US2946544A - Kite accessory - Google Patents

Description

July 26, 1960 F. N. KINNEY 2,946 5 v KITE ACCESSORY Filed Feb. 9, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY 5 F. N. KINNEY KITE ACCESSORY July 26, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 9, 1959 llllllllllllillllll;

INVENTOR BY fm ATTORNEYS limited States Patent KITE ACCESSORY 7 Frank N. Kinney, R.D. 1, Beaver Falls, Pa.

Filed Feb. 9, 1959, Ser. No. 792,111

9 Claims. Cl. 244-155 This invention relates generally to an improved kite accessory of the type which is propelled upwardly on a kite string and has a plurality of pivotally-mounted wings which are automatically collapsed when the accessory has reached a position adjacent the kite, and more particularly to an inexpensive kite accessory construction provided with novel latch means for maintaining the wings in their initially extended position.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a kite accessory having an outer sleeve slidably arranged concentrically on an inner cylindrical member for controlling the position of a plurality of radially-extending collapsible pivotally-mounted wings.

Another object of my invention is to provide a kite accessory provided with novel latch means tripped by the kite or a tripping object adjacent thereto for maintaining an outer sleeve in a given longitudinal position with respect to a coaxially arranged inner cylindrical member to cause a plurality'of collapsible radial wingsto be maintained in their extended position.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a simple kite accessory which may be readily constructed from inexpensive materials, said accessory having a plurality of radially extending wings for imparting a rotary spinning motion to the device as it travels upwardly on the kite string to assist in the tripping of latch means which maintain the wings in their extended position. 7

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become more apparent from a study of the following specification when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. lis a perspective view of my kite accessory in its expanded condition while travelling upwardly toward the kite on a kite string;

Fig. 2. is a perspective view of the device in its collapsed state while travelling downwardly on the kite string;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the kite accessory 1 is mounted for longitudinal sliding travel I upon the string 2 of a kite 3. The kite accessory consists of an inner cylindrical member 4 and an outer sleeve member 5 coaxially arranged telescopically on said inner member for longitudinal sliding movement relative thereto.

Pivotally connected to the lower portion of the inner cylindrical member 4 are a plurality of radially extending wings or blades 6, 7, 8 and 9 having upwardly extending tab portions 6a,, 7a, 8a and 9a secured at their upper ends to the upper portion of the outer sleeve 5. The wingswhich pivot about axes 6d, 7d, 8d and 9d, respectivelymay be expanded (Fig. 1) or contracted (Fig. 2) depending upon the longitudinal position of the sleeve 5 relative to the inner cylinder 4.

Resilient member 10 continuously biases the outer sleeve 5 upwardly with respect to the inner cylinder4 to maintain the wings in the collapsed condition. Latch rod 11 serves to maintain sleeve 5 in its lower position on the 'ice 2 cylinder 4 to maintain the wings in the expanded condition of Fig. 1 as will be explained in greater detail below. Referring now more particularly to Figs. 3 and 4, the inner cylindrical member 4 consists of a tubular sleeve made of a lightweight inexpensive material, such as synthetic plastic, cardboard, or the like and has an upper closure member 4a with a centrally located aperture therein adapted to slidably receive the kite string 2. To the lower end of the inner cylinder 4 is secured the wing common base portion 12 from which the pivotally connected wings 6, 7, 8 and 9 radially extend. The wings are also made of a lightweight synthetic plastic material, cardboard, or the like. The lateral portions ofthe wings are preferably folded downwardly about central crease lines as shown in the figures.

Tab portions 6a, 7a, 8a and 9a are partially cut from the wings and arefolded upwardly as shown inFig. 4. The upper ends of the tabs are rigidly secured to the outer sleeve 5 which. is mounted for longitudinal sliding movement upon the inner cylindrical member 4. Resilient members 10, which may be portions of rubber bands, light springs etc., are secured at their upper ends to the upper portion of cylindrical member 4 and at their lower ends to the lower portion of the sleeve 5. These resilient members serve to continuously bias the outer sleeve upwardly. When the sleeve 5 moves upwardly with respect to inner cylinder 4, the tabs are also moved upwardly to pivotally raise the wings about their pivot connections (6d, 7d, 8d and 9d) to the base portion 12 until the wings are in the collapsed position illustrated in Fig. 2.

