Patents by Inventor Art J. Foss

Art J. Foss has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 4695262
    Abstract: A toy rotating gear accessory which may be used in conjunction with a gyroscopic top. The accessory has a supporting body with a number of apertures passing through it. One or more circular gears may be removably attached to the supporting body by segmented flexible members located on the top surfaces of the gears. The flexible members may be inserted into or slid out of the apertures in the supporting body by simply bending the members. After the gears are attached to the supporting body, they are free to rotate with respect to the body. Protuberances located on the top surface of each gear help to reduce friction between the gears and the supporting body. Supports located on the bottom surfaces of the gears support the accessory on a horizontal surface. During play, a child may insert the rotating portion of a gyroscopic top into a cylindrical bore located on the upper surface of one of the gears. This causes the gear to rotate and the entire accessory to rotate about the center of the gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1987
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Crosby, Art J. Foss