US1337479A - Walking toy-horse - Google Patents

Description

H. LOOMIS. WALKING TOY HORSE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.2I, I919- Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' INVENTOR Q, J7. Loom Z6 w? .5 3 .mQ

WITNESSES 4 TTORNEYS A. H. LOOMIS.

WALKING TOY HORSE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-2|, 1919.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

mvswrol? CZ. fl; L Q0/7115 2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES & 2% )4 77081115 rs I To all 'whomz't may concern:

ARTHUR H. LOOMIS, OF LAS GRUC ES, NEW MEXICO.

WALKING TOY I-IORSE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

Application filed August 21, 1919. Serial No. 318,962.

Be it known that I, ARTHUR H. LOOMIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Las Cruces, in the county of Dona Ana and State of New Mexico, have invented new and useful Improvements in Walking Toy Horses, of which the following is a speci fication.

This invention relates to amusement devices and has for its object the provision of a 'toy horse which is provided with means whereby its legs may be moved by an operator seated upon the horse whereby the device will progress with a walking action.

An important object is the provision of a toy horse of this character in which the head is swingable laterally to effect steering, connection being provided between the head and the front legs whereby the front legs may be turned in the desired direction'while not interfering with the walking action.

Another object is the provision of a device of this character which is so constructed as to be operable by comparatively slight presation, and a general improvement in the art.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view the invention consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the device,

one of the hubs showing the mechanism therein. Y

Referringmore particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the body of the device which is formed as the representation of a horse though ofcourse it will be readily understood that it might have the' semblance of .any other animal if desired. This body 10 is formed preferably of sheet metal pressed into shape and includes complementary sections 11 and 12 meeting at the longitudinal center of the animal. These sections are connected adjacent the back of the horse by transverse rods or bolts 13 which extend through bracing blocks 14. Adjacent the hind quarters of the body is provided another transverse rod 16- which serves also to hold the sections together. Adjacent the shoulders is also provided another transverse rod 17 for the same purpose and also for another purpose to be described. The top portion of the body is suitably stamped to provide a saddle 18 upon which the operator sits. The forward portion of the body is formed to provide a neck portion 19 and telescopically received within this neck portion is the head portion 20 which is of similar construction to the body and this head portion is pivotally mounted for lateral swinging movement by means of a pivot rod 21. The head portion has connected therewith a suitable bridle 22 which extends preferably around the horn 23of the saddle in convenient position to be held by the operator- The numerals 24 and 25 designate the right and left rear legs which carry at their upper ends bars 26 and 27 which are pivoted upon the transverse rod 16 and which extend through openings 28 in the bottom of the body. Disposed at the front of the body are right and left front legs 29 and 30 which carry at their upper ends bars 31 and 32, respectively, which extend through an opening 33 in the bottom of the body. Disposed over the opening 33 is a turn-table formed as a disk 34 having openings 35 therein throu h which the bars 31 and 32 extend, these ars being pivotally mounted upon a transverse .rod 35 which terminates at or short of the edges of the disk 34. Dis- I posed within recesses around the opening 33 are rollers 36 and the disk 34 carries on its under side a metal wear plate 37 engaging upon these rollers. Also journaled upon upright studs 38 is a series of vertical rollers 39 which bear against the periphery of the disk and the purpose of the rollers 36 and 39 is to permit free revolubility of the turntable with the minimum degree of friction. Extending upwardly from the disk 34 is a shaft 40 having its up er end journaled in a suitable end thrust bearing 41 and provided intermediate its ends with the crank portion 42. Secured within the head portion 20 is a rod 43 upon which is mounted tor pulls the bridle 22 and consequently moves the horses head laterally the shaft 40 will be accordingly partially rotated which will result in turning of the disk 34 which carries the forward legs 29 and 30. In this way steering of the device is accomplished.

n order to effect movement of the legs, I provide a flexible member 48 which is provided at its ends with stirrups 49 and 50 disposed conveniently with respect to the saddle 18. This flexible member has its end portions extending through holes 51 in the sections 11 and 12. Journaled upon each section above the hole 51' is a pulley 52 over which the flexible member is trained. Disposedu-pon the transverse rod 17 are pulleys 53 and '54 and the portion of the flexible member extending from the stirrup 49, after passing over the adjacent roller 52 is trained about the pulley 53 from which point it leads to and is connected with the bar, 32,

as shown at 55, from which point it leadsbackwardly within the body 10 and is connected with the member 27, as shown at 56. From this point the cable is trained about a pair of pulleys 57 mounted in guide sheaves 58 and is then connected with the bar 26, as

shown at 59. From this point the cable 5- leads to and isconnected with the bar 31, as

shown at 60, and from this point it leads to and is trained about the pulley 54 and then over the opposite pulley 52 adjacent the stirrup 50.

