AN IMPROVED TOY OR PLAYTHING FOR CHILDREN
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Rudolph Bodmer, of 2, Thavies Inn, Holborn, in
the City of London, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED TOY OR PLAYTHING
FOR CHILDREN."-A communication from Charles Thévenot, of Paris, in
T
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Rudolph Bodmer at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 23rd
October 1858.
I, RUDOLPH BODMER, of 2, Thavies Inn, Holborn, in tho City of London, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED TOY OR
PLAYTHING FOR CHILDREN," (a communication from Charles Thévenot, of Paris,
in the Empire of France,) to be as follows:-
Hitherto puppets have been made to perform movements resembling the
steps of certain dances, by placing them on a plate or on a square of glass, the
under side of which it is necessary to strike with the fingers in order to
produce the required vibration. This exertion being calculated to detract from
the amusement which the contrivance is intended to afford as a plaything, it
has been improved upon by affixing a box containing a series of keys to the
surface upon which the puppets are to perform, and these keys on being
touched are made to act upon the surface by means of minute hammers,
somewhat similar to those of a piano. By these means the desired effect

page_text: would no doubt be produced with less effort, but owing to the disagreeable
noise produced by the striking of the hammers, the plaything did not meet
with any great success.
Now, this Invention consists in certain arrangements by means of which
puppets are made to move about, or rather to dance without any effort on the
part of the spectator. The puppets are suspended by four, six, or any other
convenient lengths of white horsehair, each somewhat exceeding the length of
the moveable legs of the puppet, in such a manner that their legs come in
contact with a vibrating surface. The puppets' legs are thus easily set in
motion, and can be made to describe various curves in imitation of the step
of the waiz or the polka. This apparatus unites, therefore, all the advantages
which are desirable in a article of this kind.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Rudolph Bodmer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd April 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RUDOLPH
BODMER, of 2, Thavies Inn, Holborn, in the City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Rudolph Bodmer, Her special licence that I, tho said Rudolph
Bodmer, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Rudolph Bodmer, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED TOY
OR PLAYTHING FOR CHILDREN," (a communication from Charles Thévenot, of
Paris, in the Empire of France,) upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Rudolph Bodmer, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Rudolph Bodmer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to a certain improved mechanical toy or plaything
whereby puppets are made to move about, or to dance; and it consists in the
puppets being supported by or suspended from three or any convenient
number of lengths of white horsehair or bristle, each somewhat exceeding the
length of the moveable legs of the puppet, and placed on an elastic surface or
platform, to which a vibrating movement is imparted by a simple mechanism,
put into action by hand or by clockwork. The puppets are thus casily set in
motion, and made to describe various curves and steps in imitation of the walz
or polka.
In order that this Invention may be clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will now proceed to describe the same, reference being
had to the annexed Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and Figures
marked thereon; the same letters of reference denoting the same or similar
parts.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation, and Fig. 2 a ground plan of one of these
improved toys or playthings. It will be seen that the apparatus consists of a
drum or cylinder of wood, cardboard, or metal A, inserted in a bottom plato
of wood or metal B, which latter is supported by three adjustable feet or
knobs C, by means of which the apparatus can be placed in a perfectly
horizontal position. The cylinder or drum A is fitted at its upper end with a
rim or crown of wood or metal D, over the lower extremity of which a sheet E
of caoutchouc or other elastic material is stretched, upon which again is spread
a piece of glazed paper; and this sheet of caoutchouc is fixed to the border of
the crown D by means of twine. Inside the drum A, and close to the crown
D, pieces of gut or other elastic thread F are stretched, from the cir-
cumference towards the centre (see Fig. 2), the ends near the centre being
attached by means of small bolts, hoops, or hooks to the wooden disc G, whilst
the outer ends are similarly fixed to the drum A. Each of these elastic
threads or guts carries a pair of cork washers H, which are just large enough
to touch the clastic surface E, whilst a cork plug G¹ inserted at the top of the
disc G touches it in the centre. A shaft I extends from the circumference of
the drum A towards and beyond its centre, being supported at the inner end
by a piece of wood K (see Fig. 2) stretching across the drum, whilst the other
end projects beyond the side of the drum, and is furnished with a handle I'.
This shaft I is fitted with a collar I', in which are inserted, in a direction

page_text: parallel to the axis, a number of quill ends I, the latter being intended to act
as a kind of excentrics upon the pivot G2 (see Fig. 1). It will be readily
understood, that on turning the shaft I round by means of its handle, the quill
ends 13 will, during their rotation, at intervals touch the pivot G2, and cause
it to rise and fall rapidly, thus imparting to the elastic sheet E a vibrating
motion through the cork washers H. The puppets, which are placed upon
this elastic sheet E, by means of short pieces of white horsehair or bristle 1,
leaving their legs at liberty (as shown in Fig. 3), will thus be set in motion,
and by attaching them to each other in pairs, the vibration will cause them to
describe certain curves and steps, not unlike the walz or the polka. About
the middle of the length of the shaft I (see Figs. 1 & 2), another series of
quill ends I is attached to it, which, in their rotation, touch the small wire
cords stretched and extended along the board M, and thus produce a
metallic sound, which is intended to represent the music by which dancing
is generally accompanied, thereby imparting to the article its peculiar
characteristic.
In higher priced playthings of this description, a musical box or apparatus
N, similar to those with which snuff boxes are fitted, and capable of playing
one or more airs or tunes is substituted for this conventional music.
Fig. 8 represents in vertical section, and Fig. 4 in ground plan, a larger
apparatus of the same kind, actuated by a very simple piece of clock work,
which can be wound up by a key fitted to the arbor O of the spring
barrel P. This mechanism, by means of the intervening toothed wheels and
pinions, sets in motion the disc Q, which is furnished with metal pins Q', the
latter acting upon the pivot G³, and producing the vibrating motion of the
elastic sheet or surface E, in a similar manner as described with reference to
the foregoing Figures. In Fig. 5 the pieces of gut or elastic thread, and the
cork washers, which have been previously described, are replaced by a simple
lever R, whose fulcrum is fixed to the sides of the box which contains the
actuating mechanism. The lower end of this lever, it will be seen, forms a
click R', which takes into the teeth of the toothed wheel S, whilst the upper
end extends to and touches the centre of the elastic sheet or surface E, and
terminates in a adjustable button or knob R. Now, when the mechanism
is in action, the lever R has a rapid though very slight reciprocating motion
imparted to it by the ratchet wheel S, and therefore causes the elastic sheet or
surface E to vibrate accordingly, thereby setting in motion the puppets which
are placed upon it; the regularity of the vibrations of the lever being main-
tained by two springs T & U, placed over and upon the face thereof.
Fig. 6 shows a similar arrangement applied to apparatus intended to be set

page_text: in motion by hand. In this instance the lever R is hinged to a piece of wood
or metal V placed across the drum or cylinder A; the lower end R' of this
lever receives its vibrating motion by means of the ratchet wheel S, upon the
driving shaft to which the handle S' is attached; whilst the upper end of the
lever transmits, as in the former case, this vibratory motion to the elastic
surface E, and thereby to the puppets themselves.
Having now described the nature of this Invention, and the manner in
which the same may be carried into effect, I wish it to be understood that
what I claim as the Invention intended to be secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
Firstly, the arrangement and combination of parts shown and described
with reference to the annexed Sheet of Drawings, as consituting a toy or
plaything by which puppets are set in motion and made to describe various
curves and figures resembling the steps of dances.
And, secondly, the combining musical instruments with such toys and
playthings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Rudolph Bodmer, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
RUDOLPH BODMER. (L.s.)