US3062541A

US3062541A - Safety devices

Info

Publication number: US3062541A
Application number: US79193A
Authority: US
Inventors: Duane W Price
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-12-29
Filing date: 1960-12-29
Publication date: 1962-11-06
Anticipated expiration: 1979-11-06

Description

D. W. PRICE SAFETY DEVICES Nov. 6, 1962 Filed Dec. 29, 1960 INVENTOR. FVA/YE M Pe/ce ATTOAQ/VEXS.

United States Patent 3,062,541 SAFETY DEVICES Duane W. Price, 2601 Midvale, West Los Angeles, Calif. Filed Dec. 29, 1960, Ser. No. 79,193 1 Claim. (Cl. 27253.1)

This invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in safety devices.

The safety device of this invention is especially designed for use in connection with a hobby horse ride such as is disclosed in my copending applications, Serial No. 17,301, now Patent No. 2,994,281 and Serial No. 73,035, now Patent No. 3,019,740. In each of such applications, the hobby horse travels longitudinally with respect to a surface and at the end of its run in opposite directions the hobby horse, as explained in such pending applications, is caused to rotate to position itself for return movement longitudinally of the surface. Also, the hobby horse, as described in the aforesaid pending applications, is adapted while moving longitudinally, to rock so as to simulate trotting or galloping.

To guard against the possibility of injury to a child or adult standing in the path of movement of the horse or in a stooped position beneath either the fore or hind portion of the horse during its movements, my invention has for its object the provision of a simple and efiicient ar rangement which will become effective immediately upon contact with the child or other person to stop the movement of the horse both in its longitudinal direction and its rocking movement.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hobby horse employing my invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary part sectional detail view of body portions of the horse to show the application of my invention to the hobby horse.

As disclosed in my aforesaid applications, the hobby horse includes an elongated platform 10, a pedestal 11, including a base 12 and supporting a horse 13 for rocking movement. By a traction wheel 14 driven by a suitable motor 15, both carried by the base 12, the base is caused to move longitudinally with respect to an elongated slot 16 and when it reaches either end of the slot 16 it is caused to rotate to a position for return movement, all in the manner and by means disclosed in the aforesaid pending applications.

Each leg portion 16' of the horse comprises two

sections

17 and 18. The

sections

17 and 18 are interfitted at the knee section 19 of the leg, the interfitting being such that the section 17 is permitted a slight universal movement relative to the section 18.

In the section 18 is embedded a connecting link 20 having an eyelet 21 having hooked engagement with an eyelet 22 formed integral with a shank 23. The eyelets 21 and 22 are confined in a hollow portion 24 of the section 18. Embedded in the section 18 is a cylinder 25, one end portion of which projects into a hollow portion 27 of the section 18.

3,062,541 Patented Nov. 6, 1962 Fixedly mounted in the rear portion of the cylinder 25 by a press fit is a plug 28 through which the shank 23 slidably projects. Movably positioned in the forward end portion of the cylinder 25 is a piston 29 through which the shank 23 projects. Mounted on the end portion 30 of the shank 23 exteriorly of the cylinder 25 is a washer 31 having bearing engagement with the piston 29 by means of a nut 32 threaded upon the end portion 30 of the shank 23. Disposed between the fixed plug 28 and the movable piston 29 is a coil spring 33 which functions to resist movement of the piston 29 rearwardly of the cylinder 25. The spring 33 is of sufiicient strength to hold the

sections

17 and 18 together and to prevent the section 17 from vibrating during the movements of the horse while permitting the section 17 to be universally moved relative to the section 18 should such section 17 or the section 19 thereof engage or touch an object.

The end portion 30 of the shank 23 engages the plunger 34 of a normally closed switch arranged in a switch box 35 which has terminals 36 connected in the power circuit to the motor 15. The switch box 35 is mounted upon a bracket 37 adjustably connected by means of a slot and screw connection 38, the slot being formed in a bar 39 connected to the cylinder 25 within the hollow portion or socket 27 by means of a strap 40.

The arrangement is such that should the leg section 17 or hoof portion 19 come into contact with an object such as a child or the like, it will be caused to pivot relative to the section 18 and in so doing the shank 23 will be moved longitudinally with respect to its long axis rearwardly with respect to the cylinder 25. This movement will impart movement to the piston 29 against the action of the spring 33. The piston 29 will move a sufficient distance to disengage the end 30 of the shank 23 from the plunger 34 of the switch and therefore to allow the switch to open, deenergizing the circuit to the motor 15.

This movement of the section 17 is, as beforestated, universal so that irrespective of the direction from which the contact is made with respect to the section 17 or portion 19 the section 17 will be pivoted so as to result in the opening of the switch for the purpose of deenergizing the motor 15. Should a child or other object be beneath the hoof of the horse during its rocking movement, the same action of the section 17 will take place and the motor 15 will be instantly deenergized.

By the provision of a safety device such as I have described herein, a simple arrangement is provided for instantly stopping movement of the hobby horse when any one of its legs or hoofs comes into contact with an object upon the platform 10. As soon as the contact between the object and the leg is removed, the switch will instantly close and the hobby horse will then begin its continued movement relative to the platform 16.

While I have shown and described my novel safety device associated with a hobby horse, it is obvious that the same may be associated with other moving objects and that it may have other applications in the field of the amusement art.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

A safety device for a hobby horse having legs each of 5 means.

which has universal movement, a connecting link embedded in one portion of said leg, a cylinder embedded in another portion of said leg, a plug mounted in one end of the cylinder, a shank movable through the plug, means providing connection between one end of the shank and 10 one end of said connecting link, a piston movable in the cylinder, spring means between said plug and said piston to resist movement of the piston and said shank,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 491,927 Rygg Feb. 14, 1893 2,090,178 Brickner Aug. 17, 1937 2,592,742 Rose Apr. 15, 1952 2,680,020 Dwyer June 1, 1954