US2722774A

US2722774A - Walking doll balloon

Info

Publication number: US2722774A
Application number: US316473A
Authority: US
Inventors: John T Andreadis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1952-10-23
Filing date: 1952-10-23
Publication date: 1955-11-08
Anticipated expiration: 1972-11-08

Description

Nov. 8, 1955 J. T. AN DREADIS WALKING DOLL BALLOON Filed 001;. 23. 1952 IN VEN TOR.

Jo'nw 7T AND/PEA 0/5 United States Patent WALKING DOLL BALLOON John T. Andreadis, New York, N. Y.

Application October 23, 1952, Serial No. 316,473

3 Claims. (CI. 4688) This invention relates to walking toys, and especially to a walking doll balloon that is capable of a walking action such as down an inclined surface by a gravity action.

Heretofore various kinds of walking toys have been provided but all of such toys, insofar as I am aware, are made from wood or other rigid material wherein legs are pivotally secured to a body portion of the toy and where the toys would be of appreciable weight and cost. To my knowledge, no automatically walking doll of any type has heretofore been provided, and specifically it is thought that no inexpensive, uncomplicated, easily assembled walking doll has heretofore been made.

The general object of the present invention is to provide a novel walking toy characterized by the fact that it primarily comprises an inflatable balloon.

Another object of the invention is to provide an inflatable balloon with certain cuff and foot attachments to make it a selfsupporting, walking doll.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide an inflatable balloon with means for restricting the connections between the legs of the balloon and the body portion of the. balloon so that pivots are provided for the legs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a walking doll balloon which is inexpensive and which is made from several components that can be easily assembled by the purchaser of the toy.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be made more apparent as the specification proceeds.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings wherein a walking doll balloon embodying the principles of the invention is disclosed, and wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the walking doll balloon of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the doll of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the balloon when uninflated; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are plans, respectively of one foot member, and one cuff member of the doll of Fig. 1.

In order to facilitate comparison between similar parts in the drawings and in the specification, corresponding numerals are used to identify such parts in the drawing and specification.

The walking doll of the invention comprises an inflatable balloon having a head, a body portion and two legs; means for restricting the maximum diameter of the legs immediately adjacent the body portion to form pivots for the legs; foot means for each of the legs; and cufi means bearing on the foot means and engaging the legs so that the foot means and legs move as a unit.

Attention now is specifically directed to the details of the walking doll which is referred to in general by the numeral 1 and which includes an inflatable rubber balloon 2 that includes a head 3, a body portion 4 and

legs

5 and 6 that extend from the lower portion of the body 4 and preferably are longer than such body portion. An inflatable tube or neck 7 extends from the top of the head 3 for use in inflating the balloon 2 and it has a suitable string or similar means used to tie it shut after the balloon has been inflated.

As an important part of the walking doll 1, restricting means, which may merely comprise strings 8 are tied around each of the

legs

5 and 6 immediately adjacent the body 4 to provide restricted portions in the legs for forming pivots or joints so that the

legs

5 and 6 may easily move with relation to the body of the balloon. Usually the strings S are used to restrict the inflated

legs

5 and 6 to approximately 4 inch diameter whereas the remaining portions of the legs when inflated would be at least 3 inches in diameter. In all events, the restricting means reduce the leg diameter to at least one half that of the remaining portions of the legs.

A second important portion of the walking doll of the invention, which aids in achieving the desired walking action thereof, is the provision of foot and cuff means for each of the

legs

5 and 6. Such foot and cufi" means are constructed and arranged so that they are positioned fixedly with relation to the legs and so that the foot and cuff means and legs move as a unit from the pivots provided for the legs by the strings 8 on the legs. A rigid foot, or shoe 9 is engaged with the lower end of each of the

legs

5 and 6, usually by pulling an uninflatable end 10 of each of the legs through a hole 11 provided in each foot and securing the end 10 of the leg in one of several slits or slots 12 formed in the side edges of each of the feet 9 so that the

legs

5 and 6 and feet 9 are tightly and snugly engaged with each other. A cuff or band 13 is carried by each of the

legs

5 and 6 and the lower edge of each cufi is in firm or tight engagement with the foot 9 adjacentthereto. Usually the cuffs 13 are made from cardboard strips that have inter-engaging slots 14 and 15 provided in opposite side edges at different ends of such cardboard strip so that an annular band, or cuff can be formed by the person assembling the walking doll of the invention. Of course, the diameter of the cuffs 13 must be such that the

legs

5 and 6, when inflated, tightly engage such cuffs and retain them in their given positions. The cufis aid in maintaining the feet 9 in fixed relation to the

legs

5 and 6 with the feet 9 being parallel to each other and normally extending at a direction normal to a plane defined by the center lines of the

legs

5 and 6 when in parallel relation to each other and extending directly downwardly with relation to the body 4 of the balloon.

