US40891A - bijown - Google Patents

Description

*rares reine.

J. s. nnowN, or nulsniNGroN, Dis'rnior OF- coLUMi-nrt, AssieNon. 'roe nitisELr AND c. r. sriMn'rs, or New Youn, N. Y.

TOY AUTOMATON.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. LMLDE, dated December 8, 1863.

.T0 all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, J. S. BRowN, of Washington, in the county of Washington and District of Columbia, have invented a new and Improved ToyAutomaton or Doll Androides; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this speciiication- Figure l being a central vertical section of the automaton in a plane from front to back; Fig. 2, a front elevation of the mechanical part or movement"7 separate, the feet or boots 7 being in section; Fig. 3, a side elevation of one of the feet orA boots; Fig. 4, a modification of a portion of the working parts.

Like letters designate corresponding pa ts in all of the figures.

The principle on4 which my. inventionis produced consists in employing the supportingfoot as a stationary center, around which the raised foot turns in moving forward, the two feet acting alternately in the performance of these successive functions. For the purpose of raising and moving forward the feet, I make use ofthe rolling action of small wheels`or disks L L, pivoted in the feet M M, turning forward with equal speed, and opposite portions of the two being' alternately outside or below the lower plane of the feet and within or above the same.l The effect is, as the projected port-ion of each wheel comes round alternately, to lift the foot in which it turns from the walking-surface or floor and roll it forward till raised within the supporting plane of the foot, at which moment the feotis `brought again down to the Hoor,d andthe other foot is raised then and moved forward in the same way. 'Ihere are various ways of the foot as high as desired, which need beV only alittle distance. The rear extremity of this enlarged part oi' the wheel should quite gradually approach the small portion ot' the same, so as to let the foot down slowly and gently; but the forward extremity may loc more abrupt, as represented. The corresponding portions of the two wheels should be exactly opposite in positiop, so as to make the feet act alternately, and they should be so arranged that nearly at the moment one touches the loor the other should leave it, in order to produce the most perfect action. Another` method of construction would be to have the wheels simply eccentric, acting alternately. Another equivalent means would be to have the wheels of an exactly-circular form, but simply exposed alternately eithcrby moving them up and down in the feet or by raising and lowering alternately the soles or heels ot' the two feet. This is a mere possible way, but neither so simple nor so practicable as that represented.

In order to adjust the rela-tive space whichv each foot should move forward accurately, and to enable the automaton to move either straight forward or in a curve, as desired, I provide for adjusting thc feet or boots M M up or downon the legs ot' the trame A A of the movement. Thisis done in the simplest manner by simply making a slot, t, Fig. 3, therein, through which a screw, m, `is inserted and turned into a screwfhole in the frame till t-hc foot is clamped firmly and immovably thereto. This adjustment exposes more or less rolling ing uniform and equal motion from this shaft d tothe respective stepping-wheels L L inthe feet. The method shown in Figs. l and 2 isl preferred, as heilig the simplest, perhaps thev cheapest, and certainly the surest'in its action and least liable to become disarrangcd or broken. It consists, simply, in-a set of coggearing,D G H I, rum'iing down each leg, thelast cog, I, being secured fast to the wheel L. These communicating wheels, except the l two drivers D D, may turn on mere stations circumference of the wheels L L, and conse.

ary pivots, g h i, riveted to the side parts or legs of the frame A.

Another method of communication is indicated in Fig. 4. It consists in the employment of chains E E or perforated bands, or'their equivalents, passing around spur-wheels D I, respectively, on the driving-shaft` d and step ping-wheels L L. The alternate links of the chain or perforations in the band lit over spurs or projections e c on the wheels.

Another method of gearing would be the use ot' vertical connecting shafts-with piuions thereon matching intovcrowu-wheels or bevelwheels, respectively, on the shaft d and wheels L L; or connecting-rods and cranks or eccentrics might be used, though defective in action.

The movement requires a regulator, any suitable kind ot'v which may be employed. That shown in the drawings consists of the ordinary y, p, on the shaft P, provided with a. shortscrew-thread, u, into which a spur-wheel, N, Fig. 2, (not shown in Fig. l, but its relation to the screw being indicated by the wheel D ot' the same size, and on the same shaft gears,) The wheel N is in a plane passing through the axis of the ily-shaft P. One end of the ily-shaft F turns in a bearing on a cross bar, s, which also stays the lower part of the'framestrip A. T his and a brace-bar, a, above, to which the driving-spring B is attached, constitute all that is required to secure the framepiece A, which may be made in a single piece, as shown. The motion of onefoot swinging around the other or the heel thereof as acenter, if a similar motion should be given to the bust or upper and outer part of the doll, would be awkward and unnatural in appearance; but advantage is taken ot' this to produce even a more natural and lifelike action oi the doll. This is accomplished thus: A simple pivot pin, Q, projects vertically upward from the center and upper end of the frame-piece A, and is pointed at the upper extremity, as

'shown in Fig. 1. A block, T, or its equivalent,

,to which the bust S of the doll is secured, is

provided with a hole, R, ot' a taper or equivalent form, to allow not only the bust to turn i freely around the pivot Q, but to allow it to swing a little laterally in all directions. The bust has a metallic -or other hard stepr r, countersunk at the center, as shown, situated in the upper end of the hole R, to rest upon the point of the pivot Q. The bust is thus suspended thereon, the center of gravity being below the point of suspension but it is prevented from turning too much upon the pivot by av cord, o, or its equivalent, secured to the lower end of the block T and to the framepiece A, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to permit the busi1 to turn, and only about as much of a. circle as the legs below turn in the act of walking. The motion of walking thus only communicates enough motion to the bust above to give a life-like appearance to the automaton. Thel dress w is suspended from the b ust, around and away from the movement. This is also surrounded by an under'garment, v, drawn up around it, and kept outaway from the working parts by wire hoops or rings u u, soldered at intervals to the'f'rame A, as indicated in Fig. l. What I claim as my invention, and desire tovsecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Producing the walking motion by propelling-each foot forward alternately in the arc of a circle around the other foot as a stationary center or pivot.

2. The alternately-acting wheels L L, for propelling the feet forward, having an intermittent moving action, so as to make the feet progress in succession,substantially as herein set forth.

3. Adjusting the feet up and down on the legs or frame, so as to vary or adjust the steps as desired. substantially as herein specified.

4. Suspending and pivoting the'bust of the automaton upon the movement thereof, substantially as and for the purposes herein dei scribi-d.

5. The wire hoops or rings u u, for securing a covering around withoutinterferin g with the movement, as specified.

J. S. BROWN.

Wit nesses 's J U. DM', G. P. S'rrME'rs.

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