US1782843A - Mechanically-operated figure toy - Google Patents

Description

NOV. 25, 1930. A, DERUS 1,782,843

MECHANICALLY OPERATED FIGURE "IOY Original Filed May 12. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 III Nov. 25, 1930. A E DERUS 1,782,843

MECHANIGALLY OPERATED FIGURE TOY Original Filed May 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 JZerZ Z Degas No'v. 25,1930. A. E. DE'RUS I Y 1,782,843

MECHANICALLY OPERATED FIGURE TOY Original Filed May 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 JZejZ [.flerzzs W to a.

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Nov.25, 1930. A. E. DERUS 1,782,843

MECHANICALLY OPERATED FIGURE TOY Original Filed May 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 JZbaJ'ZZ. D6105 atented Nov. 25,, 1930 i i i p UNITED STATES PAT T VA QFFICE AgLBER T E. nnnusor omcaeofirmlrnorsj Mno ANIc Ln -orERATEn TIGURE TOY 1 Application filed May 12, 1926, sw rm. 108,614. .mews-Ma ci@1930, i1

i This invention relates to coin-operated of the 'mechanism at theupper partofthe j vending machines of the type employed tor machine, y s i "dispensing packagedicandies, chewing gum, Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a songbird a lozenges and like products",fand its object is specimen, taken from the reversed side of a l toprovide a machine of; this kind which similar showing inFigurefi furnishes entertainment of a novel character Fig. 8 is andetail section of atiming mechaduring-its operation. nism,takenlon line 8 8 of Figure}; 1

flA further object of the invention lS tO com-r Fig. 9 is a lsectio on' theline19% 9OfFig-Q him ith a din hi f the above ure 3 clisclosing theinterior of-abellowsyand 10 type a'realistic songbird scene, hereinbirds 10'is a perspectiYe i w f Z iIld? i a execute musicaland bodily movements true produclng element. a a i i a l a to life. '7 As illustratecli Figure"1,1the machineis a A still further object of th inventio is to in h f m of an o n c b et 5, t e ora i h provide a novel mechanism which co-ordiam ntal details of which are brought out Q1 hates the musical andbodily movements of more, fullyin my desigilP t NO. 69,500,; 65

each performer in simulation of the actual d d Fe ruary23, 19 26g The cabinet is Of, a movements executed by the living birds when e an l s vlslble features comprise a" t in song. V p glasspanel' 16 throughWhichtheconfection V Another object of the inventionis to so de- P k l are d P YGOl, a GO1I1-SlOt head 18,. sign the mechanism last referred to as to be a r 1 dapted to be swung down forthe; capable of easy replacement .to vary a given removal re e s, a Or w h q l; i performance ifdesired, that is, to change the 21 -6 t0 bottomofthe h e 1 arrangement andpitch of the musical vnotes f t n o nsw e be le d y t i and the sequence and duration oi the bodily a eq B I g g cy, and ag g movements of the performers. 1 a a dome i0v P QQ ong dasp nn s Aviinal but neverthelessimportantobject l g them'andfihelr ons it of the invention is to construct the novel maa y 5 r cchine of few parts'ancl to operate efficiently, The jm Q l entallsfievenj m ly, a

so that it may require a minimum amount of n as fi l l lng r pp att nti n, v y 1 a spring motor; (3) a coln-operated motor ac- WVi-ththe above objects in view, and any tllatar; automatm op f th t r; others Which may suggest them'selves from (51)1 a"mo qrpg ate l ws;1 (6). a QUL ClQ i the specification andclaim to'follovv, a better t and l a sy m e m; understandingof the invention may be had remt t n mg fiu an d fi by reference to the accompanying drawings, od y v m nts, of the performers, these, ifiwhi h r unlts' co-op'erating toproduce the musical Figure 1 is afront elevation ofthe novel" and odilyefi'ects evidentto the Ob r r 1113101111195" 7- patron. L W it Fig, 2 is a view of the interior thereof when The P I Q motor s lndlcatedat'g it andiis 90 the right-hand Wall in Figure 1 has been re- 'ofany sultable type,or1g1nat 1ng 'vv1th a key. oved;vi i p Y splndleand 13111101125 .for vvlndlng and m- Fig. 3 is. a plan-section of the mechanism in volving a multiplying gearing which ter-- the lower part of the machine; minatesin a flyWheel- 26 carried by a spindle Fi 4 i laterally-expanded i f th 27. The 'motor is disposed in a clockworlyg g performance-control unit; 7 frame28, and thelatter is suitably attached Fig. 5 is an elevation of the mechanism to onformed as apart ofthe basej29 ofthe shown in Figure 3, as viewed on thesection vending apparatus. i i I line 5--5 of that figure; i The mechanism unlts aboveenumerated 50 Fig. 6 is a partly cut-away perspective view are carried by or suspended from the top of the cabinet, so that they may be removed for inspection or repairs by merely raising the said top untilthe mechanism is clear of the casing. lVhere the machine is exposed to tampering, it will be advisable to secure the mechanism body to the cabinet by a suitable lock, such a measure also preventing unauthorized access to the accumulated coins by the removal of the mechanism.

