US800741A

US800741A - Toy.

Info

Publication number: US800741A
Application number: US23039604A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frederick Howard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1904-10-28
Filing date: 1904-10-28
Publication date: 1905-10-03
Anticipated expiration: 1922-10-03

Description

PATENTED OCT. 3, 1905. F. HOWARD.

TOY

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 28, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT option.

TOY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 3, 1905.

Application filed October 28, 1904. Serial No. 230,396,

To (all whom, 220 may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK HOWARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Toys, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to toys; and the object is to provide a toy which is both gyratory and laterally movable in such manner that the body, which will usually be a representation of one or more human figures, may have the appearance of Waltzing or performing other similar movement. This object is accomplished in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the toy may best be made to operate. Fig. 2 is a view of the toy in a form representing a single figure. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the lower portion of the body portion, showing the sphere in position therein. Fig. 4 shows a modified form wherein the body portion represents two figures in a dancing posture.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The body portion a stands substantially upright and is recessed at the bottom, so as to freely fit over the sphere Z2 without binding the same. The bottom of the body portion is open, so that the sphere may roll upon any suitable surface. In order that the sphere may not become separated from the body portion in case the latter is lifted up, a retainer 0 is provided, which also acts as a weight to hold the toy upright and increase its stability of position.

The invention may be embodied in a variety of forms and may be constructed of various materials; but good results may be obtained by making the body portion of a shell of paper or papier-mzich, so that it may be light, and employing a glass, marble, or other comparatively heavy sphere, so that when the sphere is placed upon an inclined surface it may acquire sufiicient momentum to readily move the body portion.

The toy is operated to best advantage by placing it upon a smooth hard surface, which may be held in the hand and readily tilted so as to continually vary its inclination slightly from the horizontal. For this purpose smooth stiff cardboard or other substance may be employed, and when the support is thus tilted from one position to another the sphere will roll around upon the support. Not only will this cause the body portion to move from side to side, but the friction between the inside surface of the body portion and the surface of the sphere will simultaneously induce a gyra tory motion, so that if the body portion be a representation of one or two persons there will be produced a striking imitation of Waltzing.

Although the body portion may be made to represent two persons, as shown in Fig. 4, nevertheless there will always be a single base, and the best results will be obtained if the base is circular and the center of gravity be approximately over the center of the base. In Fig. i, where the body portion represents two figures, the right foot of the male figure is shown to be separate from the base; but in such case the right foot of the male figure will be raised sufficiently so that it will not make contact with the surface upon which the toy rests.

The material of which the toy is formed is not essential, and the body portion may, if desired, be pressed from sheet metal, such as tin or aluminium. In such case the retainer 0 need not be a piece separate from the body portion a; but in any event it is proper that the lower portion of the toy be weighted so as to prevent it from becoming readily overturned.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A gyratory and laterally-movable toy consisting of a hollow body portion open at the bottom, and a heavy sphere within said body portion having almost the same diameter as the inside of said body portion for contacting the same substantially without lost motion in a lateral direction, the sphere thereby being adapted to contact the body portion at a height substantially equal to one-half the diameter of the base of the body portion for the purpose described.

2. A toy comprising a hollowed body portion open at the bottom, a sphere for moving the same, and means for weighting down the lower end of the body portion for the purpose described.

3. In a gyratory and laterally-movable toy, the combination of a light-w eight upright body portion open at the bottom, a relatively heavy sphere freely mounted Within the said open In Witness whereof I have hereunto subbottom thereof for moving the same, and a scribed my name in the presence of two Witretainer at the bottom of the said body pornesses.

tion for preventing the disassembling of the FREDERICK HOW'ARD. 5 parts, said retainer consisting of heavy ma- Witnesses:

terial to thereby act as a Weight for holding HOWARD M. COX,

the body portion in upright position. ELEoNoRE J. MARLIN.