US1782477A - Animated toy - Google Patents

Description

H. E. PRICE ANIMATED TOY Nov. 25, 1930.4

Filed Jan.

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Filed Jan. 29, 1927 3 sheets-sheet 2 3mm/nica Nov. 25, 1930. H. E. PRICE 1,732,477

ANIMATED TOY Filed Jan. 29, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 HePbenI/LHCG 3mm btofoneqo.

` legs of 'the toy "will Patented Nov, 25, 1930 s 7 UNITED s` f HERBnRrnnWas-n Enron, on snerrLnQWAsrniieroN `Thisinvention relates to Aan animatedltcy, c y one `of the` objects. beingto*` providea body containing al: lnotor x simulating an animal p havingineans, actuated thereby-j wherebytheV be `moved `in properly timedrelation, during such movement, wallringractiol'i will begproduced and-thetoy Vmove forward 'with e animal"repref` sented.` y y y A i, f, A. further `objectgisto provide supplemental mechanism lilrewisea'ctuated by the motor was body` portion of thefcasi whereby theV head can frein.` side to side, v can be caused" f'to'fmove, the lewer4 jaw will jworlrrelative to thetherjawfetc. f'

Another' Objectis to provide ameans*for holding Lthe mechanism against actuation, said means, when shifted` from normal `position, however, 'serving to release thev inotor 'be caused to swing "notherobjectis torfprovidefpoweitranse mitting lnechanismwhich jis sim le,"con1pact and eicient ,andcan bef-reached readily `for the purpose of making adjustments andfree 1 `With the lforegoing' and other objects in view which will appear as the Adescriptien proceeds, the invention resides intheicoin bination and arrangement of parts and inthe i details "of` construction' hereinafter described `and fclaimed,"` it A being "understood" that 'changes in the "precise embodiment of the in# ventionj herein disclosed may be-madewithin the scope of `whatis claimed, withoutdepartingl from thespirit of the invention.,l ,l

WIr-iA theaccompa'nying drawings, the Apre-` `fe ed 'form of the invention has lbeen shown.

Figure 11S a h orizontal section through' the ng of the 1t`o`y, the mechanism therein `being head portion of the casing beingillustrated partly in plan andpartly in section and the ,outline4 of Athe covering `of dicated'by broken lines.

*FigureUZ is" al central `vertical section through `the head and" body portion of the easingvshowing the operating mechanism in elevation; -ifr the legs being so jcinted-that,

"the eyes, 1ears and l tongue se thattlie several part-s `will be actuated.

"shown in plan, the

the` toy being ining the mechanism from` theopposite side, the head 4portion of the casingV being shown fin' elevation.` s

gure 4 sectionon linee-f4, Figure.

l'1`1gure5V is a detail vie'wof themech'anism employed"V for Aactuating `the "lower jaw,

tongue, eyes and ears.` f i A "Fwure 61s al view 1n diavrain shwihff one b I3 b Vposition of the forwardright leg of the toy Figure `Sis a viewsimilartoFigure 2 view-V during the for-ward movementof the device. i j *Figure is asimilar View showing `another f position; y y

Figure 8 1s avlew like Figure? butshow`-` 'ing a third position "j i Figure 9is a view illustrating a fourth po.- sitionof the leg. y 7

-Refterringto thevgures byichara'cters f `reference 1 designatesacasing formed of any suitable material simulating the body Iof an animal, this casingbeing` `provided on one side with a large a door` Awhen closed, forms a portionol:` theisurli'ace Aof the bedy. is open `as shownatll" andlformed inthe bottom portion of thevbo'dy'casing near the `front and baclr endstliereoiZ are openigs 5 .-Erthe receptionof theflegportions of the Y ,y M =f` l an A main or basel strip` 6 is extended longiy tudinally within the body portion 1 jand is anysuitable mannerto fixedly secured in y saidbody portion,` Thisfstrip extends between the front openings and the rearopenings `5 and hals cross strips 7 `secured tothe Y `The neclrfprtion ,ofi the'body 1 i opening 2 normally closed 3 hingedly mounted and which,V

