US1643916A - Mechanical toy - Google Patents

Description

Sept; 27, 1927. 16

. J. J. BECKER MECHANICAL TOY Filed Sept. 13. 1926 w- INVENTOR JOHN J. BECKER ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 27, 1927.

JOHN JACOB BECKER, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

MECHANICAL TOY.

I Application filed September 13, 1926. Serial No. 135,260.

be any arbitrary figure, but which is pref-' erably in the form of a clown, and which carriage member is so designed and so sup ports the rotatable member, that a counterbalancing weight carried below the rotat able member causes the rotatable member, during the travel of the carriage and the rotation of the rotatable member, to take on a forwardly and backwardly rocking or swinging motion, while this member rotates.

Some of the objects of my invention are, to provide a toy of this type which is of simple and durable construction, of comparatively few parts, and of interesting and novel appearance.

Another object is, to provide a toy of this type which, when the carriage is caused to travel, will by simple mechanical means effect a rotation of the vertical rotor and simultaneously therewith effect the forward and backward rocking thereof.

Another object is, to provide a toy of this character which shall be of such construction that it can be conveniently assembled for use, disassembled for repair or for transportation in containers, and effectively supported on a travelling-carriage or cart, :30 that the rotation of the vertical rotor and the forward and backward rocking thereof may be positively effected by the movement of the carriage or cart. 7

Another object is, to provide a device of this character having means carried on, onev of the carriage axles by which the rotation of the vertical rotor is directly effected and having secondary means, suspended below the axle, by which, synchronously with the rotation of the rotor, the rocking movement of the rotor may be effected as and when the carriage is caused to travel. 7

Another object is, to provide a device of this character having means upon which the rotor. may be detachably mounted, so that a change of rotating figure may be made as desired, without disorganizing the construction of the carriage or the rotating means.

Another object is, to provide a device of this character having a carriage member which is preferably of the two wheels or cart type, upon the single axle of which may be carried or suspended, the means for supporting the. rotating member and the means for actuating that-member and the counterbalancing weight.- I

My invention consists in the particular construction, combination, organization, and arrangement of'parts, shown in the accom panying drawings, described in the specification and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims. f i i In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, showing the rotatable member mounted upon the carriage, the arrangement of the counterbalancing weight, the means by which the rotor is caused torotate, andthe means by which the carriage may be caused to travel. I i

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, taken on line 22 of Fig. 1,- showing the arrangement and co-operative relations of the parts of my device referred to in the preceding description of Fig. 1. I

Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts, 10 and 11 are a pair of wheels, fixedly mounted on a shaft or axle 12, which axle 12 rotates with and as the result of the rotation of the wheels, as they are caused to travel across any suitable surface. This movement may be caused by a push or pull given to the axle by an Operator of the clevice, by means of a forked handle 13, which is provided, at its free end, with an eyelet 1 1, to which may be attached a cord, or any other suitable means, by which the wheels may be causedto travel. The forked handle 13, is provided with angularly bent arm portions 1:") and 16, which are, at their ends, likewise provided with collars 17 and 18, through which the axle 12 extends and by means of which the forked handle 13 is mounted on the axle, so that the latter may rotate withinthe collars as the wheels are caused to travel.

Mounted on the axle 12, between the ends 17 and 18 of the forked handle 13 is a supporting framework 20, substantially a cart or carriage body. The framework '20 is swingably mounted on the axle 12, by means of oppositely arranged openings 21 and 22 A in the sides thereof, through which openings the axle 12 extends. Affixed to the axle 12, adjacent the inner faces of the opposite sides of the framework 20, are collars or washers- 23 and 24, which rotate with the axle and serve as means by which the framework 20 may be held in operative position against lateral displacement on the axle 12, whlle at the same time, permitting the framework 20 to have a rocking or swinging motion on the axle when the device is operated in intended manner.

The framework 20 is of substantially inverted U-shaped design, having a top portion 25 and downwardly extending side members 26 and 27, which at their lower extremities are provided'with angularly bent flanges 28 and 29, between which side, memhere 26 and 27, and below the axle 12 and supported upon the flanges 28 and 29 and in fixed relation to the framework 20, 1s a counterbala-ncing weight 30, provided to hold the framework 20 in operable position upon the axle 12, but to, at the same time, permit it to have a rocking or swinging motion on the axle 12 as the cart or carriage is caused to travel. The top portion 25 of the framework 20 is provided with a substantially central opening 31, around which, and forming a part substantially of the top portion 25, is an upwardly extending tubular section 32, to serve as a bearing through whicha member, later to be described, may extend and within which it may be supported and permitted to rotate.

