US837216A - Toy. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED Nov. 27, 1906.

W. V. GILBERT.

TOY. I APPLICATION FILED MAY26. 1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

W T M V W WALTERVGlLBE RT A TTOHNEYS PATENTED NOV. 27, 1906.

W. V. GILBERT.

TOY.

APPLICATION FILED MAY26.1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I /NVENTO/? WALTERV. 6| LB ERT A TTORNEYS No. 837,216. PATENTED NOV. 27, 1906.

w. v. GILBERT.

TOY.

APPLICATION FILED MAY25. 1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES INVENTOB WALT ERVGI LB'ERT' A TTOHNE YS PATENTED Nov. 27, 1906.

W. V. GILBERT.

TOY.

YAPPLIOATION nun MAY25.1906.

TS-SHEET 4.

we & WW E a M W/ TNE SSE S A TTORNE Y8 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 27, 1906.

Application filed May 25. 1906. Serial No. 318,724.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER VILLA GIL- BERT, a subject of the Kin of Great Britain, residing in the city of ondon, England, have invented an Improvement in Toys, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in the class of figure toys, or those which outwardly resemble animals, preferably human beings. The eyes, eyebrows, ears, lips, jaws or teeth, tongue, gullet, and beard are movable, the same being operatively connected with or actuated by a device in the nature of a compound springlever, for which I have filed, May 9, 1906, an application for patent, Serial No. 316,047. The said device is actuated by compression in opposing directions and is thus caused to impart orallow a plurality of cording to my invention.

motions in various directions, and upon recovering its normal condition, which occurs by its own elasticity upon being released from the compression, it imparts or allows a corresponding plurality of motions reciprocal to those caused by said compression.

The device forms the chief feature or element in the toy hereinafter described for.imparting the required movements to the eyes, ears, and other parts of the figure representing the head of a man or animal, whereby the moving features or parts are actuated 1n an unusual or extravagant manner, so that the figure may present, preferably, a grotesque appearance.

will proceed to describe the details of construction, combination, and operation of parts by reference to the accompanying drawings, in Which Figure 1 is afront view of a figure representing a human head and provided with devices for moving the eyes, ears, lips, &c., ac- Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same. Fig. 3 is another transverse section illustrating a modification. Fig. 4 is a side view of the figure or head represented in Fig 1. Fi 5 is a central vertical section of same. Figs. 6 and 6 illustrate modifications in respect to construction and arrangement of the eyes of the fi re and means for moving the same. Fig. 7 1s a crosssection on the line 7 7 of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a vertical section on the lineS 8 of Fig. 5. Fig. 9 is a horizontal section on the line 9 9 of Fig. 5. Fig. 10 is a vertical section of the head with a modified construction of a portion of the attachment or actuating device; Fig. 11 is a horizontal section on the line 11 11 of Fig. 12. Fig. 12 is a plan or back view of the parts shown in section in Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is a vertical longitudinal section of the actuating device shown in Figs. 10, 11, 12.-

Fig. 14 is a face or front view of the parts shown in Figs. 12 and 13. view of the parts shown in Figs. 12 and 13. Fig. 16 is a central longitudinal section showing the parts in an early stage of compression, the gulletbeing open instead of closed, as in Figs. 13 and 15. device or compound spring-lever in its chief form or outline. Fig. 18 1s a central transverse section of the same when compressed endwise so that the jaws or sides are brought together. Fig. 19 is a plan view showin the actuating device or compound springever with attachments, including the e es, beard, teeth, and gullet of the figure, all of which may be struck or cut out of resilient sheet material. Fig. 20 is an end view of the parts Fig. 15 is an end.

Fig. 17 illustrates the shown in Fig. 19 when sha ed and adjusted in the proper form and re ation for attachment'wlthm the figurehead proper. Fig. 21 is a vertical section of the main portion of the parts shown in Fig. 20.

Referring, in the first instance, to Fig. 17, which represents in a general way the compound spring-lever or resilient device formmg the comparatively sim 1e and inexpensive but chief actuating me ium in the toy, it will be understood that it is constructed from a plate or blank ofresilient material, preferably stiff cardboard, which may be rendered dampproof by being coated or otherwise treated with any suitable damp-resisting Inaterial or thin sheet metal having the required degree of elasticity. It will be seen that it is formed, in the first instance, from a late or blank of the required shape by bendin the same lengthwise and then indenting the ack of the bow thus formed, as shown'at 1. Thus a transverse indent is formed midway between the ends or apices 2 of the bow, andthe sides or wings 3, projecting from such back, are internally concave. It will be noted that the back portion merges into and joins the sides or Wmgs 3 by means of arched and internally-concave connections. Thebackitself approximates a diamond shape indented transversely at the center. At an end or the ends of the indent 1 an opening 4 is preferably formed in order to prevent buckling or ru ture of the device at those arts under the efi ct of numerous strains. en pressure is applied to the ends or apices 2 of the device,

