US3373717A - Splash painting decorating device - Google Patents

Description

March 19, 1968 R.'MORALES SPLASH PAINTING DECORATING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 12, 1965 INVENTOR Richard Morales March 19, 1968 R. MORALES SPLASH PAINTING DECORATING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 12, 1965 INVENTOR EUEIEUECIIIII I :"ss

Fig.

I I I I Richard Morales BY Maw 62% United States 3,373,717 SPLASH EAINTING DECORATENG DEVIQE Richard Morales, 367 Rutherford Ave Redwood City, Calif. 4tl61 Filed Mar. 12, 1965, Ser. No. 439,219 6 Claims. ((31. 118-6) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to a new and improved toy for decorating cards with paint.

A principal object and advantage of the present invention is to provide a simple and easily operated toy device for home use by either children or adults to decorate cards by painting them on a rapidly revolving table. The present toy device permits a plurality of different colored paints to be applied to a fiat card which is then rotated on a rapidly spinning table to produce unusual and varying color patterns on the card for amusement or for producing greeting cards or the like.

Another advantage of this invention is that the toy device is safe and readily portable in that it utilizes a small flashlight-battery-powered motor to spin the table on which the card is placed.

An additional feature of this toy device is the provision of a safety interlock device which prevents the operation of the spinning mechanism unless a protective sliding cover is in place over the spinning table and card, thus preventing injury to the fingers.

A still further advantage of this invention is the provision of a number of paint-containing plastic squeeze bottles which are spill-proof and which are placed in receiving receptacles integral with the toy structure.

A further feature of the toy device is that the main structure of the device is constructed of styrofoam or plastic which permits the toy to be lightweight and easily transportable yet strong enough to withstand constant use.

A still further advantage of the present invention is the provision of a variable resistor in the motor circuit, which permits adjustment of the speed at which the spinning table and card revolve and thus varying the pattern produced.

Other features of the invention are: the provision of holes in the protective cover which permit the addition of paint onto the spinning card while it is in motion; a storage cover to be placed over the entire device when it is not in use; revolving tables of different sizes which are interchangeably connected to the electric motor so that different size cards may be utilized; and the main structure of the toy may be cast in a single plastic mold for inexpensive production.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference represent corresponding parts in each of the several views.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a card decorating toy embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the device shown in FIG. 1.

atent G FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken line 33 of FIG. 2.

1G. 4 is a top plan view of the card receiving table, showing a portion of a card partially broken away in place on the table.

The present invention allows a person to produce unusual and attractive color patterns on a card for amusement or for greeting cards and the like. An open-top enclosing case or box 11 is preferably cast or molded in one piece of styrofoam or plastic material. Box 11 substantially consists of four sides and a bottom. Viewing box 11 from the direction as shown in FIG. 1, the sides are identified as left side 12, right side 13, front wall 14 and rear wall 15, all abutting floor portion 20. Box 11 is also formed with a series of receptacles 21 designed to hold paint containing bottles 22. Receptacles 21 are vertically formed in rear wall 14 and right side 13 and are of a shape to hold snugly paint bottles 22 so as to prevent the bottles 22 from falling out. Rear wall 15 and right side 13 of box 11 are of a thickness sufficient to permit vertically disposed receptacles 21 to be formed therein. Both rear wall 15 and right side 13 are of reduced elevation at their upper extremities in angular shoulder 25 which extends downwardly from the flat upper surface 26 of rear wall 15 and right side 13 at approximately a 45 angle to the outer surface of wall 15 and side 13. Angular shoulder 25 permits the easy insertion and removal of paint containers 22 from receptacles 21.

Electrical motor 30 is centrally attached to or embedded in the inner surface of floor 20 of box 11. Motor 30 is a small variable-speed direct current motor which is commercially available. Motor 30 is positioned so that its drive shaft 31 is vertically disposed and extends upwardly into the interior of box 11. Motor 30 is driven by two dry cell batteries 32 placed in series. Motor 3t and batteries 32 are held in place and protected by cover 33 which extends over and around both motor 30 and batteries 32. Cover 33 is held in place against floor 20 of box 11 by means of hold-down screws 35 which threadedly engage floor 20. Variable resistor 40 is placed in the electrical circuit to provide speed control for motor 30. Resistor switch assembly 40 is placed in front wall 14 of box 11 so that the control shaft 41 of resistor 4% extends horizontally outwards of wall 14.

