US3343835A

US3343835A - Amusement key

Info

Publication number: US3343835A
Application number: US449518A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kaplan Sidney
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-04-20
Filing date: 1965-04-20
Publication date: 1967-09-26
Anticipated expiration: 1984-09-26

Description

Sept. 26, 1967 s. KAPLAN 3,343,835

AMUSEMENT KEY Filed April 20, 1965 f gg Z/ iii INVENTOR. .S/DNE Y KAPL A /v BY J f Arrow/7 United States Patent 3,343,835 AMUSEMENT KEY Sidney Kaplan, New York, N.Y., assignor to Ruth Kaplan, Laurelton, N.Y. Filed Apr. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 449,518 4 Claims. (Cl. 272-8) The present invention relates to an amusement device or toy and, more particularly, to an amusement device that may be worn on the body of a person with the view of creating an illusion that such person is mechanically impelled in his motions or, that such person is a mechanical robot.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device, of the character described, which may be easily and conveniently supported on the person of the user by conspicuous attachment to a garment or other article of apparel worn by the user.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device, of the character described, which includes a motile part that is easily and readily noticeable by an observer, whereby the illusion of mechanical propulsion is readily created.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a device, of the character described, which may be easily and conveniently manipulated.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device, of the character described, which may be readily and easily installed in place, and as readily and easily removed and re-installed.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a device, of the character described, which is of relatively low cost, particularly in View of the amusement which it affords the user as well as persons observing the user.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the amusement device of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawing, and from the description following. It is to be understood, however, that such embodiment is shown by way of illustration only, to make the principles and practice of the invention more readily comprehensible, and without any intent of limiting the invention to the specific details therein shown.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, on a small scale, showing the device of the person as supported on the garment of a person;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the device of FIG. 1, on a relatively greatly enlarged scale, partly broken away to illustrate, more or less diagrammatically, details of arrangement and construction; and

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 33 of FIG. 2..

Generally stated, the invention consists of a readilywound motor with which is associated a member consisting of or resembling a manual motor-winding element or key. The motor is housed in a casing provided with means for attaching it to or on a garment or other article of apparen, and the winding element is of greatly exaggerated size, being proportionate to the body of the person rather than the motor housing, so that when the device is worn on the person, the winding element, because of its greatly exaggerated size, will be clearly visible and noticeable and its unwinding movement readily observable and imposing.

Referring now, in greater detail, to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, the same is shown to comprise a housing or casing, 10, containing a motor which may be of any desired type, such as a battery-operated motor conventionally used with toys, or, as illustrated, a spring motor, generally designated as 12,

I with which is associated operatively,

3,343,835 Patented Sept. 26, 1967 for axial rotation, a shaft, 14, preferably having the squared end, 16, that is disposed opposite an opening, 18, formed in a wall of the housing. Where the motor 12 is a spring motor, as illustrated, the shaft 14 may comprise the winding shaft for the motor. In the latter instance, a suitable gear train, 15

of any conventional type, may be provided between the motor-spring-supporting shaft 17, and the winding shaft 14 of the motor, and any suitable conventional means, such as a flywheel (not shown), may likewise be provided to regulate the unwinding of the spring. As the last-described two mechanisms are well known in the art, it is not thought necessary to illustrate or describe them in detail.

The device of the present invention includes means on the housing 10, preferably on the wall, 20, thereof opposite to the wall having the opening 18 whereby the device may be worn on the body, as by attachment to or over the edge of a garment. Such attaching means may comprise of pinhooks secured to the wall of the housing 10 or, as illustrated, one or more spring hooks, 20, which may be formed integrally with or secured to the housing wall and may be engaged over the edge of the waistline of a garment, such as a skirt or trousers, or over the edge of a belt or like article worn on the body. In the latter instance, the attaching means may comprise loops through which the belt may be passed, instead of hooks.

The device also comprises an element comprising or in the shape of a winding key, generally designated at 22, of greatly exaggerated size, which is mounted on the squared end 16 of the shaft 14 through the opening '18. Whereas the normal Winding key for a spring motor may have a wing spread not exceeding about an inch or, at most, an inch and a half, the winding key 22 of the device of the present invention may be made with wings, 24, having a spread of about a foot or even more, and may be highly exaggerated in width in proportion to the wing spread. The Wings 24 may be mounted on a stem, 26, which may be of conventional or slightly larger than conventional size, and need not be as exaggerated in size as the wings 24. The squared end 16 provides a means extending through opening 18 for interconnecting shaft 14 and key stem 26.

This completes the description of the amusement device of the present invention. It will be readily apparent that such device is of relatively simple construction and easy to attach to the body or to set in operation. It will also be readily apparent that such device, when worn on the body and set oil to rotate the key 22, will create an illusion of mechanical propulsion and manipulation of the body, particularly if the wearer simulates mechanical movement of the arms and legs and other body parts as the key member 22 is rotated.

It will be further apparent that numerous variations and modifications in the amusement device of the present invention may be made by anyone skilled in the art, in accordance with the principles of the invention hereinabove set forth, without the exercise of any inventive ingenuity. I desire, therefore, to be protected for any and all such variations and modifications that may be made within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims hereto appended.

What I claim is:

1. An amusement device comprising, in combination, a toy motor, a housing for said motor, a rotary shaft within said housing associated with said motor for rotation thereby, an opening in one wall of said housing normal to said shaft, and a key element of exaggerated size relative to said housing mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith, means extending through said opening and conmeeting said shaft to said key element, said key element having wings defining a plane, the axis of said shaft being in said plane, and means on the wall of said housing opposite to said one wall whereby said housing may be supported on a garment worn on the body of a person.

2. The amusement device of claim 1., wherein said motor is spring-wound and said shaft comprises the winding shaft of said motor.

3. The amusement device of claim 2, wherein said wings are of a spread and width greatly exceeding the largest dimension of said housing.

4. The amusement device of claim 2, wherein said 10 means for supporting said housing on a garment comprise at least one hook element secured on said opposite wall of said housing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/ 1959 Zalkind 461 5/1965 Ryan.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. AN AMUSEMENT DEVICE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A TOY MOTOR, A HOUSING FOR SAID MOTOR, A ROTARY SHAFT WITHIN SAID HOUSING ASSOCIATED WITH SAID MOTOR FOR ROTATION THEREBY, AN OPENING IN ONE WALL OF SAID HOUSING NORMAL TO SAID SHAFT, AND A KEY ELEMENT OF EXAGGERATED SIZE RELATIVE TO SAID HOUSING MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT FOR ROTATION THEREWITH, MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID OPENING AND CONNECTING SAID SHAFT TO SAID KEY ELEMENT, SAID KEY ELEMENT HAVING WINGS DEFINING A PLANE, THE AXIS OF SAID SHAFT BEING