the relatively flat triangular components on opposite sides of the transverse indent 1 assume a more acute angle with relation to mary or original condition, the sides or wings 3 thus movin apart, as will be readily understood. It wi 1 now be understood that Figs. 17 and 18 have been thus referred to mainly to enable the operation of the chief features of the toy to be more readily understood from the following description. The device or compound sprin lever is suitably shaped for arrangnient wit in the mouth-cavity of the figure, as shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive. In Figs. 4 and 5 such device is shown in end view by dotted lines and in vertical transverse sec tion, respectively. The sides or wings 3 before referred to are thus arranged one over the other, the same being designated by the numerals 3* 3*. The indented back portion 1 (see especially Fig. 5) is thus vertical. Provision is made for ap lying pressure to the ends or apices 2 of t e device by means of short rods 5, provided with knobs, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, the said rods passin loosely throu h the openings in the neck of t e fi ure direct y back of the lower jaw portion, w ere they I are convenient for access. Pressure ma be applied to these rods by'the thumb and finger, and thus the ends or apices 2 of v the device or spring-lever will be forced toward each other, with the effect of projecting the indent 1 and closing the sides or jaws 3, more or less, and correspondingly. The inturned edges of the wings 3 are toothed, as shown in several figures, and the mouth 6 of the figure is open to a required degree. The teeth are visible from the front when the said wings 3 are closed, as indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 5. A part 7, representing a beard, may be extended down from the lower jaw or wing of the device through the slot 8, formed in the chin of the fi ure. This part 7 may be formed integral wit the lower jaw of the device or attached thereto, as preferred, and in practice the actual beard may be imitated in a more lifelike mannerv by attaching hairs to the front side of the part 7 As shown in Figs. 1, 5, 19, and 20, rods or narrow plates 9 extend upward from the upper jaw or wing 3 of the spring device, and at the required point the same are provided with a concavity 10', which is made to imitate the eye of a human being as nearly as practicable. The rods or plates 9 may be corrugated, and they extend upward and slide in keepers 11, Figs. 1 and 5.. their upper'ends being loosely is to.say, carried downward-and then released. The upper lip 14 of the figure is also pivoted in substantially the same way. It is provided on the rear side with an upwardlyent arm 15, (see Fig. 5,) whose free end underlies the upper jaw or wing of the spring device. The lip 14 is wei hted in such manner as to maintain normal y the position indicated in Fig. 5, in which the upper portion of the same abuts the septum of the nose. It is apparent that when pressure is applied to the ends or apices 2 of the spring device by means, say, of the knobbed rods 5, before referred to, and the jaws or wings 3 are consequently approximated more or less and the indent projected, as indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 5, the beard will be drawn upward or retracted through the slot 8, the upper lip will be rotated to a certain degree so that a mustache could be projected upward and forward, thus adding to the grotesqueness of the figure, the teeth of the jaws will also become visible between the lips, and the eyeslO will be moved downward and the eyebrows turned upward like the upper lip.

By the same means and the movements of the spring device the ears are wagged more or less. As shown in Figs. 4, 5, 8, 9, a form representing an ear is provided with an inwardly-projecting prong 17 and combined prong and arm 18, the same being arranged in slots or openings formed in the side of the hollow head. The arm 18 is connected by a rod 19 with the lower jaw or wing of the spring device, and consequently when the aws or wings close by compression, as before described, the upward movement of the lower jaw will swing the ear on its two lateral prongs. By compressing and releasing the spring device several times the ears will thus be caused to wag correspondingly.

It will be readily understood that by the combined movements above described the figure will be caused to present a highly grotesque appearance.

