GB1585715A

GB1585715A - Music playing toy unit

Info

Publication number: GB1585715A
Application number: GB27178A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: YONEZAWA TOYS CO Ltd
Current assignee: YONEZAWA TOYS CO Ltd
Priority date: 1977-03-01
Filing date: 1978-01-05
Publication date: 1981-03-11
Also published as: ES233394Y; JPS5515906Y2; ES233394U; JPS53120187U

Description

(54) MUSIC PLAYING TOY UNIT (71) We, YONEZAWA TOYS CO., LTD., a Japanese body corporate of No. 3-16-6, Asakusabashi, Taito-ku, Tokyo, Japan do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the device by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a music playing toy and more particularly to a music playing toy of the type in which a small toy body such as that of a doll, animal, or robot plays such percussion instruments as the glockenspiel or the xylophone in accordance with a desired musical rhythm and melody.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a music playing toy in which the motion of the toy player generates the sound of the music to provide a realistic effect.

According to the present invention there is provided a music playing toy comprising a stationary base body provided with a percussion instrument having a plurity of sound source pieces arranged in side-by-side relationship, which instrument is confronted by a toy player mounted on a turn seat and having a moveable arm which carries a beater for beating the sound source pieces of the percussion instrument, and a motor driven turn disc arranged in the base body and having a plurality of recesses around its periphary corresponding with the rhythm of the music to be produced and a profiled cam surface disposed inwardly of said recesses, means contacting the periphery of the turn disc and adapted to operate said moveable arm to cause the beater to beat the sound source pieces in synchronization with movement of the recesses therepast as the turn disc is rotated, and further means contacting said cam surface and operative to rotate the turn seat on which the toy player is placed in response to rotation of the cam surface therepast thus to determine which sound source pieces are beaten to produce a desired melody.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent after considering the detailed discussion of the invention in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof shown in the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the music playing toy unit in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the turn disc; Figure 3 is a lateral view of the turn disc of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a plan view of the gear wheel; Figure 5 is a lateral view of the gear wheel of figure 4; Figure 6 is a sectional view of the turn disc taken along the line VI-VI of Figure 2;; Figure 7 is a sectional view of the gear wheel taken along the line VII-VII of Figure 4 Figure 8 is a fragmentary enlarged sectionel view of the turn disc in combination with the gear wheel and in a position before insertion into the base body; Figure 9 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of the turn disc similar to Figure 8 and in position after insertion into the base body; Figure 10 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of the turn disc similar to Figure 9 and in the position on removal from the base body; Figure 11 is a sectional view of the music playing toy unit of Figure 1; Figure 12 is a sectional plan view taken along the line XII-XII of Figure 11 but free of the gear wheel; Figure 13 is a sectional plan view taken along the XII-XII of Figure 11; Figure 14 is a sectional plan view taken along the line XIV-XIV of Figure 11;; Figure 15 is a sectional plan view taken along the line XV-XV of Figure 11; Figure 16 is a front elevation of a mechanism for actuating the arm member of the toy player; Figure 17 is a lateral view of the mechanism of Figure 16 in the position where the beater is beating a sound source piece; Figure 18 is a lateral view of the mechanism of Figure 26 in the position where the beater is raised from the sound source piece; Figures 19 and 20 are plan views of the coupling member in operation; Figure 21 is a lateral view illustrative of the relation between the recesses provided in the turn disc and the coupling member; Figures 22 and 23 are fragmentary enlarged plan views illustrative of the mutual relations between the cam of the turn disc, the operation member and the turn seat; and Figure 24 is a fragmentary enlarged lateral view of the members of Figures 22 and 23.

In figure 1, a base body 10 is provided with a percussion instrument 12 having sound source pieces 14 arranged in sideby-side relationship for producing sounds of different tones. The percussion instrument 12 is confronted by a toyplayer 16 which is placed on a turn seat 18 and provided with a movable arm 20 which holds a beater 22 for beating the source sound pieces 14 to produce the sounds of desired tone.

