GB2201608A - Toy figures, alarm clocks - Google Patents

Abstract

A clock includes a clock unit 9 mounted in the head 3 of a robot-like support structure having a body 1. A mechanism is driven by a motor at the preset alarm time to cause the head to rock back and forth, to move pivoted jaw 27 and rotary eyes 11, and to oscillate arms 101. Also an audible alarm sounds. The motions performed by the robot at alarm time can be obtained at other times by depressing a test button 5. The robot can also be set into "sleep-inducing" mode, in which head 3 performs limited rocking movement, the jaw rises and falls and the eyes flicker. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO CLOCKS Novelty clocks are known in which various movements or functions are performed at predetermined times.

An object of the invention is to provide a clock especially suitable for children.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a novelty clock including a clock unit mounted in a support structure in the shape of a toy robot comprising a body on which a head is movably supported and an operating mechanism for causing the head to rock relative to the body.

The mechanism may be arranged to cause the head to rock gently and eyes fitted into the head to flutter, in such a way as to induce sleep in a small child. Also, or in the alternative, the head may be made to rock back more sharply and arms on the side of the body to oscillate at a presettable alarm time.

Other aspects of the invention appear from the claims which follow, and it will be appreciated that certain aspects of the invention may find application in the field of toy robots or figures generally.

In te drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a clock embodying the invention, and including a clock unit incorporated in a robot-like support structure, Figure 2 is a vertical section through the clock looking from one side, during a first mode of operation, Figure 3 is a view looking from the front showing the operating mechanism for components of the support structure, expanded for clarity, Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical section looking from the opposite side compared with Figure 2, showing the head in a rest position, Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, showing the head in another position during a second or third mode of operation, Figure 6 is a perspective view of part of the operating mechanism, Figure 7 is a perspective view of the parts of the operating mechanism for moving the arms, and Figure 8 is a circuit diagram of the clock.

Referring to the drawings and in particular to Figure 1, a novelty clock comprises a robot-like support structure having a body 1 provided at its sides with arms 101, and a head 3, into the upper surface of which is recessed an electric clock unit including a movement having a housing 9 (Figure 2) and a face 9A. A transparent cover 8 protects the clock face 9A and also serves to retain the movement in place. The head 3 is mounted on the body portion so as to be capable of rocking to and fro. Movably mounted in the head portion behind transparent covers 7 are two spheres representing eyeballs 11 having coloured portions representing the irises lla. A movable jaw 27 is mounted in the lower part of the head.

The clock has a rest position as shown in Figure 1 and Figure 4 in which the head 3 is tilted forwards with the jaw drooping open and the whites of the eyeballs 11 showing through the transparent covers 7. Three modes of operation are possible, namely a first mode in which the head 3 rocks back and forth entirely or primarily through a limited angle relative to the Figure 4 position so that the jaw 27 rises and falls and the eyes appear to flicker and may possibly open briefly This mode of operation may be regarded as simulating the robot beginning to fall asleep and may be used at bedtime for helping to induce sleep in a child and may be referred to as the "sleep" mode. In a second mode of operation, the head is made to rock back more sharply so that the jaw rises and the eyes appear to open, the head then rocking forward from and back to this position.In addition, the arms swing vigorously up and down through an angle of approximately 900. An audible warning device also sounds. This mode of operation commences when the alarm time is reached (provided that an alarm set button is appropriately positioned) and continues until the alarm set button is switched to the off position, when the head falls forward to the Figure 1 position. This mode of operation may be referred to as the "alarm mode". A third, or "test" mode of operation is initiated by depressing a button 5 on the head and continues for a predetermined time. During this mode of operation, the clock performs the movements pertaining to the alarm mode.

Reference may now conveniently also be made to the circuit diagram shown in Figure 8. The circuit is powered by two cells C1 and C2. Cell C1 operates the clock movement within housing 9 and cell C2 operates motors 55 and 119 which drive the operating mechanism.

