US2490059A - Traveling rocking horse - Google Patents

Description

. 6, 1949 M. D. JAcoBs TRAVELING ROCKING HORSE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed sept". 27, 1945 mvEN-roR bij ATTQRNEY.

De@ 6, 1949 M. D, .IAQ-:oss f 2,490,059

TRAVELING RO-CKING HORSE Filed sept. 2'?, i945 5 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR v www /g ATTORNEY.

M. D. JACOBS TRAVELING BOOKING HORSE 5 She'ets-Sheet 3 Filed sept. 27, 1945 INVENTOR:

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LQ@ MQW 6, 1949 M. D. JACOBS TRAYELING ROCKING HORSE Filed sept. 27'. 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTQR.

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Dec. 6, 1949 M. D. N.JAczos 2,490,059

TRAVELING ROCKING HORSE Filed Sept. 27, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 MAM/ff. JAcos,

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Patented Dec. 6, 1949 barrial)V sTATEs rarsNr OFFICE TRAVELING BOOKING HGRSE Maurice D. Jacobs, Long Island, N. Y.

Application September 27, 1945, Serial No. 618,929

1 Claim.

This invention relates to rocking devices, in general, and hasr for its main object to provide a device of this nature, which will advance or travel through novel, efficient means, when it is set into rocking motion, My invention particularly relates to rocking horses, whether toys or exercising devices, and whether for children or adults, which will have substantially the same construction and appearance as hobby horses are constructed and appear now, but which will be caused to travel when rocked by said novel and efficient means.

Another object of. my' invention is, to provide a. device, like a rocking horse, having a runner or rocker member with curved lower contour, which will be divided into a front and a rear part, an interconnection being provided between the two parts whereby a backward rocking will cause the front part of. said runner to advance relatively to the rear part, and a forward rocking of the device will cause the rear partA to travel forwardly and. close upon the advanced front part.

Still other objects of my invention are: to provide a rocking and travelling device of the nature indicated, which may be converted into a stationary rocking! device, if desired, and in which means are provided to ease the forward sliding or closing of the rear portion, which carries the user ofthe device, and which, while rocking and i) others, I may mention: tok providey a device, as

characterized hereinbefore, which will be adapted for smooth and continuous rocking and rolling motion while the same is advancing; which will be simple in construction, strong and reliable, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, and will have very few moving parts, which will be quiet and safe in operation, preventing a possible injury to a child using the same, and which may move on almost any' kind of ground or iioor, rugs, lawn, etc., indoors or outdoors.

In the drawings, formingv a part of this specication and accompanying the same:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view ofv the preferred embodiment of my invention', as applied to a rocking horse;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic View of a runner used in my invention and formed of two parts;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are diagrammatic illustrationsv Il. i)

of the relative movements of the parts of the runner upon rocking the same;

Figs. 7,. 8 and 9 are detailed sectional views, the sections being taken on the lines 'l-l, 5 8, and QMS, respectively, 0f Fig. 1.

Figs. 1G, 11 and 12, are fragmentary side, plan and sectional views, respectively, of a modification of my invention, and

Figs. 13, 14 and 15 are similar views of still another form of embodiment thereof.

Fig. 16 is a semi-diagrammatic elevational view of a further embodiment of my invention, and

Fig. 1'? is a sectional View thereof, the section being taken on the line I'I-I'l in Fig. 16.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail, by characters of reference, in Figs. 1 to 9 the numeral. Sil indicates said preferred embodiment of my invention, as applied to a rocking horse, in general, the numeral 3l indicating the runners or rockers of the same, and the numeral 32 the upper structure, or horse.

The runner or rocker portion V3| is composed of two plate-like edge-wise set members 33 and r Si, each having an arcuate lower or rocking edge and, in the embodiment shown, a straight upper edge 36.. Each runner or rocker, however, is composed of a rear member 3l and a front member 38, the two substantially forming a plate of lthe shape yof the respective whole runner 33 and 34, but being separated by an arcuate slot said slot preferably being arranged in the front part of the device at a distance above the lower or bottom edge 35a of said front member, being in parallelism therewith. The total separation of the two members is effected by a transverse terminal division or slot il!! between the two members at the rear end of the front member 38.

`It will be seen that the front member reaches quite a distance towards rearwardly, preferably beyond the ,center line of the device, while the upper portion of the rear member :il reaches `considerably forwardly, its front end being indicated at ill. Forwardly from the upper end of the separation line= or from said front edge di of the rear member, the upper horizontal side of the runner or rocker device is formed by the ront partthereof, as indicated by the numeral a Two transverse .plate members, ,42 and ls, may be secured across the rear members 3l' of the two runners, at a desired distance from one another and upwardly inclining towards one another, and the rocking horse 32A may be built on these two cross members 42 and 43 in the manner indicated in the drawings, or in any other appropriate manner, its front leg 43a being placed quite forwardly, as well as the saddle 44, receiving the weight of the user, also preferably will be placed quite forwardly of the rear runner. In the embodiment shown, the head and neck of the horse is formed by a vertical plate member shaped as shown, and having the grips or handles 45 secured thereto.

An elongated vertical outer plate 46 is secured on the forward end of the rear portion 31 of each runner, as indicated at 41 and 48, the plate 45 being lower than its securing upstanding lugs 41 and 48, covering most of the respective front runner member 38, but at most of its length being somewhat narrower than the said front member, so as not to touch theground. Thenarrow portion is indicated at 48a. Said plate 46, however, is extended rearwardly, to a slight distance beyond the said transverse separation line 40, and the rear portion 45h thereof will be made somewhat wider downwardly to be in registering relation with the bottom, or rocking, edge 35 of the rear member 31 of the runner device.

An elongated curved front slot 49 and a similar elongated curved rear slot are cut through the material of the front runner member 38, said slots also being in parallelism with the bottom or runner edge 35a thereof.

A roller 5| is arranged in the front slot 49, and a similar roller 52 in the rear slot 58, said rollers running on pins secured into the outer plate 46, which plate is secured on, and depends from, the rear member 31 of the runner, as has been mentioned hereinbefore. The rollers 5| and 52, therefore, are adapted to ride in the slots 43 and 58 independently of the front member 38, as required by its relative movements with reference to the rear member 31. To further secure and stabilize the rollers 5i and 52, inside depending members Bia and 52a may be secured on the forward part of the rear member 31 and the inner ends of the pins for the rollers secured in them, as will be understood.

Finally, I also may secure an inwardly extending pin 53 on the rear part of the front member, and a pin 54 on the depending inside element 52a on the rear runner member 31, and a rubber spring 55 will be arranged between pin 53 on the front member and pin 54 on the rear member. Obviously, the end on pin 54 of the spring will be forwardly with reference to its end secured on the pin 53.

In Figs. 4 to 6, I illustrate in a diagrammatic manner, the method, or manner, by which my device will automatically advance upon the rocking of the same.

In Fig. 4 I show the runner device in a normal resting position, and it will be seen that the rear member 31 thereof is closed on the front member 38, rollers 5| and 52 being at the forward ends of their respective curved slots 49 and 50, and the spring member 55 being stressed and eX- panded, pin 54 pulling its respective end forwardly when the rear member 31 closes on the front member 38.

Suppose that in this situation the device now is rocked backwardly, as indicated by arrow 56 (Fig. 5). When the backward rocking reaches to such an extent that the device entirely is resting on the rear member 31, the front member 38 will be released from its frictional binding on the ground, and will shoot forwardly, as indicated by arrow 51, spring 55 pulling the same in that direction, since the forward end of the spring on pin 54 will be stationary and locked on the rear member, while the rear end, on pin 53, now is free to move forwardly, under the tension in the spring.

rIhe nal position after this movement, will be the one indicated in Fig. 5 whereby the front member 38 will shoot forwardly and upwardly, beyond and above the front edge 4| of the rear member 31 to a distance allowed by the slots 49 and 5G, and the spring 55 will contract into a normal condition. Rollers 5| and 52 will ride in the slots 4S and 55 up to the rear ends thereof.

When, now, the rocking device is rocked forwardly, as indicated by the arrow 58 (Fig. 6), and to such an extent that the weight of the device will rest entirely on the forward rocker member 38, the rear member 31 will be released from a binding on the floor, and will slide forwardly on the front member on the rollers 5| and 52 in the respective slots under the weight of said rear member, itself, and possibly that of the user, if the rocking device is a hobby horse. Such a forward sliding of the rear member will continue until it closes upon the front member, and the spring 55 will, again, be stressed or expanded through this movement, as indicated in Fig. 6.

It will be seen, however, that through said backward and forward rocking, the device advances in a straight direction with the extent of the forward shooting of the front runner member 38.y Upon each rocking, backwards and forwards, the same advance will be made, and in this manner, the device will travel while rocking.

It will be seen that upon a forward shooting of the front member 38, the wider rear portion 46D of the outer plate 4G, secured to the rear member 31, will cover the gap between the rear end 40a of the front member and the edge 4819 of the rear member corresponding to the same, and since the lower edge 45e of said rear portion 4Gb is a continuation of the general Ibottom or rocking curve 35 of the device, the backward and forward rocking will be smooth and continuous, without any shocks or jars.

It also will be obvious that upon a forward rocking to a suitable degree, the part 4Gb also will be released from a binding with the ground, and will permit a forward sliding of the rear portion 31. Its continuous smooth forward and rearward rocking will also enable my device to be used 0n practically any ground, not only on a smooth floor but also on a carpet, in the open air, on lawns, etc.

In my invention means are also provided whereby my travelling rocking device may be changed to a plain rocking device, without the advancing or travelling feature, when desired.

For this purpose the two members 31 and 38 of the rocker will be temporarily locked to one another, whereby an advance shooting of the front member 38, and a consequent closing thereon of the rear member 31, will be prevented. One embodiment of such a means is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 9, and is generally indicated by the numeral 68. In this embodiment, for the purpose in view, a comparatively wide vertical hole or recess 5| will be Vformed in the forward part of the rear runner 31, above and over the front runner 38. Said larger recess or hole will be continued downwardly through the material of the rear runner 31 by a narrower hole 52, and, similarly, it will be continued upwardly, opening into the top of the rear runner, through another similar narrower hole 63.

A pin 64k will be placed slidably through the narrow holesy 62 and 632, and a disk 65 will be secured 'on said pin in the wider recess 6l. A coiled spring 66 will be inserted around the pin Slt betweenthe bottom of the recess 6l and the disk 65'. A receiving holeV or recess 6l also will be provided in the upper edge of the front member 38 opposite to the pin 64 in the rear member.

It will be obvious that, normally, the spring 66 willl push said pin fillV upwardly, and its lower end 68 will be out of engagement with the recess el in the front member 38 and said front member will beA permitted to slide forwardly with reference tor the rear member. If, however, it is desired to lock the' two members and change the travelling devicerto a plain rocking device, the user of the hobbyl horse will step on the upper end of the pin Se' and will press it downwardly, against the spring B6, whereby theV lower end S8 of the pin 64 will engage the recess 61 in the Afront member and the two members will be locked to one another as long as the pressure oi the foot on the pin 6B is maintained.

It will be seen that if both sides of my devicef are locked in the manner described, the user stepping on the locking pins 64 in both runners by the respective feet, my device is turned into ausual rocking horse with no advancing feature.

However, if only one runner of my device will be locked in the manner explained hereinbefore, like for instance, stepping on the locking pin 6e on the right hand side of my device only, then it has been my experience that upon the rear part trying to close on the front parts the device willturn in the direction indicated by arrow 69, that is, toward the locked side, in this instance toward the right. It seems, that in this case the part `of the-bottom or rocking edge 35 of the right hand locked runner, resting on the ground, as indicated at 1t, will serve as the turning or pivot point, vand the leftside of the device will travel in a circular path therearound, as indicated at ll.

It also has beenmy experience that even if one side runner is locked, still the rear part of the runner may -closeon the front part in the other runner, in this casein the left hand side of the device, not locked. This I attribute to the comparatively great weight of the rear part with` the` user, the child, thereon and the leverage action thereof on the swivel center 1I] in the locked right hand runner.

The locking device Se may take any other appropriate form Adifferent from the one shown and described, and a device according to the idea of the locking means B0 may be made independently of the runner, as 4for instance, in a separate housing, and then secured on the runner, instead of being .formed in a recess in the materiali thereof.

The slot and roller 'co-action between the rear and front parts of my device may also be constructed in a great many ways, different from the `ones shown, but without departing from the scope of my invention.

Instead of the plainy rubber springs 55, other stretching resilient elements, like coiled springs, may be used, and they, as well as rthe rollers may be concealed within the respective parts of the device.

My invention also provides an advancing rocking `horse which is entirely safe, and even small vchildren may playv with it without any danger of my invention will be smooth, uninterrupted, continuous, without any jars or shocks, and it operate in such a desirable manner on almost any ground, and not only on the usual smooth door of a room.

My invention obviously alsoprovides an ad vancing rocking horse whichis very simple in construction, comparatively easy and inexpensive to manufacture, and still reliable and durable in use.

In Figs. l0 to l2, I show a modification in the construction ofV my twoy part runners or rockers.

In this modication the rear runner part is indicated, in general, at Se, and the front part at 3l. The horse part of the device is shown broken away in the drawings', being only indicated at 82, and its securing' into and on the rear parts of the two runners at the two sides ci the device is indicated at 83' and 8&3, as will be understood.

The front part, generally indicated at 35aof the rearrunner portion is; forked having 'the two branches 85 and 86a between which is ar ranged the front runner portion 8 i Slots S5 and 3l are formed in the front portion 8l and rol-1ers it and 39 arel in said slots, said rollers being secured in the rear portion of the runner as indicated at 9G and 9|.

A small plate 92 is secured across the front, forked, part 30d of the rearl runner carrying the pin 53, and a corresponding pin is secured adjacent' the rear end of the front runner portion iii. A rubber spring 95 is secured between two pins.

The use and operation of this type of runner will be similar to those described hereifnbefore.

Upon a rear rocking, the spring b5 will pull. the front member 8l forwardly to the limit allowed bythe slots e6 and 81. Upon a reverse, fcrward rocking, the rear member 89 w-ill close upon the front member, again tothe limit of the slots,

in this manne-r; rocking and advancing wi-i bev produced ina simple attractive looking dev1ce.

Another modication of my invention is shown in Figs. I3 to 15.

In this embodiment, the rear runner portions are indicated at lim and |01, respectively, which are interconnected by the frame structure i532 on which is built the upper part M3 of the de vice. This part may, again, imitate a horse, but preferably some other animal adapted to have long forward neck portion I03a.

The two forward runner members me and H55, may be `used in this embodiment, too, but they are shown as placed inwardly of the rear portions li and lill, and as suspended from the neck H130.. Said neck may have a long appro-- priately curved slot |06 formed therethrough, which may run the rollers |01- and les, secured in the upper portions lillia and VIll5a of the front runner members lLl and m5.

In the front end of the neck lll-3a is secured the downward pin |09, and' a corresponding but up ward pin llt is secured on the frame member ill connecting thel two front members mil and m5.

A rubber spring H2 is secured to the two pins it and i it, and it will be seen that the use and operation-0f this form of my invention is similar to those described hereinbefore.

Upon a rearward rocking, arrow I i3, the front members 104 and |05 will shoot forwardly, arrow iid, under' the influence of the rubber band l-i 75 and to the limit defined byf-thefront end -I'ia of the slot |66. Upon a forward rocking (arrow H),v therefront members will be fixed on the floor and the rear runner or rocker members |06 and will slide forwardly, under the force of gravity (arrow H6), to the limit allowed by the slot |66, as indicated in Fig, 13 at |06b. y

This form of my device is particularly adapted to imitate a desired animal, advancing with its forward legs upon every rearward rocking.

In Figs. 16 and 17 I show still a further modification of my invention. This modification embodies the principle that the user, like a child, of the rocking device or rocking horse, may have means right on the upper part, or on the rocking horse proper, whereby at will may lock either the right or left hand side of the device, as has been described hereinbefore, but instead of two independent operating locking means being provided, like the slidable pins 64 in the earlier embodiment oi this principle, one single element, adapted to be easily available to the user of the device, like a child sitting on the horse, will operate either locking devices as desired.

In the embodiment of Figs. 16 and 17 this single means is in the form of a swivelled or rotatable head |20 for the horse, which has means depending therefrom, whereby upon a right turning it will lock the right hand side of the device, and upon a left turning it will lock the left side rear and front runner members to one another.

The embodiment of Figs. 16 and 17, generally follows the one shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and for this reason certain parts thereof have been omitted to clearer show the novel principle illustrated in Figs. 16 and 17. In this embodiment, also, two runners or rockers proper, S6 and 34, are employed, each being composed of a rear member 31 and a front member 38, separated by the slots 39 and eil, and operating in an identical manner as has been described in. connection with the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2. In this embodiment, however, the head |26 of the horse is separate from the upper structure 32 of the device, and is rotatable thereon, having a depending shaft or rod I2| secured thereto which is rotatable in an appropriate hole or bearing |22 in said upper structure 32.

It will be seen that upon a right hand or left hand turning of the horses head |20, by the child sitting in the saddle M, and using the handles or grips 35 in the horses head, the shaft |2| will rotate or rock to the right or to the left.

At the lower end of the shaft a forwardly projecting rod 23 is secured, having at its forward end a transverse right hand branch |24 and a left hand similar branch |25. A flat spring |26 may be secured on the right hand rear runner and a similar spring |21 may be secured on the left hand rear runner member in the manner to be described presently.

The springs |26 and |21 are secured at their inner ends on the rear runner 6l' of each side, as by securing the said springs on the inner downward plates or members 52a on the respective sides above the pins 5G carried by said members i129):l This movementwillbcause the right hand branch of said lower rod system to. press against thefree forward end |26a of the spring |26, pressing said spring against the right hand front runner member 38, as will beunderstood.

`As long as the horses head is turned to the right with sucient force, it will press spring |26 against said runnerl member and prevent its operation, wherebyl the right hand rear and front runner members will be temporarily locked to one another.

It will be seen that the right hand runner member is not operating now for advancing the device, wherefore the device will turn on said locked member (arrow |36), as has been explained hereinbefore, in connection with the embodiment of Figs. l and 42, and the operation of the locking pin 64 therein.

When the righthand turn and pressure on the horses head is released, the spring |26 will also be released, and the locking effect between the rear and front right hand runner members will terminate.

On the other hand, obviously, if the horses head is turned to the left, an identical operation is produced on the left hand side of the device through the rod member |25 and spring |21 (arrow 13|) and the left side rear and front runner members will be locked whereby the device will be caused to turn to the left, as shown by arrow |32.

Ina word, the user, like a child, of the rocking horse, can simply guide the horse to the right or left by pulling the horses head to the right or i left.

To increase the effect of the springs, the parts of them pressed by the respective rods |24 and |25, may be curved outwardly as at |2627 and |2lb, and the respective portion of the front runner member 38 may even have a recess to receive that outwardly bulging portion of the spring and thereby effect a more secure binding between the spring and the front runner member.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various further possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

' What I claim as new and want to protect by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

In an advancing rocking device, a rocker or runner having a continuous single curved lower rocking edge whereby to rock the device on an appropriate supporting surface, like the oor in a building, said runner being composed of a front and a rear member, means to mount said members for movement one relative to the other, said front member being prevented from moving forwardly, in the normal position of the rocker, down to contact of said front member with the supporting surface, said front member being adapted to be entirely freed of the supporting surface upon a predetermined rear rocking of the device, the device then being supported entirely on said rear member, and said rear member being similarly adapted to be entirely freed of said surface upon a suitable Vforward rocking, the device then being entirely supported on said front member, means each runner for locking them to one another, the 10 means for looking the two members of one runner being independent of the means for locking the two members of the other runner, thereby to cause the device to turn in a right hand or left hand direction as desired.

MAURICE D. JACOBS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 96,708 Lautenschlager Nov. 9, 1869 1,212,122 Wilkinsonv Jan. 9, 1917 1,325,098 Litzenberg Dec. 16, 1919 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 15,823 Great Britain July 17, 1903

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