The vending apparatus originates with the coin-slot head 18, in which the different slots represent varieties of the confection dispensed. For handy selection and compactness, the slots 31 are grouped closely, but the coin chutes 32 leading therefrom are gradually separated along their downward course for better individual application to other parts as well as for better access in the event of installation or attention. In front of the coin chutes is a series of laterallygrouped compartments 33 in which are stacked rolls 1'? of the peppermints, fruit drops, lozenges or other commodity vended, as indicated by dotted lines in Figures 3 and 9. These are fed downwardly upon a platform 35 to which access is handy when the door 19 is swung open, whereby to remove a given packet. The feeding from the compartments is eifected by a free arrangement of spools 36 in succession on a rod, the spools being arranged at the bottoms of the respective compartments and independently rotatable. The spools have near the ends spiders 37 between whose arms a seat is formed for each lowermost roll or packet 34, as clearly indicated in Figure 9. It will be evident in this figure that each counter-clockwise quarter-turn of a spool will cause the release of the lowermost roll'34, the next roll in turn finding a support in the succeeding hollow of the spool spiders. The spool assembly is disposed in a wall 38 erected upon the base 29 and being braced at 39 thereto; and this wall is slitted at 40 at the sites of the spool spiders 37 to permit them to operate in front for the feeding of the rolls 34as just explainedand at the rear subject to individual controls to be presently described.

Referring more particularly to Figures 3 and 5, it will be noted that each coin chute 32 is cut near its lower end with a notch 41 at one side. In this notch is adaped to seat the bend 42 of a lever 43 pivotally supported in a bearing standard 44 erected on the base 29. From the rear end of the standard a lever projects in the form of a crank 45. Springs 46 carried by the base 29 are urged against the cranks 45 in a direction to so rock the levers 43 that their bends 42 will seatrin the upper ends of the respective chute notches 41, as shown. The levers will alsoin this positionimpece the movement of the spools 36 in the dispensing direction previously described. by blocking the lower leg of one spider of each spool, it being understood that the spiders and shank of a given spool are in one unit or body. At this stage it will follow that when a coin drops down in a given coin chute 32, the force of its descent will depress the lever 43 to clear the bottom spider leg, in which event the weight of the corresponding roll or tack of rolls 34 will cause the spool to turn and dispense the lowermost roll. In the meantime the swift passage of the coin results in the summary release of the lever 43, whereby it is restored to its original position-by the pressure of the respective spring 46-so as to again block the spool spider and prevent a further dispensing action.

0n the subject of the vending apparatus, a safeguard againsta smaller tl at is, less valuable-coin used with fraudulent intent, is illustrated in F igure 6. A short distance below the top 30 of the cabinet the wings or flanges 47 of the coin chutes 32 are notched as indicated at 48. The spacing of each set of notches is short of the diameter of the proper coin, but greater than that of a smaller coin. Between each set of notches a strip 49 is struck back from the front wall of the chute with a tendency to urge a desce ding coin rearwardly by way of the notch spacing referred to. The strip 49 is of resilient material and yields when the full-sized coin descends, so that the latter continues down the chute; however, in the case of the smaller coin, it will be deflected by the strip 49 and cast out of the chute by way of the notch spacing, to fall into a suitable receptacle 50 and therefore fail to produce the intended result. For the proper amount of resilienw, the strip 49 may be separate y applied and of tempered metal. The chutes open into the base 29, as suggested by dotted lines in Figure 9, and the door 20 is unlocked and opened periodically for the collection of the coins accumulated in the base.

