US3103356A

US3103356A - Hobby horse

Info

Publication number: US3103356A
Application number: US726675A
Authority: US
Inventors: Francis A Heines
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-04-07
Filing date: 1958-04-07
Publication date: 1963-09-10
Anticipated expiration: 1980-09-10

Description

United States Patent O 3,103,356 HOKBY HORSE Francis A. Heines, 4174 Fredericlrs Ave., Memphis, Term. Filed Apr. 7, 1958, Ser. No. 726,675 8 Claims. (Cl. 272-52) This invention relates to an anrusernent device to be ridden by children, and more particularly it relates to a hobby horse.

An object of this invention is to provide a device of this kind which gives a vigorous and entertaining ride to children but which is exceptionally safe and sturd-y.

A more particular object is to provide a hobby horse Ihaving improved riding characteristics and simplified but rugged construction.

`Another object is to provide such a horse which can be manufactured economically and which has a construction which lends itself to `easy final assembly by the purchaser so that it can be delivered to him packed cornpactly in knocked4down condition.

The reason for the Popularity of 'one kind of hobby horse in preference to another kind is not entirely predictable, but in this day and age it appears that the more wild and woolly a ride the horse gives, the better. Precisely because such a vigorous, bouncing ride is -desired by the youngsters, however, the Suspension of the horse body poses quite a problem. Sizable mechanical forces are developed and the moun'ting frame of the horse must `be able to wit'hstand these with complete reliability and without 'danger of tipping over. Since a hobby horse is likely to be ridden by children 'off all ages, its mounting arrangernent must be stiff enough to accommodate the weight and strength of older children but yet limber enough so that a young child can get a sufficiently bouncy ride. Moreover, and particularly with regard to very young children, the structure of the horse and frame must not present hazardous Sharp members to fall against, or dangerous moving elements to *get caught in.

From the manufacturer's point of view a hobby horse, in addition lto having all these desirable riding qualities and Safety features, must also be economical to manufaoture. Requirements such as critical mechanical tolerances or strengths, specially shaped Springs, or excessive number of parts have made many previous hobby horse desi-gns completely impractical to produce. Furthermore, even though a particular horse can be produced at a reasonable cost, for it to be a nationwide commercial success and with shipping 'costs as high as they are, it must be Suscepti'ble to distribution and final delivery to the purchaser in knocked down, compactly packed condition ready for quick assem'bly. The present invention provides a 'hobby 'horse which possesses these desirable qualities of manufacturing and rdistributing economy, of Safety and Studiness, and of vigorous, entertaining riding qualties.

In aooordance with the -present invention, in one specific em'bodiment thereof, there is provided a hobby horse wherein the body of the horse is mounted upon the top end of a generally upright, Strong slender metal tube or post. The lower end 'of the post ex'tends down into a box-like base through a guide slot in the top of the base and is pivoted just above the floor so that its upper end can swing back and forth. Acting to hold this post normally in Vertical position are a number of simple and inex'pensive tension springs 'fastened to it just underneath the top of the 'base and completely concealed it. The lower end of the post above its pivot is a two-piece rotatable and slidable section acting agains-t a compression spring inside the post so that the horse body on the upper end, in addition to being able to swing back and "ice forth, can smultaneously bounce up' and down and also turn in a circle with the post as the center.

The base of this hobby horse provides a convenient mounting platform for a child in getting on or off of the horse and i-t is low enough to the fio'or so lthat no matter how vigorously the horse is ridden it will not tip over nor slide or 'walk across the floor. The 'guide slot in the top of the base positively prevents the support post from wobbling to either side and l'ikewise limi'ts its forward and backward swing. The base lis advantageously just large enough so that the horse body and supporting post can be packed dis-assembled within it for delivery to the purchaser. Thus packing, shipping and Storage costs are minimized.

A better understanding of the invention together with a fuller appreciation of its many advantages will best be gained from a study of the following description given in connection with the acoompanying 'drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a hobby horse embodying features of the inventiou;

'FIGURE 2 is a side section view of the base showing the pivotal mounting of the lower end 'of the support post;

'FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view 'of the base; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged section view taken as indicated in FIGURE 2.

The hobby horse 10 seen in FIGURE 1 oomprises a 'horse lbody 12 whioh is rigidly mounted on the upper end of a support post 14. The lower end of this post extends into a stationary, 'box-like holl'o'w base 16 through a vguide Slot 18. VCantilevered rforward from the upper end of this post is a T-shaped foot rest 19.

