GB2172212A

GB2172212A - Musical box toy

Info

Publication number: GB2172212A
Application number: GB08506611A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Philip George Thompson; Ernest John Thompson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-03-14
Filing date: 1985-03-14
Publication date: 1986-09-17
Also published as: GB8506611D0

Abstract

A musical box toy includes a driven musical box 15, 16 and a rotary member 18 on the musical box drives a cam 19 as it generates the music. A cot 12 has a follower 14 biased towards the cam so that as the cam 19 rotates the cot is rocked. Alternatively, the cam can be used to impart beating movements to a heart or breathing movements to a doll. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Musical box toy This invention relates to musical box toys or ornaments in which the musical box function is combiined with a mechanical drive arrangement for moving part of the toy assembly.

Musical boxes are known in which a driven member rotates a drum or the like to generate music.

It is an object of the invention to provide a musical box in which the driven member also drives a movable element to give added interest to the musical box or toy.

According to the invention a musical box toy comprises drive means, a driven member driven by the drive means, the driven member generating music by engagement with music generating means, a rotatable element drivingly connected to the driven member, and coupling means coupling the rotatable element to a movable member so that the movable member moves reciprocally or intermittently.

Preferably the rotatable element is formed with a cam profile which is engaged by part of the movable member, said part of the movable member being biased towards the cam profile.

Alternatively the rotatable member may be drivingly connected to the movable member by a connecting rod to bring about a generally reciprocal motion of the movable member.

Preferably the movable member is in the form of a cot which may be supported for pivotal movement at one end, the cot, towards its other end, being associated with the coupling means. In the case where the coupling means includes a cam profile the part of the movable member is at said other end and on the underside of the cot.

By the arrangement of the cot and its driving arrangement the cot executes a rocking movement about the pivot when the rotatable element is rotated.

In an alternative arrangement the movable member takes other forms such as a flexible element incorporated into a heart or a doll whereby when the rotatable member rotates the flexible member rises and falls to simulate the heart beating or the doll breathing. The flexible element carries a part engageable by the cam profile or connected to the connecting rod.

Further features of the invention will appear from the following description of an embodiment of the invention given by way of example only and with reference to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a partially sectioned side elevation, and Figure 2 is a plan view of the drive arrangement.

The drawings show the invention as applied to a cot ornament or toy. The ornament includes a base 10 in which is housed a musical box 11 and a toy cot 12 mounted on the base 10.

At the foot end of the cot 12 the cot is pivotally attached to the base by a hinge or pivot 13. On the underside of the cot towards the head end of the cot is located a transverse bar 14 which is arranged to be engaged by drive means for causing the cot to pivot up and down, or rock, about the pivot 13.

The drive means is housed in the base and forms part of the musical box 11, shown more fully in Fig. 2. For the most part the musical box is of conventional construction having, in its case a housing 15 for a drive spring which drives a drum 16 through gearing in a housing 17. The drum carries about its periphery a plurality of pegs which, as the drum rotates, cause associated reeds (not shown) to be vibrated to generate the desired sounds for a piece of music.

The drum 16 is supported for rotation at its ends and, mounted coaxially about the drum axis for rotation therwith, is a profiled disc 18, in this case having a circular row of projections 19, as seen in Fig. 1. The projections 19 are arranged to project above the level of the base 10 and, in the operative position, the bar 14 engages with the projections 19. The cot is biased towards the projections 19 by gravity so that when the drum 16, and hence the disc 18, is rotated the cot is rocked up and down about the pivot 13 as the music is generated by the drum 16.

It will be appreciated that the shape of the projections 19 is determined according to the speed of rotation of the drum 16 and the desired gentle, rocking motion of the cot. For example if the drum is rotated relatively fast the projections are more widely spaced about the disc, and vice versa.

Instead of the illustrated arrangement a disc in the position 1 8A may be located in driving connection with the drum 16 and a connecting rod (not shown) is pivotally attached to the disc 1 8A at one end, spaced from the disc axis, the other end of the connecting rod being pivotally attached to the cot, thereby effecting rocking of the cot as described.

In another form of ornament or toy (not shown) the cot may be replaced and other means may be reciprocally moved. For example the projections or connecting rod may be arranged to move a flexible element or membrane or other movable member. Such element or membrane will be arranged to move up and down to simulate breathing, if for example, associated with a doll, or a heat beating, if, for example, associated with a heart-shaped device.

