US2208219A

US2208219A - Changeable eyes and sound actuating device for dolls and other figures

Info

Publication number: US2208219A
Application number: US158086A
Authority: US
Inventors: Maibaum Jerome
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1937-08-09
Filing date: 1937-08-09
Publication date: 1940-07-16
Anticipated expiration: 1957-07-16

Description

July 16, 1940. MMBAUM 2,208,219

CHANGEABLE EYES AND SOUND ACTUA'I'ING DEVICE FOR DOLLS AND OTHER FIGURES Filed Aug. 9, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 \08 HI us I 6 I I0 I OO Ice-E I I01 98 L- |o f PUP. l6

HO I5 I 2?. a0 9 Zinncntor Jana/v Malawi/ attorney July 16; 1940. MAIBAUM 2,208,219

CHANGEABLE EYES AND SOUND ACTUA'I'ING DEVICE FOR DOLLS AND OTHER FIGURES Filed Aug. 9, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 H HS Jrwentor 3L Jena/-15 MHIAHUM BE j 9 Z attorney July 16, 1940. J, B M v 2,208,219

CHANGEABLE EYES AND SOUND ACTUATING DEVICE FOR DOLLS AND OTHER FIGURES Filed Aug. 9, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 3nnentor 4 Jane/-15 MqusH v.

(Ittorneg July 16, 1940. MMBAUM 2,208,219

CHANGEABLE EYES AND SOUND ACTUATING DEVICE FOR DOLLS AND OTHER FIGURES Filed Aug. 9, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 3a 45 4-2 82 A6 5E 55 as y 70 :2 so I 7T W T! Fl q' 51 l'nwentor JEROMa Mn/anu/v,

8g j u (Ittorneg Patented July 16, 1940 PATENT OFFICE CHAN GEABLE EYES AND SOUND ACTUATING DEVICE FOR DOLLS AND OTHER FIG- URE S Jerome .Maibaum, New York, N. Y.

Application August 9, 1937, Serial No. 158,086

13 Claims.

The present invention relates to dolls and other figures and, more particularly, to changeable eyes for such figures and also to means associated with such figures for producing sound effects.

One object of the invention is to provide improved means for mounting the changeable eyes and the operating mechanism therefor in the head of a doll or other figure.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for moving the eyes and for operating the eye-moving mechanism.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means for moving the eyes to change the appearance thereof and "for simultaneously actuating the sound device.

Another object is to provide means accessible externally of the figure, but normally concealed from view, for operating the eye-changing mechanism and the sound actuating device.

Another object is'the provision of an eye mechanism including a shaft on which the eyes are mounted and a mechanism for moving the shaft to move the eyes in relation to the eye openings and for automatically holding said eyes in adjusted position.

A further object is to provide for mounting the eye mechanism and sound device as a unit in the head of the figure.

Another object of the invention is to provide for supporting the eye mechanism in the, head of the figure in such manner that clearance between the eyes and eye openings is automatically provided during themovement of the eyes in relation to the eye openings.

A further object is the provision of a spring support for the eye mechanism arranged to normally position the eyes in proper relation to the eye openings and to permit the provision of clearance between the eyes and eye openings during movement of the eyes.

Another object is the provision of a doll or other figure having a sound device mounted in the head of the figure and operable manually by means disposed externally of the figure.

A further object is the provision in the head.

of a doll or other figure of disks or pads of selfhealing material, such as cork, sponge-rubber, etc., for engagement by parts of an eye-mounting device whereby said mounting and the eyes carried thereby may be inserted as a unit within the doll head through the neck thereof and automatically secured in position and supported within the head of the doll by engagement of said mounting parts with said disks.

The above objects of the invention and other objects ancillary thereto will be fully understood from the following description considered with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the present specification.

In the drawings: .15

Fig. l is a perspective view of a doll figure embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the doll head and of the upper part of the body on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; '10

Fig. 3 is a rear view in elevation of the eye mechanism and sound device unit mounted in position; i

Fig. 3a is a detail sectional view on the line 3u,-3a of Fig. 3; 15

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the iiolwer portion of the mounting illustrated in;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on a larger scaleon the line 5--5 of Fig. 3; 5.0

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 5;

Figs. '7 and 8 are sectional views on the lines and 8-8, respectively of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the line 9-9 of 25 Fig. 8; i

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary elevational View on the line Ill-40 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view of the inner side of the front of the doll head, showing in elevation another form of mounting for the eye mechanism and sound device unit;

Fig. 12 is a sectional View on the line l2-l2 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view of a detail of the mounting device shown in. Fig. 11;