While, as before intimated, the spring device proper may be constructed single and all the other movable parts attached thereto in any suitable or convenient manner for the sake of economy of construction I may form the device and certain of the connected parts integral, as indicated in Figs. 19, 20, 21. Fig. 19 represents in the flat a blank comprising a plate of spring material from which the spring device or compound spring-lever proper is formed, the same having toothed edges, the beard part 7 projecting on one side and the bars or plates 9 having the eyes 10 projecting from the opposite side. The dotted diamond indicates the general outuresand also in Fig. 5.. The rear central,

portion of the lower jaw or wing and a por tion of the back are cut out to form a blank which has an obtuse angle, the same being normally closed. When, however, compression is applied to the ends or apices 2 of the spring device, the indent thus projected, and the jaws or wings 3* caused to approach nearer each other, the gullet portion 22 is thrown down and outward correspondingly. If a pea or other article of suitable size be introduced through the mouth 6 of the figure and deposited on the lower jaw or wing 3*, it will lie there motionless until the s ring device is compressed, as before described but upon the lower jaw rising, as indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 5, whereby it has a forward that may inclination, as also indicated by full lines, Figs. 20 and 21, the pea or other article will thus roll backward and through the passageway formed by the said outward movement of the gullet-piece 22, and thus passes down ward through the neck or body of the figure. By this means the figure is made to simulate the operation of swallowing small articles be conveniently introduced through the mouth or opening 6.

In addition to the other features thus far described I arrange (see Fig. 5) a plate 23 horizontally between the aws or wings 3 of the spring device and support it upon the lower jaw or wing b means of a curved plate-spring 24, and w en compression is applied to the ends or apices 2 of the spring device the indented central portion 1 of the back or arch thereof is projected forward toward the mouth6 of the figure, as indicated by a vertical dotted line 25, and consequently -thetongue 23 is projected forward to a like degree, and thus becomes more plainly visible at the mouth 6. This position adds reatly to the grotesqueness of the figure under the manipulation described. In order to provide for swallowing a pea or other article placed upon the tongue 23 instead of below it, the tongue is provided at its rear end with an opening 23, located above the gulletopening before described.

In Fig. 2 the tongue 23 is shown in plan view, together with its opening 23*, and the spring is indicated by a dotted square. A rod, string, or tape 26 is attached to the back of the spring device, the same passing through the end portion thereof and being rovided with.knobs, whereby it serves to imit the extension of the bowed back without, however, hindering the compression of the same by means of the knobbed rods 5. I

do not restrict myself to this particular means for operat1ngthat 1s, compressing the spring devices1nce various attachments may be employed instead, or any form of attachment may be dis ensed with and the neck of the figure sim y provided with openings 27, as indicate in Fig. 3, such openin s being of suflicient size to receive the ends 0 a persons fingers, so that they may be applied to the ends or apices of the spring device, and thus com ress it, as aforesaid.

In Fig. 6 I have in icated a modification in respect to the operation of the eyes. In this instance the eyes 1O are represented as spherical instead of sim ly con'cavo-convex, as in Figs. Sand 10, an an arm 27 extends rearward and is loosely. connected with a rod or bar 9", which in practice would extend to and connect with one of the jaws 3 of the spring device. latter would affect the partial rotation of the eyes 10. I

In Fi 6 I show an eye 10 arranged and adapte to rotate sidewise instead of vertically, as in Fig. 6.

It is to be understood that I may connect the two eye bars or rods with either of the jaws or wings 3 of the spring device, or for increasing the grotesque effect one such bar or rod may be connected with the upper jaw and the other with the lower jaw, so that one eye will move or tilt u ward as the other moves or tilts downwar and either or both of such eye ieces may carry two eyes as indicated in ig. 1, and each eye may be differently colored, thus again increasing the grotesque effect.

In Figs. 10 to 16, inclusive, I represent a modification which relates chiefly to the spring device or compound spring-lever proper. The modification consists in introducing a longer but otherwise a proximately similar s ring device '28 wit 1n the main device. ey may be connected, as indicated in Figs. 11 and 12, by means of tongues 29, which are cut out of the main or outer spring device and connected to the inner one, 28. This connection must,be sufficiently loose to allow a certain play between the outer and inner spring devices, so that the inner one,-28, may be compressed in advance of the outer and without affecting the outer one until a certain desired degree of such compression has been produced. To this end the tongues 29 may be provided with slots, as indicated in Figs. 11, 12, to allow a certain play for the rivets, or any other preferred construction for attaining the same end may be adopted.

As shown in Fig. 14, the ends or apices 30 of the inner spring device project beyond the corres onding portion of the outer device, and t 1118 if the fingers be applied to such apices 30 it is obvious the inner device will be compressed and operated in advance of the outer one, since the pressure will not reach or be applied to the ends of the outer one until they are flush with the ends 30 of the Thus the compression of the will be caused to move toward each other when but little movement has been imparted to the outer jaws 3, and as aconsequence the tongue 23 will be projected or forced forward in advance of the complete closure of the outer jaws 3*. Fig. 161llustrates such initial or primary movement of the tongue 23, the outer device being closed in lesser degree than the inner one 28.

