US2707102A

US2707102A - Toy riding horses

Info

Publication number: US2707102A
Application number: US243946A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert H Wendt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1951-08-28
Filing date: 1951-08-28
Publication date: 1955-04-26
Anticipated expiration: 1972-04-26

Description

April 26, 1955 R. H. WENDT 2,707,102

TOY RIDING HORSES Filed Aug. 28, 1951' :s Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

April 1955 R. H. WENDT 2,707,102 I TOY RIDING HORSES Filed Aug. 28, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

April 26, 1955 R. H. WENDT 2,707,102

I TOY RIDING HORSES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 28. 1951 IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent TOY RIDING HORSES Robert H. Wendt, Evanston, Ill.

Application August 28, 1951, Serial No. 243,946

Claims. (Cl. 272-1) The present invention relates to toy riding horses, and is particularly concerned with the provision of an improved toy riding horse of sufi lcient size to simulate a special design of Shetland pony, in which the supposed rider stands upon the floor in a centrally located aperture and supports the riding horse from his shoulders by means of straps in such manner that it appears he is sitting upon the horse, while in fact the horse is being carried by him and moves responsive to his movements.

The present application is a continuation in part of my prior applications, Serial No. 691,459, filed August 19, 1946, and Serial No. 157,503, filed April 22, 1950, both entitled Toy Riding Horses, and both now abandoned.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of an improved toy which is adapted to be manufactured economically, which is simple, durable and which is adapted to simulate, when worn or carried in the prescribed manner by a child, a boy on horseback riding a Shetland pony.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved riding horse toy of the class described, which is so light that it may be carried from the shoulders of a small child without causing undue fatigue, and which at the same time is adapted to simulate a Shetland pony being ridden by a boy, so that when the boy runs at his usual gait, the horse appears to trot; and by pulling upward on the reins or by manipulating the suspended shell of the horse, the child may make believe that the horse is rearing, plunging, jumping, or performing all manner of interesting and amusing antics.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved suspension structure for a toy of the class described, by means of which the supporting straps are always ready in position to receive the user, who may step into the toy as it stands on the ground; and then merely lift the straps upward on each side to his shoulders, so that the child needs no assistance in using his toy.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a plurality of improved shell structures which are adapted to simulate the appearance of a special design of Shetland pony having a relatively large, round body and relatively short legs.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved and simple mechanism by means of which movable ears and a movable tail may be simultaneously actuated at will by the supposed rider so that the toy horse may be made to prick up its ears and assume a spirited manner, while at the same time lifting its tail, as spirited horses often do when starting off on a run.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved toy of the class described, in which the shell of the animal is inflatable and preferably constructed of such inflatable material that it assumes the shape of an animal when inflated, and may be employed with the skirt or a blanket for simulating ground movements of an animal, such as a riding horse, or may also be used without the skirt or blanket for simulating the same animal swimming in the water and providing a safe support for a child in the water, the skirt or blanket being quickly detachable and quickly attachable to the shell.

Another object is the provision of an improved swimming toy which can be used with or without the depending skirt or blanket, as the lower parts of the legs of both the animal and the rider may be concealed by the water in which the user stands or floats.

Another object is the provision of a plurality of forms ice of floating toys simulating animals or other living creatures being ridden by the user.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the three sheets of drawings accompanying the specification,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view showing in full and in dotted lines two positions of the toy riding horse when carried by a child, who is also shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective from the left rear showing the details of structure of a shell of a simpler type, which may be constructed as shown to simulate the same design of pony when provided with a suitable horse blanket, as shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the shell or framework of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic sectional view taken on a vertical plane passing longitudinally through the body of the toy horse midway between its sides;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the structure;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of the line 66 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig". 7 is a side elevational view of the horse blanket apart from its support;

Fig. 8 is a front elevational view of the blanket;

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of a toy riding horse embodying the invention;

Fig. 10 is a front elevational view;

Fig. 11 is a top plan view;

Fig. 12 is a vertical view taken on the plane of the line 12-12 of Fig. 10, looking in the direction of the arrows and Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of the line 1313 of Fig. 9, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to Fig. 1, 10 indicates in its entirety the toy riding horse being used by the child indicated at 11, and preferably comprising a light weight shell 12, which simulates the head, neck, and shape of the body of the pony; but the body of which is covered by a horse blanket 13, which is closed on all sides, front, and back, except at special openings.

