Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Nov., 1886.
Complete Left, 25th Feb., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 7th Apr., 1887.
I, GEORGE WINSOR COURTIER, 3 Summerfield Terrace, Lower Bronshill Road,
Torquay, in the County of Devon, Builder do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention is a simple contrivance for effecting in a toy animal movements similar
to the natural movements of the members of the body.
To carry out my purpose, I construct the mechanism in the following manner,
taking as an example an arrangement for moving the legs, but which with slight
modifications may be employed for moving the other members.
The animal is supported on a wheeled frame. One broad wheel alone is employed
at the rear or front of the frame. The animal is supported by fixed rods, the legs not
touching the frame. A cord is drawn round the broad wheel and also passes over a
wheel placed within or close to the animal. This wheel is furnished with cogs, or
cams, which go right across the periphery of the wheel, or partially across,
according to the nature of the movement to be imitated. The leg is constructed in
two portions, the hoof and lower part being loosely pivotted on to the upper part. The
upper part is in the form of a bent lever with a fulcrum at a convenient place.
As the frame is pushed along the movement of the broad wheel causes the other
wheel to revolve, and the cams or cogs strike an arm of the bent lever and cause the
legs to move.
The position of the cams or cogs on the wheel varies according to the nature of the
movement to be imitated.

page_text: A Toy Animal in which the Natural Movements of the Members of
the Body are Imitated.
I, GEORGE WINSOR COURTIER, formerly of 3 Summerfield Terrace, Lower Bronshill
Road, Torquay, in the County of Devon, now of 25 Caxton Road, Wimbledon,
London, S.W., Builder 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 is a simple contrivance for effecting in a toy animal movements
similar to the natural movements of the members of the body.
To carry out my purpose I construct the mechanism in the following manner, taking
as an example an arrangement for moving the legs, but which with slight modifications
may be employed for moving other members.
The animal is supported on a wheeled frame. One broad wheel is employed alone
at the rear or front of the frame, and one or more wheels in other parts of the frame
together with the broad wheel support the frame. The animal is supported by a fixed
rod or rods attached to the frame, the legs of the animal not necessarily touching the
frame. A cord passes over the broad wheel and over another wheel placed within or
close to the animal. This latter wheel is divided into two parts circumferentially by a
groove in which groove the cord works. Pegs are inserted into the periphery of the
grooved wheel, the positions of which pegs vary with the nature of the movement to
he imitated. The fore log is made in two portions, the lower leg being loosely pivotted
on to the upper part of the leg. The upper part is in the form of a bent lever moving
on a fulcrum placed in a convenient position. The hind leg is similarly constructed
except that it is all in one piece.
As the frame moves along the action of the cord passing over the broad wheel
causes the grooved wheel to turn and the pegs in their revolution strike the bent
levers and cause the legs to move.
If trotting is to be imitated, one peg is placed on the near side and another peg is
placed on the off side of the grooved wheel, diametrically opposite to each other, so
that as the wheel revolves, the near hind leg and the off fore leg are moved together,
and when the wheel has made a semi-revolution the off hind leg and the near fore leg
are lifted together. If galloping is to be imitated two pegs are placed on the two
halves of the periphery contiguous to each other, and two others similarly but
diametrically opposite. It follows that as the wheel revolves all the legs are
simultaneously moved at every semi-revolution.
To show more clearly how my invention is carried into effect, I furnish drawings
in which similar letters represent corresponding parts throughout.
Fig. 1 is a view of the animal, the moving apparatus and the frame. The parts
within the figure are represented by dotted lines.

page_text: Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the grooved wheel and contiguous portions of the
imbs. In this figure the pegs are so placed as to produce an imitation of galloping.
Fig. 3 is a similar view but with the pegs arranged so as to produce an imitation of
rotting.
Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the grooved wheel and contiguous portions of the
imbs. In this figure the pegs are so placed as to produce an imitation of galloping.
Fig. 3 is a similar view but with the pegs arranged so as to produce an imitation of
rotting.
A is the broad wheel in the frame.
B is the grooved wheel.
C is the cord passing over A and B.
D is the groove dividing the wheel B into two parts circumferentially.
D¹ is the near half of the periphery.
D is the off half of the periphery.
E, E are the pegs to strike.
F, F the arms of the bent levers belonging to the members to be moved.
G is the hind leg.
H is the upper fore leg.
J is the lower fore leg.
K is the fulcrum on which the bent lever moves.
Lis a rod supporting the animal.
M is the frame.
N, N, are ordinary wheels.
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 :
1st. The apparatus shown in the Figures 1, 2, 3, and lettered A, B, C, D, D¹, D¹,
E, F.
2nd. A toy animal in which the members of the body can be moved substantially
as described.
Dated this 25th day of February 1887.
W. H. MUNNS,
Agent for the Applicant.