US3495348A - Jack-in-the-box toy - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 17, 1970 J. E. MITCHELL JACK-IN-THE-BOX TOY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 28, 1967 Feb. 17, 1970 I J. E. M I TC HELL 3,495,343

. JACK-IN-THEBOX TOY 7 Filed A ril 28. 1967 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 l 4 IN VENTOR.

I JOSEPH E. /7/7Zfll L United Patent 3,495,348 JACK-lN-THE-BOX TOY Joseph E. Mitchell, Long Beach, Calif., assignor to Lakeside Industries, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 28, 1967, Ser. No. 634,512 Int. Cl. A6311 13/16 US. Cl. 46-146 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A jack-in-the-box amusement device having a rotatably mounted release element to actuate a latch holding the lid of the device in closed position when rotated into only one of several possible positions. A release element rotatably mounted in a housing to pivot a pivotally mounted latch to move the latch out of locking engagement with a movable lid.

The invention relates to an amusement device. More particularly, the invention relates to a jack-in-the-box type amusement device. Still more particularly, the invention relates to a jack-in-the-box type amusement device in the form of an Aladdins lamp.

The childrens toy industry requires the creation of safe simple rugged amusement devices which are attractive. In addition, the industry is concerned with the problem of creating amusement devices which require manipulation by children so that children can learn and practice various manipulative movements.

, Heretofore, the known jack-in-the-box type amusement devices have been constructed in various shapes, such as geometric box-shapes and oval shapes, and other ornamental shapes, such as a bee-hive and apple shapes, and have had spring biased pop-up elements located centrally of the devices. The pop-up elements have usually been retained in a restrained position within the interior of the devices by latching members which are actuated by a simple push or pull type manipulation to release the restraint on the pop-up elements. Also, in some instances, the amusement devices have been made of flexible material and the pop-up elements have been retained by mating tongue and groove members which are actuated upon deformation of the devices by squeezing.

Briefly, the invention provides a jack-in-the-box type amusement device which has a housing in the shape of an Aladdins lamp and which has a spring biased pop-up element within a central cavity in the housing. The popup element is retained within the housing by a pivotally mounted lid on the housing which is locked in place by a latching device within the housing. The latching device is actuated by a release element rotatably mounted in a side of the housing. The release element is formed with a generally spherical surface exposed to the exterior of the housing and has a means on a surface in the interior of the housing to actuate the latching device to permit release of the lid so that the pop-up element can pop out of the housing.

Actuating of the release element is accomplished by the rotation of the exposed surface of the element project ing from the face of the housing as by a rubbing action of a childs hand in any plane of the universal number of rotation planes. However, actuation of the latching device to allow the lid to pivot away from the housing is only accomplished after the release element has been manipulated into a predetermined position with the means on the surface of the release element inside the housing in releasing contact with the latching device.

The housing of the amusement device is formed as an integral unit construction of a molded plastic material such as polyethylene and the lid is pivotally mounted ice over the cavity under a spring biasing force. Additionally, the entire device is provided with an attractive color scheme.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a jack-in-the-box amusement device which requires extensive manipulation to release a pop-up element within the device.

It is another object of the invention to provide a release element for actuating a latching device which requires manipulation of the release element into only one of a plurality of possible positions to actuate the latching device.

It is another object of the invention to provide an amusement device which is rugged in construction and attractive in appearance.

It is another object of the invention to provide a jackin-the-box amusement device which is of compact construction to be easily manipulated by children.

