US2088885A

US2088885A - Toy

Info

Publication number: US2088885A
Application number: US61379A
Authority: US
Inventors: Urbanek Otto
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1935-09-19
Filing date: 1936-01-29
Publication date: 1937-08-03
Anticipated expiration: 1954-08-03
Also published as: FR797995A; DE642318C; GB463667A

Description

O. URBANI-:K

Aug. 3, 1937.

TOY

Filed Jan. 29, 1956 Patented Aug. 3, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT voFFici;

Application January ze. 1988, yseran N8. 81,819 In Hungary September 19, 1935 '1 claim. (ci. 48-129) work. Toys designed according to this inven tion are provided with a checking device for the driving device and with an electrostatic relay suited to release the checking device.

'I'he surprising effect of a toy ofthis type consists therein that the checking device can be released without the toy having been touched. The

release is effected with the aid of a piece of a material which can be rendered electric by being rubbed, as is the case, for instance, with a hardrubber rod, the' electrically excited piece or rod etc. being approached the electrostatic relay whereby this will be actuated.

The invention is .illustrated diagrammatically and by way of example on the accompanying drawing, on which Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through a toy designed according to this invention, the exterior appearance of the toy being in this case that of a dog. Figure 2 is a similar representation showing the dog in another position, Figure 3 is a horizontal section in the plane III-III oi.' Fig. 1, and Figure 4 shows a few details drawn to an enlarged scale relatively to the other ilgures.

On the drawing, d-denotes the hollow body of the toy, or of the dog respectively, which consists of -a non-metallic material, for instance of a compressed paper-mass. In the rear portion of the body d is arranged a crank-shaft vb, the outwardly projecting free ends of which are firmly connected with the rear legs a of the dog. The crank-pin b' oi.' the shaft b is connected with the rear end c' of a helical tensile spring c, the other end c" of which is indirectly connected with the body d, viz. by the intermediary of the crank-pin s' of a crank shafts located in the front portion of the body and having at 40 its projecting free ends the front legs t oi' the dog attached to it.

In the position shown in the Figs. 1 and `3 the crank-shaft b is retained inv that position by means of a bow f which is so designed as to constitute a kind of crank of a shaft g -to which are aiixed two arms h. The free ends of these arms bear on the lower arm k of a two-armed tiltable lever which is supported on the axle i and stands in its `position of'rest about vertical,

as in Fig'. 1, in which position the lever is in unstable equilibrium. The other arm l' of said lever, which is the upper one in Fig. 1, constitutes a weight that tends to turn the lever on the axle t in the direction indicated by the arrow I (Fig. 1). At the free end of the lever-arm l is a stepped rest l' which can be engaged by a nose o of a body n supported on an axle m located above the bow f. When the body n and the tiltable lever k, l are in the position shown in Fig. 1, the nose o of said body retains said lever in the position shown, i. e. prevents it from tilting. l

The body n is preferably designed as a plate. Above its upper portion is a body p which is likewise preferably designed as a plate. The front end of this body or plate, or, may be, a wire r ailixed to said front end, extends outwardly through the mouth of the dog. The said front end, or the wire r respectively, constitutes an electrode.

When the tiltable leverv k, l is in the position shown'in Fig. 2 it can be turned in the position shown in Fig. 1 by turning the toy for 180, the back of the dog being then directed downwardly. Anyhow, it is possible to eiect this with the aid of a plate-spring u provided at the belly of the dog, the free end of this spring being bent upwardly and extending into the interior of the body or casing. When a pressure is exerted-upon said spring, the lever k, l will ybe turned upwardly from the position Fig. 2 into the position Fig. 1. i,

VThe tail v of the dog is adjustableyit may consist, tor instance, of a bendable metal, or a wirel may be inserted into it so that it can be bent upwardly, downwardly, and laterally, as desired. Anyhow, also a rigid tail can be used which then is attached to the body by means of a hinge w, as in Figs. 1 and 2.

The manner oi.' operation of the toy is as follows: Y

If the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, that is to say, if the dog is half sitting, half lying (the rear legs lying then at on the ground), a body laden with static electricity, for instance a hard-rubber rod which has been rubbed with a cloth, is approached the electrode r whereby an electric charge is produced in said electrode, as well as in the body p. This body charges, in turn, the body n in the opposite sense, in consequence whereof the stationary body p attracts the movable body n so as to turn it on its axle m. By this movement of the body n the nose o thereof is withdrawn from the stepped end l' of the lever-arm l, in consequence whereof the leverk, l is released and can turn downwardly into the position Fig. 2.

During this movement the arm k of said lever lifts the arms h. whereby the shaft g will be turned, as will be, of course, also the bow f which forms a part thereof, the direction of motion being such that the crank b' is released, as is, consequently, also the spring c, which had been under tension up to then. Now the tension of the spring can become active so that the shaft b will be turned and the rear legs of the dog will be moved rearwardly, as indicated by the arrow II in Fig. 1. 'Ihe legs a lift the body of the dog (Fig. 2) which is, at the time being, supported, besides byvits rear legs, also by its tail, but instantly thereafter the dog :lumps forwards beyond the hard-rubber rod.

