Growing baby doll

A baby doll having an extendable torso, an extendable neck, movable legs, and a mechanism for causing the torso and the neck to extend and the legs to straighten so that the doll appears to grow.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The background of the invention will be discussed in two parts: 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to toys and, more specifically, to baby dolls for 
preschool children. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
There have been an uncountable number of toys designed for use by children. 
Any successful toy must be inexpensive, sturdy, and entertaining to the 
child. These criteria are especially important in toys designed for 
preschool children who are especially destructive and who develop so 
rapidly that they quickly lose interest in a toy. Another especially 
important requirement of toys for preschool children is that they must be 
operable by a child whose ability to manipulate is quite limited. 
There have been many baby dolls designed for preschool children. Such dolls 
capture the attention of the child because of the child's desire to 
imitate its parents in nurturing a baby. A baby doll will attract and 
maintain the attention of a child for a relatively brief period of its 
life and will then be discarded. Attempts have been made to animate such 
dolls in order to provide more interest to the child and extend the life 
of the toy. To this end, various parts of baby dolls have been made 
movable. For example, arms, legs, eyes, and faces have been attached to 
mechanisms which cause them to move in various ways. Other dolls, not 
intended for the preschooler, have mechanisms which cause the doll to 
appear to grow and to become pregnant. These last-mentioned toys, however, 
have mechanisms which are too complicated for the preschool child to 
operate and are often too delicate to stand up to use by a preschool 
child. 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved baby 
doll for preschool children. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved 
baby doll which appears to grow larger and to age when operated by the 
child. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The foregoing and other objects of the invention are accomplished in the 
present invention by a baby doll which has movable lower legs, an 
extendable torso, an extendable neck, and a mechanism for causing the legs 
to straighten while the neck and torso extend so that the doll appears to 
grow. In the preferred embodiment, the extendable torso includes an upper 
torso which overlaps a lower torso and means actuable by the mechanism to 
move the upper torso so that it overlaps the lower torso to a lesser 
extent. The same mechanism coincidentally causes the head to move to 
expose more neck and the lower legs to straighten. Thus, the doll appears 
to have its neck grow, its torso to extend in length, and its legs to 
lengthen at the same time. In the preferred embodiment the mechanism of 
the invention is a spring motor wound by a simple pull string and actuated 
by placing a bottle in the doll's mouth. Thus, the toy is easily operated 
by a preschool child with its limited mechanical ability. 
Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become 
apparent from a reading of the specification when taken in conjunction 
with the drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like elements 
in the several views.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to the drawings and, more particularly, to FIG. 1, there is 
shown in reduced scale, a baby doll 10 constructed in accordance with the 
invention. The baby doll 10 has an upper torso 12, a head 14, arms 16, a 
lower torso 18, thighs 20, and lower legs 22. The doll 10 is provided with 
an inner mechanism (not shown in FIG. 1) which actuates it to extend from 
the position shown in bold outline in FIG. 1 (hereinafter referred to as 
position 1) to a second position shown in dotted outline in FIG. 1 
(hereinafter referred to as position 2). In position 2, the doll 10 
appears to have a longer lower torso 18; and a neck 24 has appeared. 
Although not illustrated in FIG. 1, in a preferred embodiment, the lower 
legs 22 may also be extended so that the baby doll 10 appears to have 
grown. 
A preferred embodiment of the mechanism by which the doll 10 is caused to 
move from position 1 to position 2 and extend its lower legs 22 is better 
described in FIGS. 2 and 3. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, there is shown a 
baby doll 10 having upper torso 12 connected to a head 14 and a lower 
torso 18. The lower torso 18 mounts thighs 20 and lower legs 22. FIGS. 2 
and 3 are both cut away to show an internal driving mechanism 30 which 
actuates the doll 10. This mechanism 30 includes a pull 31 which moves a 
gear 32 to wind a spring 34 about the axis of the gear 32. When the pull 
31 is pulled away from the body of the doll 10, the gear 32 is rotated in 
a direction opposite that described by the arrows superimposed in FIG. 2; 
and the spring 34 applies a force on the gear 32 to move it in the 
direction of the arrow. Gear 32 engages a second gear 36 which is mounted 
coaxially with and affixed to a third gear 40. The gear 40 engages a rack 
44 which causes the extension of the upper torso 12 and of the head 14 
with respect to the neck 24. 