Within each hoof portion of the legs is journaled a roller 61 which carries a ratchet 62 engaged by a gravitational pivoted pawl 63.

The operation of the device is as follows:

T he operator seats himself upon the saddle 18. places his feet in the stirrups 49 and 50 and holds the bridle 22. In order to actuate the device the operator presses alternately upon the stirrups. Assuming that the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, when the operator presses upon the stirrup 49, which is at this time elevated, a pull will be effected on the cable 48 which will result in pulling the bars 32 and 27 forwardly and in pulling the bars 31 and 26 rearwardly which will result in forward movement of the right legs 29 and 24, the rollers61 rolling freely upon the surface traveled over. Owing to the provision of the pawls 63 engaging the ratchets 62 in the hubs it will be seen that rearward movement of the left legs 30 and 25 will be prevented so that the device will move forwardly with respect to the rollers carried by these legs, the right legs taking a new step as described. After the stirrup 49 has been depressed to its maximum extent the stirrup 50 will be elevated, and the operator then presses downwardly thereupon which will result in the left legs 25 and 30 taking a forward step. As the rollers cannot have retrograde movement it will be seen that the device will be advanced continually step by step as the stirrups are operated.

When it is desired to turn it is merely necessary that the operator pull upon the bridle to turn the head 20 inthe desired direction, whereupon the turn-table will be turned and the front legs correspondingly turned without in any way interfering with their walking action. a

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will be apparent that I have thus provided a simply constructed and operated device in the nature of a hobby horse which will have a walking action, which may be steered and which will be consequently highly entertaining and amusing.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention it is 'of course to be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction, and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, l

claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a body formed as the representation of an animal and including mating sections secured together, said body being hollow and includmg a neck portion, a head portion pivoted within said neck portion for lateral swinging movement, a bridle connected with said head portion whereby to eflect movement thereof, a turntable mounted within the forward portion of said body at the bottom thereof, said body being provided with an opening beneath said turntable and said turntable being provided with front legs pivoted within said last named openings and extending up into said body, a crank shaft extendin upwardly from said turntable, a train of evers connected with said head portion and said crankshaft, the rear portion of said body being provided with openings in the bottom thereof, rear legs extending through said last named openings and pivoted within said body, a pair of pulleys journaled within the front and rear portions of said body, a flexible member extending into the sides of the body, trained about said pulleys and connected with said legs, and stirrups on the ends of said flexible member.

7 2. A device of the character described comprising a hollow body formed as the representation of an animal, front legs ex tending upwardly into said body and pivoted therein, rear legs extending upwardly openings,

Within said body having its ends disposed externally thereof, stirrups on the ends of said flexible member, guide pulleys Within said body at the forward and rear ends thereof, and said flexible member being trained about said" With said legs.

3. A device of the character described comprising a body formed as the representation of an animal, rear legs extending into said body and pivotally mounted therein front legs extending into said body and pivotally mounted, rollers carried by the lower ends of all bf said legs and movable in one direction only, and means for moving said legs comprising guide pulleys jourpulleys and connected naled Within said body'at the front and rear portions thereof, a flexible member trained about said pulleys, connected with the upper ends of said legs and having its end portions extending outsidesaid body, and

fstirrups on the ends of said flexible member.

4. A device of the character described comprising a body, rear legs extending into said body and pivotally mounted, the forward portion ofsaid body, being provided in its bottom with an opening, *a turntable mounted within said body above said opening, a shaft extending upwardly from said turntable and having a crank portion, front legs extending through said opening and pivotally mounted within openings in said turntable, and means connected with said crank portion for moving said turntable,

and means for moving said legs step by step. 7

' ARTHUR H. LOOMIS.

Images