US3206168A - Program controlled toy winch - Google Patents

Description

p 1965 w. A. SCHOLEFIELD ETAL 3,206,168

PROGRAM CONTROLLED TOY WINCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 29, 1963 INVENTQZSPJ,

p 1965 w. A. SCHOLEFIELD ETAL PROGRAM CONTROLLED TOY WINCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 29, 1963 INVENTORS ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,206,168 PROGRAM CONTROLLED TOY WINCH William A. Scholefield, East Haven, and Edward C.

Chandler, New Haven, Conn., assignors to The A. C.

Gilbert Company, New Haven, Conn., a corporation of Maryland Filed Aug. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 305,416 Claims. (Cl. 254-185) This invention relates to the programmed animation of functionally related toys or corelated parts of the same toy suited to being motivated in selective sequence by a compound winch such as that disclosed in a copending application, Serial No. 297,869, filed July 26, 1963, which is owned by the assignee of the instant application. The compound Winch referred to comprises a plurality of separately rotatable winch drums incorporated in a unitary toy structure and driven alternately or in selected sequence by a single prime mover whose transmitted power can be manually transferred from one to another of the plural winch drums through selectively shiftable transmission gear.

An object of the present improvements is to provide for automatically transferring the power drive from one winch drum to another in predetermined sequence at predetermined tirnes by means of a programming controller itself also motivated by the aforesaid single prime mover.

Another object is to vary and predetermine the times of transfer of driving power aforesaid by affording a choice of differently speeded gear trains through which the programming controller receives power from the prime mover.

Another object is to associate the programming controller mechanically with a shifter handle in the compound winch of the aforesaid copending application which therein is adapted to be manually operated in the absence of the present improvements.

Another object is to provide for the detachable cooperative assemblage of the compound Winch, its prime mover and the programming controller of these improvements wherein the winch and the controller can be positioned at opposite sides of the prime mover and both powered thereby.

A still further object is to eliminate all need of manual attention to the programmed animation of a toy by expanding the action of the aforesaid winches to a full extent of automation preferably of a cyclic nature so that a series of successive movements constituting the programmed action will automatically be repeated ad infinitum without manual attention.

A simple example of an animated toy susceptible of being motivated to a full extent of automation by the herein disclosed embodiment of the invention is a toy derrick in which the swinging of the derrick boom and the lifting and dropping of a load carrying hook from the end of the boom constitute the successive movements in the toy that can be subjected to programmed automation as herein provided. Since such action of a toy is Well understood and is merely representative of a large field of possible toy actuations by a compound winch the toy is not illustrated herein.

The above and other objects of the invention will become clear in fuller particular from the following description of a successful embodiment of the invention having reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a toy compound winch, its prime mover and a programming controller coop'erably assembled in separable relationship according to the invention, the top housing walls of the compound winch and programming controller being shown as partially broken away to expose interior mechanism.

FIG. 2 is a view in elevation showing the assemblage of Patented Sept. 14, 1965 FIG. 1 with a front wall of the compound winch partly broken away.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken partly in section on the vertical plane 3-3 in FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows and showing alternative mountings of a programming cam.

FIG. 4 is a similarly enlarged view taken in section on the vertical plane 4-4 in FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 5 is a view on the same enlarged scale taken in section on the vertical plane 5-5 in FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 6 is a view on the same scale taken in section on the vertical planes 6-6 in FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic representation of the cyclical oscillating excursions of cam disc 78 in the programming controller assuming such disc to be viewed as in FIG. 3, the disc being equipped with studs traveling in actuating relation to an electric switch for reversing the direction of running of the prime mover.

For convenience of reference certain parts of a toy compound Winch unit, herein chosen to illustrate the invention, are designated by the same reference numerals as in the aforesaid copending patent application. So designated the two winch drums 26 and 28 are rotatable respectively in fixed and loose relation on a common rotary shaft 20 that has bearings in spaced frame walls 13 of the toy winch unit. By means of gear teeth 30 and 31 carried by drums 26 and 28, respectively, either of these drums can be rotated independently at different times by means of a selector pinion 32 that is fast on an axially reciprocative rotary shaft 19 having hearings in the same frame Walls 13. In its neutral position, indicated in FIGS. 1 and 3, selector pinion 32 fails to drive either of the winch drums, but in all the axial positions to which it is shifted it is continually rotated by the drive pinion 53 with which it is constantly in mesh.

