US1725831A

US1725831A - Sounding toy

Info

Publication number: US1725831A
Application number: US302995A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank R Sherman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1928-08-30
Filing date: 1928-08-30
Publication date: 1929-08-27
Anticipated expiration: 1946-08-27

Description

Aug. 27, 1929. F. R. SHERMAN SOUNDING TOY Filed Aug. 30, 1928 uff 7 M WY My ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 27, 1929.

UNITED STATES FRANK B. SHERMAN, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

SOUNDING- TOY.

Application filed August 30, 1928.

This invention relates to toys, and more particularly to an improved hollow toy of elastic material.

An object of my invention is to provide a hollow toy of elastic material arranged to retain air substantially indefinitely therein. Another object is to provide a hollow toy of elastic material having a plurality of compartments or balloon portions so arranged that a compartment may be caused to protrude or bulge in a desired manner. Another object is to provide a shield to protect a noise device in a hollow toy from coating compounds within the toy. A further object is to provide an improved hollow rubber doll provided with a noise device.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosures herein made and from the accompanying drawing wherein: Y

Figure l is a front elevational view of a toy contemplated by my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section through the noise device showing the lining of fluid-sealing compound and the protective shield surrounding the noise device;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the head of the doll. in normal inflated position, the cap and collar being removed, and the constriction at the upper end of the toy being shown in exaggerated offset position; and

Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing the head of the doll in expanded position.

As an embodiment of my invention l have illustrated a doll 1 formed of elastic material, such as the thin rubber tube 2 of substantially uniform thickness. The tube 2 is shown as constricted intermediate its ends to form the upper and

lower balloon portions

3 and 4 which may, for convenience, be termed the head portion and body portion, respectively.

rThe balloon portions

3 and 4 may, of course, be of desired relative size and shape.

ln order to prevent leakage of air or other fluid medium used for inllation out through the walls of the

balloon portions

3 and 4, the inside of the rubber or elastic material 2 is covered with a suitable fluid-sealing compound 5 such, for example, as a mixture of flour and molasses, which mixture I have found to be particularly advantageous. By this means the air or other fluid within the Serial No. 302,995.

toy is prevented from escaping, and the toy may be retained in inflated condition over an indefinite period.

Extending into and connecting the

balloon portions

3 and 4 is a sound device 6 shown as comprising a hollow wooden cylinder 7the lower end of which is shown as countersunk at 8. Over the lower end is stretched a thin strip of rubber 9 to form a reed, which rubber may be secured to the cylinder 7 by any suitable means, such as the elastic 10. The rubber strip 9 preferably does not cover the entire opening in the lower end of the cylinder 7 whereby air communication between the

balloon portions

3 and 4 may be maintained. To protectthe rubber strip 9 from the sticky sealing compound lining the balloon portions a cardboard or paper tube or shield l1 is shown surrounding the wooden cylinder 7 and extending downwardly well beyond the rubber strip or reed 9. Paper or the like is advantageous for shield material in that it is somewhat absorbent and prevents the air sealing compound such as flour and molasses from creeping over the shield and contacting with the reed to damage the same. The rubber adjacent the sound device 6 is shown as constricted by the elastic l2 or other suitable constricting means whereby the only iiuid connection between the body portion 4 and head portion 3 is through the sound device 6. In manufacture, the rubber tube 2 may, of course, be molded with a constricted portion which is to form the neck, or the constriction may be obtained entirely by the constricting means 12.

The sound device 6 as shown is arranged to emit noise when the body portion 4 is squeezed and the head portion expanded. It will be obvious, of course, that the sound device 6 might be longitudinally reversed in position so as to emit noise when the air from the expanded head portion is returning to the body portion 4, or the sound device may be arranged to emit sound when the air is passing in either direction, both into and out of the upper balloon portion 3. Furthermore, any other suitable sound device may be employed in place of that shown, my invention not being limited to any particular form of sound device.

My toy is arranged to permit one side of the head portion to expand more rapidly than the other side thereof when expanded by squeezing the body portion. Thus, the upper balloon portion 3 is shown as decorated with the countenance 13 to form a clown face, the head in expanded position being illustrated in F ig. 3 tesque manne-r. This protrusion on one side ofthe upper balloon portion 3 is accomplished by a simple and unique manner of closing the open upper end of the balloon portion 3 after inflation. Thus, after the

balloon portions

3 and 4 are inflated I gather the open upper end of the upper balloon portion so that the portion forming the rear of the head is drawn up to greater extent than the por tion forming the face, or, in other words, the portion which is to protrude excessively when the body portion is squeezed. The sealing of the upper end may be accomplished by the elastic 14 or string, or any suitable constricting means. The knot formed by the constricting means 14 is thus slightly to the rearward of the center line of the doll, as shown in exaggerated forni in Fig. 4, and there is thus a greater extent or expansible area of rubber at the side of the head forniing the' face whereby the face will protrude excessively', as indicated in Fig. 3, when additional air is forced into the head portion, as when the body portion 4 is squeezed. I

have found that the rubber forming the nonbulging side of the upper balloon portion need be drawn up only to a slight extent, for example one-eighth inch, in order to accomplish the desired result, although it is obvious that the rubber may be drawn up to a greater extent, such as shown in Fig. 4, if desired. By this drawing up, the side of the balloon portion having the greater expansible area will bulge in greatly disproportionate fashion.