In Figs. 13 and 15 the tongue 23 is shown retracted or in normal position. It will be seen that by employing the supplemental spring device 28 a peculiarly grotesque effect is produced, since the tongue will be visible in or exterior to the mouth 6 of the figure in advance of the teeth of the jaws 3 and, further, the gullet 22 (see Fig. 16) will be opened at the same time with the projection 0 the tongue 23, so that the figure may ap pear to swallow a pea or other article placed upon the tongue and caused to roll backward to and through the opening therein.

I claim-' 1. A figurehead provided with a spring device arranged wholly within the mouthcavity and comprising opposing aws or wings and a connecting bowed, and indented back portion which upon being compressed endwise serves to actuate the said jaws, substantially as described.

2. A figurehead provided with a spring device arranged w olly within the open mouth-cavity and comprising opposing aws andabowed indentedbackportionconnecting the said jaws, the latter being provided with teeth and arranged contiguous to the mouthopening so that upon compression of the back portion endwise the jaws are closed and the teeth thus" approximated and rendered visible through the mouth-opening, substantially as described. g

- 3. A figurehead having an elastic device arranged wholly within the mouth-cavity and adapted for application of pressure endwise for actuating it and a movable part representing a movable feature of a living animal, and means connecting such part with said device whereby when the latter is actuated the said movable part is'actuated simultaneously, substantially as described.

4. A figurehead having an elastic device arranged wholly within the mouth-cavity and-adapted for the application of pressure for actuating it, a part simulating the eye of a living creature, and means connecting it with such spring device whereby upon actuation of the latter the eye is moved substantially as described.

5. A figurehead having an elastic device wholly within the mouth-cavity, and a part representing the eye of a living creature, the said part being an attachment or portion of a bar connected with the spring device so that the two are actuated together, substantially as described.

6. A figrirehead arranged wholly within the mouth-cavityand comprising opposing jaws or wings and an indented. bowed back which upon being compressed serves to actuate the jaws, and a part representing a movable eyebrow, and means for connecting it with the actuating device so that both are moved simultaneously, substantially as described.

7. A figurehead having an elastic device wholly within the mouth-cavity and comprising opposing jaws or wings and an indented bowed back, which, upon compression, actuates the jaws, and parts representing the eyes and eyebrows of a living creature, and a bar connectin the two and also connecting them with t e actuating device so that all are moved simultaneously, substantially as described.

8. Afigurehead having a spring device arranged in the mouth-cavity, and a part representing the eyebrow of a living creature, the same being pivoted in the cavity in the head and adapted to oscillate vertically, and means connecting with the spring device whereby it is oscillated when the spring device is actuated, substantially as described.

9. A figurehead having a sprin 'device wholly within the mouth-cavity, t e same comprising opposin jaws or wings, and an indented bowed bac portion connecting the having an elastic device same, and which, upon compression serves to actuate the jaws, and a part representing an ear of a living creature, and means connecting it with the spring device whereby both are moved simultaneously, substantially as described.

10. A fig'urehead having a spring device arranged in the mouth-cavity, and a part representing the ear of a living creature, the same being pivoted or hinged in the side of the figurehead and provided with an interiorly-projecting lever-arm, and a rod connecting the latter with one of the j aws of the spring device whereby actuation of the latter produces oscillation of the ear, substantially as described.

11. A figurehead having a spring device arranged in the mouth-cavity and comprising opposing jaws or wings and an indented bowed back portion, which upon compression actuates the jawstoward each other and a part representing the tongue of a living creature, the same bein arranged and supported horizontally an movably between the jaws so that upon compression of the spring device, the tongue is projected forward between the jaws, substantially as described.

12. A figurehead having a spring device arranged in-the mouth-cavity, the same comjaws toward each other, and a part representing the tongue of a living creature, the same being arranged between the jaws horizontally and movably and its rear end in contact with the indented bowed back portion of the device so that upon compression of the latter the forward projection of the indented back forces the tongue part forwardbetween the front ends of the jaws, substantially as described.

13. A figurehead provided with a spring device arranged wholly within the mouthcavity and comprising:{ opposing jaws and a bowed indented bac portion connecting their rear ends and having an opening in the rear portion of the lower jaw for passage of a small article which may be inserted between the jaws, substantially as described.

14. A fi rchead having a s ring device arranged wablly within the mouth-cavity and com rising opposing jaws having a connecting ack portion which is bowed and indented transversely and thus adapted upon compression endwise to actuate the said jaws, the

ower jaw and the indented back having a partially-cut-out portion, which upon said com ression, is thrown downward and outwarc and thus simulates the operation or movement of the gullet of a living creature, substantially as described.

