US3142932A - Plastic inflatable toys - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 4, 1964 J. H. LEMELSQN PLASTIC INFLATABLE TOYS Original Filed Jan. 31 1955 INVENTOR 7 Jerome H.Leme|son 3,142,932 PLASTIC INFLATABLE TOYS Jerome H. Lemelson, 85 Rector St., Staten Island, N.Y. Original application Jan. 31, 1955, Ser. No. 485,041, now Patent No. 2,939,707, dated June 7, 1960. Divided and this application Apr. 11, 1960, Ser. No. 26,925

1 Claim. (Cl. 46-40) This invention relates to inflatable toys and is a division of application Ser. No. 485,041, entitled Plastic Toys which was filed on January 31, 1955, and is now Patent Number 2,939,707.

This invention is particularly concerned with a structure in an inflatable toy simulating a derrick having unique play value. It is known in the art to provide an inflatable toy as a water toy or beach toy. However, heretofore, inflatable toys have not been widely utilized as mechanical or action toys. The toy of this invention is shaped to simulate a derrick and constructed so as to be operable by a small child to effect the picking up and movement of objects by means of a flexible line secured to the body of the toy and includes means for retaining said objects on the end of the line. Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a new and improved inflatable toy having a substantial amount of play value.

Another object is to provide a simulated toy derrick large enough for children to sit on and operate yet which may be packaged in a container which is substantially smaller than the derrick when in use.

Another object is to provide an improved structure in a toy derrick which is void of projections or rigid components and hence may be utilized indoors without danger to furniture and other household articles.

Another object is to provide an improved inflatable toy which may be used both in the water and on land as a simulated derrick.

These and other objects will become more apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an inflatable toy derrick made in accordance with the teachings of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the toy illustrated in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the toy of FIG. 1 with some modifications thereto and also illustrates a child positioned on said derrick.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are a side and front view of a new and improved simulated derrick which may be produced as a large play toy at relatively low cost due to the inflatable construction. The derrick 9 is fabricated of two half sections of flexible plastic sheeting sealed to the outline shown forming an enclosure which comprises a bulbous base 10 extending to an elongated boom section 11. The circumscribing sealing line between the two half sections forming the inflatable enclosure is designated as notation 12. A small flap 13 extending from one or both of the flexible sheets of which the inflatable body 9 is made extends outward of the seal line 12 and has a hole 14 therein. A flexible line 15 is looped through a hole 14 in flap 13 and United States Patent 0 3,142,932 Patented Aug. 4, 1964 is tied thereto. The toy thus can be used as a simple derrick by providing a hook 16 or other grappling means at the end of line 15. Hook 16 provides a weight for retaining cord 15 taut in a hanging condition from said boom. A child, for example, may sit on the base 10 and, by rocking back and forth, manipulate the hook 16 to pick up and deposit an object relative to the floor or surface on which the toy rests. The base 10 is preferably decorated with sidewalls having a design 17 representing a derrick and the boom 11 printed with illustration at 18 to represent the boom 18 of a full scale derrick. The notation 20 refers to ballast which may comprise a quantity of sand which is sealed into the flexible bag 10 at the base and normally keeps the toy erect in the attitude illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 with the boom portion 11 extending upward and oblique to the horizontal. The ballast 20 is shown in the partially sectioned view of FIG. 2 as filling the bottom of the toy. The derrick may be made large enough for a child to sit on as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 further shows a modification of the hook 16 in FIG. 1 as indicated by numeral 19.

A latitude of modification and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure and certain features of the invention will be used in certain instances without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

A toy and game device comprising in combination, an inflatable plastic body fabricated of flexible plastic and being made air tight for inflation by a circumscribing sealing line welding sheets of said plastic together, a lower portion of said body having a bulbous shape with a rounded bottom, an elongated inflatable portion of said body projecting outward and upward from said lower portion and defining a manipulation boom, said elongated boom having, when inflated, a flexible manipulation cord, means for securing one end of said cord to said boom near the upper end thereof, the lower end of said flexible cord being Weighted for retaining said cord taut in a hanging condition from said boom, means for retaining said body upright on said bulbous base with the boom extending outward from the lower portion of the body whereby said cord overhangs and clears said body, and article retaining means at the lower end of said cord, means for releasably retaining an article thereon, the length of said cord being such that as said body is rocked back and forth, said article retaining means will be raised and lowered relative to the floor whereby articles may be manipulated and picked up off the floor thereby.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Landree Mar. 25, 1952 Rand Mar. 13, 1956

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