US3830498A

US3830498A - Bifurcated magnetic sphere with resilient tether

Info

Publication number: US3830498A
Application number: US00227125A
Authority: US
Inventors: A Lauzon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-02-17
Filing date: 1972-02-17
Publication date: 1974-08-20
Anticipated expiration: 1991-08-20

Abstract

An amusement device having particular appeal to young children includes a resilient, magnetic pickup ball attached to the end of a tether or string. In use the ball is thrown toward ferromagnetic characters or other objects which are retrieved with the ball provided that the ball strikes the objects or strikes in a region immediately adjacent the objects. The ball is preferably formed from a composite material which possesses both the resilient and magnetic properties throughout. One portion is formed of a resilient and magnetic material and another portion formed by a non-magnetic material having the same resilience. A semi-circular section of finite thickness is removed and a nonmagnetic material is inserted thereby forming a bifurcated hemisphere to permit the north and south poles of the magnetic field within the ball to be located on the bifurcations at opposite sides.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Lauzon BIFURCATED MAGNETIC SPHERE WITH RESILIENT TETHER [22] Filed: Feb. 17, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 227,125

[52] US. Cl. 273/95 A, 46/241, 273/58 J [51] Int. Cl A63b 71/02 8] Field of Search 273/1 M, 58 R, 58 C, 58 J, 273/26 E, 95 A, 97 R, 98, 230, 59 R, 128 A,

[56] References Cited 1,356,524 2/1964 France 1451 Aug. 20, 1974 Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner-Marvin Siskind Attorney, Agent, or Firm-McCormick, Paulding & Huber [5 7 ABSTRACT An amusement device having particular appeal to young children includes a resilient, magnetic pickup ball attached to the end of a tether or string. In use the ball is thrown toward ferromagnetic characters or other objects which are retrieved with the ball provided that the ball strikes the objects or strikes in a region immediately adjacent the objects. The ball is preferably formed from a composite material which possesses both the resilient and magnetic properties throughout. One portion is formed of a resilient and magnetic material and another portion formed by a non-magnetic material having the same resilience. A semi-circular section of finite thickness is removed and a non-magnetic material is inserted therebyform 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Pmmmmszmm SIEEIZMZ FIG. 4

FIG. 3

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to amusement devices and more particularly is directed to a magnetic pickup ball which retrieves ferromagnetic objects.

Amusement devices including a ball at the end of a tether, which may be either elastic or non-elastic, are already well known in the art. Such balls may be whirled through the air at the end of the tether or bounced off of a paddle or a backboard in an organized game or simply for amusement.

Magnetic retrieving devices connected to a tether or pole for picking up magnetically sensitive or ferromagnetic objects such as small metallic characters, numerals or similar objects are also well known in the art and are used in games of skill or simply for amusement.

It is an object of the present invention to disclose an amusement device which combines the resilient features of the tethered-ball devices and the magnetic features of the pickup devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention resides in an amusement device in the form of a spherical body having both magnetic and resilient characteristics. The spherical body is resilient at each portion of the body surface and is formed at least in part from a magnetic and resilient material permitting a magnetic field having poles at different points on the body surface to exist within the body. Preferably, the spherical body is a ball formed from a composite material including a resilient plastic or rubber binder impregnated with finely divided powder that is permanently magnetized. The body is attached to a tether so that when it is thrown toward smaller ferromagnetic articles, both the body and the articles are returned to the thrower.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a young child playing with the amusement device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of one embodiment of the amusement device in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partially sectioned perspective view of another embodiment of the amusement device.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view showing still anothe embodiment of the amusement device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a young child playing with an amusement device, generally designated 10, constructed in accordance with the present invention. The device 10 is comprised of a resilient and magnetic pickup ball 12 and includes a retrieving tether 14 which is securely fastened'or anchored at one end to the'ball 12. In use the child throws or drops the ball toward small, fe'rro magnetic articles A. If the ball strikes within close proxother configurations which are relatively small or light compared to the ball. In games employing the pickup ball, the characters may be accumulated or picked up in specific order.

One form of the amusement device 10 is shown in cross section in FIG. 2. The pickup ball 12 is essentially a solid spherical body 20 having a diametral passageway 22 through which the tether 14 passes. The lower or depending end of the tether 14 is tied in a knot 24 so that. the body 20 is captured on the tether. The tether 14 may be fitted tightly within the passageway 22 so that the body 20 is frictionally retained or connected to the end of the tether. Of course, other means may be provided for anchoring the tether securely within the body 20 so that the ball 12 can be easily retrieved by pulling back on the tether 14.

