US2815605A - Sectional toy figure - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 10, 1957 E. F. CONNELL SECTIONAL TOY FIGURE Filed Sept. 6. 1956 INVENTOR.

EDWARD F'. CONNELL BY (W1 WM.

ATTORN EYS United States: at nt SECTIONAL TOY FIGURE Edward F. Connell, Northampton, Mass.

Application September 6, 1956, Serial No. 608,332 4 Claims. (Cl. 46-123) This invention relates to a jointed, sectionally formed or segmented toy figure adapted to simulate. a reptile' such as an alligator or the like.

An object of the invention is to providean amusing toy figure which may be operated by means of a draw string, the manipulation of the draw string variously causing a mouth of the figure to open and close, the sectionally formed body to simulate the sinuous motion of a reptile, and the movement of legmembers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy figure having segments for telescopically enclosing the figure within a carrying case or box container of small size and from which the figure may be drawn by the string to surprise and amuse a child.

These and other specific objects and advantages will be apparent from the following disclosure.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the toy figure and box enclosure embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the fore end member of the figure;

b Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view of the rear end mem- Fig. 4 is a similar sectional view of the rear member with the sections telescopically nested together; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing detail of the tail sections of the toy.

Referring to Fig. 1 the toy figure is shown with its body portion indicated at 1, a pair of legs extending from each side of the body indicated at 2, a fore end member with a plurality of loosely jointed sections comprising a neck and head portion at 3, and a rear end member with telescopically joined sections at 4.

As will be seen the figure is adapted to be drawn over a flat surface by a draw string 5 fixed to the nose end of the toy. At the users option the toy may be manipulated separately from the box container shown at 6 in Fig. 1. In this view, however, it is shown as linked to the box 6 by a jaw operating string 7 having a ring 8 to which is attached a ring clasp 9 at the end of an anchor string 10 having its other end (not shown) suitably fixed to the interior of the box. The box 6 is adapted to enclose the entire figure with the sections of the rear end member 4 in nested relation as in Fig. 4 and the head portion retracted as shown by the dotted line position of Fig. 2. The hinged end flap at 11 of the box 6 may thus be swung to close the open end to conceal the figure. The draw string 5 may also be enclosed behind the flap except for a small end portion. The user can then pull the exposed end portion as a tab and cause the figure to slowly emerge from the end of the box. The box 6 is fitted with a handle member 12 and may be decoratively covered as shown by the surface ornamentation to simulate a small suitcase. The same ornamentation may be applied to the surf-aces of the figure.

Manipulation of the draw string 5 will cause the lice pivoted upper and lower jaws 13 and 14 to open and close as the figure emerges from the opened end of the box container 6. The loosely jointed sections of the fore end and rear end members 3 and 4 will also permit a sinuous reptile like motion as the figure is drawn along. When fully withdrawn as in Fig. 1, the box may furthermore be held stationary by one hand and the jaw frame section at 15 held by the other to exert a pull on the jaw string 7 and manipulation of the upper jaw 13 without the draw string 5. Alternatively the jaw string 7 may be disconnected from the clasp 9 of the anchor string 10 and the upper jaw manipulated by operating the string 7 while holding a head frame section 15 on which the jaws are mounted with the other hand. It will be seen that the box may, of course, be used as a carrying case merely for enclosing the figure or for operation therewith as 'an added feature. In an actual embodiment of thestructure the case is approximately the size of the conventional box for kitchen matches and is made of still paper stock.

The parts of the toy figure will now be more specifically described. The material of which the parts are made may be a stiff paper stock, sheet plastic, or an extremely thin sheet metal. The nature of the stop means for limited telescopic sliding movement of the interfitted sections may, of course, be varied with the nature of the material used. In the present disclosure the various parts as shown may be made up from a stiff flexible plastic material or a thin sheet metal having a suitable decorative surface ornamentation.

The body 1 comprises a hollow open-ended box-like member having a bottom wall 16, side walls 17, and top wall 18. An overlying top panel 19 preferably overhangs the sides and ends of the top wall. In the top opposite edges of the side walls are provided a pair of slots 20 for lateral extension of the leg members fixed to the inner sections of the fore and rear end members.

Referring to Figs 3 and 4 the inner section 21 of rear end member 4 is a hollow open ended section across the top wall 22 of which is fixed a cross piece 23 of the rear leg members 24. The cross piece 23 extends laterally at each side of section 21 through the opposed slots 20 of the body and is bent downwardly and rearwardly at each side to form rear legs 24.

In Fig. 2 the inner section 25 of the fore end member 3 is similarly fitted with a cross piece 26 extending through foreward slots 20 to form the front legs 27.

The cross pieces 23 and 26 as shown are permitted limited longitudinal sliding movement in the slots 20 and it will be noted that the inner sections are loosely fitted in the walls of the body for simulating a shuffiing motion to the legs as the toy is pulled along. The legs 24 and 27 need but slight fiexing for insertion with the body 1 in the carrying case 6.

