US3417990A

US3417990A - Child's toy

Info

Publication number: US3417990A
Application number: US579269A
Authority: US
Inventors: Marasco Vincent
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1966-09-14
Filing date: 1966-09-14
Publication date: 1968-12-24
Anticipated expiration: 1985-12-24

Description

Dec. 24, 1968 v. MARAsco 3,417,990

CHILD' S TOY Filed sept. 14, 196e V//vcE/vr Al/494960,

United States Patent() 3,417,990 CHILDS TOY Vincent Marasco, 1364 N. Western Ave., Los Angeles, Calif. 90027 Filed Sept. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 579,269 8 Claims. (Cl. 272-30) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A childs toy comprising in combination; a supporting base with an upright post having a centilever type spring consisting of two vertically spaced arms each of which arms are rigidly connected at one end to the post and pivotally at the other end to a body having a seat for the child. The body may be pivotally mounted on the post and have a second seat at a position horizontally removed from the rst seat and facing laterally of the body with respect to the rst seat so that a child in the second seat, by reaching the floor with his feet, can turn the body by walking. Additionally, the post, located centrally of the body, includes pedals reached by a child in the first seat on the body for causing the body to turn pivotally about the axis of the post.

The present invention relates generally to toys for children, and more particularly to toys of the action-type designed to promote physical activity on the part of the child or children using them.

Young children need a considerable amount of physical activity to insure proper muscular development and bodily growth as well as to retain the interest in toys. Toys of this type are particularly attractive to children because action and movement hold their attention and provide entertainment over longer periods of time than other types of toys.

Because toys of the action-type are inclined to be comparatively expensive, parents do not want toys which are quickly outgrown and prefer toys which will provide entertainment and action for children over as long as span of time as possible.

Thus, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an action-type childs toy having a novel design and a particular appeal to young children.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toy of this character which not only provides a variety of motions or actions for a child, thereby increasing the range of use and interest on the part of the child, but one which also can be modified to accommodate it to the child as he grows older, thereby increasing the span of useful life ofthe toy.

These objects are achieved in a childs toy comprising a body with a first seat for a child, a supporting base with an upright post upon which the body is pivotally mounted, and resilient means mounting the body on the post for vertical movement. This resilient means is a cantilever type spring connected at one end to the post and at the other end to the body, the connection to the body preferably being at two vertically spaced points by hinge or by pivot means, whereby the body maintains the same horizontal position as it moves up and down with respect to the base. A post is preferably located centrally of the body and crank operated means are provided for the child to turn the body around the pivotal axis of the post, the crank operated means including pedals which can be reached by a child sitting in the seat to cause the body of the toy on which a child is sitting to turn about a vertical axis established by the post.

A second seat is detachably mounted on the body near one end thereof for use by a younger child, such seat preferably being of the type that restrains the child but allows his feet to touch the door on which the toy rests,

Patented Dec. 24, 1968 ICC so that as he walks on the floor he turns the toy body about the vertical axis of the post. The post may have means for vertical adjustment in order to accommodate the toy to children of diiferent heights.

How the above objects and advantages, as well as others not specifically mentioned, are attained, will be more readily apparent by reference to the following description and to the annexed drawing, in which:

FIG. l is a side and front perspective of a toy embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section through the upper end of the supporting post and the spring connection between the toy body and the post.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section on line 3 of FIG. 2 showing the cantilever spring connecting the body to the post and the pedal means for rotating the body around the post.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective of a portion of the body showing the detachable secondary seat mounted on the end of the body.

Referring now to the drawing, and more particularly to FIG. l, it will be seen that the toy comprises body 10 pivotally mounted on base 11 by means of a post structure indicated generally at 12. Body 10 is here shown as being the representation of a horse, as horses are popular with children, although this is not limitative upon the invention since the body may take a representation of any animal or may simply be some other shape as dictated by its function. Body 10 includes seat 14 which is more or less centrally located with respect to the body, for reasons which will become evident.

Body 10 of the toy is resiliently mounted upon post structure 12 by means of a cantilever-type spring shown particularly in FIGS. 2 and 3. This spring 15 consists of a pair of leaf springs 16 resiliently mounting the body on the post. A single leaf spring may be used but two vertically spaced springs give stability by resisting any tendency for the body to turn about a horizontal axis, as it can do with but a single leaf. For simplicity of manufacture and assembly, spring 15 is preferably a U- shaped spring having a pair of outwardly extending parallel arms 16 connected by a bight portion. The bight is attached to the center post 12 by clamp 17 attached to the post in any suitable manner, The arms 16 of the spring may be connected by pivots or hinges 22 to the body or they may have rigid extensions 19 attached to the ends of the resilient arms, according to the amount of the deflection that it is desired to obtain from a given load on a given spring. The outer ends of spring arm extensions' 19 are here shown pivotally connected at two vertically spaced positions 22 to the rigid bar 20 which is attached rmly to body 10, -brace 21 giving added strength and rigidity to the bar by being connected between the lower end of the bar and the body, shown in FIG. 2. The pivotal connections 22 between the spring arms and the bar 20, which is considered to be a part of the body 10, permit angular movement between the body and the spring, thus allowing the body to maintain the same general horizontal aspect as it moves up and down vertically as indicated by arrow 23. This vertical oscillating movement is permitted by the resilient nature of the spring 15 and causes the body to oscillate about a center established by the connection of the bight of the spring at clamp 17 with supporting post 12. A rigid connecting of the spring arms to the body causes it to tilt slightly as it moves vertically.

