Patent GB-420361-A (GB)
Title: Combined sound reproducing apparatus and animated doll or other figures
IPC: A63H3/33
Filed: 1933-03-28
Abstract: 420,361. Talking dolls; display apparatus; wireless receiving-apparatus. BARRETT, L., 2, St. Mary's Passage, Cambridge. March 28, 1933, No. 9320. [Class 132 (iii)] [See also Groups XVIII and XL] A figure for amusement or advertising has combined with or adjacent to it sound producing apparatus, the sound impulses of which are converted into rectified electrical impulses which are utilized for variably moving a member, or for selectively illuminating different areas of a screen synchronously with the sounds for simulating mouth movements. Fig. 1 shows a construction suitable for battery operation, any sound source 17 being connected, through apparatus converting sound impulses into electrical impulses, to the potentiometer 16 and step-up transformer 15 leading through double wave rectifier 9, 10 and valve 1 to terminals 6 and 7. The valve 1 acts as a grid controlled rectifier, the effect being increased by the rectifier 9, 10. The terminals 6 and 7 are connected to the paper concealed electromagnet 18 actuating the armature 21 connected to the wire 26 passing through the bearing 27 and groove 28 and connected to a mouth member of the figure 31. The circuit can be used on D.C. mains by using a D.C. valve and on A.C. mains by using an A.C. valve and A.C. rectifier. The circuit may derive its current supply from a radio set. A circuit is described for A.C. operation only, two valves of the indirectly heated type being utilized. Fig. 5 shows the mouth member 73 actuated by the electromagnet 66 fixed at the back of the flat ply-wood figure 75. The actuating electromagnet may be concealed within the body of a marionette doll. The mechanism can be applied to a figure of ventriloquial type, Fig. 7, a loud-speaker 105, being fixed to the figure or to the member 101 screwed into the head at 102 and rotatable in bearings 103, 104, the sound being emitted through a covered slot 107 cut in the front of the figure. In a modification, the electromagnet actuates an aneroid diaphragm and a bellows actuating the mouth member. For large figures the electromagnet actuates an electropneumatic control governing the supply of compressed air to bellows actuating the mouth member. A circuit is described containing a doublepole change-over switch allowing dialogue to be carried on between two or more figures. Fig. 13 shows the figure 148 placed between the loud-speaker and the tuning dial 149 on the platform 147 containing the electromagnet and permanently fixed or moulded with the front of the set. In Fig. 14 the platform 147 containing the electromagnet is retained in position in front of the set by two bands 148<a> and 149<a> tensioned by spring 150. Fig. 9 shows the mouth movement simulated by optical means in which the figure 110 has an opening for the mouth surrounded by a box 112 with a partition 113 and lamps 114 and 115. A lamp 111 throws a shadow of the figure 110 on the transparent screen 109, and the lamp 114 and then both the lamps 114, 115 are lighted by the electromagnet 116, energized by one of the circuits previously mentioned, opening the normally closed contacts 120 and 120<a> and then the contacts 119 and 119<a>. The outline of the figure with its movable mouth member can be projected with or without a lens system on to a screen behind which is located a loud-speaker. The figure can be used in a model theatre, Fig. 17, containing scenery illuminated by lamps 161, 161<a>, 161<b>, 161<c>, and a loud-speaker 163, the plywood figure 162 being mounted in front of the stage on two flat strips for movement across the stage and being connected by flexible cord to the terminals 166 of the circuit previously described. According to the Provisional Specification speech can be transmitted to the figure by microphone and the lower jaw of the figure can be actuated by a split solenoid energized from a pentode valve circuit.