Mechanical Toy Head to be Used for a Game in which Counters, Coins, or other Articles are Projected into the Mouth.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Sept., 1894-Accepted, 19th Jan., 1895
Mechanical Toy Head to be Used for a Game in which Counters,
Coins, or other Articles are Projected into the Mouth.
I, WILLIAM DITCHBURN, of 57 Park Road, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Engineer,
(Apprentice) 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 :-
By my invention provide an apparatus for playing a game in which counters
are moved or jerked forward as in the games of "Tiddledywinks," "Wedding
Bells," "Flitterkins," and such like. Instead of counters, other articles such as
coins, peas, and the like may be used and impelled or thrown in any desired
manner. In my present invention the goal or receptacle for the counters or the
like, is the mouth of a figure which is capable of opening and closing. On the
accompanying drawings-
Fig. 1. shews a vertical section partly in elevation of my mechanical toy bead
and means for actuating same.
Fig. 2. shews a horizontal section partly in plan on line x-x Fig. 1.
Fig. 3. shews the internal mechanism of the head occupying a different position
to that shewn in Fig. 1.
Figs. 4 and 5 shew a side elevation and enlarged plan respectively of the main
spindle.
I will now proceed to describe the construction of my apparatus. Upon an
oblong box, framework or base A which may be of wood, secure a block or
pedestal F near to one end having a vertical cylindrical hole centrally or there-
abouts for receiving and supporting a spindle E which carries at its lower end a
horizontal fast pulley C receiving motion by means of belt C¹ from a pulley B
mounted in bearings at or near the opposite end of the box, frame or base A
a rotary motion being imparted thereto by means of crank and handle D. The
head may be made of papier maché, wood, or other convenient material and is
provided with a block R in which is a vertical hole for fitting loosely over the
upper cylindrical portion of spindle E so that the whole weight of the head is
capable of being borne by said spindle. The spindle E for a short distance E¹
immediately below the upper cylindrical portion is made square in section (or
other rectangular or equivalent shape), the thickness of the squared portion E¹
from one side to the opposite side being equal to the diameter of the cylindrical
portion so that the corners may project to form a shoulder S. The block R is
provided with a plate N having a square or rectangular or other equivalent shaped
hole, which just fits over the top of square portion E¹ of spindle E, when the latter
is supporting the head Q. The pedestal F is reduced in thickness at its upper end
as shewn by F¹ this portion entering the bottom of the head, which is hollow and
open, and supporting a crown cam wheel K held in place by and loosely surrounding
the spindle E. A collar rim, or disc P projects laterally from the pedestal F close
to the bottom of head Q for the purpose of taking the weight of the head when it
s not desired to rotate the same as described hereafter. Upon the bottom of
cam wheel K may be formed or attached a pin or the like T serving as a
top when in engagement with a small spindle G mounted vertically and loosely
n pedestal F. The loose ends of spindles G and E bear upon sliding blocks H¹
nd H respectively, having bevelled or wedge-shaped ends or portions h¹ h, and
apable of sliding upon the top and bottom of box (or upper and lower parts

page_text: of frame), being connected with their outer ends by a pin U passing through
a slot u¹ in the box and provided with head or button u² so that they may be
slid backwards or forwards by the hand for the purpose of throwing certain
parts of the mechanism in or out of gear.
The centre of the lower jaw i.e., the chin and lower lip of the head is made in a
detached piece and pivotted at a point near the back of the head so as to be
capable of moving up and down as in the well known type of figures used for
ventriloquial entertainments.
In or upon the back of the head Q I fix a metal plate V its two ends V1 Vi
projecting inwardly and having holes through which is passed a pin W (through a
hole
in the head) serving as a fulcrum upon which the two parallel arms of a
bent lever L are pivotted, the front portion L' of said bent lever having mounted
upon it the movable portion of the lower jaw, the stationary portion / forming
a guide.
Upon one (or both) of the arms L is pivotted a small roller X so placed that it
may rest or roll upon the edge of the crown cam wheel K. The lower cylindrical
portion of spindle E is of a thickness equal to the diametric measurement of
squared portion E¹ so as to form a shoulder S₁ upon which may rest a cam
driver M, the latter being a hollow block with small cranked arm m.