1. A musical box toy which comprises drive means, a driven member driven by the

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Musical box toy This invention relates to musical box toys or ornaments in which the musical box function is combiined with a mechanical drive arrangement for moving part of the toy assembly. Musical boxes are known in which a driven member rotates a drum or the like to generate music. It is an object of the invention to provide a musical box in which the driven member also drives a movable element to give added interest to the musical box or toy. According to the invention a musical box toy comprises drive means, a driven member driven by the drive means, the driven member generating music by engagement with music generating means, a rotatable element drivingly connected to the driven member, and coupling means coupling the rotatable element to a movable member so that the movable member moves reciprocally or intermittently. Preferably the rotatable element is formed with a cam profile which is engaged by part of the movable member, said part of the movable member being biased towards the cam profile. Alternatively the rotatable member may be drivingly connected to the movable member by a connecting rod to bring about a generally reciprocal motion of the movable member. Preferably the movable member is in the form of a cot which may be supported for pivotal movement at one end, the cot, towards its other end, being associated with the coupling means. In the case where the coupling means includes a cam profile the part of the movable member is at said other end and on the underside of the cot. By the arrangement of the cot and its driving arrangement the cot executes a rocking movement about the pivot when the rotatable element is rotated. In an alternative arrangement the movable member takes other forms such as a flexible element incorporated into a heart or a doll whereby when the rotatable member rotates the flexible member rises and falls to simulate the heart beating or the doll breathing. The flexible element carries a part engageable by the cam profile or connected to the connecting rod. Further features of the invention will appear from the following description of an embodiment of the invention given by way of example only and with reference to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a partially sectioned side elevation, and Figure 2 is a plan view of the drive arrangement. The drawings show the invention as applied to a cot ornament or toy. The ornament includes a base 10 in which is housed a musical box 11 and a toy cot 12 mounted on the base 10. At the foot end of the cot 12 the cot is pivotally attached to the base by a hinge or pivot 13. On the underside of the cot towards the head end of the cot is located a transverse bar 14 which is arranged to be engaged by drive means for causing the cot to pivot up and down, or rock, about the pivot 13. The drive means is housed in the base and forms part of the musical box 11, shown more fully in Fig. 2. For the most part the musical box is of conventional construction having, in its case a housing 15 for a drive spring which drives a drum 16 through gearing in a housing 17. The drum carries about its periphery a plurality of pegs which, as the drum rotates, cause associated reeds (not shown) to be vibrated to generate the desired sounds for a piece of music. The drum 16 is supported for rotation at its ends and, mounted coaxially about the drum axis for rotation therwith, is a profiled disc 18, in this case having a circular row of projections 19, as seen in Fig. 1. The projections 19 are arranged to project above the level of the base 10 and, in the operative position, the bar 14 engages with the projections 19. The cot is biased towards the projections 19 by gravity so that when the drum 16, and hence the disc 18, is rotated the cot is rocked up and down about the pivot 13 as the music is generated by the drum 16. It will be appreciated that the shape of the projections 19 is determined according to the speed of rotation of the drum 16 and the desired gentle, rocking motion of the cot. For example if the drum is rotated relatively fast the projections are more widely spaced about the disc, and vice versa. Instead of the illustrated arrangement a disc in the position 1 8A may be located in driving connection with the drum 16 and a connecting rod (not shown) is pivotally attached to the disc 1 8A at one end, spaced from the disc axis, the other end of the connecting rod being pivotally attached to the cot, thereby effecting rocking of the cot as described. In another form of ornament or toy (not shown) the cot may be replaced and other means may be reciprocally moved. For example the projections or connecting rod may be arranged to move a flexible element or membrane or other movable member. Such element or membrane will be arranged to move up and down to simulate breathing, if for example, associated with a doll, or a heat beating, if, for example, associated with a heart-shaped device. CLAIMS

1. A musical box toy which comprises drive means, a driven member driven by the drive means, the driven member generating music by engagement with music generating means, a rotatable element drivingly connected to the driven member and having a cam profile, and coupling means carried on a movable member and engaging the cam profile so that rotation of the driven member causes a reciprocal or rocking movement of the movable member.

2. A toy according to claim 1 wherein the coupling means is biased towards the cam profile.

3. A toy according to claim 2 wherein the coupling means is biased by the weight of the movable member towards the cam profile.

4. A toy according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the cam profile is formed as a circular row of projections.

5. A toy according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the movable member is in the form of a cot which is pivotally secured to a base member remote from the coupling means.

6. A musical box toy substantially as described with reference to the drawing.