The sections of the tail or rear end member 4 are adapted to telescopically fit together in nested relation within the body member as shown by Fig. 4. Each section of the tail is a hollow open ended shell 30. At the outer or rear end edges shells 30 are provided with inwardly turned lips 31 along the upper and lower walls. At their inner edges the shells 30 are provided with alternately arranged turned prong portions. As best shown by Fig. 5 the upper and lower inner edges of one shell may be arranged with a pair of outwardly turned prong portions 32 and an intermediate inwardly turned prong portion 33. The next adjacent shell is then arranged with a central outwardly turned prong portion 33' and a pair of inwardly turned prong portions 32'. Thus, when sliding into nested relation, the rearward shell 30 of Fig. 5 is prevented from sliding inwardly beyond the shell in which it is telescopically fitted by prongs 33 striking prongs 33. As will be realized the next rearwardly adjacent shell having prongs 32 and 33 would belikewise' stopped by its outwardly directed prongs 32 striking inwardly directed prongs 32. Itwill also be seen. that the outwardly directed prongs 32 or 33' by striking the in:

wardly turned lips 31 will prevent separation or; shell 30" when moved to the'extended position offFig; 3. 7

Each shell section is thus telescopically joined and loosely linked to its adjacent sections. ,The innermost section 21, it will be noted, is. provided 'with central 'inwardly directed prongs at- 34 to form a stop for an upwardly turned intermediate prong 33 of the shell telescopically fitted therein. Section 21 is itself of course linked to the body by the leg cross piece 23 in the slots 20. A tail end piece 31' 'fitted in the outermost shell 30 snugly receives the jaw string 7 which extends forwardly through the shells 30, body 1,. and sections of the fore end member 3 andis anchored to the upper jaw 13 as will be described. Y

The fore end 3 of the toy, as shown byFig. 2, is also made up of open-ended loosely formed sectional shell members. With the exception of the outermost jaw frame section 15 these sections are not, however, interconnected for telescopic nesting arrangement. The inner section 25 and open ended shell 41 outwardly adjacent thereto are connected for relative shucking movement as by the prongs 42 of section 25 riding in slots 43 in the upper and lower walls of shell 41. Likewise shell 41 is joined to an elongated shell at 44 by prongs 45 in openings 46. Thus limited sidewise motion may be imparted to the movement of these sections to simulate a sinuous movement. The elongated section 44, as shown,

preferably extends into the body member so as to receive the head frame section 15 and jaws 13 and 14 in a nested position. Frame section 15 is provided with outwardly turned lips 47 to abut inwardly turned lips 48 at the front of shell 44 and to abut lips 49 at the rear in the nested position of the jaws.

With the jaws extended as in the full line position of Fig. 2 the draw string may, of c0l1rse,.:be manipulated to lift and drop the upper jaw 13. The jaws 13 and 14 are opposed trough-like members, the upper jaw being pivoted at the rear on a pin 50 of a frame piece 51 fixed at the front of the shell section 15. The upper jaw 13 is larger in size than the lower jaw 14 and covers it in lowered position. Above the pivot 50 in the frame 51 is a pin 52 over which the string 7 is passed. The end of the string is tied to the upper jaw 13 forwardly of the pivot and tHus a pun exertezrenstrrng 7' will cause 'the elevation of jaw 13 on its fp'ivot and opening of the mouth. As previously mentioned the string 7 may be pulled when the head portion is held in one hand and the box and anchor string 10, or tail section 30' by itself, held and manipulated by the othe r hand.

What is claimed is:

A y fi u e mi imise an pen ended y her, a plurality of slidably and telescopically interfitted tail sections extending feoin' the rearend of said openended body member-,. a; plurality of similarly loosely joined sections extending from the front end of said openended body mem'bexiadteeid'rneiriber comprising a pair of superimposed relatively movable jaws connected to the outermost section at said front end and slidably insertable within said outermost end section, means joining said sections to thebodymemher including agpair of leg members loosely extending through the side walls of said body member and laierally of each side, thereof.

2. The struetureof claimlfincluding means operable from the rearmostitail section. and connected. to the uppermost jaw for lifting said ja w :above the lower law.

3. The sti'ucture clairnlin which said jaw operating means is.r eleasa'bly anchored to an enclosure casing in which saidtoy figure.;rnay. -be,total1y, concealed and a draw strin'giis lixedlfto sa-idupper jaw'for theprogressive Withdrawal of' said figure-from the casing.

4. The structure. ofi izlaiir i lin which the-uppermost of said superimposed jaws; is mounted 011:2; pivot in a frame fixed in theoiitermqst ifore enldsection and ajaw string is-,fixed,. to, s aid upperjaw forwardly of said pivot, said string being heldin the flame-above the pivot and passing rearwardly to -extend from the outermost 'rear end section for manipnlating the jaw from said rlearend section.

References Citetlinth'e file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS 596,385 Dec. 28, 1897 1,062,129 1913 1,640,157!" 1927 2,035,308 v ,1936 2,278,894 Paulson- Apr. 7, 1942 2,683,953 Hopkins July 20, 1954

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