SNAP A GATOR

Snap-a-Gator (Topps Chewing Gum) 1973

I applied the Mira-Hinge Corp spring hinge technology when creating the Snap-a-Gator, the second container for Topps Chewing Gum.  The kids loved it because they were able to bite each other by snapping the spring loaded alligator jaw with their thumbs.  The teeth were recessed so no one could get hurt.  My son recall a little girl classmate in the 4^th grade who walked around the classroom with the Snap-a-Gator in her pocket with the head sticking out.

I started to create the Snap-a-Gator concept by sketching a top loading container.  A few characters of interest were selected but the alligator drew my attention.  I envisioned the Alligator to be the best selection because its jaw opens upward a naturally.  The Spring Hinge Geometry contributed towards a natural fit and became part of the jaw’s rear muscle.  By adding lifelike features and surfaces, the container took on a somewhat realistic appearance.  In order to make a plastic injection mold, the entire container had to be hand carved by a skilled sculptor in the field by the name of Mr. Bob Lemon.  He accepted the challenge and when he finished carving we had a lifelike reproduction of an Alligator body and upper jaw.  The material of choice used to carve the figure was Acetate.

This material carves best and allows minor errors to be quickly corrected by adding a new piece of acetate to the error spot with Acetone then continue carving.  The carving was sent to the caster to begin making a large production mold.  Getting the Snap-a-Gator out to the market was top priority.  Unfortunately, Mr. Shorin refused to wait the required additional week to harden the steel mold and gave the orders to run the unfinished mold and start production.

Although the Snap-a-Gator experienced fantastic sales, production capability was spotty at best.  As a result of running the non-hardened mold, the steel squashed under the great pressure of molding and the critical fit dimensions were lost.  There were many problems that occurred during the life of the mold causing many expensive stop-to-repair periods.  Many of the cavities were no longer operative and eventually the mold destroyed itself and the product ceased to exist.

Special Thanks To Tina D.  for photos of Snap A Gator.  

BIG TOOTH

Big Tooth (Topps Chewing Gum) 1970

My affiliation to the design and creating new products for the children candy and chewing gum market began when introduced to Mr. Joe Shorin, Vice President of Topps Chewing Gum.  My task was to solve a problem involving design and production of an innovation of Mr. Shorin.  Essentially, their problem consisted of lacking knowledge in design and production of plastic product.  Topps wanted a plastic container in the shape of a tooth as a response to a group of activists bent on getting candy coated chewing gum off the market because they believed it caused tooth decay in children.  The design involved a 2-3/4” high tooth standing upright on 4 roots with a hinged lid closing the container.  The complete container consisted of one piece of plastic which lowered the tooling and production costs.  This was the first novelty gum container of the era and it was named, Big Tooth.  The tooth form attracted children which Mr. Shorin accurately envisioned as a great marketing tool.

This was the introduction of the after use, (play value) container.  We learned it held tremendous attraction for children and sold in the millions of units.  This market demand improved sagging gum and candy sales of the entire product line.

The success of Big Tooth was so encouraging that it created a demand for follow up ideas.  At the time, I was collaborating with Mira-Hinge Corp, a Canadian firm dedicated to the development of new ideas that utilized thin-sectional characteristics of the new plastic material, Polypropylene.  This was the introduction of a unitary spring plastic hinge geometry now seen as commonplace on a variety of bottle screw caps.  The patented Mira Spring Hinge was an inseparable part of my next product, the Snap-a-Gator.

 Photo: Jason Liebig

Welcome

Art work by Vero Ricci    All Rights Reserved

Hello and Welcome to my new Blog!!
My Name is Vero Ricci and I am the Inventor/Designer of what is now know as collectible Vintage Candy Containers.  My products include: Trash Can Candy (Topps) Snappy Gator (Topps), Fireplug (Fleers) Mr. Bones (Fleers) among others.  All were great sellers in the 1970s.

I have decades of products and stories behind the products in my head.  It's time to let them out to the world.

I will be writing about the  candy containers first.  There seems to be a great interest in these on the web.  The toys I made for Charles Schulz will have to wait a bit.

 I will also be sharing my views on art, plastic injection molding, and the business of product development in general

Vero Ricci
  Photo above of some of the products of the era.  Trash Can, Snappy Gator, Fireplug, Bed Bugs are my designs.

Reis O'Brien
Reis O'Bien's Blog

Todd Franklin
neatocoolville Web Site