An opening 14 is provided at the front top of the blanket 13 for the neck and head of the horse to protrude from the blanket. Another opening is provided at the middle top 15 to permit the user 11 to stand inside the horse and to have his hips, legs, and feet covered by the depending portions of the blanket 13.

There is an opening at the bottom 16 of the horse blanket 13 where the lower edge depends into engagement with the floor to conceal the legs 17 and feet 18 of the user 11, who is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. There is an opening at the top rear of the horse blanket 13 to permit the tail 19 to protrude from. the blanket.

The shell 12, which is preferably open at the bottom 20 and provided with a rectangular hole 21 at the top for the torso of the user. may be made in many different ways, one of which is illustrated in Fig. 1, another in Figs. 2, and 3 to 8. For example, the shell of the horse in Fig. 1 may be made of two stamped halves of thin molded papier-mache or any other similar light, moldable material. In such case the shell itself would comprise only the head, neck, and body of the horse, as the legs are under the blanket and may be considered to be concealed, or the illusion may be improved somewhat by painting legs or printing them upon the fabric blanket.

Other materials of which the rigid shell may be made are light metal, aluminum stampings, or a rigid shell of paper thin plastic such as cellulose acetate, polyethylene, vinyl-chloride acetate, or methyl methacrylate, stamped, molded or sprayed into a mold.

When the shell 12 is molded, it may be shaped and curved in every respect to simulate the body, neck, head, and ears of a Shetland pony, which is preferably selected as a base because of its short legs and large barrel-like short body. The Shetland pony is thus wide enough for a small boy to stand inside and short enough to be light and to be controlled by him.

aromoa The head and neck being heavier than the rear part of the body when the shell is suspended from the shoulders of a user, the reins 22, which comprise imitation leather straps fastened at each side of the horses mouth by means of a link or the like, are used for holding the front of the body up at the desired elevation by merely pulling upward and backward. By means of these reins the horses head may be permitted to drop because it is heavier at that end; and by pulling upward the horse can be made to rear and plunge; or while the boy runs, he can pull the head up and down to simulate galloping.

Any of the shells described herein may be provided with the same mode of suspension; and this may consist of a pair of straps 23, 24 of substantially U shape. Each strap has its ends fastened to the side wall adjacent the front of the rear of the opening 21, as at

points

25, 26, 27, 28.

A staple of the kind used for fastening papers together may pass through the strap and the shell to secure the strap. The length of the straps, which may be made adjustable by locating the staples farther up or down on the shell, is such that the left strap 23 may pass over the users chest and over his right shoulder and backward across his back to the point 26. The right strap 24 passes from the point 27 diagonally upward and across his chest and over the left shoulder and downwardly and diagonally across his back to the point 28. Straps or reins may also be secured by merely passing through two holes in the shell, the ends being tied together for reins or provided with an adjustable buckle at the shoulders.

Thus the straps cross in the front and the back; and the weight tends to pull them on the shoulders, which bear them. However, the two straps may be laid down in position surrounding the aperture 21 by merely sliding them off the shoulders which carry them; and this can be done by merely kneeling inside the shell, letting the shell rest on its bottom on the floor, while sliding the straps down.

With the strap 24 aligned with the left front and back of the aperture 21, and the strap 23 aligned with the front right and back of the aperture 21, a hole is left between the straps into which any user may step; and by kneeling he may pull the straps on his shoulders to the position of Fig. 1. Thus children may get into and out of the toy at will; and the toy pivotally supported on the shoulders of the user in such manner as to permit manipulation to simulate all kinds of movements of a riding horse.

The hole within which the user 11 stands is preferably elongated from front to back beyond that required, so that this also permits a greater freedom for running or for larger children, or for manipulation of the shell.

The blanket, which is shown in side elevation and front elevation in Figs. 7 and 8, respectively, may in some embodiments of the invention merely simulate a horse blanket covering the major portion of the horses body, and also covering the feet and legs of the user without depicting other parts of the horse or user. In such case the legs of the user may be simulated by hanging an old pair of overalls 75 over the front body of the horse, with a leg depending on each side, and an old pair of shoes 76, such as worn tennis shoes, sewed to the bottom of each leg. This simulates the depending legs of the rider, which swing in a lifelike manner, and draws attention away from the fact that the rider is inside the horse.

In order to make the construction and assembly of the toy more simple, however, the blanket is preferably printed or stamped, or painted with a picture on each side of the aperture of the hip, thigh, knee, calf and foot of the rider in the acutely bent position shown in Fig. l, with the foot shown in a stirrup. A saddle may also be painted or imprinted upon the blanket in proper position.

