of such construction that it is relatively stable when in flight and follows a predetermined path.

Various other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following particular description and from an inspection of the accompanying drawings.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages, and the manner in which it may be carried out, may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a- part hereof, in which

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of the tossing and receiving stick with the rotor in position ready to be hurled from the stick;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view partially in cross section showing particularly the construction of the handle portion of the stick;

(Cl. 273—96)

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the rotor;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner in which the stick and rotor are employed 5 when two persons are playing;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the operation when a single person'is playing;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view Of the structure of Fig. 6;

Fig; 8 is an enlarged fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken along line 8—8 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view, taken 15 through the: rotor illustrated in Fig. 6.

In the following description and in the claims, various details will be identified by specific names for convenience, but they are intended to be as generic in their application as the art will per20 mit. Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

The tossing and receiving stick I has a generally unciform body defining a throwing portion or arm 3, a receiving portion or arm 4 op25 posite the throwing arm, and a smoothly curved portion 5 joining the throwing and receiving arms. Both the throwing arm 3 and the receiving arm 4, and especially the throwing arm 3, preferably are formed so as to be somewhat 30 flexible, for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

The throwing arm 3 is somewhat longer than the receiving arm 4 and projects beyond the latter, and preferably is formed with a slight in35 ward concavity, as illustrated particularly in Fig. 1. For the purpose of enhancing the rotational effect imparted to the rotor, when it is thrown, the inner surface of the throwing arm 3 or a portion thereof is provided with a friction 40 material 7 or formed in such manner as to be frictionable. For example, a strip of tar tape or a strip of rubber may be applied to the stick or friction paint may be applied, or the surface may be formed of a material inherently friction⁴⁵ able, or it may be knurled or provided with fine transverse ribs.

The receiving arm 4 preferably is formed with an out-turned end 6 which facilitates engaging a thrown rotor, as will be explained.

The stick I is provided with a handle or hand grip 8 attached to the body of the stick in a suitable manner, as by a bracket !) and stem 10. The handle 8 preferably is freely rotatable on the stem 10, about its axis, thus permitting the body 55 of the stick to be quickly turned to an inverted

2,321,371 position relative to the handle when the stick is being used.

The missile or rotor 2, illustrated particularly in Fig. 3, includes a body 20 of generally cylindrical shape which may be either solid or hollow. Preferably, the rotor is made of light material, such as cardboard, Celluloid, balsa wood, cork or the like, so that the rotor will not descend too rapidly when hurled into the air. The rotor 2 is provided with one or more flanges 21 and in the present embodiment two flanges are shown which preferably are located adjacent the ends of the rotor 2. The flanges 21 are of substantially greater diameter than the body 20 of the rotor 2 and when the rotor 2 is hurled from the stick 1, the flanges serve to stabilize the travel of the rotor and prevent it from turning relative to its path of forward movement.

Where the rotor is provided with two flanges at the ends, the body of the stick is, of course, of less width than the distance between flanges except where other provision is made, as will be explained hereinafter.

If desired, one or more whistles can be attached to or formed in the rotor, and thus, when the rotor is hurled by means of the stick, the rapid rotation of the rotor will cause it to sing and whistle. For example, as shown in Fig. 3, the body 20 of the rotor may be of hollow construction and openings 22 provided therein.

The stick I and rotor 2 may be employed in various ways for amusement and exercise and two modes of employing this device are disclosed herein.

Where it is desired for two or more persons to play, each person is equipped with a tossing and receiving stick, and one or more rotors are provided. The first player holds his stick with the throwing portion 3 in a horizontal position approximately as illustrated in Fig. 1 and places the rotor thereon, at a point near the inner end of the throwing arm 3.

The stick is then given a whipping overhand motion with the throwing arm 3 rearwardly, as illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 4. The rotor 2 thus is caused to roll outwardly along the throwing arm 3 and at the same time, a rotational velocity is imparted to the rotor.

In order that the rotor will not fall away and will either return to the thrower or proceed to a second player, the rotor should be thrown so that its axis of rotation is horizontal. Accordingly, the throwing motion of the stick should be in a vertical plane, whether the motion be an overhand or an underhand motion.

The rotor is hurled from the end of the stick in a direction determined by the motion of the stick but, owing to the high rotational velocity of the rotor, the different air pressures on the leading and trailing surfaces of the rotor, cause it to zoom upwardly in a steep climb.

The various forces acting upon the rotor, including the forward motion imparted by the stick, the force of gravity, and the differential air pressures on the front and rear portions of the rotor which are developed by rotation of the rotor, cause it to perform either one of two movements adjacent the peak of its flight, depending upon various factors.

In one of these movements, the rotor performs a loop and then falls away along a path which is generally similar in shape to, but reversed in direction and away from its upward path. The path travel is illustrated somewhat diagrammatically in Fig. 4.

