US3605325A

US3605325A - Animated toy

Info

Publication number: US3605325A
Application number: US835154A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jeffrey D Breslow
Original assignee: Glass Marvin and Associates
Current assignee: Glass Marvin and Associates
Priority date: 1969-06-20
Filing date: 1969-06-20
Publication date: 1971-09-20
Anticipated expiration: 1988-09-20
Also published as: AU1615770A; JPS4923871B1

Abstract

AN ANIMATED TOY WHICH INCLUDES A HOLLOW UPPER BODY PORTION, A LOWER BASE PORTION AND A DRICE MEANS FOR ROTATING THE TOY ABOUT A PIN MEANS WHICH EXTENDS DOWNWARDLY BEYOND THE LOWER EXTREMITIES OF THE BASE PORTION. THE BODY PORTION HAS AN INTERIOR RECEIVING AREA WITH AN ACCESS OPENING THROUGH THE BODY PORTION, AND AN ACTUATOR IS POSITION IN THE RECEIVING AREA TO ACTUATE THE DRIVE MEANS TO MOVE THE TOY WHEN AN OBJECT IS DEPOSITED IN THE RECEIVING AREA THROUGH THE ACCESS OPENING AND THE OBJECT CONES IN CONTACT WITH THE ACTUATOR. A DISCHARGE OPENING REMOTE FROM THE ACESS OPENING EXTENDS THROUGH THE BODY PORTION SO THAT ROTATION OF THE TOY HAS A TENDCNCY TO DIS-

CHARGE OBJECTS FROM THE RECEIVING AREWA THROUGH THE DISCHARGE OPENING. THE ACTUATOR IS OF A RELATIVELY SMALL SIZE SO THAT ONLY THOSE OBJECTS WHICH ARE DEPOSITED IN THE AREA IN SUCH A MANNER AS TO CONTACT THE ACTUATOR WILL CAUSE THE TOY TO ROTATE. THE TOY WILL CONTINUE TO ROTATE UNTIL A MANUAL SHUT-OFF MEANS ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE TOY IS ENGAGED TO STOP THE DRIVE MEANS. THE LOWER MARGINAL PERIPHERY OF THE BASE PORTION HAS AN IRREGULAR SHAPE TO EFFECT UNEVEN MOVEMENT OF THE TOY AS IT ROTATES ABOUT THE DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING PIN MEANS.

Description

Sept 20 1971 J. D. BRr-:sLw 3,605,325

NIMATED TOY Filed June 20, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTO 2 N EYS Sept 20 1971 J. D. BREsLow 3,605,325

ummm 'roy Filed June 20. 1969 2 Sheets sheet 2 l N v ENro R dEFFPEVD. PES/.OW

BYUWWwWM/Ammw ATTORNEYS 3,605,325 ANIMATED TOY Jeffrey D. Breslow, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Marvin Glass & Associates Filed .lune 20, 1969, Ser. No. 835,154 Int. Cl. A63h 29/08 U.S. Cl. 46-42 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An animated toy which includes a hollow upper body portion, a lower base portion and a drive means for rotating the toy about a pin means which extends downwardly beyond the lower extremities of the base portion. The body portion has an interior receiving area with an access opening through the body portion, and an actuator is position in the receiving area to actuate the drive means to move the toy when an object is deposited in the receiving area through the access opening and the object comes in contact with the actuator. A discharge opening remote from the access opening extends through the body portion so that rotation of the toy has a tendency to discharge objects from the receiving area through the discharge opening. the actuator is of a relatively small size so that only those objects which are deposited in the area in such a manner as to contact the actuator will cause the toy to rotate. The toy will continue to rotate until a manual shut-Cif means on the exterior of the toy is engaged to stop the drive means. The lower marginal periphery of the base portion has an irregular shape to effect uneven movement of the toy as it rotates about the downwardly extending pin means.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an animated toy, and more particularly to an animated toy which may be used in combination with other items to provide an amusing and useful game.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide an animated object or toy which not only is amusing but which is useful in developing individual reactions and manual dexterity, particularly with children.

More particularly, the present invention is embodied in an animated toy which includes a body portion and a drive means mounted on the body portion for moving the toy about a supporting structure such as a floor or the like. A receiving area is dened on the body portion of the toy, and an actuating means is positioned in the receiving area to actuate the drive means and move the toy when an object is deposited in the receiving area in contact with the actuating means. The actuating means is of a substantially smaller size than the receiving area whereby only those objects which are deposited in the receiving area in such a manner as to contact the actuating means will actuate the drive means to move the toy.

