US3768198A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Toy airplane of foldable sheet material and lunching means for and method of making same
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-08-02
•
Granted: 1973-10-30
•
Expires: 1992-08-02
Abstract
Abstract A toy airplane of foldable sheet material which is constructed so as to glide through the air with a horizontal velocity component after being released in the air above a predetermined starting velocity. A wing and body section of the airplane may be constructed either of a single piece of foldable sheet material or of two separate sheets of foldable sheet material. The wing section and body section are clamped in position with respect to one another by a single piece of wire which is bent over the folded portions of the airplane configuration. This same single piece of wire also extends downwardly through a single aperture on the underside of the airplane configuration to form a hook for launching the airplane. This single piece of wire is arranged symmetrically around the mid-point of the hook and the longitudinal centerline of the airplane and includes two bent over clamping sections adjacent the opposite ends of the wire. The wire extends between the folds in the sheet material such that the only portion of the wire open to the bottom of the airplane is the hook, while the only portion of the wire open at the top is the extreme end positions forming the clamping connection with the outermost layer of sheet material. A launching device in the form of a relatively rigid rod section having closed loops at the ends thereof for attaching rubber bands is provided. The rubberbands are releasably engageable with the hook at the underside of the airplane. The method of constructing the airplane includes cutting out predetermined pattern from flat sheet material, such as synthetic resinous material, forming crease lines along the desired fold lines for the airplane configuration, cutting apertures in the sheet material for accepting the wire to be utilized as the hook and clamping mechanism, and folding the flat sheet material into the desired airplane configuration while inserting the wire through the holes and bending the wire to clamp the wing section in position with respect to the body section of the airplane and to form the hook at the underside of the airplane.
Inventors
- 👤 I Fields
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 17:19
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63H; A63H27/00; A63H27/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
158 words
The combination comprising: at least one sheet of normally flat sheet material folded into an airplane configuration having a body section and a wing section, both of said body section and said wing section being symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of a longitudinal airplane axis, said body section and wing section being constructed so as to fly through the air upon being released in the air above a predetermined starting velocity, clamping means for holding said wing section in position with respect to said body section, hook means attached to at least one of said body section and said wing section, and launching means releasably engagable with said hook means for accelerating said airplane configuration to above said predetermined starting velocity, wherein said clamping means and said hook means are operatively connected to one another and are attached to said wing section and body section to fly through the air along with said wing section and body section.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
158 words
The combination comprising: at least one sheet of normally flat sheet material folded into an airplane configuration having a body section and a wing section, both of said body section and said wing section being symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of a longitudinal airplane axis, said body section and wing section being constructed so as to fly through the air upon being released in the air above a predetermined starting velocity, clamping means for holding said wing section in position with respect to said body section, hook means attached to at least one of said body section and said wing section, and launching means releasably engagable with said hook means for accelerating said airplane configuration to above said predetermined starting velocity, wherein said clamping means and said hook means are operatively connected to one another and are attached to said wing section and body section to fly through the air along with said wing section and body section.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The combination according to claim 1, wherein said both clamping means and said hook means are formed from a single piece of wire-like material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The combination according to claim 2, wherein said single piece of wire-like material is symmetrically formed on both sides of its midpoint, and wherein said midpoint also constitutes the midpoint of said hook means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The combination according to claim 3, wherein the underside of said wing section includes a small bore through which the hook means extends.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The combination according to claim 4, wherein said small bore in the wing section is located on the airplane longitudinal axis at a position adjacent the front end of the airplane configuration.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The combination according to claim 5, wherein said wing section exhibits an uninterrupted smooth under surface except for the small bore and the hook means extending therethrough.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The combination according to claim 5, wherein the respective end portions of said single piece of wire like material are bent back upon themselves to clamp the wing section in position with respect to the body section.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The combination according to claim 1, wherein said launching means includes a relatively rigid part and a relatively resilient part, said resilient part being directly and abuttingly releasably engageable with said hook means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
The combination according to claim 8, wherein said relatively rigid part is formed of a single piece of rod-like material, at least one end of said single piece of rod-like material being bent in the form of a substantially closed loop, said resilient means being attached to said closed loop.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
The combination according to claim 9, wherein both ends of said single piece of rod-like material are bent in the form of substantially closed loops, and wherein said resilient means includes two endless rubber bands attached one each to the respective closed loops of said rod-like material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
140 words
A toy airplane comprising: at least one sheet of normally flat sheet material folded into an airplane configuration having a body section and a wing section, both of said body section and said wing section being symmetrically disposed at opposite sides of a longitudinal airplane axis, said body section and wing section being constructed so as to fly through the air upon being released in the air above a predeteremined starting velocity, clamping means for holding said wing section in position with respect to said body section, and hook means attached to at least one of said body section and said wing section, wherein said clamping means and said hook means are operatively connected to one another and are attached to said wing section and body section to fly through the air along with said wing section and body section.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
140 words
