Plaything comprising movable supports and a running linear flaccid line

Abstract

A plaything comprising two mug-shaped receptacles and a linear flaccid line which may be a cord, a chain, a string of beads, or the like. One end of said line is held inside one receptacle, and the other end of said line is held inside the other receptacle, both of said receptacles being at least large enough to house substantially all of said line. Prior to using the plaything, the two receptacles are placed side by side on a horizontal surface and substantially all of said line is hand-fed into one receptacle so as to be amassed in a heap with the last fed-in parts resting on top of the previously fed-in parts. Then, when the receptacle housing most of said is positioned above the other receptacle, said line -- because of gravity -- will run from the upper receptacle into the lower receptacle. When most of said line is amassed in a heap in the lower receptacle, the positions of the receptacles are interchanged and the direction of running of said line reversed. A receptacle having a spout for guiding the running of said line is disclosed as a modification. Also different types of lines which are suitable for use as part of the plaything of this invention are illustrated.

What is claimed is: .[.1. A plaything comprising: 
     
        upwardly open position..]. 16. A plaything comprising: a first receptacle defining a cavity;   a handle secured to said first receptacle .Iadd.said handle outstanding from said receptacle.Iaddend., whereby said first receptacle can be positioned with said cavity in an upwardly open position;   a smoothly rounded portion formed on an upper portion of said first receptacle;   a second receptacle defining a cavity;   a handle secured to said second receptacle .Iadd.said handle outstanding from said receptacle.Iaddend., whereby said second receptacle can be positioned with said cavity in an upwardly open position below said first receptacle;   a smoothly rounded portion formed on an upper portion of said second receptacle;   a linear flaccid line comprising a series of separate members conjointly connected together and having two portions and two ends;   means for holding one end of said line within the cavity of said first receptacle; and   means for holding the other end of said line within the cavity of said second receptacle, whereby when a portion of said line rests in the cavity of said first receptacle, with the last fed-in parts of said portion resting on top of the previously fed-in parts of said portion, and when said first receptacle is positioned above said second receptacle, said portion of said line in the cavity of said first receptacle, will -- because of gravity -- run up and out of said cavity of said first receptacle, over said smoothly rounded portion of said first receptacle and down into said second receptable. .Iadd. 17. A plaything comprising:   a first support having an interior cavity with an end which opens upwardly to the exterior of said first support, said upwardly open end being not substantially smaller in cross section than the mean cross section of the remainder of said cavity and having means for stably maintaining said first support upon a horizontal surface;   a second support having an interior cavity with an end which opens upwardly to the exterior of said second support, said upwardly open end being not substantially smaller in cross section than the mean cross section of the remainder of said cavity and having means for stably maintaining said second support upon a horizontal surface;   means associated with at least one of said supports for positioning at least one of said supports in a position at one time above and at another time below the other of said supports;   a linear flaccid line having a first end and a second end, which line because of its flaccidity is so constructed and arranged that it can be amassed with the last fed-in parts thereof resting on previously fed-in parts;   a first portion of said line having as part thereof said first end and said first portion resting on one of said supports with the last fed-in parts thereof resting on previously fed-in parts of said line;   means so constructed and arranged as to hold said first end of said line to said support on which said first portion of said line rests;   a second portion of said line having as part thereof said second end and said second portion extending from the support on which said first portion rests to said other support; whereby when the positions of said supports are such that the support which carries said first portion is positioned above the other support, said line will hang vertically from said support on which said first portion of said line rests to said other support, and said first portion, except for said first end held to said support on which said first portion of said line rests, will -- because of gravity acting on the vertically hanging line -- be caused to run from said support positioned above said other support to said other support; and   means so constructed and arranged as to hold said second end to said other   
     
