US3205610A

US3205610A - Pneumatic toy stove and accessories

Info

Publication number: US3205610A
Application number: US415060A
Authority: US
Inventors: Nunzio J Palumbo; Leonard L Rosenfeld
Original assignee: Amsco Industrial Co
Current assignee: Amsco Industrial Co
Priority date: 1964-12-01
Filing date: 1964-12-01
Publication date: 1965-09-14
Anticipated expiration: 1982-09-14

Description

p 1965 N. J. PALUMBO ETAL 3,205,610

PNEUMATIC TOY STOVE AND ACCESSORIES Filed Dec. 1, 1964 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F/GJ F/GIZa ATTORNEYS.

P 1965 N. J. PALUMBQ ETAL 3,205,610

PNEUMATIC TOY STOVE AND ACCESSORIES Filed Dec. 1, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS.

IVU/VZ/O J. PALUMiO LEONARD L. ROSE/VFELD uiu NAM.

United States Patent 3,2ti5,610 PNEUMATIC 'IGY S'IGVE AND ACES0RIES Nunzio I. Palumho and Leonard L. Rosenfeld, Huntingtlon Valley, Fm, assiguors to Arnseo Industries, Inc, Hathoro, Pa, a corporation of Pennsyivania Filed-Dec. 1, 1964, Ser. No. 415,069 11 Claims. (til. lo-14) This invention relates to a toy stove and to accessories which cooperate therewith to give efiects reminiscent of boiling. More particularly, it pertains to a toy pneumatic reservoir, which resembles a stove, and to accessories cooperative therewith to simulate boiling. These accessories, most conveniently, are fabricated to resemble kettles, pots, pans and the like.

It has long been recognized in the toy industry that toys having the greatest play value are those which allow the child to emulate actions or activities of the parent. Yet problems are posed when the toy maker seeks to imitate a device which involves simulation of an inherently dangerous instrumentality such as, for example, heat, fire or boiling water. It is a challenge to give effects which are realistic but which, in the toy, involve no such dangerous instrumentalities. Such toys can, consequently, be used by children without adult supervision or concern.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide toys which utilize compressed air as a means for simulating boiling and the noises associated with boiling.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a pneumatic reservoir, and associated means for inflating said reservoir, in a form resembling a stove or hot plate.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a housing containing a pneumatic reservoir, means for inflating the reservoir and check valve means for preventing the escape of air from the reservoir except when accessory devices are mounted in association therewith.

An additional object of the invention is to provide accessories resembling kettles, pans and the like which contain means for tapping the pneumatic reservoir portion of a stove-like base.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy, of the. character described, which has long-lasting play value, is simple in operation, has no potential for harming the user, is economical to produce, highly efficient in operation and rugged in construction.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure in the following specification, appended claims and drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like parts, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 represents a top plan view, partially cut away, of a stove base embodying the invention.

FIGURE 2 represents a section taken through line Z-2 of FIGURE 1 modified by the inclusion of a partially cut away perspective of an accessory mounted thereon, in this case a toy tea kettle.

FIGURE 2a represents a section taken along line 2a-2a of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 3 represents a section taken. along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4- represents a section taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 represents a sectional view of another embodiment of the invention showing a stove base with an accessory, in this instance a saucepan full of boiling water, mounted thereon.

FIGURE 6 represents a section taken through line 6-6 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 represents a fragmentary section taken along line 7-7 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 represents a fragmentary section taken along line 88 of FIGURE 6.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be observed that the invention comprises a housing A which may best resemble a hot plate or stove and upon which may be alternatively mounted a variety of accessories such as, for example, a whistling tea kettle B or a boiling saucepan C.

I. Stove construction and operation Stove A comprises a generally rectangular housing 10 including one or more raised burner-simulating portions 11 each of which is concentric about a protruding generally frusto-conical valve housing 12. As best seen in FIGURES 2 and 5, burner portion 11 may also be provided with a series of concentric ridges 13 which simulate the appearance of the coils of an electric burner element.

A bellows pump 14, reciprocated by means of an integral plunger 15, is mounted within the housing and held in place by an annular retainer 16, within which plunger 15 is free to reciprocate. Air for the bellows enters through an orifice 17'.

Attached to the bottom of the bellows pump 14, as by an adapter 18, is a hollow manifold, generally 19 which includes a cored inlet leg 2t), a cored discharge leg 21 and a cored reservoir leg 22. Manifold 19 further includes an enlarged chamber 23 within which is positioned a ball 24 in general aligned registration with opposed inlet leg 20 and discharge leg 21. A seat 25 for ball 24 15 provided within chamber 23, proximate the inlet leg 20. Associated with discharge leg 21 are a plurality of ball stopping pins 26. As shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, ball 24 is resting on seat 25. However, the ball can also rest in contact with pins 26 thus enabling communication between chamber 23 and inlet leg 20.

Attached to reservoir leg 22, as by mounting thereupon, is a pneumatic reservoir which may conveniently take the form of a bladder or balloon 27.

Attached to the discharge leg 21 is a length of flexible hose 28 which connects to an adapter 29, which mounts on valve housing 12 and forms part thereof. Adapter 29 has a cored interior and is provided with a restrictive orifice 30.

