US2702962A - Apparatus for producing buoyant bubbles - Google Patents

Description

March 1, 1955 A. A. DE FRAITES 2,702,962

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING BUOYANT BUBBLES Filed Jan. 16, 1953 Arthur A. DeFraifes INVENTOR.

United States Patent 0.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING BUOYANT BUBBLES Arthur A. De Fraites, Houma, La.

Application January 16, 1953, Serial No. 331,608

1 Claim. (Cl. 46-6) This invention relates to amusement devices and more particularly to the apparatus for producing buoyant bubbles.

An object of this invention is to provide an amusement device for making bubbles which will float in the am Another object is to provide a device which incorporates means for introducing a lighter than air gas into the interior of a bubble so that the same will be buoyant.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for displacing air within the interior of a plastic bubble with a lighter than air gas.

A still further object is to provide a device in conformity with the above objects in which sealing means are provided for preventing the escape of air from the interior of a plastic bubble prior to and after the introduction of a lighter than air gas into the interior of such bubble.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical elevation of a tube for producing plastic bubbles having a completed bubble formed thereon;

Figure 2 is an elevation showing the apparatus utilized in introducing gas into the interior of a bubble operatively connected to the device as shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged section through a portion of the bubble and bubble producing tube showing a portion of the gas introducing nozzle operatively placed within the tube;

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken substantially along line 4'4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged section similar to Figure 3 but showing the air displacing nozzle in operative position within the bubble; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged section similar to Figure 5 but showing the nozzle in retracted position within the bubble tube after a portion of the air within the bubble has been displaced therefrom.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 1, reference numeral 10 indicates generally a bubble making member and numeral 12 indicates a plastic bubble formed thereon. Member 10 consists of a tube which is open at both ends thereof and upon one end of which may be placed a mass of plastic material which may subsequently be formed into the shape of a bubble by merely introducing air under pressure at the other end of the tube. This is usually accomplished by placing one end of the tube in a users mouth whereupon the user may blow into the tube and produce a bubble of desired size. This particular type of device has gained popularity as an amusement device for children since the plastic skin of the bubble is fairly tough or durable and may also be sealed upon itself when punctured by merely pinching together a mass of the plastic skin around the punctured area. To remove the bubble making tube member from the plastic bubble, it is merely necessary to twist the same and pull away from the bubble whereupon the plastic will seal itself and the tube may be separated therefrom.

It is common with balloons or bubbles made of rubber or other resilient material to inflate the same by introducing directly thereinto a lighter than air gas which will 2,702,962 Patented Mar. 1, 1955 simultaneously inflate the same to the desired size and render the balloon buoyant. This manner of inflating bubbles of the plastic type is not satisfactory because the gas is not susceptible to suflicient control to satisfactorily form the plastic bubbles which, due to their physical nature, must be inflated in a slow and controlled manner, to prevent breakage thereof.

However, due to the increased amusement value thereof, it is desirable to introduce a lighter than air gas into the interior of the above described plastic bubbles and this is accomplished by utilizing a nozzle or tube 14 which is connected through a flexible hose 16 to a suitable source 18 of lighter than air gas. The source or reservoir 18 is provided with a control valve 20 and an operating handle 22 therefor for the purpose of selectively controlling the flow of gas therefrom.

As more clearly shown in Figures 3-6, the bubble tube 10 consists of a circular wall 24 having one open end 26 in communication with the interior of the plastic bubble 12. The gas tube 14 is telescopically and concentrically slidable within the tube 10 and is provided at its free open end 28 with an annular sealing ring 30 which tightly engages on the outer surface thereof and whose outer diameter is the same or slightly greater than the inner diameter of tube 10. The sealing ring may be of resilient material, in which case its outside dimension will be preferably greater than'the inner diameter of tube 10, or it may be provided in the form of a nonresilient material, in which case its outside dimension will preferably be of the same diameter as the inner measurement of the tube. In either case, the sealing ring 30 engages the inner surface of tube wall 24 and, when the nozzle or tube 14 is in the position shown in Figure 3, air within the bubble or balloon 12 will be prevented from escaping to the atmosphere through tube 10.

In operation, a bubble is first produced as shown in Figure 1 and when the same is of the desired size, the users thumb may be inserted over the free open end of tube 10 to prevent the escape of air from the interior of the bubble and consequent collapsing of the same. Then, the user may grasp the nozzle assembly 14 in his other hand and insert the free end thereof into the tube 10 whereupon the sealing engagement of ring 30 will prevent escape of air through the tube 10 and subsequent collapsing of the bubble. Obviously, a slight collapsing of the bubble will occur due to some of the air being forced therefrom into the interior of the nozzle 14 and flexible tube 16 but such collapsing will be very slight and have no detrimental effect. With the assembly in the position shown in Figure 3, the user may open the control valve 20 of the gas reservoir 18 and simultaneously slide the nozzle within the bubble so that the free end thereof and the sealing ring 30 are disposed beyond the free end 26 of tube 10; this position of the nozzle assembly is shown in Figure 5 and it is readily apparent that the lighter than air gas introduced into the bubble 12 from the nozzle 14 will displace air within the bubble and force the same outwardly therefrom through tube 10. Of course, as the quantity of gas within the bubble increases, a mixture of gas and air will be forced outwardly therefrom eflecting a progressive dilution of the air within the bubble until such time as there is suflicient gas to render the same buoyant. When this condition exists, control valve 20 may be shut off and the nozzle assembly retracted once again within tube 10, as shown in Figure 6, and the tube 10 and bubble 12 separated as described above.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A nozzle assembly for producing buoyant bubbles, comprising a first tube open at both ends and adapted to receive a mass of plastic material in covering rela- 4 tiotrli1 to tgnefiof its ends,cl a second btulile sliiably ilisposeg References Cited in the file of this patent wi in e rst tube an open at 0t en s, sai secon tube being longer than the first tube and provided with UNITED STATES PATENTS sealing means at one end, said second tube being movable 1,406,380 Heath et a1 Feb. 14, 1922 between one position wherein said sealing means engages 5 2,133,499 Dolan Oct. 18, 1938 the inner surface of the first tube such that the nozzle 2,438,854 Jakobsen Mar. 30, 1948 assembly presents a single duct through the second tube, 2,452,794 Saachy Nov. 2, 1948 and another position wherein the sealing means is out of 2,561,974 Corbitt July 24, 1951 engagement with the first tube such that the nozzle as- 2,599,888 Beezley et a1 June 10, 1952 sembly presents independent ducts through the first as 10 well as the second tube.

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