The electric motor 55 drives the operating mechanism during the first mode of operation and may be energised by closing the switch S1, a control knob 70 for which protrudes through the rear wall of the casing of the body. The motor 119 drives the operating mechanism during the alarm and test modes of operation. The alarm set switch S2 has a knob 69 which also protrudes through the rear wall of the casing. The switch S2 is in circuit with a switch S5 included within the clock unit 9. The switch S5 closes at the preset alarm time and the circuit to the motor 119 is completed by way of the switches S5 and S2. The motor 119 may also be energised by closing the switch S3 operated by push button 5 temporarily.At the commencement of the test mode, a switch 54 is closed automatically and remains closed for a predetermined time. When the switch S4 reopens, the test mode comes to an end. The clock unit also incorporates an audible device 200 which is energised upon closure of switch S5.

The components of the clock unit are known per se and will not be described in detail herein.

Projecting from the rear of the head are knobs 25 connected to the clock movement for adjusting the hour and minute hands, and for setting switch S5 which determines the alarm time.

Referring now also to Figure 3, a transversely extending shaft 6 mounted in the head carries the eyeballs 11, into the rear of which engages a lever 17 carried on a shaft 19. The underside of the lever 17 engages a rearward projection of the jaw 27. The rearward projecting arm of the lever 17 is provided with a resilient plate or leaf spring 21. A tension spring 23 is connected between the forwardly projecting arm of the lever 17 and a fixed point on the casing of the movement 9 so as to tend to raise the forward end of the lever, and tilt the forward side of the eyeballs downwards as is shown in Figure 4 in which the irises lla are obscured. The body 1 includes a box-like casing 39, the upper wall of which has an upwardly projecting cylindrical projection 41.The head portion 3 has a downwardly projecting cylindrical portion 3A surrounding the cylindrical portion 41 with a clearance 29. A transversely extending shaft 33 passes through the two cylindrical portions, pivoting them together and is fast with the cylindrical portion 3A.

The lever 31 mounted on the shaft 33 projects downwardly into the casing 39 and is provided at its lower end with a follower 31 for contact with a cam 51 (Figure 6). An abutment portion 31B projecting from the upper end of the lever 31 is urged into contact with the underside of the head portion 3 by a spring acting on the lower arm of the lever. A coil spring 35 mounted on the shaft 33 has one end bearing on the head portion and the other bearing on the casing of the body portion so as to urge the forward side of the head portion upwards and compensate for its weight.

The cam 51 and a gearwheel 53 integral therewith is freely supported on a shaft 49 extending transversely of the body. The gearwheel 53 may be driven in rotation through a gear train 56 from a pinion 55A of a motor 55 (Figure 3). As previously mentioned, the motor 55 is controlled by operating switch S1 using a knob 70 projecting from the rear of the body casing.

When the motor 55 is energised, cam 51 is rotated in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 3 so as to cause the lever 31 to pivot in the clockwise direction with reference to Figures 4 and 5 and rock the head portion from the position shown in Figure 4 into the position shown in Figure 2. The leaf spring 21 is stressed during this movement and causes the lever 17 to rock in the counterclockwise direction so that the forward end of the lever rotates the eyeballs into a position in which portions llA representing the iris of the eyes are partially visible through the covers 7. Simultaneously, the jaw 27 is caused to swing closed. Further rotation or the cam 51 swings the lever 31 in the opposite direction, allowing the head to rock forward to its normal position shown in Figure 4, relaxing the leaf spring 21 and permitting the lever 17 to return the eyeballs to the closed position.Subsequent rotation of the cam causes the head to rock gently back and forth and may move it fully into the Figure 5 position.

During movement of the head portion 3, the bottom of the head portion becomes spaced from the abutment 31B against the force of the spring 37 which prevents jarring of the operating mechanism.

It will be appreciated that as the front side of the head rocks upwards, the eyes appear to open, whereas they close as the front side of the head is lowered. The cam 31 is so shaped that the head is oscillated for some seven or eight seconds before the motor is switched off and the head returns to its lowered Figure 4 position.

During this period, the the lever 17 produces a fluttering effect in the eyes and jaw. When the head is lowered into its Figure 4 position following opening of switch S1, the robot appears to fall asleep.

Referring now to Figure 4, the head is made to rock during the alarm and test modes of operation by a second cam 57 acting on the follower 45A of a lever 45.

