Improvements in and relating to Mechanical Toys.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 30th July, 1895-Accepted, 31st Aug.. 1895..
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Mechanical Toys.
We, HENRY WILLIAM HARRISON, Machinist, and LE ROI BRADLEY
WADLEIGH, Manufacturer, residing respectively at 676 Tenth Avenue, and
542 Fifth Avenue, in the Town and County of Clinton and State of Iowa, one of
the United States of America, 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:—
Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a mechanical toy embodying, our
invention taken on the line x-x, Figure 2.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal transverse section of the same, taken on the line y-y.
Figure 1.
Figures 3, 4, and 5 represent, respectively, the several detached sections of the
toy the body and two sections composing the head.
Figure 6 is a reduced view, showing the manner of attaching the cord on which
the figure is strung-or the operating cord-to the rod.
Like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur.
Our invention relates to the construction of that class of mechanical figure toys
which are composed of a series of flexible sections or joints to which automatic
movement is to be imparted to simulate the natural movements of the figure; and,
for purposes of illustration only, we have chosen a fish, without any intention of
limiting the invention to said figure, as it will be apparent that the principle as
well as the special features of construction may, without further invention, be
applied to many other forms of like character.
To this end the main feature of our invention embraces the combination of a
plurality of levers pivotally connected in series, said pivots being in substantially
a right line when the levers are extended, of a plurality of tie-rods, which cross
the intermediate levers and are pivotally connected with the alternate levers of
the series, one of said tie-rods being anchored or connected with a fixed point,
whereby the series of levers are caused to vibrate alternately to opposite sides of a
median line.
A second feature of our invention embraces the combination with a plurality of
levers pivotally connected in series, said pivot points being in substantially a right
line when the levers are extended, of a plurality of tie-rods which cross the levers
and are pivotally connected with the alternate levers, one of said tie-rods being
anchored, and a sheath having a rigid section for the support and attachment of the
mechanical movement and a flexible portion which encases and is vibrated by the
mechanical movement, whereby the natural movements of a figure toy may be
simulated.
A third feature of our invention embraces the combination in a figure sheath of
longitudinally separable rigid sections adapted to support and anchor the operative
mechanism, and a transversely separable flexible section adapted to enclose the
mechanism and secure together the longitudinally separable sections of the case,
whereby the insertion, renioval, and repair of the movement is facilitated.
There are other minor features of invention, all as will hereinafter more fully
appear.
We will now proceed to describe our invention more fully so that others skilled
in the art to which it appertains may apply the same.
In the drawings the sheath, or toy figure; (in the present instance a fish)' is

page_text: composed of several separable sections A, A, B, one of which (A) should be
sufficiently rigid to afford support for the mechanical movement which is to actuate
the figure, and another (B) should be of a flexible character so as to be swayed or
vibrated by said mechanical movement.
By preference the longitudinally separable sections A A' (the head and part of the
body of the fish) are both rigid, and provided with interlocking joints a a¹ (which
may be located at the ventral and dorsal fins) and said parts may be formed of
hard rubber, papier-mache, or stamped up from light sheet metal if preferred.
The transversely separable or flexible section B (a portion of the body and the
tail) is composed of a series of taper rings or equivalent loose transverse sections b
articulated as at ', terminating at one end in a ring or collar B' adapted to
encircle and securely hold the longitudinally separable sections A A', and at the
other in a tail, and said part may be of hard rubber, papier-mache or sheet metal,
but is preferably of soft rubber, paper, leather, or equivalent pliable material,.
better adapted to sustain the wear of frequent vibration.
Within and concealed by the figure or sheath is the mechanical movement, the
principal features of which are a series of levers 1, 2, 3,-two or more in number
according to the extent of movement required and the length of the figure-the
first of which levers is pivoted as at 1" on a fixed bracket or support C secured to
the rigid section A, and the second lever pivoted on the first as at 2", the third on
the second, as at 3" and so on according to the number of levers which are to be
linked in succession, the said series of pivotal connections 1ª 2ª &c., being in
substantially a right line when the series of levers are extended. The second
lever 2 is tied to the bracket C or other fixed point off of the pivot or fulcrum 1ª of
lever 1 by a tie rod 4, and the third lever 3 is similarly tied to the first lever 1 by
a tie-rod 5. The rods 4 and 5 which cross the levers 1 and 2 are pivotally
connected with the bracket and with alternate levers, the tic-rods being so pro-
portioned and arranged with relation to such levers (see Figure 2) that each lever
after the first has a floating fulcrum" (4ª 5º) which is in line (transversely of the
figure, see dotted line - Figure 2) with the pivotal connection of the respective
lever, only when the several levers are extended in a right line. It will be noted
that the tie-rods 4 and 5 cross the levers 1 and 2, and consequently the movement
of the first lever is magnified in the second and that of the second in the third, and
the movement as a whole is alternately to opposite sides of the median line, thus
acquiring a curling or more natural movement in a fish or like figure than can be
obtained by the single or simple lever or link movement.
