Rotating decorative sheet metal ornament

Abstract

A three dimensional decorative assembly features an inner member suspended for rotation within an opening in an outer member. Each member is made of differently coloured sheet metal and includes a plurality of strips extending between aligned spines at opposite ends on each side of said spines. The strips are progressively longer moving outward from the center of the assembly. In each member, the strips are spaced apart by a distance between an inner edge of one strip and an outer edge of an adjacent strip. In addition, an angle between adjacent strips angularly spaces the plurality of strips of each member about an axis defined by the spines thereof. Together, the inner edges of the shortest strip on each side of the spines of the outer member define the opening therein. Pivot supports are used to suspend the outer member for free rotation and suspend the inner member within the opening of said outer member such that each member can rotate independently about the axis defined by its spines.

1 . A decorative assembly comprising: 
 an outer member comprising: 
 a first spine having an axis, a first aperture near an outer end and a second aperture near an inner end;  
 a second spine having the same axis as the first spine;  
 a first series of progressively longer angularly spaced strips each having an inner edge, an outer edge and two opposite ends, each end connected to a respective one of the spines on a first side; and  
 a second series of progressively longer angularly spaced strips each having an inner edge, an outer edge and two opposite ends, each end connected to a respective one of the spines on a second side;  
 wherein the strips in each series are spaced apart by a distance between the inner edge of one of said strips and the outer edge of an adjacent one of said strips; and  
 wherein the inner edge of the strip of shortest length in the first series and the inner edge of the strip of shortest length in the second series define an opening in the outer member;  
   an inner member comprising: 
 a first spine having an aperture near an outer end and an axis;  
 a second spine having the same axis as the first spine of the inner member;  
 a first series of progressively longer angularly spaced strips each having an inner edge, an outer edge and two opposite ends, each end connected to a respective one of the spines of the inner member on a first side; and  
 a second series of progressively longer angularly spaced strips each having an inner edge, an outer edge and two opposite ends, each end connected to a respective one of the spines of the inner member on a second side;  
 wherein the strips of each series of the inner member are spaced apart by a distance between the outer edge of one of said strips and the inner edge of an adjacent one of said strips;  
   an outer pivotal suspending device for rotatably supporting the outer member by the first aperture near the outer end of the first spine said outer member; and    an inner pivotal suspending device for rotatably supporting the inner member within the opening of the outer member, said inner pivotal suspending device extending from the second aperture in the first spine of the outer member to the aperture in the first spine of the inner member;    wherein the outer member is made from a first flat sheet of metal that is cut to form the two series of strips of said outer member which are then angularly displaced from the flat sheet to different angles by bending;    wherein the inner member is made from a second flat sheet of metal that is cut to form the two series of strips of said inner member which are then angularly displaced from the flat sheet to different angles by bending; and    wherein the outer member is suspended for rotational motion about the axis of the spines of said outer member and the inner member is suspended within the opening of the outer member for rotational motion about the axis of the spines of said inner member.    
   
   
       2 . The assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the axis of the spines of the outer member coincides with the axis of the spines of the inner member such that the rotational motion of each of said members is about the same axis.  
   
   
       3 . The assembly according to  claim 1  wherein there is provided: 
 an aperture in the second spine of the inner member near an outer end thereof;    an corresponding aperture in the second spine of the outer member near an inner end thereof; and    a second inner pivotal suspending device;    wherein the second inner pivotal suspending device extends from the aperture in the second spine of the inner member to the corresponding aperture in the second spine of the outer member to further support the inner member for rotational motion within the opening of the outer member.    
   
   
       4 . The assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the inner edge of the strip of shortest length in the first series of the inner member and the inner edge of the strip of shortest length in the second series of the inner member define an opening within said inner member.  
   
   
       5 . The assembly according to  claim 4  wherein the inner edge of the strip of shortest length in the first series of the inner member and the inner edge of the strip of shortest length in the second series of the inner member are connected in such a way as to outline a two dimensional shape between said inner edges and the respective outer edges of said strips, thereby defining both the opening within said inner member and a respective silhouette.  
   
   
       6 . The assembly according to  claim 5  wherein there is provided at least one opening between the inner and outer edges of the strip of shortest length of at least one of the two series of strips of the inner member, thereby further defining the silhouette, said at least one opening made by cutting through the second flat sheet of metal used to make said inner member.  
   
   
       7 . The assembly according to  claim 1  wherein adjacent strips of the first series of the outer member are angularly spaced by a generally equal first angle and adjacent strips of the second series of the outer member are angularly spaced by a generally equal second angle.  
   
   
       8 . The assembly according to  claim 7  wherein the first and second angles of the outer member are generally equal.  
   
   
       9 . The assembly according to  claim 8  wherein each strip in the first series of the outer member is angularly spaced from a respective strip in the second series of the outer member by about 180 degrees.  
   
   
       10 . The assembly according to  claim 1  wherein adjacent strips of the first series of the inner member are angularly spaced by a generally equal first angle and adjacent strips of the second series of the inner member are angularly spaced by a generally equal second angle.  
   
   
       11 . The assembly according to  claim 10  wherein the first and second angles of the inner member are generally equal.  
   
   
       12 . The assembly according to  claim 11  wherein each strip in the first series of the inner member is angularly spaced from a respective strip in the second series of the inner member by about 180 degrees.