US164723A

US164723A - Improvement in electric toys

Info

Publication number: US164723A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1875-06-22
Anticipated expiration: 1892-06-22

Description

W.- J. DECKER.

Electric-Toy;

NO. l6'4,723 Pat'entedlune 22,1875.

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rrno STATES PATENT @rrron.

WILLIAM J. DECKER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN ELECTRIC TOYS. 1

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No- 164,'723, dated June 22, 1875 application filed May 12, 1875.

or top view, of my improved electric toy.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

This invention relates to a new toy in which the effects of electricity are utilized for causing small figures, of paper or equivalent substance, to dance, move about, and assume various grotesque positions beneath a transparent electrified surface; and the invention consists in constructing the toy of a plate of glass supported on legs, and combined with a rubber, whereby the glass can be electrified.

The toy figures are placed beneath this glass, and are affected in the manner indicated by the electricity, which is imparted to the glass by rubbing its surface with the rubber. The invention also consists in the peculiar manner of attaching the legs to the glass, as here inafter more fully described.

In accompanying drawing, the letter A represents a plate of glass of suitable size and shape. B B are a series of legs, of equal or unequal length, as may be desired, which are attached to the edges of the glass, preferably to the corners, as shown, for supportingitin a a horizontal or inclined position, andforobtaining an open space beneath the glass A and between the legs B. O is a rubber for creating electricity by friction with the glass. This rubber is preferably made of wohd, with a proper handle, and has its lower flat rubbing surface covered with a piece of felt or equivalent subtance, which may be otherwise prepared to increase the effect of the friction on the glass with regard to the degree of electricity. In

size the rubber O is of course much smaller than the plate A. D D are small toy figures, of a length less than that of the legs beneath the glass, and made of paper or equivalent substance, in shape of human figures or other articles. When the glass A is placed with its legs on a piece of board or other surface, and the toys DD placed beneath the glass on such surface, and the rubber G is thereupon rubbed over the surface of the glass, this glass will be electrified, and will tend to attract the figures D with a force seldom sufficient to retain the said figures in a stationary position--that is, the figures will, as the action increases the degree of electricity of one part or the other of the glass, follow such action of the rubber,and will thus assume a dancing or hopping motion, during which the figures will often overturn and assume grotesque and amusing positions. The glass, being transparent, allows the motion and position of the figures D to be observed from above, though they can also be observed from the side.

I am aware that frictional electricity has been utilized for the purpose of attracting pieces of paper to glass or other substance;

but to my knowledge a toy like that described by me has never previously been devised; especially not, when it is taken into consideration that the figures D D should not be long enough to reach from the support of the toy The electric toy composed of the glass plate A, which is supported on legs B, and of the rubber 0, combined to affect the figures D D, which are placed beneath the glass, substantially in the manner herein shown and described.

WV. J. DECKER.

Witnesses:

' E. C. WEBB,

F. V. BRIESEN.