Programmable Cylinder Musical Toy

Abstract

A musical toy includes a wheel with a cylindrical face comprised of a magnetic sheet layer, a printed graphic and a top perforated layer such that when combined they form a radial array of rows of receiving recesses each preceded by a sequence indicator such as a number. These recesses are positioned to receive metal note balls by means of an upper housing containing lettered slots that correspond to the lettered columns of the musical analog in the songbook. The tubes of the upper housing are kept in alignment with the receiving recesses by a ratchet system that allows for controlled sequential advancement of the wheel. When the note balls are placed at predetermined locations corresponding with the locations of notes on the represented staff, they fall down a tube and are guided and into the corresponding lettered recess for that position on the wheel face. The note balls are retained by the magnetic attraction provided by the magnet sheet in the wheel assembly. When a motor is engaged to rotate the wheel assembly, switch operators extending down from upper housing contact the note balls to play the music so represented by their location in the staff and note configuration. A magnetic wand is provided for quick, convenient removal of the note balls to reset the toy for another song assembly.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A musical toy comprising:
 a) a wheel assembly having two side faces and supported in a manner as to rotate on its central axis;   b) a musical instrument having a plurality of transversely arrayed operators actuable to produce corresponding musical notes, the musical instrument held by a housing to expose the operators adjacent to the said wheel assembly;   c) a plurality of note balls for activating the operators, the note balls constructed of ferrous metal and capable of attraction to a magnet;   d) a cylindrical carrier face connecting the side faces of the wheel assembly and aligned with the musical instrument, the carrier face having a magnet sheet surface and further having a plurality receiving recesses to releasably receive the note balls held in magnetic engagement at different transverse locations so that the note balls may activate the operators of the musical instrument when the wheel assembly rotates.   
     
     
         2 . The musical toy of  claim 1  wherein the receiving recesses of the carrier face are arranged in circumferentially spaced rows to correspond to the beats of measures of a standard musical staff. 
     
     
         3 . The musical toy of  claim 2  wherein the rows of receiving recesses are identified by an ascending number sequence. 
     
     
         4 . The musical toy of  claim 1  wherein the receiving recesses of the carrier face are arranged in transverse columns to correspond to the notes of a standard musical staff. 
     
     
         5 . The musical toy of  claim 1  further including a note ball assembly system comprising a housing suspended in close proximity to the carrier face having a series guide paths for placing the note balls, the guide paths having a funnel slot fir receiving the note balls and funnel tubes ending in alignment with the receiving recesses on the carrier face, the guide paths further being identified with indicia to distinguish their location. 
     
     
         6 . The note ball assembly system of  claim 5  wherein the indicia to distinguish the individual funnel slot locations is representative of notes on a musical staff. 
     
     
         7 . The note ball assembly system of  claim 5  wherein the funnel slots are stacked in two rows and their guide paths lead to the funnel tubes, the funnel tubes arranged in a single row between the two stacked rows of funnel slots. 
     
     
         8 . The note ball assembly system of  claim 5  further including a through window allowing for viewing an individual number of the ascending number sequence of  claim 3 . 
     
     
         9 . A ratchet locating system comprising:
 a) an actuable plunger depressed to engage one of a series of raised features in general alignment with the rows of receiving recesses on the wheel assembly and advance the carrier face;   b) a retractable ratchet ball that when place into compressed engagement with one of a series of features in general alignment with the rows of receiving recesses and the plunger is depressed, the wheel rotates and the carrier face is indexed in a controlled manner to the subsequent row of receiving recesses on the carrier face;   
     
     
         10 . The ratchet locating system of  claim 9  wherein the plunger and ratchet ball features are substantially in alignment with the number row of  claim 3 . 
     
     
         11 . The ratchet locating system of  claim 9  wherein one of more of the features are located in the musical instrument housing of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         12 . The musical toy of  claim 1  further including a printed diagram depicting the carrier face with note balls positioned to correspond with the arrangement the notes of a song. 
     
     
         13 . The printed diagram of  claim 12  wherein the carrier face diagram is depicted as ascending numerical rows and lettered transverse column headings. 
     
     
         14 . The lettered transverse column headings of  claim 12  wherein the letters comprise the notes of a musical staff 
     
     
         15 . The musical toy of  claim 1  wherein a magnetic wand is provided to remove metal note balls. 
     
     
         16 . The magnetic wand of  claim 15  wherein the wand is an elongated magnet rod that can he located parallel to the carrier face such that when the note balls rotate near the wand, they are pulled from the receiving recesses. 
     
     
         17 . The carrier face of  claim 1  wherein the features are constructed by means of injection molding of thermoplastics. 
     
     
         18 . The carrier face of  claim 1  wherein the features are constructed by means of vacuum thermo forming. 
     
     
         19 . The carrier face of  claim 1  wherein the features are constructed by means of stamping or extrusion. 
     
     
         20 . A musical toy comprising:
 a) a wheel assembly having two side faces and supported in a manner as to rotate on its central axis;   b) a musical instrument having a plurality of transversely arrayed operators actuable to produce corresponding musical notes, the musical instrument held by a housing to expose the operators adjacent to the said wheel assembly;   c) a plurality of note balls for activating the operators, the note balls being magnetized and capable of attraction to a metal surface;   d) a cylindrical carrier face connecting the side faces of the wheel assembly and aligned with the musical instrument, the carrier face having a metal surface and further having a plurality receiving recesses to releasably receive the note balls held in magnetic engagement at different transverse locations so that the note balls may activate the operators of the musical instrument when the wheel assembly rotates.