US2705387A - Animatable musical toy - Google Patents

Description

April 1955 E. HANDLER ETAL 2,705,387

ANIMA' IABLE MUSICAL TOY 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 13, 1953 LL/0T HANDLER, JOSEPH KOSSOFF 8 LESTER ISTORMON! INVENTORS.

' HUEBNE'R,BEEHLER,

WORREL 8 HERZIG' A TTORNEKS'.

By M P 1955 E. HANDLER ETAL 2,705,337

ANIMATABLE MUSICAL TOY Filed April 13, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 16 1 5; 17 I 7 j; I i 10 57/ i l a 32 i is; 3/ 1r-1 '1 II 19 i E 5 1. ii 30 65 11" I q: 6'! 1 I: -,---1p 7 F 45 p 6" a! l 1; -53

ELLIOT HANDLER;

JOSEPH KOSSOFF 8 LESTER ZSTORMON,

INVENTORJ.

HUEBNER,BEHLER, WORR'L a HERZIG ATTORNL-KS.

APrll 1955 E-. HANDLER ETAL 2,705,337

ANIMATABLE MUSICAL TOY 7 Filed April 15, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ELLIOT HANDLER,

JOSEPH KOSSOFF 8 1.5875? TIST'ORMON INVENTORS.

HUEBNER, BEEF/L 5R WOIPREL a Hafiz/c,

11 By A TTORNEYS- United States Patent ANIMATABLE MUSICAL TOY Elliot Handler, Joseph Kossolf, and Lester T. Stormon, Los Augeles, Calif.

Application April 13, 1953, Serial No. 348,322

12 Claims. (Cl. 46-118) This invention relates to animated toys, and more particularly to such a toy incorporating a music box upon the actuation of which, at a preselected time during the playing of a musical arrangement, means are actuated by the mechanism associated with the music box for tripping an animating means, which animation is thereby synchronized with, and bears reference to, the musical melody incorporated into the music box.

Many nursery rhymes or stories of other types can be associated with a musical accompaniment or counterpart in such a manner that the music told or sung to the tune of a musical accompaniment will point up and illustrate any selected aspect. This is best accomplished by incorporating into a toy, or the like, suggestive of the story or song, a musical accompaniment also suggestive thereof. Preferably at a high point in the story, or song, or other musical arrangement, animation of the toy or the like, which is otherwise quiescent or which may be incidentally animated in a secondary fashion, is made to change, either by change of pace in the primary animation or by the sudden occurrence in the mechanism of a phenomenon, serving to illustrate, educate, or amuse.

Obviously, the above stated principles are applicable in particular to toys adapted for the amusement of children, but, within the skill of one familiar with the art to which such principles apply, may readily be adapted for the instruction or amusement of adults as Well as children.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide an animatable device whose action is coordinated in a predetermined manner and at a predetermined point in the rendition of a musical selection to heighten interest in the device and its associated story or musical arrangement, to release or energize means to accomplish the desired effect.

It is also among the objects of this invention to provide a musical toy, or the like, of new and improved construction incorporating a scene or object associated with a musical accompaniment in such a manner that the music is suggestive of a desired action which the mechanism producing the music is adapted to initiate.

To illustrate preferred modes of carrying out the above objects and objectives in preferred examples, it is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved toy associated with the nursery rhymes also taken by way of example: Hickory, Dickory, Dock, and Blackbirds Baked in a Pie.

It is also among the objects of the invention to provide, respectively, a clock and a pie, each of which incorporates a new and improved musical unit, a new and improved association of said musical unit with new and improved means for illustrating said rhymes, and new and improved visual and auditory means for illustrating and punctuating a particular selected episode in said rhymes.

It is likewise one of the objects of this invention to provide improvements over prior art devices heretofore intended to accomplish generally similar purposes, in-

objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter set 2 forth, pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view of a musical toy clock embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a similar front view of said clock showing the parts in a different operative position.

Figure 3 is a front view of the clock, the face and hands being removed to show the internal operative mechanism.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken as on a line 44 of Figure 1 Figure 5 is a similar fragmentary sectional view taken as on a line 5--5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a detailed fragmentary view of a portion of the actuating mechanism.

Figure 7 is a detailed fragmentary view of another portion of the actuating mechanism.

Figure 8 is a second preferred form of musical toy embodying this invention, comprising a vertical sectional view thereof.

Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional view taken as on a line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view of a central portion of the structure of the preceding Figures 8 and 9, taken as on a line 10--10 of Figure 8.

Figure 11 is a detailed fragmentary view in vertical section as on a line 1111 of Figure 9.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a musical toy clock comprising a frame or body portion 10, a base 11, and a shield or superstructure 12.

The body 10 comprises a back 13, a face 14, and an annular wall 15.

In the embodiment illustrated, it has been found advantageous to make the back and face of sheet metal and the annular side 15 of cardboard.

Mounted upon the back 13 as by rivets 16, are brackets 17 and 18 in vertical spaced relationship aoapted to retain a resilient flexible belt 19 having integral resilient plucking protuberances 20 formed thereon, trained in some tension over an axle 20 journaled in notches 21 formed in the bracket 17 and a shaft 22 journaled in the bracket 18.

A musical scale or comb 23 of any desired construction, as having a cast zinc base 24 and pluckable wires 25, is mounted as on said bracket 18, with the free ends 26 of the wires positioned in pluckable relationship to the protuberances 20 on the belt 19 in response to the rotation of the belt about the axle 20 and shaft 22 by means of a crank portion 27 extending through the side wall 15 at a suitable opening there provided.

The particular tune employed in the instant toy is suitable for the rhyme Hickory, Dickory, Dock, but the belt 19 also carries a preferably enlarged and thickened protuberance 28 of a height greater than that of protuberances 20, said thickened portion disposed at a predetermined position along and integral with the belt 19 for the purpose of actuating a trip mechanism, as will be seen.

In view of the securement of the musical comb 25 to the back 13 of the clock by means of the rivets 16, said back 13 serves as a resonator, preferably under stress, for the musical comb.

Also secured to the back 13, as by means of said rivets 16, is a bracket 30 optionally comprising a sheet metal body having a depending arm 31 riveted to said back 13, as stated, an inwardly directed, substantially horizontal arm 32 having an opening 33 therein, adapted for the freely slidable reception of a rod 34 extending upwardly through a slotted opening 35 in the annular side 15 to support said superstructure 12. The latter is preferably formed of a bell-shaped plastic or the like material, and is secured to the upper end of the rod 34 as by means of a boss 36.

Said arm 32 also carries an upstruck ear 37 to which is secured, as by a rivet 38, a leaf spring 39. The leaf spring is longitudinally slotted at 40 to accommodate an arm 41 extending forwardly and preferably forming a part of the rod 34.

Said slot 40 in the leaf spring permits a vertical reciprocal movement of the rod 34, which is normally springurged to the upper end limit of the slot 40 to a position shown in solid outline in Figure 5, for example.

For such purpose, a coil spring 42 is disposed about the rod 34 between abutments defined by a washer 43 held by detents 44 formed on the rod at the upper end of the spring and the arm 32 of the bracket 30 at the lower end of the spring.

The leaf spring 39 is preferably normally inclined from the vertical, as shown in solid outline, for example, in Figures 4 and 5, but upon the lowering of the superstructure 12 and rod 34, as by manual downward pressure thereon, the arm 41 at the bottom of the rod is forced down to a position as shown in dotted outline at 45 in Figure 5, or in solid outline as shown, for example, in Figure 4, thereby deflecting the leaf spring 39 to the left, as shown, for example, in dotted outline at 46 in Figure 5, or in solid outline as shown in Figure 4. For such purposes of deflection of the leaf spring a washer 47, held bv a detent 48, is secured on the arm 41. Such deflection biases the rod 34 so as to engage a notch 50 therein, under the horizontal arm 32 of the bracket 30, thereby releasably retaining the superstructure 12 and rod 34 in a depressed condition as shown in Figures 1, 3 or 4.

The arm 41 of the rod 34 loosely extends into a slot 52 formed in a cardboard member 53 or the like, which has, for example, eyes 54, and teeth 55, painted on a front side thereof in one position corresponding to the face of a cat 56, also painted on the front side of the clock face 14. Said eyes and teeth are visible through said face by means of eye openings 57 and a mouth opening 58 cut in said clock face when the superstructure is in the up position (Figures 2 and In a second, or down, position of the superstructure (Figures 1, 3 and 4), said cardboard member 53 has blank portions (see Figure 1) at 59 visible through said eye openings 57 and, for example, a tongue 60 visible through the mouth opening 58.