A shaft 18, also having rotary hearings in the frame walls 13, carries a driving pinion 53 fixed thereon and is detachably secured in coaxial endwise relation to the power take off shaft 51 of a prime mover 50. As herein shown such prime mover is a unitarily encased toy electric motor 111 with speed reduction gear as best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and which is more fully described hereinafter. The winch drums 26 and 28 are wound respectively with separate draw lines 27 and 29 assumed to run to different functionally related parts of an animated toy (not herein shown) or to functionally related different toys, thus to motivate such toys or toy parts in chosen sequence by the winding on or paying off of lines 27 and 29 from the drums in appropriate sequence. Motor 111 can be reversed as to direction of running by remote electric circuit switching in conventional manner and such motor reversal will reverse the direction in which the winch drums are rotated.

Each winch drum is restrained against rotation, while the other winch drum is rotating, by means of circularly spaced detent shoulders afforded by lugs 60 projecting axially from the flat outer face of a flange 58 on drum 26. Similar detent shoulders are afforded by similar lugs 61 on flange 59 of drum 38. Two brake arms 62 and 63 are provided by resilient strips mounted at one end of the framework each arm being spring-biased to flex toward the other arm and thereby against its winch drum flange 58 or 59 when selector pinion 32 is in neutral or nondriving position, as in FIGS. 1 and 3.

FIG. 2 shows that when the shaft 19 of selector pinion 32 is shifted toward the right into mesh with gear teeth 30 for driving Winch drum 26, a shoulder on shaft 19 flexes the brake arm 62 toward the right and forces it out of the path of detent lugs 60 whereupon drum 26 is free to be driven by pinion 32. A similar freeing of drum 28 from detention by brake arm 63 takes place when shaft 19 is shifted to its extreme left for placing selector pinion 32 in mesh with the gear teeth 31 on drum 28, whereupon brake arm 62 restores itself into the path of detent lugs 60 on drum 26 and brake arm 63 is caused to free drum 28 for rotation.

In the aforesaid copending application the shaft 19 is shifted axially in its rotary bearings by means of a manually operated shifter lever 36 pivotally mounted at 38 on the base 11 of the framework of the compound winch unit. Such shifter lever is shown in its neutral position by full lines in FIG. 2 and by being swung to the right or left to positions indicated by broken lines will reciprocate shaft 19 lengthwise so as to shift selector pinion 32 from its neutral position in FIG. 1 to either of its drum driving positions, at the same time releasing for rotation the drum that is to be so driven. The operative engagement of an enlargement 23 on shaft 19 by side flanges of the shifter lever 36 for this purpose is shown in FIG. 1.

In the present improvements the shifter lever 36 is automatically swung to and maintained in any one of its positions indicated in FIG. 2 by power derived from the same prime mover 50 that motivates the winch drums 26 and 28. Operatively interposed between the prime mover and the shifter lever 36 there is a programming controller unit designated 70 as a whole.

The programming controller has a power intake shaft 71 detachably connected coaxially to an end of the power take-off shaft 51 of motor 50 which is on the opposite side of the prime mover from the power input shaft 18 of the compound winch unit. Shaft 71 is detachably connected to motor shaft 51 by a coupling 72 and is journaled-in the walls of a housing 73 of the programming controller and also in an internal lug 74 of the housing. At its end inside the housing, intake shaft 71 fixedly carries the bevel pinion 75 which as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 is constantly in mesh with a bevel gear 76 fast on a cross shaft 77. Shaft 77 is journaled in the upstanding walls of housing 73 and protrudes outside thereof whereat it carries fixed thereon replaceably a cam disc 78 having a cam groove 79. FIGS. 3 and 6 show a follower pin 80 that constantly tracks in groove 79 and is carried by an upstanding actuating lever 81 pivotally mounted at its bottom end by its trunnion 82 which is journaled in a block 83 that is secured to an external extension 84 of the base wall of the follower pin 80 and thereabove is pivotally coupled at 85 to a rigid push-pull link 86 whose opposite end is pivotally coupled at 87 to the shifter lever 36 of the compound winch. Thus cam disk 78 becomes a program efiecting actuator.