The coin-operated motor actuator has its origin in any one of the cranks 45. These, in swinging by the influence of the passage of the coin,exert pressure upon a bar 51 fulcrumed on a pin 52 carried by the motor frame 28, whereby to rock the bar in clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 5. Since the fulcrum is at a medial point, the cra are of necessity applied from above or be low the bar to eifect its stated movement, The bar 51 has a hub 51 from which a detent 53 extends over a side pin 54 of the flywheel spindle 27. Normally, the detent engages the pin and locks the spindle, as shown. However, in the event of the passage of the coin, the rocking of the bar 51 raises the detent off the pin, releasing the spindle so as to permit the motor to run. The rocking bar 51 is no anally resisted by a light spring 51" leading from the base 29, so that the tendency of the detent would be to again fall and lock 1 saasiqm moving motor spindle 54? reautomatic motor stop contemplated in the the flywheel spindle after the event of the'passage' ofthe coin; This does not occur, how-' ever, due'to an element to be presently described which holds the detent in elevated position as soon as themotorhasstarted to l Theelement just referredto is part of the introductory 'outline. A clear view of this de vice isshown in FigureS. Belo'wthe-detent eeives adisk55 on whoseperiphery rides the footor outward bend 53 of a downward extension53 of the detent. VYhen the motor is not in operation a notch 55 m the periphery of the disk 55 is adapted to receive the said detent 'foot 53 but when the motor starts,

' the movement of the .diskj raises the foot the flywheel spindle 27 to rotate and the motor to continue running: As described so far, thedisk 55 would appear to stop the motor between the wheel and the disk to check the tendency of the wheel to turn freely. The

peripheral cams 56 are otratchet' formatlon upon the periphery and so maintains the detent in elevatedposition whereby to permit after one revolution, but since this-would render the duration of the performance too short, an adjunct is provided wherein the disk is only operative as a stop once infour or more revolutions. The device is in the form of a wheel 56 ,cut with a series of peripheral cams 56 and on'eor more peripheral falls 57*. "The wheel is loosely mounted alongsidet-he disk 55 on stud 55? carried thereby, and a sp'ri'ngwa'sher56 is interposed and are of even or greater height than the periphery of the disk at the, site of the wheel.

. The latter. ispositioned oppositethe disk notth 552 510 that when" the wheel is turned relative to the disk, itsfalls 57* will in turn register with the disknotch. When the motor, is infop'erati'on the disk 55 rotatesjin the y direction or thearrows in Figure 8, withthe f detent foot 53 elevated upon j the disk pe-f riphery,'and eaehn e a'wheelcam 56? strikes the foot-53 the wheeljismove'd over a space,

while theperiphery of the succeedingcafm supports the foot and prevents itslfall into thenotch55 However, when a fall 57581 ceeds the moved cam, it and the notch will 7 repeive the foot,and the 'detent will stop the motor. 1f the period of; operation is to be e is increased.

shortened, the number "of falls in the wheel The bellows 5 8,whose interior isindicated in Figure 9, is intended to create a constant supply of air to operate the sounding tube,

andreceives its motion from a crank 59 oper ated by the motor gearing. The crank trans mits its motion througha pitinan 60 to a rockingbar 61 fulc rumed at 61? to themotor frame, and therocking bar 61 operates the bellowsthrougha link 62'. The bellows comprises a base 63 carried byan extension 64 of the motor frame lower pump 1 chamber 7 65, an upperpump chamber 66 and astorage chamber 67 The partition 68 between the pump. chambers is Inovableverticall being pivotedl at 69 in the base 63, withrw ich the top 71xofthe storage chamber is pivoted at oneaend, as-indicated at 72.; In the operation of the bellows, the upstroke of thepai tition 68 .drawsl=atmospheric air into the chamber through a port 7 3 inthe base, 63

* partition 7 O'between the upper pumpichamber and the storagechamber 67gis integral. The

by way ofa fiap or other automatic valve 65?, at the same time forcing air already in the chamber 66 into the storage chamber 67 by way of avalve 67 Theair accumulated in the storage chamber 67 passes 7 into the base 63 through aduct63 and enters a cavity 63 inthe sideof the base which opens upon a plate 7 4 secured at75 to said side, V descendingstroke of the partitioni68 the evacuation of the pump chamber-.66 is relieved by the entrance of atmospheric air into.