In some embodiments of the invention the blanket may also carry on each side pictures of the

legs

29, 30, 31, 32 of the horse in a standing position, as shown in side elevation; and the front and rear of the blanket may have separate pictures of the two

front legs

29 and 30 in front, and the rear legs 31 and 32 from the rear in elevation. As an observer only sees one side or at the most two sides of the horse, this superfiuity of representation of legs will not be seen.

Also, the legs depicted are in standing position; but when the horse is moving, as, for example, when the boy is running, the other features and the movement detract attention from the fact that the legs are not in action; and also the blanket itself hits the ground and bends and breaks in folds, which simulates some movement of the legs.

The representation of the body and legs of the horse may be so colored as to simulate any color of horse, such as a white or black horse, or the paint type of pony having brown and white markings. The background between the legs on each side front and back of the blanket, and below the belly, should preferably be painted some dark contrasting color on a light horse and some light contrasting color on a dark horse.

When the molded type of shell 12 is employed, the neck, head, ears, and accompanying features may all be painted with the proper representations to present the appearance of a beautiful pony of the same color as the blanket; or the blanket may be plain, as mentioned above, and actually simulate a horse blanket.

Referring to Figs. 2 to 6, these modifications include a shell 33, which is preferably made out of a box of corrugated cardboard. Like the molded shell 12, this box has the upper opening 21; and the bottom 34 completely open, thus giving entire freedom to movement of the users legs and feet. The appearance of the body of the horse may be enhanced by applying to the two sides of the body a curved piece of cardboard 35, which simulates the rounded sides of the pony and extends from top to bottom of the box, having

flaps

36 and 37 secured to the inside top and bottom by the staples mentioned.

These staples may be the brass-headed, two-legged, bendable sheet metal staples; and the same staples may be used for securing straps 23, 24 as are used for securing the top flaps 36.

The appearance of the rump and rear of the animal may be improved by another strip of flexible cardboard 38, which has a flap 39 secured by staples just inside the rear edge of the hole 21, the cardboard being curved upwardly and backwardly and downwardly to have its lower flap 40 secured to the rear lower edge of the box by staples. The rump-forming member 38 preferably has a hole 41, through which the tail protrudes, registering with the hole in the blanket.

The head and neck of the horse may have as its basis a pair of corrugated cardboard members 42, 43, each of which has the shape of the neck extending from the upper corner of the body, and each of which has the head formed in it so that these members may have imprinted upon them or painted the pictures of the sides of the horses head and neck, with a representation of a mane hanging toward one or both sides.

The body end of these head and neck boards is formed with an angular recess fitting the upper forward corner of the box; and the box is provided with a pair of slots in its top and a pair of slots in its front, into which tabs 44, 45 fit to secure the head and neck to the body. The position of the slots would be such as to properly shape the rear part of the neck; and the two forward head portions are preferably secured together by a wedge-shaped cardboard member 46, tapering downwardly toward the nose, and causing the two members 43, 42 to be spaced farther apart at the top of the head and closer together at the nose, as shown in Fig. 3.

Member 46 has outwardly projecting tabs, which go through slots 4750 to secure the two side head boards 42, 43, together. The top, front, and bottom of the head and neck may be formed by a strip of cardboard, which starts at the point 51, being folded under the top of the box inside the hole 21 and secured by staples. This cardboard is wide enough to overlap generally the edges of the head and neck boards 42, 43; and when in place, the parts of this cardboard are of proper width, as viewed from the top of the head, the front of the head, and the bottom of the head, to present the proper outline for the top of the neck and head, the front of the head, and the bottom of the horses neck and face.

Cardboard strip 52 passes upward over the neck and top of the head, and downward over the front of the face, around the nose, into the mouth, where it is folded upon itself, extending inwardly and outwardly of the mouth and up under the head to a crease at the neck, and downwardly below the neck to be secured by means of a staple at 53. This strip 52 may be secured by use of adhesive tape, preferably of the type which does not need to be moistened, and needs particular securement at the points where there is an inward bend, as, for example, in the mouth at 54, and at the joint between the jaw and neck 55.

Another form of covering the side boards 42 and 43 is shown in Fig. 2, where these members are merely wrapped with a suitable strip of cloth fabric, preferably having its weft and warp extending diagonally to the length of the strip so that the strip shapes itself to the head boards.