It is another object of the invention to provide a latching device and a release element for actuating the latching device upon movement into one of a number of possible positions.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and appended claims taken in c0njunc tion with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of an amusement device of the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 illustrates a fragmentary view taken on line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 illustrates a fragmentary view of the device of FIG. 1 with the latching device exposed;

FIG. 6 illustrates an exploded view of the latching device of the invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of the latching device; and

FIG. 8 illustrates a fragmentary top view of the latching device.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, amusement device 10 of a jack-in-thc-box type has a one-piece housing 11 in the shape of an Aladdins lamp. The housing 11 includes a body 12 with a handle 13 and a spout portion 14 extending from opposite ends. The body 12 has side walls 15 which are shaped in a decorative manner. Each side wall 15 includes a spherically shaped protuberance which is formed by an integral of a side wall on one side and by a rotatable release element 16 of spherical shape freely mounted for rotation in a universal number of rotation planes within the other side. A lid 17 is pivotally mounted on a pin 18 journalled in support brackets 19 on body 12 to overlie the central portion of the body. In addition, the lid 17 is biased by a spring (not shown) on the pin 18 to pivot in a direction away from the top of the body 12.

Referring to FIG. 3, a pop-up assembly 20 is mounted within a cavity 21 in the body 12 and retained within the cavity 21 by a rim 22 of the body 12 which defines an opening. The pop'up assembly 20 includes an open-ended cup 24, a pop-up element 25 disposed in the cup 24 and a latching device 26 integrally mounted on the cup 24. The cup 24 is, for example, of a generally cylindrical shape and is disposed under the lid 17 when the lid is in a closed position. In addition, a spring mounting cap 27 which is shaped to facilitate the mounting of pop-up element 25 is secured to the bottom of the cup 24 in an upstanding manner.

The pop-up element 25 includes a spring 28, for example, a helical spring, a head 29 in an ornamental shape to simulate the appearance of a genie, and a sleeve 30 which extends from the head 29 to cover the spring 28. The spring 28 is retained at one end by a spring mounting cap 27 and is fastened at the other end to the head 29 in any known manner. The head 29 is made of any suitable material, such as, a molded plastic, and is provided with at least one simulated genie face. The head 29 is also of a size to fit within the cup 24 in a known manner in alignment with the lid 17 when the lid is closed. Also, when the lid 17 is closed, the spring 48 is compressed so as to bias the head 29 against the bottom of lid 17 in a direction out of the cup 24. The sleeve 30 is of any suitable decorative material which is pleated when fully within the cup 24 and which is sized to extend from within the cup 24 when the head 29 is positioned outside the cup 24.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the latching device 26 includes a housing 31 on a side of the cup 24 which, for example, is integrally formed on the cup, and a latch 32 pivotally mounted with respect to the housing 31. The housing 31 is of a generally boxed shaped which is formed by a top wall 33 extending from a lip 34 of the cup 24, a depending side wall 35, a depending U-shaped front wall 36, and an L-shaped ledge 37 which extends across the open bottom of the front wall 36 into the side of the cup 24 so as to close off the front wall 36 and to form an opening into the housing 31 opposite the side wall 35. The U-shaped front wall 36 defines an elongated opening 38 which is surrounded by a beveled lip 39 and which is sized to receive the release element 16 without permitting passage of the release element 16.

Referring to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, the latch 32 is formed with a semi-cylindrical seat portion 40 which seats on a pin 41 projecting from the side wall .of cup 24 for pivoting about the axis of the pin 41. In addition, the latch 32 includes a release element receiving portion 42 and a catch portion 43. The release element receiving portion 42 includes a wall 44 extending from the seat portion 40 into the interior of housing 41 and a socket 45 on the end of the wall 44 which is disposed in alignment with the aperture 38 in the housing front wall 36. The socket 45 is shaped as an annular ring to receive in mating relation 2. portion of the release element 16 projecting through aperture 38 in the housing 41. In addition, the socket 45 includes a rear wall 46 having a projection 47 of, for example, triangular shape which projects centrally of the socket rear wall in the plane of the opening 38 toward the front wall 36 of the housing 31. The projection 47 is sized to remain within the confines of the socket so as to cooperate with a button 48 on the release element 16. The button 48 is formed of any suitable shape to contact projection 47 when brought into vertical alignment under the projection. The catch portion 43 has a wall 49 which extends from the wall 44 around the cup 24 in a direction generally parallel to the pin 41 and a catch 50 which projects from the top of the wall 49 toward the cup 24. In addition, the latch 32 has an integral stiffener 51 of suitable configuration which serves to reinforce the walls 44, 49 against flexing. Also, the latch 32 is biased in a direction toward the cup 24 by a spring 52 mounted on the pin 41 (FIG. 8).