In the base body 10 is arranged a turn disc 24 which is constrained to turn by a convenient power unit such as an electric motor 25 arranged in the base body 10 as shown in Figure 11.

As best shown in Figure 2, the turn disc 24 is provided at its periphery with a number of recesses 26 which correspond with the desired rhythm and with a cam 28 having different lengths of distances from the center of the turn disc. The cam 28 is stepped inwardly from the recesses 26.

As seen from Figure 11, the recesses 26 are in contact with a coupling member 30 which is cooperative with the moveable arm 20 of the toy player 16, whilst the cam 28 is in contact with an operating member 32 which is cooperative with the turn seat 18 on which the toy player 16 is placed.

The turn disc 24 is constrained to turn with the gear wheel 34 which has a central boss member 36 and eccentric projection 40 for insertion into an aperture 38 provided at the centre of the turn disc 24 and a further aperture 42 provided in the turn disc 24 respectively as best shpwn in Figures 6 and 11. Thus, the turn disc 24 and the gear member 34 may be turned together.

If a plurality of turn discs 24 each having different arrangements of recesses 26 corresponding to different rhythm and different cams 28 necessary for performing different pieces of music are provided, the corresponding number of pieces of music may be played by merely selecting and fitting the desired turn disc 24.

As shown in Figures 8 to 10, in the base body 10 the gear wheel 34 with a turn disc 24 are turnably supported by a support member 44 which is journalled to a shaft 46. The support member 44 has at one of its ends an aperture 48 for receiving the boss 36 and this end is held downwardly by means of an elastic member 50 formed integrally with the support member 44.

In assembling the toy unit, a turn disc 24 with the gear wheel 34 are inserted through an opening in the base body to urge to support member 44 upwardly against the pressure of the elastic member 50 until the aperture 48 receives the boss member 36 so that the turn disc 24 with the gear 34 are turnably supported by the support member 44.

To disengage the support member 44 from the combined unit of the turn disc 24 and gear wheel 34, a member 52 extending from the base body is depressed to raise the apertured end of the support member 44 against the action of the member 50 to release the combined unit of the turn disc 24 with the gear wheel 34 for removal from the base body 10.

As seen from Figure 11, a shaft 54 driven by the motor 25 is provided with a worm 56 which coacts with a worm wheel 58 having a pinion 60 meshing with a gear 62 with a pinion 64 which further coacts with the gear wheel 34 when the boss member 36 is inserted into the aperture 48 of the support member 44 so that the gear 34 is forced to turn by the motor 25 working as a prime mover. The reference numeral 66 represents a chamber for accommodating battery cells 68.

As shown in Figures 11 and 12, movement of the turn disc 24 with the gear 34 in the base body is blocked by an arcuate rim 70.

As seen from Figure 14, to a pivot 72 is pivoted the coupling member 30 from which a rod 73 is extended downwardly for engagement with the periphery of the turn disc 24 having the recesses 26 to move the coupling member 30 when the disc 24 is turned and thus operated the arm member 20 with the beater 22.

As seen in Figure 17, to the arm member 20 is connected through a pivot pin 80 to an oscillating lever 82 which is pivoted to a support frame 84 through a pin 86. A tapered end 87 of the oscillating lever 82 is inserted into a slot 88 provided in the coupling member 30 for cooperation with the arm member 20 so that when the engaging rod 73 moves from the top to the bottom of a recess 26 as shown in Figures 19 and 20 the beater 22 beats a sound source piece 14 as shown in Figure 11.

As best shown in Figure 14, the coupling member 30 is resiliently suspended by a spring 90 whereas the operating member 32 is pivoted by a pivot 92 and provided with an engaging pin 94 with is in contact with the cam 28 of the turn disc 24 to oscillate the operating member 32 along the shape or profile of the cam 28.

As seen in Figures 22 and 23, the oper ating member 32 is provided with a slot 96 into which an engaging pin 98 extended from the turn seat 18 is inserted to transmit movement of the operating member 32 to the turn seat 18 for turning. The operating member 32 is suspended by a spring 100.