The programming controller is equipped with a secondary or slow speed cross shaft 87 which, like cross shaft 77, is journaled in the upstanding walls of housing 73 and protrudes therefrom to carry outside the housing the cam disc'78 when desired as indicated in broken lines in FIG. 3. So applied the cam disc will be rotated at a slower speed than by shaft 77. This secondary cross shaft 87 fixedly carries a gear 88 that is constantly in mesh with and driven by a pinion 89 fixed on cross shaft 77.

The rotary bearings in the housing 73 for all shafts of the programming controller are horizontally split bearings which become opened by removing the cap 90 from the body of the housing. The cap is secured to the body by screws 91. Housing 73 is secured to an underlying base plate 92 by screws 93.

Referring now to the prime mover unit 50, FIGS. 1, 4 and show that the aforesaid power take-off shaft 51 is but one of three optionally useable power take-off" shafts in a train of speed reduction gearing enclosed by the housing 100 of the prime mover 50. This gearing includes the driven gear 101 fixed on shaft 51 in mesh with a driving pinion 102 on an intermediate power take-ofl shaft 103 which fixedly carries a driven high speed shaft 107 to which is afiixed the worm wheel 108 driven by a worm thread 189 cut in the shaft 110 of a toy electric motor 111 supported fixedly in the housing 100. Any one of the differently speeded power take- off shafts 51, 103 or 107 can be coupled to intake shaft 18 of the compound winch unit and/or to the intake shaft 71 of the programming controller 70 either on the same or opposites of the prime mover inasmuch as all of the power take-off shafts of the prime mover project at both sides of its housing 100.

If the toy to be animated by draw lines 27 or 29 of the compound winch unit is, for instance, a derrick having a swingable boom from which is suspended a load carrying hook in which the swinging of the boom to change its lateral reach and the lifting and lowering of the hook are caused separately and sequentially by the take-in and pay-off of draw lines 27, 29 by the winch drums 26 and 28, the components of the entire apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 can be removably fastened to a common all-over base plate 112 by screws 113 and thus be positioned fixedly in relation to one another. Thus mounted, the complete apparatus will be stationed in the vicinity of the toy that is to be animated, or in'the case of a wheeled toy or half-track, ground working, model vehicle, can be carried on the vehicle itself. By substituting a drive belt trained about the winch drum serving as a pulley and about a vehicle carried pulley connected to drive the traction wheels or half-track of the vehicle, the vehicle can be used to perform reciprocative travel as one of the related movements of the animated toy.

In operation a cam disc 78 having a chosen shape of cam groove 79 will be placed either on high speed shaft 77 or on low speed shaft 87 of the programming controller to determine the timing and the sequence of ac tuation of the shift lever 36 of the compound winch unit which actuation is thus made automatic by power take-01f of the prime mover 50. The winch drums will be driven in reverse directions at will by reversing the direction of running of motor 111. When either draw line 27 or 29 is payed off by the turning of its winch drum in suitable direction the slack in the line will be taken up by any tendency of the animated toy part to return to the position from which it has been displaced by the previous drawing in of the line.

In FIGS. 1 and 7, 121 is a double-throw type of electric motor reversing snap switch which is electrically connected in any well known way in a circuit containing a source of current (not shown) and the motor 111 of the prime mover 50. Switch 121 may be a toggle switch in which snap action is effected by the overcentering spring 117. Switch 121 is electrically connected in an electric circuit that contains a source of current (not shown) and also the motor 111 and operates to reverse the direction of running of the motor 111 when a convcntional actuating handle of the toggle mechanism is flipped from right to left or vice versa in FIG. 7. The switch handle 120 carries a crank pin 122 and is pivotally mounted at 123 in a switch housing 124 fastened to the base plate 92 of the programming controller.