Referring to FIG. 5, the lid 17 is formed with a depending tab 53 at one end which is sized to be guided by a notch 54 in the cup 24 and which mounts a tang 55 at the end below the rim 56 in substantially parallel relation to the rim 56. The tang 55 is sized to pass through a slot 57 in the rim 22 of the body 12 to cooperate with the catch 50 on the latch 32. The tang 55 and catch 50 are shaped with rounded portions at respective opposite sides in order to facilitate passage of the tang 55 over the catch 50 when moved in a downward manner for closing 'of the lid 17.

Referring to FIG. 4, the release element 16 is disposed between the side wall of body 12 and the latching assembly 26 on the cup 24 to project through the plane of the side wa l 15 on one side and on the other side through the slotted aperture 38 in the housing front wall 36 into the socket 45. Additionally, the release element 16 is shaped to seat within the side wall 15, the lip 39 around aperture 38, and the socket 45 for rotation in a universal manner. The button 48 on the release element 16 is sized so as to project into the plane of the projection 47 on the socket rear wall 46 when in vertical alignment with the projection 47.

In operation, the lid 17 is initially in a closed position relative to the cavity 21 in body 12 with the catch of the latching assembly projecting between the tang and rim 56 of the lid to maintain the lid in the closed position. In this position, the lid 17 maintains the spring 28 of the pop-up assembly 20 in a compressed state with the head 29 in contact with the underside of the lid 17. The release element 16 is then rotated, for example, as by manually rubbing the release element, in any number of rotation planes. Rotation of the release element 16 continues until the button 48 on the release element comes into contact with the bottom of the projection 47 of the socket 45 in a predetermined one of the rotating planes. Thereafter, the release element 16 is rotated in a substantially vertical plane, as viewed in FIG. 3, while maintaining cooperating contact between the button 48 and projection 47 in order to pivot the socket 45 and, consequently, the latch 32 about the axis of pin 41 on the cup 24 against the force of the spring 52. As the latch 32 pivots, the catch 50 on wall 49 pivots about the axis of pin 41 away from the tang 55. When the tang 55 no longer projects into the projected path of movement of the tang 55, the lid 17 is pivoted on pin 18 away from the opening to the cavity 21 into an open position under the biasing force of the spring (not shown) on the pin 18. As the lid 17 pivots, the head 29 of the pop-up element 25 springs upwardly out of the cup 24 in a pleasing manner under the force of the unrestrained spring 28. The pivoting forces imposed on the lid 17 are sufficient to rapidly move the lid 17 out of the vertical path of movement of head 29 to avoid interference with the movement of the head 29.

It is notedthat the housing 31 is sized to provide sufficient clearance for the pivoting movements of the socket 45 within the housing interior.

In order to return the lid 17 to the closed position from the open position the lid 17 is pivoted about pin 18 toward the cavity 21. As the lid 17 approaches the rim 22 of the housing 11, the depending tab 53 passes into notch 54 in the cup 24 in order to guide the tang 55 into alignment with the catch 50 of the latching assembly. Thereafter, the tang 55 passes through slot 57 in the rim 22 of body 12 and subsequently over the rounded upper portion of catch 50 to push the catch out of the path of movement. Upon further movement, the tang 55 moves past the catch 50 to .allow the catch 50 to move into the recess between the tang 55 and lid rim 56. The catch 50 thereby restrains the lid 17 from moving under the force of the spring (not shown) on the pin 18 until the latch is again actuated as above upon manipulation of the release element 16.