For the purpose of causing the desired rotation of said cardboard member 53 from a position corresponding to that shown in dotted outline in Figure 1, to the dotted position thereof shown in Figure 2, a rivet or other form of pin 62 extends through an opening 63 in the cardboard member and is secured in the clock face at an appropriate location optionally separate from, or common with, a pm 65 mounting a pair of preferably plastic arms 66 and 67, comprising the hands of the clock.

The cardboard member, to accomplish the above desired purpose of rotation, may be folded back, as at 68, and inwardly, as a 69, so that upon downward movement of the arm 41, the same will rest in an inner end 70 of the slot 52 and upon rotation to its uppermost limit, the arm 41 may rest in the outer end 71 of said slot.

The base 11 may be secured as by a screw and washer 73 to a bottom portion of the annular wall 15. A figurine of a mouse 75 may be cemented, as at 76, in a suitable slot provided through the annular wall 15. A leaf of sheet metal 79 is centrally slotted as at 80 and is adapted to fit over and slidably receive the rod 34. The offset portion of the leaf prevents withdrawal thereof through the opening 35 in the wall 15. The lower end 81 of said leaf being heavier than the upper end 82 gives the leaf a substantially vertical position when the arm 34 is in its most depressed position, but said lower end is struck by the washer 43 at the upper end of the spring 42 in the uppermost position of the rod 34 so as to cause the upper end 82 of said leaf to strike the bell 77.

In the operation of the above described mechanism, the superstructure 12 is first manually depressed so that the rod 34 is held in said depressed position by the lateral biasing of the leaf spring 39 which serves to retain the notch 50 in engagement with the arm 32 of the bracket 30. In such depressed condition, as shown in Figure 4, the coil spring 42 is contracted and the cardboard member 53 is rotated by the engagement of the end of the arm 41 in the slot 52 so that the cats face 56 shows the eyes 59 closed and the tongue 60 visible through the respective openings 57 and 58 in the face of the clock.

Upon rotation of the crank 27, the musical comb 23 is plucked by the belt 19.

When the enlarged protuberance 28 on the belt engages the rod 34, the notch 50 in the latter is freed from engagement with the arm 32 against the tension of the leaf spring 39. The coil spring 42 thereupon suddenly forces the arm 32 to its uppermost position, shown in Figures 2 and 5, carrying the superstructure 12 with it and exposing the mouse 75. The washer 43 strikes the leaf 79 which in turn hits the bell 77, ringing it. Simultaneously, the arm 41 moves upwardly and by its engagement in the slot 52 rotates the member 53 and brings the cats eyes and teeth into view, as shown in Figure 2, thereby awakening the cat.

The musical tune, notwithstanding the above occurrences, may be played to its end by the continued rotation of the crank 27, and then, or at any other desired time, the superstructure 12 may be manually depressed to re-set the above mechanism for a succeeding operation.

Referring now to the form of toy illustrated in Figures 8 through 11, a simulated piecrust 100, made of a sheet material such as metal, plastic, or the like, is secured around its circumferential periphery, as by means of suitable flanges 101, to a simulated pie tin 102, which can be made of a similar material.

A horizontal partition 103 is likewise preferably secured in said flange area 101 to the crust and pie tin 102, optionally therearound. A movable frame or platform 104 is normally urged upwardly as by a coil spring 105, which bears centrally and downwardly against the horizontal partition 103, and the coils of which normally encircle a vertical manipulable stem member generally designated at 106.

Birdlike figurines 107 are individually suitably mounted at pivoted positions 108 in the frame 104. Each figurine has a projection or toe portion 109, adapted in an upwardly extended position of the frame 104, to be carried upward by said frame and spring into engagement with the superjacent crust 100, as illustrated in dotted outline in Figure 8, whereby the figurines 107 are tilted upwardly and radially outwardly on their respective pivots through individual slots 110 in the crust, so that they visibly portray in said upwardly and outwardly pivoted position illustrated in dotted outline at 111, the wellknown nursery rhyme Blackbirds Baked in a Pie.

The figurines 107 may be made most advantageously of a plastic material, and while three-dimensional in configuration and relief, are most advantageously relatively thin (on the order of inch to inch thick), so that they may pass readily upwardly through their correspondmg individual slots 110, which are preferably kept to a minimum width, of say inch to inch.

Mounted preferably upon the underside of the horizontal partition 103, as by rivets 112, is a musical comb 113 having, for example, a base 114 of optional cast construction, and a plurality of pluckable wires or the like elements 115 of varying lengths terminating in a common straight line at 116, adjacent any suitable plucking mechanism, such as a rubber belt 117, having integral plucking protuberances 118 thereon, mounted for rotation upon an axle 119 and 120, in a manner to pluck the wires 115 for playing any desired preselected tune, in this case the tune of the well-known nursery rhyme Blackbirds Baked in a Pie.

Also mounted upon said belt 117, preferably integrally with the belt but also optionally adjustably thereon in any desired and suitable clamped fashion, is an enlarged protuberance 121 of a height greater than that of protuberance 118, whose function, as will be seen, is to trip the mechanism releasing the frame 104 and the birds 107 at a predetermined point in the rendition of the musical melody.

The manipulable member 106 comprises, for example, opposed sheet metal members 125 and 126, secured to alga frame 104 as by means of a flange 127 and rivet A wire 129 is held as by means of a channel 130 in one or both members 125 and 126, and has an upper bent end 131 fitting into a correspondingly shaped upper channel end 132, to retain said wire between said sheet metal members 125 and 126 in such a manner that the wire is carried with said members against lateral or longitudinal movement when said members are riveted together as at 133.

The wire 129 is offset at 135 so as to engage, as a detent, the underside of the partition 103, through which it extends as by means of an opening 136 in a manner normally and resiliently yieldably under the disengaging action of the enlarged protuberance 121 so as to retain the frame 104 including the birds 107 and the handle 106 in a releasable depressed condition against the tension of the coil spring 105. The end 137 of the wire is bent to provide a cam whereby simple manual depression of the handle 106, as by means of a knob 138 provided on the upper end thereof for such purpose, permits the wire 129 to return through the opening 136 for resetting the apparatus in a compressed condition of the coil spring 105 and the frame 104.

The handle knob 138 conveniently comprises opposed halves 140 and 141, including telescoping portions 142 and 143 respectively, which, when cement is applied to their ad acent spaces, may be inserted through an openmg 144 provided for such purpose in the members 125 and 126.

The lower end 145 of the manipulable member or handle 106 remains vertical and slidable within the opening 136 in the partition 103, even in the most upward extended position thereof in order to serve as a guide cooperative as with a collar 146 in the center of the crust 110, in which said handle 106 is also vertically slidable.

The belt 117 is rotatable by any suitable means, such as a crank 147, journaled in the side walls of the pie portion 102, as shown most clearly in Figures 9 and 11, and retained against axial withdrawal therefrom, as by means of suitable ears 148 raised thereon.

Ears 149 turned down and suitably apertured to provide journaled openings for the rotatable retention of the altfille 119, facilitate rotation of said axle by the crank The rubber belt 117 may be both inserted or, if desired, replaced by stretching the belt 117 and thereby releasing the axle 120 through a suitable slot 150 provided in the bracket 151, for example, which rotatably retains said axle 120.

In the operation of the last described embodiment of Figures 8 through 11, rotation of the crank 147 drives the axle 119 and thereby also the belt 117, which, as it passes around the axle 119, plucks, by means of the protuberances 118 thereon, preselected of the wires 115 of the musical comb 113.

At a predetermined point in the playing of the music, the enlarged protuberance 121 engages against the wire 129 so as to free the detent-forming offset 135 from its engagement under the horizontal partition 103.

Thereupon, the frame 104 together with the handle 106 and the birds 107 are elevated by means of the coil spring 105, which theretofore has been compressed, as shown in Figure 8.

The toe portions 109 of the birds are thereby caused to engage with the crust 100 adjacent the lower end of their corresponding slots 110, as shown most clearly in dotted outline at the right hand side of Figure 8, thereby tilting the birds upwardly to the position 111, as shown in dotted outline also at the right hand side of Figure 8, around their respective pivots 108. The birds thus appear in said latter dotted position through their respective slots 110 in the crust 100.

The last described sequence, accompanied by upward movement of the coil spring 105, does not or need not interrupt the playing of the musical tune by means of the belt 117 and comb 113.

When it is desired to reset the device, the handle 106 is manually depressed by means of the knob 138, whereupon the wire 129 is, by means of its lower bent end 137, cammed through the opening 136 in the partition 103 until its inherent resilience, after sulficient depression of the handle, causes its re-engagement at the olfset 135 with the edge of the opening 136 in the partition 103. The depression of the handle, as aforesaid, against the tension of the coil spring 105--and because the center of weight of the birds 107 is over the slot 110 and towards the center of the piepermits the birds to pivot gravitationally around their pivots 108 and to disappear through their respective slots 110.

Upon the protuberance 121 again engaging the wire 129, through further turning of the crank, the above mechanism is again released and the above described sequence, accompanied by reappearance of the birds, through their slots, is also repeated.

As indicated in the preceding description and objects, the toys selected as illustrative include a frame in which a music-making unit is mounted and in which or on which visual and auditory means are mounted for illustory punctuation of said selected episode in the story told by the music, by the term animatable means in the claims is to be understood such a sound as the ringing of a bell or the like, such as 77, by movable means 79, or the movement of the simulated bell 12, the cats eyes, or the figurines such as the birds 107.

Although we have herein shown and described our invention in what we have conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of our invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent structures and devices.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a musical apparatus of the character described comprising, frame means, musical means mounted on the frame means including means for moving said musical means, said musical means including plucking means extending from said musical means adapted to pluck a predetermined tune in a predetermined sequence, musical scale means mounted on the frame means adjacent the musical means and adapted to be plucked by said plucking means in predetermined sequence, the improvement comprising: animatable display means mounted on said frame adapted to be moved, at least in part, from one position to another including means adapted to urge said last mentioned movement, detent means for retaining said movable means in said one position, said musical means including release means for releasing said detent means during the playing of said musical scale at a predetermined point in said play.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, said release means comprising a protuberance means on said musical means adapted to act upon said detent means to release the same at a predetermined time in the playing of said scale.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, said frame means comprising a simulated clock having front, back and side walls, said display means comprising character means depicted on an exterior wall of said clock of predetermined appearance in said one position and of another predetermined appearance in said other position.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, said frame means comprising a clock having front, back and side walls, said movable means comprising character means depicted on an exterior wall of said clock of predetermined appearance in said one position and of another predetermined appearance in said other position, said character means comprising said front wall having an opening therethrough and said movable means further comprising first pictorial means visible through said opening in said one position and second pictorial means visible through said opening in said other position.

5. A musical apparatus as defined in claim 1, said frame means comprising a clock having front, back and side walls, said movable means comprising character means depicted on an exterior wall of said clock of predetermined appearance in said one position and of another predetermined appearance in said other position, said character means comprising said front wall having openings therethrough and said movable means further comprising first pictorial means visible through said opening in said one position and second pictorial means visible through said opening in said other position, said pictorial means being disposed on a rotatable member, means journaling said member in said front wall, said movable means further comprising an arm engageable in said rotatable member and adapted to rotate the same to a predetermined extent upon actuation of said detent means, said detent and release means including means for stopping rotation of said rotatable member at said second position.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, said display means part adapted to be moved comprising shield means, said means adapted to urge said movement comprising: spring-urged means normally biasing said shield means from said one position, a figurine means on the clock, said shield means normally hiding the figurine from direct observation in said one position and unshielding said figurine in said other position upon actuation of said detent means by said release means.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, and audible be sounded by said movement of said movable means upon actuation of said release means.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, said movable means comprising shield means including spring-urged means normally biasing said shield means to said one position, a figurine on the clock, said shield means normally hiding the figurine from direct observation in said one position and unshielding said figurine in said other position upon actuation of said detent means by said release means, and audible means associated with said movable means adapted to be sounded by said movement of said movable means upon actuation of said release means.

9. In an apparatus of the character described in claim 1, said display means comprising figurine means pivotally mounted on said frame, said means adapted to urge said movement normally urging said figurine means from a pivotal position within the frame means to a pivotal position of visibility outside the frame means, pivotal means mounting said figurine means on said frame for the last-stated purpose, said display means including recess means adjacent said figurine means adapted to accommodate the movement of said figurine means from one to another of said pivotal positions, said figurine means and said pivotal support means being adapted normally to permit said means to return gravitationally through said recess means when not under the urgency of said means adapted to urge said movement.

10. In a musical apparatus of the character described in claim 1, said movable part of said animatable display means comprising auditory means associated with said means adapted to urge said movement of display means for the emission of sound by said movement.

11. In a musical apparatus of the character described in claim 1, said movable part of said animatable display means comprising visual means associated with said means and adapted to urge said movement of said display means for exposure to view by said movement.

12. In a musical apparatus of the character described in claim 1, said movable part of said animatable display means comprising both auditory and visual means associated with said means adapted to urge said movement of said display means for emission of sound and exposure to view, respectively, by said movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Duncan Mar. 10,

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