The rotation of the gear 40 causes the rotation of a gear 42 connected to a 
pulley 47 which drives a belt 45 to rotate a pulley 49 affixed to the 
lower leg 22. The operation of the pulley 49 when the mechanism 30 is 
operated causes the lower leg 22 to extend forwardly as shown by the arrow 
in the drawing. 
The rotation of the gear 32 also rotates a gear 38 (affixed to the same 
axis) which engages a first gear 39 to drive a second gear 41 mounted 
coaxially with gear 39 and affixed thereto. The rotation of the gear 41 
drives a gear 43 which is attached to a governing mechanism 60 to be 
explained in detail hereinafter. 
The operation of the mechanism 30 once the pull 31 has been withdrawn from 
the doll 10 causes the gears 32 through 43 to be operated in the 
directions shown by the arrows in FIG. 2, thereby driving the rack 44 
upward, the pulley 49 in the direction shown and the lower leg 22 forward, 
and operating the governor 60 attached to the gear 43. 
The rack 44 is directly connected to the base of a cylinder 46 which 
extends within the upper cylindrical tube 48 and is mounted to a head 
mount 50. The head mount 50 carries the head 14, is generally cylindrical 
in shape, and is positioned about the cylindrical neck 24. Consequently, 
the movement of the rack 44 upward drives the cylinder 46 upward causing 
the head mount 50 and the head 14 to slide upward over the neck 24 thereby 
causing the neck 24 to appear to extend in length and the head 14 to rise 
with respect to the lower body of the doll 10. 
In position 1 shown in FIG. 3, the head mount 50 is retained in position by 
a latch 54 which fits through a surface of the mount 50 and is released by 
an actuator 56. The actuator 56 is part of an actuator mechanism 52 which 
includes a cap 53. The actuator mechanism 52 will be described 
hereinafter. 
When the latch 52 is released and the spring motor drives the rack 44 
upwardly causing the head mount 50 to move upwardly, the head mount 50 
moves the head 14 upwardly extending the neck 24 until an upper edge of 
the head mount 50 abuts against a lower edge of the cap 53. This causes 
the cap 53 to be impelled upwardly by head mount 50 and stops the 
extension of the neck 24. The cap 53 is connected to the cylinder 58 and 
thereby to the upper torso 12 so that the upward movement of the cap 53 
moves the cylinder 58 and the upper torso portion 12 upwardly. The 
movement of the upper torso 12 by the rack 44 causes a lower skirt 59 of 
the upper torso 12 to move upwardly with relation to the lower torso 18. 
This causes the body of the doll 10 to appear to grow. The upper movement 
of the lower skirt 59 with respect to the lower torso 18 continues until a 
flange 61 on upper torso 12 abuts against the lower edge of latch 54 
thereby stopping the extension of rack 44 and the growth of the body of 
the doll 10. 
It may be seen that the actuator mechanism 52 which releases the spring 
motor after the pull 31 has been extended is operated by the inward 
movement of the actuator 56 in response to a bottle or the like placed in 
the mouth of the doll 10. The exploded view of FIG. 5 better describes the 
operation of the actuator mechanism 52. The mechanism 52 includes the 
actuator 56 which slides between four clips 62 and overlies a plate 64. A 
spring 65 fits over a post 66 and presses against actuator 56 and plate 
64. As the pull 31 is operated to wind the spring motor, the rack 44 is 
driven downwardly pulling the head mount 50 over the latch 54 so that the 
plate 64 first displaces and then engages the lower left hand edge of 
latch 54. When the actuator 56 is pressed inwardly, it carries the plate 
64 so the latch 54 is released and the plate 67 moves upwardly. At the 
same time, the right edge of the actuator 56 catches the upper right hand 
edge of the latch 54 and stops the latch 54 from releasing. The latch 54 
is the released by withdrawing the bottle from the mouth of the doll 10 so 
that the spring 65 drives the actuator 56 in the right hand direction (as 
shown in FIG. 5). This double latch provides that the head 14 will not 
begin to move upwardly while a young child holds a bottle in the doll's 
mouth. Not until the bottle is withdrawn will movement begin. 
