US2679126A - Musical action toy - Google Patents

Description

22 l5-E X Fig. 3.

W. P. DOE ET AL MUSICAL ACTION TOY Filed Jan. 28, 1953 May 25, 1954 INVENTORS 6 MLTER R 005 and BY HERMAN 6. FISHER 5 ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 25, 1954 UNITED STATES OFFICE MUSICAL ACTION TOY Walter P. Doe and. Herman G. Fisher; East: Aurora, N. Y.', assignors to-Fisher-Price Toys,. Inc., East Aurora, N. Y.

AppIication'JanuaryZS, 1953, Serial 'No. 333,732

8 Claims.

1 This invention relates to action toys, and more specifically to musical toys of the typewherein music producing mechanisms are motivated in.

response to trundling of the toy across a floor or'pavement surface or thelike.

One of the objects of the present invention is to'provide an improved toy of the character described whereby an improved music producing action is obtained.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved toyemployinga musical sound producing unit of thepercussion bar or Xylophone. type.

Another object of the invention is to provide an'improved toy as aforesaid which is so designed and-constructed as to be adapted to be fabricated relatively inexpensively.

Another object of the invention is to provide animproved toy as aforesaid which is .of mechanically simple and rugged construction.

Another object of the invention isto provide an improved toy as aforesaid which is productive ofimproved musical tones.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the specificationhereinafter.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is-a fragmentary. side elevation, partly in section, illustrating a toy-wagon embodying animproved music producing mechanism of the present invention;

Fig; 2 is a fragmentary section,.taken along line Il'.-II of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section, taken along.

line IIIIII of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational'view ofa modified form of the actuator element of the mechanism, in disassembled relation therefrom.

As shown in the drawing, the invention is embodied in a toy'wagon illustrtaed as comprising sidepanels lH; end panels l2-l3'; and a.

top .panel M; the toy wagon being mounted by means of an axle l5 and sidewheels l6!5 for.

rolling movement over a floor or pavement or the like.

Asindicated at 58-! B the Wagon may be'fitted with. shafts leading. into connection with an.

pulkor pushzthe toy across -a floor surfacerorthee like whereupon the traction wheels l6'--l 6 which 2v aregeared totheaxle IE-will cause the latter. to rotate incidental to movement of the toy;

The musical sound producing mechanism of the present invention is illustrated asbeing activated inaresponse torotation of the axle l5. For this" purpose interiorly ofthe wagon device the axle=l 5- is conveniently fitted with. a Wood cylinder. 20 into which are driven wire staples-22 at inter-- vals around the periphery of the cylinder- 20. Furthermore; the staples-22 are relatively spaced longitudinally of the cylinder 20 so as to beadapted topluck against laterally aligned rockers 2. 1 whichhare' individually pivotallysuspended from a crossbar 26 which extends transversely between thesidepanels ill-H of the wagon-- construction.

Each of the rockers 24 is bored in fore and aft direction to receive'in slide-fitting and rigidly extending relation therethrough a helically coiled wire spring 28; the rocker 24 engaging the'spring intermediately of its :ends and the rear end portion-of each spring being loosely received within a relatively large opening 29 formed in the rear panel I3 of the wagon construction, while the front end portion of each spring mounts in firmly fixed relation thereon "a striker head. 30.

A cross channel-sectioned beam 321 formed of. wood or other suitable material as-shown in Fig. 1 is mounted to extend transversely of the interior of the- Wagon construction, and in turn mounts thereon a series of percussion or Xylophone bars. in registrywitheach of the-striker heads 30, as. indicated at 34. Preferably as shown in the drawing, the musical bars-34 are provided with spaced-vertical supports by means of parallel. felt strips 36'having their lower edges embedded. in the cross beam-32; and the percussion bars 34 are held against sliding disassembly from the cross beam 32: as by means of headed nails 38 driven through enlarged apertures in the percussion bars.

