US2994157A

US2994157A - Toy figure with articulated feet

Info

Publication number: US2994157A
Application number: US686607A
Authority: US
Inventors: Herbert R Beebe; Harvey Richard
Original assignee: AMERICAN DOLL AND TOY CORP
Current assignee: AMERICAN DOLL AND TOY CORP
Priority date: 1957-09-27
Filing date: 1957-09-27
Publication date: 1961-08-01
Anticipated expiration: 1978-08-01

Description

ug. 1`, 1961A H. R. BEEBE ETAL ToY FIGURE wTTH ARTICULATED FEET Filed Sept. 27, 1957 INVENTORS r 1, 7l l l will/fil ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,994,157 TOY FIGURE WITH ARTICULATED FEET Herbert R. Beebe, Richmond Hill, and Richard Harvey, Hollis, N.Y., assignors to American Doll & Toy Corp., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 27, t1957, Ser. No. 686,607 3 Claims. (Cl.'46--163) 'I'his invention relates to a toy figure having articulated feet.

An object of the invention is to provide a toy figure with feet which are so constructed and connected with the legs that the feet may be manipulated to dispose the same in various angular relation with reference thereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy figure such as a doll in which the feet are connected with the legs whereby the feet may be disposed in angular relations to simulate various actual conditions of the human figure. Thus, the child playing with the doll may manipulate the feet to dispose the same in a position for wearing high heels, in a position as a toe dancer and in a position for walking with low heel shoes.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the feet are positively held in any one of the variously adjusted positions and may be readily moved to any one of the other positions.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, reference is now made to the following specification and accompanying drawings in which the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a view in elevation of a doll provided with articulated feet constructed in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is lan enlarged vertical sectional view through the lower portions of one of the legs and with the foot connected therewith for disposing the foot in various angular relations.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 with the foot adjusted to a position for wearing high heels.

FIG. 4 is a similar view showing the foot in as a toe dancer.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on line 5 5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional View taken approximately Von line 6 6 of FIG. `2.

FIG. 7 is -a perspective view showing partly in section and separated juxtaposition the lower portion of one of the leg members and the parts which connect Vthe foot thereto.

Referring to the drawings, the invention is for a to-y figure having articulated feet which may be disposed in several angular positions with reference to the legs thereof. The toy figure is illustrated in its application to a jdoll 10 having legs 12 and feet 13.

l The legs 1-2 are of hollow formation and are connected with the torso or body 14 ofthe doll in any desired manner. The body 14 and legs 12 are constructed of pliable plastic material which provides the required firmness in the walls thereof while permitting of some resiliency and flexing'of the walls. Each of the legs is formed with a rectangular shaped cavity `15 which opens through the lower end thereof and with a restricted slot 16 extending from said cavity and opening into the hollow interior of the leg. The inner face 17 of the wall of each of the legs defining the hollow interior tapers toward the lower end thereof and terminates in a shoulder 18 -adjacent the restricted slot 16.

The feet 13 are preferably fashioned of hard plastic material so as to form firm and stiff walls. The feet are of hollow formation and each is provided with an a position Patented Aug. l, 1961 opening 21 which extends into the hollow interior and forms a socket into which the lower end of the leg extends. The feet are connected with the legs -for relative movement to dispose the feet in various angular positions which simulate relative actual positions of the human feet. Thus, means is provided for disposing and retaining the feet of the doll in set position as a toe dancer, in another position `for wearing high heels and in another position for wearing shoes with low heels. For this purpose an interengageable shank and

tapered insert

22 and 23 are provided for each leg. The insert 23 snugly ts within the lower end of the leg with the lower end of the insert disposed against the shoulder 18. The insert is provided with an opening 24 extending longitudinally therethrough and with oppositely disposed pairs of

ribs

25 and 26 arranged on opposite inner faces thereof with the ribs of each pair being spaced apart and the inner faces of the pairs of ribs disposed in spaced relation to form a longitudinally extending restricted slot 27 between the pairs of ribs.