Mounted on the axle 12 is a gear 33, affixed to the axle by a pin or any other suitable fastening means, so that the gear 33 will rotate with and be actuated by the rotation of the axle as the cart or carriage is caused to travel. Meshing with the gear 33, and disposed below the top 25 of the framework 20, is a gear 34 which is carried on the lower end of a vertical spindle or shaft 35 and is fixed thereto, so that by the movement of the carriage and the rotation of the axle 12, the rotation of the gear 33 will effect the rotation of the gear 34 and cause the spindle 35 to likewise rotate. Between the gear 3 1 and the lower face of the top portion 25 of the carriage framework, a washer 36*is provided around the shaft or spindle 35 to bear against the inner face of the top 25 of the framework 20, in order to afford a bearing for the rotatingspindle 35 and .to retain it in operative position. Mounted around the spindle 35, adjustably affixed thereto and rotatable therewith is a collar or washer 37, which is disposed above the top 25 of the framework 20 in contact with and bearing against the upper end of the tubular section or bearing element 32 in the top 25. This collar or Washer 37 is provided to cooperate with the collar or washer 36, to serve as a support for the rotating spindle 35 and to be adjustable so as to properly position the spindle 35 to effect the proper meshing of the gear 34 with the gear 33, and to aid in holding the rotating spindle in its vertical operating position.

The spindle 35 extends upwardly above the bearing and the collar or washer 37, and thereby serves as a means upon which any suitable or arbitrary figure or device may bemounted so as to rotate therewith, when the carriage is caused to travel and by means of thegear 33 and the spindle is rotated.

I have shown in my drawings a clown figure mounted upon the spindle andarrangedto rotate with'the rotation of'the spindle. I have likewise shown sound producing devices arranged atthe ends ofthe arms of the clown figure, and have indicated the clown as of a particular design and arbitrarily decorated; But I do not wish the fact that I have used a clown as the figure to be mounted on my device to be understood as the novel feature of my invention, for I am aware that figures of other characters, such as a coon-jigger, a ballet dancer, or any other desired arbitrary model, may be combined with my mechanism in place of a clown. It is to be understood however, that I utilize the washer or collar 37 as a means of support, in conjunction with the upwardly extending portion of the spindle 35, for such arbitrary figure as may be chosen to be mounted uponthe spindle An important feature of my invention however is the fact that such figure as may be chosen to be mounted on the spindle shall be counterbalanced in weight by the counterbalancing weight 30, carried below the axle 12 in the framework 20, so that, as the carriage is caused to travel and the wheels 10 and 12 rotate, and the. axle 12 likewise ro tates, effecting the rotation of the bevelled gears 33 and 34k and the spindle 35, carrying the clown or other-figure, that the counterbalancing weight 30 shall be of such amount that whilethe rotation of the figure'takes place there will likewise occur a rocking back and forth, in a substantially vertical plane, effected by the counterbalancing weight-this action being substantially. that of a double or inverted pendulum. i

It will be seen therefore, that I have created a novel device, in the form of a mechanical toy, in which, as the result of the travelling movement. of the cart or carriage carrying the mech'anism by which a figure is actuated, that the figure is not only caused to rotate and give the impression of a spinning dancer, but is simultaneously caused to rock forwardly and .backwardly,while the rotation takes place and somewhat thereafter, and thereby creates the impression of. a double movement on the part. of the dancer, which would appear to be substantially that of the spinning dance combined with a forward bow and a backward lean, andthat 1 gear 34 the no i therefore have produced means which creates a novel and amusing optical illusion and which will serve to amuse and educate children and others.

Having shown and described my invention in detail, I do not wish to be limited thereby, except as the state of the art and the appended claims may require, for it is obvious that various modifications and changes may be made in the combination, construction, organization, and arrangement of parts of my invention, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a mechanical toy, a carriage including a rotative axle, wheels thereon and an inverted one-piece U-shaped member freely swung on the axle and having an integral, centrally disposed, upwardly directed tubular extension, the lower free ends of the sides of the inverted 'U-shaped member being rounded and directed inwardly toward each other to provide spaced curved weight supporting flanges, a weight having a curved under surface corresponding to the curvature of the lower ends of the sides of the inverted U-shaped member and supported at its ends on the said flanges and sustained solely thereby between the sides of the U- shaped member, a vertical spindle extending through the tubular extension, an arbitrary figure secured to the upper end of said spindle, a gear mounted on the lower end of the said spindle, a gear on the axle in mesh with the gear on the spindle whereby upon movement of the toy over a surface the spindle and figure carried thereby are given a rotative movement, said weight carried by said body causing a rocking movement of the axle adjacent the inner faces of the sides of the U-shaped member to maintain the latter against lateral movement and to maintain the U-shaped member spaced from the wheels, a weight having a curved under surface corresponding to the curvature of the flanges of the U-shaped member and sup ported on said flanges, a vertical spindle extending through the, tubular extension, an arbitrary figure secured to the upper end of said spindle above the tubular extension, a gear mounted on the lower end of the spindle, a gear on the axle in mesh with the gear on the spindle, whereby upon movement of the toy over a surface the spindle and figure carried thereby are given a rotative movement, said weight carried by said body causing a rocking movement of the body and fig ure in a vertical plane when the spindle and figure are rotated in the manner stated, and a member secured to the axle in. embracing relation between the U-shaped member and said wheels whereby to effect rolling move ment of the carriage. I

Signed at the city of New York in the county of Bronx and State of New York this twelfth da of June A. D. 1926.

OI-IN JACOB BECKER.

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