Teleporter

Abstract

A figure placed into a first unit and watched through a transparent door is made to disappear and simultaneously to reappear in a remote second unit from which it may be removed. The first unit, also referred to as the sending unit, comprises a housing which includes a multi-chamber turntable which can contain one or more figures. A door in the first unit includes a half silvered mirror and an additional chamber so that a figure in a turntable chamber can be made to seem to dissolve and disappear. A second multi-chamber unit, also referred to as a receiving unit, substantially identical to the first, is connected to the first unit by wires. Selected chambers of the second unit are filled with figures substantially identical to the figures to be sent by the first unit. Initially, a first figure is placed into the first unit. The transparent door closes and locks and the figure seems to dissolve by the transfer of lighting to the additional chamber in the door. Simultaneously, an identical figure is made to appear in the second unit. After the dissolve process, the previously visible chamber of the first unit has indexed so as to place a vacant chamber in its previous location. The door of the first unit then opens and the vacant chamber inspected. The door of the second unit also opens and the figure removed for inspection. Encoding magnets in the figure being sent identify the figure to cause the multichambered turntable in the receiving unit to index to the correct chamber. In an alternative embodiment operated on similar principles, a pair of turntables in the same unit rotate in a coordinated manner to cause a figure to transmogrify into another figure. Simultaneous cross dissolves are also possible in the alternative embodiment.

I claim: .[.1. A teleporter toy apparatus for making a figure seem to disappear comprising: 
     
        in said first chamber seem to disappear..].2. .[.The.]. .Iadd.A teleporter toy .Iaddend.apparatus .[.of claim 1 further.]. .Iadd.for making a figure seem to disappear .Iaddend.comprising: .Iadd.a first multi-chamber means having at least a first and a second figure-receiving chamber mounted on a first turntable;   a first door means located adjacent to said first multi-chamber means for viewing one of said chambers of said first multi-chamber means at a time;   a first dissolve means located in said first door means for making a figure in said first chamber seem to disappear;   a first turntable driving means for positioning said second chamber behind said first door means after said first dissolve means has made the figure in said first chamber seem to disappear; .Iaddend.   a second multi-chamber means having at least a first and a second figure-receiving chamber therein mounted on a second turntable;   a second door means located adjacent said second multi-chamber means for viewing one of said chambers of said second multi-chamber means at a time;   a second dissolve means located in said second door means for making a figure in one of said chambers of said second multi-chamber means seem to appear;   a second turntable driving means for driving the chambers of said second multi-chamber means past said second door means; and,   communication means for coordinating the rotation of said first and second   
     
     
        turntable driving means. 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said first and second dissolve means comprise: a nonaccessible additional compartment located respectively within said first and second door means;   partially silvered mirror means located at an angle with respect to said additional compartment and the chambers of said first and second multi-chamber means adjacent said first and second door means; and,   additional chamber illumination means located within said first and second door means for controlling the illumination of said additional chamber with respect to the chambers of said first and second multi-chamber means adjacent said first and second door means,   wherein said dissolve means makes a figure in one of the chambers seem to   
     
     
        disappear by making the additional chamber more visible to a viewer. 4. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising: 
     
     
       1ocking means for locking said first and second door means. 5. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising: encoding means connected to said communication means and attached to said first and second turntables for coordinating rotation of the turntables of   
     
     
        said first and second multi-chamber means respectively. 6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising: turntable chamber illuminating means for illuminating the chamber directly   
     
     
        adjacent said first and second door means. 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said partially silvered mirror of said dissolve means is located at an angle of substantially 45° with respect to said additional chamber and said chamber on said turntable directly adjacent said door means. .[.8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a second turntable having at least a first and a second figure-receiving chamber therein, said second turntable located adjacent said first turntable and oriented at an angle of approximately 90° thereto;   a second turntable driving means for driving said second turntable; and,   a partially silvered mirror means located in said first door means and positioned at an angle with respect to said chambers in said first and said second turntables,   wherein said first dissolve means causes an action figure in a chamber of said first turntable appear to transmogrify into an action figure in said   
     