I To afford a full extent of automation wherein all need for manual attention to the programmed animation of a toy is eliminated, FIG. 7 shows the provision of two, studs 118 and 119 fixedly projecting from cam disc 78 and traveling with the cam disc in a circular path such that on alternate excursions of the cam disc in opposite rotary directions a different one of said studs encounters the switch operating handle 120 and flips said handle sequentially in respectively opposite directions to reverse the direction of running of the motor 111 in the prime mover The aforesaid cam groove 79 in disc 78 may be given a wide variety of shapes within the principles of the invention depending upon the direction, the sequence, the repetition and the relative duration of automatic winding and unwinding movements desired of the toy animating compound winches 26 and 28. To illustrate the operating result of one possible shape of cam groove upon an illustrative animated toy, FIG 7 designates by reference letters certain points in the curved course of the cam groove 79 5 at or between which there will occur certain events consequent upon continuous turning of the cam disc first in one and then in the opposite direction as motor 111 continually rotates first in one and then in the opposite direction. 10

Starting with the full line position of parts in FIG. 7,

We shall assume that cam stud 119 has just flipped switch handle 122 toward the right to its full line position and that cam stud 118 simultaneously occupies its full line position in FIG. 7 as a result of previous counter-clockwise rotation of the cam. The switch handle will have slightly overrun the driving push of stud 119 because of the overcentering action of the toggle spring 117 in the switch. Reversal of the running direction of motor 111 is assumed to have just taken place because of the snap .20 action of the switch.

Cam disc 78 will now begin to rotate clockwise with the cam follower in its full line position 80 occupying the cam groove 79. At this time lever 81 through connecting link 86 has positioned the selector pinion 32 in the compound Winch in mesh with winch drum 26. Drum 28 remains stationary being locked against rotating by the brake arm 63. The following actions will take place upon clockwise rotation of the cam disc 78 as a result of certain specified points or zones in the cam groove traversing the cam 30 follower 80.

0 am Follower 'Iraversed by Cam Efiect on Shift Lever Performance 0! Effect on Toy Groove and Switch Winch Drum Derrick Points and Zones A-B None Drum 26 winds Lifts load carrying e 27. hook toward end 40 of boom, picks up load at one location. B-C Swings shift lever 81 None None.

to left. C-D None Drum 28 winds Swings derrick line 29. boom up to reduce distance of reach laterally. 4.5 At D... Stud 118 flips None None.

switch handle 121 to left-reverses motor. D-C None Drum 28 pays Lets derrick boom out line 29. swing down under own weight to extend distance of reach laterally. C-B Swings shift lever 81 None N one.

to right. l3-A None Drum 26 will Lowers load carrypay out line ing hook from 27. end of boom to deposit load in difierent location. At "A... Stud 119 flips switch None None.

handle 120 to right -reverses motor. Cam excursion then repeats.

With the apparatus of this invention in hand many variations in the action of animated toys can automatically be caused and automatically repeated ad infinitum and increased in number by the addition of more winch drums so that the possible elaborateness of automation in animated toys becomes unlimited, Therefore the appended claims are not limited to the precise number and arrangement of components herein illustrated and described but their coverage is intended to extend to all variations which come within the principles of the invention as defined by the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A program controlled toy compound winch for automatically actuating related parts of animated toys in predetermined sequence at predetermined times comprising, a toy compound winch unit including a plurality of winch drums adapted to take in and pay off separate draw-lines for actuating said toy parts, a prime mover, a variable power transmission operative to impart the power of said prime mover to either of said winch drums, shift means operative upon said power transmission to transfer the deliverance of power thereby from one to another of said winch drums, a time consuming programming controller mechanism separate and apart from said winch unit, a coupling separate from said winch unit connecting said prime mover drivingly to said controller mechanism independently of said power transmission, and linkage drivingly connecting said controller mechanism to said shift means independently of said power transmission.

2. A program controlled toy compound winch as defined in claim 1, in which the said shift means is a reciprocative member mounted and connected to be moved back and forth by unidirectional motion of said programming controller mechanism.

3. A program controlled toy compound which as defined in claim 2, in which the said programming controller mechanism includes a unidirectionally rotating program elfecting actuator, and linkage reciprocated by said actuator connected to reciprocate the said shift means.

4. A program controlled toy compound winch as defined in claim 2, in which the said programming controller mechanism has a plurality of accessible shafts rotating at respectively differing speeds, each of said shafts being adapted to carry and rotate the said program effecting actuator.

5. A program controlled toy compound winch as defined in claim 3, in which the said program effecting actuator is a rotary cam, and the said linkage includes a reciprocative follower mounted and arranged to be motivated to and fro by said earn.