As seen in FIGURES Z and 3, the bottom end of post 14 is bolted at 2d to a transverse shaft 22 whose ends are rotatably journaled in a pair of bearin'gs 24 each of which in turn is screwed onto a respective longitudinal side of the base. The upper end of post 14 is thus able to swing back and forth in a Vertical plane as indicated in FIGURE 2 by the arrow 25, the front and rear limits of swing of |the post being indicated by the dotted lines and being determined by the ends of slot 18. The Sides of slot 18 are positioned parallel to each other and to the length of the base. They lie closely against each side of support post 14 and thus prevent Sidewise play |of the post and possible bindin'g of its bottom pivot.

Fastened to ysupport post-14 just beneath the topi of base 16 is a cross-brace 26 positioned at right-angles to it and to guide slot 18. Stretching to this cross-brace on opposite Sid'es of it are six spaced-apart tension ysprings 28 whose outer ends are fastened to a respective one of the two fixed rods 30. The ends of these rodS are attached at points 32 'to opposite sides of the base at a distance beneath the top such that springs 28` in their rest position shown in FIGURE 2 are approximately horizontal. When support post 114 is -swung back and forth, the springs 28 first on one side of cross-brace 26 and then the springs 28 on the other side are alternately stretched and relaxed and thus act to restore the post to its normal Vertical position. Springs 28 are of a kind readily obtainable in any hard- W'are store, and as many springs as may be necessary to accommodate the maximum designed load on the support post can be used. The danger 'from a Spring breaking, since they are totally enclosed 'within the base, is minirnized lbut even if they were all to break no harm would come to the child riding the horse because the support post can not swing 'farther than the limits set by slot 18.

As seen in FIGURE 4, which is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken as indicated in FIGURE 2, the lower end of support post 14 is made in two Sections to permit up and down bouncing in the direction of arrow 34 and also circular rotation in the direction of arrow '35. The inner of these two Sections .fi-s a one-piece metal tube 36 which extends upward to the horse body and screwed to it. The lower end of this tube is 'telescoped within and slidable rel'ative to' a metal 'sleeve 38 whose bottom end is closed and is bolted :at 2d to the piv'ot shaft 22. Positioned within 'sleeve 38 beneath tube 36 is an ondinary compression coil spring 39, the upper 'end of which bears against a plug 40 fastened onto the bottom of tube 36. This plug `closes the bottom of the tube and surrounds it for a 'short length 'with an 'annnlar shoulder 42. The latte'r 'serves 'as a 'bearing and holds the lower end of tube 36-, which is 'of smaller 'diameter than the inside dirnension of sleeve 38, concentric within the sleeve. The upper end of sleeve 38 is 'capped by a removable bearin-g nut 44 'whose inside surface 46 contacts tube 36 and holds it centered. In addition, this nut has 'a 'bottom surface 48 'which limi'ts the 'upward sliding of tube 36 relative to sleeve 38 by abutt-in'g lagainst the top' of bear'ing shoulder 42. Thus tube 36 is 'free to' slide np and 'down 'within 'sleeve 38 against the action of spring 39 and at the same time is free to rotate 360' relative to it. Spring 39 is completely enclosed and even if it 'breaks the horse can still safely be ridden. In the event that only -up and down sliding but not rotation of 'tube 36 relative to sleeve 38 is 'desired, the two can be .splined together by inserting a pin in a hole 50 in the lower end of tube 36, a lengthwise slot 52 being provided in 'the upper end of sleeve 38 to guide the pin.

-By unscrewing bealing nut 44, tube 36 'can easily be withdrawn 'from sleeve 38. Lik'ewise, this tube, 'foot rest 19 and the horse body can be unscrewed 'from each other. Then by 'u'nfastening pivot 'shaft 22 from the b'ase and spring-s 2'8 from cross lbrace 26', sleeve 38 'can be removed through 'slot118 and all these parts compactly and securely packed within |base 16. Thus the base can also serve as a shipping crate. The base of a hobby horse sub'stantially the same as that ill'ustrated and which has been built and successful-y tested was made of 1/2 inch plywoo'd, and was approximately 3 lfeet by 2 feet by 8 inches. Tube 36 was an aluminum pipe 'one inch in diameter.

The above description of the invention is intended in il'lustration and not in limitation thereof. Various changes may occur to' those 'skilled in the ant and these may be made without 'dep'arting from the spirit 'or scope of the invention as set forth.

I claim:

1. An amusement device for children compr'ising a hollow enclosed base adapted to rest upon the floor, having a height `of several inches and having a central slot opening in its top, a strong slender post pivoted `at its bottom end inside said base just above the floor, said post extending upward through said slot the end's 'of which limit the for- Ward and lbackward swinging of said post and the sides of which 'limit lsidewise play, la seat for a child 'to 'sit on and which -is mounted on the top end of said post a substantial distance above said base, at least 'two 'oppo'sed springs connected to said post closely beneath said slot and normally urging :said post 'to Vertical position, 'and resilient means permitting said seat 'to bounce up and down above said 'base while simultaneously swi'n'ging back `and 'forth.