The construction of the post 12 is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. It includes an upper section 25 to which bracket 17 is attached. The upper section 25 has a downwardly extending pivot pin 26 which is rotatably mounted in inner sleeve 27 that may be mounted directly upon the base 12; but preferably sleeve 27 is slideably mounted in a second outer sleeve 28, which is secured to base 11 in any suitable manner. A thumb screw 29 or any other suitable clamping mechanism may be employed to hold inner sleeve 27 at any vertical position with respect to the outer sleeve, thus permitting the entire length of post 12 to be adjusted to bring the height of rbody 10 to a predetermined position.

Means are provided for rotating body 10 about the vertical axis established by post structure 12. Such means includes a horizontal shaft 30 having at each end an oppositely extending crank 31, shaft 30 passing through and rotatable in the upper post section 25 and having keyed or otherwise secured to it bevel gear 33. The bevel gear 33 meshes with a stationary bevel gear 34 which is nonrotatably attached to inner sleeve 27, so that the two bevel gears are continuously meshed with each other as the toy body 10 is adjusted in vertical Iposition by relative movement of

sleeves

27 and 28.

On the ends of cranks 31 are mounted pedals 32, in a location where they can be reached by a child sitting on seat 14. A child sitting on the seat can engage pedals 32 with his feet and turn cranks 31, thereby rotating shaft 30 and gear 33 thereon to cause the upper portion 25 of the center post structure and body 10 mounted thereon, to rotate about the vertical axis of the center post.

Although an optional feature, the complete toy preferably includes a second seat, as shown in FIG. 4. This seat 36 is designed for the young child and is preferably detachably mounted on body 10 near one end thereof. This can be done conveniently by providing seat 36 with a pair of hooks 37 which slip over arid engage the tail portion 38 of the horse body and are held in this engagement by the weight of the child in seat 36. The seat structure can be removed from the horse at any time by lifting it upperwardly to disengage hooks 37 from the tail 38.

Seat 36 is lower on the body than the seat 14 described above, the latter being designed for a child old enough t sit astride the body and large enough to manipulate pedals 32 from the seat. Also, seat 36 faces laterally or to one side of the horse. Consequently, a child can walk forward, but is guided lby the turning body in a circular path. Of course, a child astride the horse faces forward or along the length of the body.

Seat 36 is preferably adjustable with respect to the floor on which base 10 rests so that a child in seat 36 can touch the oor with his feet and by a walking motion can cause the horse to rotate the vertical axis of post 12. Alternatively, the seat can be raised sufliciently that the childs feet do not touch the iloor and he can bounce up and down, setting the body into motion in a vertical plane as permitted by spring 15. If an older child is in seat 14, then both children can utilize the toy at one time.

By placing the secondary seat 36 at one end of the body, a greater leverage is obtained and this compensates to some extent for the lighter weight of the child using the secondary seat, as compared with a child using seat 14, so that a suitable amount of vertical movement is obtained for both children with a single strength of spring 15.

Thus it will be seen that a child at the age when it is learning to walk or shortly thereafter, can use the toy by 'being placed in seat 36. He is able to produce an up and down bouncing motion or to turn the horse about its pivot, being confined to a circular path the toy performs as a Walker. As a child grows older, the seat 36 can be removed and only the seat 14 used, the child then being of an age to reach the pedals 32. At any time he can still get the oscillating vertical motion or the turning motion about a vertical axis, or can combine the two of them as he chooses. This way the toy can be used by children over a range of several years Vand substantial growth.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that the toy constituting the present invention might be modified in many ways in its appearance or in details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention; and accordingly, it is to be understood that the foregoing description is considered to be illustrative of, rather than limitative upon, the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A childs toy comprising in combination:

a body with a seat for a child;

a supporting base with an upright post;

and resilient means mounting the body on the post for vertical movement relative to the post,

said resilient means comprising a cantilever type spring comprising two vertically spaced arms each connected rigidly at one end to the post and pivotally at the other end to the body.

2. A childs toy as in claim 1 in which the post is located centrally of the -body and the body is pivotally mounted on the post to turn about a vertical axis;

and which also includes a second seat mounted on said body at a position horizontally removed from the first seat and facing laterally of the body and with respect to the rst seat,

the second seat being at a level such that a child in the second seat reaches with his feet a floor on which the base rests and turns the body by a walking motion with respect to the oor.

3. A childs toy as in claim 1 in which the spring is of U-shaped configuration with two parallel arms and is connected at the bight to the post and at the ends of the two arms to the body.

4. A childs toy as in claim 3 in which the connection of the arms to the body includes a pivoted connection at each arm to a common rigid bar.

5. A childs toy as in claim 1 in which the post is located centrally of and pivotally mounts the body;

and which also includes crank operated means for causing the body to turn about the axis of said post.

6. A childs toy as in claim S in which the crank operated means includes pedals reached by a child in said seat means on the body. A

7. A childs toy as in claim 5 which also includes a second removable seat detachably mounted on said lbody near one end thereof.

8. A childs toy as in claim 7 in which the second seat is at a level that a child in the seat reaches with his feet a floor on which the base rests.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 118,599 8/1871 Faulks 272-33 X 822,329 6/ 1906 Wilcox 272-55 1,069,715 8/1913 Morris 272-30 1,384,215 7/1921 Scott et al 272-33 1,854,059 4/1932 Paris 272-52 2,527,460 10/ 1950 Smith 272-30 2,536,572 1/1951 Sather 24S-399 2,688,483 9/1954 Mugler 272-33 2,769,484 11/ 1956 Kairath 272-52 2,949,153 8/ 1960 Hickman 248-399 3,049,350 8/ 1962 Walker 272-33 ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner.

A. W. KRAMER, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R.