A ball 31 is confined within housing 12 and is urged, by a spring 32, into resilient air-sealing juxtaposition with the apical terminus of housing 12.

Operation of the stove portion is as follows. In the position of the bellows pump 14 shown in FIGURE 1, the interior of the bellows is in communication with the atmosphere via orifice 17. The orifice is covered, as with a thumb or finger, and plunger 15 depressed. Air, compressed within the bellows, enters inlet 20 and forces ball 24 off seat 25 so that it enters chamber 23. This air is unable to leave through hose 28, because ball 31 prevents flow of air out of housing 12. Consequently, it must enter and inflate bladder 27. When plunger 15 is released, the super-atmospheric pressure on the reservoir side of manifold 19 forces ball 24 back into contact with seat 25. In this connection, the function of pins 25 becomes apparent. Were they not present, the ball 24 would seal discharge leg 21' as long as pressure in the manifold chamber was above that in the hose 28. But, by spacing the ball with pins 26 to prevent sealing of outlet 21, equal pressure is maintained in tube 28 and chamber 23 so that the pressure differential, when the plunger is released, always causes seating of ball 24 on seat 25. Obviously, orifice 17 is only one way in which air for compression can be supplied and the use of a check inlet valve or flapper on the bellows, while more expensive, would be equally suitable.

After bladder 27 is fully inflated, a reservoir of compressed air exists which can be used for creating the effects first mentioned. Discharge of the air can be achieved only through mechanical depression or unseat- II. Whistling tea kettle One air-utilizing accessory suitable for use with stove A is the whistling tea kettle B, shown in FIGURE 2. This tea kettle includes a housing having sides 40, a top 41 and a bottom 42. The kettle is provided with a handle 43, a spout 44 and a hinged spout cap 45 which is conveniently opened and closed with cap operator 46. All of these features simulate the appearance and function of full size tea kettles commonly available. The construction is water tight throughout so that the kettle holds water. It may be filled and emptied through spout 44.

Bottom 42 is provided with a dependent circular lip 47, the diameter of which complements the diameter of burner portion 11. As shown, the lip 47 retains the kettle on the burner 11 against transverse misalignment. Additional alignment is provided by frusto-conical bottom portion 48 which complements valve housing 12 and fits over it when kettle B is mounted on stove A. An internal tube 49 is mounted on the apical section of bottom portion 48 and rises vertically, along the axis of the kettle, terminating after it passes through top 41 in a whistle 56. At the mouth or inlet of tube 49 is provided a bar 51 which terminates in a dependent ball depresser portion 52, as particularly shown in FIGURE 2a. I

Operation is relatively straightforward. A child fills the kettle with water and places it upon stove A, the bladder 27 of which has previously been inflated. Lip 47 aids in seating bottom 42 over burner portion 11 so that houspan. The pan is then placed onstove portion 11, with lip 65 and shoulder 66 aiding in alignment, so that housing 12 nests in opening 67 and tongue 68 depresses ball '31. Air then leaves bladder 27 and travels through

air channels

70, 71, '72, '73 and 74 seriatim to be sparged, through restrictive orifice 69, into the body of the liquid. The air creates a series of bubbles 76 and also makes the surface of the water turbulent, effects both reminiscent of boiling. a

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended to be illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied and its extent, consequently, is to be determined by the appended claims.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. A pneumatic'toy comprising (a) a housing having the configuration of a stove; a pneumatic reservoir within said housing; means for inflating said reservoir and .means for preventing the escape of air from said reservoir reservoir to produce effects reminiscent of boiling.

ing 12 enters bottom portion 48. When this occurs, de-

presser 52 penetrates housing 12 to depress ball 31 and permit air to flow out of bladder, 27, through manifold 19 and tube 28. The rate of air flow from tube 28 is limited by orifice 36. The air enters the interior of portion 48, passes around bar 51, and rises through tube 49. As the air leaves through Whistle 50 it produces the noise characteristic of whistling tea kettles. The bladder 27 maybe reinflated, even during this operation, since the resistance to air flow offered by orifice can, if desired, be made greater than the resistance to inflation offered by the bladder. Because of this, operation of pump 14 will cause more air to flow into the bladder than through hose 28.

III. Boiling saucepan tom 61 is provided with two radially extending legs 63 and an air channel cover 64 which together provide tripod support for the pan on burner portion 11. A lip 65, in

the vicinity of legs 63, and a shoulder 66, in channel 64, keep the pan transversely aligned on portion 11. The junction of legs 63 and air channel 64 is shaped to form an opening 67 having a circular cross section and contoured to snugly receive valve housing 12. A tongue 68 is mounted within opening 67 and depresses ball 31 when pan C is in the position shown in FIGURE 5. A series of air channels are provided which connect opening 67 with an air sparger such as orifice 69 in bottom 61.. These channels include a radial feed channel 70, a vertical riser 71, a cross channel 72, an anti-siphon channel 73, and a transverse delivery channel 74. A removable cover 75 is provided to give access to

channels

71, 72 and 73 for cleaning. The reason for use of

channels

71 and 73 as well as for the relatively high location of cross channel 72 is to prevent water from flowing out of the pan through orifice 69 and finding its way out through opening 67. In operation, the pan is filled with water, as indicated in FIGURE 5. The level will always tend to be below the level of cross channel 72 and consequently no water will leave through orifice 69, except that necessary to fill anti-siphon channel73 to the level which obtains in the 2. The toy of claim 1 wherein said meansfor utilizing compressed air from said reservoir includes a whistle.

