US1167958A - Amusement device. - Google Patents

Description

W. F. WATKINS.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR- 1, 1915.

Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

OLUMBIA PLANouRAPH 420..WASMINOTONv D. c.

W. F. WATKINS.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE. APPLICATION Hm) MYQAR. 1, 1915.

Patented J an. 11, 1916.

2 SHEETS--S HEET 2- "usurp eras {I FIG.

WILLIAM F. WATKINS, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR T0 C. W. VAN WYE, OF

SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

Application filed March 1, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, lVILLIAM F. WVATKINs,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of WVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention consists of an amusement device or toy of that type embodying a figure or figures designed to be actuated so as to simulate naturalistic movements.

In carrying out the invention, a pair of jointed puppets are employed and formed in imitation of boxers together with manipulative means for imparting thereto movements which partake of realistic actions whereby to afford more or less amusement, and in conjunction with the movable members is also used a spacing member which performs a dual function of maintaining the puppets in proper relative position with respect to each other, and, by reason of its censtruction, imparts vibrations to the same when actuated by the manipulating means aforesaid with the result of making more effective the simulative actions. These and such other objects as may hereinafter appear are attained by the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter specifically described and claimed.

Reference will now be had to the accompany drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a toy constructed in accordance with this invention in position for manipulation. Fig. 2 isa top plan view of the puppets. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the connecting member therebetween. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of one of the puppets in normal inoperative position. Fig. 5 is a detail view in ele ation of one of the arm members, partly broken away to show more clearly the abutment member for said arm, and indicating if dotted lines the movements of the arm sec tions. i ig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a vertical sect onal view taken about on the line 77 of Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the bodv portion of one of the figures, with the jointed members therefor removed; and Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented J an. 11, 1316. Serial No. 13,550.

the spring member with which the arm sections of the ngures arev provided.

Throughout'the following detail description, and on the several figures of the drawings, similar parts are referred to by like reference characters.

, Referring to the drawings the numera 1 and 2 designate a pair of puppets, each being similarly constructed mechanically and disposed in opposing positions facing each other, a connecting member 3 of special form being pivotally connected to the body of each figure at the waist line as indicated at 4. The figures are provided with pivoted legs, 5, and sectional or jointed arms 6. Each arm consists of an upper or shoulder portion 6 and a lower or forearm portion 6", these sections being pivoted together at 6 as well as connected by means of a spring 7, one end of which is secured to the upper arm section, from where it passes longitudinally to the elbow through the pivot 6 to and along the opposite side of the forearm section to which latter portion it is secured at its other end. The tendency of this spring is to maintain the arm sections substantially in alinement with each other but the tension against the sections is not so great as to be difficult to overcome bv manipulation in a npanner to be more fully described hereina ter.

The upper arm section 6 has formed at the elbow portion a projection 6 which limits pivotal movement of the forearm section, and, furthermore the portion' of the upper arm section 6 adjacent its pivot is cut away as indicated at 6 in Fig. 5 with which cut-away portion a laterally projecting stop pin 6 cooperates to limit the movement of the upper arm portion.

Connected to the forearm sections of each figure, at 8 is a. manipulative member or double cord 8, each portion of which passes upwardly through the guiding screw eyes 9 secured adjacent the upper portion of each upper arm section, from whence it passes upward to and through the screw eye 10 disposed in a support or frame 11 just above its cooperating figure. Each figure of the pair of puppets is thus constructed and arranged.

'tensioned to maintain them upright.

It will be apparent that the cords 8 not only impart movement to the arms of the figures, but act as suspension means for said figures so that it is easy for the operator to cause oscillation of the jointed mem bers of the puppets in a manner amusingly imitative of the corresponding movements of the bodies of human boxers. By reason of the peculiar assembling and construction of the parts it is even possible to make the figures go through falls or knock-outs in a most realistic manner.

In the actual operation of the invention, it will be obvious that if the operator inserts a finger of each hand through the loops at the free ends of the operating cords 8, the movements of the puppets may be independently controlled, such movements being caused by jerking the cords. In this connection, the connecting member 3 performs its special function of imparting to the figures a certain amount of vibration because of the fact that it is of a resilient character or material and is operatively connected to the figures somewhat loosely as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings permitting not only vertical movements but slight relative lateral movements of the figures with respect to each other. This member when the operating cords are jerked is vibrated and transmits its vibration to the figures when actuated by said cords. I i

As shown in Fig. 7 the body portion of each figure is provided with a stop pin 12 adjacent each leg, which with the corresponding stop pins 13 projecting laterally from the leg members cooperate to limit rear movements of these members. These pins enable the figures to assume standing, immobile positions with their weights substantially held by the surface upon which their feet rest, the cords being just slightly Ini tial pull on the manipulating cords raises the weight from the surface and draws up the arms into substantial. horizontal or guarding position and subsequent pull or jerk actuates the forearm and upper arm sections under tension of the springs 7, all of these features being essential to the most effective operation of the puppets. When the cords are slackened the arms will fall to a position at the sides of the figures as shown in Figs. 4 and 50f the drawings.

It is to be understood that I do not desire to be confined to the precise form of the puppets as illustrated in the drawings, since it is within the purview of my invention to make these figures in imitation of any human or other figures, as desired.

Other slight changes may also be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new is:

1. In a figure toy, the combination of a body comprising jointed arm members and movable leg members, operating cords for suspending the body and for imparting oscillation to said parts, said cords being attached at one end to a section of each of the arm members, guide means projecting from the top of the other section of the arm members and through which the cords pass, whereby to hold the cords in line with the path of movement of the arms in the oscillation thereof, and means for forcing the arm sections into extended position.

2. In a figure toy, the combination of a pair of puppets each comprising movable arm and leg members, operating cords for suspending the puppets and for imparting vibration thereto, means intermediate the puppets .for holding the same in spaced relation, said means comprising a spring member adapted to vibrate upon movement of the operating cords and to transmit such vibration to the puppets.

3. In a figure toy, the combination with a support, of a pair of puppets, means for suspending said puppets from the support, said means constituting manipulative means for actuating said puppets, and a resilient member pivotally connected at each end to said puppets to maintain the same in spaced relation to each other. I

e- In a figure toy, the combination of pair of puppets, each comprising a body portion, sectional arm. members movably connected thereto, and leg members also connected to the body portion, operating means for manipulating the puppets comprising an operating cord connected to one of the arm sections, guide member on the other arm section through which the operating cord passes, and a support above said puppets from. which the operating cord is suspended a resilient member connected to the body portion of each figure for maintaining them in relative position with respect to each other, and springs connected to the arm sections tending to hold the same in normal positions.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnes es.

WILLIAM F. WATKINS.

Witnesses O. C. Moons, R. P. VVOODWORTH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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