In order to maintain the sleeve 5 in its lower position on the cylinder 4 and to maintain the wings in their radially extended state illustrated in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, metal latch rod 11 is journalled in an aperture in the top closure portion 4a of the inner cylindrical member. Intermediate its ends the latch member has a bent projection 11a which may be projected through the slot 4b above the upper ex tremity of the sleeve 5 after the sleeve has been manually displaced to its lower position against the biasing force" of the resilient means 10. At its upper end the latch rod has a bent tripping portion 11b arranged to beactuated by the kite 3, an auxiliary tripping member 13 (Figs. 1" and 2) secured to the kite string adjacent the kite, or by other suitable means. Upon actuation, the tripping portion 11b elfects rotation of the rod 11 to cause bent projection 11a to be removed from the slot 4b; sleeve 5 will then be released and will be moved upwardly by the biasing force of the resilient members 10. Consequently the wings will be collapsed as shown in Fig. 2 and the kite accessory will slide down the kite string to the ground due to the force of gravity.

It is to be noted that due to the creased configuration of the wings and in view of the provision of the wing slots 6b, 7b, 8b and 9b defined by the bending back of the partially punched out portions, the kite accessory may be caused to have a rotary motion about the kite string 2 as it is propelled upwardly thereon by the force of the wind.

The rotary spinning motion of the accessory will assist in the tripping of the latch rod 11 since when the bent tripping portion 11b of the rod contacts the kite 3 or the obstacle 13, the rod will be caused to rotate about its axis to displace the bent portion 11a out of the slot 4b. During cooking of the device the latch rod may be delicately set so that the bent portion 11a will be released from the slot upon the impartation of the slightest impact to the rod tripping portion 11b.

In order to facilitate the threading of the kite string through the central aperture 12a in the wing common base portion 12 and through the central aperture in the cover member 4a, the cover member may be removably connected to the inner cylinder 4 by means of clip fas teners, a screw thread connection, adhesive tape means, or the like.

While in accordance with the patent statutes I have illustrated and described the best embodiment of my invention now known to me, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other changes and modifications may be made in the device described without departing from the scope of my invention set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A kite accessory adapted for longitudinal movement along a kite string comprising a pair of coaxial arranged relatively slidably movable cylindrical members, a plurality of radial wings collapsibly connected to one of said cylindrical members, means connecting said wings to the other of said cylindrical members to cause radial expansion of said wings as said members are axially displaced in one direction relative to each other and radial collapsing of said wings as said members are axially displaced in the opposite direction relative to each other, resilient means biasing said cylindrical members axially with respect to each other in the direction causing collapsing of the wings, and trippable latch means maintaining said cylindrical members in a fixed axial position with respect to each other to position said wings in an expanded condition.

2. A kite accessory adapted for longitudinal sliding movement along a kite string comprising an inner cylindrical member, an outer sleeve slidably arranged coaxially upon said inner cylindrical member, said outer sleeve having a length less than the length of said cylindrical member, a plurality of radial wings collapsibly connected to said cylindrical member, means connecting said wings to said outer sleeve to cause said Wings to be radially expanded when said sleeve is axially displaced in one direction with respect to said cylindrical member and to be radially collapsed when said sleeve is axially displaced in the opposite direction with respect to said cylindrical member, resilient means biasing said outer sleeve axially relative to said inner cylinder in the direction causing collapsing of wings, and trippable latch means normally maintaining said outer sleeve in a longitudinal position relative to said inner cylinder to postion sad wings in their expanded state.

3. A kite accessory as defined in claim 2 wherein the inner cylindrical member is slidably mounted upon the kite string with the string passing through the longitudinal central axis of said cylindrical member, and further wherein said wings are pivotally connected to said inner cylindrical member at the end thereof which is furthermost from the kite.

4. A kite accessory as defined in claim 3 wherein said latch means comprises a rod within and arranged substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said inner cylindrical member, said rod having a lateral projection thereon extending through an opening in the peripheral wall of said inner cylindrical member and engaging said outer sleeve to prevent axial displacement of said sleeve relative to said inner cylinder when the wings are in their fully extended position.

5. A kite accessory as defined in claim 4 wherein the projection of said latch rod abuttedly engages an extremity of said outer sleeve when said wings are in their fully extended position.

6. A kite accessory as defined in claim 4 wherein one end of said rod extends axially from the end of said inner cylinder member which is closest to the kite, said rod end being arranged to be actuated when the accessory reaches a position adjacent the kite to release the rod projection from engagement with said outer sleeve member.

7. A kite accessory as defined in claim 6 wherein said wings have a configuration to impart rotary motion to said accessory as it travels upwardly on the kite string.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said means connecting said wings to said outer sleeve comprises tab members pivotally connected at their upper ends to said outer sleeve and pivotally connected at their lower ends to said wings.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein each of said tab members is partially punched out from the associated wing to provide a slot in said wing adjacent the pivotal connection of the tab thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,620,991: Brown Mar. 15, 1927 2,535,165 Shoemaker Dec. 26, 1950 2,833,497 Young May 6, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 439 Great Britain 1876

Images