Improvements in Dolls,
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 28th Oct., 1899
Improvements in Dolls,
I, RUDOLPH MELVILLE HUNTER, of No. 926, Walnut Street, in the City of
Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Mechanical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained, in and by
the following statement:
-
My invention has reference to dolls, and consists of certain improvements
which are fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accom-
panying drawings which form a part thereof.
Heretofore it has been customary in the manufacture of childrens dolls to form
the head with eye sockets back of which were pivoted a pair of eye balls rigidly
connected and movable only about a transverse axis extending from temple to
temple. By this means the eyes were made to automatically close and by moving
the doll from an upright to an reclining position the portions of the eye balls
covered to represent the eyelids were brought into view and the doll given the
appearance of sleeping.
My invention has for its object to still further improve the realistic or life
effect of the doll by imparting to the eyes, when open, a capacity for auto-
matically turning the pupils laterally to one side or the other as if the attention
were suddenly attracted to the persons handling the doll or adjacent to it. The
result of this is to give a most life like and wide awake effect, and at the same
time permit the well known sleeping action to take place upon laying the doll
down upon its back. In my preferred construction both of these results are enabled
to take place automatically under gravity actuated devices, but it is to be under-
stood that so far as my invention is concerned in its most generic sense the
sleeping movement may be omitted if desired.
My invention will be better understood by reference to the drawings, in
which:-
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a dolls head showing the eyes looking sidewise
as in one of the adjustments;
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the dolls head with a portion of the porcelain
head cut away to show the interior mechanism;
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same with the upper portion of the porcelain head
cut away;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the mechanism of the eyes removed from the
head;
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modification showing eyelids independent
of the eye balls;
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of the eye mechanism, and-
Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation showing another modification directed to the
eye lids and mode of pivoting the structure.
C
A is the porcelain head of any suitable construction or design. It has the
eye holes or sockets T as is customary. B is a horizontal rocking frame having
end cup pieces forming rounded or ball shaped bearings C which may have
central small pivot protuberances c to make disengagement less possible. This
frame B is pivoted in the head by the plaster sockets 1), and is provided with a
downwardly extending arm K carrying a weight L to insure its normally hang-
ing in a definite position. This weight may be arrested in one direction by a
cork abutment M cemented to the head, and in the other direction by an up-
wardly extending arm I from the frame B coming in contact with another
rn
071

page_text: cork abutment arranged in the upper part of the head. The movement per-
mitted is first sufficient to enable the eyelids e to close the sockets T. E E are
the two eye balls and are secured by cement or otherwise upon wires journaled
at F in the rocking frame B so that said eye balls rotate about vertically on
upright axes. These wires extend rearward in arms or levers G and are loosely
pivoted to the weight H so that the parts B H G act like a parallel ruler. If
the doll is tilted slightly to one side or the other, the weight H, by gravity, will
move to that side and the pupils of the eye balls will be moved in the other
direction or laterally so as to give the appearance of looking sidewise. The
weight may have its movement limited in any manner desired, but as shown I
have put felt pads h on the ends to prevent sound when it strikes the side of the
head. If desired pads or cork abutments such as M J may be employed for the
weight H to strike against as is self evident. In the particular construction
shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4 I prefer that the weight L shall be heavy and
weight H reasonably light so as to make the lateral movements of the eyes very
sensitive and quick acting as this permits them to respond to the very slightest
tilting of the head to the side.
If desired the arms G may have separate weights as at H¹ Fig. 3 so that the eyes
are wholly independent of their lateral movements. It will be observed that each
of the eye balls is independently movable about a vertical or upright axis, and
yet they are both bodily carried by the frame B and hence rock upon the same
transverse or horizontal axis, as when closing the lids. In Figs. 2, 3, and 4,
the upper portion of the eye balls are painted and waxed to represent the eye-
lids e and hence when turned over the sockets the appearance of closing the eyes
in sleep is secured just as perfectly as in the old constructions. It is evident
however that it is not at all necessary to make the eye lids on the eye balls or
to move upon the vertical axes as they may be made of thin sheet metal as at el
in Fig. 5 and movable with the rocking frame on its transverse axis; or they
may be formed as in Fig. 7 to be later described. It is preferable to make the
surface of the eye balls perfectly spherical so far as the front portions are con-
cerned and to make them fit singly without touching the cup plates of the
curved or ball shaped bearings C so that in their various movements no irregu-
larity of action or binding will result. By employing bearings C of large area,
considerable friction is secured, so that the eye lids will not descend under
ordinary movements of the doll when it is not intended to represent sleep; and
this also insures more durability where the sockets 1) are of plaster.
