US2651880A - Hobbyhorse - Google Patents

Description

S.,pt. l5, 953 E. M. KENNEDY 2,651,880

HOBBYHORSE Filed Jan. 2l, 1952 6 a /54 M @l 7W Patented Sept. 15, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOBBYHORSE Earl M. Kennedy, Cleveland, Ohio Application January 21, 1952, Serial No. 267,419

My present invention comprises a novel hobby horse in the form of a mobile toy designed for the entertainment of children.

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide such a hobby horse toy, having provisions for naturalistic movements of the head portion with reference to the shoulder or body portion of the hobby horse.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wheel unit associated with the body or shoulder portion, which wheel unit has novel provisions for producing a swaying motion of the hobby horse in use.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such a toy in which the wheel unit has novel provisions for producing sound in imitation of hoof-beats in the use of the hobby horse.

A still further object of the invention is to provide such a toy in which the wheel unit is connected to the shoulder or body portion by means of a draft member having provisions for the adjustment of the latter to different fixed positions with reference to the shoulder or body portions.

Another object of my invention is to provide such a toy having associated therewith shoulder strap and belt whereby to enable the hobby horse to be suspended from the childs body in a position extending between the childs legs so that the child does not have to hold the hobby horse in such position, but has his hands free for manipulation oi the reins associated with the head of the hobby horse, and the belt is provided with a holster for carrying a toy pistol.

For a detailed description of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing in which;

Figure l is a side elevation of the hobby horse toy of the invention.

Figure 2 is a detailed view of the wheel unit looking in the direction of the arrow 2-2 of Fig. l.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed view in side elevation of the upper portion of the hobby horse unit including the head and shoulder or body portion, and a portion of the draft member by which the wheel unit is connected to the body or shoulder portion.

Figure 4 is a partial sectional view taken on the line l-t of Fig. 3.

-n the drawing, the hobby horse toy of the invention is shown as comprising a movable head unit designated by the numeral I and which consists of a head portion 2 and a neck portion 3, the head unit being constructed of flat board like material oi wood or plywoodfor a similar material. The head unit I is pivotally secured by means of a dowel 4 to the shoulder or body unit designated 5, the latter comprising spaced sides 6 and I made of at pieces of board like material which may be the same kind of material as that from which the head unit is formed. As seen best in Figure 4, the head unit I is received between the spaced sides 6 and I and pivots around the dowel 4 which extends through the head unit I and the ends of which extend into and are xed in the sides 6 and 'I of the shoulder or body unit 5.

The shoulder or body unit 5 is provided with other dowels 8a and 8 which extend between the sides 6 and I of the unit 5 and serve to retain the sides in unitary spaced relation. The head unit I is provided with an abutment extension 9 which is arranged to extend between the dowels 8 and 8a and the dowels 8 and 8d are arranged in such spaced relation with reference to one another and with reference to the abutment extension 9 as to enable the head unit I to have limited pivotal movement around the dowel 4, such pivotal movement being limited by abutment of the extension 9 with one or the other of the dowels 8 or 8a.

The shoulder or body unit 5 may be provided with a rope horn Il) suitably fixed thereto by means of a dowell II. Pivotally connected by means of a dowell I2 to the shoulder or body unit 5 is a draft member I3 which extends between the spaced sides 6 and 'i of the body unit 5 as seen best in Figure 4, the lower end of the draft member I3 carrying the wheel unit indicated by the numeral I4. The draft member I3 is capable of being adjusted to different fixed positions with respect to the shoulder or body unit 5 by the provision of adjusting means comprising a bolt I5 extending between the sides 6 and I of the body'or shoulder unit 5 and through arcuate slots I6 provided in the sides and 'I of the unit 5. The threaded end of the bolt I5 is provided with a wing nut I5a which when loosened permits pivotal movement of the draft member I3 within the limits provided by engagement oi the bolt I5 with opposite ends of the arcuate slots It. In use the draft member I3 will be adjusted to the desired iixed position by tightening the nut I5a so that it bears rmly against the outer surface of the side 6 of the unit 5, the adjustment being such as to enable the body portion 5 and draft member I3 to be disposed in desired relative positions depending on the height of the child using the hobby horse unit of the invention.

The wheel unit I4 comprises laterally spaced wheels Il' and I8 suitably fixed to opposite ends of an axle I9, as by means of pins 20 extending through the hub portions 2i of the wheels I1 and I8 and extending through the axle. The axle I9 extends through a housing 22 which has secured thereto a socket member 23 which receives the lower end of the draft member i3, the socket member 23 being provided with a set screw 24 for cooperation with the draft member I3 to secure the latter in the socket. Suitable braces 25 .may be provided extending between the socket 23 and the axle housing 22.