end portions" thereof, each `crossstrip being provided with depending ears 8 at its ends and which earsproject close` to the openings 5. y Pivotally connectedtotheears 8 at the `rear end of the base strip 6 are levers 9 having arms l0 fixedly attached thereto and projecting-upwardly therefrom.'V Theselevers project downwardly through theopenings 5 and constitute the upper portionsv ofthehind legs of the'animal, 'the lower endof each of the levers 9 being forked as at llandrounded downwardlyand forwardly. A pivot {pin 12 entendstransversely through the orksand engages anear lextending upwardly from the lower leg portion 14, said ear working within the forks 11. Short strips are secured to the sides of the loweil leg portions 14 and project downwardly therefrom, the lower ends of these strips being pivotally connected at 16 to a block 17 constituting the foot portions of the legs. Backward swinging movement of the leg `section 14 relative to the leg section 9 is limited by a strap 19 preferably of elastic which is extended along the front faces of the leg-portions 9 and 14 and is attached at its upper end to the leg portion 9 and at its lower end to the leg portion 14. rlhus leg portion 14 is free to swing forwardly about the pivot 12 but has a limited backward swingingmovement about said pivot.

Each of the hind legs of the animal is constructed as described. Each of the front legs is also constructed in this manner. By referring to the drawing it will be seen that each front leg includes a lever 2O pivotally mounted, as at 21, upon one of the ears 8 and having an arm 22 extending upwardly therefrom. The lower portion 23 of the leg extends into and is pivotally attached to the leg portion as shown at 24 and also has a block 25 connected to the lower end thereof and constitutes a foot portion. A strap 26 similar to the strap 19 is provided for limiting the backward swinging movement of thc lower leg portion 23 relative to the upper leg portion 20.

A spring motor of any preferred construction and which has been indicated generally at 26 is iixedly mounted on the adjacent strip 6, there being a winding stem 27 extending therefrom toward an opening 28 in the body portion 1 so that a suitable winding key can thus be placed in engagement with the arbor or stem for the purpose of winding` the spring of the motor. The motor includes in its construction the usual fan 29 and this fan normally engages a stop linger 30 extending laterally from a lever 31 which is pivotally mounted, as at 32, upon the frame 33 of the motor. A rod 34 is connected to the free end of the lever 31 and extends upwardly through the top of the body casing 1 where it is provided with a knob 35 or the like by means of which the rod can be raised easily for the purpose of shifting the linger 30 out of the path of the fan 29 and thereby releasing the motor. Lever 31 engages the frame 33 with sufficient friction to cause said lever to remain in any posit-ion to which it may be moved by the rod 34.

The motor includes in its construction a large gear 36 to which are attached oppositely extending cranks 37, 38 and 39.

Upstanding from the rear cross strip 7 is a post 40 on which is fulcrumed aV transversely extending lever 41. 'T he ends of this lever loosely engage the respective arms 10 of the rear legs and toone of these arms 10 is attached a pitman 42 connected to the crank arm 37. Another post 43 extends upwardly from the front cross strip 7 and a transverse lever 44 is fulcrumed thereon, the ends of this lever being loosely engaged with the arms 22 of the front legs of the toy. To one of these arms 22 is attached a pitman 45 connected to and actuated by the crank arm 38.

Attached to the frame 33 of the motor at that side thereof remote from the crank arms 37, 38 and 39, is a lever 46 connected by a pitman 47 to one of the arms 10 of the rear legs. Extending forwardly from the upper portion of the front of the body 1 is an arm 48 and another arm 49 is extended forwardly from the front cross strip 7. Arranged between the forward ends of these arms and pivotally connected to them as at 50, is the rear portion of the head casing 51 shaped to simulate the head of an animal, the rear portion of this casing 51 being open while the front portion is shaped to provide an upper jaw 52. Openings 53 for the eyes and openings 54 for the ears are also provided within this casing. A bracket 55 is attached to one side of' the head casingV 51 and this bracket connected by a pitman 56 to the lever 46.

The crank arm 39 has a downwardly projecting extension 57 connected by a pitman 58 to a linger 59 extending upwardly from one end of a transverse lever 60. This lever extends under the base strip 6 and is provided at the other side of said strip with an upstanding ear 61. Extending rearwardly from and attached to the finger 59 is a cord 62 slidably engaging a guide 63 which is supported by an arm 64 close to but back of one of the hind legs of the toy close to its point of Vattachment to the ear 8. From this guide 63 the cord is extended downwardly and is attached firmly to the lower leg portion 14 close to and back of its pivot 12, as shown at 65. Another cord 66 is attached to the finger 59 and extends forwardly therefrom over a guide 67 attached to the base strip 6 close to and above the opening 5 through which one of the front leg portions is extended. VFrom this guide 67 the cord is extended downwardly and is fixedly attached, as at 68, to the lower leg portion 23 of one of the front legs of the toy at a point close to but back of the pivot 24. A cord 69 is attached to the ear 61 and is extended forwardly therefrom to a guide 70 corresponding with the guide 67 and likewise attached to the base strip 6. The cord is extended downwardly from this guide and is attached to the lower leg portion 23 of the other front leg of the toy at a point close to and back of the pivot 24, as shown at 71 in Figure 2. Another cord 72 is attached to the ear 61 and is extended rearwardly therefrom to a guide 73 carried by an arm 74 extending through the opening of the other rear leg and weeg-.ive