     
        second turntable..].9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: sound means for making a sound to disguise the noise made by said apparatus. .[.10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first turntable driving means comprises:   a motor; and,   
     
     
       a Geneva-type drive means attached to said motor..].11. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising at least a first original figure and a first duplicate figure substantially .[.identical to.]. .Iadd.similar .Iaddend.said first original figure, wherein said first duplicate figure is prestored in said second multi-chamber means and accessible only through the introduction of said   
     
     
        first original figure in said first multi-chamber means. 12. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said encoding means includes: a plurality of magnets in at least one figure; and,   magnet sensitive switch means mounted on said apparatus adjacent said turntable for activation by said magnets as said figures pass by said magnet sensitive switch means. .[.13. A teleporter apparatus comprising:   a first multi-chamber means having at least a first and a second figure receiving chamber therein located on a turntable;   first door means located adjacent said first multi-chamber means for viewing at least one of said chambers of said first multi-chamber means;   second multi-chamber means having at least a first and a second figure-receiving chamber therein located on a turntable;   second door means located adjacent said second multi-chamber means for viewing at least one of said chambers of said second multi-chamber means; and,   communication means for making a figure in one of the chambers of said first multi-chamber means appear to disappear from said first multi-chamber means and reappear in one of said chambers of said second multi-chamber means..]..[.14. An apparatus for making a figure disappear comprising:   a first turntable having at least a first and a second figure-receiving chamber located therein;   a first turntable driving means;   a second turntable having at least a first and a second figure-receiving chamber located therein, said second turntable being located adjacent to said first turntable and oriented at approximately 90° with respect thereto;   a second turntable driving means for driving said second turntable;   a door means located adjacent to said first and second turntables for viewing at least one of the chambers in said first and second turntables; and,   a dissolve means located in said door means for making a figure in a chamber in said first turntable appear to transmogrify into a figure in a chamber in said second turntable..]..[.15. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said dissolve means includes:   first illumination means for illuminating a chamber in said first turntable;   second illumination means for illuminating a chamber in said second turntable; and,   a partially silvered mirror means mounted in said door means and located at an angle with respect to said chambers of said first and second   
     
     
        turntables..].16. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising: communication means for connecting said apparatus to at least a second substantially similar apparatus,   wherein an action figure .Iadd.seemingly .Iaddend.transmogrified in one   
     
     
        apparatus will appear in said second apparatus and vice versa. 17. A method for making a figure disappear and reappear comprising the steps of: placing a figure in one chamber of a first multi-chamber means such that said figure is viewable through a door;   making said figure appear to disappear to an empty chamber;   rotating said chamber with said figure away from said door;   transmitting information from said first multi-chamber means to a second multi-chamber means including a plurality of chambers at least one of which includes a figure substantially identical to the figure initially seen in said first multi-chamber means; and,   making said substantially identical figure appear to reappear through a door in said second multi-chamber means. .[.18. A method for making a first figure transmogrify into a second figure comprising the steps of:   placing said first figure in one chamber of a first multi-chamber turntable such that said first figure is visible through a door;   illuminating said visible chamber of said first turntable;   illuminating a chamber of a second multi-chamber turntable located adjacent to said first turntable;   a rotating said first turntable so as to present a different chamber; and,   making said second located in said second turntable appear visible through said door,   wherein said first figure appears to transmogrify into said second   
     
     
        figure..].19. A teleporter .Iadd.simulation .Iaddend.apparatus comprising: first multi-chamber means having at least a first and a second chamber for receiving .[.figures.]. .Iadd.objects .Iaddend.therein;   second multi-chamber means having at least a first and a second chamber containing further .[.figures.]. .Iadd.objects .Iaddend.therein;   automatic identifying means for determining the identity of said .[.figures.]. .Iadd.objects .Iaddend.in said first multi-chamber means; and   electronic communication means for communicating the identity of .[.a figure.]. .Iadd.an object .Iaddend.in one of the chambers of said first multi-chamber means to said second multi-chamber means and for coordinating the disappearance of one of said .[.figures.]. .Iadd.objects .Iaddend.from one of the chambers of said first multi-chamber means and the appearance of said further .[.figures.]. .Iadd.objects .Iaddend.in one   
     