The release of the latch 54 allows the plate 67 which is a portion of the 
head mount 50 to proceed upwardly causing the neck 24 and the upper torso 
12 to extend. 
The two positions of the head 14 relative to the neck 24 are more clearly 
illustrated in FIG. 4 which also shows in detail the position of the 
various elements of the actuator mechanism 52. As is illustrated, in 
position 1 (the lowered position) the head 14 rests so that the head mount 
50 completely covers the neck 24. In position 2, the head mount 50 has 
moved upwardly so that a substantial portion of the neck 24 appears to 
view. Thus, the neck 24 appears to grow. 
When the head mount 50 moves upwardly with respect to the cap 53, it urges 
a generally U-shaped wire 70 upwardly. The wire 70 is affixed at its ends 
to rotate in holes 72 in cap 53 so that it draws with it the chin of the 
doll to which it is secured at point 74. By moving the chin upwardly and 
outwardly, the face of the doll 10 is given a more jutting chin and its 
cheeks are pulled inwardly and become less rounded. Consequently, the doll 
10 appears to become less a baby and more an older child. 
In order to maintain the operation by which the mechanism 30 extends the 
body of the doll 10 at a relatively constant rate, a unique governor 60 is 
provided. The governor 60 is shown in FIG. 6 in enlarged form and in 
cross-section in FIG. 2. The governor 60 includes a circular housing 80 
covered by a cap 82. Mounted for rotation on the axis of the gear 43 is a 
disk 84. The disk 84 carries two walls 86 and 88 which are perpendicular 
to its surface and define a cage for two bearings 90. The surface of the 
disk 84 within the walls 86 and 88 has a first flat portion and a second 
ramp portion extending outwardly in both directions, from the dotted lines 
92 shown in FIG. 6. 
In operation, the disc 84 rotates with the gear 43 urging the bearings 90 
outwardly and up the ramps which begin at the lines 92. As the bearings 90 
are urged up the ramps they come in contact with the cap 82 providing drag 
at the surface of the cap 82, on the surface of the ramps, and on the 
inner surfaces of the walls 86 and 88 to slow the mechanism 30 and 
maintain its rate relatively constant. If the mechanism 30 slows, the 
bearings 90 fall inwardly toward the axis of the disc 84 thereby relieving 
the drag and allowing the mechanism 30 to speed up. Consequently, the 
governor 60 maintains the mechanism 30 at a relatively constant speed. 
The details of the construction of the various parts of the doll 10 will 
not be discussed in this specification because they are not believed to be 
pertinent to the invention. However, a general description of the 
constituents of the doll 10 is provided here to assist the reader. The 
skin used to cover the external parts of the doll 10 may preferably be of 
a material such as a soft vinyl foam well-known in the art and adapted to 
give an appearance to touch closely akin to that of the skin of a person. 
All of the internal portions of the mechanism including the actuator 
mechanism 52, the head mount 50, the various tubes and cylinders utilized 
in extending the body, the gears of the spring motor, the governor 60, and 
the like may be formed of a relatively hard plastic such as nylon by means 
such as molding, well known in the art. The bearings 90 should preferably 
be of steel or like material in a preferred embodiment. The pull 31 may be 
plastic and may be attached to a string of relatively sturdy construction. 
The spring 34 and the spring 65 are constructed of those materials 
normally used in the art to form springs. The U-shaped wire 70 may be 
constructed of any relatively stiff metal or plastic which does not bend 
in use. 
The preferred manner of construction heretofore described obviously is not 
intended to limit the breadth of the invention and is not intended to be 
all inclusive. 
It is believed that the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of 
the invention is described in sufficient detail to enable one skilled in 
the art to make and use the invention. However, it is expressly understood 
that the invention is not to be limited to those details presented in 
describing the preferred embodiment inasmuch as other equivalent elements 
would suggest themselves to those skilled in the art upon reading this 
specification, and additions or improvements may be made which embody the 
invention herein described. Accordingly, it is respectfully requested that 
the invention be broadly construed within the full spirit and scope of the 
appended claims.