Fig. 14 is a side view of the tubular mounting member and of a tool used in inserting the same in the head.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows the invention embodied in a doll figure H], but it will be understood that this is merely illustrative and not limitative as the invention may be used with other figures. Said figure ID has a head and a body I2 and Hi, respectively, which are hollow and preferably composed of the material usually employed for the purpose so that both said head and body are rigid or substantially non-deformable, although it will be apparent as the description proceeds that with respect to certain features of the invention the figure, especially the body thereof, may be made of any suitable material, whether rigid or flexible. The head of the doll has the usual neck opening l5 and is provided with a 55 wig l6 and the body of the doll is covered by a dress l8. Means 20, comprising a cord, chain, wire or other length of suitable flexible material, which is normally concealed by the dress, but which is accessible externally of the figure of the doll is provided for manually operating the eye mechanism and also a sound device, if desired, as will hereinafter more fully appear. Said cord extends through an aperture 22 in the back of the upper part of the body adjacent the connection with the head (Fig. 2), although, if desired, said aperture may be located in the lower partof the back of the head.-

The eye set comprises changeable eyes here shown as constituted by a pair of eyeballs 24 disposed adjacent the eye openings 26 and provided on the surfaces thereof with delineations of a plurality of irises or parts of irises 28 whereby wide variations in the appearance of the eyes may be obtained. Said eyeballs may also have eyelashes 30 mixed thereto or painted thereon. Changeable eyes of this type are disclosed in my application. Serial No. 102,101, filed September 23, 1936. Eyeballs 24 are mounted on a rock shaft 32 for turning movement therewith. Said shaft is journalled in a bracket 34 which together with a strip or plate 36 preferably of sheet spring-metal constitutes the mounting for the eye operating mechanism and also if desired for a sound device 38. Said eye set and mounting unit is constructed and arranged for insertion through the neck opening I of head l4.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 3a, eye balls 24 comprise solid spheres 25 of wood or other suitable material each having a sectional shell of Celluloid or other suitable material on which the irises are depicted. Said shell, as here shown is made in two parts 2'! and 29 which are inserted over spheres 25 and then secured together. Shaft 32 projects through openings 3! and is provided with projections 33 which bite into spheres 25 when the latter are assembled on said shaft, thereby fixing said eyeballs to the shaft for rotation therewith. Said eyeballs may be adjusted longitudinally of the shaft by tapping on the eyeballs to move them in the desired longitudinal direction.

Bracket 34 comprises a U-shaped member of sheet metal and includes, preferably in integral relation, an end wall 40 and spaced side walls 42 Said side walls areprovided with top openings 44 for the insertion of shaft 32 and the mechanism carried thereby in the bracket and are provided with bendable tongues 46 for holding the shaft in place after the latter is inserted, it being understood that said tongues are initially disposed substantially at right angles to walls 42 to permit the insertion of said shaft and with said tongues are bent substantially into the planes of said walls respectively, as illustrated in Fig. 5, after the shaft and the mechanism carried thereby are inserted in the bracket. A plurality of spaced nibs or projections 48 are formed on the inner surfaces of side walls 42 adjacent end wall 40 and form together with said end wall means for securing said bracket to mounting strip 36 in adjustable relation. For this purpose said nibs 48 are spaced from the inner surface of end wall 40 so that the opposite surfaces of strip were in sliding engagement with said projections and end Wall for holding the bracket in adjusted position upon said strip.

The mechanism for turning shaft 32 in bracket 34 comprises a lever 50 pivotally mounted on shaft 32, a disk 52 fixed to said shaft, a member bracket end wall 68.

54 releasably connecting lever 50 to disk 52 for movement of the latter by the former, a spring 56 which opposes movement of said lever, and a detent 58 which engages spaced shoulders 60 formed on the periphery of disk 52 for preventing rotary movement of said disk in one direction thereby to releasably hold said disk in adjusted position. Detent 58 has a portion 62 which is received between the cut-away upper edge portions 64 of side walls 42 and an overlying portion 66 of Said end wall 68 is secured to the ends of side walls 42 by tongues which are integral with and project from the edges of said end walls and extend through openings 14 in end wall 68 and bent thereover, for securing said end wall in position.