A toy airplane comprising: at least one sheet of normally flat sheet material folded into an airplane configuration having a body section and a wing section, both of said body section and said wing section being symmetrically disposed at opposite sides of a longitudinal airplane axis, said body section and wing section being constructed so as to fly through the air upon being released in the air above a predeteremined starting velocity, clamping means for holding said wing section in position with respect to said body section, and hook means attached to at least one of said body section and said wing section, wherein said clamping means and said hook means are operatively connected to one another and are attached to said wing section and body section to fly through the air along with said wing section and body section.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
A toy airplane according to claim 11, wherein both said clamping means and said hook means are formed from a single piece of wire-like material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
A toy airplane according to claim 12, wherein said single piece of wire-like material is symmetrically formed on both sides of its midpoint, and wherein said midpoint also constitutes the midpoint of said hook means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
A toy airplane according to claim 13, wherein the underside of said wing section includes a small bore through which the hook means extends.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
A toy airplane according to claim 14, wherein said wing section exhibits an uninterrupted smooth under surface except for the small bore and the hook means extending therethrough.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
58 words
A toy airplane according to claim 12, wherein the airplane configuration consists of two sheets of normally flat sheet material, said wing section consisting of one of said sheets, said sheet forming the wing section being folded over the front end of said other sheet such that said other sheet is completely covered at the front end thereof.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
A toy airplane according to claim 12, wherein the airplane configuration consists of a single sheet of normally flat sheet material, said wing section extending rearwardly from the most forward end of said airplane configuration.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
53 words
A toy airplane according to claim 12, wherein the most forward end of said airplane configuration extends perpendicularly to the airplane longitudinal axis such that a top view of the airplane configuration exhibits a flat nosed front end portion, said hook means and clamping means being located immediately behing said front end portion.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
A toy airplane according to claim 12, wherein said end portions of said single piece of wire-like material extend over the uppermost layer of the flat sheet material in the finished airplane configuration.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
A toy airplane according to claim 13, wherein the respective end portions of said single piece of wire-like material are bent back upon themselves to clamp the wing section in position with respect to the body section.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
51 words
A toy airplane according to claim 20, wherein respective intermediate portions of said single piece of wire-like material between the hook means and the respective end portions extend between upper and lower layers of the flat sheet material so as not to interrupt the exterior air foil of the airplane configuration.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
A toy airplane according to claim 21, wherein said single piece of wire-like material is the exclusive means for clamping the wing and body section in position.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
A toy airplane according to claim 12, wherein said single piece of wire-like material is the exclusive means for clamping the wing and body section in postion.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
31 words
A toy airplane according to claim 11, wherein a tail portion is provided at the rear end of said body section, said tail portion being formed one-piece with said body section.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
A toy airplane according to claim 11, wherein the flat sheets making up the airplane configuration are folded along the airplane longitudinal axis so as to present a V-shaped configuration.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
17 words
A toy airplane according to claim 11, wherein said flat sheets are formed of synthetic resinous material.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
82 words
Launching means for a toy airplane comprising a relatively rigid part and relatively resilient means, said resilient means being directly and abuttingly releasably engageable with a hook means on a toy airplane, said rigid part being formed of a single piece of rod-like material, both ends of said single piece of rod-like material being bent in the form of substantially closed loops, said resilient means including two endless resilient bands attached one each to the respective closed loops of said rod-like material.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
82 words
Launching means for a toy airplane comprising a relatively rigid part and relatively resilient means, said resilient means being directly and abuttingly releasably engageable with a hook means on a toy airplane, said rigid part being formed of a single piece of rod-like material, both ends of said single piece of rod-like material being bent in the form of substantially closed loops, said resilient means including two endless resilient bands attached one each to the respective closed loops of said rod-like material.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
13 words
Launching means according to claim 27, wherein said resilient bands are rubber bands.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
15 words
Launching means according to claim 28, wherein said closed loops are constructed with curved edges.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
15 words
Launching means according to claim 28, wherein said closed loop are constructed with straight edges.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
29 words
Launching means according to claim 29, wherein that portion of the single piece of rod-like material between the closed loops is constructed with a bent portion forming a handle.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
119 words
A method of making a toy airplane comprising cutting out at least one pattern sheet from a flat sheet of synthetic resinous material, forming fold lines in said pattern sheet corresponding to the predetermined final desired fold configuration for the airplane, forming apertures in said pattern sheet in positions such that they will be aligned with one another for accepting a combination clamp and launching hook in the final folded configuration of the airplane, folding said pattern sheet along said crease lines into the final configuration of the airplane while inserting a single piece of wire through the aligned apertures to form the launching hook underneath the airplane and to clamp the wing sections of the airplane in position.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
119 words
A method of making a toy airplane comprising cutting out at least one pattern sheet from a flat sheet of synthetic resinous material, forming fold lines in said pattern sheet corresponding to the predetermined final desired fold configuration for the airplane, forming apertures in said pattern sheet in positions such that they will be aligned with one another for accepting a combination clamp and launching hook in the final folded configuration of the airplane, folding said pattern sheet along said crease lines into the final configuration of the airplane while inserting a single piece of wire through the aligned apertures to form the launching hook underneath the airplane and to clamp the wing sections of the airplane in position.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US865419A
Cited
US1329062A
Cited
US1792779A
Cited
US2186587A
Cited
US3369319A
Cited
US3526989A
Cited
US3540149A
Cited
US3576086A
Cited
US3714734A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-29 | 1977-04-30 | 1977-10-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-29 | 1981-04-30 | 1981-10-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-29 | 1985-04-30 | 1985-10-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |