US2626161A - Animal simulating tricycle attachment - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 20, 1953 L. E. THACKER ANIMAL SIMULATING TR ICYCLE ATTACHMENT 2 Sl-IEETS--SHEET' 1 Filed April 6, 1951 Jan. 20, 1953 El THACKER ANIMAL SIMULATING TRICYCLE ATTACHMENT 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed April 6, 1951 IN V EN TOR. A OM .E'. Tune/r5 Patented Jan. 20, 1953 ANIMAL SIMULATIN G TRICYCLE ATTACHMENT Loma E. Thacker, Mountain Home, Tenn.

Application April 6, 1951, Serial No. 219,640

This invention relates to wheeled toys, and more particularly to a toy animal to be ridden by a child and which provides a rocking motion when so ridden.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved riding toy in the nature of an attachment for a conventional tricycle, said toy being simple in construction, being easy to mount on a conventional tricycle, and providing a rocking action when the tricycle is ridden.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved tricycle attachment whereby a conventional tricycle may be converted into a riding toy, such as a hobbyhorse or the like, the attachment being very inexpensive to manufacture, involving only a few parts, being sturdy in construction, affording a substantial degree of amusement for a child, and providing healthful exercise and recreation for the child.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claim, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing an improved attachment according to the present invention mounted on a tricycle;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal cross-sectional view taken through the attachment on the line 2-2 of Figure 4;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the riding toy shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line l-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged, perspective, detail view showing the guide member and roller which receives one end portion of the bell crank lever forming part of the operating mechanism of the tricycle attachment of the present invention;

Figure 6 is an enlarged, cross-sectional detail view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, I designates a tricycle which is of generally conventional construction except that its rear axle, shown at I2, is formed at its intermediate portion with an enlarged U-bend designated at 3. The frame of the tricycle includes the main supporting member H which extends longitudinally and which is rigidly connected to the yoke member |5. The rear wheels H5, H5 are secured on the transverse end portions l1, ll of the rear axle l2, said transverse end portions being rotatably received in the ends of the yoke I5.

Designated generally at |8 is a form of improved rocking attachment according to the present invention, the attachment being made, for

1 Claim. (Cl. 280-1192) Y 2 example, in the shape of alhorse. The attachment comprises a main body portion l9 which has secured to its sides the respective spacer members.

20, 20, said members having secured to their sides the longitudinally extending wall elements 2|, 2|. Secured to the wall elements 2|, 2| are the front legs 22 and the rear legs 23. The main body portion I9 may be formed at its rear end with an outwardly extending portion 24 simulating a tail. As shown, theupper portions of the members I9, 20 and 2| are shaped to define the contour of a horse, and the'outer wall elements 2|, 2| are shaped at their lower portions to further simulate the lower portions of the horse. From Figure 4 it will be seen that the attachment is generally channel-shaped in cross-section and straddles the longitudinal support member M of the frame of the tricycle. The forward portion of the attachment is pivotally secured to the forward portion of the longitudinal frame member I 4 by a transverse pin member 25 which extends through the frame member l4 and through one of the members 20, as shown in Figure 6. A suitable bushing 26 may be provided in the member 29 to receive the pin member.

Designated at 21 is a depending rigid arm secured to one of the members 2|. Connected between the lower end of the arm 21 and the rear end portion of the longitudinal frame member I4 is a spring 28 which biases the body of the attachment counterclockwise around the pivot pin 25, as viewed in Figures 1 and 2. Designated at 29 is a bell crank lever which is pivoted at its intermediate portion to the intermediate portion of the longitudinal support member M, as shown at 30. One end of the bell crank lever 29 is connected by a link bar 3| to the bight portion of the U-bend 3 of the rear axle I2. The other portion of the bell crank lever 29 is slidably received in a U-shaped bracket member 32 pivotally secured to the inside wall of one of the members 2| by a transverse bolt member 33, as shown in Figures 2 and 5. Rotatably mounted on the bolt 33 above the arm of lever 29 is a roller 34 which is engaged by the arm of lever 29 and which facilitates movement of said arm back and forth in the pivoted bracket 32. As shown in Figure 2, said arm is arcuately curved to facilitate its reciprocation back and forth in the bracket 32.

In operation, a child is seat-ed on the attachment I8 and operates the tricycle in the usual manner by rotating the pedals shown at 35. Movement of the tricycle causes the rear wheels l6, IE to rotate and to revolve the axle l 2. Rotation of the axle I2 rotates the U-shaped bend |3 and transmits rocking motion to the bell crank lever 29 by means of the link 3 I. Rocking of the bell crank lever is transmitted to the main body of the attachment by the arcuately curved upper aim of the bell crank lever which engages the roller 34 and which reciprocates in the U -shaped bracket 32. The body of the attachment, therefore, oscillates vertically responsive to the movement of the tricycle. This provides a rocking action which is highly entertaining to children.

The spring 28 provides a counterbalancing effect which biases the body of the attachment toward its position of maximum elevation, the body of the attachment being depressed by the weight of the child sitting thereon. The spring 28 aids the body of the attachment in rising, as it is urged upwardly by the arcuate upper arm of bell crank lever 29 during the motion of the tricycle.

While a specific embodiment of an improved rocking animal attachment for a tricycle has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In a tricycle, a, longitudinally extending upper main frame member, a fork member secured to the rear end of said frame member, a transverse axle rotatably mounted in said fork member, said axle being offset at its intermediate portion, a longitudinally extending support member pivoted to the forward portion of said frame member for rotation in a longitudinal vertical plane, said support member being shaped to simulate the body of an animal, the bottom of said support member being longitudinally grooved and receiving said main frame member, a bell crank lever pivoted at its intermediate portion to the intermediate portion of the main frame member, one end portion of said lever being engageable in the rear portion of the longitudinal groove in the bottom of said support member, a link connecting the opposite end portion of said lever to the offset intermediate portion of the axle, whereby rotation of said axle causes said body to oscillate vertically, a depending arm carried by the forward portion of said support member, and a spring connecting said depending arm to the rear portion of the frame member and biasing the rear portion of the support member upwardly.

LOMA E. THACKER.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 89,695 Smith May 4, 1869 2,021,531 Urytzky Nov. 19, 1935 2,518,899 Kelleher Aug. 15, 1950 2,546,822 Herrick Mar. 2'7, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 245,521 Italy Feb. 25, 1926 733,469 France July 11, 1932

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