     
        support. .Iaddend..Iadd. 18.  The invention of claim 17 wherein said linear flaccid line comprises a series of separate members conjointly connected together. .Iaddend..Iadd. 19. The invention of claim 17 wherein said linear flaccid line comprises a series of concatenated members linked together. .Iaddend..Iadd. 20. The invention of claim 17 wherein said linear flaccid line comprises a chain. .Iaddend..Iadd. 21. The invention of claim 17 wherein said linear flaccid line comprises a string of beads. .Iaddend..Iadd. 22. The invention of claim 17 wherein said first portion of said line rests in a heap on one of said supports. .Iaddend..Iadd. 23. A plaything comprising: a first receptacle having an interior cavity with an end which opens upwardly to the exterior of said first receptacle, said upwardly open end being not substantially smaller in cross section than the means cross section of the remainder of said cavity and having means for stably supporting said first receptacle upon a horizontal surface;   a second receptacle having an interior cavity with an end which opens upwardly to the exterior of said second receptacle, said upwardly open end being not substantially smaller in cross section than the mean cross section of the remainder of said cavity and having means for stably supporting said second receptacle upon a horizontal surface;   a linear flaccid line having two ends, which line because of its flaccidity can extend and run up and out of one cavity and down into another cavity and can be amassed in a heap with the last fed-in parts thereof resting on previously fed-in parts;   a first portion of said line including as part thereof one of said ends with said end of said first portion held to said first receptacle and said first portion resting in a heap in said first receptacle with the last fed-in parts thereof resting on previously fed-in parts of said first portion of said line; and   a second portion of said line including as part thereof said other end of said line with said other end being held to said second receptacle and said second portion extending from said first receptacle to said second receptacle, whereby when said first receptacle is positioned above said second receptacle, said line will hang vertically from said first receptacle to said second receptacle and said first portion, except for said end held to said first receptacle, will -- because of gravity acting on the vertically hanging line -- be caused to run up and out of said cavity of said first receptacle and down into said cavity of said second receptacle as soon as the vertical separation between said first and second receptacle is great enough. .Iaddend..Iadd. 24. The invention of claim 23 wherein at least one of said receptacles comprises a bottom and an upstanding member over which said flaccid line runs. .Iaddend..Iadd. 25. The invention of claim 23 wherein at least one of said receptacles comprises a bottom and a member upstanding from said bottom, said upstanding member being formed with an opening providing a spout for guiding said line as it runs from said receptacle. .Iaddend..Iadd. 26. The invention of claim 23 wherein said linear flaccid line comprises a chain. .Iaddend..Iadd. 27. The invention of claim 23 wherein said linear flaccid line comprises a string of beads. .Iaddend..Iadd. 28. The invention of claim 23 wherein at least one of said receptacles is provided with a handle, whereby said receptacle can be positioned with the cavity of said receptacle in an upwardly open position. .Iaddend..Iadd. 29. The invention of claim 23 wherein both of said receptacles comprise a bottom, an upstanding sidewall and a rim defining said upwardly open cavities, said cavities being at least of sufficient capacity to receive and house all of said line except for one of said ends of said line held to one of said receptacles, and wherein both of said receptacles are so constructed and arranged that the line wll slither back and forth along said rim of said receptacles, tgis slithering resulting from the fact that at times the line will feed from one location in said cavity and at other times from another location therein. .Iaddend..Iadd. 30. A plaything comprising:   a first receptacle having an interior cavity with an end which opens upwardly to the exterior of said first receptacle, said upwardly open end being not substantially smaller in cross section than the mean cross section of the remainder of said cavity and having means for stably supporting said first receptacle upon a horizontal surface;   a second receptacle having an interior cavity with an end which opens upwardly to the exterior of said second receptacle, said upwardly open end being not substantially smaller in cross section than the mean cross section of the remainder of said cavity and having means for stably supporting said second receptacle upon a horizontal surface;   a linear flaccid line having two ends, and said line comprising a series of separate members conjointly connected together and which because of its flaccidity can be amassed in a heap with the last fed-in parts thereof resting on previously fed-in parts, and which can extend up and out of one of said cavities and down into the other of said cavities;   a first portion of said line having as part thereof one of said ends held to said first receptacle and said first portion being amassed in a heap in said cavity of said first receptacle with the last fed-in parts thereof resting on previously fed-in parts of said first portion of said line; and   a second portion of said line having as part thereof the other and of said line held to said second receptacle and said second portion extending up and out of said cavity of said first receptacle and down into said cavity of said second receptacle, whereby when said first receptacle is positioned above said second receptacle, said line will hang vertically from said first receptacle to said second receptacle with the result that as soon as the vertical separation between said first and second receptacles becomes great enough said first portion, except for said end of said line held to said first receptacle, will -- because of gravity acting on the vertically