Educational toy device comprising a rotatable disc and a coacting combined support and pointer structure

^{June 9}’ TOY A ROTATABLE

AND A COACTING COMBINED SUPPORT AND POINTER STRUCTURE

Filed Oct. 11, 1962

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3,136,552

Patented June 9, 1964

United States Patent Office

3,136,552

EDUCATIONAL TOY DEVICE COMPRISING A ROTATABLE DISC AND A COACTING COMBINED SUPPORT AND POINTER STRUCTURE Max J. Ruderian, 545 Hanley, Los Angeles 49, Calif.

Filed Oct 11, 1962, Ser. No. 229,871

Claims. (CI. 273—142)

This invention generally relates to an improved dual purpose educational toy device, and more particularly concerns an educational toy device of the type that may be formed from a cutout in a cereal box, pancake box or the like commonly referred to as a “premium” item. It is understood, however, that the toy device of the present invention may also be manufactured from other materials, for example, plastic, wood, metal, heavy cardboard, and the like.

One object of the present invention, however, is to provide an improved educational toy device which not only may be readily formed, for example, from a cutout in a cereal box or the like, but which also is so constructed that it may be used for dual educational toy purposes according to the manner in which it is assembled.

In the past, most cutouts and toy devices, whether they be educational or related to games of chance, usually serve a single function for a single purpose. Oftentimes, a child will tire or become bored with a particular type of educational toy because of the limitations and its particular uses. Thus, it is believed in accordance with the foregoing object that an educational toy device which can be assembled in two different forms to provide separate educational game functions will stimulate a child’s or other person’s interest for a longer period of time, thus having a greater sales appeal.

Thus, another object of the present invention is to provide an educational toy device which, as well as serving its dual function from the standpoint of construction, will also serve a dual function from the standpoint of use. Thus, the educational toy device of the present invention may equally well be used for games of chance as well as educational purposes.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved dual purpose educational toy device which may be economically constructed with a minimum number of parts and which may be assembled without any particular skill of the user for convenient operation thereof.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved dual purpose educational toy device which may be used in cooperation with conveniently available articles, such as pencils, for the purpose of operating in one of its particular applications.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved educational toy device which may be economically manufactured on a production line basis at a minimum cost and yet which is so constructed as to have maximum game interest to the user, and also which is constructed such that it may be used in a diversity of educational game and game of chance applications.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are generally achieved by providing an educational toy device comprising a first substantially discshaped member having a flat base portion protruding from a part of the circumferential edge thereof and a second substantially disc-shaped member also having a flat base portion protruding from a part of its circumferential edge.

A link is connected to and between aligned edge portions of the disc. A first arm is connected to the edge of the first disc member substantially 180 degrees opposite the point at which the link is connected thereto; similarly, a second arm is connected to the edge of the second disc member substantially 180 degrees opposite the point at which the link is connected thereto.

Means are provided for coupling the free ends of the arms together such that the disc members may stand stably upon the base portions inter-connected by the coupled arms and the link. Means are provided on the discs for receiving an elongated member therebetween, the member being constructed relative to the dimensions of the discs such as to protrude through at least one of the disc members. Also, indicating means are associated with the one of the discs through which the elongated member protrudes.

In a preferred form of the invention, a separate larger disc is designed to be received on the protruding portion of the elongated member to be journalled thereon in super-imposed relationship to the disc member through which the elongated rod protrudes. Thus, by rotation of the larger disc upon the protruding portion of the elongated member, an indication may be given of a particular area with which the indicating means may be aligned with the larger disc.

A better understanding of the present invention will be had by reference to the drawings, showing two illustrative embodiments, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the educational toy device of the present invention in its standing form and in exploding relationship to a larger disc to be employed therewith;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the educational toy device of the present invention in its flat form prior to assembly; and,

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the educational toy device of the present invention assembled in its second application or construction for use as a manually held educational toy device.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIGURE 1 the improved dual purpose educational toy device of the present invention as indicated by the numeral 10 in its standing form. The device 10 embodies first discshaped member 11 and a second disc-shaped member 12 in spaced relationship one to the other. Inter-connecting the disc-shaped members 11 and 12 is a link 13 which may, for example, be formed of cardboard and formed with a fold line at 13α. Of course, if the link 13 is formed of another material, for example metal, a hinge or the like would be substituted for the fold line 13α.

