US2249335A - Toy - Google Patents

Description

R. TURNE'R July 15, 1941.

INVENTOR RUTH TURNER.

Patented July 15, 1941 Claims.

This invention relates to toys and, more particularly, to a type of toy which may readily be constructed by a child or other user and which may, nevertheless, have a finished ornamental appearance which may permit its use for decorative purposes should that be desired.

Essentially, the invention comprises the construction or manufacture of toy animals from hanks of rope. The hanks of rope used are in the form generally found on the market; that is, they are prewound, having a plurality of longitudinal turns and a larger number of circular turns around the longitudinal turns, thus producing loops at each end and a relatively solid body.

The toy is constructed by wiring together such hanks of rope.

One of the prime uses of the present invention is as a sales promotion idea to promote the sale and use of rope.

Thus a rope manufacturer may make up kits of rope, each hank of rope being wound in the ordinary manner. The kit may contain sufiicient wire and other materials to construct a finished toy, together with a list of instructions for this purpose.

The housing of the kit may have any suitable ornamental form and thus, for instance, Where the toy to be constructed is a dog, the kit container may be in the form of a kennel or may be a folding box suitably ruled, scored, colored and designed so that it can readily be erected into the form of a kennel when its contents have been emptied.

An object of the present invention therefore is the construction of a toy animal from hanks of rope.

A corollary object of the present invention is the utilization of pre-wound hanks of rope having loops at each end for construction toys, taken together with securing means, such as wire, string or other elements.

Still another object of the present invention is the formation of a construction kit and construction toy which will promote and increase the use of rope, in a simplified and readily understandable manner.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a sales promoting display device for rope manufacturers.

Other objects and uses of the present invention will in part be apparent and in part pointed out in the following description and drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a toy dog made in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the front or as to leave loops I3 and I4 at each end (see also Figure 2). This is thestandardway in'which an ordinary hank of rope is Wound and is the manner in which rope is often oifered for sale.

Each of the legs I5, I6, I1 and I8 likewise consists of pre-wound hanks of continuous rope, each being wound and formed in the same manner as the body hank of rope II] but preferably being somewhat smaller than the body hank.

Each of the hanks of rope has a plurality of loops 20 and 2I at each end thereof. The legs I5, I6, I! and I8 are secured to the body preferably by means of wires passed through the loops 20 of the legs and through the loop I3 or M of the body.

Thus, as is seen in the detail view of Figure 2, the wire 25 is passed through the loop 20 of the leg I5 and the loop 20 of the leg I6, securing these legs together, the said wire being also passed through the loop I3 of the body member ID. 7

As may readily be seen in order to secure the legs to the body, the wire 25 should be wound through and secured to the loop 20 of the leg I5. The wire is then passed through the loop- I3 of the body Iii and then wound through and secured to the loop 20 of the leg I6.

In the event that any firmer securement is desired, the wire 25 may be passed through the loop I3 a number of times and wound and secured to the loops 20 by as great a number of turns as may be needed.

This manner of securement of the legs to the 7 body is applicable not merely to legs I5 and I6 but also to legs I! and I8.

The wire preferably is drawn very tight so that the loops 20, 26 of the legs I5 and I6 are drawn tightly against the loop I3 in the body I0. Thus some rigidity is imparted to the joint, although obviously the joint will nevertheless be flexible so that the legs may be moved to any desired position. The flexibility and movability of the legs is enhanced despite the fact that the legs may be tightly secured to the body by reason of the fact that the wire is not positively secured to the loop l3 but is only passed therethrough.

As is seen in Figure 3, the head member also consists of a hank of rope which has been bent over and the loops 3| and 32 of which have been wired together by means of the wire 33.

This doubled over or looped hank 30 forming the head may then be secured in any suitable manner to the body Ill as, for instance, by means of the wire 35 passing over the loops 3| and 32 of the head and beneath the body II]. This wire may be wound a sufiicient number of times to secure desired rigidity of attachment while never-. theless making it possible to move the head to any realistic position desired.

As is seen in Figure 1, a ribbon 4Q simulating a tongue may be inserted into one of the circular windings M of the hank 39, thus simulating a tongue.

Likewise, a mop may be tied, sewn, bound or otherwise secured to the head in any suitable manner, simulating a mane or hair. Obviously, it is not essential that a mop be used but any filamentous material may be sewn to the head or inserted into the circular strands of the hank 39 to simulate the desired effect.

In the present embodiment I have shown small reflectors 46 used as eyes. The ends of these small reflectors may be inserted into the circular strands of the hank 39, or the small reflectors may be tied on to the head by means of the string 41.

Obviously, any member which is nodular or facetted or both may be used for this purpose or any other means may be secured to the head to simulate eyes.

A tall may be formed in any suitable manner. In the present embodiment of Figure 1 showing the toy dog, I have shown a tall 48 consisting of a single strand of rope around which wire 49 has been turned in order to stifien the strand of rope. Accordingly, this tail 48' may be wound to any form, as, for instance, the curled and looped form shown in Figure l, and it will thus hold the form to which it has been shaped. The end of the tail may then be inserted beneath the circular turn 56 0f the body of the dog and thus secured thereto.

It is obvious, that of course, that the rope used may have any desired color although I have found that in actual practice rope having the ordinary white color nevertheless produces a desirable result.

Likewise, also, the different ropes in a single kit may have different colors in order to produce a multicolored animal.

It is also obvious that my construction toy is forth, the present invention is of great utility to rope manufacturers who desire to increase their market. No additional manufacturing operations are required on their part since the hanks of rope which may be used for this purpose are the standard hanks sold in commerce.

The only additional material required is a printed direction sheet and possibly a printed book which may be of interest to children, as well as the few pieces of wire and other members required for the particular animal which should be made.

While in the foregoing I have described my invention as applicable to hanks of rope, it may obviously be applied to any pre-wound members which have loops at each end.

It will also be clear that my invention is not limited in any way with respect to the size of the toy or ornamental object which may be created thereby, but that objects ranging from lapel pins to large toy animals may be created by following the same or similar principles.

Many other methods of utilizing hanks of rope for this purpose and many other ways of building toy or ornamental animals or objects will now be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I prefer, therefore, to be bound, not by the specific disclosiues herein, but only by the appended claims.

I; claim:

1'. A toy having a body member and leg members, each of said members consisting of a prewound hank of continuous rope, each hank having loops of rope at each end, said leg members beingsecured to an end loop of the body member.

2. A toy having a body member and leg members, each of said members consisting of a prewound hank of continuous rope, each hank having loops of rope at each end, means passing through loops at one end of each leg member and through a loop at one end of said body member securing said legs to said body.

3. A, toy having a body member and leg members, each of said members consisting of a prewound hank of continuous rope, each hank having loops of rope at each end, a wire passed through a loopat one end. of said body member andsecured-to loops at one end of each leg member on each side of said body, securing said legs to said body. v

4, A toy having a body member and leg members, each of said members consisting of a prewound hank of continuous rope, each hank having loops of rope at each end, said leg members beingsecured to an end loop of the body member and a head member consisting of a pre-wound hank. of continuous rope having loops at each end; the said hank being. bent and the loops bound together, said head member being secured to said body.

5. A toy having a body member andleg members, each of saidmembers consisting of a prewound hank of continuous rope, each hank having loopsof rope at eachend, said leg members being secured to an end loop of the body member and a tail piece comprising a strand of rope stiifenedby wire and securedto an end or said body.

RUTH TURNER;

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