6. A program controlled toy compound winch as defined in claim 1, in which the said prime mover is positioned between the said Winch unit and the said programming controller mechanism and has power take off facilities on each of its opposite sides operatively connected respectively to said winch unit and to said programming controller mechanism.

7. A program controlled toy compound winch as de- 1 fined in claim 6, in which the said prime mover has additional power take off facilities rotating at respectively different speeds and receptive to operable connection thereto either of the said compound Winch or of the said programming controller mechanism.

8. A program controlled toy compound winch for automatically actuating related parts of animated toys in predetermined sequence at predetermined times comprising, a toy compound winch unit including a plurality of winch drums adapted to take-in and pay-off separate draw-lines for actuating said toy parts, a prime mover, a variable power transmission operative to impart the power of said prime mover to either of said winch drums, shift means operative upon said power transmission to transfer the deliverance of power thereby from one to another of said winch drums, a time consuming programming controller mechanism connected to be motivated by said prime mover and connected to actuate said shift means, said prime mover including a reversible electric motor operative through the said power transmission to drive either of the said winch drums in one rotary direction whereby to wind in on its said draw line and in the other rotary direction whereby to pay off the same draw line, and a motor reversing electric switch mechanically related to the said programming controller mechanism and electrically related to the said motor in a manner to stop running of said motor in one direction and restart running of said motor in the opposite direction at a predetermined point in the operation of said controller mechanism.

9. A program cont-rolled compound winch for fully automating an animated toy comprising, plural toy motivating draw lines, plural winches respectively operative to wind on and pay oil said draw lines singly and se-' quentially, a continually running prime mover including a reversible electric motor mechanically connected to rotate said winches in opposite directions corresponding respectively to the direction of running of said electric motor, a programming transmission operatively interposed between said motor and said winches including means automatically to shift the drive of said motor from one to the other of said winches, and an electric switch connected in circuit with said motor to stop, reverse and restart the running of thereof, and connections causing said switch to be actuated mechanically at predetermined times by the operation of said transmission, whereby to effect continuous repetitive cycles of performance of said winches and draw lines and the toy motivated thereby.

10. The combination of three separately housed cooperative toy units grouped in side by side positions for automatically actuating related parts of animated toys,

one of said units comprising a toy winch including a winch drum with a power transmission through which said drum is motivated, another of said units comprising a prime mover connected to power said Winch through said transmission, and the other of said units comprising a programming controller mechanism powered by said prime mover, and shift means outside the housings of said units operatively relating said controlling mechanism to said transmission in a manner to vary the application of power thereby to said winch drum.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,093,348 3/37 Merkle 310 s3 2,705,126 3/55 Addicks 254 173

Claims (1)

1. A PROGRAM CONTROLLED TOY COMPOUND WINCH FOR AUTOMATICALLY ACTUATING RELATED PARTS OF ANIMATED TOYS IN PREDETERMINED SEQUENCE AT PREDETERMINED TIMES COMPRISING, A TOY COMPOUND WINCH UNIT INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF WINCH DRUMS ADAPTED TO TAKE IN AND PAY OFF SEPARATE DRAW-LINES FOR ACTUATING SAID TOY PARTS, A PRIME MOVER A VARIABLE POWER TRANSMISSION OPERATIVE TO IMPART THE POWER OF SAID PRIME MOVER TO EITHER OF SAID WINCH DRUMS, SHIFT MEANS OPERATIVE UPON SAID POWER TRANSMISSION TO TRANSFER THE DELIVERANCE OF POWER THEREBY FROM ONE TO ANOTHER OF SAID WINCH DRUMS, A TIME CONSUMING PROGRAMMING CONTROLLER MECHANISM SEPARATE AND APART FROM SAID WINCH UNIT, A COUPLING SEPARATE FROM SAID WINCH UNIT CONNECTING SAID PRIME MOVER DRIVINGLY TO SAID CONTROLLER MECHANISM INDEPENDENTLY OF SAID POWER TRANSMISSION, AND LINKAGE DRIVINGLY CONNECTING SAID CONTROLLER MECHANISM TO SAID SHIFT MEANS INDEPENDENTLY OF SAID POWER TRANSMISSION.

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