Patent Publication Number: US-3874112-A

Title: Animating device for figure toys

Description:
itited States Patent Sapkus et a].  
 [ Apr. 1, 1975 ANIMATING DEVICE FOR FIGURE TOYS FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPUCATIONS 1 1 lnventersr Jurgis n MahhattanBeach; 623,559 8/1961 Italy 46/245 Stephen Lewis, Pac1fic Pallsades; Kurt Ru el Redondo Beach; John T. Bensoii? Eilcino, all of Calif. pmimry Examlr ler Louls Manceine Asszstant Examiner-Robert F. Cuttmg [73] Asslgneez Mattel, Inc., Hawthorne, Cal1f. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Max .E. Shirk; Stephen L. 22 Filed: Dec. 26, 1973 Kmg [21] Appl. No.: 427,873  
 [57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl 46/119, 46/128, 46/142, Pi ol-type hand grip is swingably connected to a fig- 46/148, 273/874 ure toy for swinging the figure toy through simulated [51] Int. Cl A63h 11/00 allatting, or the ik aetivities- Alternatively, [58] Field of Search 46/119, 128, 142, 148, th figure y ay be lat hed to th and grip f r 46/245; 273/814 other activities wherein an actuator may be selectively positioned to swing the figure toys arm and leg, re- References Cited spectively.  
  UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures 2,088,510 7/1937 Frasca 46/142 2 1 1 l/ 1 f I 124 1? 13 4: 16 I \v/dl l 7,7:&#39; Z ,,2 I -1 &#39;f 15 {a g I 28 i I zq v: .w/ 1 1M 1&#39; 164 DATENTEB APR H975 3874.1 12.  
 If a  
 ANIMATING DEVICE FOR FIGURE TOYS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The background of the invention will be set forth in two parts.  
 1. Field of the Invention The invention pertains generally to an animating device for figure toys and more particularly to a simple,  
 OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the foregoing, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a new and useful animating device for figure toys.  
  It is another object of the present invention to provide an animating device of the type described for selectively swinging a figure toys arm, torso or leg upon actuation of a trigger on a pistol-type hand grip.  
  According to a first embodiment of the present invention, a pistol-type hand grip is releasably connected to a figure toy by a waist band encompassing the torso of the figure toy and pivotally connected to the hand grip through a latch which may be released by pulling a trigger on the hand grip.  
  The trigger swings a primary lever which moves a push rod into engagement with a secondary lever. The push rod and the secondary lever are carried by a slotted sleeve rotatably mounted in the hollow barrel portion of the hand grip. In a first rotated position of the sleeve, the secondary lever swings a leg on the figure toy. The sleeve may then be rotated to a second position where the secondary lever releases the latch so that the figure toy will swing through an arc simulating a baseball batters swing, or the like. When the sleeve is rotated to a third position, the secondary lever is positioned to engage an arm swinging mechanism when the trigger is actuated.  
  In a second embodiment of the invention, an armswinging lever is integral with the trigger which selectively releases a spring-loaded leg-kicking lever and a torso-swinging spring.  
  The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like elements in the several views.  
 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view, with parts broken away to show internal construction, of a figure toy in combination with an animating device constituting a first embodiment of the present invention;  
  FIG. 2 is a partial, side elevational view, with parts broken away to shown internal construction, of the combination of FIG. 1;  
  FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1;  
  FIG. 4 is an enlarged, partial perspective view of an appendage animating means on the figure toy of FIG.  
  FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the appendage animating means of FIG. 4.  
  FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the animating device of FIG. 1 in a first operating position;  
  FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the device of FIG. 6 in a second operating position;  
  FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the device of FIG. 6 in a third operating position;  
  FIG. 9 is an enlarged, exploded perspective view of the connector which connects the device of FIG. 1 to a figure toy;  
  FIGS. 10 and 11 are enlarged, partial elevational views of the connector shown in FIG. 9; and  
  FIG. 12 is an elevational view, with parts shown in cross section, of an animating device constituting a second embodiment of the present invention.  
 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring again to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, an animating device constituting a first embodiment of the present invention, generally designated 150, is shown in combination with a figure toy 12 having a lower torso portion 14 and an upper torso portion 16.  
  The lower torso portion 14 includes a front half 18 and a rear half 20 which are connected together by a plurality of pins 22, 24 and 26 on rear half 20 which engage suitable sockets (not shown) on front half 18.  
  Rear half 20 also carries a larger pin 28 which is engaged in a socket 30 on the front half 18.  