The shank 22 is formed with an enlarged head 28 at its lower end which is of general rectangular formation in cross section and is formed with a plurality of semicircular notches Z9, 3d and 31 in the lower edge thereof. The shank snugly ts in the slot 27 in the insert with the head 28 thereof extending into and snugly fitting the cavity 15 in the lower end of the leg.

The inserts are inserted in the legs through the open upper ends thereof and the Shanks 22 are connected with the insert by cementing the shank therein to thereby connect the feet with the legs. This is effected by coating the shank with a cementitious material and forcing the shank into the slot 27 in the insert to dispose the same in the Kassembled position shown in FIGS. 2 to 5 inclusive of the drawings. The slots 27 being narrow, the cementitious material ilows about the side edges of the

ribs

25 and 26 and when the same becomes hardened securely fastens the Shanks to the ribs.

The feet 13 are swingably connected with the Shanks 22 by means of cross pins 32 which extend transversely of the feet with the ends embedded in the opposite side walls thereof above the instep. The cross pin 32 of each foot is adapted to selectively engage the

notches

29, 30 and 31 |and to be retained in position therein by means of a spring strap 33 which extends under the cross pin and across the lower end of the head 28 of the shank with the ends of the spring strap being inturned and embedded in the side walls of the head. The strap retains the cross pin in tensioned engagement in any one of the aforesaid notches and permits of the swinging of the foot to dispose the same in the several angular positions, the resiliency of the spring strap permitting of the flexing of the same downwardly for movement of the cross pin from one notch to the other.

What is claimed is:

1. In a toy ligure, a body, a leg member for said body having a longitudinally extending cavity opening through the lower end thereof, a shank secured in said leg cavity and having a lower portion protruding through said leg Vmember provided with a plurality of spaced notches in the lower edge thereof, a spring strip affixed at its ends to in different angular relations with reference to the leg member.

2. Ina toy figure, a body, a leg member for said body having a longitudinally extending cavity opening through the lower end thereof, an insert secured in the lower end of said leg member having a longitudinally extending cavity opening through the lower end thereof, a shank secured in the cavity of said insert and having a lower portion protruding through said leg member provided with a plurality olf spaced notches in the lower edge thereof, a spring strip aflixed at its ends to said shank and extending under said notches, a foot member having a cavity providing a socket in which the lower end of said leg member is slidably tted, a cross pin aixed to said foot member in said c-avity and extending transversely between said lower portion of said shank and said spring strip, and said spring strip biasing said pin to selectively retain the pin in said notches respectively and permit of adjustment of the foot member to move said pin into any one of said notches for disposing the foot member in different angular relations with reference to the leg member.

3. In a toy ligure, a body, a leg member for said body having a longitudinally extending cavity opening through the opposite ends thereof, a wedged shaped insert insertable in said leg member through the opening in the top thereof and wedged in the lower end of said leg member adjacent the opening in the lower end thereof, said insert having a longitudinally extending cavity opening through the lower end thereof, the face of said cavity being of ribbed formation on opposite sides thereof, a shank having an upper portion disposed in the cavity in said insert and having a lower portion protruding through said leg member provided with a plurality of spaced notches in the lower edge thereof, a spring strip affixed at its ends to said shank and extending under said notches, a foot member having a cavity providing a socket in which the lower end of said leg member is slidably fitted, a cross pin aixed to said foot member and extending transversely between said lower portion of said shank and said spring strip, and said spring strip biasing said pin to selectively retain the pin in said notches respectively and permit of adjustment of the foot member to move said pin into any one of said notches for disposing the foot member in diiferent angular relations with reference to the leg member, and means adhesively securing said shank to the ribbed faces of said insert to thereby connect the foot member with the leg member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,687,594 Cleaver Aug. 3l, 1954 2,736,135 Gardel et al. Feb. 8, 1956 2,783,587 Gardel et al. Mar. 5, 1957 2,925,683 Cohn Feb. 23, 1960