The body 20 is formed from a material which is both resilient and magnetic so that the ball is resilient at each portion of the body surface and permits a magnetic field having poles at different points on the body surface to exist within the body. A material having such characteristics and particularly suitable for the amusement device is a homogeneous composite material comprised of a rubber or resilient plastic binder in which finely divided, magnetic particles are suspended. Materials of this type are readily available on the market and generally employ ferrites such as barium, lead and strontium ferrite in powdered form distributed uniformly through a resilient or flexible binder. One such product is marketed by B. F. Goodrich under the trademark Koroseal. Such materials are capable of .being permanently magnetized with more than two poles so that a plurality of poles with interlaced fields can be generated on the surface of the spherical body 20. Once the body 20 is permanently magnetized, it will readily pick up or attract other ferromagnetic materials.

The tether 14 may be simply a non-resilient string or a resilient cord which in combination with the resilient characteristics of the body 20 adds an additional degree of skill to any game or play in which the device 20 is employed. The end of thetether held by the child may include a ring or other gripping element if desired.

' It should also be recognized that the pickup ball 12 may be employed without a tether to retrieve articles by merely throwing or dropping the ball adjacent an article and-recovering the ball on the bounce.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the pickup ball 12 taking the form of a spherical body 30 having a hollow spherical cavity '32 at its center. The body is again composed of a resilient and magnetic material and is provided with a diametral passageway for connecting the ball 12 to a retrieving tether. In this embodiment of the ball 12, it will be readily understood that the size of the cavity 32 will affect the resiliency and weight of the ball and the radius of the cavity 32 may be selected accordingly. 7

FIG. 4 discloses still another embodiment of the ball 12 in the form of a solid spherical body having one portion 40 formed by a resilient and magnetic material and another portion 42 formed by a non-magnetic material having the same resilience as or preferably greater resilience than the portion 40. The portion 40 is basically spherical in shape and'has a semicircular section of f1- nite thickness t removed to form a space or slot through the one side of the portion. The space is filled by the second portion 42 of non-magnetic material so that the ball 12 is entirely resilient but the portion 40 has a bifurcated hemisphere to permit the north and south poles of the magnetic field within the ball to be located respectively on the bifurcations at opposite sides of the portion 42.

While the present invention has been described in several embodiments, it should be understood that numerous modifications and substitutions can be had in the specific structures disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention. The manner in which a tether is connected to the pickup ball 12 can be changed from that shown in FIG. 2. The size of the pickup ball can be varied as desired; however, balls having outside diameters ranging between 1 and 3 inches are generally preferred. The outside surface of the spherical bodies may be either smooth or ragged depending upon the bounce characteristics desired. Also it is possible to paint, print or otherwise decorate the outer surface of the bodies for greater appeal. Ac

cordingly, the present invention has been described in several embodiments merely by way of illustration rather than limitation.

I claim:

1. An amusement device comprising: a spherical body having a first spherical portion including in one hemisphere two bifurcations, and a second portion between the bifurcations, one of the portions being formed by a magnetic and resilient material and the other portion being formed by a non-magnetic and resilient material to permit the north and south poles of the magnetic field within the ball to be located on opposite sides of the bifurcations.

2. An amusement device as defined in claim 1 wherein: the magnetic and resilient material of the one portion is a homogeneous magnetic and resilient material having finely divided magnetic particles distributed uniformly throughout a resilient binder to hold the particles in place relative to one another.

3. An amusement device as defined in claim 1 wherein:

the first spherical portion of the body is composed of a resilient binder impregnated with finely divided particles of a magnetic material;

the second spherical portion is composed of a resilient material; and

a retrieving tether is provided and has one end secured to the body.

4. An amusement device as defined in claim 1 wherein: the first portion has a space in the shape of a semicircular section located between the two bifurcations.

5. An amusement device as defined in claim 1 further including a tether having one end connected with the spherical body for retrieving the body.

6. An amusement device as defined in claim 5 wherein: the tether connected with the spherical body is a resilient tether.

Claims

3. An amusement device as defined in claim 1 wherein: the first spherical portion of the body is composed of a resilient binder impregnated with finely divided particles of a magnetic material; the second spherical portion is composed of a resilient material; and a retrieving tether is provided and has one end secured to the body.