Drive shaft 31 of motor 30 is keyed to engage similarly keyed aperture 42 centrally located in card table 43 to rive table 43. When assembled, shaft 31 does not extend above the upper surface of table 43. Shaft 31 is formed with a shoulder 34 on which table 43 rests. Card table 43 is of a size and shape suficient to horizontally receive and hold rectangularly shaped card 44. Card table 43 is formed of plastic having a series of perforations 45 to reduce weight and prevent displacement of the card when revolving.

Table 43 has at each corner a raised edge 43 having a slot 5t formed therein to receive the corners of card 44 so that card 44 will be held firmly in place on table 43 even when the table is rapidly revolving. Table 43 is also formed with two offset finger holes 51 which provide a means of lifting table 43 off of drive shaft 31 when the table is to be changed. A number of interchangeable tables 43 of various sizes may be made to correspond to the various sizes of cards 44 to be used in the device.

When a card 44 is positioned on table 43, it revolves with table 43 in a horizontal plane as the table is driven by motor 30 through keyed shaft 31.

Box 11 is formed with indented grooves 53 in the inner surface of right and left walls 12. and 13, a slight distance down from the fiat top portion 26 of walls 12 and 13. Front wall 14 is cut away at its upper extremity as shown in FIG. 1 to slidably receive sliding over 55. Cover 55 is formed in a size and shape sufi'icient to cover the exsubstantially along posed open area of box 11. Cover 55 is formed with shoulders 57 extending outwardly along its length to fit into and slide along grooves 53 in box 11. Cover 55 slides into grooves 53 to permit cover 55 to be extended over the exposed open top of box ill to prevent interference with the operating mechanism while the table 43 is revolving. Cover 55 is provided with indentation 59 centrally located at its forward extremity on the upper surface to permit the operator to put his fingers therein and draw cover 55 back or forward to cover box 11.

Operating lever 60 of variable resistor as is constructed so that the lever, when in the completely OFF position, allows cover 55 to be pulled back to uncover the interior of box 11. Cover 55 can never be entirely removed from box 11 because of stops d3 positioned at the rear lower extremity of cover 55. When cover 55 is fully pulled away from box 11, stops 63 will abut the interior surface of front wall 14, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2, thereby preventing removal of cover 55 from box 11.

When operating lever 60 is turned to a position to operate motor 30, it extends above the lower surface of cover 55. Therefore, lever 6t) cannot be turned, and motor 30 cannot be activated, unless and until cover 55 completely extends over the interior of box 11 and the extreme forward surface 65 of cover 55 is flush with the outer surface of forward wall 14 of box 11. In addition, if the motor has been activated while cover 55 was in a fully closed position, lever 60 prevents the operator from sliding back cover 55. Thus, cover 55 and lever 60 cooperate to form a safety mechanism which insures that cover 55 will be in place whenever motor 30 is activated. This serves to prevent injury to both the revolving parts and to the operator.

Cover 55 is formed with a pattern of perforations 65 over its surface, which permit the operator to view the card as it rotates and as the paint patterns spread over its surface. Transparent material may be used in lieu of perforations 65. Solid portion 67 is formed on cover 55 and extends centrally along the cover from indentation 59 to approximately the center of cover 55. A plurmity of holes 69 are formed centrally in solid portion 67 of cover 55 to permit the operator to eject paint onto card 44 while the card is rotating and cover 55 is in place over box 11. Cover 55 may be formed so as to hold a supply of cards 44 and different sized card tables 43.

As previously mentioned, paint containers 22 are removably inserted in receptacles 21 formed in walls 13 and of box 11. Paint containers 22 are cylindrically shaped plastic squeeze bottles for different colors of paint to be ejected onto card 44 either prior to or during (by means of holes 69) the spinning of card 44. An ejector nozzle 70 is removably screwed or wedged onto the upper opening of container 22. Nozzle 70 is in the shape of a truncated cone with the apex of the cone terminating in opening 73. ()pening 73 is small enough so that paint inside container 22 will not flow out unless the operator squeezes container 22 to provide pressure to force paint out of opening 73. Paint in container 22 will be of a sufficient viscosity to prevent its flowing out small opening 73 when container 73 is dropped or turned upside down. Any number of containers 22 may be provided with paint or vegetable dye of as many different hues or colors as desired. FIG. 2 shows receptacles 21 for twelve different containers 22 containing twelve different colors.

