GB1448922A - Manually-manipulated animated figure toy - Google Patents

Abstract

1448922 Toy figures MATTEL INC 13 May 1974 [12 July 1973] 20965/74 Heading A6S A hand-manipulated toy figure having a body, head and limbs is secured to one end of a tube containing an elongate operating device which is rotatably and reciprocally mounted and is connected to the head, legs and arms which are manipulated by the rod. In one form, a puppet, Figs, 1, 2, 4, is carried by a tube 14 journalled on a post 16. An elongate operating device, shown as a control rod 50, is axially and rotatably mounted within the tube and is actuated by a knob 62. Gear segments 82, 84 fast on the control rod selectively mesh leg actuating gears 116, 118 and, via idlers, arm actuating gears 94. The control rod 50 has three axial positions, corresponding firstly to swinging both legs and an arm, respectively, on rotation of the knob 62 in either direction from a mid-position; swinging both legs and both arms when the knob is rotated in opposite directions; and swinging either the right leg or the left arm. Simultaneously, sliding the rod 50 axially acts through a crankpin 72, &c. (Fig. 4) to turn the puppets head 40 and neckpost 66. A button 142, forming part of the elongate operating device, at the end of the knob 62 is depressed to act through a wire 154 and raise the upper part 138 of the puppets head about pivots 140 against spring biass. The puppet may be turned from the vertical position shown to a horizontal or upside down position by releasing a detent 166 and turning the tube 14. Hands and feet portions 202, 226 are each connected to the main arm and leg portions respectively, by e.g. a splined pivot pin 196, Fig. 2, engaging a hole 200, the end 206 of the respective hand, &c. engaging a shelf 192, &c. on the main arm, &c. to limit backward swing- ing. In another embodiment, Figs. 11, 12, the elongate operating device is shown as a slidable and turnable control rod 50A with a knob 62A at its end carrying clutch keys selectively engaged with actuators 280, 282, 284, 286 connected by cords 288 to the arms and legs of the puppet. The arms and legs are connected by vertically arranged pivots 266 to the puppet body. The arms and leg movements, head swinging and raising of the upper face part 250 about its pivots 252 are effected by turning and sliding the rod 50A. A suction cup 302 enables a mounting post 16A to be secured to a surface a set screw 160A retaining a mounting tube 14A in a selected angular position on the post.