3. The toy of claim 1 wherein said means for utilizing compressed air from said reservoir comprises: a vessel for holding a body of water so that its surface is visible, said vessel further including a sparger for introducing compressed air from said pneumatic reservoir into the body of Water in a manner to produce hydraulic turbulence reminiscent of boiling.

4. A pneumatic toy comprising a housing having the configuration of a stove; a bladder within said housing;

a pump for inflating said bladder, mounted on said housing; a pneumatic manifold within saidhousing including a body portion provided with (a) an inlet leg, (b) a discharge leg, (0) a bladder leg, on which said bladder is mounted, and a first check'valve adapted to seat, alternatively, so as to block said inlet leg (a) and said discharge leg (b) -in the first of said alternative positions preventing flow of air into said pump and, in the second of said alternative positions, restricting flow of air into said discharge leg; a first conduit connecting the discharge of said pump and said inlet leg; a second conduit con:

'necting said discharge leg and the exterior of said houssaid housing; first conduit means connecting the discharge.

side of said pump with said reservoir; first check valve means between said pump and said first conduit means permitting compressed air to flow only from said pump into said first conduit; a second normally-closed check valve mounted in said housing and operable from the exterior thereof; and second conduit means connecting said first conduit means and said second check valve; operation of said pump inflating said reservoir and discharge of air from said reservoir being effected only by the opening of said second check valve which occurs when said accessory'is mounted on said stove portion; said accessory including a portion which contacts and holds open said second normally-closed check valve; said accessory further including conduit means for receiving the stream of compressed air discharged from the pneumatic reservoir of said stove portion via said second, check valve; and said accessory also including means for utilizing said stream of compressed air for producing an effect reminiscent of boiling.

6. The toy of claim 5 wherein said air utilization means includes a whistle.

7. The toy of claim 5 wherein said air utilization means comprises means for retaining a body of Water so that its surface is visible; a sparger for introducing compressed air into the body of water; conduit means for directing air coming from said pneumatic reservoir to said sparger, and anti-siphon means for preventing water from leaving the accessory through said sparger.

8. An accessory for use in connection with a toy stove containing a pneumatic reservoir sealed by a normallyclosed check valve, said accessory comprising a casing; means dependent from said casing adapted to contact said check valve and hold it open; conduit means for receiving a stream of compressed air coming out through said check valve; means for retaining a body of water so that its surface is visible; a sparger connected to said conduit means for introducing compressed air into the body of water to produce an efiect reminiscent to boiling; and anti-siphon means for preventing water from flowing out of said accessory through said conduit means.

9. An accessory for use in connection with a toy stove, the top of which has a valve housing, Within which housing is a check valve through which compressed air may be discharged, said accessory comprising a casing contoured to rest upon and be supported by the top of said adapted to sealingly receive the valve housing; a tongue coaxially mounted within said conical opening and providing an annular air passageway between it and the walls of said opening, said tongue penetrating said valve housing and opening said check valve when said valve housing is Within said conical opening; a conduit for receiving the stream of compressed air coming out through said check valve; and means associated with said conduit for utilizing the stream of compressed air to produce an effect reminiscent of boiling.

10. The accessory of claim 9 wherein said air utiliza tion means includes a whistle connected to said conduit.

11. The accessory of claim 9 wherein said air utilization means includes means for retaining .a body of water so that its surface is visible; a sparger connected to said conduit for introducing compressed air into the body of water; and anti-siphon means for preventing water from flowing out said accessory to said conduit.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,080,340 12/13 Heissenbuttel -10622 1,955,815 4/34 Lauterbach 46179 2,723,656 11/55 Andina 124-11 2,991,575 7/61 Pearson 46-14 XR 3,046,966 7/ 62 Butler et al. 124-13 3,091,051 5/63 Glass et a1. 46-14 OTHER REFERENCES Kohler: German printed application No. 1,048,211.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A PNEUMATIC TOY COMPRISING (A) A HOUSING HAVING THE CONFIGURATION OF A STOVE; A PNEUMATIC RESERVOIR WITHIN SAID HOUSING; MEANS FOR INFLATING SAID RESERVOIR AND MEANS FOR PREVENTING THE ESCAPE OF AIR FROM SAID RESERVOIR AND (B) AN ACCESSORY REMOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID HOUSING INCLUDING MEANS FOR TAPPING SAID RESERVOIR, OPERATIVE ONLY SO LONG AS SAID ACCESSORY IS MOUNTED ON SAID HOUSING; AND MEANS FOR UTILIZING COMPRESSED AIR FROM SAID RESERVOIR TO PRODUCE EFFECTS REMINISCENT OF BOILING.