Carrying cover 75 is shown in place in FIG. 1. Carrying or storage cover 75 is used when the device is to be transported or shipped or is to be stored away until the next use. Carrying cover 75 has four engaging pins 77 extending downwardly from its underside to engage mating holes 79 formed in cover 55. Pine 77 are firmly held by receiving holes 79 which prevent cover 75 from falling off. Cover 75 prevents paint container 22 from falling out and protects the entire assembly from damage.

In operation, the user removes carrying cover 75 and sides back cover 55 until stops 63 prevent further movement. The operator then installs the proper size table 43 and inserts card 44 onto table 43 by placing each corner of the card into the receiving slots of raised corners 48 of table 43. Card 44 is then firmly held in place on table 43. The operator may then take a container 22 of paint or dye and direct opening 73 at the desired location on card 44 and squeeze container 22 to eject the desired amount of paint. As many colors of paint may be placed on card 44 as are available. The paint may be placed on card 4-4- in any desired pattern. After use, containers 22 are replaced in their respective receptacles 21 formed in box 11. The operator then slides cover 'back over box 11 to cover the interior of the box. Operating switch 40 may then be actuated and motor 30 may be driven at the desired speed according to the setting of the variable resistor.

As the motor 30 drives table 43, the card 44 revolves at a rapid speed. The paint that has been placed on card 44 is forced outwardly by centrifugal force to produce a variety of interesting patterns. As is evident, no two patterns produced by this device are identical. If the operator so desires, he may eject paint onto card 44 while it is spinning, by means of holes 69 formed in cover 55. Thus, additional patterns may be produced. When finished, the operator turns lever to the OFF position, thereby permitting cover 55 to he slid back.

To replace a card, cover 55 is slid back and card 44 is removed from table 43. If another sized card is to be used, table 43 may be lifted off keyed motor drive shaft 31 by means of finger holes 51 in tray 43 and a different sized table 43 may be inserted in place on drive shaft 31.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail, by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A card decorating toy comprising,

a rotating tray to hold a card to be rotated and decorated,

an electric motor to rotate said tray, such that paint on said card will be forced outwardly in a pattern on said card, control and switch means to control said electric motor,

a portable box containing said rotating tray, said electric motor and said control and switch means,

paint container and ejector means to eject paint onto a card to be placed on said rotating tray,

a receptacle formed in said box to receive said paint container means,

a cover for said box, sliding means to enable said cover to slidably cover said box, lever means to control by manual operation said control and switch means, said lever means placed in such proximity to said cover as to prevent movement of said lever means from a fully OFF position when said cover is not in a fully closed position covering said box and to permit movement of said lever means and actuation of said motor when said cover is in a fully closed position over said box.

2. A card decorating toy according to claim 1 in which said cover further comprises,

a plurality of first apertures formed in said cover to expose to view said rotating tray within said box, and

a second aperture formed in said cover, said second aperture of a size sufiicient to permit said paint container and ejector means to eject paint through said second aperture onto a card mounted on said rotating tray.

3. A card decorating toy according to claim 1 in which said rotating tray further comprises a raised wall at each corner of said tray, said raised wall having a horizontal groove formed therein to receive and hold a corner of a card to be inserted therein and to be decorated while on said rotating tray.

4. A card decorating toy according to claim 1 in which said rotating tray further comprises a centrally located aperture formed in said tray, and in which said electric motor further comprises a vertically disposed drive shaft having a key formed at the upper extremity of said shaft,

said aperture in said tray being of a shape to removably receive said key on said shaft, said shaft rotatably driving said tray when said tray is in place on said shaft.

5. A card decorating toy according to claim 1 in which said receptacle is formed in a wall of said box, said box being cut away at a downwardly sloping angle away from the upper level surface of said wall in which said receptacle is formed, to facilitate removal and replacement of said paint container and ejector means in said receptacles.

6. A card decorating toy according to claim 1 in which said paint container and ejector means comprises,

a plastic bottle having a substantially cylindrical shape,

and

an ejector cap for said plastic bottle, said cap being of substantially conical shape, said cap having a small aperture formed at its apex to enable paint within said bottle to be ejected through said aperture when said bottle is squeezed by hand, said aperture being of a size small enough that the surface tension and viscosity of paint in said bottle will prevent said paint from flowing out of said bottle when said bottle is turned upside down, and not squeezed.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,280,792 10/1966 Heyde 35-26 X OTHER REFERENCES Spiegel Christmas Catalog, 1962 p. 356.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

20 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Examiner.

R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner.

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