Disk 52 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings 16 in the side thereof. Connecting member 54 has bent side portions 18 which engage opposite side edges of lever 50 so that said member is movable with said lever. The ends 80 of member 54 are refiexed providing fingers or'projections adapted to extend into diametrically disposed disk openings 16 thereby releasably connecting lever 50 to said disk so that movement of said lever in one direction, that is, in a clockwise direction in Fig. 8, causes disk 52 to move into the same direction for turning shaft 32 and thereby moving eyes '24 in relation to eye openings 26 to change the appearance of the eyes. Disk 52 is fixed longitudinally of shaft 32 and is provided with a collar 82 which spaces said disk in relation to the adjacent side wall 42 of bracket 34. Lever 50 and connecting member 54 are mounted for movement longitudinally of shaft 32 and are resiliently held against the adjacent side of disk 52 by the axial coiled portion of spring 56 whereby the ends of connecting member 54 are projected into disk openings 16 for turning of the disk. One end 84 of spring 56 engages one of the bracket walls and the other end 86 of said spring engages lever 50 in a recess 88. Cord 20 is attached to the upper end of lever 50. Thus, by pulling on said cord, lever 50 is turned in a clockwise direction (Fig. 2) until said lever engages upper portion 66 of end wall 68, the recess 88 in said lever being provided to increase the distance through which the lever may be moved. When the lever is thus actuated, shaft 32 is turned a predetermined amount thereby moving eyeballs 24 in relation to eye openings 25 to bring predetermined surface portions of said eyeballs into view through said openings. Upon release of cord 20, spring 56 operates to return lever 50 to its initial position, the return movement of disk 52 being prevented by the engagement of detent 58 with an adjacent shouldered portion 60, it being understood that upon each. movement of disk 52 by lever 50 the shouldered disk portions 60 are brought successively into position adjacent the end of detent 58 for engagement of said detent with one of said shoulders so as to prevent any reverse movement of said disk. The reverse movement of lever 50 is limited by stop member 90 here shown as integral with said lever in position to engage strip 36, the design and arrangement of parts being such that when lever 50 is returned by spring 56 to its initial position, the ends 80 of connecting member 54 engage in pair of disk openings 16.

In accordance with the present invention provision is made for actuating sound device 38 when lever 50 is operated to move eyes 24. Accordingly, as here shown, a forked lever 92 is connected at one end thereof to end 94 of lever 50 and .said lever is connected at its spaced ends 96 to the movable wall 98 of said sound device. Said spaced ends 96 of lever 92 are provided with slots III!) which engage pins I02 on wall 98' so that said lever ends may movein relation to said pins during the arcuate movement of said lever. As here shown, sound device 38 is mounted on strip 36 which is provided for this purpose with a widened portion I M. Sound device 38 is connected to portion IM by metal tongues I 06 integral with or connected to the adjacent wall portion of said sound device and extended through openings in strip portion I04 and bent over as illustrated to secure said sound device in position.

Theeye set. including the actuating mechanism therefor and sound device and the mounting therefor can be inserted as a unit through the neck opening I5 of the doll and adjustably secured in position in the head of thefigure. For this purpose, the head of the doll is provided with upper and lower projecting portions I38 and III] disposed on the inner surface of the front of the head centrally thereof and each of said portions is provided with a cotter pin IE2 fixed thereto preferably by embedding the head of said pin in the material of said portions. The ends of strip 33 are provided with a slot IM and a hole II 6, respectively, for receiving the shanks of said pins. It will be understood that the eye set and sound device carried by the mounting constituted by strip 36 and bracket 34 may be inserted as a unit through the neck opening of the head of the figure and then secured in proper position by engaging the upper bifurcated portion N5 of strip 36 with the shank of upper pin I I2 and subsequently fixing securing end II! in position by engagement of lower cotter pin II2 through hole H6 and by spreading the parts of said lower cotter pin.

Instead of bracket 3t being adjustable on strip 36, said bracket may be formed integral with or otherwise fixed thereto, and adjustment may be provided as illustrated in Fig. l. As here shown, the lower end of strip 33 has bent side edge portions IIIt terminating in toothed edges I for engagement by an adjustable member I22 which overlies slot H9 and is provided with an opening I24; through which the shank of one of said pins H2 projects, the separable members of said pin shank being spread and engaged with the outer surface of member I22 for securing the latter in engagement with edges I20 of strip 36. In other respects strip 35 is the same as hereinbefore described. In both forms, said strip is initially bowed somewhat toward. the rear of the doll head so that the fastening of the ends of said strip in position flattens the strip and effects a secure engagement of the ends of the strip, and by reason of the slot and pin connection at its upper end said strip yields sufiiciently in response to the pull on the cord for rotating the eyes to provide clearance between the eye balls and their sockets during the rotation of the eyes.