15. A figurehead having a spring device arranged in the mouth-cavity and com rising op osing jaws and a transversely-in ented bac (portion connecting them and which u on en wise compression serves to actuate V t e jaws, the lower jaw having an opening at the rear end and a part representing the tongue of a living creature, the same consisting of a plate arranged horizontally between the jaws and provided in its rear portion with an opening that practically-registers with the o ening in the lower jaw so that small arti- 0 es placed upon the tongue may pass down through the dpenings referred to, substantially as described.

16. A figurehead having a spring device in the mouth-cavity, the same comprising opposing jaws and a bowed and transverselyindented back portion which connects them and serves to actuate them when compressed endwise, a part re resenting the tongue of a living creature, t e same being arranged horizontally between the jaws and having a spring-sup ort which permits forward movement, the lower jaw and indented back of the s ring device having a cut-out portion whic upon compression of the s ring device is opened or operated like t e natural gullet, while the tongue part is forced forward between the front ends of the jaws, s bstantially as described.

17. figurehead having in its mouth-cavity a spring device comprising opposing jaws and an indented and bowed back portion which connects them and which upon compression actuates said jaws vertically, a part representing the tongue of a living creature, the same being arranged between the jaws and in contact with the back of the spring de-' vice, and a springu on which the tongue part is supported, the lower end of said spring being attached to the lower jaw of the spring devices, substantially as described.

18. A figurehead having in its mouth-cav arranged in the mouth-cavity and com ris-' ing op osing jaws and a connecting an indentec portion which connects and serves to actuate them when compressed endwise, and a part representing the upper li of a living creature, the same being pl'votec and adapted to oscillate, and a rearwardly-projectlng arm which is adapted to engage one of the jaws when the latter are actuated, substantially as described.

20. A figurehead havin a sprin device comprising a part adapted or vertica oscillation and arranged wholly within the mouthcavity and provided with a downwardlyprojecting part which is visible exteriorly,

the same serving to represent the beard of a living creature, substantially as described.

-21. A figurehead provided with a sprin device arranged in the mouth-cavity an comprising opposing jaws and an indented back portion which upon compression actuates said jaws, the lower jaw having a downwardlyrojecting part which passes through the ciiin portion of the figurehead and is thus adapted to represent the beard of a living being, substantlally as described.

22. A fi urehead having a spring device arranged w olly within the mouth-cavity and comprising opposing jaws, and an indented bowed back portion, and devices connected with the ends of the back and projecting laterally and serving for applicatlon of pressure whereby the jaws are actuated, substantially as described.

23. A blank comprising an oval-shaped plate provided with teeth and having on one side a projecting part to re resent the beard of a living animal, and on t e other side proj ecting arts constructed with portions simulating t e eyes of a living creature, the said blank thus being adapted to be folded transversely and then indented across the back to produce an operative spring device, and attachments, substantially as described.

24. A figurehead provided in the mouthcavity-with two spring devices one arranged within the other, each comprising opposing jaws, and a connecting and indented back ortion, the ends of the inner device projecting beyond those of the outer and a part re resenting the tongue of a living creature, t e same being arranged within and connected with the inner spring device, whereby upon compression applied endwise to the inner spring device the tongue part is projectedv forward and between the front ends of the outer spring device before the latter is actuated, substantially as described.

25. A figurehead having in its mouth-cavity spring devices arranged one within the other and each comprising opposing jaws having a connecting indented back portion, the ends of the back of the inner device projecting beyond those of the outer, substantially as described.

26. A figurehead provided in its mouthcavity with two spring devices one arranged within the other and each comprising opposing jaws and a bowed back, which is indented transversely, both having coincident openings in the lower jaw and the opening in the inner spring device provided with a cut-out part which normally closes it but upon compression opens through the opening of the outer device in imitation of the movement of a gullet in a living creature, a part representing thetongue of a living creature, the same being supported horizontally upon the inner spring device and provided with an opening in its rear portion so that a small article placed upon the tongue .part may be assed backward through said opening an thus pins passing through said slots and connecting the two devices substantially as described.

28. The combination with a figurehead of a spring device located therein and comprising opposed jaws or wings and a connecting and indented back portion, an upward extension connected with one of said jaws and comprising a bar having a plurality of eyes represented therein whereby as one eye is removed from view the other takes its place as described.

29. The combination with a figurehead of a spring device arranged in the mouth-cavity and including op 'osing jaws and parts extended upward therefrom and parts representing eyes, one being connected with the lower jaw and the other with the upper jaw, whereby when the s ring device is actuated the eyes move in di erent directions, as described;

WALTER VILLA GILBERT. Witnesses:

SoLoN C. KEMON, AMos W. HART.

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