As shown in Figures 11 and 15, the turn seat 18 is provided with a projection 102 for transmitting a turning motion of the turn seat 18 to the toy player 16 when the latter is releasably attached to the former although the toy player may be fixed to the turn seat 18.

As hereinbefore fully described, in accordance with the invention, a single turn disc 24 with the cam 28 turns the toy player 16 while the arm member 20 is actuated on account of the presence of the recesses 26 to beat the sound source pieces 14 so that realistic music is played by the toy player with predetermined rhythms and melodies.

Although the toy player will normally be releasably secured to the turn seat, it would of course be possible to provide the toy player and turn seat as an integral unit.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A music playing toy comprising a stationary base body provided with a percussion instrument having a plurality of sound source pieces arranged in side-by-side relationship, which instrument is confronted by a toy player mounted on a turn seat and having a moveable arm which carries a beater for beating the sound source pieces of the percussion instrument, and a motor driven turn disc arranged in the base body and having a plurality of recesses around its periphery corresponding with the rhythm of the music to be produced and a profiled cam surface disposed inwardly of said recesses, means contacting the periphery of the turn disc adapted to operate said moveable arm to cause the beater to beat the sound source pieces in synchronization with movement of the recesses therepast as the turn disc is rotated, and further means contacting said cam surface and operative to rotate the turn seat on which the toy player is placed in response to rotation of the cam surface therepast thus to determine which sound source pieces are beated to produce a desired melody.

2. A music playing toy as claimed in claim 1 wherein said turn disc is coupled with a gear wheel which coacts with a reduction gear driven by the motor arranged in the base body.

3. A music playing toy as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said moveable arm is connected by a lever to said means which engages with the periphery of the turn disc.

4. A music playing toy according to either claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the turn disc is provided with one or more apertures for receiving one or more projections provided on the gear wheel for coupling the two together.

5. A music playing toy according to any one of claims 2 -- 4 inclusive wherein a plurality of turn discs are provided each representative of a different musical piece and wherein the combination of the turn disc and the gear wheel can be releasably inserted into the base of the body to enable a selected different tune to be played.

6. A music playing toy according to any one of claims 2-5 inclusive wherein the turn disc and gear wheel combination is rotatably supported by a common support member within the base unit.

7. A music playing toy according to any preceeding claim wherein the toy player is releasably positioned on the turn seat.

8. A music playing toy as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 inclusive wherein the toy player and the turn seat are integral.

9. A music playing toy substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated by the figures of accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. ating member 32 is provided with a slot 96 into which an engaging pin 98 extended from the turn seat 18 is inserted to transmit movement of the operating member 32 to the turn seat 18 for turning. The operating member 32 is suspended by a spring 100. As shown in Figures 11 and 15, the turn seat 18 is provided with a projection 102 for transmitting a turning motion of the turn seat 18 to the toy player 16 when the latter is releasably attached to the former although the toy player may be fixed to the turn seat 18. As hereinbefore fully described, in accordance with the invention, a single turn disc 24 with the cam 28 turns the toy player 16 while the arm member 20 is actuated on account of the presence of the recesses 26 to beat the sound source pieces 14 so that realistic music is played by the toy player with predetermined rhythms and melodies. Although the toy player will normally be releasably secured to the turn seat, it would of course be possible to provide the toy player and turn seat as an integral unit. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A music playing toy comprising a stationary base body provided with a percussion instrument having a plurality of sound source pieces arranged in side-by-side relationship, which instrument is confronted by a toy player mounted on a turn seat and having a moveable arm which carries a beater for beating the sound source pieces of the percussion instrument, and a motor driven turn disc arranged in the base body and having a plurality of recesses around its periphery corresponding with the rhythm of the music to be produced and a profiled cam surface disposed inwardly of said recesses, means contacting the periphery of the turn disc adapted to operate said moveable arm to cause the beater to beat the sound source pieces in synchronization with movement of the recesses therepast as the turn disc is rotated, and further means contacting said cam surface and operative to rotate the turn seat on which the toy player is placed in response to rotation of the cam surface therepast thus to determine which sound source pieces are beated to produce a desired melody.