said chamber through a port66 *in-thepartition by waylofa valve 66?. In the meantime the air contained. in the; pump chamber 65 is i forced into the storage chamber 67 through a duct 67 in the base 63 pasta valve inthe sto-r agechamber. The bellows isthus a doubleaction and-.transfusing pumpflwhich delivers a .valve 77.1 :The 'body of the tube is fittedh with a fiattened eplug'Ttl-over which the. air

from the passage 76 passes into a cylinder 75 the sound emerging froinan opening 79 in the bottom of the tube. Thevolume of the cylinder 7 5 is controlled by the movement of a plunger 80 by a rod 81, so that when the plunger isbacked the sound emittedis deep, becoming shrillas the plunger is advanced. Abearing [82 carried by the. cylinder 75 and an aperture in the plate 7 4 serve to guide a rod 83, whose purpose is to' bear against the valve 77 at given timefor the admission of air tothe soundingtube; It will. now be. seen that, by the proper-manipulation ofthe rods 81 and 83 while thebellows is in operation, it will be possible. to sound notes and movements pecuhartobirds in song, such as warbles, trills, chirps, runs, calls, etc.

. Thefbird specimens 23 mounted on top of the machine rare-intended to execute lifelike movements in synchronisin with the rythmof the music producedby the sounding tube, so that the impression will be given .to theobserver that the performers are producing the music. The mechanical 'factor will thus be-inthe background while, the ob server is impressed by the unique performance and attractive setting of the cabinet.

The movements of the bird specimens consist of turning the head 85 in one and the other direction, vibrating the lower section 86 of the bill, and vibrating the tail 87 The specimens are similar and but one will, therefore, require description. The body is'a hollow casting, open at the forward; endv to receive the head 85 and at the rear to project the tail 87. The casting is preferably in two halves, laterally assembled, to receive between them a partition plate 88. On one side of this plate is the head-turning mechanism, while on the other is that for vibrating the bill and tail simultaneously. The head is hollow andhas a base plate 89 (see Figure 7) centered on a spindle 90, which is retatable in a bearing 91 formed from the partition plate 88; The spindle receives a radius arm 92 from which a link connection 93 extends to a bell crank lever 94.- rockably carried at 95 by the partition plate. A long wire rod 96 extends down from the free end ofthe bell crank lever through a foot-extension 8 1E of the body 84:. It will be seen that movin the wire rod 96 upwardl or downwardly will cause the head 85 to swing in one. or the other direction in a manner true to life. Figure 7 illustrates the lower section 86 of the bill as extending inwardly in reduced form, rockably disposed in a standard 97 erected onthe base plate 89 of the head. The inner end of the bill shank is linked to a stem 98 which passes through an arcuate slot 99 in the plate to link with the upper end of a rocker bar 100 fulcrumed at 101 alongside the partition plate. Below the fulcrum the rocker-bar is widened to assume the form of the tail 87; and above the fulcrum a long, downwardly extending wire rod 102companion to the wire rod 96is linked to the rocker bar. A wire spring 103 directed upon the latter from the fulcrum stud urges it to draw down on the stem 98 and therefore hold the bill section 86 closed (as shown) and the tail poised during normal conditions. dowever, when the wire rod 102' is given an upward tug, the result will be the opening of the bill section and drooping of the tail. The object of the linked connections and the arcuate slot 99 is make allowance in the vibrating mechanism for the head turning action. A cov ring of plumage is intended: for the bird specimens, that they may closely resemble live birds: and their environment is to be a scene of shrubbery with leaves, berries and other artificial effects suggestive of nat ural scenery. The plumage and effects have not been illustrated in the drawings, they form no part of the invention and may 1 a varied to suit the designefis fancy or imagination. The specimens and their environment are housed in the glass dome 22, which while affording a clear view of its contents is a safeguard against the molestation thereof.

The mechanism which operates the control rods 96 and 102 for the bodily movements of the bird specimens and at the same time governs the operation of the sounding tube through the control rods 81 and 83all in synchronism to render the performance realistic is illustrated more clearly in Figures 3 and 4. The motor spindle 54 is formed at its rear end with a stepped hub 105 to fixedly receive a small cam disk 106 and three large ones 107, 108 and 109. The assembly is shown properly grouped in Figures 2 and 3, but for convenience and clearness in Figure 1, the small disk 106 is denoted by dotted lines and the three large disks are separated and some of their connect-ions necessarily broken.