Another object of the invention is to provide an animated toy as set forth in the preceding paragraph wherein the body portion is generally hollow, with the receiving area and actuating means disposed in the hollow body portion so that the receiving area and actuating means are hidden from view to provide a chance-type game. An access opening extends through the body portion in communication with the receiving area and through which an object may be deposited for chance contact with the actuating means. If the actuating means is contacted by an object, means are provided for discharging at least one object from the receiving area in response to movement of the toy and thereby diminish the number of kobjects stored in the area.

'United States Patent O CII 3,605,325 Patented Sept. 20, 1971 fice A further object of the invention is to provide an animated toy as set forth in the preceding paragraph wherein the drive means causes the toy to rotate about a generally vertical axis when the actuating means is contacted by an object deposited in the receiving area, and wherein the receiving area is bounded in part by a generally vertical cylindrical side wall having a hole in communication with a discharge opening in the body portion, the hole and discharge opening being disposed generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the toy so that rotation of the toy causes the objects to ride along the interior of the cylindrical side wall with a tendency to discharge the objects from the receiving area through the hole and the discharge opening.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an animated toy as set forth in the preceding paragraph wherein the receiving area is bounded in part by a generally ilat bottom wall which is in a tilted disposition when the toy is not moving. The actuating means is disposed on the bottom wall of the receiving area but spaced from the lowest portion of the wall whereby a plurality of objects deposited in the receiving area will tend to build up at the lowermost part of the receiving area before overflowing into contact with the actuating means. The drive means will continue to rotate the toy once the actuating means is contacted by an object and the objects in the receiving area will be thrown through the discharge opening until the drive means is stopped. A manual shutoff means is exposed on the exterior of the toy for stopping the drive means. An elongated stick member is provided with the toy for use by an individual to engage the shut-off means to stop rotation of the toy. The stick and shut-off means preferably are of sufficiently small size to require substantial manual dexterity in stopping the toy as it rotates to prevent discharge of all of the objects stored within the receiving area.

Thus it can be seen that the device described in the preceding paragraphs aids in developing individual reactions since one must act fast to shut oiT the drive means before all of the objects are thrown from the receiving area. In addition, considerable manual dexterity is required to gently deposit the objects, such as marbles or the like, into the receiving area so as not to disturb the remaining objects and cause them to contact the actuating means, as well as to grasp the relatively small elongated stick member as fast as one can and engage the shut-off means to stop rotation of the toy.

An additional feature of the invention is the provision of a pin means rotatably mounted on the base portion of the toy and extending downwardly beyond the lower extremities of the base portion so that the toy rests on the pin means and at least one point at the lower marginal periphery of the base portion in a tilted disposition. The pin 'means is disposed approximately in vertical alignment with the center of gravity of the toy and the lower marginal periphery of the base portion has an irregular shape. The pin means is mounted on the base portion so as to be independently rotatable relative to the base portion whereby the drive means rotates the pin means at a relatively fast rate in comparison to the rotating movement of the toy itself, whereby the toy rotates about the pin means in an uneven manner as its irregular base portion Vbumps along a supporting structure such as a floor.

scription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an animated toy embodying the concepts of the present invention, along with several items which may be used in conjunction with the toy for use as a game;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view, yon an enlarged scale, taken generally along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of certain interior components of the animated toy, particularly the actuating means therefor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings in greater detail, an animated toy, generally designated 10, is shown in perspective in FIG. 1 and includes an upper, generally hollow body portion, generally designated 12, and a lower base portion 14. A pin means 16 (FIGS. 2 and 3) is rotatably mounted on the base portion 14 and extends downwardly beyond the lower extremities of the base portion so that the toy rests on the pin means and at least one point at the lower marginal periphery of the base portion 14 in a tilted disposition, as shown in FIG. 3, relative to a supporting structure such as a floor 18 or the like. A drive means in the form of a motor 20 is mounted Within a toy on a bottom partition 22 for rotating or spinning the pin means 16 to cause the toy to rotate about the pin means in tilted positions angularly thereabout. Preferably, the pin means is mounted on the partition 22 so as to be independently rotatable relative to the toy 10, and thus the base 14, and the motor has an r.p.m. which rotates or spins the pin 16 at a relatively fast rate in comparison to the rotation of the toy itself.