'Ihe length of the jump and the direction of the same can be regulated by adjusting the tail correspondingly. It is also possible to give the dog only a very short tail or even to omit it entirely, in which cases the dog will perform a somersault, or a salto mortale respectively.

Slipping of the rear legs on the ground is prevented by means of separate feet :n of rubber. Owing to the provision of these feet the dog jumps also on a smooth surface, for instance upon a glass-plate.

The members b and f constitute a checking device. When, after the dog has performed a jump, that device has again been prepared ready for use (position Fig. 1) and, in connection therewith, the rear legs have been turned back into their former position, or position of rest respectively, the dog is ready for another Jump. If the constructional form of the toy is such a one in which no spring u exists, the toy can be made ready for repeated use simply by turning the legs into their original position (Fig. 1) and turning the toy upside down whereby the interior active members will likewise re-assume their proper positions. But if the toy is provided with a spring u this spring is pressed upwardly and inwardly while the rear legs are turned back into their original position. The simplest way is iirst to turn the rear legs with the aid of the little finger by a small angle, say and then to place the toy with some pressure upon the table or whatever other base it may be, whereby the legs will be further and fully turned into their proper position and at the same time the spring u will be pressed inwardly so as to lift and turn the lever-arm l. When the stepped head-portion l' of the lever-arm l has engaged the nose o of the plate n, the toy can be let loose, when the spring u will lift the front half of the dog a little, as in Fig. 1.

I wish it to be understood that the body of the toy can represent any other animal suited for the purpose in view, and also the driving device may be chosen as desired; it may be, for instance, a spring wheel-work, an electro-motor, etc. Furthermore, the members p and n which are those acted on by the static electricity may likewise have any other design than that illustrated merely by way of example, and also their number may be chosen as desired. An important feature, however, is that the respective members are movable relatively to one another either individually or together or in groups, and that at least one of these members or, may be, a plurality thereof, is, or are, designed as a checking device or a contact device, by the release of which by means of an electrostatic charge and/or by distribution or discharge or by removing the distribution, the toy can be caused to operate in the intended manner.

s,oss,sss

According as the arrangement and the number of the members has been chosen, and according to the manner in which they are electrostatically actuated, the respective` members will either attract one another or repulse one another whereby the movable parts of the toy will be moved into such other position as is requisite to produce the eiIect in view. It is this movement which is utilized for releasing the checking device for the driving device of the toy.

I claim:

1. In a toy, in combination, a -driving device, two bodies constituting an electrostatic relay; a loaded tiltable lever; a nose provided at one of said bodies and adapted to take hold of said lever; in such a manner as to maintain it in unstable equilibrium; an extension connected with the other of said relay-forming bodies, extending outwardly from the interior of the toy, and constituting an electrode.

2. In a toy, in combination, a driving device. two bodies constituting an electrostatic relay: a loaded tiltable lever; a nose providedl at one of said bodies and adapted to take hold of said lever; in such a manner as to maintain it in unstable equilibrium; an extension connected with the other of said relay-forming bodies, extending outwardly from the interior of the toy, and constituting an electrode, and a member adapted to lift the said lever and to release it thereafter.

3. In a my, in combination, a driving device. two bodies constituting an electrostatic relay; a loaded tiltable lever; a nose provided at one of said bodies and adapted to take hold of said lever; in such a manner as to maintain it in unstable equilibrium; an extension connected with the other of said relay-forming bodies, extending outwardly from the interior of the toy, and con stituting an electrode, a member adapted to lift the said. lever and to release it thereafter, and a spring arranged at the bottom oi' the toy and adapted to lift the said lever and to release it thereafter.

4. In a toy, in combination, a helical spring, a lever adapted to tension said spring, the axis of the spring and said' lever extending approximately parallel to one another when the said spring is under tension; a checking device engaging the said lever, a tiltable lever suited for releasing said checking device..and an electrostatic relay suited to release said tiltabie leve 5. In a wy representing an animal, in combination, turnable rear legs, a helical spring for turning said legs, rubber feet at the legs, a checking device for said spring, and an electrostatic relay suited for releasing said checking device.

6. In a toy representing an animal, in combination, turnable rear legs, a helical spring for turning said legs, a crank-shaft having free ends, to which the front ls of the animal are attached, the crank-pin of said shaft being connected with said spring, rubber-feet at the rear legs, a checking device for the said spring. and an electrostatic relay suited for releasing said checking device.

'7. In a toy representing an animal, in combination, turnable rear legs, a helical spring for turning said legs, an adjustable member adapted to give support to the rear portion of the animal,

a checking device for said spring and an electrostatic relay suited to release said checking device.

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