US3475856A - Means for automatically actuating an animating device in an oscillating toy - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 4. 1969 R.L..cowE1 ET AL 3,475,856

MEANS FOR AUTOMTICALLY ACTUATING AN ANIMATING DEVICE IN AN OSCILLATING TOY Filed Jari. 15, 196e 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 14a Ma H1 'H0 Nov. 4, 1969 R. 1.. cowELl. ET AL 3,475,856

MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY ACTUATING AN ANIMATING Filed Jan. 15, 1968 DEVICE IN AN OSCILLATING TOY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I OBIA A. fan/A21. ,kunnen A. ,ruf

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,fr/navra- United States Patent O 3,475,856 MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY ACTUATING AN ANIMATING DEVICE IN AN OSCILLATING TOY Robert L. Cowell and Richard L. May, Manhattan Beach, Calif., assignors to Mattel, Inc., Hawthorne, Calif., a

corporation of California Filed Jan. 15, 1968, Ser. No. 697,893

Int. Cl. A63h 33/26 U.S. Cl. 46-232 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In an oscillating toy, such as a walking doll, having an animating device, such as a sound-producing device, means are provided for automatically actuating the animating device after the toy has oscillated a predetermined amount. The means shown and described herein for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, include a rolling ball which is caged in a carrier or a reciprocating member carrying a ratchet linger which engages a ratchet wheel each time the carrier reciprocates in one direction for rotating the wheel which carries a protuberance engageable with an electric switch after a predetermined amount of rotation of the ratchet wheel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The background of the invention will be set forth in two parts.

Field of the invention The present invention pertains generally to the iield of means for automatically actuating a device in a toy and more particularly to means in an oscillating toy for automatically -actuating an animating device after the toy has oscillated a predetermined amount.

Description of the prior art Oscillating toys in theI form of walking dolls are known from such prior art disclosures as that contained in Patent No. 3,267,608. Additionally, animating devices in the form of phonographs for use in ligure toys are known from such prior art patents as Patent No. 3,017,187. Furthermore, it is known to employ a phonograph of the type disclosed in Patent No. 3,017,187 in a walking doll of the type disclosed in Patent No. 3,267,608. Such phonographs are actuated by pulling a drawstring to wind a spring motor. This usually requires holding the doll with one hand while the string is pulled with the other hand.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Walking-talking dolls of this type have the disadvantage that the phonograph cannot be readily and easily energized while the doll is walking.

In view of the foregoing factors and conditions characteristic of walking-talking dolls, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a new and useful means for automatically actuating an animating device in an oscillating toy.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means for automatically actuating a sound-producing device in a walking figure toy after the toy has walked a predetermined amount.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an actuating means of the type described including a mass which moves to-and-fro when a figure toy in which it is mounted is rocked from side-to-side during walking movements and means connecting the mass to a ratchet wheel having a protuberance provided thereon for closing an electrical switch after a predetermined amount of rotation of the wheel.

According to the present invention, an oscillatable toy rice is provided with an animating device for producing an animation characteristic of the toy and includes means for automatically actuating the animating device after the toy has oscillated a predetermined amount.

The oscillatable toy is shown herein for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, as comprising a walking figure toy which is provided with a sound-producing device for emitting sounds characteristic of the toy when the sound-producing device is actuated. The toy includes means for automatically actuating the sound-producing device after the toy has walked a predetermined amount.

The sound-producing device is shown herein for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, as comprising a battery-operated phonograph having a tone arm which automatically breaks an electrical circuit to the batteries by engaging and opening an electrical contact on a first switch. The first switch is wired in parallel with a second switch which is closed momentarily automatically after the toy has walked a predetermined amount. This energizes the electric motor long enough to move the tone arm away from the first switch which then remains closed until the phonograph has played a predetermined recording. The tone arm then again engages the first switch to deenergize the motor.

The second switch is automatically closed by a protuberance provided on a ratchet wheel which is given an increment of rotation each time a reciprocating member moves in one direction. The reciprocating member is reciprocated by a ball which is mounted therein. The reciprocating member is suiciently long that the ball may roll from one end to the other of the reciprocating member when the figure toy is oscillated or rocked from sideto-side during walking movements.

Thus, oscillation, such as cradling and rocking movements or walking movements, of the figure toy rolls the ball to-and-fro causing the reciprocating member to reciprocate.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularly in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like elements in the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE l is a perspective view of an oscillatable toy in combination with an animating device and means for automatically actuating the animating device constituting a presently preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the actuating means shown in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of the device shown in FIGURE 2; v

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional View taken along line 6 6 of FIGURE 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring again to the dna-wings, and more particularly to FIGURE 1, an oscillatable toy constituting a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, generally designated 10, includes an animating device 12 for producing an animation characteristic of toy 10. Toy 10 also includes an actuating means 14 for automatically actuating the animating device 12 after toy 10 has oscillated a predetermined amount.