One feature of the invention is that the base 14 is formed wih an irregular shape so that as the toy rotates about the spinning pin 16, the toy will have an uneven movement somewhat simulating the jerky movement of a mechanical robot. In the form of the invention shown in the drawings, the base portion is generally rectangular in shape when viewed in a vertical direction, the lower extremities of the base portion being disposed in a common plane defined by the lower marginal periphery 24 (FIG. 2) of the base portion 14, with the pin 16 extending downwardly beyond the plane 24. Actually, the base preferably has a square shape so as to provide four equally spaced rises and falls in relation to the bottom of the pin 16 to provide the aforementioned jerky movement. Obviously, various irregular shapes may be employed.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 2 and 3, means are provided defining a receiving area 26 within the body portion 12 for receiving objects such as marbles 28 (FIGS. 1 and 3) or the like. The receiving area 26 is bounded in part by a generally vertical cylindrical side wall 30 and a generally flat bottom wall 32. A pair of diametrically disposed access openings 34 are provided in the upper portion of the toy above the receiving area 26 and into which objects such as the marbles 28 may be deposited so that they drop into the receiving area 26 onto the bottom wall 32 thereof. An actuating means, generally designated 36 and having an actuator head 36a, is provided, with the head portion 36a thereof in the receiving area 26 along the bottom wall 32 thereof. The actuator head 36a is shown centrally disposed within the receiving area 26, with an annular rim 38 thereabout. For reasons to be described hereinafter, the actuator head 36a is yof a substantially smaller size than the area of the bottom wall 32 of the receiving area 26.

By means to be described in greater detail hereinafter, the actuating means 36 is operatively connected to the motor drive means 20 so that movement of the actuator head in the direction of arrow A (FIGS. 2 and 3), as

4 caused by contact of a marble 28 with the actuator head 36a, will cause the pin means 16 to spin and thereby cause movement of the toy 10 about the pin means in the manner described above.

The cylindrical side wall 30 which bounds the receiving area 26 has a pair of holes 40 formed therethrough and in communication with a pair of discharge openings 42 which are defined by the ends of arm portions 44 of the toy. The holes 40 preferably are disposed at points angularly about the cylindrical wall 30 from the positions of the access openings 34.

The actuator head 36a being of a substantially smaller size than the bottom wall 32 of the receiving area, pro vides a chance-like game whereby only those objects which are deposited in the receiving area in such a manner as to contact the actuator head 36a will cause the motor 20 to start. In addition, with the bottom wall 32 of the receiving area 26 being tilted as shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of objects in the receiving chamber 26 will tend to build up at the lowest part of the receiving area before overflowing into contact `with the actuator head 36a.

Before going into a detailed description of the contacts and connecting means between the actuator means 36 and the motor drive means 20, a general description of the operation of the toy (as may be used in the form of a game) will now be described. However, it first should be pointed out that the drive motor 20 will continue to run once a marble comes in contact with the actuator head 36a until the motor is stopped by a manual shut-off means (described below) which includes a knob or handle 46 disposed on the exterior of the toy. When the motor 20 is actuated, the knob 46 is disposed in a position raised from that shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. Tlhe motor then is stopped by depressing the knob by using ones ngers or by using an elongated stick member 48?, shown in FIG. 1. Preferably, the stick member 48 is of a suiciently small size so as to require manual dexterity in grasping the stick and using it to depress the |knob 46 to stop the motor 20.

The operation of the device, as it might be applied in a game, is as follows: Marbles are deposited through the access openings 34 into the body portion of the toy whereupon the marbles fall by gravity into the receiving area 26 onto the lower ewall 32 thereof. The body portion of the toy about the receiving area 26 and the cylindrical side wall 30 of the receiving area either may be transparent so as to permit aiming of the marbles or the body portion and side wall may be such as to prevent visual observation of the receiving area 26 to provide more of a chance-like game. If a marble comes in contact with the actuator head 36a, either by falling from the access openings 34 or by building up within the receiving area 26, the pin means 16 twill start to spin to cause the toy to rotate or move unevenly about the pin means 16 tending to urge the marbles against the interior of the cylindrical side 'wall 30 in an attempt to throw the marbles through the holes 40 in the wall and out of the discharge openings 42 at the end of the arms 44 of the toy. As soon as this begins to happen, a player is to react in an effort to stop movement of the toy before all of the marbles are discharged from the receiving area. As mentioned above, to stop the motor 20 the stick member 48 must be grasped and used to depress the knob 46 to stop the motor. Obviously, one or more players utilizing various colored marbles may play the game. Spin boards such as that shown by the numeral 50 in FIG. 1 may be employed to determine the turns of the players or the number of marbles which the player must deposit into the receiving area l26. Various scoring means may be devised and determined by the number of marbles stored in or discharged from the receiving area 26.