The parts are so dimensioned and relatively arranged that whenever the traction wheelslB-IB' rotatetto thereby'drive'the axle cylinder 20, the stapledevices 22 thereupon pluck their respective rockersi' i soasto tilt the latteraway from their normal straight line attitudes (due to the natural stiffness of." the spring devices 28) was to'lift the striker heads 30 relativeto' the percussion" bars 34. Then; upon'further rotation of theaxle unit the rocker are released by the-staplesZZ whereupon the-natural resiliencies-of the spring devices 28-" operate to cause: the striker heads "to' be" brought down, sharply into percussion: cons tacts "with-the musical bars ii r. When the assos ciated rocker 24 is released from the lifting pressure of the corresponding staple the inherent resiliency of the spring member 23 functions immediately to tent. to straight out the spring member so as to return the rocker 24 to its nor mal downwardly pointed attitude as shown in Fig. 1.

Thi action upon the rocker 24 thereupon operates to impart to the rear end portion of the spring 23 a levelling out pressure which functions to cause the striker head 3! to tend to rebound away from its striking contact against the associated musical bar 3d; thereby preventing any muiiling of the musical tone vibrations which have been set up in the bar E l by virtue of the percussion impact just received. In. order to obtain the full effect referred to hereinabove, it is preferred to arrange that the rear end portion of the spring iiii is relatively free to move slightly in and out as well as up and down in the aperture 26 in the rear wall portion of the toy wagon construction; thereby avoiding the imposition of any secondary resti ing forces upon the free action of the spring rrdescribed hereinabove. At the same time the aperture 25 functions to position the end portion of the spring 28 While the rook operates simultaneously to position the intermediate portion of the spring 28; thereby sgacillzin the spring generally in the desired attitude throughout the entire cycle of operation.

As shown in Fig. for example, the percussion bars 34% may be provided of any desired number and of different dimensions and/ or otherwise provided so as to produce difierent musical sounds when vibrated upon impacts with the striker heads 39.

It will of course appreciated that the various elements of the toy construction may be fabricated of any desired materials and may be relatively dimensioned in any preferred form; and that the musical bar devices 34 and the associated striker heads all may b provided in any desired number so to produce any desired combination of musical tones incidental to rotation of the wheel axle unit of the toy device. As shown in Figure it is preferred to dispose the staples 22 in inclined "tildes instead of parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 15, when driving the staples i to the cylinder 20. This imparts an improved g action of the staples against the contact end portions of the rockers 24.

It will appreciated that the toy construction of the invention provides a particularly compact toy parts arrangement well as an improved music bar strike mechanism. The fact that the picker cylinder and music bar support block 32 d sed in side-by- *ide relation while the bar str rer spi rigs 28 extend crosswise thereabove and are stabilized by their mountings at 257 in the toy box wall, enables the enclosing box structure to be or" greatly reduced dimensions compared to arrangements of the prior art. Also, it will of course be understood that whereas only one form of invention has been shown and described in detail, the invention. is not so limited, but that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended. claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a musical toy of the percussion bar type, in combination, a support member, wheel means mounting said support member for rolling movement across a' floor or the like, a sounding bar iii 4 mounted upon said support and, adapted to be hammered to produce musical sounds, a resilient spring device flexible away from the longitudinal axis thereof, said spring device being rigidly mounted intermediately of it ends upon a rocker device which is in turn pivotally mounted upon said support, said support member comprising positional restraint means engaging one end of said spring device, a bar striker member mounted upon the other end of said spring device, cam means extending from said wheel means for intermittently rocking said rocker device so as to cause said striker to be lifted and then released to snap back into percussion striking action against said bar.

2. In a musical toy oi the Xylophone bar type, in combination, a support member, wheel means mounting said support member for rolling movement across a fioor or the like, a sounding bar mounted upon said support and adapted to be struck to produce musical sounds, a resilient spring, said spring being carried intermediately of its ends upon a rocker pivot device extending from said support, support member comprising positional restraint means engaging one end of said spring, a striker member mounted upon the other end of said spring, cam means extending from said wheel means for intermittently rocking said rocker pivot device so as to cause the striker end portion of said spring to be elastically deflected and then released so as to snap back into percussion striking action against said bar.