  The upper torso portion includes a front half 32 and a rear half 34 which are connected together by a plurality of pins (not shown) which engage sockets 38 provided on the rear half 34.  
  The upper torso portion 16 includes a reduced diameter, midrift portion 40 engaged in the open top 42 of lower torso portion 14 and these portions are connected together by a resilient, rubber-like connector 44 having a headed upper end 46 engaged in an aperture 48 provided in a partition 50 disposed in the upper torso portion 16 at the base of a cylindrical neck 52. Connector 44 includes a lower end 54 which is provided with an aperture 56 which, in turn, may be engaged over pin 28 before it is inserted into socket 30.  
  Figure toy 12 also includes a head 58 which is connected to neck 52 by a mushroom pin 60 having a head 62 seated in a cavity 64 provided at the base of head 58 and a button connector 66 seated in an annular channel 68 provided in neck 52. Additionally, figure toy 12 includes a pair of legs 70, 72 having upper ends 74 articulately mounted on balls 75 in leg openings 76 provided in the lower torso portion 14.  
  Upper torso portion 16 includes a pair of arm openings &#39;78, 80 in which arms 82, 84, respectively, are rotatably mounted by shoulder pins 86 each having a first end 88 which carries a cross-bar, like the one shown at 90 for arm 82, embedded in a bulbous shoulder portion 92 thereof. Each pin 86 includes a second end 94 which is bifurcated and which carries a head 96. Each shoulder 92 is provided with an arcuate slot 98 through which an associated one of the pins 86 extends so that the arms 82, 84 may be swung laterally outwardly away from the upper torso portion 16. Shoulder portion 92 for arm 84 frictionally engages arm opening 80 and is maintained in engagement therewith due to the tensioning of pin 86 by trapping head 96 against a vertical web 100 affixed to the upper rear torso half 34.  
  As best seen in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5, figure toy 12 also includes an appendage or arm animating means 10 having a pinion gear 102 carried by a boss 104 journalled in shoulder opening 78 by a flange 106 trapped in an annular channel 108 (FIG. 1) provided in upper torso portion 16. Boss 104 includes an open cylindrical portion 110 which is frictionally engaged by shoulder 92 on arm 82 due to the force exerted by pin 86 which passes through an aperture 112 in boss 104 and is maintained therein by head 96. Pin 86 carries a disc 114 serving as a thrust bearing for pinion gear 102.  
  Appendage animating means 10 includes a rack 116 carried by an arm 118 formed integrally with an actuating plate 120. Plate 120 is shaped to form a continuation of the rear wall 122 of upper torso portion 16 and is swingably mounted in an opening 124 provided therein. Plate 120 carries a trunion 126 journalled in vertical plates 128, 130 on rear wall 122 and maintained in position therein by suitable fingers, like the one shown at 132 in FIG. 2 extending from front, upper torso half 32.  
  Plate 120 carries a pair of stops 134, 136 (FIG. 1) which bottom out against rear wall 122 preventing plate 120 from passing beyond rear wall 122 under the influence of the bias imparted by connector 44 due to its engagement with a shelf 138 (FIG. extending inwardly from plate 120.  
  Referring now more in particular to FIG. 3, arm 82 may be manually swung rearwardly in the direction of arrow 140 or counterclockwise in the direction of arrows 142 for 360 of rotation by exerting enough force to overcome the friction between shoulder 92 and boss 104, which remains stationary due to the engagement of pinion 102 with rack 116 (FIG. 4). Thus, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the appendage animating means does not interfere with the normal play value of a figure toy wherein the child-user desires to manipulate the arms and legs to different posed positions where the arms and legs will remain until they are again acted upon by an outside force.  
  Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the appendage animating means 10 may be used to cause figure toy 12 to simulate karate chops by first manually positioning arm 82 in the raised position shown in FIG. 4. Plate 120 may then be moved in the direction of arrow 144 overcoming the bias exerted by connector 44 and moving rack 116 to rotate pinion gear 102 sufficiently to swing arm 82 to the broken line position shown in FIG. 4. The individual parts of appendage animating means 10 will then be in the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 5 whereupon plate 120 may be released and will be returned to the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 4 by connector 44.  
  Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 6-10, the animating device 150 includes a pistol-type hand grip 152 having a handle portion 154, a trigger 156 and a hollow barrel 158. Hand grip 152 may be swingably connected to figure toy 12 by a waistband 160 which encompasses torso portions 14, 16 and which is connected to barrel portion 158 by a pivot pin 162. As best seen in FIG. 2, the major axis of figure toy 12 is approximately parallel to the major axis of pivot pin 162 and the major axis of barrel 158 intersects the major axis of figure toy 12 substantially normal thereto so that figure toy 12 may be swung on an are about pivot pin 162 in a manner to be hereinafter described.  
  Animating device 150 also includes a secondary lever 164 which is swingably mounted in a sleeve 166 (FIGS. 6 and 7) rotatably mounted in barrel 158 so that the secondary lever 164 may be selectively moved from the position shown in solid lines in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6 (where lever 164 is adapted to swing leg to the positions shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 where lever 164 is adapted to actuate arm 82 and to swing figure toy 12 about pivot pin 162, respectively. Lever 164 includes a free end 168 adapted to engage plate when lever 164 is in its FIG. 7 position. A spindle 170 is carried by lever 164 adjacent its free end 168 and is adapted to engage leg 70 when lever 164 is in the position shown in solid lines in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6. When sleeve 166 is rotated to place lever 164 in its FIG. 8 position, a latch 172, which normally prevents swinging of figure toy 12 about pivot pin 162, is brought into bridging engagement with a slot 174 in which lever 164 works in sleeve 166, so that lever 164 will release latch 172 when lever 164 is moved from the broken line position shown in FIG. 8 to the solid-line position shown therein.  
  Referring more in particular to FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9, hand grip 152 includes a right housing half 176 and a left housing half 178 in which a primary lever 180 (FIGS. 6 and 7) and the trigger 156 are swingably mounted on trunions 182, 184 (FIG. 6) respectively. Trigger 156 may be molded from a suitable polymeric material and includes an integral leaf spring 186 which biases trigger 156 to the extended position shown in FIG. 6. Trigger 156 includes an upper end 188 engageable with primary lever 180 to swing it into engagement with a push rod 190 reciprocably mounted in a way 192 provided in sleeve 166 in the path-of-travel of secon dary lever 164 so that push rod 190 will swing lever 164 about its pivot pin 194, which is rotatably mounted in suitable sockets, like the one shown at 196 in sleeve 166. Thus, when trigger 156 is moved in the direction of arrow 198, end 188 of trigger 156 will swing primary lever 180 in the direction of arrow 200 causing push rod 190 and secondary lever 164 to move in the direction of arrow 200. It should be noted that push rod 190 engages primary lever 180 near its lower end 202 when the secondary lever 164 is in its leg-swinging position, as shown in solid linesin FIG. 6. When the secondary lever 164 is in the position shown in FIG. 7, push rod 190 engages primary lever 180 approximately midway between end 202 and trunion 182. It has been found that it takes more force to actuate arm 82 by depressing plate 120 than it does to actuate leg 70. This additional force is offered by primary lever 180 acting through an increased lever arm when push rod 190 engages primary lever 180 between its ends rather than at its lower end 202.  
  Referring now to FIGS. 2, 6 and 81 1, hand grip 152 may be releasably connected to waist clamp 160 by a bracket 204, which carries pivot pin 162 and latch 172 and which is swingably connected to left housing half 178 by engaging pin 162 in a pair of gusset members 206, 208 formed integrally with left housing half 178 when it is molded from a suitable polymeric material. Bracket 204 is&#39;e ngaged by the ends 210, 212 of waist clamp 1&#39;60 and&#39;carries athumb screw 214 adapted to threadedly engage a threaded plate 215 on wais t &#39;clamp 160 to drive ends 210, 212 into position in bracket 204 when thumb screw 214&#39; is rotated inthe&#39; dir&#39;ection of arrow 216 (FIG. 9 i  
  In use,a child-user may rotate sleeve 166 until secondary lever 164 is in its FIG. 6 position. Trigger 156 may then be squeezed causing lever 164 to engage leg 70 and swing it through a ball-kicking motion. Sleeve 166 may then be rotated to its FIG. 8 position where latch 172 will bridge slot 174 so that lever 164 will engage latch 172 when trigger 156 is squeezed causing figure toy 12 to swing in an are about pivot pin 162 in simulation of a baseball batter, or the like. Sleeve 166 may then be rotated until lever 164 is in its FIG. 7 position. Trigger 156 may then be squeezed causing end 168 of lever 164 to depress plate 120 (FIG. 5) so that animating means 10 will swing arm 82 downwardly in simulation of a karate chop, or the like.  