When the button U2 is in its forward position the spindles E and G bear upon
the tops of the sliding blocks H and H¹ respectively. When the button is drawn
back a little way, the small spindle G slides down the inclined plane h¹, under
action of elastic band or spring g and rests upon the top of box or frame A, the
length of the sliding blocks being so arranged that the spindle E does not commence
to slide down the inclined plane until the button U2 is pulled still further back.
On pushing the button forward again, the spindles E and G will be raised to their
original positions upon the tops of blocks H and H. The wedge-shaped or
bevelled blocks H and H' may be arranged to slide independently of one another
if preferred.
The mechanical head may be worked in three different ways according to the
position of the button U2:
1. The head may revolve upon its centre while the mouth is opening and
closing.
2. The head may revolve on its centre while the mouth remains open all the
time.
3. The head may remain stationary while the mouth is opening and closing.
Figure 1 illustrates the first of these arrangements in which both spindles being
up, the head revolves while the mouth is opening and closing, on turning the
handle D the pulley C and spindle E revolve and the square portion E¹ of the
latter engaging in a corresponding hole in the plate N attached to the block R
causes the head to rotate, the cranked arm m of cam driver M just escaping the
teeth k of the crown cam wheel K which is prevented from turning by reason of
stop T engaging with spindle G. The roller X upon jaw lever L will thus ride
upon or over the teeth k of the stationary cam wheel causing the mouth of the
figure to open and shut as many times in one revolution as there are teeth in the
cam wheel K.
The players to any convenient number (but by preference not more than the
number of cam teeth) take up such positions at a table that the mouth will be
open when facing such position during its revolution and each player in turn will
To cause
endeavour to project a counter or equivalent into the open mouth.
further amusement, the pedestal F may be mounted upon the box or frame by
screws passing through segmental slots so that on giving it a slight turn the
position at which the mouth will open during rotation may be changed and the
mouth found to be shut when opposite to the players.
The second arrangement is brought about by pulling the button U2 back to its
middle position, when the spindle G will be down and the spindle E up.
It will
be understood that when the roller X has fallen to the bottom of one of the teeth k

page_text: it will carry the cam wheel round with it instead of riding up the inclined planes
of the teeth k, or if the head be rotated in the opposite direction the roller X will
bear against the vertical sides of the teeth k and there will be no tendency for
the mouth to close.
3. The third arrangement in which the head remains stationary while the mouth
moves is shown in Fig. 3, the wedges H and H¹ being withdrawn and both spindles
being down, so that the head Q now rests upon the collar P and the top end of
squared portion E¹ of spindle E is out of engagement with plate n, but crank m of
driver M has descended so as to be capable of driving the cam wheel K by bearing
against the vertical sides of teeth when spindle E is rotated. The distance
through which the spindle E has fallen is equal to the distance between bottom of
head Q and collar P together with space at top of spindle E. The rotation of
cam wheel K by driver M when handle D is turned causes the roller X to ride
over the edges of the teeth k and give to the mouth an opening and shutting
motion. In this method of playing each of the players (of whom there may be
any number) would play one or all of his counters or equivalent before giving place
to another player, when the head could be turned round by hand to face each player
in turn.
I may modify many of the details of the mechanical head and use any other
suitable means for operating the same without departing from the spirit of my
invention.
At the conclusion of the game, the counters or the like, of various colours
belonging to different players may be collected from the top of collar, by removing
the head and thus it will be found which player has been the most successful.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The mechanical toy head with opening and closing mouth for use as a
game in which counters, coins, or other articles are projected into the mouth
substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
2. The combination of a mechanical head Q mounted upon a spindle E with
lever L carrying jaw capable of moving up and down by means of a roller ✗
passing over teeth K of crown cam wheel K when either the head or cam is rotated
and bevelled sliding blocks H and H¹ for putting various parts in and out of gear
as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth and as illustrated by the accom-
panying drawings.
3. For giving motion to a mechanical toy head such as mentioned in Claim 1,
the spindle E having squared or other rectangular shaped portion E¹ for the
purpose of rotating the head by means of plate N or for the purpose of moving
the lower jaw by means of driver M and cam wheel K substantially as
hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of September 1894.
HUGHES & YOUNG,
12, Basinghall Street, London, E.C., Agents.