US3456384A - Baby doll walking mechanism - Google Patents

Description

July 22, 1969 R. GARDEL. ETAL 3,456,384

BABY DOLL WALKING MECHANISM Filed May 15, 1967 4 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR S July 22, 1969 R. GARDEL ET Al- BABY DOLL WALKING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet :3

Filed May 15, 1967 July 22, 1969 Filed May 15. 1967 R. GARDEL ET AL BABY DOLL WALKING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 July 22, 1,969 R. GARDEL. ET AL BABY DOLL WALKING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May l5, 1967 FIG.7

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INVENTO am f. .f BY 69o f )SWATT o United States Patent O 3,456,384 BABY DOLL WALKING MECHANISM Robert Gardel, New York, and Egon Gorsky, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignors to Mattel, Inc., Hawthorne, Calif., a corporation of California Filed May 15, 1967, Ser. No. 638,234 Int. Cl. A63h 33/26 U.S. Cl. 46-247 11 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A doll simulating a child not yet old enough to walk unassisted, provided with motor driven mechanism adapted to cause the legs to make stepping movements when the doll is supported by the arms with both hands upraised and the toes lightly touching the tloor; detail improvements in the materials of the body and limbs include the provision of a soft surface over a comparatively stiff plastic body and the combination in the limbs of stil portions engaging the body and softer portions completing each limb.

FIELD OF INVENTION The iield of the invention is apparent from the foregoing Abstract The present doll and its mechanism are not to be compared with dolls designed to stand alone and actually walk forward upon actuation of their motors. This doll lls the gap between such walking dolls and baby dolls which are not expected to walk at all, corresponding to the period in childhood when a babys hands are held (supporting most of its weight) as the baby uncertainly takes steps forward, frequently with the toes pointed downward or even turned under.

The double-disc and lever element aixed to each leg (in the form of FIG. l) with the levers engaging the walking rocker is, conveniently, of the type disclosed in Gardel Patent No. 3,098,318, July 23, 1963.

SUMMARY The mechanism includes a motor (shown as electric), actuating a gear train to drive a crank (in one form) at a suitable rate to rock a rocker about a vertical axis, the rocker engaging upwardly extending levers connected to the legs so that the legs are moved forward and back in a a stepping motion. The motor switch is responsive to the swinging of the arms upward or downward, being closed when the arms are raised and opened when they are lowered. In conformity with the concept that the doll represents a very young child, the stiff plastic body may be given a body-like texture and appearance by covering it completely (except as noted below) with a layer of sponge rubber or the like which, in turn, is surfaced with a soft plastic layer or a fabric. The limbs all have mechanical functions so that at least the stump portions nearest the body must be relatively stiff but the remainder of each limb should, preferably, be made of soft material to provide the baby-like texture and appearance also in these areas.

In an alternative form, the legs may be mounted on rods which are driven by cranks to lift up, swing forward, come down and swing back in a simulation of actual stepping; a doll with this mechanism cannot walk without support because proper balance cannot be maintained but the motion is suitable for a simulation of a nonwalking infant.

A practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

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FIG. l represents a vertical fore-and-aft section of a doll torso, with the head and right leg in elevation;

FIG. 2 represents a front elevation, with parts in vertical section, ofthe doll torso and limbs;

FIG. 3 represents a detail horizontal section on the line III-III of FIG. 1, showing the shape of the rocker and associated parts;

FIG. 4 is a wiring diagram;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the complete doll in the position of attempted toddling with the switch and rocker shown in broken lines and the remainder of the operating mechanism (motor and gear train) omitted;

FIG. 6 represents a front elevation of an alternative form of mechanism, parts of the body being broken away, and

FIG. 7 represents a side elevation of the alternative mechanism, the body and upper leg being outlined in broken lines.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, the doll torso 1 is provided with circular leg openings lying in planes not more than about 30 from the vertical, the legs 2 being formed with annular grooves 3 around their upper ends and being snapped into the respective leg openings wherein the legs are thus journaled for rotation in a generally forward and back direction. The upper end of each leg is open and provided with inner and outer plates 4, 5 peripherally gripping an annular flange 6 (dening the opening in the leg), a disc 7 having an integral upwardly projecting lever 8 being pressed firmly against the plate 5 by a spring 9, all as clearly set forth in Gardel Patent No. 3,098,318.

