A NEW OR IMPROVED AUTOMATIC FIGURE OR TOY
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Garrett Tongue, of the Firm of Tongue and Birkbeck,
!
Patent Agents and Engineers, of 34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of. "A NEW OR IMPROVED
AUTOMATIC FIGURE OR TOY." A communication from abroad by Elie Martin;
of Paris, France.
Sealed the 8th February 1878, and dated the 16th August 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Garrett Tongue at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th August 1877.
JOHN GARRETT TONGUE, of the Firm of Tongue and Birkbeck, Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex. "A NEW OR IMPROVED AUTOMATIC FIGURE OR TOY." A communi-
cation from abroad by Elie Martin, of Paris, France.
This Invention relates to the application of mechanism to a figure or toy of simple
construction, consisting of a barrel or cylinder gearing into a pinion, one end of the
axis of which is formed into a handle; the working of the limbs or joints of the
automaton insure in a simple and convenient manner the regularity of the clockwork
mechanism, thereby dispensing with a regulator.
The clockwork mechanism is inclosed in a thin metal casing in order to protect
the same coming in contact with the water and fixed to the part A (as shown in the
Drawings annexed) and to a thin wooden board B, C, of suitable thickness, and carved
out in order to represent the outlines of a human body. The rod of the pinion
passes through this wooden board to the crank and handle D. Two small iron rods
E, E, are connected by one of their curved ends to the handle at the point F. The
two other ends are fixed to the two small brass tongues G, G, which support the
superior or upper limbs of the automaton.
When the apparatus is in motion the handle, by means of the connecting rods
E, E, imparts a to-and-fro motion to the two small moveable brass tongues round
the pivots or axes H, and thereby give motion to the superior or upper limbs; this
Prins & I

page_text: movement gives motion by means of two wires i, i, to the inferior or lower limbs,
soldered to two small moveable brass tongues g', g¹, round the pivots or axes h¹, h¹.
This mechanical arrangement of apparatus is of an Mi form. The two interior
legs are put in motion by the handle at their point of junction, and this movement
imparts motion to the two exterior legs which support the limbs of the automaton
at each of their ends (these limbs, by preference, being made of white wood).
At the two joints ; two small brass spiral springs k, k, are attached. When the
limbs go forward the springs are compressed, and when they go backward they are
distended; the object is to give more effect to this last movement, and thereby
impart to the automaton a sharp forward impulse.
The wrists and knees move in the direction shown by the arrows.
The pressure
of the water on the hands and the lower part of the legs is sufficient to impart
movements similar to a swimmer.
In order to prevent water entering into the clockwork mechanism through the
joints or through the pinion rod forming the handle, washers of india-rubber are
fixed inside and outside of these parts.
The head of the automaton is attached to the point B (the Drawings show the
back part of the automaton), and it may be brought forward or backward, and
thereby enable the automaton to swim either on its back or belly.
On the other side of the small wooden board, in the parts which are not filled by
the clockwork, two pieces of cork formed so as to represent the breast and stomach
of a man are attached in order to impart to it the appearance of the limbs. Another
piece of cork, having nearly the same outline as the wooden board, is formed so as
to represent the back, and is placed on the mechanical part without pressing or
touching the same.
The whole automaton apparatus is clothed in a swimming costume, either male or
female, and the front of the belt has a rosette which serves as a key to wind up the
mechanism..

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Garrett Tongue in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th
February 1878.
JOHN GARRETT TONGUE, of the Firm of Tongue and Birkbeck, Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex. "A. NEW OR IMPROVED AUTOMATIC FIGURE OR TOY." (A communi-
cation from abroad by Elie Martin, of Paris, France.)
This Invention relates to the application of mechanism to a figure or toy of simple
construction consisting of a barrel or cylinder, gearing into a pinion, one end of the
axis of which is formed into a handle; the working of the limbs or joints of the
automaton insure in a simple and convenient manner the regularity of the clockwork
mechanism, thereby dispensing with a regulator.
The clockwork mechanism is inclosed in a thin metal casing in order to protect
the same coming in contact with the water, and fixed to the part A (as shown in the
Drawing annexed) and to a thin wooden board B, C, of suitable thickness, and
carved out in order to represent the outlines of a human body. The rod of the
pinion passes through this wooden board to the crank and handle D. Two small
iron rods E, E, are connected by one of their curved ends to the handle at the point
F. The two other ends are fixed to the two small brass tongues G, G, which support
the superior or upper limbs of the automaton.
When the apparatus is in motion the handle, by means of the connecting rods
E, E, imparts a to-and-fro motion to the two small moveable brass tongues round
the pivots or axes H, and thereby give motion to the superior or upper limbs;
this movement gives motion by means of two wires i, i, to the inferior or lower
limbs soldered to two small moveable brass tongues g', g', round the pivots or
axes h¹, h¹.
This mechanical arrangement of apparatus is of an M form. The two interior
legs are put in motion by the handle at their point of junction, and this movement
imparts motion to the two exterior legs which support the limbs of the automaton
at each of their ends (these limbs, by preference, being made of white wood).
At the two points two small brass spiral springs k, k, are attached. When the
limbs go forward the springs are compressed, and when they go backward they are
distended; the object is to give more effect to this last movement, and thereby
impart to the automaton a sharp forward impulse.
The wrists and knees move in the direction shown by the arrows.
The pressure
of the water on the hands and the lower part of the legs is sufficient to impart
movements similar to a swimmer.
In order to prevent water entering into the clockwork mechanism through the
joints or through the pinion rod forming the handle, washers of india-rubber are
fixed inside and outside of these parts.
The head of the automaton is attached to the point B (the Drawings show the
back part of the automaton), and it may be brought forward or backward, and
thereby enable the automaton to swim either on its back or belly.
On the other side of the small wooden board, in the parts which are not filled
with the clock work, two pieces of cork formed so as to represent the breast and
stomach of a man are attached in order to impart to it the appearance of the limbs.
Another piece of cork, having nearly the same outline as the wooden board, is formed
so as to represent the back, and placed on the mechanical part without pressing
or touching the same.
The whole automaton apparatus is clothed in a swimming costume, either male or
female, and the 'front of the belt has a rosette which serves as a key to wind up the
mechanism.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of performing
or carrying the same into practice, what I claim under the above in part recited
Letters Patent on behalf of the said Elie Martin is, the new or improved arrange-

page_text: ment and construction of a swimming doll or toy, of which the articulated members
or limbs take the proper movements, as required in swimming, by means of automatic
mechanism arranged to act in the interior of the figure, substantially in the manner
herein-before described and represented in the Drawing hereto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Garrett Tongue, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
JOHN GARRETT TONGUE. (L.S.)