A pin 45B at the end ot the lever 45 bears on the lever 31. During rotation of the cam 57, the lever 45 causes the lever 31 to swing through an angle substantially greater than that caused by the cam 51, as indicated in Figure 5. The head is made to a tilt back through a greater angle. so that the eyes appear to open wider. The cam 5t then causes the head to oscillate forwardl > W- from and back to this position in a more pronounced fashion than when under the control of the cam 31. The arms are caused to swing intermittently. The robot-like toy thus gives the impression of being awake and agitated.

Referring again to Figures 3 and 6, the cam 57 is driven from the motor 119. A drive pinion 119A drives a pinion 115 on an axially shiftable shaft 103 through a gear train 120. The pinion 115 drives a gear wheel 113 on a shaft 67 carrying a gear wheel 65 which meshes with gear wheel 59 integral with the cam 57 and a cam 61. The unit consisting of the cams 57 and 61 and the gear wheel 59 is splined on a shaft 49 and may be moved to the right (as viewed in Figure 3) against the force of a spring 63 so as to disengage the gear wheels 59 and 65. The cam 61 has a stepped peripheral surface which, during its rotation, periodically engages with a follower 106 of a member 105 having a helical flight 107.A fixed abutment 109 engages with the helical flight 107 such that when the follower 106 is displaced in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 7, the shaft 103 on which the member 105 is mounted is shifted axially towards the left as viewed in this Figure (towards the right as viewed in Figure 3) to bring a pinion 117 into mesh with a gear wheel. A pin 97A on the gear wheel 97 engages with a clevis 93B of a rocker 93 on a shaft 93C. The other arm of the rocker has an arcuate gearing 93A which meshes with a pinion 87 of a wheel 9) One of the arms 101 is mounted on a support ring 99 which surrounds the wheel 91 with a close fit and is held in place by a screw passing through the centre of the hub of the arm into a bore in a boss 89 of the wheel 91.Projections 91B on the periphery of the wheel mate with recesses 99A in the ring 99 so as to rotationally couple the two parts together.

Slots 91A in the wheel provide the projections 91B with a degree of resilience so that the projections 91B will disengage from the recesses 99A if the arm is forceably rotated, thereby avoiding damage to the operating mechanism.

A shaft 47 extends from the wheel 91 shown in Figure 7 to the other side of the body, where a similar arrangement is provided to mount the other arm, as shown in Figure 3.

It will be appreciated that during rotation of the cam 61 the shaft is repeatedly displaced to the left as viewed in Figure 7, to drive the gear wheel 97 in rotation and thus cause the arms to oscillate, and thereafter returned to the right under the acton of spring 111 to disconnect the drive from the arms.

The push button 5 for initiating the test mode is shown in Figure 4 and includes a conductive portion 15 with a recess 15A into which will fit a nose 13A on a contact 13 fixed in the casing of the head. An electrical circuit is completed through the contacts 13 and 15 (forming switch 53) only when the nose 13A engages in the recess 15A upon the push button 5 being depressed. The shaft 6 on which the eyeballs are mounted has a lug llB capable of engaging with a shoulder 5A on the push button when the shaft is turned into the position shown in Figure 5 following the first upward rocking movement of the head from the position shown in Figure 4. The push button is accordingly urged back into its upper position in which the circuit through the contacts 13 and 15 is broken.

To ensure that the motor 119 continues to be energised following opening of switch S3, the apparatus is provided with rotary switch 84 including a disk 81 fixed on the shaft 49. A spring 85 extends between a projection 83 on the disk and a fixed point on the casing of the body.

The disk 83. carries a peripheral contact 79 having a cut out. A fixed contact 77 is positioned (as best seen in Figure 2) to make contact with the contact member 79, except when the latter is positioned with the cut-out uppermost as shown in Figure 2. A second fixed contact 80 is permanently engaged with the contact member 79.

The contacts 77, 79 and 80 constitute the switch S4 shown in Figure 8. When the shaft 49 is driven in rotation by the motor 119 following operation of the push button 5, the disk 81 rotates and a circuit completed through the switch S4 so that the motor 119 remains energised until a complete revolution of the shaft 49 and a cycle of operation of the apparatus has taken place. When the contact 77 re-enters the cut-out, the motor 119 is deenergised, thus bringing to an end the test mode of operation. The spring 85 holds the disk 81 in the open position of the switch.