The invention provides an amusement device which is attractive in. appearance, rugged in use and simple to manipulate. The invention also provides a jack-in-the-box amusement device which relates the pop-up movement of a pop-up element in the shape of a genie head with the concept .of the fabled Aladdins magic lamp, that is, that upon rubbing of the fabled lamp, a genie will appear to grant the wishes of the person rubbing the lamp.

The invention also provides a latching assembly which avoids the use of an interest-lacking simple push-pull type ofmechanical actuation by using a release element which relies on a mechanical actuation by manipulation into any number of rotation plans only one of which allows actuation. Further, the latching assembly is adapted to be incorporated into the structure of the amusement device of the invention while complementing the attractive appearance of the amusement device.

What is claimed is:

1. An amusement device including a housing having a cavity therein,

a pop-up element disposed within the cavity of said housing for movement out of said housing,

a lid pivotally mounted on said housing retaining said pop-up element within the cavity of said housing,

a latching device Within said housing locking said lid in a closed position over said pop-up element,;and

a release element rotatably mounted in said housing independently of said latching device and having means for selectively actuating a cooperating means on said latching device to release said lid from latching relation with said latching device upon rotation into a predetermined position of a number of positions whereby said pop-up element is free to move out of the cavity of said housing upon selective actuation of said latching device.

2. An amusement device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said housing is in the shape of an Aladdins lamp having a body containing the cavity therein, a handle extending from one end of said body and a spout portion extending from an opposite end of said body.

3. An amusement device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said pop-up element includes a head simulating a face of a genie, a spring secured to said head and said body biasing said head out of said body, and a sleeve secured to said head and surrounding said spring.

4. An amusement device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said latching device comprises a pivotally mounted latch having a catch thereon projecting into the projected path of movement of said lid locking said lid in the closed position and said means on said release element is within said housing for pivoting said latch to move said catch out of the projected path of movement of said lid.

5. An amusement device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said release element is spheroid shaped.

6. An amusement device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said release element is freely mounted within said housing for rotation in a universal number of rotation planes.

7. An amusement device as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a cup mounted in the cavity of said housing under said lid, said cup having said pop-up element disposed therein and said latching device pivotally mounted thereon. V p

8. An amusement device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said release element has a spherical surface exposed to said housing exterior and said means thereon is within said housing interior to actuate said cooperating means on said latching device to release said lid.

9. An amusement device including a housing having a cavity therein, a pop-up element disposed within the cavity of said housing for movement out of said housing, a lid pivotally mounted on said housing retaining said pop-up element within the cavity of said housing, a latching device within said housing including a pivotally mounted latch having a catch thereon projecting into the projected path of movement of said lid locking said lid in the closed position and having a socket thereon including a rear wall having a projection thereon, and a release element of spheroid shape rotatably mounted in said socket for actuating said latching device to release said lid from latching relation with said latching device and including a button for contacting said projection to pivot said latch to move said catch out of the projected path of movement of said lid whereby said pop-up element is free to move out of the cavity of said housing upon actuation of said latching device.

10. An amusement device including a housing having a cavity therein, a cup mounted in the cavity of said housing and having an integral housing thereon, a pop-up element disposed within said cup for movement out of said housing, a lid pivotally mounted on said housing over said cup retaining said pop-up element within said cup, a latching device pivotally mounted on said cup within said housing locking said lid in a closed position over said pop-up element and including a latch thereon, and a release element rotatably mounted in said integral housing on said cup for actuating said latching device, said release element having a portion received within said latch for pivoting of said latching device to release said lid from latching relation whereby said pop-up element is free to move out of said cup and said housing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,446,540 8/1948 Leach 46146 2,521,131 9/1950 Sloane 46146 XR 2,598,807 6/1952 Lawson et al. 46146 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 356,034 9/ 1931 Great Britain.

RUSSELL R. KINSEY, Primary Examiner R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner

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