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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a snow mold, and more particularly to an improved
sectional snow mold for forming large figures from snow.
In the traditional manner of forming snowmen or other figures of snow,
large balls of packed snow are formed by rolling initially small snowballs
in the snow until the desired size is reached. For small figures, no
problem was generally presented in placing the finished packed balls of
snow on top of each other to form the desired figure. However, in forming
the larger figures, picking up the finished packed snowball for placement
on the lower snowball, presented difficulty, if not hazards, especially
for the very young and very old.
In an attempt to overcome these disadvantages and allow even a child to
rapidly and easily make a large figure out of the packed snow, a snow mold
as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,059,279 was developed in which the mold is
formed in three sections each, each section being bipartite. The sectional
mold was filled from an upper opening in each section; each individual
section being mounted on top of the lower, larger section when that
section was filled with snow.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The subject invention, in contrast to that taught by the prior art, is a
bipartite mold which may be completely assembled prior to filling with
snow. The mold sections extend longitudinally of the figure to be formed
and have opposing peripheral flanges through which the mold sections are
held together through fastening pins which allow the easy assembly and
disassembly of the mold structure. On one mold section, large openings are
formed in its midsection. In the formation of a snowman figure, these
openings would appear on the upper third of the lower round section and on
the upper third of the middle round section. These openings allow one to
fill the assembled mold with snow, using the lower opening until the snow
reaches the height of such opening and then using the middle section
opening again until the height of the middle section opening is reached. A
round opening is formed at the top or head of the assembled mold sections
to allow the final filling of the mold with snow. When the mold is thus
filled with snow, being packed correctly so as to substantially fill all
of the mold, the fastening pins are withdrawn and the mold halves removed
from the formed snow figure, which should then be free standing, and
perfectly formed in the figure desired.
Therefore, an object of the subject invention is an improved snow mold for
forming a desired figure of snow.
Another object of the subject invention is an improved snow mold which will
allow the forming of a desired figure in snow without excessive lifting of
large amounts of snow.
Still another object of the subject invention is an improved snow mold
which allows the forming of snow figures regardless of the moisture
content of the snow.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further objects of the invention, together with additional features
contributing and advantages accruing therefrom, will be apparent from the
following description of one embodiment of the invention when read in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the improved snow mold of
the subject invention;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the improved snow mold of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the improved snow mold of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the improved snow mold of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. 3
showing the manner of attachment of the fastening pins; and,
FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the fastening pins of the subject
invention.
Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown one embodiment of the subject
invention, an assembled snowman mold 10. The mold assembly 10 can be
formed from two longitudinal hollowed-out halves 15 and 16 which, when
placed together, form the outline of a traditional snowman shape, having
three round hollow portions 17, 18 and 19 placed on top of each other in
order of decreasing size. It should be recognized that other figures are
envisioned, as within the scope of the subject invention for use with
snow. In addition, more than two mold sections may be used if convenient
in forming the desired figure, provided each mold section extends from the
base of the figure to its uppermost section.
On the middle portion 18 and lower portion 19 are large openings 37 and 38
located on the upper third of each round portion providing easy access to
the interior of the mold 10. Flanges 31 are formed on each mold section 15
and 16 in such a manner that when the mold sections 15 and 16 are joined
to form the mold assembly 10, flanges 30 and 31 protrude from the round
assembly 10 on opposing sides.
In one embodiment of the subject invention, the flanges extend only to the
base of the mold sections, thereby leaving the base substantially flat.
The substantial base surface area allowed by the size of the lower round
mold portion 19 thus assures great stability of the mold assembly, both
when empty, and when full of snow, even on slightly irregular or unlevel
ground.
The upper rounded section 17 has a large opening 36 at the top and, with
the other openings 37 and 38, provide for easy packing of the entire mold
interior with snow as will be explained.
The flanges 30 and 31 provide channels or grooves 52 which accept anchoring
pins or fasteners 50 which are in the nature of clothes pins and the like,
having opposing arms 51 and 54 formed in a U-shape (FIG. 6). The arms 51
and 54 are flared at their outside end, reaching an intermediate point of
close proximity at 55 and 56 respectively.
When inserted in grooves 52, the fasteners 50 retain the separate mold
sections 15 and 16 together. These anchor channels 52 may be formed in the
flanges 30 and 31 at the top and base of the mold assembly 10 and at
convenient places in between, such as between the rounded sections of the
mold assembly 10. As shown in FIG. 5, the flange is formed to provide
channels 52 by upsetting pairs of sections 55 from the flanges 30 and 31.
The opposing arms 51 and 54 of the anchor pin 50 are pressed over opposite
sides of the channel 52 to bias the two flange portions of the mold
sections 15 and 16 together (FIG. 5). Protrusions 53 on the flanges 30 and
31 are formed in identical locations in each mold half 15 and 16 to serve
as alignment pegs, thereby insuring that the mold will be assembled in
proper form. These protrusions may comprise an extended or upraised
portion in mold section 15 which is matable into the depression formed by
the upraised portion on mold section 16. There may be at least one
alignment peg in each flange 30 and 31, and preferably two, to allow the
molds to be easily mated and joined together with a minimum of problem.
The alignment pegs are of a large size and preferably integrally formed
into the flange so that it may not be broken off or otherwise deformed
with the attendant loss of function.
The mold assembly may be stored when apart by nesting one mold half 15
inside the other mold half 16 to allow decreased storage space. When
stored in such a manner, the alignment pegs 53 will form a channel at 56
in which the anchor pins 50 may be used to lock the mold into the storage
position.
The use of the subject snowman mold assembly 10 allows for a simple
nonlaborious manner of forming a snowman or other simple figure as
desired. The mold halves 15 and 16 are joined together at the flanges and
aligned through alignment pegs 53. The anchor pins 50 are forced into the
channels 52. When each pin 50 is forced into each channel 52, i.e., at the
top, middle, and base portion of the mold assembly 10, the mold will not
be forced apart through the packing of snow into the interior of the mold
assembly 10. After the mold assembly 10 is thus formed and locked
together, snow is introduced into the interior of the mold assembly 10
through, first, opening 38 on the botton portion of the mold assembly 10
and then opening 37. Having filled the entire bottom portion through
openings 37 and 38, the upper ball portion 17 is filled through top
opening 36. After the snow is packed into the entire mold assembly in as
complete and filling a manner as possible, the pins 50 are removed from
the channels 52 and the mold halves 15 and 16 are removed from the
completed snow figure. The figure thus formed is free standing and will
now accept external decorations as desired.
In addition to the above-described uses as a snowman mold, it has been
found that the mold assembly 10 can be used as an indoor or outdoor game
which may be easily set up. In this game, bean bags may be tossed through
the various openings 36, 37 and 38, awarding a higher number of points to
the person throwing a bean bag in the higher openings, with opening 36 at
the top of the snowman mold being awarded the greatest number of points on
the tossing of the bean bag or other soft article through that opening.
When used in such a manner, the game may be played indoors or outdoors as
desired.
While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred
embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various
changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements
thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition,
many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material
to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential
scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited
to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for
carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all
embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.
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