The color of the fabric should correspond to the color of the horse desired; and the eyes should thereafter be painted or drawn in proper place or may be pasted on, suitable stickers being provided. A mane comprising a suitable elongated fabric or paper base, carrying real horsehair or simulated horsehair in the form of shredded tissue paper, hemp fibres, grass fibres, sea weed, wool, or string, may be stitched or sewed in any way along the cardboard strip 52, also carrying a forelock at its front end.

The ears of the horse preferably comprise separate cardboard or oilcloth, or imitation leather members 56, 57 suitably gathered at the bottom and shaped to be hollow on the outer side, and formed with a depending rigid portion 58 below the point of pivot 59. The ears may be pivoted on the head boards 42, 43 by brass staples.

A wire connecting link 60 may be pivotally connected to each depending flange 58 and to one end of a pivoted lever 61. The lower end of lever 61 on each head board is pivotally connected to one of the legs 62 of a light U- shaped wire 63, which has its yoke 64 passing through the aperture formed in the corrugated flap 65 by one of the corrugations.

The position of flap 65, which is cut from the hole 21, is one in which it extends downwardly and forwardly so that it is pushed backwardly by the body of the user at will. The position of the ears 56, 57 is preferably that they slope backwardly when the flap 65 slopes forwardly, so that backward pressure on the flap 65 causes the ears to move from a backward and spiritless position upward into an erect and spirited position.

The wires 63 pass through holes in the box adjacent the two head boards. The tail 19 may be made of shredded paper, hemp, rags, elongated seaweed leaves, or even hair, which is preferably mounted upon a suitable curved and solid base 66 at its upper end by glue or other fastening means, so that the upper end of the tail has a fixed arch portion 67, while the remainder 68 of the tail 19 depends in a graceful manner.

A tension spring from tail shank pivot 73 to the box or frame at the top of the flap at 30 may bias the tail and ears to normal lowered position, also pushing flap 65 forward into position to be engaged by the body of the rider.

The solid portion 66 of the tail is fastened to a stiff wire shank 69 which passes through a hole in the curved cardboard 38, and has a round stop member 70 on the outside of the box and a round stop member 71 on the inside of the box, the shank 69 passing through a smaller aperture in the upper rear corner of the box. Thus the tail shank 69 is mounted for universal movement.

Another wire member 72 may have its yoke passing t through a corrugation in the flap 64 and may have its ends both pivotally joined at 73 to the tail shank 69. The weight of the tail tends to pivot the light shank 69 upward and to move the flap 64 forward and the ears backward.

The operation of this mechanism is as follows:

The user may hold the reins in one hand, such as the right hand, and with the shell supported from his shoulders he may use the other hand to manipulate it by pushing and pulling on the shell relative to his body. If he pushes the shell forward, his body will engage the fiap 65, causing the ears to prick up and the tail to rise. This is a gesture which adds much to the illusion when the horse first starts to run or when he is running.

Referring to Figs. 9 to 11, 100 indicates in its entirety another modification, selected to illustrate the invention, which happens to be a toy riding horse. This could also be a large dog or a mule, or other amusing embodiments may be an enlarged goose, duck, hen, rooster, cat, tiger, lion, ostrich, cow, calf, bull, or, in fact, any animal which can by any stretch of the imagination be ridden by a child.

The horse being the conventional animal for riding, I prefer to embody the invention in a toy riding horse or pony. The appearance, size and relation of the parts of the pony are preferably not the same as any known horse, because the present pony must be provided with short enough legs so that the upper part of the childs body protrudes from the toy, preferably from the hips upward, and the body of the animal must be relatively wide, preferably rounded, and relatively short, with a short neck and head, the length of which is limited by reason of the necessity for maintaining a balance, which can be done by proper location of the rider but is preferably supplemented by the ufizel of reins used to pull up the head and manipulate the s e l.

The toy riding horse of the present embodiment preferably includes two main parts, such as the inflatable shell 112 and the skirt or blanket 113, these two preferably being quickly detachable for ease in shipment and storage, and for economy, since that portion of the body of the user which is covered by the blanket need not be the subject of downward extension of the shell.

The tail 119 may in some embodiments merely consist of a representation, such as a line drawing or a colored picture of the tail on the rear part of the assembly, but preferably consists in a separate bushy element which is quickly detachable and attachable to the shell 112 in such manner that it projects rearwardly and hangs downwardly in a lifelike manner.

