Magic trick for enwrapping a solid ring in a solid chain
A magic trick for causing a solid ring to falsely penetrate through a flexible solid chain. A magician suspends a portion of the chain from a first hand, wherein the portion has a generally U-shape. The magician also holds the ring by a second hand to position the ring near the top of the portion. Then, the ring is released from the second hand and caused to rotate with respect to the portion so that the bottom tip of the portion loops around a portion of the ring and thereby a loop for hanging the ring from the chain is formed by a bottom part of the portion. The ring hanging from the chain makes an audience of the magic trick perceive a false impression that the solid ring has passed through the solid chain.
The present invention relates generally to magic tricks, and more particularly to a magic trick for causing a solid ring having a loop of a solid chain passed therethrough to become enwrapped in the chain as the ring is allowed to fall about the chain.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONHistorically, magicians and showmen have devised magic tricks and feats to deceive viewers or to make audiences perceive intended illusions for amusement and wonder. To implement magic tricks, the magicians use various articles and devices that range from simple coins and cards to complicated equipments installed in stages. One of the popular tricks has been using a ring and a chain or a rope. However, conventional magic trick performed using a ring and a rope require specially designed ring/rope or an additional device(s) hidden to the viewers. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a magic trick that uses only a pair of ring and chain having simple configurations and can be easily learned and performed by controlling a finger of the magician.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONBriefly, a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a method of performing a magic trick wherein a solid ring is caused to become enwrapped in a closed loop of a flexible solid chain. The method includes steps of: suspending a portion of a closed loop of a flexible chain from a first hand, the suspended portion assuming an elongated generally U-shape; holding a ring by a second hand in a horizontal direction beneath the suspended portion of the chain and raising the ring upwardly toward the first hand, allowing the suspended portion of the chain to pass through the ring until the ring is positioned beneath the first hand and near the top of the suspended portion; releasing the ring from the second hand; and causing the ring to rotate with respect to the chain as it falls downwardly so that the lower extremity of the suspended portion is caused to loop around the ring and become enwrapped thereabout such that the ring hangs from said chain.
One advantage of the preferred embodiment is that the magic trick is quite simple and requires only a solid ring and a flexible chain having simple configurations. Another advantages of the preferred embodiment is that the magic trick can be easily learned by a magician. Yet another advantage of the preferred embodiment is that the magic trick is performed by simply positioning a finger in a crucial location to impart rotational momentum to the ring while the finger movement can be concealed from the viewers.
These and other objectives, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.
Referring to the drawings,
As depicted, the chain 18 is suspended from the thumb and the index fingers of the left hand 14 of the magician. Also, these fingers are spaced apart from each other to provide a separation D between the hanging strands of the chain and to make the portion 19 of the chain 18 assume an elongated generally U-shape. The separation of the strands near the ring in
It is noted that the knuckle of the middle finger 17 of the right hand 12 is positioned to extend beneath a side of the ring 16, as depicted in
To commence the magic trick, the magician raises the ring 16 near the top of the U-shaped portion 19 while holding the ring 16 in a horizontal direction as depicted in
As discussed above, in the first step in implementing the magic trick, the magician may hold the ring 16 as depicted in
When the ring 16 rotates about 90 degrees from its initial position 21, the ring 16 starts bending portions of the chain 18.
As time elapses further, the bottom tip 26 of the chain moves to loop around the curved portion of the chain near the upper contact points 22a, 22d, i.e., the bottom tip 26 of the chain flips over the upper contact points 22c, 22d, forming a loop 30, as depicted in
It is noted the rotational momentum of the ring 16 is used to curl/bend several portions of the chain 18 as depicted in
Upon completion of rotation in the direction of the arrow 20, the ring 16 rotates in a direction opposite to the arrow 20 due to the gravitational force. The ring 16 is tied to the chain 18 via the loop 30 and thereby rotatably suspends from the chain 18. The ring 16 experiences a pendulum motion along the arrow 32 as depicted in
It is noted that the magician can control the implementation of the magic trick by adjusting the position of the middle finger of a hand holding the ring. More specifically, by simply positioning the knuckle beneath a side of the ring and releasing the ring, the ring is caused to become enwrapped in the chain, implementing the magic. If the knuckle is cleared away from the vertical trajectory of the ring and the ring is released, the ring simply drops without any magic effect. As the viewers cannot notice the crucial and subtle difference in positioning the knuckle relative to the ring, the magic trick can be performed in a simple manner and the magician can easily learn the trick.
It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
Claims
1. A method of performing a magic trick wherein a solid ring is caused to become enwrapped in a closed loop of a flexible solid chain, comprising:
- suspending a portion of a closed loop of a flexible chain from a first hand, the suspended portion assuming an elongated generally U-shape;
- holding a ring by a second hand in a horizontal direction beneath the suspended portion of said chain and raising said ring upwardly toward said first hand, allowing the suspended portion of said chain to pass through said ring until said ring is positioned beneath said first hand and near the top of the suspended portion;
- releasing said ring from said second hand; and
- causing said ring to rotate with respect to said chain as it falls downwardly so that the lower extremity of the suspended portion is caused to loop around said ring and become enwrapped thereabout such that said ring hangs from said chain.
2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said ring is held by the thumb and index finger of said second hand and a knuckle of the middle finger of said second hand is positioned beneath one side of said ring and wherein, when dropped, said ring hits said knuckle and is caused thereby to rotate with respect to said chain.
3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said ring rotates substantially 180° as it falls downwardly toward the lower extremity of the suspended portion of said chain.
4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said ring is generally circular in shape.
5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said chain is formed of a beaded chain or a flexible string.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 27, 2007
Publication Date: Aug 28, 2008
Inventors: Taisheng (Andrew) Han (Fullerton, CA), Jung-Fa Hsia (West Covina, CA)
Application Number: 11/713,954
International Classification: A63J 5/02 (20060101);