"fronti this guide the /cordisffeztended `downward-1y, te eheleiwer leg portion 114 er seid hind leg ,to whiehit is attached close to and "back ofthe pivot 12 asshown at A75. g

F rom the foregoingf'description:it`is believed that the operation ofthe leg portions i feed ehe heed win be apparent. When the Jie motor Vis released `by lifting" `the lrnob^ the "cranks'f, 38 and 39 will be rotated at the `desired speed.` Crank 37 will operate pitinan i f42 and'causetlilelever 4'1`t`o osoillate,` Thus "asone" hind leg isgtsw'ung forwardly""through ieg win "frein fthe crank arin 38 through -pitman 45 to lever44: where fasiinilar action talr'e's place,

"the front right leg being swung rearwardly Y' relative tothe body portibnwhile the hind Vright-leg is being swung forwardly relative` to. theibody portion. Atl the saine time the inent of "the legs will be reversed'.` AAt all Ytinoes during thisrbacl( and forth movement fof thelegs, thebloclis 1 7!` and `25 14willworlr "freely `aboutV their pivotal connef'xtionsy so as adjust 'themselves autornatically to the "surfaee over which the toy isftravelling. As

the legs are thus `beinlzggactuated "n`1`otion is "being transmitted to tlie"`ltransverseJlever froni the crank arm 39, its extension 57 and thepitinan 58. When the legs reach the poi sitions shownvin Figures 1and2 and are "aboutto start movements inrcverse direction,

lever. 60 shifts the several" cords connected "theretoso as topull onthe lowerlegpor-V tions ofthe legsiin .properly `timed succession with the result thatiwhen a leg is in use its forwardly extended position the cord oonnected to the lower portion thereof will be pulled taut whereas when the leg is in its i .i rearrnost position the cord will be paid out so as toallow lthe lower` leg portion to swing `forwardly to anew position.

The action of the levers andoords on the leg sections has been illustrated clearly in Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9.

Figure 6 illustrates the leg as it is about to swing forwardly.v It will be noted that at this time the cord .66 is slack. While the front left leg and the rear right leg are in the positions shown in Figure 9, at which time the body of the toy is beingmoved forwardly about the pivotal connections between the leg sec 6b tions 23 and 25, the front rightleg and the rear left leg are brought to the position shown in 'Figure 7 at which time leg section 20 is swung forwardly, section 23 is pulled .upwardly and rearwardly and pressure of the foot'section 25 upon the supporting sur- -feee `is relieved. This 1nievementfefileg eeeltion 23 to the positionshown in Figure *7.

necessitates a slight 'elongationof the elastic foremost `positions `as shown FigureN.

Figure 7V the front nright legarid the rear left leg willfstart baokwardly "as shewnin-'Figure 9 picking `up the jweight' of the body Tand r'etaining 'the `loadiintil theselegsreaeh the position shown in lligiire;` Thus'fas `a` result of the properly tiinedurnovelnents ofthe arts," the actuation' of the motoriwillfresult inthe .toy walking l"forwardly.l During the operation `described leverf will operate pitinan 56 with theresultlthatw headportion will be fromside to` `s1 e.` 1* "left `front legis being-swung `forwardly while theleft hind leg `isgliieing swung rearwardly. l This rnoveinent tales plae during one-half fthe rotation of the'cranlr arms. During the J otherihalf of the rotation thereof the `rn'oveLM For `the purpose 'offad'ding tothe Arealistic '76pA and slidable thereonare tlieoffsetpor- `tions 79 "of a strip 80" simulating a; tongue.'

