US2506001A - Educational device - Google Patents

Description

y 1950 T. R. STURMAN 2,506,001

EDUCATIONAL DEVI-CE Filed March 10, 1947 INVENTOR. Tb'lMA SVWIFMAN.

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A TTORNE'K Patented May 2, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDUCATIONAL DEVICE Thelma R. Sturman, Detroit Mich. Application March 10, 1947, Serial No. 733,511

4 Claims. 1

The present invention pertains to a novel educational device to be used by children; and also in connection with childrens furniture to be used as an aid to the mother.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is simple, inexpensive, useful, fascinating and instructive.

The device is in the nature of a series of disks, each a separate toy, pivotally attached to one another in the nature of a chain. The disks may be extended with respect to one another in a straight line and thereby form an extensible arm. Each disk is formed with a stop adaptedto engage the preceding disk in order to maintain the linear series in a rigid relation to form a rigid arm. The arm is useful for various purposes. For example, a pair of arms may be projected in parallel relation from the side of a play pen, and a bag may be suspended from the arms to catch the playthings that the child throws out of the play pen so that they will not fall to the floor. The pair of arms may be easily detached and placed elsewhere, as on a bed, highchair or the like. If placed inside a piece of furniture, the child may play with the device, On the outside, a pair of arms may be used to support a bag for catching toys and the like thrown out by the child as already indicated.

As an educational device, the disks are so joined that they may be detached from one another. For this purpose each disk is formed with a central hole from which extends a radial slot having a dropped seat formed at its outer end. The connected disk has a pin or rivet adapted to enter the central hole and move along the slot into the seat, thereby establishing the connection. A degree of skill is required, for a child, to connect and disconnect the disks. Moreover, each disk has a character, such as a numeral painted thereon or secured thereto. The characters may be variously and differently colored, and in handling the disks the child naturally becomes familiar with the characters. He learns to place them in correct sequence, as in alphabetlcal or numerical order, for example.

The invention is fully disclosed by way of example in the following description and in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the device used as extensible arms for supporting a basket on a piece of childrens'furniture;

Figure 2 is an elevation of thearm;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fi ure 2;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an elevation of a modified form of the device;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of Figure 5;

Figure '7 is an elevation of another modification, and i Figure 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig ure '7. I

designate corresponding parts throughout.

In Figures 1 and 2 is shown a series of disks l which are made of any suitable material such as stamp metal or molded plastic material. The

disks are pivotally attached to one another by suitable rivets 2 near the ends, and the two rivets passing through any one disk are located on the same diameter, so that the series may be extended in a straight line as shown. Each disk has a tongue or lug 3 struck out from its edge and adapted to engage an adiacent disk. The tongues are similarly positioned on all the disks with respect to the rivets, whereby the linear arrangement is rigidly maintained. Each disk also has a central aperture 4 for a purpose that will presently be described.

A pair of extended arms may be used in the manner illustrated in Figure 1. The numeral 5 represents a piece of childrens furniture, such as a play pen, bed, highchair or the like. Each arm has an adjustable hook 6 fastened to one of its members and adapted to hang from an edge of the member 5. A cloth bag 1 with an edge bead 8 is suspended from the arms by means of hooks 9 attached to the bead and inserted in the apertures 1i. As a simpler expedient, the bag may have an adiustable draw string or elastic too that is readily engaged on the two arms. When the basket is detached and not in use, the disks may be turned on the rivets 2 into superimposed or coinciding relation to form a compact unit, and detached from the furniture. There is sufficient looseness at the rivets and resiliency in the disks I to permit the disks to overlap the tongues 8. In another use of the invention, one or both of the arms may be attached inside the piece of furniture so that the child can entertain itself by folding up and unfolding the arm or arms.

In the modification shown in Figures 5 and 6. each disk it is formed with a central aperture H, as; formerly, and with a slot l2 extending radially therefrom. The outer end of the slot is formed with a seat 13 dropped below the Genter line of the slot, for a purpose that will presently be described. Each disk also has a rivet or stud It with a head l5 adapted to pass through the aperture ll of the adjacent disk. The rivet is slid along the slot 12 until it drops into the seat l3. Each disk is also formed with a stamped tongue or lug 16 adapted to engage the adjacent disk. The lugs 16 are similarly related to the respective slots .12. so, that. they maintain a, linear series as shownin Figure '5. This device maybe used in the manner described in connection with Figure 1, if desired. Moreover, the disks may be separated from one another by moving the rivets M to the apertures II and withdrawingthem from the apertures. This operation requires. a degree of skill and provides fascination for a child. Each disk may be pIayed'Withasasepa rate toy and also serves to acquaint the, child with letters of the alphabet, numerals, colors, animals and the like.

The modification shown in Figures '7 and 8 is similarly constructed with respect to the apertures; slots-and rivets, and each disk-also carries a character designated by the numeral 213i These characters maybe painted on: the disks or formed th-erecnin relief as indicated in Figure 8. The raised characters may, for example, consist'of a plastic material andin such case" the disks 2| may consist of the same material and the two parts molded together in an integral structure.

Itis alsoobvious that-the charactersmay be separately formed members suitably secured to the disks. In the relief construction, the rivets zz -aresomewhat-lcnger between the heads than the'thickness of the disksin' order that'the rivets may he slid across the characters between the central apertures 23 and the seats 24 in assembling and disassembling the device.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be understood that-various alterations in the details. of construction may be made. without depar-ting from the scope of the invention as indicated by" the appended claims.

What I claim is":

An educational device comprising a series of disks pivotally attached to each other in a succession, each disk having a central aperture and a slot extending therefrom, and a headed rivet carried by each disk and adapted to enter an aperture of an adjacent disk and to slide in the connected slot.

2. An educational device comprising a series of disks pivotally attached to each other in a succession, each disk having a central aperture and a. slot extending therefrom, and a headed rivet carriediby each disk and adaptedto; enter an aperture of an adjacent disk and to slide in the connected slot, the heads of said rivets being wider than said slots to lock in the slots against movementtransversely of the disk.

3. .An educational device comprising a series of disks pivotally attached to each other in a successicmhea-ch.diskhaving a central aperture and a slot extending therefrom, and a headed rivet V carriedby each disk and adapted to enter an aperture of an adjacent disk and to slide in the connected sl'ot, each disk 'havinga droppeds-seat formed at the outer end of the slot thereinand adapted'to receive a rivet.

4. An educational device comprising a series of disks pivotally attached toeachother 'ina succession, each diskhaving a central aperture and a slot extending therefrom, and. a headed: rivet" carried by each disk and adaptedto: enter an aperture of an adjacent disk and to slide in' the connected slot, each disk having a. dropped seat-formed at the outer end of the slot therein and'ad'aptedt'o receive a rivet, the heads of'saidi rivets-"being Wider than said slots to lock in the slots. against mcvement' transversely. of the; disk;

THELMA R. S'I'TJ'BMA-Ni.

REFERENKJE S CITED- The icilowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITEIZ) STATES PATENTS Number Name. Date 335,837. Peckham -T .Feb;.9,.1886; 1,043,652 Whitman. w- N015, 1912 1,046,513, Ellis; aan- .'Dec. 10.19.12 1,304,056. Klenet'zky May 20,1919 1,617,652. 7 Beck. July L'I'; 1928.

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