3. In a musical toy of the percussion bar type, in combination, a box-like housing member, wheel means at opposite sides of said housing and an axle extending therebetween and mounting said housing member for rolling movement across a floor or the like, a sounding bar support extending transversely inside said housing member, a sounding bar mounted upon said support and adapted to be hammered to produce musical sounds, a resilient elongated spring slip fitted at one of its ends in a recess formed in a wall portion of said housing, a rocker pivoted upon said housing at a position above said axle, said spring being rigidly mounted intermediately of its ends upon said rocker, a bar striker mounted upon the free end of said spring, cam means extending from said axle for intermittently rocking said rocker so as to cause the striker end portion of said pring to be resiliently deflected and then released so as to snap back into percussion striking action against said bar.

4. In a musical toy of the percussion bar type, in combination, a toy frame having vertical side portions, wheel means mounting said frame for rolling movement across a door or the like, a sound bar mounted to extend interiorly of said frame and adapted to be struck to produce musical sounds, a rocker pivotally mounted on said frame, a spring rigidly mounted intermediately of its ends upon said rocker, holding means at a wall portion of said frame engaging one end of said spring, a bar striker member mounted upon the other end of said spring, cam ineans rotating with said wheel means for intermittently actuating said rocker so as to deflect said spring and cause the striker end portion of said spring to be carried away from and then released so as to snap back into percussion striking action against said bar.

5. In a musical toy or the percussion bar type, in combination, a support member, wheel means mounting said support member for rolling movement across a floor or the like, a sounding bar mounted upon said support and adapted to be hammered to produce musical sounds, a resilient spring device flexible away from the longitudinal axis thereof, said spring device being rigidly mounted intermediately of its ends upon a rocker device which is in turn pivotally mounted upon said support, said support member comprising deflection restraint means slidably engaging one end of said spring device, a bar striker member mounted upon the other end of said spring device, and means extending from said Wheel means for intermittently lifting and releasing said rocker device so as to cause said striker to be deflected and then released to snap back into percussion striking action against said bar.

6. In a musical toy of the Xylophone bar type, in combination, a support member, wheel means mounting said support member for rolling movement across a floor or the like, a sounding bar mounted upon said support and adapted to be struck to produce musical sounds, an elongated resilient spring, said spring being carried intermediately of its ends upon a pivot device extending from said support, said support member comprising deflection restraint means slidably engaging one end of said spring, a striker member mounted upon the other end of said spring, and means extending from said wheel means for actuating the striker end portion of said spring to intermittently lift and release said striker end portion of said spring so as to snap said striker back into percussion striking action against said bar.

'7. In a musical toy of the percussion bar type, in combination, a box-like housing member, Wheel means at opposite sides of said housing and an axle extending therebetween and mounting said housing member for rolling movement across a floor or the like, a sounding bar support extending transversely inside said housing mem her, a sounding bar mounted upon said support and adapted to be hammered to produce musical sounds, a resilient elongated spring restrained at one of its ends by engagement with a wall por' tion of said housing, a rocker pivoted upon said housing at a position above said axle, said spring being rigidly mounted intermediately of its ends upon said rocker, a bar striker mounted upon the free end of said spring, and cam means extending from said axle for intermittently pivoting said rocker so as to cause the striker end portion of said spring to be resiliently deflected and then released so as to snap said striker back into percussion striking action against said bar.

8. In a musical toy of the percussion bar type, in combination, a toy frame having vertical side portions, Wheel means mounting said frame for rolling movement across a floor or the like, a sound bar mounted interiorly of said frame and adapted to be struck to produce musical sounds, a rocker pivotally mounted on said frame, a spring rigidly mounted intermediately of its ends upon said rocker, holding means at a wall portion of said frame engaging one end of said spring, a bar striker member mounted upon the other end of said spring, cam means rotating with said Wheel means for intermittently actuating said rocker so as to alternately deflect and release said spring and to cause the striker end portion of said spring to be carried away from and then released so as to snap back into percussion striking action against said bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,707,826 Tsobanacos Apr. 2, 1929 1,933,004 Boisselier Oct. 81, 1933 2,089,885 Fisher Aug. 10, 1937 2,259,629 Fisher Oct. 21, 1941

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