The mane and forelock may likewise consist of representations in line or colored picture form, as shown in Figs. 9 and I0, and indicated at 117 and 118, but in some embodiments of the invention these also may consist of a separate attachable unit attached along the arch of the neck extending up to the forehead in the same way as the tail is attached but with a plurality of fasteners.

The shell 112 may be made out of inflatable rubber or any flexible gas impervious fabric, preferably molded or otherwise assembled and shaped to simulatethe upper part of a horse, but I prefer to form the shell 112 out of sheet plastic material, which While subject to some extension or ballooning by pressure, is adapted to maintain its shape with greater fidelity than stretchable rubber.

The shell 112 may be constructed by molding out of a single integral sheet of flexible, moldable plastic material by using a suitable mold, preferably open at the bottom, or the mold may be made in a pair of halves since both halves of the horse may be identical, and] two half members of the shell may be joined together along the seam.

The shell includes a top body portion 120 for the horse, a bottom body portion 121 which is preferably fiat, and an upwardly extending neck portion 122 carrying a head portion 123.

The body 120, neck 122 and head 123 may be formed out of two

side pieces

124, 125, suitably shaped, slit where necessary, and otherwise manipulated to form the desired curves.

The two

side pieces

124, 125 may be supplemented by a top piece indicated at 126, Fig. 11, and shown in dotted lines, these three pieces overlapping at every joint and being integrally welded together by a suitable cement of the same plastic, or by utilizing a solvent for partially dissolving the parts of the overlapping joint and welding them together.

The top piece 126 may extend up the neck and down the forehead under the jaw and down the front part of the neck to the base 121, and may be of such width as to provide the shell with the proper depth and width at all points to simulate the shape of a horse.

Where required to form curved surfaces, as, for example, at the rump, slits 127 may be made and the sheet material overlapped to draw it together and produce a suitable curvature; and this same structure may be utilized on all parts of the side pieces where they join the top piece 126 to improve the shape of the shell.

The shell 112 is provided with a through hole 128, extending through from top to bottom at the point of location of the rider, immediately behind the neck and shoulders of the horse. The hole 128 may be formed by means of a tubular wall 129, comprising a rectangular sheet of. the same material having its ends overlapped to form a tube of sutficient length to extend from the bottom to the top of the shell and slightly beyond the top.

At the bottom of the shell the bottom sheet 121 is formed with an oval aperture bordered by a downwardly turned flange 130, and the tubular member 129 has its lower portion overlapped and integrally welded to the flange 130.

In the same way the top sheet 126 and

side sheets

124, 125, when assembled, are provided with a registering upper aperture bordered by a depending flange 131, which may be integrally welded to the outside of the tubular member 129, this being accomplished before the bottom of the shell is closed with the sheet 121.

, The tubular member 129 may project upward above the shell 112, and its parts may be separated into four flaps 132, separated from each other but provided with through apertures or eyelets, or backwardly turned loops for receiving a draw string 133.

In some embodiments of the invention the inflation of the shell may be done after the child is located in the tubular member 129, and the expansion of the tubular member 129 may cause this member to bind about the body of the child, serving as a means of support for the shell on the body of the child.

The draw string arrangement has the advantage of being attachable and detachable while inflation is maintained. The bottom piece of the shell 112 consists of a flat piece of the same material, formed with the central aperture and flange 130, previously described, and provided at its outer edge with a downwardly turned flange 134, which is integrally welded to the lower portion of the shell, as shown in Figure 12. This provides a depending double flange portion at 134, which may also serve for the convenient attachment of the skirt or blanket 113.

The depending flange 134 may be provided with buttons, eyelets, apertures for a draw string, a zipper or with snap fasteners complementary to the snap fasteners carried by the skirt 113, a plurality of which are indicated at 135.

The blanket or skirt 113 may consist of a depending oval tubular member of suflicient length to extend from the body of the shell 112 to the floor or slightly above the floor when the shell is supported by a child. In actual practice this skirt or blanket may be made of extra length and cut off at the bottom with the scissors to the proper length for the child in question.

The blanket or skirt 113 may be made of a rectangular piece of fabric, such as any thin, flexible and opaque fabric, which is light in weight and capable of concealing the legs of the user. Thin rubber sheet may be employed as well as any thin sheet plastic of the materials previously mentioned, and thin cloth fabrics may also be employed such as, for example, a flannel having a natural fuzz which simulates hair of the horse.

