US1815183A - Rocker toy - Google Patents

Description

July 21, 1931,. 1 w. BROWN E'r AL ROCKER -TOY Filed July 2l, 1930 W W m M B w w.. P e m L Marguerite E. Brown Patented July 21, 193,1

UNETED STATES russes PATENT OFFICE LESTER W. BROWN AND MARGUERITE E. BROWN, OF SEATTLE, \VASHINGTON ROCKER TOY Application led July 21,

Our invention relates to rocker toys and certain objects of the invention are to provide a rocker toy comprising rocker means with figures of human beings, animals and the like pivotally mounted thereon in a multiplicity of forms and arrangements and having certain members of their bodies pivotally connected whereby the triple movement, namely the rocker movement, the pivotal movement of the figures as a whole, and the pivotal movement of the connected body members will collectively cause the device to assume a lifelike appearance while in motion. Further objects are to suspend the body members or elements to the bodies by means of elastic pivots whereby said members will have a displacement movement in addition to their pivotal movement. Still further objects are to connect certain of the figures together by elastic cords disposed in a direction corresponding to the direction of movement of the rockers whereby a back and forth swaying movement is imparted to the figures so connected With the above and other objects in view which will app-ear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of the novel construction, adaptation, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed. These objects are accomplished by devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings; wherein Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a rocker toy embodying the features of our invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in transverse vertical section taken substantially on a broken line 2, 2 of F ig.` l;

Figj?) is a view in transverse section taken ..4.0 on a broken line 3, 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a similar view taken on a broken line 4, 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a similar view taken on a broken line 5, 5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a corresponding view taken on a broken line 6, 6 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 7 is a view in side elevation showing a rocker toy of slightly modified form.

Referring to the drawings throughout v5,9 which like reference numerals indicate like 1930. Serial No. 469,307.

parts, the numeral 5 designates a pair of rockers that are preferably semi-circular and constructed of wood. Said rockers are secured in parallel spaced relation to the side end portions of a relatively thick platform J5 or board 6 substantially midway of the height of the rockers. The upper ends ofthe rockers are connected by transverse rounds or bars 7 which also retain the rockers in spaced relation.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a bracket support S, preferably made of wire and somewhat in the form of an invert-ed letter U, has the ends of its legs secured transversely into the center of the platform 6 and stands at right angles thereto. The transverse connecting portion of said wire support passes pivotally through the center of the body 9 of an animal-in this case the ligure of a donkey.

One of the most important features of our toy is the manner and means of fastening the members or elements of the animal or other ligure to its body or other part of its figure and to figures superimposed one upon the other and also the means for resiliently connecting the figures together. Such means consists in forming a V or other shaped groove in the body or in the limb or other member that is to be connected to the body, forming a wedge or other reduced portion on the member or body, and pivotally suspending the reduced portion in the groove by means of a rubber or other elastic pivot.

Thus, in Fig. 3 of the drawings, an ear 10 is connected to the head 11 of the donkey by pivotally suspending the wedge shaped portion 12 of the ear within a V-shaped groove 13 in the head and on an elastic cord 14. In Fig. 4 the head is connected to the body 9 of the animal (by pivotally suspending the wedge shaped portion 15 of the Vneck within a V- shaped groove 16 in the body on an elastic 17. In Figs. 4 and 6 the front and hind legs 18 and 19 respectively `are connected to the body by pivotally suspending their wedge shaped portions 20 and 21 within V-shaped grooves 2 2 and 23 in the body on elastics 24 and 25. And in Fig. 6 the tail 26 is connected to the body by pivotally suspending its wedge shaped portion 9.7 within a V-shaped groove 28 on an elastic 29.

l/Vhile wedge and V -shaped j oints have been herein described as forming the connections between the foregoing members, it will be understood that many other forms of joints may be used and our device is not limited in this respect. Any kind of elastic may be used for the pivots such as elastic cord, rubber bands, springs and the like. A knot 30 may be tied on the outer ends of said elastic pivots in order to retain them in an outstretched position. It is very important that a space 3l be left between the joints in order to provide room for pivotal movement of the connecting members. The importance in using elastic pivots is that the members will thereby have a resilient movement of displacement in addition to their pivotal movement.

Referring again to Fig. l wherein the ligure of a clown is shown mounted upon the donkey, the body portion 32 of the clown is transversely rounded on its underside where it is adapted to rest on the donkeys back for swaying movement back and forth. As shown in Fig. 2 both the bodies lof the donkey and clown are somewhat thick or wide in a transverse direction and their engaging surfaces are at right angles to their sides, as shown in cross section, so that the one will rest upon the other. An elastic 33 is passed through the lower body portion of the clown and the projecting ends of the elastic are secured into the donkeys back at points in central longitudinal alignment therewith. This is another important feature of our invention. The clowns head 34 is connected to his body by pivotally suspending its wedge shaped neck portion 85 within a V-shaped groove 36 in the clowns shoulders on an elastic 37 as shown in detail in Fig. 5. A loop or band 38 may be extended through the clowns hands 39 and under the donkeys tail 26 in order to more effectively impart movement to the tail as will be understood.

lVhen the device. as a whole, is caused to oscillate back and forth on the rockers 5 the figures will swing` back and forth on their pivots and the different members or elements attached to the figures will likewise swing on their elastic pivots in a lifelike manner. Owing to the fact that said members are sus.- pended on elastics they will also have a slight displacement movement in addition to Vtheir pivotal movement which will add to their lifelike appearance. In Fig. l the clowns body, owing to its weight, will alternatively stretch the elastic 33 at its eX- pdosed end portions as the 4device rocks back and forth thus causing the clown to sway back and forth.

In 7 a teeter-totter or seesaw board is pivotally supported on the wire bracket S with three cub bears pivotally supported on wire brackets connected to said board,

otherwise this form is functionally the same as that shown in Fig. l. The heads of the bears are mounted on elastic pivots and the elastics connected through the lower portion of the bears and board correspond to the elastic 33.

It will be expressly understood that our device is not limited to the forms herein shown and described and that said forms are merely shown to illustrate the means of reducing our invention to practice. Almost an unlimited variety of animals, birds, persons and the like may be simulated and variously grouped without depart-ing from the scope and spirit of the invention. In fact the iiexibility of our invention in readily adapting itself to such multiplicity of designs and arrangements is an important lfactor in its utility as a toy.

Having thus described .our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is :w

l. A rocker toy having in combination rocker means, `a platform supported on the rockers, one or more figures Supported for pivotal movement by the platform, a plurality of elements suspendedly connected to said figures for pivotal movement, elastic pivots forming the connections between said figures and elements, and elastic disposed in corresponding direction with the rockers forming resilient connections between some of the figures whereby back and forth swaying'motion may be imparted t0 the figures thus connected. 1 00 2. A rocker toy having in combination rocker means, a plat-form supported on the rockers, one or more iigures supported for pivotal movement by the platform, a plurality of elements suspendedly connected to 1.05 said figures for pivotal movement, said connections comprising wedge shaped portions fitting into V-shaped grooves, elastic strips passing through said wedges and grooves forming said pivotal connections, and elastics disposed in directions corresponding with the rockers forming resilient connections between some of the figures whereby back and forth swaying motion may be imparted to the figures thus connected.

In testimony whereof we aix our signatures.

LESTER W. BROWN. MARGUERITE E. BROWN.

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