AN IMPROVED TOY
Year: 1885

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I, GEORGE GATTON MELHUISH HARDINGHAM, of 191 Fleet Street, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature, of the said invention for "AN IMPROVED TOY (a communication from
Johann Nicol Lützelberger, of Sonneberg, Thüringen, in the Empire of Germany,
Manufacturer,) and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
An improved toy constructed according to this invention consists of a hollow ball
composed of caoutchouc or other suitable flexible material and having an orifice in
which is inserted an instrument constructed on the reed, or vibrating tongue,
principle for producing musical sounds as air is caused to pass into or out of the
ball. The external extremity of the sounding instrument is fitted with a cover
by means of which the passage through the said device may be closed and
the escape of air from the interior of the ball prevented. When the cover is raised
or opened, the ball may be compressed. and air forced out through the reed
instrument, a musical sound being thereupon produced. A similar result ensues on
the ball recovering its normal shape and drawing air in through the reed instrument.
Or the cover may be closed and the outlet sealed against the escape of air from the
interior of the ball; whereupon the article becomes adapted for use as an ordinary
toy ball, possessing the usual elasticity, the enclosed air being confined.
And in order that this invention may be fully understood, I will now proceed
more particularly to describe the same with the aid of the accompanying drawings;
of which Fig: 1 is a sectional view, and Fig: 2 a section to an enlarged scale of the
sound-producing apparatus or reed instrument, as also of the sealing device or
cover.
With reference to Fig 1, A is a hollow body formed of caoutchouc, or other
suitable flexible material, and nearly spherical in shape. Through an orifice therein
is introduced an instrument B for producing musical sounds. The inner end of
this instrument is open to the interior of the ball A, whilst the outer end is
provided with a removable cover C. As shewn in Fig: 2, the sounding instrument
consists of a reed-box b containing a plate b¹ formed with apertures which are fitted
with vibrating tongues 62. The outer extremity or neck 63 of the reed-box is

page_text: furnished with a collar 64, between which and a shoulder on the reed-box a circular
recess is formed for the reception of the edge of the material surrounding the
opening in the hollow ball. The joint at this part may be made firm and rendered
air-tight with the aid of cement of any kind usually employed for such purposes.
The collar 6 also serves for mounting the hinged lid or cover C. For economy of
manufacture, the collar b₁ is stamped from thin sheet metal and has three wings;
two of which are bent upwards and form lugs, whilst the third and longer one is
bent nearly double and forms a spring. The construction hereof will be clearly
understood on reference to the part plan Fig: 2a; where are the lugs and be the
spring. The cover C may be composed of caoutchouc, through the main body of
which a plate e passes; the latter being employed as means for mounting the said
cover, as shewn in Fig: 2. The plate c is also, by preference, stamped from thin sheet
metal, and is formed with two lateral projections by means of which the said plate
is mounted in the lugs 65, above referred to as formed on the collar 6. The plate c
is also prolonged beyond the centre on which it is pivotted the extension forming
a tang c¹ for engaging with the before mentioned spring be. The tang c¹ in con-
junction with the spring 66 operate to hold the cover C either open or closed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the' said
invention, as communication to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is
1. The device adapted for use either as an elastic ball or as a musical toy, and
consisting of a hollow collapsible body provided with reed instrument for generating
musical sounds and fitted with means for optionally closing the passage through the
said instrument and preventing the escape of air from the ball, substantially as
described.
2. As means for converting a hollow flexible bodied ball into a musical toy, the
reed-box with hinged cover or other sealing device; the latter being applicable for
confining air within, and thereby restoring the original elasticity of, the ball.
Dated this lat dor of To100K