Referring to FIGS. 2-4, the following is a detailed description of the contacts and connecting means between the actuating means 316 and the motor drive means 20. The actuating means 36 is generally L-shaped (as viewed in FIG. 2) and has an upstanding leg portion 36b which has the actuator head 36a disposed on the upper end thereof, and a horizontal leg portion 36e which has a counterweight 52 secured to the free end thereof. The L-shaped actuator is pivoted to a housing, generally designated 54, by means of a pivot rod 56 which is secured to the horizontal leg portion 36e generally intermediate the ends thereof. The counterweight 52 tends to pivot the actuating means in the direction of arrow B (FIG. 2) so as to urge the actuator head 36a upwardly opposite the direction of arrow A. A hook portion 58 extends upwardly from the horizontal leg portion 36C generally intermediate the ends of the leg portion. A first contact member 60 forms a leaf spring which engages under a shoulder on the hook portion 58 and is held by the hook portion in a. spaced relationship relative to a second contact member 64. The contact 64 is connected directly to one side of the motor by a lead wire 65. The contact 60 is connected to the other side of the motor by means of a series connection through a pair of

batteries

66a and 66b. The series connection comprises the battery 66a which is engaged by the contact `60, as at 68, a battery bracket 69 (FIG. 2) connecting the batteries, a leaf bracket 70, and a lead wire 72. Thus it can be seen. that if the

contacts

60, 64 are caused to come into engagement, a series connection is made through the

batteries

66a, 66b to the motor 20 to actuate the pin means 16 and move the toy as described above.

In operation, if an object falls onto the actuator head 36a, the actuating means 36 is pivoted about rod 56 and the contact l60 is released from under the shoulder on the hook portion 58. The resiliency of contact 60 will cause it to spring into engagement with contact 64 to start motor 20. As the contact `60 springs upwardly it engages a shaft 74 to which is connected the stop handle 46, on the exterior of the toy and displaces the shaft and handle upwardly in the direction of arrows C. The

contacts

60, 64 will remain in engagement until the handle or knob 46 is moved downwardly opposite the direction of arrows C to move the contact 60 back under the shoulder of the hook 58 (which is urged upwardly by the counterweight `52) and out of engagement with contact 64.

The foregoing detailed description has been given. for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom as some modications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In an animated toy which includes a body portion and drive means mounted on the body portion for moving said toy about a supporting structure such as a floor or the like, means defining a receiving area on said body portion, and an actuating means positioned in said receiving area to actuate said drive means to move said toy when an object is deposited in the receiving area in contact with the actuating means, the actuating means being of a substantially smaller size than the receiving area whereby only those objects which are deposited in the receiving area in such a manner as to contact the actuating means lwill actuate the drive means.

2. The animated toy of claim 1 wherein said drive means will continue to run once the actuating means is contacted by an object, and including a manual shut-off means on said toy for stopping the drive means.

3. The animated toy of claim 1 wherein said bod portion is generally hollow with said receiving area and actuating means being disposed within the body portion so that the area and actuating means are hidden from view, and including at least one access opening in said body portion in communication with said area and into which an object may be deposited for chance contact with said actuating means.

4. The animated toy of claim 3 including means for discharging at least one object from said receiving area should an object come in contact with said actuating means.

5. The animated toy of claim 3 wherein said drive means causes said toy to rotate about a generally vertical axis when said actuating means is contacted by an object, and including a discharge opening in said body portion generally laterally with respect to said axis and in communication with said discharge opening so that rotation of said toy has a tendency to discharge objects from said receiving area through said discharge opening.

6. The animated toy of claim 5 wherein said receiving area is bounded in part by a generally vertical cylindrical side wall having a hole in communication with said discharge opening whereby rotation of the toy causes the objects to ride along the inside of said cylindrical side wall until they enter said hole.

7. The animated toy of claim 6 wherein said receiving area is bounded in part by a generally fiat bottom wall which is in a tilted disposition when the toy is not moving, said actuating means being disposed in proximity with the bottom wall but .spaced from the lowest portion of the wall whereby a plurality of objects in said receiving area will tend to build up at the lowermost part of the receiving area before overflowing into contact with said actuating means.

8. The animated toy of claim 5 wherein said drive means will continue to rotate the toy once the -actuating means is contacted by an object, and including a manual shut-off means exposed on the exterior of the toy for stopping the drive means.

9. In combination with the toy defined in claim 8, an elongated stick member of a size to engage said shutoff means to stop rotation of the toy.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,490,144 12/ 1949 Masten 273--144 2,535,157 12/1950 Radovan 46--70 3,251,155 5/1966 Bjork 46-42 3,423,872 1/ 1969 Dodson 46-43 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner D. L. WEINHOLD, JR., Assistant Examiner