The alarm set switch is shown in Figure 6 and includes knob 69 projecting through a slot in the rear side of the body case. The knob 69 projects from a slide plate 69A provided with a projection 69C arranged to press a movable contact 73 against a fixed contact 75 of the switch when the slide plate is moved to the left as viewed in Figure 6. The upper edge of the slide plate has a projection with bears against a spring 79 mounted in the body above the slide plate and having a downwardly cranked portion which retains the slide plate in the left hand, switch engaged, position when it is overridden by the projection in the upper edge of-the slide plate.

During the alarm mode, when the knob 69 is returned to its central position, motor 119 continues to operate because a circuit is maintained through switch S4. An extension 69B is arranged to bear against the cam 57 when the knob 69 is moved to the right in Figure 6 against the force of a spring portion 69A, so as to shift the cam and gear wheel assembly to the right and disengage the gear wheel 59 from the gear wheel 65. The shaft 49 is now permitted to idle and the spring 85 returns it to and retains it in the position shown in which the contact 77 lies within the cut-out. As a result of the opening of the alarm set switch following movement of the knob 69 to the right, and the opening of the rotary switch, the alarm mode or display mode of operation are immediately terminated.

Modifications may be made to the clock described above.

Thus, for example, the oeprating mechanism may be arranged to cause the head to rock on the hour provided that a clock unit is employed which generates a signal which can be utilised to cause motor 55 to be energised.

Instead of mounting spheres on the shaft 6 to represent eyeballs, a cylinder may be used instead. The clock unit may be mounted in the chest of the robot-like support structure. The operating mechanism may be used in toy figures generally.

Claims (12)

1. A novelty clock including a clock unit mounted in a support structure in the shape of a toy robot comprising a body on which a head is movably supported and an operating mechanism for causing the head to rock relative to the body.

2. A novelty clock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clock unit is mounted in the head of the robot-like support structure.

3. A novelty clock as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the operating mechanism is drivable by an electric motor, a switching circuit for which includes an alarm set switch and a switch closed by the clock unit at a settable alarm time.

4. A novelty clock including a clock unit mounted in a supporting structure in the form of a toy robot including a head movably supported on a body and an operating mechanism including a first cam for displacing a first lever coupled to the head for causing the head to rock back relative to the body, a second cam for displacing a second lever arranged to bear on the first lever, the effect of the second cam and the second lever being to cause the head to rock back through a greater angle than the first cam, drive means for driving each cam in rotation, first and second switch means, closure of the first switch means resulting in rotation of the first cam and closure of the second switch means resulting in rotation of the second cam, the second switch means including an alarm set switch and a switch which is closed by the clock unit at a presettable alarm time.

5. A novelty clock as claimed in claim 4 including a further switch which is operable to cause the second cam to be driven in rotation.

6. A novelty clock as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5 including a rotary switch drivable in synchronism with the second cam, and wherein means for opening the second switch is associated with means for disengaging the second cam from the rotary switch so as to cause opening of the rotary switch.

7. A novelty clock as claimed in claim 4 including operating mechanism for causing arms at the sides of the robot-like support structure to oscillate.

8. A toy robot including a body on which a head is supported for rocking movement, a shaft supported within the head and carrying spherical or cylindrical means representing eyes, a lever pivotably supported within said head for causing said shaft to rotate, and a push button mounted in the head for closing an electrical switch, said shaft being engageable with the push button for returning the switch to an open switch position.

9. Operating mechanism for causing a toy head to rock relative to a toy body, said mechanism including a lever pivoted in the body and acting on the head, a first cam acting on said lever, a second lever acting on said first lever and a second cam acting on said second lever, a first motor for driving said first cam and a second motor for driving said second cam, first switch means for energising first said motor and second switch means for energising said second motor.

10. An operating mechanism as claimed in claim wherein said second motor is drivably connected with mechanism for causing arms on the side of said body to oscillate, and a third cam coupled with said second cam for interrupting the drive to said arms.

11. Operating mechanism for a toy including a shaft provided with a rotary switch including a disk and a fixed contact engageable with the disc, the disc having a cut-out, a spring for biasing the shaft into a position in which the cut-out aligns with the fixed contact, gearing for driving the shaft in rotation, and manual operating means for interrupting the drive to the shaft, thereby allowing the shaft to idle and be acted upon by said spring.

12. A novelty clock substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the drawings.