Patent GB-191109853-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Self Guiding Toys.
Inventor: COOPER HENRY ALEXANDER
IPC: A63H17/40
Filed: 1911-04-24
Granted: 1912-01-25
Abstract: 9853. Cooper, H. A. April 24. Mechanical toys; boats and floating toys.- Relates to self-guiding toys, and consists in providing mechanically-propelled or locomotive toys with means enabling them to run in connexion with a guiding edge or surface, or within circumscribed areas. For instance, the toys may run round the edge of a table, or travel round the inside walls of a room, or round the outside or inside of a box, or, in the case of floating toys, they may follow the sides of a bath or tub. Each toy is adapted to run in a particular direction relative to its longitudinal axis, this tendency being prevented by a feeler or guiding device in contact with the guiding edge or surface. The toy may be given a one-sided tendency in running by giving a set to one or more steering driving wheels, or to an undercarriage or bogie, or by driving or retarding on one side. A large number of modifications are described. In one form, a motor-car toy, Fig. 2, is provided with a front bogie e adapted to support a feeler or guiding-arm g provided with a roller j to engage the edge of the table a. The arm g is connected by a spring u to the main body of the toy. When the roller j passes beyond the edge of the table, the bogie is pulled round by the spring until the roller engages the fresh edge of the table. If the toy is to travel the opposite way round the table, the arm g is adjusted to the position shown in dotted lines. In another form, Fig. 6, the spring is dispensed with and a tendency to run away from the edge is caused by setting the front wheels d as shown. In this form the guiding-arm g<1> is fixed. Fig. 1 shows a form of toy for running round an area bounded by walls. The toy has a front bogie e connected to the body by a spring n. The feeler g<2> comprises a number of arms u fitted with rollers v, and is mounted on a pivotal support w carried by the bogie. The feeler system can turn idly through a small angle, after which the projections x engage the bogie. The foremost roller is preferably carried by a blade spring y. In this form the spring may either be centrally attached, as shown, or the car may be given a constant tendency to run to one side by arranging the spring n in one of the positions shown by dotted lines, and if the toy is only required to run in one direction, the rollers are only arranged on one side of the axis. In Fig. 13 is shown a toy in the form of a mouse, having a single driving-wheel 1 arranged towards one side, the tendency to run inwards being increased by a brake device such as a rubber stud 2. The tendency is resisted as before by a roller j. This form may be adapted for running in either direction by placing the driving-wheel 1, Fig. 15, centrally, arranging a retarder 2 on each side of it, and making the head swivel on the body. The head is adjusted by a weighted lever 5. The roller j may be replaced by a wheel 6, Fig. 16, parallel or not with the driving-wheel. In this form, the toy will run round an edge or over a surface. In the motor - car form of the toy, having one-sided driving or retarding means, the rear part of the car may be weighted to relieve the front wheels of load. In the form shown in Fig. 27, the car is given a one-sided drive and is provided with a skew-wheel 12 which is sufficient to overcome the one-sided drive and cause the car to run straight until the wheel 12 leaves the table, whereupon it acts as a guide, In Fig. 29 is shown a toy for rcunding the outside of a box. It has a bladespring feeler 21, a driving-wheel 15, and a free wheel 16, a tendency to run towards the box being caused by a spring 22 acting on a steering-wheel 17. In the form shown in Fig. 31, the toy has the form of a boat provided with a guider or feeler comprising rollers v mounted on arms u, the set to one side being given by the rudder z. The movement of the feeler with regard to the boat, on which it is directly mounted, is limited by the tension of the spring u.