At the rear end of the horse the two adjacent edges of the rectangular pattern for the skirt or blanket may be sewed together, as indicated at 136, or it may be provided with suitable fasteners so that the blanket may be opened. However, it is not necessary to provide an opening, and when rubber or plastic is employed the edges may be permanently cemented or welded together.

Strings or straps may also pass from flaps 132 over the riders shoulders.

The shell preferably supports a tab or flap 137 at the point of attachment for the tail, this flap being integrally welded or cemented to the shell, and having an eyelet for attachment of the tail by means of a suitable stem passing through the eyelet.

The head of the horse is preferably provided with a representation of a bridle, indicated at 138, but in some cmbodiments of the invention a separate series of straps 138 may be employed.

The horses head may be provided with tabs 139 of the same material cemented to both sides of the jaw, simulating the appearance of a ring, one side of which is loose in each case for attachment of the reins 140, which may be made of a strip of tape or plastic looped through the rings 139 and cemented in place.

The ears 141 may consist of tapered U-shaped strips of the same material, having their wider end portions flanged and cemented to the outside of the shell 112, at the top of the head to extend at the proper angles.

The sides of the blanket are preferably provided with representations of the rear legs 142, the front legs 143, and of the lower body portion 144 of the horse, these being separated from the background 145 by utilizing a diflerent color such as black or dark green for the background below the body and between the legs, and on all sides of the blanket where there are no legs.

The blanket also preferably has a representation of a saddle girth 146 and of stirrups 147, and of the legs 148 and feet 149 of the rider. The top of the shell has a representation of the continuation 150 of the legs of the rider and of a saddle or saddle blanket 1S1, terminating in a showing of the body 152 of the rider at the top edge of the centrally located hole 128.

Separate inflatable riders legs and feet, as shown in gig. 9, may depend from flaps 132 on each side of the orse.

Cit

The shell and blanket are preferably decorated with a representation which simulates a riding horse and all of its accoutrements as nearly as possible, so that the toy simulates a beautiful pony of special design.

Those parts of the shell and blanket representing the horse may be made to show a black horse, a white horse, brown, bay, gray or paint pony, the latter being preferred.

The shell 112 is provided with an inflation valve 153, which may be located at any desired point where it is concealed or forms a part of the pattern. For example, one place might be the point 153, Fig. 9, at the juncture of the straps of the bridle. The valve may include a rigid ring 154, cemented to the shell 112 and provided with a central aperture 155, closed on the inside by a suitable flexible flap which is urged into closing position by the pressure of the air in the shell.

The shell may be filled with air or with any suitable gas, such as helium, lighter than air, for the purpose of relieving the child of supporting some of the weight, but would ordinarily be inflated only with air.

The mode of use of the toy is as follows:

The child steps into the aperture 128, which is large enough to receive his body, and draws the shell which has been previously partially inflated up about his body, and secures it to his waist by means of the draw string 133.

In some embodiments the securement may be made by final inflation which causes the tube 129 to bulge and engage the body of the wearer tightly enough to support the toy on his body. From time to time it may be necessary to pull the toy upward by means of the hands applied to the flaps 132.

The shell being inflated, it simulates the appearance of the horse and head projecting forwardly, which may be raised by means of the reins 140, which are also used to manipulate the body of the horse to simulate the movements of an animal.

The legs of the wearer are concealed by the skirt or blanket and appear to be on the sides of the horses body, as shown at 148 and 150. When the child runs the horse appears to trot. A jumping gait causes the horse to gallop.

The present horse may also be made of a hollow shell of water proof and air proof rubber or plastic filled with plastic or rubber foam, containing air or other gas. In such case the exterior skin of rubber or plastic would keep the air or gas intact in the shell and would exclude water, making a light floating toy. The sponge rubber would make an indestructible toy, padding the user against injury by fall or collision.

Another material used might be a molded or shaped horse body of polystyrene plastic foam or sodium silicate foam covered with a water proof and air tight rubber film or plastic film adhering to and protecting the foam.

The present toy is capable of producing far more pleasure than the hobby horses of the prior art because the user is standing upon his own feet within the blanket 113, which gives him suflicient room to step forward or backward without interference. Furthermore, the device simulates a riding horse better than any of the devices of the prior art and enables theuser to go where he pleases to cause his horse to obey the slightest command, depending only on the imagination and skill of the user.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

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

1. In a portable toy adapted to simulate the appearance of an animal being ridden, the combination of a light, hollow shell having substantially the overall shape of the body of the simulated animal and having a normally unobstructed space therebeneath, and having a vertical through aperture of suflicient size to receive the lower part of the body of the user, said shell having an outwardly projecting neck and head for the animal, and having a blanket covering a portion of the body and depending therefrom to enclose and conceal the legs and feet of the user, as well as the said space in which the legs and feet of the animal would be, and means for supporting said shell from the body of the user.

2. In a portable toy adapted to simulate the appearance of an animal being ridden, the combination of a light, hollow shell having substantially the overall shape of the body of the simulated animal and having a normally unobstructed space therebeneath, and having a vertical through aperture of suflicient size to receive the lower part of the body of the user, said shell having an outwardly projecting neck and head for the animal which renders the forward end thereof heavier than the rear end, and having a blanket covering a portion of the body and depending therefrom to enclose and conceal the legs and feet of the user, as well as the said space in which the legs and feet of the animal would be, and means for supporting said shell from the body of the user, and reins extending from the mouth of the animal backwardly to the hand of the user, whereby the heavier forward end may be held up and manipulated by means of the reins.

3. In a portable toy adapted to simulate the appearance of an animal being ridden, the combination of a light, hollow shell having substantially the overall shape of the body of the simulated animal and having a normally unobstructed space therebeneath, and having a vertical through aperture of sufficient size to receive the lower part of the body of the user, said shell having an outwardly projecting neck and head for the animal, and having a blanket covering a portion of the body and depending therefrom to enclose and conceal the legs and feet of the user, as well as the said space in which the legs and feet of the animal would be, and means for supporting said shell from the body of the user, the said blanket and shell being provided with an aperture at its upper rear end, and a tail having a shank movably mounted in said aperture.

4. In a portable toy adapted to simulate the appearance of an animal being ridden, the combination of a light, hollow shell having substantially the shape in three dimensions of the body of the animal and having a normally unobstructed space therebeneath, and having a vertical through aperture of suflicient size to receive the lower part of the body of the user, said shell having an outwardly projecting neck and head for the animal, and having a blanket covering a portion of the body and depending therefrom to enclose and conceal the legs and feet of the user, as well as the said space in which the legs and feet of the animal would be, and means for supporting said shell from the body of the user, the head of the animal being provided with a pair of movably mounted ears, and means on said shell to be used by the user in moving the ears.

5. In a portable toy adapted to simulate the appearance of an animal being ridden, the combination of a light, hollow shell having substantially the shape in three dimensions of the body of the animal and having a normally unobstructed space therebeneath, and having a vertical through aperture of sufiicient size to receive the lower part of the body of the user, said shell having an outwardly projecting neck and head for the animal, and having a blanket covering a portion of the body and depending therefrom to enclose and conceal the legs and feet of the user, as well as the said space in which the legs and feet of the animal would be, and means for supporting said shell from the body of the user, the said shell comprising a pair of molded members, each forming one-half of the animals body, neck, and head, and molded of papier-mache.

6. In a portable toy adapted to simulate the appearance of an animal being ridden, the combination of a light, hollow shell having substantially the shape in three dimensions of the body of the animal and having a normally unobstructed space therebeneath, and having a vertical through aperture of sufficient size to receive the lower part of the body of the user, said shell having an outwardly projecting neck and head for the animal, and having a blanket covering a portion of the body and depending therefrom to enclose and conceal the legs and feet of the user, as well as the said space in which the legs and feet of the animal would be, and means for supporting said shell from the body of the user, the said shell comprising a corrugated paper box provided with outwardly curved sheets at the sides, top, and rear to simulate the curved portions of the animal body.

7. In a portable toy adapted to simulate the appearance of an animal being ridden, the combination of a light, hollow shell having substantially the shape in three IO I dimensions of the body of the animal and having a nor mally unobstructed space therebeneath, and having a vertical through aperture of sufiicient size to receive the lower part of the body of the user, said shell having an outwardly projecting neck and head for the animal, and having a blanket covering a portion of the body and depending therefrom to enclose and conceal the legs and feet of the user, as well as the said space in which the legs and feet of the animal would be, and means for supporting said shell from the body of the user, the said shell comprising a box-like body carrying a pair of forwardly extending head plates shaped like the head and neck of a horse and secured to the body in spaced relation, and covering means for the space between the head plates to form the upper, lower, and forward parts of the neck and head.

