US692907A - Dancing toy. - Google Patents

Description

No. 692,907. Patented Feb. II, I902 w. B. HEPPELL.

DANCING TOY.

(Application filed Mar. 1, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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WlLLlAM R. REPPELL, or sr. LOUIS, MISSOURLASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF TO LOUIS H. REPP L, or KsNsAsorrY,

MISSOURI.

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SPECIFICATION forming arser Letters Patent No. 692,907, dated February 11,1902.

- Application 'filed March 1, 1901. Serial No. 49,388. 11% model.)

To all whom it may concern:.

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM R. a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Dancing Toy, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to amusement devices, and more particularly to dancing toys; and my object is to produce a device of .this character which can be made to clog-dance in'harmony with any of the Y simple-and popular-- airs of the day and in a most natural andlifev,

likemanner, a I 1 r With this object in view the invention consists in certain novel and-pecnliar'features of construction and combinations of parts, as

hereinafter described and claimed, and in or-f (ler that it may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings; in which i Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a dancing toy embodying my invention-.- Fig; 2 represents a side View; partly in section,"of a. portion of the toy. Fig. 3 is a perspective viewshowing a slightly-modified form of construction.

In the said drawings, where like referencenumerals designate corresponding parts, 1 designates a figure, preferably the representa'- tion of a human being and constructed of 'wood, sheet metal, or any other suitable. ma-

terial, the figure comprising, preferably, a series of parts pivoted together, as at 2, so thateach of-said parts shall'have more" or less independent movement, all being arranged to operate preferably in the same vertical plane. The hat or head portion of the toy is pivotally suspended, as at 3, inthe same ora parallel plane with pivots 2 from the front end of a ,support 4, the same preferably consisting of a rigid rod bent to ap-- proximately right-angle shape. The lower end of said rod or support extends through an opening 5 in the platform, said platform consisting of a dancing-floor 6 and a rear portion 7, the'latter adapted to be held rigidly, as by laying it flatly on a surfacesuch as a chair,

for instance-and throwing ones leg over itin order that the dancing-floor may be caused to vibrate in a manner hereinafter-explained 'R PPELL,

in a vertical direction. the rod or support just below opening5 is secure] y wedged or fastened in a preferably rigid arm- 8, underlying and secured to the rear portion 7 of the'platform.

In Fig. 3. a will be noticed that Ishow a pair of dancing figures, which may be connected to thecross-rod 9, attached to the front I end of rod or support 4 in the manner described, or which may be suspended from said The lower end of cross-rod bymeans of retractile springs 1Q,- v

ward-and-backward movement, it being understood, of course, that the pivot 3 may also be sufficiently looseto permitthe figure ens-- which of course will admit of considerable lateral movement of the figures as'well as forpended therefrom to have a limited amount 7 of lateral movement also.

J-Inoperation the rear'portionof the platfortnissetmred asbeforeexplained or in any other suitable'or preferred manner, and'then the operator by tapping upon the platform at support 4,c auses said platform to vibrate with more or less regularityand rapidity, which vibrations by pushing upwardly against the feet-of Fig.1, which are arranged to barely touch. the platform when inoperative,-cause' said figure .to dance ina very life-like manner, the feet coming in contact with the danc-.

ing-floor and produc'ing aisonnd exactly like that of a clog-dancer, and ithas been found that with more or less practice one can compel tho figure to keep time with an instrument playing a simple piece of musicor with the voice. The vibrations of the platform a suitableipoint, preferably adjacent to the may be induced also by picking with the thumbyupon' the front end-of the dancingfloor in imitation ofthe manner in which a' banjo or guitar is played.

. In the alone vibrates, whilein previous. construetions either the figure alone vibrated or else both the figure and thefloor vibrated. Moreover, the support'for'ithe figure is held in resent application the essential fea-. ture of j dxfleren'ce over what has hitherto been done'in devices of this'character-consists in the fact that my support beneath the body,

ness, and while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of the in vention it is to be understood that it is sus- L ceptible of modifications in various particulars without departing from the principle of construction herein shown.

Having thus described the invention, what- I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

In a dancing toy, the combination with a flexible floor adapted to be held rigidly at its inner end under the body of the operator; of an unyielding arm secured rigidly at its inner end to the bottonfof the floor near the support of the latter, a rigid support rising from the forward end of said arm and passing loosely througha hole in the floor, and a figure pivotally carried by said support with its feet resting upon said 'fioor.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 7 in thepresence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM R. REPPELL.

\Vitnesses:

J. R. Benson,

E. WEISSENBORN.

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