One hundred eighty degrees out of phase with the link 13 are provided arms 14 and 15, respectively, connected to disc members 12 and 11. The arms 14 and 15 also have their free ends connected as by a slot 16 provided in the arm 14 through which a tab 17 provided in the arm 15 extends. Of course, any other means of connecting the arms 14 and 15 together would be satisfactory. However, the embodiment shown is particularly designed for use with cardboard members which may be cut from a cereal box or the like.

The disc member 11 is provided with a small opening 18; similarly, the disc member 12 is provided with and defines a small opening 19. The openings 18 and 19 are disposed approximately 180 degrees out of line with respect to each other in order to receive an elongated member 20 in the manner as shown.

It is to be noted that in the preferred form of the invention the openings 18 and 19 are formed by pushing out a cutout tab or the like which is still connected to the edge of the particular opening to perform another function in the second application purpose of the device. Thus, there is shown in FIGURE 1 a tab 19α protruding adjacent the opening 19.

It will also be noted that the disc 11 is provided with a cutout 21 and a protruding pointer or indicating means

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22. If the device 10 is to be formed from cardboard, a tab 21&lt;z would be removed to leave the cutout opening 21 (the tab 21α being more clearly shown in the view of FIGURE 2) and the protruding arrowed portion or indicating means 22. In the construction of FIGURE 1, the indicating means is bent slightly out of the plane of the disc member 11 for a purpose that will be clearer as described hereafter in the specification.

In order to support the disc members 11 and 12 as shown, there are provided protruding base portions 23 and 24, respectively, from the bottom edges of the disc members 11 and 12.

In the construction of FIGURE 1, the elongated member 29, which may be a pencil, small wire rod, or piece of paper curled up into a rod form, has one end protruding through the opening 18 in the disc member 11 and its opposite end protruding through the opening 19 in the disc member 12. The end protruding through the opening 18 in the disc 11 is designed to receive and journal a disc member 25 provided with a center opening 26 and sector areas .27. Thus, the disc 25 may be spun on the protruding portion of the rod 2® in superimposed relationship to the disc 11 such that various of the sectors 27 may be aligned with the pointer 22. The end of the rod protruding from the disc 12 would normally rest upon the same surface as the base portions 23 and 24 of the respective discs 11 and 12.

In the view of FIGURE 2, the device 18 is shown in its pre-assembled form or fiat form in one embodiment wherein the device might be formed from a carrboard in the sidewalls of a cereal box or the like. Of course, in such a construction, it is desirable that as few parts as possible be employed. After pushing out the structure of FIGURE 2 from the sidewalls of the cereal box or the like, the assembly of the device would merely constitute interlocking the tab 17 with the slot 16, punching out appropriate cutout 21a, bending back the tab 22, in-, serting the rod 28, and positioning the disc 25. Thus, it will be appreciated that the assembly of the device to function in one application, for example as shown in FIGURE 1, is quite simple and does not require complex construction or unusal skill.

There is shown in FIGURE 3 a device 10 flattened out to function as a frame means journalling the disc 25 between the opposing disc portions 11 and 12. The primary difference in structure would relate to the protruding base portions 23 and. 24. In this embodiment, instead of having the indicating means 22 protrude upwardly, it would be more desirable to have the indicating means protrude downwardly as indicated at 22' to thus align itself with one of the sector areas 27 as the disc 25 is spun about. Similarly, the cutout 21 would designate a particular underlying portion of a continuation of the sector areas 27 on which different printed subject matter might be embodied.

It will be appreciated that various games of educational skill as well as games of chance are readily adaptable to the construction of the improved dual purpose educational toy device, as disclosed in FIGURE 3.

From the foregoing, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that many variations and changes may be made in the improved dual purpose educational toy device of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.