The leg operating mechanism includes a gear train 10 between upper and lower horizontal plates 11, 12, a motor M in a U-shaped bracket 13 attached to the upper plate 11, a rocker pivot pin 14 (constituted conveniently by an extension below the plate 12 of one of the gear shafts) and a T-shaped rocker 15 pivotally mounted on said pin 14. The opposite lateral arms of the rocker are provided with radially elongated slots 16 adapted to receive, respectively, the right and left levers 8, and the stem of the rocker is provided with a radial slot 17 adapted to receive the crank 18 projecting downwardly from the shaft of the last gear in the train.

The motor bracket 13 is aflixed, as by bolts or screws 19, to the inner wall 20 of the battery box 21, a layer of resilient material 22 being preferably interposed between the bracket 13 and wall 20 so that vibrations from the moving parts will not be transmitted to the doll torso. The battery box 21 (containing, for example, two ilashlight battery cells B) is iirmly secured in an opening in the back of the doll torso 1 and is provided with a removable cover 23 for inspection or replacement of the batteries. The wiring between the batteries and motor is conventional and is shown in the wiring diagram, FIG. 4. The circuit is shown as including a pair of spring contacts 24 on the top of the battery box, the circuit being normally open when the dolls arms 25 are hanging down (FIG. 2), but being closed by raising the arm (e.g., the right one) to which the bridge section 26 of a metal rod 27 is attached, then swinging the section 26 into contact with the contacts 24.

The attachment of each arm 25 to the torso is similar to the leg attachment, in that the torso is provided with circular arm openings lying in planes which depart only a few degrees from the vertical and the upper ends of the arms are formed with annular grooves 28 so that they may be snapped into rotative engagement with the torso in each arm opening, respectively. The rod 27 is shown as projecting angularly into one arm While its opposite end is merely journaled in an opening 29 in the other one, to provide support and guidance for the bridge section 26. The inner flange of each arm is prefer-ably formed with a projection 30 in a position to abut against stops 31, 31 in order to limit the rotation of the arm to about 180 It is contemplated that other types of switches might be subsituted, such as a rotary switch or a mercury switch, either being attached to one arm in such a manner as to close the circuit when that arm is raised. Separate switches may be provided in each arm, in series, so that the circuit could only be closed by raising both arms, but onearm actuation is normally suicient because the doll cannot readily be supported in toddling position except by holding both hands, as in FIG. 5.

Each of the limbs is required ot cooperate to some extent with the operating mechanism so that a certain amount of stiffness or rigidity is needed, this being obtained by forming the torso, and short stumps of the limbs, of a relatively hard plastic (polyethylene or the like) while the remainder of each limb is of a softer and more flesh-like material such as soft vinyl pl-astic. The stumps may have mushroomshaped ends over which the complementary-shaped softer limb portions may be snapped and cemented in place, if desired, as clearly indicated at 32 in FIG. 2, and keys may be formed on the stumps to vfit in recesses in the softer portions, in a readily understood manner, to ensure proper register.

In the alternative form of mechanism illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 the legs 35 are lixed on the lower ends of bars 36 and are driven by the motor M through a gear train 37 in a frame having side plates 28. The mechanism is mounted in the doll body 39 by means of brackets 40 on each side and the plates 38 are provided at the bottom with outwardly projecting flanges 41 having slots 42 within which the bars 36 are guided for forward and backward movement. The bars 36 are pivotally mounted on the crank ends 43 of the last shaft in the gear train and are provided with vertical slots 44 near their upper ends to receive the ends of another shaft 45.

When the motor M is operated the cranks 43 (which are offset by 180) move each leg through a cycle of vertical and swinging movement Which is not accurately representative of walking movement but simulates such movement closely enough to give a very realistic illusion.

In operation, the doll of FIGS. 1 to 5 may be treated normally as the young child or infant it simulates, being put to bed in a crib or bassinet, or carried in the arms. However, when its toddling proclivities are to be displayed, it is held by both hands, as shown in FIG. 5, with arms up-raised and is guided :and supported as the legs move in stepping sequence more or less on tiptoe. The gear train drives the crank 18 preferably at about 40 to 80 cycles per minute, which speed is about normal for a child of this age and under the circumstances simulated, so that the whole effect is very interesting and appealing.