Each wheel i1 and I8 is provided with four peripheral legs extending radially outwardly from the wheel periphery and angularly spaced around the periphery 90 from one another. The four peripheral legs on the wheel I1 are designated Ia, 11b, I1c and I1d. The corresponding peripheral legs on the wheel i8 are designated iSd, ISU, ic and IB. Each of the peripheral legs on each wheel li and I8 is provided at its outer extremity with a respective metal shoe, these shoes being adapted for successive engagements with the ground other traction surface as the wheels rotate as the result of traction engagement of the said metai shoes. The metal shoes on the respective legs of the wheel I1 are designated I1e, Hf, Iig' and i'it. The corresponding metal shoes on the legs of the wheel I8 are designated ide, idf,

ISg and ish. The metal shoes are bolted or otherwise secured to the legs of the respective wheels.

As beforementioned, the wheels it and is are secured to the common axle 2i for rotation together as a unit, It will be further noted, upon reference to Figures 1 and 2, that the wheels I? and I8 are arranged on the axle 2| so that the peripheral legs of one wheel are angular-ly displaced circumferentially 45 with respect to the peripheral legs of the other wheel. Thus the arrangement of the wheels and their respective peripheral legs is such that in use of the device of the invention with the wheel unit in traction, as the device is moved forward, the metal shoes on each wheel will successively engage the traction surface producing a sound in imitation of hoof beats; and due to the angular displacement circumferentially of the legs of one wheel with respect to the legs of the other wheel, a side to side swaying motion of the hobby horse device will be produced.

As shown in the drawing reins designated 21 are provided attached to the head portion 2 of the unit i for manipulation thereof by the child using the toy to cause pivotal movement of the unit I with respect to the shoulder or body unit E within the limits of the abutting engagement of the abutment extension 9 with the abutment dowels 8 and 8a. A shoulder strap adapted to extend over the childs shoulders is provided, the same being designated by the numeral 28 and secured to a belt 2S adapted to be secured and fitted around the childs waist. A strap 30 is provided for inter-connecting the belt 29 with the draft member I3 and may be secured thereto between collars 3i provided thereon. A holster 3I may be provided on the belt 29 for carrying a toy pistol. Hearwardly of the point of connection of the strap 3i! with the draft member I3 and arranged between the latter and the wheel unit I4, there may be provided a suitably simulated tail 32 formed of hair and secured to a staff 33 which is received in a socket member 34 secured to the draft member I3.

In the use of the device it will be apparent that the draft member I3 will be supported in position between the childs legs by virtue of the shoulder strap and belt means 28, 29 and 30, the wheel unit I4 supported by the traction surface, so that the childs hands are free for manipulation of the reins 21. Proper adjustment of the position of the shoulder or body unit 5 with respect to draft member I3, depending upon the height of the child using the device, will be effected by proper adjustment of the bolt I5 in the arcuate slot I5 and tightening of the wing nut I5a to fix the selected adjustment position of the parts. It will be apparent that the peripheral legs on each wheel I1 and i8 are equidistantly spaced circumferentially of the respective wheel.

Spacers 36 and 31 are provided on the sides 6 and 1, respectively of the body unit 5', and washers 38 are provided on dowel 4, on opposite sides of the head unit I, the spacers and washers serving to space and properly align the head unit I with respect to the sides of unit 5.

.Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A hobby horse of the class described, comprising, in combination, a body unit, a head unit connected to the body unit, and a traction wheel unit associated with the body unit for supporting the lower end of the hobby horse upon a traction surface, said wheel unit comprising an axle, transversely spaced wheels one secured to each end of said axle whereby the wheels are rotatable together as a unit, each wheel having a plurality of peripheral legs extending radially outwardly a substantial distance from the periphery of the respective wheel and equidistantly spaced circumferentially of the respective wheel, each leg provided with a traction surface engaging metal shoe, the circumferential spacing of said legs being such that said shoes of no more than two legs of either wheel will engage the traction surface at any given time, the legs of one wheel being circumferentially displaced angularly with respect to the legs of the other wheel, in such a manner that each shoe of each wheel will engage the traction surface intermediate the engagement of adjacent shoes of the other wheel with said surface during rotation of said wheels.

2. A hobby horse as claimed in claim 1 wherein each wheel is provided with four peripheral legs circumferentially spaced ninety degrees with respect to one another, the legs of one wheel being circumferentially displaced angularly forty-five degrees with respect to the legs of the other wheel.