8. In a portable toy adapted to simulate the appearance of an animal being ridden, the combination of a light, hollow shell having substantially the shape in three dimensions of the body of the animal and having a normally unobstructed space therebeneath, and having a vertical through aperture of sufficient size to receive the lower part of the body of the user, said shell having an outwardly projecting neck and head for the animal and having a blanket covering a portion of the body and depending therefrom to enclose and conceal the: legs and feet of the user, as well as the said space in which the legs and feet of the animal would be, and means for supporting said shell from the body of the user, the said blanket being provided on its sides with picturizations of the animals legs against a contrasting background.

9. In a toy riding horse, the combination of a hollow shell forming the body of a horse and provided with a forwardly projecting neck and head which renders the forward end thereof heavier than the rear end, said body having a centrally located vertical through aperture of sufficient size at the riders seat to receive the torso of the user and having a normally unobstructed space beneath said body, and having means for supporting said shell from the body of the user with a pair of reins attached to the head and to be held in the hand to support the forward and heavier part of the shell and to manipulate it in the movements of a horse, and a covering for a portion of the body of the horse, and extending about the periphery of the body of the horse in a horizontal direction, the said covering extending downwardly to conceal the legs of both horse and user.

10. In a toy riding horse, the combination of a hollow shell forming the body of a horse and provided with a forwardly projecting neck and head, said body having a centrally located vertical through aperture of sutficient size at the riders seat to receive the torso of the user and having a normally unobstructed space beneath said body, and having means for supporting said shell from the body of the user with a pair of reins attached to the head and to be held in the hand to support the forward and heavier part of the shell and to manipulate it in the movements of a horse, and a covering for a portion of the body of the horse, and extending about the periphery of the body of the horse in a horizontal direction, the said covering extending downwardly to conceal the legs of both horse and user, the said shell being provided with movable ears and a movable tail, and operative mechanism connecting the ears and tail, whereby a normally downwardly hanging tail and backwardly slanted ears may both be elevated simultaneously.

11. In a portable toy riding horse adapted to simulate the appearance of an animal being ridden, the combination of a light, hollow shell having substantially the overall shape of the body of the animal to be simulated, said shell having a forwardly and'upwardly projecting neck and head for the animal, and said shell having at the point of the riders seat, behind the juncture of the neck and body, a vertical through aperture of suflicient width and front-to-back depth to receive the body of a child standing inside said shell and having a normally unobstructed space beneath said shell, supporting U-shaped strap members carried by said shell, to be passed over the shoulders of the wearer or to be spread. outwardly beyond the shoulders in removing said strap members, whereby the shell is carried by the shoulders of the child, and a blanket-like covering extending over the rump of the shell and forwardly around the front of the shell, covering all four sides of said shell, and hanging substantially to the floor when the shell is supported from the shoulders of a child, said covering having a top aperture substantially registering with the through aperture in the shell, whereby the legs of the child are concealed and the illusion is given of an animal standing on its own feet, but covered by a blanket.

12. A portable toy according to claim 1, in which the said shell is infiatably constructed of a flexible molded plastic material, and having an inflation valve for filling the shell with air.

13. A portable toy according to claim 1, wherein said shell is substantially air impervious and inflatable and said means for supporting the shell from the body of the user comprises a vertical tubular formation in said vertical through aperture adapted to have an inwardly bulging restriction at the users waist level upon inflation of the shell to grip the user about the waist.

14. A portable toy according to claim 1, wherein said means for supporting said shell from the body of the user comprises a vertical tubular formation in said vertical through aperture, said tubular formation having an upwardly extending portion, said portion having a multiplicity of apertures, and a draw-string threaded through said apertures for tightening said extension about the user.

15. A portable toy according to claim 1, wherein said means for supporting said shell from the body of the user comprises a vertical tubular formation in said vertical through aperture, and wherein two rigid shaped plastic film members are welded to each other and to said tubular formation to form said shell.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 695,903 Braatz Mar. 25, 1902 886,511 Hunter May 5, 1908 1,001,542 McComas et a1 Aug. 22, 1911 1,267,567 Lungren May 28, 1918 1,561,916 Ernst Nov. 17, 1925 1,566,858 Guinzburg Dec. 22, 1925 1,659,248 Eldon Feb. 14, 1928 1,677,839 Montels July 17, 1928 1,801,267 Dordgi Apr. 21, 1931 1,851,768 Hubbell Mar. 29, 1932 1,916,527 Pastir July 4, 1933 2,264,214 Lawrence Nov. 25, 1941 2,526,786 Whitney Nov. 16, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Nov. 16,