It will be understood that in the mounting hereinbefore' shown and described, clearance between the eyes 24 and their eye openings during movement of said eyes is provided due to the resiliency of strip 36 which permits a slight movement of said strip toward the back of the head of the figure when lever 50 is operated by pulling on cord 2i, to turn shaft 32.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs.

11 to 13, the bracket 34 instead of being mounted tubularmemb'er I26 by-means. of plate 36a. For this purpose, plate 36a has spaced upper portions I2! curved about member I26 for pivotally suspending said plate. and bracket 34 carried thereby from said member I26. Said tubular member has relatively movable tubular end portions I 28, spring pressed outwardly by springs I30 and provided with pointed ends I32. Said ends engage disks or pads I34 secured to opposed inner wall portions of the doll head I ia above the eye openings. Said disks are composed of readily penetrable and. preferably self-healing material, such as cork or sponge-rubber, which can be readily penetrated automatically by the sharpened ends I32 of members I28 when the latter are spring pressed outwardly of member I26. The inner ends of springs I30 bear respectively on opposite sides of a securing memher I 36 which passes through tubular member I transversely thereof midway between its ends and on the inner flattened ends of members I28. One end. I38 of member I36 is received within a pre-formed opening I38 in the head Ida. The other end I40 of said member is reflexed to provide a slot I42 in which a refiexed upper portion IM of supporting plate 33a is received for limiting pivotal movement of said plate and bracket 36 carried thereby. Member I36 is fixedly secured to tubular member I26 as a unit therewith. In this form of the invention, when lever 50 is moved to operate shaft 32, bracket 34 is moved toward the rear of the doll head thereby providing clearance between the eyeballs 24 and the eye openings during the rotation or partial rotation of said eyeballs. It will be understood that as in the first described form of the invention the eye set and mounting therefor may be inserted as a unit through the neck opening of the doll head and may be readily secured in position by the engagement of the sharpened ends I32 of movable end portions I28 with pads I34.

A tool I50 is utilized for facilitating the mounting of the unit in the head. As illustrated in Fig. 14, said tool is U shaped and the legs I52 thereof are engaged with ends I32 of members I38, in openings I54 in said ends, whereby to hold said members inwardly against the force of springs I30. When the mounting is in proper position, the tool is removed allowing the springs I to force pointed ends I32 into engagement with pads I 34.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that the latter may be embodied otherwise than as here shown or described and that in the constructions specifically disclosed herein certain changes and omissions may be made. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited precisely to the present disclosure except as may be required by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with the head of a doll or other figure having eye openings and a neck openings, an eye set and mounting unit inserta-- ble through said neck opening of the head, said unit comprising a rock shaft and a pair of eyes carried thereby for movement in relation to said eye openings for changing the appearance of said eyes, means associated with said shaft for turning the latter, and separable interengaging means on said unit and on the interior of said head for securing said unit in position in said head, said shaft and the eyes carried thereby being mounted for limited movement away from said eye openings during the turning of said shaft.

2. In combination with the head ofa doll or other figure having eye openings and a neck opening, an eye set and mounting unit insertable through said neck opening of the head, pads of readily penetrable material secured to the inner surfaces of said head at spaced points, and a support for said unit comprising a fixed member and spring pressed movable members, said unit being pivotally mounted on said fixed member and suspended therefrom for movement of the eyes toward and away from said eye openings, and said spring pressed members being engageable with said pads for securing said support and the unit in position in said head.

3. In combination with the head of a doll or other figure having eye openings and a neck opening, an eye set and mounting unit insertable through said neck opening of the head, pads of readily penetrable material secured to the inner surfaces of said headat spaced points, and a support for said unit comprising a fixed member and spring pressed movable members, said unit being pivotally mounted on said fixed member and suspended therefrom for movement of the eyes toward and away from said eye openings, said spring pressed members being engageable with said pads for securing said support and the unit in position in said head, and means on said fixed member and said unit for limiting the movement of said eyes away from their openings.

4. In combination with the head of a doll or other figure, said head having eye openings, a shaft mounted for rotation in said head and carrying a pair of eyes in position adjacent said openings for movement in relation thereto, means for supporting said shaft in said head, a sound device mountedin said head, said sound device carried by said supporting means and insertable therewith as a unit into said head, means for actuating said sound device, means carried by said shaft for turning the latter to move said eyes and for simultaneously operating said means for actuating the sound device, and means accessible externally of said head for actuating said shaft turning means.

