US3537709A - Combination fortune telling and smoke emitting device - Google Patents

Description

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United States Patent O 3,537,709 COMBINATION FORTUNE TELLING AND SMOKE EMITTING DEVICE Gerard P. OCounell, West Springfield, Mass., assigner, by

mesne assignments, to Baltimore Brushes, Inc., Boston,

Mass., a corporation of Maryland Filed Mar. 20, 1969, Ser. No. 808,859 Int. Cl. A63h 33/28 U.S. Cl. 273-161 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A battery-powered combination fortune telling and smoke emitting device comprising an outer casing of fanciful form, a disc-like ring carrying the fortunes and a smoke generating unit within the casing and actuatable by removal of a cap from the casing, the disc-like ring rotating and the smoke generating unit emitting smoke so long as the cap is disengaged from the casing, and a slida'ble door selectively covering and uncovering a sight opening in the casing for selectively revealing and concealing the fortune on the disc-like ring, and a lamp for illuminating the fortune when the sight opening is uncovered.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention Games and amusement devices for telling fortunes and emitting smoke.

Description of the prior art While fortune telling games have been known for centuries, I am unaware of any device which combines the novel features of a smoke emitting unit and fortune telling means in a fanciful casing to provide a fascinating game or amusement device for children and adults alike.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A primary object is to provide a game or amusement device which will impart an amusing message or fortune while also emitting smoke from a fanciful casing.

Another object is to provide a casing which, in several of its preferred forms, will be in the shape of a Genie bottle or Aladdins lamp to impart a realistic effect to the device.

As still another feature worthy of note, I provide novel means for revealing and illuminating the fortune BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. l is an elevational View of a preferred form of game or amusement device embodying the invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are elevational views of modified forms of the invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken through the FIG. 1 embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on line 5 5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the fortune telling ring of the game or amusement device of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of the switch means and circuitry for controlling the lighting of the lamp which illuminates the fortune telling ring; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of the switch means and circuitry for controlling actuation of the smoke emitting means and fortune telling ring of the game or amusement device of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention is preferably housed in an attractive casing, such as the Genie bottles 10 and 80 of FIGS. 1

Cil

ice

and 3 respectively or the Aladdins Lamp 90 of FIG. 2, all of which may be conveniently molded from thermoplastic.

The style of the FIG. 1 casing is preferred in that its wide base and handle provide ample room for the several components making up the invention. However, any of the forms shown will accommodate the same basic components. Therefore, here following, while reference is had only to the FIG. 1 embodiment, the description will be understood to encompass the FIGS. 2 and 3 embodiments or any other form of casing.

Each casing is provided with a sight opening or window 12 which may be selectively opened or closed by a door or slide member 14 slidably related to the casing, so as to selectively reveal or conceal a message or fortune in the form of indicia 16 imprinted on a fortune telling ring 18 mounted for rotation within the casing.

A cap 20 simultaneously controls the actuation of fortune telling ring 18 and of a smoke generating unit 22 mounted within the casing, and of the type commonly found in the engines of toy electric trains for emitting puffs of smoke.

Power for the unit is preferably provided by a trio of 1.5 volt type C batteries 24 mounted in series within the casing. Of course, any other available power source may be employed.

A toy electric motor 26 mounted within the casing and powered by the batteries is provided with a pinion gear 28 on its output shaft 30, the pinion gear meshing with a spur gear 32 fixed to an upright center shaft 34 of a disc-like support 36 which carries fortune telling ring 18 on a depending peripheral rim 35, wherefore, as the motor output shaft rotates, support 36 and fortune-telling ring 1S are rotated therewith.

Actuation of smoke generating unit 22 and motor 26 is controlled by a switch 38 which is, in turn, controlled by a rod 40 depending from cap 20, the rod serving to separate the contacts of the switch to break the circuit when the cap is in place on the casing. When the cap and its rod are removed from the casing, the switch contacts come together to complete the circuit to actuate smoke generating unit 22 which emits puffs of smoke and to actuate motor 26 to rotate disc 36 and its fortune telling ring 18.

A tiny grain of wheat lamp 42 is provided within the casing and is preferably positioned immediately behind window 12 so that when the window is opened by moving door or slide member 14 to one side, the indicia 16 on fortune telling ring 18 is illuminated.

As best seen in FIG. 5, slide member 14 is fixed to the outer end of a pivot bar 43 which is pivoted at its inner end to shaft 34.

