Balloon sealing device

2,396,906

March 19, 1946. a. e. windson

BALLOON SEALING DEVICE

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FIG.-S;

Patented Mar. 19,1946

2,396,906

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,396,906

BALLOON SEALING DEVICE

Antoine E. Windson, La Jolla, Calif. Application February 6, 1945, Serial No. 576,457

Claim.

This invention relates to a new, and improved device for effectively sealing the necks of toy balloons after inflation thereof.

One object of the invention is to provide a small compact and extremely simple device of the aforesaid character which may be operated with facility even by children.

Another object is the provision of a device which will safely seal the necks of toy balloons so that not only will air or gas be retained therein indefinitely, but the rubber comprising said neck will not be pinched as in the case when string or rubber bands are employed to effect a seal.

A further object is to provide a toy balloon sealer which is very inexpensive to manufacture but which is, nevertheless, sturdy and substantially indestructible.

A still further object is to produce a balloon sealer which is neat and attractive in appearance so that it may be marketed with the balloon and thus increase the sales appeal of the latter.

For a proper understanding of the invention, reference is now had to the accompanying fullscale drawing wherein like reference characters represent like parts and in which—

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the device;

Fig. 2 is a view in section of the device illustrating the positioning of the balloon neck therein prior to inflation of the balloon and sealing of the neck;

Figs. 3 and 4 are rear and front plan views, respectively, of the device with assembled balloon neck partly in section and illustrating the method of manipulating the balloon neck of the device to effect a seal; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the device shown in position assembled with and sealing the neck of an inflated balloon.

The body of the device consists of a disc I conveniently made up of any desirable, rigid or semirigid material such as metal, wood, chip-board or plastic. Plastic materials are preferred because they may be both transparent and vividly colored, thus contributing enhanced attractiveness to the finished device. The periphery of disc t is cut away or recessed as shown to form two diametrically opposed, arcuate throat portions 2 and 3. Along a diameter of the disc lying substantially at right angles to a line passing through the arc centers of the throats are provided two circular neck-receiving holes 4 and 5. Hole 5 Is farther removed from the periphery of the disc I than is hole 4, so that a channel or slot 6 of substantial length may be formed between the periphery of the disc I and the hole 5. String attaching holes 7 and 8 are provided on both sides of slot 6.

With the device of the present invention the

1. 46—90) balloon sealing operation is extremely simple. First, the neck 9 of the balloon 10 is pressed through hole 4 to the extent indicated in Fig. 2. While the neck remains in hole 4 the balloon is inflated to the desired extent. Then, holding it firmly pressed between the thumb and fore-finger to prevent escape of air the neck is stretched and wound, first across the bottom of disc I and up and over throat portion 3 (Fig. 3), then across the top of the disc and down over throat portion 2 (Fig. 4), and, finally, across the bottom of the disc and then up through slot 6 to hole 5 (Fig. 3). Tension is then released on the neck and the enlarged rim il of the balloon allowed to come to rest, under tension, and anchored, so to speak, upon the top surface of the disc over hole 5. This operation effectively seals the balloon permitting the latter to remain inflated for indefinite periods.

It will be obvious, of course, that either the upper or lower part of the neck of the balloon could be wound around the device, i. e. after positioning the balloon as in Fig. 2, and then inflating, the neck of the balloon could be grasped firmly between the thumb and forefinger at some point above the disc ί (Fig. 2), the neck pulled upwardly to seat the rim i i against the under surface of the disc, and then winding the stretched neck around throat portions 2 and 3, slipping the stretched neck through slot 6 into hole 5 and finally allowing the under surface of the inflated balloon to come to rest against the under surface of the disc.

String 12 may be threaded through holes 7 and 8 and tied as shown in Fig. 5. It will be observed that these holes 7 and 8 serve a double purpose— (1) they provide means for attaching a string to the inflated balloon, and (2) by virtue of the string passing across the slot 6, the neck is effectively retained in hole 5 should there be any tendency for it to slip out of the slot.