Oscillatable toy is shown herein for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, as comprising a walking doll of the type disclosed in Patent No. 3,267,608 and includes a motor means 16 of the type disclosed in FIGURES 17 and 18 of said Patent No. 3,267,608 for rocking toy 10 from side-to-side during walking movements thereof.

Animating device 12 is shown herein for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, as comprising an electrically-operated toy phonograph which will now be described in connection with FIGURES 1, 5 and 6. The animating device or phonograph 12 includes a housing 20 including a front housing half 22 and a rear housing half 24. Front housing hal-f 22 is provided with an annular shoulder 26 in which a speaker grille 28 and a speaker cone 30 are mounted. A vibration-transitting member 32 is operatively connected to speaker cone 30 and is biased into engagement with a crossbar 34 on a tone arm 36 by a compression spring 38.

The tone arm 36 includes a first end 39 which is pivotally connected to a fixed pin 40 aflixed to rear housing half 24 and a free end 42 which carries a phonograph needle 44 and the crossbar 34. Free end 42 is provided with an extension 46 which carries a depending pin 48 extending into operative engagement with a snail-type, tone arm reset or return mechanism 50 loosely resting on a rubber pad 52 carried by a central hub 54 forming an integral part of a turntable 56.

Turntable 56 includes an integral spindle 58 having a first end 60 journaled in the rear housing half 24 and a second end 62 journaled in the front housing half 22. A belt 64 connects turntable 56 to an electric motor 66 through a suitable governor means 68 which controls the angular velocity of turntable 56 in such a manner that a phonograph record 70 carried thereby will uniformly transmit suitable vibrations to needle 44. Needle 44 tracks record 70 with depending pin 48 following a radial rib 72 on return mechanism 50 until needle 44 drops off the inner edge 74 of record 70. Extension 46 will then engage mechanism 50 to support tone arm 36 and a switch-engaging finger 76, carried by tone arm 36, will engage an electrical contact 78 moving it away from a fixed contact 80 for opening an electrical circuit to motor 66 so that turntable 56 stops. When motor 66 is again energized, in a manner to be hereinafter described, reset mechanism 50 will rotate with record 70 because of the weight of tone arm 36. Rotation of mechanism 50 returns tone arm 36 to its FIGURE 6 position at the beginning-o-play of the information recorded on record 70. A tone arm stop 82 may be provided in rear housing half 24 for engagement by tone arm 36 to prevent it from being carried beyond the outer periphery 84 of record 70.

Fixed contact 80 is connected to motor 66 through a battery means 86 by a first electrical lead 88 and a second electrical lead 90, respectively. Moveable contact 78 is connected to motor 66 by an electrical lead 92.

Referring now more in particular to FIGURES 1-4, the actuating means 14 includes a base plate 100 to which an electrical switch 102 is aiiixed by an insulated peg 104. Switch 102 includes a fixed contact 106 and a movable contact 108 connected to lead 88 by a lead 110 and to lead 92 by a lead 112, respectively. This places switch 102 in a parallel circuit with a switch 114 formed by the contacts 78 and 80. Switch 102 may be closed momentarily to energize motor 66 so that it will move tone arm 36 away from contact 78 permitting switch 114 to maintain motor 66 in an energized condition until needle 44 completes the tracking of a particular recorded message provided on record 70, when finger 76 will again contact electrical contact 78 deenergizing motor 66. Record 70 will then coast a certain amount making it feasible to employ multiple-speech records of the type disclosed in Patent No. 3,017,187 so that a different recorded message will be heard the next time switch 102 is closed to energize motor 66. This may be accomplished manually by depressing a button 116 which is reciprocably mounted on base plate and which includes a stem portion 118 engageable with fixed contact 106 for springing it into engagement with movable contact 108. Button 116 is maintained in a normally-raised position by a compression spring 120, and is located inside toy 10 in such a position that button 116 may be depressed by pressing on toy 10.

Switch 102 may be closed automatically by a protuberance means 122 carried by a disc 124 which is affixed to a ratchet wheel 126. Ratchet wheel 126 is rotatably mounted on a pin 128 aflixed to base plate 100 and given structural support by an arm 130 which, in turn, is aii'ixed to base plate 100 by a lug 132. Reverse rotation of ratchet wheel 126 may be prevented by a pair of exible fingers 134, 136 atixed to lug 132 by suitable attachment means 138 for riding engagement with a plurality of teeth 140 provided on the periphery of wheel 126.