66
Motion may be imparted to the first lever 1 in any suitable manner, but we
prefer to accomplish it by means of a pitman 6 eccentrically connected with a
grooved pulley 7 suitably journaled on the longitudinally separable section A,
around which pulley passes a cord 8 movable through guides 9, the mouth or other
natural opening of the figure affording entrance and exit for the cord, and the
opposite ends of the cord being secured to the distant points of a suitable rod,
sufficient slack being allowed in the cord for the free movement or traverse of the
grooved pulley 7.
The construction being substantially of the character hereinbefore specified,
the parts of the figure are assembled as follows: The cord 8 is first passed
through the guides 9 and around the pulley 7 (journaled on longitudinal
section A) its free ends being conducted from a natural opening in the figure
(mouth of the fish) and secured to a rod at distant points thereon with sufficient
slack between to allow for the play of the figure and the free rotation of pulley 7.
The counterpart longitudinal section A' is then slid in position on the section A,
the parts being held together by the interlocking parts a a', after which the
sleeve or flexible sheath section B is slipped over the extended lever move-
iment 1, 2, &c., and the ring or collar B₁ forced over and caused to encircle the
laterally separable sections A A¹ thus binding together the several sections which
compose the figure.
Now, if the pulley 7 be rotated by means of the cord 8 (by alternately elevating

page_text: and depressing the opposite ends of the rod, if a rod be used) the first lever or
lever 1, will be vibrated by pitman 6 carrying with it levers 2 and 3, and as each
succeeding lever (no matter how many there may be) is tied at a point off its pivot
(or in other words has a floating fulcrum) each of said subsequent levers will not
only move with, but also independently of, the preceding lever, first to one side and
then to the other side of the median line, thus magnifying the movement and
causing a curling movement to the flexible sheath B, (see dotted lines Figure 2) so
that in case of a fish or like figure an exceedingly natural movement of the flexible
body is obtained.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim, is :-
1. In a mechanical toy, the combination with a plurality of levers pivotally
connected in series, said pivots being in substantially a right line when the levers
are extended, of a plurality of tie-rods which cross the intermediate levers and are
pivotally connected with alternate levers of the series, one of said tie-rods being
anchored; substantially as and for the purposes specified.
2. The combination of a plurality of levers pivotally connected in series, said
pivots being in line when the levers are extended, a plurality of tie-rods which
cross the levers, and one of which is pivotally connected with alternate levers, a
case which encloses the tie-rods and levers, the first of said levers and first of said
tie-rods being pivotally anchored to said case, and means for vibrating the first of
said levers; substantially as and for the purposes specified.
3. In a mechanical toy, the combination with a figure sheath having a rigid and
a flexible section, of a plurality of levers pivotally connected in series, the first
lever of said series pivoted on the rigid section of the sheath, and the said series
of levers extending into the flexible portion of said sheath, and a plurality of tie-
rods which cross the intermediate levers and are pivotally connected with alternate
levers of the series and with the rigid section of the sheath; substantially as and
for the purposes specified.
4. In a mechanical toy, the combination with a figure sheath having a rigid and
a flexible section, of a plurality of levers pivotally connected in series, the first of
said levers pivoted on the rigid section of the sheath, a plurality of tie-rods which
cross the levers and are pivotally connected with alternate levers of the series and
with the rigid section of the sheath, a pulley journaled on the rigid section of the
sheath, and a pitman eccentrically connected with the pulley and with the first
lever of the series; substantially as and for the purposes specified.
5. A sheath for mechanical toys, said sheath composed of longitudinally
separable rigid sections which afford support for the mechanical movement, and a
flexible transversely separable section adapted to enclose the mechanical movement
and provided with a collar or ring which encircles the longitudinally separable
sections; substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 30th day.ĈIÀ
100
JENSEN & SON,
77 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.