Movement of slide member 14 in one direction lights lamp 42 and movement in the opposite direction extinguishes the lamp, same being accomplished by a spring-like contact 44 which s moved into engagement with a stationary contact 46 when the slide member is moved in one direction to complete the circuit to the lamp, the circuit Ibeing broken when the slid-e member is moved in the opposite direction since the natural resilience of the spring-like contact pulls it out of engagement with the stationary contact wherefore the light is extinguished.

Thus, when the slide member is moved to open window 12, lamp 42 is lit and when slide member 14 closes window 12 the lamp is extinguished.

The interior of the casing is preferably divided into compartments for housing the several components described above. A first horizontal partition wall 46 separates the batteries from the motor and carries a hub 48 in which the lower end of shaft 34 is journalled.

A second horizontal partition wall 50 spaced above first wall 46 supports lamp 42 and spring-like contact 44 and has a hub 52 through which shaft 34 passes.

A third horizontal partition wall 54 spaced above second wall 50 supports smoke generating unit 22 and has a hub 56 in which the upper end of shaft 34 is journalled.

Disc-like support 36 and its fortune telling ring 18 are disposed between second and third partition walls 50 and 54.

A novel air intake and distribution system, now to be described, is provided for forcibly driving the smoke from smoke generating unit 22 and out of the casing.

An air inlet opening 58 is provided in the bottom wall of casing, and air passageways in the form of openings 60 in first partition wall 46, and openings 62 in second partition wall 50 are provided so that air can be drawn into the compartment housing rotatable disc 36.

Disc 36 is provided with a plurality of circumferentiallydisposed equi-spaced openings 64 adjacent its outer periphery to permit the passage of air therethrough.

A plurality of radial vanes 66 depend from the lower surface of disc 36 inwardly of openings 64.

Rotation of disc 36 draws air into the casing through opening 58 and through the passageways 60 and 62 to impinge vanes 66 which deflect the air toward the outer periphery of the disc where it is drawn upwardly through the openings 64 in the disc.

Air cannot pass into a decorative handle 68 on the casing since the handle is closed off at its lower end by a wall 70 and at its upper end by a wall 72.

Thus, the air is forced to pass upwardly to third partition wall S4.

An opening 74 in third partition wall 54 communicates with the lower end of a smoke outlet tube 76 provided on smoke generating unit 22, wherefore air passes through opening 74 and upwardly through tube 76 driving the smoke outwardly from the upper end of the tube into the neck 78 of the casing and outwardly to atmosphere through the open throat 80 of the casing when cap 20 is removed.

By this novel arrangement of rotating disc, vanes and air passageways, the smoke is forcibly driven from the interior of the casing in puffs or in a pulsating manner. Were no means provided for aiding the smoke generating unit, the smoke would simply drift lazily from the casing, same not being a desirable condition.

In operation of the game or amusement device, the cap 20 is removed from the throat 68 of casing 10 whereupon disc-like support 36 and fortune-telling ring 18 are rotated and smoke is forcibly emitted from the open mouth of the casing.

After several seconds, the cap is replaced on the throat to stop the emission of smoke and the rotation of ring 18.

Slide member 14 is then moved to open window 12 whereupon lamp 42 is lit to illuminate the indicia 16 on ring 18 which is visible through the open window, which indicia is preferably in the form of nonsensical sayings or silly predictions as shown.

This procedure is repeated as often as necessary to accommodate all players.

I claim:

1. A combination fortune-telling and smoke emitting device comprising,

a casing having an open end,

a cap releasably engaged with and normally closing oil.

the open end,

a sight opening in the casing,

a door normally covering the sight opening,

a fortune telling ring carrying indicia thereon in the form of messages registrable with the sight opening and a smoke generating unit both mounted within the casing, power means for effecting rotation of the fortune telling ring and emission of smoke by the smoke generating unit,

the power means being actuated by removal of the cap from the casing.

2. A combination fortune-telling and smoke emitting device according to claim 1, including a lamp for illuminating the messages on the fortune telling ring when the door is opened.

3. A combination fortune telling and smoke emitting device according to claim 1, including a switch controlled by the cap and a swttch controlled by the door.

4. A combination fortune telling and smoke emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the fortune telling ring is mounted on a disc-like support having a plurality of circumferential openings therein and a plurality of depending radial vanes thereon for deflecting air to drive the smoke outwardly through the open end of the casing in a pulsating manner.

5. A combination fortune telling and smoke emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the power means includes a plurality of batteries and a toy electric motor.

6. A combination fortune telling and smoke emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the casing is in fanciful form.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 614,354 11/1898 Towle et al 273-161 1,761,802 6/1930 Sabath t0-106.22 2,258,351 10/11941 Brown. 2,996,300 8/1961 Schaper 273-161 ANTON O. OECHSLE, Pri-mary Examiner U.S. C1. X.R.

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