  Referring now to FIG. 12, a figure toy animating device constituting a second embodiment of the present invention, generally designated 150A, is shown in combination with the figure toy 12 and includes a hand grip 152A on which a trigger 156A is swingably mounted by a pin 184A. Trigger 156A is formed integrally with a leaf spring 186A and with an arm-swinging lever 164A. Hand grip 152A also includes a leg-swinging lever 164B swingably connected to grip 152A by a pivot pin 194A and biased toward leg 70 by a spring 217. Leg swinging lever 1648 may be retained in the position shown in FIG. 12 against the force of spring 217 by engaging a first ledge 218, which is formed on lever 1648, with a second ledge 220, which is formed on trigger 156A. Spring 217 includes an arm 222 which encompasses a pivot pin 162A swingably connecting hand grip 152A to a waist clamp 160A. Spring arm 222 then engages waist clamp 160A for swinging figure toy 12 in an are about pivot pin 162A when trigger 156A is squeezed to release a finger 223 from locking engagement with clamp 160A.  
  In the second embodiment 150A of the present invention, it is necessary to cock either the leg-swinging lever 1648 or the waist clamp 160A against the force of spring 217 before trigger 156A is squeezed. Thus, if leg swinging lever 1648 is first cocked and then trigger 156A is squeezed a slight amount, leg swinging lever 1648 will be released and spring 217 will drive it into engagement with leg 70 for swinging leg 70. Further squeezing of trigger 156A will bring arm swinging lever 164A into engagement with plate 120 for swinging arm 80. If, on the other hand, waist 122 clamp 160A is cocked, then the first increment of movement of trigger 156A will release finger 223 from waist clamp 160A so that spring 217 will swing waist clamp 160A and figure toy 12 about pivot pin 162A.  
  While the particular figure toy animating devices herein shown and described in detail are fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that they are merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims F ing:  
 which form a part of this disclosure. Whenever the term means is employed in these claims, the term is to be interpreted as defining the corresponding structure illustrated and described theequivale nt of thesamej What is claimed is: V  
  1. In combination with a figure toy having rotatable appendages anda torso, an animating device, comprising: j u  
 hand grip means adapted to be releasa bly connected .to said figure toy and manually manipulated by a user of said animating device;  
 connecting means engageable with said torso for connecting said hand grip means thereto with the major axis of said hand grip means intersecting the major axis of said figure toy substantially normal thereto; and  
 pivot pin means swingably connecting said connecting means to said hand grip means, the major axis of said torso being substantially parallel to the major axis of said pivot pin means, whereby said figure toy may be swung through an are about said pivot pin means.  
  2. A combination as stated in claim 1 wherein said connecting means comprises a band encompassing said torso at its midsection.  
  3. A combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein said hand grip means includes lever means for engaging at least one of said appendages and actuating means for swinging said lever means into engagement with said at least one of said appendages.  
  4. A combination as stated in claim 3 wherein said actuating means comprises:  
 trigger means swingably connected to said hand grip means;  
 primary lever means swingably mounted in said hand grip means in the path of travel of said trigger means for actuation thereby;  
 rod means slidably mounted in said hand grip means in the path of travel of said primary lever means for actuation thereby; and  
 secondary lever means swingably mounted in said hand grip means in the path of travel of said rod means for actuation thereby.  
 5. A combination as stated in claim 3 wherein said actuating means comprises:  
 a trigger swingably connected to said hand grip means, said trigger including a ledge engageable by said lever means for preventing movement thereof until said trigger is actuated; and  
 spring means connected to said lever means for biasing said lever means into engagement with said ledge until said trigger is moved out of blocking engagement therewith and then rapidly swinging said lever means ito engagement with said at least one of said appendages.  
  6. A combination as stated in claim 4 wherein said rod means and said secondary lever means are mounted in a sleeve rotatably mounted in said hand grip means in operative association with said primary lever means whereby the mechanical advantage exerted by said primary lever means may be controlled by rotating said sleeve.  
  7. In combination with a figure toy having rotatable appendages and a torso, an animating device, comprisin this specification or.  
 hand grip means adapted to be releasably connected a leg-swinging lever swingably connected to said hand grip means;  
  spring means biasing said leg-swinging lever in a legkicking direction and biasing said connecting means in a torso-swinging direction; and  
 keeper means on said trigger for controlling opera- &#39;tion of said leg-swinging lever and said connecting means, whereby said leg-swinging lever and said connecting means may be selectively cocked against said trigger and then released upon actuation of said trigger.