GB2043466A

GB2043466A - A doll

Info

Publication number: GB2043466A
Application number: GB7908581A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Berenguer Hermanos SA
Current assignee: Berenguer Hermanos SA
Priority date: 1979-03-12
Filing date: 1979-03-12
Publication date: 1980-10-08

Abstract

Means for coordinating the leg movements of a doll to simulate walking, said means comprising a cruciform element, the upright member of which passes through and is rotatable about its axis in the hollow body of the doll, and the cross-member of which has its ends in engagement with mountings 6, 7 for the upper ends of the doll's legs which pass through apertures in the lower end of the body. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A doll This invention relates to walking doll mechanisms and is concerned with the provision of an element which so connects the upper ends of the two legs of the doll as to allow alternating movement of the legs so that when one is positioned to the rear of the body, the other moves forward by the same amount. In this way, when the doll is taken by one arm (for example) and the body moved forward relative to one of the legs, a foot on the end of which remains resting on the floor, the other leg moves forward through the air to a point at which a foot at the end of this latter leg can be used as a support on the floor for movement of the first leg and so on.

In order to achieve this result which can be brought about entirely by a child playing with the doll, thus adding to its appeal as a playmate for the child, the top of each leg is rigid with a member provided with a fork, between the arms of which there is loosely seated one end of the cross-member of a cruciform element, the upright member of which is mounted at its upper and lower ends in the body of the doll in such a way that it can rotate about its longitudinal axis to an extent limited by forks on the legs.

Optionally, the upper end of the upright member may rest in a bearing provided in the upper part of the body or be rotatable with a sleeve on which the head of the doll is fitted so that the head will turn from side to side, appearing to look in the direction of that leg which is moving forward.

On the other hand, the or each fork member may be rotatably mounted in a seating provided in the upper end of the corresponding leg by means of a ring with which it is rigid. This ring has an outer radial step which projects in a direction which is diametrically opposed to that of the fork and which abuts against a projection on the upper end of the leg to prohibit rotation in the direction of walking and at the same time allowing the leg to be raised forwards to enable the doll to assume a sitting position.

The outer step on each ring of the fork member corresponds to an inner step produced by progressively enlarging the inside diameter of the ring over a segment comprising 80 to 85 of angular aperture. This inner step allows the ring of the fork member to be fitted on the upper end of the leg, co-operating with a segmental cut-out from the flange defining the groove in which the said ring is fitted. Thus, the use of cement, rivets, welding, linchpins, springs, etc., which might result in accidental dismantling of the fork and the leg becomes unnecessary.

The upper ends of the legs and the rotational support surfaces on the lower part of the body of the doll are at a specific angle to the vertical axis of the whole assembly, which is the axis of the upright member of the cruciform element, the cross-piece of which is connected to the two fork members which are inclined with respect to their corresponding rings by an amount which allows them to occupy parallel positions in the assembly.

For greater understanding of the invention and solely by way of example, the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic perspective view of the elements of which the walking mechanisms is composed, assembled for operation, without showing the other component parts of the doll; Figure 2 is a rear view of a doll incorporating the walking mechanism; Figure 3 is a vertical cross-section through the trunk of the doll, without showing the cruciform member; Figure 4 shows an alternative method of fixing the upper end of the cruciform member; and Figure 5 shows in detail a plan view of and a cross-section taken on the line A-A through, the ring-fork assembly, for the right leg, the other assembly being symmetrical with that illustrated.

From Fig. 1, it can be seen that the simplified walking mechanism essentially comprises a cruciform element 1 which is strengthened by longitudinal ribs which project on both sides thereof, producing a cross-section which is likewise cruciform. The lower end of the element 1 has a cylindrical extension 1 a which loosely traverses a hole in the upper end of a recess 2a provided in a body 2, and is held against removal by a washer 3 which is fitted permanently thereon. The upper end of the element 1 is introduced into a sleeve 4a (Fig. 3) having the same cruciform crosssection in order to be rotatable with the element 1, the sleeve then being disposed inside a cylindrical member 4 which is supported on the upper end of the body 2 and on which is fitted an apertured head 5.With this arrangement, the alternating rotary movements in opposite directions performed by the cruciform element 1 are transmitted to the head 5.

In an alternative embodiment illustrated in Fig. 4, the upper end of the element 1 has a cylindrical extension 1 b which passes through a hole provided in a thin wall 2b which closes off the upper end of the body 2. With this arrangement, the head 5 cannot move in response to the movements of the legs since the lower end of the head is directly fitted onto a groove provided in the upper part of the body 2 immediately below the thin wall 2b.

The ends of the cross-member of the cruciform element 1 are formed with cylindrical extensions 1 C adapted to cooperate with two forks 6a, 7awhich extend radially and at an angle to the plane of two rings 6, 7 forming two symmetrical assemblies which receive and permit limited rotation of the upper ends of the legs, said rings being fitted in grooves provided in the legs so that when assembled and operating, the two forks are parallel.

Fig. 5 shows in detail the ring-fork assembly 6, 6a for the right leg. It can be clearly seen that the periphery of said ring 6 is progressively enlarged to a point opposite the fork 6a, producing a step, the inner edge of which is a forced fit in a groove in the upper end of the corresponding leg, cooperating with a segmental cut-out 8a from a flange 8 which defines the aforesaid groove, while the outer edge of the step forms an abutment for a projection 8b on the leg in the path of relative movement of the ring and the leg, which projection connects the ring and the leg in one direction of rotation to allow the leg to be raised in a forward direction so that the doll can assume a sitting position.

The size, form and material for each of the elements which go to make up the assembly may be varied within the scope of the ap

Claims

pended claims. CLAIMS

1. A doll provided with means for simulating walking movement, said means comprising a cruciform element, the upright member of which passes through, and is rotatable about its axis in, a hollow body and the crossmember of which is provided at its ends with mountings, within said body, for the upper ends of two legs which pass through apertures in the lower end of the body.

2. A doll according to Claim 1, wherein said cruciform element is strengthened by longitudinally extending ribs which project from both sides of said upright member and said cross-member and impart to each a cruciform cross-section.

3. A doll according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the lower end of said upright member is formed with an axial extension which is cylindrical in form, passes freely through an opening in the bottom of a recess formed in the lower end of said body between the leg apertures and is prevented from upward axial movement relative to said body by a fixed washer thereon of greater diameter than said opening.

4. A doll according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the upper end of said upright member is non-rotatably mounted in a sleeve disposed within and secured to a cylindrical neck portion which is rotatably mounted on the upper end of said body and serves to support a head for rotation with said cruciform element relative to said bod,

5. A doll according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the upper end of said upright member has an axial extension which is cylindrical in form and passes freely through an aperture in the upper end of a neck portion rigid with the upper end of the body and serving as a non-rotatable support for a head.

6. A doll according to any preceding claim, wherein the ends of said cross-member are formed with cylindrical axial extensions engaged by parallel forked members which extend radially outward from and at an inclination to the planes of two rings each of which fits in a groove in the upper end of one of said legs.

7. A doll according to Claim 6, wherein said ring and fork assemblies are symmetrically arranged with respect to said cruciform element, each ring having one half of a different radius of curvature to the other half, thus producing inwardly and outwardly projecting steps at a point opposite said forked member with the inner step fitting the groove in the associated leg and the outer step cooperating with an abutment on the associated leg to lock the leg to the ring in one direction of rotation and permit the leg to be raised to enable the doll to assume a sitting position.

8. A doll provided with means for simulating walking movement, substantially as here it before described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.