3. A hobby horse of the class described comprising, in combination, a body unit including spaced side members, connecting elements interconnecting said side members, a head unit comprising a head portion and a neck portion integral therewith, the neck portion being received between said side members and connected thereto for pivotal movement relative to said body unit, said neck portion including an abutment extension extending between said connecting elements and arranged for abutting engagement with one of said connecting elements upon pivotal movement of the head unit in one direction and for abutting engagement with the other connecting element upon pivotal movement of the head unit in the other direction whereby to limit said pivotal movement, a traction Wheel unit for supporting the lower end of the hobby horse upon a traction surface, a draft member secured to the wheel unit and having its upper end extending between said side members and pivotally connected thereto, said side members provided with arcuate slots, a bolt passing through said slots and through said draft member, the bolt being movable in said slots upon pivotal movement of the draft member relative to said body unit, and nut means on said bolt and cooperable with one of said side members for adjustably securing the body unit in different fixed positions of pivotal adjustment with respect to the draft member.

4 A hobby horse of the class described, comprising, in combination, a body unit, a head unit connected to the body unit, and a traction wheel unit associated with the bodyr unit for supporting the lower end of the hobby horse upon a traction surface, said wheel unit comprising an axle, transversely spaced wheels one secured to each end of said axle whereby the wheels are rotatable together as a unit, each wheel having a plurality of peripheral legs extending radially outwardly from the periphery of the respective wheel and equidistantly spaced circumferentially of the respective wheel, each leg provided with a traction surface engaging metal shoe, said wheel unit including an axle housing through which said axle extends, a socket member secured to said housing, a draft member having one end receivable in said socket and the other end connected to said body unit, and means associated with the socket member and cooperable with the draft member for securing the latter with respect to the socket member.

5. A hobby horse of the class described comprising, in combination, a body unit including spaced side members, connecting elements interconnecting said side members, a head unit comprising a head portion and a neck portion integral therewith, the neck portion being received between said side members and connected thereto for pivotal movement relative to said body unit, said neck portion including an abutment extension extending between said connecting elements and arranged for abutting engagement with one of said connecting elements upon pivotal movement of the head unit in one direction and for abutting engagement with the other connecting element upon pivotal movement of the head unit in the other direction whereby to limit said pivotal movement, combined with a traction wheel unit associated with the body unit for supporting the lower end of the hobby horse upon a traction surface, said wheel unit comprising an axle, transversely spaced wheels one secured to each end of said axle whereby the wheels are rotatable together as a unit, each wheel having a plurality of peripheral legs extending radially outwardly from the periphery of the respective wheel and equidistantly spaced circumferentially of the respective wheel, each leg provided with a traction surface engaging metal shoe, the legs of one wheel being circumferentially displaced angularly with respect to the legs of the other wheel.

6. A hobby horse of the class described comprising, in combination, a body unit including spaced side member, connecting elements interconnecting said side members, a head unit comprising a head portion and a neck portion integral therewith, the neck portion being received between said side members and connected thereto for pivotal movement relative to said body unit, said neck portion including an abutment extension extending between said connecting elements and arranged for abutting engagement with one of said connecting elements upon pivotal movement of the head unit in one direction and for abutting engagement with the other connecting element upon pivotal movement of the head unit in the other direction whereby to limit said pivotal movement, combined with a traction wheel unit associated with the body unit for supporting the lower end of the hobby horse upon a traction surface, said wheel unit comprising an axle, transversely spaced wheels one secured to each end of said axle whereby the wheels are rotatable together as a unit, each wheel having a plurality of peripheral legs extending radially outwardly from the periphery of the respective Wheel and equidistantly spaced circumferentially of the respective wheel, each leg provided with a traction surface engaging metal shoe, the legs of one wheel being circumferentially displaced angularly with respect to the legs of the other wheel, a draft member secured to the Wheel unit and having its upper end extending between said side members and pivotally connected thereto, said side members provided with arcuate slots, a bolt passing through said slots and through said draft member, the bolt being movable in said slots upon pivotal movement of the draft member relative to said body unit, and nut means on said bolt and cooperable with one of said side members for adjustably securing the body unit in dilerent fixed positions of pivotal adjustment with respect to the draft member.

EARL M. KENNEDY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,803,197 Marie Apr. 28, 1931 2,264,214 Lawrence Nov. 25, 1941 2,549,668 Cox Apr. 17, 1951 2,571,266 Levay Oct. 16, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 4352/31 Austria Sept. 6, 1932

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