5. In combination with the head of a doll or other figure, said head having eye openings, a shaft mounted for rotation in said head and carrying a pair of eyes in position adjacent said openings for movement in relation thereto, said shaft and the eyes carried thereby being mounted for limited movement away from said eye openings when the shaft is being turned, a level pivotally mounted on said shaft, a member fixed to said shaft, means for releasably coupling said lever to said member to turn the shaft in one direction, and means connected to said lever and accessible externally of the head below the latter for actuating said lever to turn the shaft, said last mentioned means being positioned for concealment by the dress of the figure.

6. in combination with the head of a doll or other figure, said head having eye openings, a shaft mounted for rotation in said head and carrying a pair of eyes in position adjacent said openings for movement in relation thereto, a lever pivotally mounted on said shaft, a member fixed to said shaft, means for releasably coupling said lever to said member to turn the shaft in one direction, means connected to said lever and accessible externally of the head for actuating said lever to turn the shaft, spring means for returning said lever to initial position following each actuation thereof, and means for preventing reverse movement of said shaft during the return movement of said lever.

7. An eye set and mounting unit for the head of a doll or other figure, comprising a bracket having an end wall and spaced side walls, a support for said bracket engaged by said end of the latter, means on said support for securing the latter in the head of the figure, a shaft journalled for rotation in said side walls of the bracket, eyes carried by said shaft, means mounted on said shaft for rotating the latter, and means carried by the ends of said side walls remote from said bracket end wall releasably engageable with a part of said shaft rotating means for releasably holding said shaft and the eyes carried thereby in adjusted position.

8. An eye set and mounting unit for the head of a doll or other figure, comprising a bracket having an end wall and spaced side walls, a support for said bracket engaged by said end of the latter, means on said support for securing the latter in the head of the figure, a shaft journalled for rotation in said side walls of the bracket, eyes carried by said shaft, means mounted on said shaft for rotating the latter, means carried by the ends of said side walls remote from said bracket end wall releasably engageable with a part of said shaft rotating means for releasably holding said shaft and the eyes carried thereby in adjusted position, a sound device carried by said bracket support and insertable therewith as a unit into the head of the doll together with said bracket and the parts carried by the latter, and means operable under the control of a part of said shaft rotating means for actuating said sound device.

9. An eye set and mounting unit for the head of a doll or other figure, comprising a bracket having an end wall and spaced side walls, a support for said bracket comprising a spring metal strip, said bracket end wall having a slidable engagement with said strip longitudinally of the latter for relative adjustment of the bracket and said strip, a shaft mounted for rotation in said bracket, eyes carried by said shaft and movable therewith, and means for rotating said shaft.

10. An eye set and mounting unit for the head of a doll or other figure, comprising a bracket having an end wall and spaced side walls, a support for said bracket comprising a spring metal strip, said bracket end wall having a slidable engagement with said strip for relative adjustment of the bracket and said strip, a shaft mounted for rotation in said bracket, eyes carried by said shaft and movable therewith, means carried by said shaft for rotating the latter, a sound device carried by said strip, and insertable therewith as a unit into the doll head together with said brackets and the parts carried thereby and means operable under the control of a part of said shaft rotating means for actuating said sound device.

11. In combination with the head of a doll or other figure having eye openings and a neck opening, an eye set and mounting unit insertable through said neck opening of the head, said unit comprising a rock shaft and a pair of eyes carried thereby for movement in relation to said eye openings for changing the appearance of said eyes, means associated with said shaft for turning the latter, members embedded in the material of said head and projecting from the inner surface thereof, and slotted means included in said unit engageable with said members for securing said unit in position in said head, said slotted means comprising a spring strip for resiliently holding said eyes adjacent said eye openings, said shaft turning means including a member operable to flex said strip in a direction to move said eyes away from said openings during the turning of said shaft for changing the ap pearance of said eyes.

12. In combination with the head of a doll or other figure having eye openings and a neck opening, an eye set and mounting unit insertable through said neck opening of the head, said unit comprising a rock shaft and a pair of eyes carried thereby for movement in relation to said eye opening for changing the appearance of said eyes, releasable connecting means associated withsaid shaft for turning the latter, said mounting unit comprising a spring strip for resiliently holding said eyes adjacent said eye openings, and separable interengaging means on said strip and on the interior of said head for securing said unit in position in said head. i

13. In combination with the head of a doll or ing unit comprising a spring strip for resiliently holding said eyes adjacent said eye openings, and separable interengaging means on said strip and on the interior of said head for securing said unit in position in said head, said shaft turning means including a member operable to fiex said strip in a direction to move said eyes away from said openings during the turning of said shaft for changing the appearance of said eyes, and separable interengaging means on said strip and on the interior of said head for securing said unit in position in said head.

JEROME MAIBA'UM.