In the other movement, the rotor climbs upwardly to the peak .of its travel, then halts momentarily, and then falls away along its downward path. In other words, instead of 5 looping, the rotor follows a cusp-like path.

The second player catches the rotor by properly positioning the stick with the receiving arm 4 upwardly and in line with the path of the rotor 2 so that the rotor engages either the inner '10 surface of the receiving arm or the curved portion 5, and preferably, the former. The outturned end δ facilitates engaging the rotor by the receiving arm 4. The rotor rolls onto the throwing arm 3 and the catching player can 15 then, by a suitable overhand movement of the stick, hurl the rotor either back toward the first player or toward a third player. The catching and throwing movement of the stick can be substantially a single continuous movement, with the 2o rotor executing a substantially continuous rolling movement from the receiving arm to the throwing arm, or the rotor can be halted, as desired.

Where there is a single player, and it is desired that the rotor 2 return to the player, the 25 l'otor 2 is placed on the stick I in a position similar to that illustrated in Fig. 1. The stick i, however, is swung with an underhand motion, the throwing arm 3 remaining downwardly relative to the receiving arm and not inverted, as ₃₀ described in connection with the overhand throwing motion.

When the stick i is given an underhand throwing motion, the rotor 2 is caused to rotate in a direction opposite to its rotation when thrown 35 overhand and thus the curve executed by the rotor 2 is a closed curve, as illustrated in Fig. 5, and not an open curve. Accordingly, the rotor 2 tends to return to approximately its initial point and thus can readily be caught by the thrower, 40 in a manner similar to that described above.

Various modifications may be made in either the tossing and receiving stick, or in the rotor, or in both. One modified form of the device is illustrated in Figs. 6 to 9, to which reference now 45 is made. In this form the tossing and receiving stick is provided with a central slot and the rotor is formed with a central flange adapted to travel in the slot.

The tossing and receiving stick 101 is formed 50 with a throwing arm 103, a receiving arm 104, and a smoothly curved arcuate portion 105, all of which are generally similar in shape with the corresponding portions of the stick I illustrated in Fig. 1. The stick 101 is provided with a han55 die 103 secured by a bracket 109 in a manner analgous to that above described.

The body of the stick is constituted by a plurality (in the present instance two) sections 111 suitably secured in spaced parallel relation by U60 shaped brackets or cleats 112 suitably spaced along the body portion ill, this arrangement providing a slot 113 extending throughout the length of the stick 101. The slot 113 is of sufficient width to accommodate a flange on the roes tor. Each bracket 112 is formed with a central U-shaped portion of sufficient depth to permit the flange to pass by as the rotor rolls along the body of the stick.

The ends 106 of the body members 111 are 70 curved upwardly and outwardly, as illustrated particularly in Fig. 7, for a purpose which will hereinafter be explained.

The rotor (see Fig. 9) is formed in any suitable manner and is provided with a central 75 flange of greater diameter than the body. One·

2,321.

embodiment of this type of rotor is illustrated in Fig. 9 and includes two body portions 120 secured together and in alignment by a rivet 123 cooperating with washers 124 which clamp against in turned flanges 125. A flange 121 is S defined by a disc clamped between the body portions 120 and positioned by the rivet 123 which passes through the disc 12 i. The ends of the body portions 120 may be closed in a suitable manner, as by end plugs 126, or they may be 1&lt; left open.

The stick and rotor illustrated in Figs. 6 to 9 is used in a manner similar to that illustrated in Fig. 1. However, the cooperation between the stick and rotor is slightly different, as will be I; apparent. In the second form of the invention, the single flange 121 passes along in the slot 113 as the body 120 of the rotor rolls along the inner surface of the stick. Also, when the rotor is caught by the receiving arm 164, the flange 121 &lt;2 of the rotor must be received between the hornlike ends 106 in order to enter the slot 113. As noted above, these ends are turned upwardly and outwardly and thus the space between them at their outermost ends is substantial and it is, 2 therefore, relatively easy to so position the stick that the flange enters between the ends 106. The ends 106 are formed with smoothly curved inner edges which serve to guide or “cam” the flange into the slot 113 as the rotor rolls along 3 the receiving arm 101.

The present invention provides a novel amusement and exercise device which is of relatively simple construction and which can be made of comparatively inexpensive materials. The de- 3 vice readily adapts itself for construction in miniature form for use by relatively young children, and is equally adapted for construction in larger sizes for use of adults. The rotor can be made of very light material so that it can be used 4 indoors, or it can be made considerably heavier and thereby can be thrown relatively long distances.

The device is relatively simple and inexpensive, and sticks can be provided for any number 4 of players and a game played in a manner somewhat analogous to volley ball or deck tennis, wherein teams are stationed on opposite sides of a net or barrier over which the rotor is tossed alternately by players on the opposing teams. £ The device also lends itself readily to other arrangements of players or teams and innumerable types of games wherein a missile is tossed and received.

,37-1 3

While certain novel features of the invention have been disclosed herein, and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes ; may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.