1'l`hen asthe-.front left legandthefrearright "leg begin `to moveriforwardly as' "showdin end `iev extended i longitudinally theree'f; A

spring si ie mounted en the red 78 and beers atene end egen'etene of the olffsetfpoiftions 4V77 y andat its other end'againstafstop f82on the lever 76, "Thusjthespring *servesto hold une the tongue normally* extended forwardly relative to the jaws". @A guidef83,` Whioh can `upperportion ofthe headfeasingl "and this guide is adapted to support t'wo cords 84="and 185 respectively* The feordl is attachedto onefof the "arms 225 and is also attaohedfto 'forth w during thefoperation loffthe toy, `the jaw 77 Willbe pulled dewnwardlyibyfthefupf ward rpull ofeord `o`1ithe inner endoflever weed will be eubeeqeendy returned le as `normal position by lthe pulling action a vspringj86 whioh is Vatta'ehn `to `lever 76 and i ,to the lower portion ofjthe head easing 51. AttheSametime/nord 84`willl pull onthe tongue 80"`so asto retraetitvagainstthe action of spring `81 after which `seid 'tongue [will be' released and will bepjre'jeete'd forwardly -byehe spring. Extending deroes eeen-ofthe `eye openings-531e e pinejournaledffnor retai material exi is connected by a spring 91 to the front portion of the head casing 51. A cord 92 is extended from this linger 90 to a lever 94rfulcrumed within the headcasing 5l close to one of the openings 54. rlhe upper portion of this lever is extended through the opening and constitutes an ear 95. A cord 96 extends from lever 94 to one of the arms 22. It is to be understood that one eye and one ear are thusV connected to one of the arms 22 while the other eye and the other ear are connected in the same manner to the other arm 22. Consequently as the toy is moved the eyes will be caused to move and the ears will also work back and forth.

To complete the natural appearance of the toy the entire body and head portion as well as the legs may be covered with fur or any other suitable flexible material indicated generally at 97.

1. An animated toy including a body portion, a spring motor therein, articulated legs pivotally connected to and extending from the body portion, each leg including an upper leg portion, a lower leg portion and a foot portion mounted for relative movement, means operated by the motor for simultaneously moving forwardly one front leg and the diagonally opposed rear leg and for moving rearwardly one front leg and the diametrically opposed rear leg, and means controlled by the motor for holding the lower leg portion against swingingmovement relative to the upper leg portion during the last portion of its forward movement and the rst portion of its rearward movement and for releasing Vsaid lower leg` portion to swing relative to the upper leg portion during-the remaining swinging movement of the legs, said means including an elastic strap connecting the upper leg portion to the lower leg portion at the front thereof, an actuating cord connected to the lower leg portion at the back thereof, and a motor operated lever connected to the cord forholding said cord taut during the latter portion of the forward movement and first portion of the rearward i movement of the leg, thereby to stretch the strap of said leg, and for producing slack in the cord during the latter portion of the rearward movement and first portion of the forward movement of the leg.

-2. An animated toy including a body portion, articulated leg portions pivotally connected thereto, each leg portion including an upper portion, a lower portion, and a foot portion connected for relative swinging, elastic connections between the upper and lower portions of each leg for limiting the rearward swinging movement of the lowerportion relative to the upper portion, cords connected to the back portions of the lower leg portions, a spring motor for swinging the legsrelative to the body to cause the diagonally opposed legsto movesimultaneously in the same direction, and means controlled by the motor for alternately pulling and paying out the cords in properly timed relation to the swinging of the legs, thereby to hold the lower leg portions against movement relative to the upper leg portions during the first portion of the rearward swinging movement of the legs and the last portion of the forward swinging movement thereof and to permit free forward swinging of the lower leg portions relative to the upper leg portions during the first portion of the forward movement of the legs, said cords being at all times in direct connection with their actuating means.

3. An animated toy including a. body portion, articulated legs pivotally connected thereto, each leg including an upper leg portion a lower le T ortion and a foot aortion 9 b 7 l c ,pivotally connected, arms extending into the body from the leg portion, a spring motor within the body, driving connections which at all times positively join the motor and the arms for actuating the legs to move diagonally opposed legs in the same direction simultaneously, two of the legs being movable in one direction while the remaining legs are movable in the opposite directions, elastic means for yieldingly holding the lower leg portions against swinging movement relative to the upper leg portions during the backward swinging movement of the legs and motor operated means for releasing the lower llegportions for free forward swinging relative to the upper leg portions during the first port-ion of the forward swinging of the legs and for pulling upon the lower leg portions during the latter portion of the forward movement thereof.

In testimony that I claim the forgoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature.

HERBERT EDWARD PRICE.

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