In assembling the walking doll of the invention, the balloon 2 should be inflated until the

legs

5 and 6 are of equal length and are fully inflated. Then enough air should be left out of the balloon so that the

legs

5 and 6 can be choked down adjacent the body by the hands to the desired small diameter at which time the neck 7 should be tied closed. Next the strings 8 or other means used should be secured around the

legs

5 and 6 to provide the leg pivots and the non-inflatable end 10 of each leg should be threaded through the holes 11 in each of the feet 9 and stretched up through and engaged with the slots 12 to anchor the feet to the legs. As the final assembly step, one of the cuffs 13 is engaged with each of the

legs

5 and 6 immediately adjacent the feet 9 and the ends of the cuffs 13 are interlocked or otherwise secured together. The feet 9 and cuffs 13 are adjusted so that they are straight and symmetrical with relation to each other, as indicated hereinabove.

The balloon 2 is preferably made from a plastic material, such as rubber or rubberlike materials, but it may be made from inelastic plastic sheeting if desired. The

feet 9 are usually made of cardboard. The balloon 2 is usually greatly expanded when inflated.

While a string 8 is used to restrict the

legs

5 and 6 to form pivots therefor, such restricting means may be integral with or be built into the legs in some instances.

Fig. 1 shows how the

legs

5 and 6 and feet 9 act when the doll 1 is placed on an inclined surface 16 and when the legs move to walk the doll down such surface 16. if pull cords, or

strings

17 and 18 are attached to the front of each of the feet 9 and, preferably, to a common pull cord 19, the doll 1 will walk down the surface 16 as the cord 19 is moved to the right and left to pull on the

cords

17 and 18, respectively.

One of the slits or slots 12 in each foot may extend to the hole 11 in the feet 9, if desired.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that a relatively inexpensive, uncomplicated walking doll has been provided which primarily comprises an inflatable rubber balloon. This walking doll has novel functional characteristics and will be attractive and amusing for children to use. The doll can be assembled in a short time by following a few simple directions so that the objects of the invention are thought to be achieved. While in accordance with the patent statutes I have particularly illustrated and described my invention, it is to be definitely understood that I am not to be limited thereto or thereby, but that the scope of my invenion is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A walking doll comprising an inflatable rubber balloon having a head, a body portion, and two legs extending from said body portion, said legs being substantially as long as said body portion; annular means engaging a section of each of said legs immediately adjacent said body portion to restrict the size thereof at such portions to less than half the diameter of said legs; cardboard foot means engaging each of said legs at the ends thereof; stiff annular cuff means engaging each of said legs and having edges engaging said foot means to retain said foot means in fixed angular relation to said legs and pull string means having a pair of individual sections for individual connection to said foot means to provide means to move such foot means and simulate a walking action by the doll.

2. A walking doll comprising an inflatable rubber balloon having a head, a body portion, and two legs extending from said body portion; strings engaging a section of each of said legs immediately adjacent said body portion to restrict the size thereof at such portions to less than half the diameter of said legs but to leave such section round; foot means engaging each of said legs at the ends thereof; and stiff hollow cylindrical cuff means engaging each of said legs and having edges engaging said foot means to retain said foot means in fixed angular relation to said legs.

3. A walking doll comprising an inflatable elastic ruboer balloon having a head, a body portion and two legs extending from said body portion, said legs when uninflated being of substantially uniform size the length thereof and terminating in reduced width leg tips; string means tied around each leg immediately adjacent said body portion to restrict the diameter thereof to less than one half the inflated diameter of the major length of said legs to provide pivots therefor; cardboard foot means having a hole therein and an edge slot therein individually secured to each of said legs by said leg tips extending through said holes in said foot means and being in wedged engagement with said slot, and a lead string having sections individually attached to said foot means so that such lead string can be used to walk the doll down an inclined surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,609,362 Jones Dec. 7, 1926 1,612,643 Mulholland Dec. 28, 1926 1,621,353 Dahlstrom Mar. 15, 1927 1,635,835 Good July 12, 1927 FOREIGN PATENTS 651,266 Great Britain Mar. 14, 1951 661,644 Great Britain Nov. 21, 1951