In the doll of FIGS. 6 and 7 the legs are not designed for adjustment to sitting position, and their mounting on the bars 36 makes it unnecessary to provide separate stump portions of more rigid material so that the whole of each leg can be formed of a suit-able soft flesh-like material. The cranks 43 in this form may be driven at a speed comparable to that of the rst form.

The wiring and operation of the motor circuit (not shown) may be the same .as in the form of FIGS. 1 to 5, a switch being closed by the raising of the arms. In each case it is desirable to include in the circuit a conventional on-olf switch 46, normally located in the back of the doll adjacent the battery box.

As noted above, a baby doll is expected to have a rather soft textured body and limbs. On the other hand, a doll containing mechanism requiring or causing positive movement of the limbs with respect to each other and to the body must have some rigidity or stiffness. As shown in FIGS. l and 2, this dilemma is solved by forming the doll torso 1 of a relatively hard or stiff plastic, as noted above, and then covering the hard shell 47 with a soft skin which may suitably be a layer 48 of polyurethane foam (or equivalent foamed elastomer) surfaced with cloth (fabric) 49 impregnated with a sealant to make the skin substantially waterproof and easy to keep clean. The skin has openings corresponding to the neck, arm and leg openings of the torso as well as an opening opposite the battery box. The skin may conveniently be made on a form with the fabric shaped thereto and the foam layer applied to the fabric, the double thickness then being peeled olf, turned inside out and applied to the doll torso, where it may be secured adhesively, at least along the edges of any openings or cuts.

It will be understood that various changes may be made in the form, construction Iand arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and hence We do not intend to be limited to the details shown or described herein except as the same are included in the claims or may be required by disclosures of the prior art.

What we claim is:

1. A doll comprising a torso with legs and arms articulated thereto, motor driven mechanism xed in said torso, means connecting said mechanism to said legs and adapted to move said legs forward and back in a walking movement upon actuation of said mechanism, and motor control means associated with at least one arm and arranged to start and stop said motor as a function of the Iposition of said arm, the doll being incapable of Walking without support.

2. A doll according to claim 1 in which the motor is electric and the motor control means is a switch.

3. A doll according to claim 1 in which the motor control means is arranged to start the motor when at least one of the arms is upraised.

4. A doll according to claim 1 in which the motor control means is arranged to start the motor when at least one of the arms is raised in a position to be grasped for supporting at least a substantial part of the weight of the doll.

5. A doll according to claim 1 in which the mechanism includes a rocker, a lever connected to each leg and extending into engagement with the rocker, and an eccentric element drivingly connected to the motor and engaging the rocker.

6. A doll according to claim 5 in which the motor is electric and which includes a gear train between the motor and the eccentric element, and a battery box, the rocker, eccentric element, gear train and motor being mounted on the battery box and said box being fixed to the torso of the doll.

7. A doll according to claim 6 which includes a body of vibration damping material between the battery box and the parts mounted thereon.

8. A doll according to claim 6 in which the motor control means is arranged to start the motor when at least one of the arms is raised in a position to be grasped for supporting at least a substantial part of the weight of the doll.

9. A doll according to claim 1 in which the means connecting the mechanism to the legs includes rods connected at their lower portions to the legs, connected at their upper portions to cranks driven by the mechanism and guided adjacent their upper portions to execute vertical movement and horizontal swinging movement, as a function of the operation of said cranks.

10. A ldoll according to claim 9 in which the motor is electric and the motor control means is a switch.

11. A doll according to claim 9 in which the motor control means is arranged to start the motor when at least one of the arms is raised in a position to be grasped for supporting at least a substantial part of the weight of the doll.

5 6 References Cited 2,927,467 3/ 1960 Sala 46-118 XR UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,009,284 11/1961 Ryan 46-156 XR 1,992,477 2/ 1935 Domowtch et al. 46--150 LOUIS Q M ANCENE, primary Examiner 2,606,398 8/1952 Miller 46-156 2,859,554 11/ 1958 Walss 46-120 5 H. DINITZ, Assistant Examiner

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