The use of elastic for constricting

means

12 and 14 is particularly desirable in that it tends to exert a continuous non-diminisliing constraint upon the rubber, so as to prevent, during the life of the toy, passage of air between the balloon portions other than through the sound device, or to prevent leakage of air out through the end of the tube, as the case may be.

The exterior decoration of the toy may be accomplished in any suitable manner. By

way of example I have illustrated a conical clown cap 15 secured by suitable adhesive to the top of the head portion whereby the knot is concealed. I have further shown a collar 16 encircling the neck portion of the toy, and tie 17 whereby the constricting medium, such as elastic 14, is concealed. At the bottom of the body portion 4 I have shown a paper strip 18 secured by suitable adhesive to the body portion 4, said paper strip being cut to simulate feet. The body portion may also be decorated in any suitable manner.

It will thus be seen that I have provided an Vinflated toy which will retain the air or other fluid medium over indeiinite periods.

with the face protrudingfin gro-V It will further be seen that I have provided shielding means to protect a noise device within the toy from damage by fluid sealing coinpound lining the toy.

It will further be noted that I have provided a unique and simple arrangement whereby, although the head portion of the toy is of uniform thickness, Vone side thereof may be caused to bulge to give a unique and amusing result when the body portion of the toy is squeezed.

Furthermore, it is to be understood that the particular forms of apparatus shown and described, and the particular procedure set forth, are presented for purposes of explanation and illustration and that various modifications of said apparatus and procedure can be made without departing from my in# volition as defined in the appended claims.

Vhat I claim is 1. An inflated elastic toy comprising, in combination, a pair of inflated balloon portions connected through a reduced section permitting communication of the fluid within said balloon portions, the material of one of said Vballoon portions substantially opposite said connecting Vsection being gathered and constricted by constrictingA means, decoration on one side Vof said constricted balloon portion, said gathering or constriction being sufficiently offset from alignment with said connecting portion away from the decorated side, whereby upon passage of radditional fluid into said balloon portion said balloon portion will bulge on the decorated side to produce a humorous distortion of said decoration.

2. A. toy comprising, in combination, a thin-walled rubber tube of substantially uniform thickness and open at one end, a sound device disposed within said tube, means constricting said tube about said sound device to form a pair of upper and lower balloon portions communicating through said sound device, means constricting and closing the opening at the upper end of said tube after inflation, decoration applied to one side of said upper balloon portion, the side of said upper balloon portion opposite the decorated side being drawn up within the upper constricting means to a greater extent than the decorated side, whereby upon further inflation of 'the upper balloon portion the decorated side of the upper balloon portion will bulge to produce a grotesque and humorous result. i

3. A toy comprising, in combination, a pair of air-inflated balloon portions connected through a reduced section permitting communication of the air within said balloon portions, air sealing compound lining the inner surface of said balloon portions whereby air may be retained within the toy f or an indefinite period, decoration on one side of one of said balloon portions, the rubber of said decorated balloon portion substantially opposite said connecting section being constricted by constricting means, said c-onstricting means being sufficiently offset from alignment with said connecting section toward the undecorated side, whereby said decorated side will bulge when the other balloon portion is squeezed.

et. A rubber doll toy comprising, in combination, a thin-walled rubber tube of substantially uniform thickness and havinc an opening at its upper end, air sealing compound lining said tube to prevent leakage of air out of the same, a sound device having a. reed disposed within said tube intermediate the ends thereof, means surrounding said sound device to protect the reed thereof from contact with said air sealing compound, means constricting said tube about said sound device to form a pair of upper and lower balloon portions communicating through said sound device, a band surrounding said constricting-means to conceal the saine and to form a collar for the doll, means constricting and closing the upper end of the upper balloon portion to simulate a countenance, the tube at the top of said upper balloon portion being drawn through said constricting means on the side of the countenance to a lesser extent than on the opposite side, whereby when the fluid within the toy passes from the lower into the upper balloon portion to inflate the same further the countenance will bulge toproduce a grotesque and humorous effect, and means covering said upper constricted porti-on to conceal the same and to provide a cap for the doll.

5. A toy comprising, in combination, a pair of inflated balloon portions connected through a reduced section permitting communication of the fluid within said balloon portions, air sealing compound lining the inner surfaces of said balloon portions to prevent leakage of air out of said balloon, a sound device embodying a reed disposed within said toy adjacent said reduced section, and a shield associated with said sound device and preventing contact of said air sealing compound with said reed.

6. A toy comprising, in combination, an inflated rubber tube constricted to form a pair of communicating air chambers, the walls of said tube being lined with an air sealing compound containing flour and molasses whereby to prevent leakage of air through the walls of said tube, a sound device having a reed at one end thereof, disposed in the said constricted portion, a collar of paper-like material surrounding said sound device and interposed between said sound device and said tube, said collar extending well beyond said reed whereby to prevent said sealing compound from contacting with said reed.

7. An inflated elastic toy comprising in combination, a thin-walled rubber tube of substantially uniform thickness, said tube being formed to produce a pair of balloon portions connected through a reduced section permitting communication of fluid within said balloon portions, means carried by one side of one of said balloon portions restricting the eX- pansion thereof m-ore than the other side thereof, whereby said latter side will have the greater expansible surface area so that upon passage of additional fluid into said balloon portion, the side thereof having the greater expansible surface area will bulge disproportionately.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

F RANK R. SHERMAN