US3788000A

US3788000A - Hoop pushing toy

Info

Publication number: US3788000A
Application number: US00280148A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Jenkins
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-08-14
Filing date: 1972-08-14
Publication date: 1974-01-29
Anticipated expiration: 1991-01-29

Abstract

A wooden or other elongated body has one end acting as a handle and its other end provided with a transversely extending hoop engaging element formed of bent wire provided with loops at the ends of the portion projecting from the stick; the wire is relatively heavy and stiff and has portions adjacent the stick seating in grooves therein to assist in anchoring it, and the extremities of the wire body extend through openings in the stick and are fixed by headed tubular rivets driven through the top face of the stick to grip the edges of ribs formed on the wire extremities.

Description

Jenkins [4 Jan. 29, 1974 HOOP PUSHING TOY [75] Inventor: Joe H. Jenkins, Franklin, Ark.

[73] Assignees: Robert Clay; Kenneth F. King, both of Hardy, Ark. part interest to each [22] Filed: Aug. 14, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 280,148

1 2/195 1 Hammett 46/220 Primary ExaminerLouis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-Robert F. Cutting l5 7] ABSTRACT A wooden or other elongated body has one end acting as a handle and its other end provided with a transversely extending hoop engaging element formed of bent wire provided with loops at the ends of the portion projecting from the stick; the wire is relatively heavy and stiff and has portions adjacent the stick seating in grooves therein to assist in anchoring it, and the extremities of the wire body extend through openings in the stick and are fixed by headed tubular rivets driven through the top face of the stick to grip the edges of ribs formed on the wire extremities.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJAN 29 I974 HOOP PUSHING TOY TI-IE PRIOR ART It is the commonpractice to form devices of this kind with a long stick having a transverse hoop engaging member formed of wood and attached to the stick by nails or screws. This is a rather make-shift construction and rough usage soon destroys the transverse member, and particularly its connection with the stick.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The stick of the present device is preferably formed of wood wider than its thickness and preferably having its edges rounded to facilitate the gripping of the handle end. At the other or lower end of the stick, a hoop engaging element is attached. This element is preferably formed of heavy stiff wire bent to provide two parallel portions transversely of the stick and each terminating in a looped end extending downwardly and outwardly at 'an angle. These angled portions assist in maintaining contact between the hoop and the wire element and assist in guiding the hoop and as it is pushed over the ground by the user.

One of the parallel portions of the wire element terminates in the extremities of such element and these extremities are bent perpendicular to the adjacent parallel portion to extend through openings in the stick. The lower face of the stick is grooved to receive the adjacent parallel portions of the wire to assist in maintaining it rigid with respect to the stick. The extremities of the wire are provided with two or three grooves, the shoulders of which terminate in sharp edges, and these edges firmly engage the inner surfaces of headed tubular rivets driven into countersunk openings aligned with the openings through which the wire extremities extend. Thus the extremities of the wire are fixed against downward displacement from their openings. The rivets preferably are provided with square heads with two adjacent edges contacting with each other and to assist in preventing any relative displacement thereof, the rivets heads may be provided with a heavy coat of solder or brazing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING I FIG. I is a perspective view of the lower end of the device in use, the hoop to be rolled being shown in dotted lines;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the device, a portion of the stick being broken away;

FIG. 3 is a somewhat enlarged detail section on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a similar view on line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a detail underside perspective of one of the rivets; and

FIG. 6 is a section on line 66 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The device is provided with a hoop engaging unit indicated as a whole by the numeral 24 adapted to be engaged with a hoop 26 to roll it over the surface on which the device is being used. This unit is preferably formed of a single piece of heavy stiff wire and is provided with spaced

parallel portions

28 and 30 arranged respectively in the

grooves

20 and 22. The diameter of the wire is preferably equivalent to the width of the

slots

20 and 22 to be snugly engaged therein. The parallel portion 30 preferably carries the extremities 32 of the wire unit and these extremities extend through drilled-openings 34 through the stick. The upper portions of the extremities of the wire are grooved as at 36 to provide sharp edges engageable within the tubular portions of tubular rivets 38 driven downwardly into countersunk recesses 40 in the top portion of the stick. The rivets preferably are provided with square heads 42 having adjacent abutting edges, and a layer of solder or brazing 44 is coated over the heads of the rivets to firmly anchor them relative to'each other. The remote portions of the wire unit are turned downwardly and outwardly at an angle as at 46 and terminate in loops 48 spaced outwardly a'substantial distance from the stick.

OPERATION A child using the toy would start the hoop rolling and will push it along usually with the extended portions of the wire. The down-turned ends 46 tend to prevent displacement of the hook from thewire unit and they also serve to assist in the guiding of the hoop if it tends to roll from its intended course.

The

grooves

20 and 22 snugly receive the parallel portions of the wire unit, thus effectively preventing any twisting of the wire unit in the plane of its

parallel portions

28 and 30. This assists in fixedly anchoring the wire unit to the stick. The extremities 32 seat snugly in the openings 34 and are driven thereinto. With the countersunk openings 40 previously formed, the bottom of the device may be placed on a hard surface and the rivets driven tightly into position, snugly engaging the openings 40 and tightly gripping the edges of the grooves 36. The solder 44 is preferably employed to assist in preventing any relative displacement of the rivet heads.

The construction of the device is so rugged as to render the device practically indestructible. It will withstand very hard use and will have a long life in use by children who take little care of a device of this character.

I claim:

1. A hoop pushing toy comprising an elongated stick one end of which provides a handle, and a hoop engaging unit fixed to the lower end of said stick, and formed of a single piece of stiff wire having spaced straight parallel portions extending across and beyond said stick and each having downwardly and outwardly angularly bent portions beyond the stick connected together by integral loops.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the underside of said stick is provided'with transverse grooves snugly receiving the respective parallel portions of said unit.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein said grooves anchor said unit against twisting relative to said stick in the plane of said parallel portions, the extremities of said unitary wire occurring in one of said 6. A device according to claim 5 wherein the upper end portions of said extremities are annularly grooved to provide sharp shoulders firmly engaging the tubular portions of said rivets when the latter are driven into position.

7. A device according to claim 6 wherein the heads of said rivets are provided with adjacent flat edges contacting each other to prevent any rocking of said rivets on their axes, and a coating of metal extending over both of .said rivet heads to assist-in anchoring them against displacement.

t i t t t

Claims

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the underside of said stick is provided with transverse grooves snugly receiving the respective parallel portions of said unit.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein said grooves anchor said unit against twisting relative to said stick in the plane of said parallel portions, the extremities of said unitary wire occurring in one of said parallel portions and being turned perpendicular thereto to extend through the stick.

4. A device according to claim 3 wherein said stick is provided with openings therethrough snugly receiving said extremities extending through said stick, and rivets having heads engaging the face of said stick opposite said grooves and having downwardly extending sleeve portions driven into tight engagement with the upper ends of said extremities.

5. A device according to claim 4 wherein the face of said stick adjacent said rivet heads is countersunk to provide openings tightly receiving said sleeve portions of said rivets.

6. A device according to claim 5 wherein the upper end portioNs of said extremities are annularly grooved to provide sharp shoulders firmly engaging the tubular portions of said rivets when the latter are driven into position.

7. A device according to claim 6 wherein the heads of said rivets are provided with adjacent flat edges contacting each other to prevent any rocking of said rivets on their axes, and a coating of metal extending over both of said rivet heads to assist in anchoring them against displacement.