Wheel 126 may be rotated to periodically bring protuberance means 122 into engagement with movable contact 108 by a reciprocable finger 142 having a free end 144 adapted to engage teeth 140 when finger 142 is moved in the direction of arrow 146. Finger 142 is aixed to a carrier means of reciprocating member 148 reciprocably mounted in a carrier housing 150 which is afiixed to base plate 100. A suitable mass means, such as a steel ball 152, is rollingly mounted in carrier means 148 and is dimensioned with respect to carrier means 148 so as to be substantially the same diameter as the width of carrier means 148 between the inside surfaces of its side walls 154, 156 and approximately one half the length of walls 154, 156. Thus, mass means 152 is free to roll from end wall 158 of carrier means 148 to end wall 160 when iigure toy 10 rocks to the left, as viewed in FIGURE 1. Mass means 152 will then engage a resilient pad 162, which is aiiixed to end wall 160 for minimizing the noise created by mass means 152 when it strikes pad 162, for moving carrier means 148 from the position shown in FIGURE 2 to a position where end wall 160 of carrier means 148 engages an end wall 164 forming a part of housing 150. When figure toy 10 is then rocked to the right, as viewed in FIGURE 1, mass means 152 will roll from pad 162 into engagement with a pad 166 afxed end wall 158 causing carrier means 148 to move back to its FIGURE 4 position. Thus, when figure toy 10 is oscillated by being rocked in a child's arms or by walking, mass means 152 reciprocates carrier means 148 bringing finger 142 into working engagement with ratchet wheel 126 causing it to rotate clockwise, as viewed in FIGURE 3. This rotation periodically brings protuberance means 122 into switch-closing engagement with movable contact 108 so that animating device or phonograph 12 will automatically commence playing periodically while figure toy 10 is walking.

Alternatively, the child may manually depress button 116 by pressing on the head of toy 10 while rocking it in his arms to energize phonograph. While the particular actuating means for automatically actuating an animating device after an oscillatable toy has oscillated a predetermined amount herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of the construction or design herein shown.

What is claimed is:

1. In an oscillatable toy having an animating device for producing an animation of said toy which is characteristc of said toy, the combination, comprising:

Actuating means for automatically actuating said animating device after said toy has oscillated a predetermined amount;

Said actuating means including switch means having an open position and a closed position;

Means for moving said switch means from one of said positions to the other of said positions during oscillation of said toy;

Means connecting said switch means to said animating device;

Said moving means comprise mass means loosely mounted in said toy, said mass means being free to move to-and-fro when said toy is oscillated; and

Means connecting said mass means to said switch means, said connecting means including means engageable with said switch means only after said mass means has moved to-and-fro a predetermined number of times.

2. A combination as stated in claim 1 wherein said mass means comprises a ball rollingly mounted in said toy.

3. A combination as stated in claim 2 wherein said means connecting said mass means to said switch means comprises:

Ratchet wheel means rotatably mounted adjacent said switch means;

Protuberance means on said wheel means for engaging said switch means; and

Carrier means reciprocably mounted in said toy, said carrier means housing said ball and being dimensioned so as to permit said ball to roll back-and-forth therein; and

Ratchet finger means mounted on said carrier means in operative association with said ratchet wheel means for rotating said wheel means during reciprocation of said carrier means.

4. A combination as stated in claim 1 wherein said animating device is a toy phonograph.

5. A combination as stated in claim 4 wherein said phonograph is electrically operated and includes a tone arm having a switch-engaging finger provided thereon, an electric motor, a first electric switch controlling the operation of said motor and a tone arm return mechanism, said switch-engaging finger being engageable with said first switch to deenergize said motor when said tone arm reaches the end of play of a message recorded on said phonograph, said actuating means including a second electrical switch connected in a parallel circuit with said rst switch for momentarily energizing said motor, whereby said tone arm return mechanism moves said switch-engaging nger out of engagement with said rst switch and returns said tone arm to the beginning of play of a message recorded in said phonograph.

6. A combination as stated in claim 5 wherein said actuating means includes means for moving said second switch from an open position to a closed position during walking of said toy.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,602,668 7/ 1952 Finneran et al 274-14 XR 2,932,126 4/ 1960 Howell 46-243 2,978,836 4/ 1961 Kato 46-118 XR 3,160,983 12/1964 Smith et al 46-247 XR 3,163,960 1/1965 Iwaya et al 46--247 3,178,188 4/1965 Lea 274--14 XR 3,190,037 6/ 1965 Giordano 46-232 XR 3,200,538 8/1965 Glass et al 46-118 XR ROBERT PESHOCK, Primary Examiner H. DINITZ, Assistant Examiner

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