The object of the cam disk 106 is to induce the turning of the birds heads in the manner described, and the outline of the disk is necessarily formed to render this movement harmonious with the balance of the performance. For one of the heads, the cam disk 106 receives a follower 110 pivoted on a motor frame pin 111, a branch 112 of the follower being linked to the lower end of the wire rod 96 and held down in intimate relation with the cam disk by a motor frame spring 113. For the other "wire rod 96 a similar set of parts is used with a somewhat different design, these requiring no additional description except that for identification they are denoted by like reference nu morals with the suffix -a.

The cam disk 107 is intended to vary the pitch of the sounding tube by retracting or advancing the plunger thereof in keeping with the peculiar peripheral contour of the disk, as denoted by deep and shallow notches, inclines and dwells, suitably arranged. The follower in this case is a dog 11 1 having its hub swiveled on a motor frame pin 115, with a lever 116 extended downwardly to link with the outer end of the plunger rod 81. A motor frame spring 117 draws on the lever 116 to assure the contact of the dog 114 with the cam disk periphery.

The object of the cam disks 108 and 109 is to actuate the sounding tube valve 77 whereby to render the sounding tubeoperative at intervals corresponding with the peculiar peripheral contours of the disks; and also to vibrate the bill sections and tails of the bird specimens simultaneously with the sounds emitted. Further, the incidents in the peripheral contours'of the two disks are arranged in relative alternation, so that but one performer will be in audible and vibratory action at a time. The impression will thus be that the performers are taking turns the silent one only turning its head while i the other is in fullaction. The followers 118 and 118 of the respective disks 108 and 109 arerockable with hubs on the motor frame pin 115 and are extended downwardly in proximity of a side pin 119 extending from .a lever 120'loosely hung from a motor frame support 121, the lower end of this lever being 1n proximity to the outer end ofthe valve-actuating rod 83. The follower 118 is extended laterally with a radius arm 122 i from which a link 123 connects with one end of a rockerarm 124 fulcrumed on the motor frame pin 111. The opposite end of the rocker arm is linked to the lower end of the corresponding wire rod 102. A more simple connection 124; ties the follower 118 to the other wire rod 102; and it will be noted that the lower ends of all the wire rods have i elongated loops 125 for a small amount of play as against tendenciestowardbinding or jamming of the running gear. The followers 118 and 118 are held to the cam disk peripheries by influence of the wire springs 103 within the bodies of the bird specimens.

Recurring tothe bellows, it will be noted that a U-shaped spring 126 is provided on the top thereof to press with its lower leg upon the storage chamberv 67 and aid the changes and refinements, and I therefore wish to claim all such changes and refinements as coming within the scope and spirit I cla1m: A sounding toy comprising a figure having stationary and movable bill sections, a lever to vibrate the movable bill section, a spring'attached to said movable bill section to normally urge the same toof the appended claim.

controlling said movable bill operating lever whereby to impart predetermined charactersongbird wards said stationary billsection, a cam istics to the vibrations of said bill section, 1

a sounding device, an actuator for the lat ter, an actuator control operated by said cam: f and synchronized with the vibrations of the movable bill section, a modulator for pitch characteristics from the vice. 1

In testimony whereof I afi'ix signature:

, ALBERT E. DERUS.

chamber 67 by the lowerleg of the spring 126.- The valve 130 is not intended to function' during the operation of the machine, and it is therefore held upon its seat more firmly, so as. to be ordinarily inoperative. The valve is intended purely for relief purposes when the mechanism is to be operated without the need of the audible factor. In such a case, pressure with ones finger upon the valve stem 129 opens the valve-for the air to escape from the storage chamber before it can have efiect on the sounding tube. Since the musical sounds are emitted at the bottom of the cabinet, it is considered best to allow them to escape at that site rather than be carried elsewhere for that purpose, and to this endtheifloor of the cabinet is cut with an opening 130 through which the sounds escape to the exterior. This opening is preferably covered with a wire netting 131 to prevent objects from en-' tering the cabinet or ready-access tothe interior byway of the opening.

It is thus seen that a novel machine is provided which,while delivering value for the coin deposited, provides a unique form of entertainment. While the mechanism has been 1llustrated in preferred form, I am aware thatit is capable of many minor the sounding device, and acam to operate the modulator-with a predetermined order of movements to secure, variable desired sounding de-

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