     
        of said chambers of said second multi-chamber means. 20. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising: first .[.door.]. .Iadd.viewing .Iaddend.means located adjacent said first multi-chamber means for viewing at least one of said chambers of said first multi-chamber means; and,   second .[.door.]. .Iadd.viewing .Iaddend.means located adjacent said second multi-chamber means for viewing at least one of said chambers of said   
     
     
        second multi-chamber means. 21. A method for making a figure disappear and reappear comprising the steps of: placing a figure in one chamber of a first multi-chamber means such that said figure is viewable;   automatically determining the identity of said figure;   making said figure seem to disappear;   electronically transmitting information comprising information about the identity of said figure from said first multi-chamber means to a second multi-chamber means including a plurality of chambers at least one of which includes a figure substantially identical to the figure initially seen in said first multi-chamber means; and,   making said substantially identical figure seem to appear in said second   
     
     
        multi-chamber means. .[.22.  A method for making a figure transmogrify into another figure comprising the steps of: placing a first figure in one chamber of a first multi-chamber turntable such that said first figure is visible through a door;   illuminating said one chamber of said first turntable;   illuminating a chamber of a second multi-chamber turntable located adjacent to said first turntable;   rotating said first turntable so as to present a different chamber; and,   making a second figure located in said turntable appear visible through said door,   wherein said first figure appears to transmogrify into said second figure..]..[.23. A method for making a figure transmogrify into another figure comprising the steps of:   placing a first figure in a first chamber of a first mutli-chamber means such, that said first figure remains visible after placement in said chamber, wherein said first multi-chamber means contains a second figure in a second chamber of said first multi-chamber means, and further wherein said second figure is similar to said first figure;   presenting a substantially similar third figure located in a chamber of a second multi-chamber means located adjacent said first multi-chamber means, to a visual dissolve means   dissolving the image of said first figure such that a viewer sees the third figure through said visual dissolve means;   activating said first multi-chamber means so as to present said second figure to said dissolve means;   cross dissolving the image of said third figure into said second figure so that said second figure located in said first multi-chamber means is visible to the viewer; and,   
     
     
       removing said second figure from said first multi-chamber means..].24. A teleporter apparatus for making an object seem to disappear from one location and appear at another location comprising: a first unit and at least one substantially similar other unit capable of causing objects to seem to disappear and appear;   automatic identifying means for determining the identity of said objects; and,   electronic communication means for communicating the identity of said objects from said first unit to said other unit and for coordinating the disappearance of said objects from said first unit with the appearance of   
     
     
        a similar object at at least one of said other units. 25. The apparatus of claim 24 further comprising: selecting means for selecting one of several objects stored in at least one   
     
     
        of said other units in which an object appears and causing to appear. 26. The apparatus of claim 24 further comprising: viewing means incorporated into said first unit and said other units for permitting an observer to watch an object as it seems to disappear and   
     
     
        appear. 27. The apparatus of claim 24 further comprising door means for permitting the insertion of objects to be disappeared into said first unit and for permitting the removal of objects that have appeared from said 
     
     
        other unit. 28. A teleporter .Iadd.simulation .Iaddend.apparatus comprising: a first multi-object storage means for storing a plurality of objects having at least a first and a second .[.figure.]. .Iadd.object .Iaddend.storage location therein;   automatic identifying means for determining the identity of said objects;   a second multi-object storage means having at least a first and a second .[.figure.]. .Iadd.object .Iaddend.storage location therein; and,   electronic communication means for communicating the identity of .[.a figure.]. .Iadd.an object .Iaddend.in one of the storage locations of said first multi-object storage means to said second multi-object storage means and for making .[.a figure.]. .Iadd.an object .Iaddend.in one of the storage locations of said first multi-object storage means seem to disappear from said first multi-object storage means and reappear at one of the locations of said second multi-object storage means.