2. The structure as in claim 1 wherein said resilient means 'comprises a compression `spring enclosed within said post, said post being in two Sections which are slidably telescoped together but urged apart 'by said compression spring.

3. An improved 'hobby horse comprising a simulated horse body, a long slender rigid support member extending generally downward from said body, said member being in two Sections 'which are axially slidable back and forth relat'ive to each other, a thin broad base adapted to rest upon the iloor, means carried by said base to pivotally support the bottom end of said member just above the iloor, spring means acting on said member to nonmally hold it Vertical, and a spring recessed in said member to resist the 'aXial sliding together of said Sections.

'4. The structure as in cla'im 3 wherein the outside diameter of the first of said Sections is smaller than the inside diameter of the second section, said 'first section having on its end a bearing sleeve engaging the inside of said second section, said second section having on its end a removable bearing collar engaging said first section and also preventing them from sliding apart, Said recessed spring being 'a compression coil spring positioned axially Within said second section and 'engaged against the end of said first section.

5. A safe, sturdy and inexpensive hobby horse comprising a simulated horse body adapted to be ridden by a child, a thin rigid metal :tube 'fastened to said body and extending downward therefrom, a hollow box-like base having a generally 'flat rectangular top with a central rectangular slot opening in it, a short metal sleeve pivoted at its bottom end just above the bottom of said base and extending upward, 'a compression spring within one of said sleeve and said t'ube and resisting their telescoping farther together, a cross-brace 'fastened to said sleeve closely beneath said slot, and opposed p'airs of tension Springs fastened between said cross-brace and fixed points inside said base, said springs being generally parallel to said slot and lying closely beneath the top of said base.

6. The structure as in claim 5 'wherein the bottom end of said sleeve is pivoted on a removable shaft extending transversely between the sides of said base, and wherein .the length within said base is greater than the length of said horse body, the 'width within said base is greater than the height of said body and the hei'ght within said base is greater than the thickness of said body.

7. An improved hobby horse co'mprising a horse body, an upright support post attached at its upper end to said body, a hollow box-like base to rest upon the fioor and having a central opening in its top, the lower end of said v post extending through said opening into said base, means pivotally mount'ing the lower 'end of said post just above the floor, spring means enclosed -within said base for yieldably holding said post generally Vertical, said spring means including two opposed tension Springs, each of which is stretched in a generally horizontal plane between said post and a fixed point closely beneath the top of said base, said post including two sections slidably telescoped together, and spring means urging said Sections apart whereby said horse body can bounce up and down in addition to swinging back and forth.

8. A safe, sturdy and 'inexpensive hobby horse comprising a simulated horse body adapted to be ridden by a child, a thin rigid metal tube `fastened to said body and extending downward therefrom, a hollow box-like base having a generally 'fiat rectangular top with a central rectan'gular slot opening in it, a short metal sleeve pivoted on a horizontal aXis at its bottom end just above the bottom of said base and extending upward, with the tube telescop'ingly disposed in said sleeve, a compression spring within one end of said sleeve bearing against said tube 'and resisting 'their telescoping farther together, and opposed tension Springs fastened between said tube and fixed points inside said base, said Springs being generally parallel to said slot and lying closely beneath 'the top' of said base, said tube being lfree to rotate relative to said sleeve while sirn'ultaneously sliding up and down and swin'ging back and forth.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 575,152 Fogg Ian. 12, 1897 715,887 Smith Dec. 16'I 1902 974,194 Schulze Nov. 1, 1910 1,151,164 Davis Aug. 24, 1915 2,589,5'70 Phillips Mar. 18, 19'52 2,597,332 Janes May 20, 1952

Claims

3. AN IMPROVED HOBBY HORSE COMPRISING A SIMULATED HORSE BODY, A LONG SLENDER RIGID SUPPORT MEMBER EXTENDING GENERALLY DOWNWARD FROM SAID BODY, SAID MEMBER BEING IN TWO SECTIONS WHICH ARE AXIALLY SLIDABLE BACK AND FORTH RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER, A THIN BROAD BASE ADAPTED TO REST UPON THE FLOOR, MEANS CARRIED BY SAID BASE TO PIVOTALLY SUPPORT THE BOTTOM END OF SAID MEMBER JUST ABOVE THE FLOOR, SPRING MEANS ACTING ON SAID MEMBER TO NORMALLY