:
I would point out that, if desired, the weight H may be made heavier and
the weight L dispensed with, the arm K acting as a stop since the weight H
may be made to perform the duel function of moving the eyes both upon hori-
zontal and vertical axes, said movements being ordinarily required at different
times. If this is desired, it would be advisable to follow the construction shown
in Fig. 6 so as to reduce as far as possible the friction and permit greater
leverage and hence more sensitive action of the eye balls for lateral movement
of the pupils. In this construction the arms I and K' limit the rocking move-
ments of the frame B so as to hang down almost vertically. The arms G of the
eye balls are made short and are linked together and to the weighted arm P by
link R. By this means a great leverage may be had on arm P while a short
leverage is employed on arm G thus permitting a full movement of the eyes for a
small lateral movement of the weighted arm.
In the modification shown in Fig. 7 each of the eye balls E is supported
within a thin clear glass envelope E' covering the front part of the eye or pupil
and secured to the rocking frame B. The upper portion of this envelope E may
be colored and waxed to form the stationary eye lids which move with the rocking
frame. Of course it is evident that in this modification the sides of the glass
envelope E¹ will act as the bearings C and be journaled in the plaster sockets I)
as is ordinarily done. The lateral movements of the pupils will be seen through
the clear glass envelopes E¹.

page_text: While I prefer the constructions herein set out as excellently adapted to the
purpose of my invention from a practical standpoint, nevertheless I do not limit
myself to the details thereof as they may be modified in various ways without
departing from the spirit of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The improvements in automatic eye operating mechanism for dolls' heads
substantially as described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
2. The modified mechanism for operating the eye balls of a dolls head described
illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings.
3. The modified construction of eye balls and bearings described and illus-
trated in Fig. 7 of the drawings.
4. A doll's head combined with a frame supported within the head, eyes
pivoted upon independent vertical or upright axes in said frame so that the pupils
may move laterally in the sockets, and gravity controlled devices supported by the
frame for automatically causing said eyes to rotate or move upon said vertical
or upright axes and having connecting means between the two eyes whereby they
positively move in unison."
5. As a new article of manufacture a doll's head combined with universally
pivoted eyes, a common frame or support for the eyes independent of the head,
and gravity controlled devices for moving said eyes having their weight sup-
ported by the common frame.
6. The combination of a doll's head having eye sockets, a rocking frame jour-
naled in the head on a transverse axis, two independent eyes carried by said rock-
ing frame and having capacity for moving their pupils laterally, and gravity
actuated means for rocking said frame and moving the eyes bodily on the trans-
verse axis and also to cause the pupils thereof to move laterally in the sockets.
7. The combination of a doll's head having eye sockets, a gravity actuated
rocking frame journaled in the head so as to be movable on a transverse axis,
two independent eye balls journaled upon the rocking frame on upright axes,
inwardly extending arms or levers for rocking said eye balls, and gravity
actuated means for moving said arms or levers.
8. The combination of a doll's head having eye sockets, a gravity actuated
rocking frame journaled in the head so as to be movable on a transverse axis,
two independent eye balls journaled upon the rocking frame on upright axes,
inwardly extending arms or levers for rocking said eye balls, connecting means
between said arms or levers to make the eyes move in unison, and gravity
actuated means for moving said arms or levers.
9. A doll's head having eye sockets, combined with a rocking frame having at
each end outwardly curved or ball shaped pivots, two eye balls pivoted to the
rocking frame by upright bearings, bearings in the head for supporting the
curved or ball shaped pivots, and gravity actuated devices having their weight
carried by the rocking frame for moving the frame and the eye balls thereon
on their upright bearings.
10. A doll's head having eye sockets, combined with a rocking frame pivoted
to the head, two eye balls journaled upon the rocking frame upon upright axes,
stops to limit the movement of the rocking frame, and gravity actuated devices
sustained by the rocking frame for moving it and also the eye balls.
Dated this 14th day of September 1899.
RUDOLPH MELVILLE HUNTER,
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.