hanging line -- be caused to run up and out of said cavity of said first receptacle and down into said cavity of said second receptacle, with said line becoming amassed in a heap in said cavity of said second receptacle with the last fed-in parts thereof resting on previously fed-in parts so that, when the elevational positions of said first and second receptacles are interchanged to place said second receptacle above said first receptacle, said line will hang vertically from said second receptacle to said first receptacle, with the result that as soon as the vertical separation betweeen said second and first receptacles becomes great enough said line which is amassed in said second receptacle, except for said end of said line held to said second receptacle, will -- because of gravity acting on the vertically hanging line -- be caused to run up and out of said cavity of said second receptacle and down into said cavity of said first receptacle. .Iaddend..Iadd. 31. The invention of claim 30 wherein said linear flaccid line comprises a series of concatenated members linked together. .Iaddend..Iadd. 32. The invention of claim 30 wherein said linear flaccid line comprises a chain. .Iaddend..Iadd. 33. The invention of claim 30 wherein said linear flaccid line comprises a string of beads. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 34. The invention of claim 30 wherein each of said receptacles comprises a bottom and an upstanding member formed with a rim portion over which said flaccid line runs. .Iaddend. .Iadd.35. The invention of claim 30 wherein each of said receptacles conprises a bottom and a member upstanding from said bottom, said upstanding members each being formed with an opening providing a spout for guiding said line as it runs from said receptacle. .Iaddend..Iadd. 36. The invention of claim 30 wherein both of said receptacles are provided with handles, whereby said receptacles can be positioned with said cavities in upwardly open positions. .Iaddend..Iadd. 37. The invention of claim 30 wherein both of said receptacles comprise a bottom, an upstanding sidewall and a rim defining said upwardly open cavities, said cavities being at least of sufficient capacity to receive and house all of said line except for one of said ends of said line held to one of said receptacles, and wherein both of said receptacles are so constructed and arranged that the line will slither back and forth along said rim of said receptacles, this slithering resulting from the fact that at times the line will feed from one location in said cavity and at other times from another location therein. .Iaddend..Iadd. 38. A plaything comprising in combination:   a linear flaccid line which because of its flaccidity is so constructed and arranged that it can be amassed in a heap with the last fed-in parts thereof resting on previously fed-in parts;   a first receptacle comprising a bottom, an upstanding sidewall, and a rim formed on the upper edge of said sidewall, said bottom and upstanding sidewall defining an upwardly open cavity of sufficient capacity to house said line when said line is amassed in a heap with the last fed-in parts of said line resting on previously fed-in parts thereof, and said rim defining an unobstructed opening at the upper end of said cavity of said first receptacle;   a first end formed as part of said linear flaccid line;   means holding said first end of said line to said first receptacle at a location within said cavity of said first receptacle;   a second receptacle comprising a bottom, an upstanding sidewall, and a rim formed on the upper edge of said sidewall, said bottom and upstanding sidewall defining an upwardly open cavity of sufficient capacity to house said line when said line is amassed in a heap with the last fed-in parts of said line resting on previously fed-in parts thereof, and said rim defining an unobstructed opening at the upper end of said cavity of said second receptacle;   a second end formed as part of said linear flaccid line;   means holding said second end of said line to said second receptacle at a location within said cavity of said second receptacle;   a first portion of said linear flaccid line, including as part thereof said first end, said first portion being amassed in a heap in said upwardly open cavity of said first receptacle;   a second portion of said line, including as part thereof said second end, said second portion of said line extending up and out of said cavity of said first receptacle, over said rim of said first receptacle, and, when said second receptacle is adjacent to said first receptacle, toward said second receptacle, over said rim of said second receptacle and down into said cavity of said second receptacle, whereby when said first receptacle is positioned above said second receptacle, said line will hang vertically from said first receptacle to said second receptacle with the result that as soon as the vertical separation between said first and second receptacles becomes great enough said first portion, except for said first end held to said first receptacle, will -- because of gravity acting on the vertically hanging line -- be caused to run up and out of said cavity of said first receptacle, over said rim of said first receptacle and down into said cavity of said second receptacle, said line as it runs over said rim of said first receptacle slithering back and forth, said slithering resulting from said line at one time feeding from one location in said cavity of said first receptacle and at other times feeding from another location in said cavity, the said rim-defined opening of said upwardly open cavity of said second receptacle being large enough to receive said running line as it slithers back and forth over said rim of said first receptacle and runs down into said cavity of said second receptacle. .Iaddend. .Iadd.39. The invention of claim 38 wherein said linear flaccid line comprises a chain. .Iaddend..Iadd. 40. The invention of claim 38 wherein said linear flaccid line comprises a string of beads. .Iaddend..Iadd. 41. The invention of claim 38 wherein said linear flaccid line comprises a series of separate members conjointly connected together. .Iaddend.