An Improved Toy.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 29th May, 1889-Accepted, 29th June, 1889
An Improved Toy.
I JOSEPH HENRY DA FONSECA of 51 Show Road, Heaton Moor near Stockport in
the County of Lancaster Designer 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 consists in a toy in which figures representing human beings, animals,
birds or other objects are caused to move by vibrations produced by musical or other
sounds.
I provide a surface capable of being caused to vibrate by musical or other sounds,
upon which surface I place figures representing human beings, animals, birds or other
objects I then place the surface above mentioned in contact with or near to a
pianoforte or other musical instrument or other apparatus or appliance for producing
sounds. When sounds are caused to be produced by the pianoforte or other musical
instrument or apparatus or appliance the said surface will be caused to vibrate and
cause the figures placed thereon to move.
In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a plan and Fig. 2 an elevation illustrating
a method of carrying my invention into effect.
A is a frame formed preferably of wood. The portions a, a, a, a forming the sides
of the frame A are at the angles a¹ connected together by mortices, the portions of
each of which are capable of being moved upon each other. I secure to the upper
edge of the frame A by glue or other suitable cement or other convenient means a
thin elastic surface 6 formed of indiarubber, parchment, membrane, paper or other
suitable material. In order to give to the material forming the surface b the necessary
degree of tension I insert wedges e into the angles a¹ of the frame A. By the wedges c
being moved nearer to or farther from the centre of the frame A the desired degree
of tension may be imparted to the material forming the surface b. At B are shown
two of the figures which I employ, the figures shown at B representing a lady and
gentleman dancing and at C are shown two other figures which may be employed, the
figures shown at C representing a man driving a pig. The figures which I employ I
make of paper or other suitable material which is light and I form such figures so that
they will stand upright or in any other desired position. In order that the figures
which I employ may move freely upon the surface 6 I coat the feet of such figures
with sealing wax or other suitable material by which a hard smooth surface may be
caused to be formed upon the feet of the said figures or I attach to the feet of the
said figures beads or knobs of glass or other parts having hard and smooth surfaces.
When the frame A with figures such as those shown at B and C placed upon the
surface is placed in contact with or near to a pianoforte or other musical instrument
or other apparatus or appliance by which sounds are produced, the said figures will by
the musical or other sounds be caused to move about upon the surface b in a manner
suggestive in some cases of dancing. To the sides a, a, a, a of the frame A I secure
a railing which retains the figures employed upon the surface b.
In some cases I secure to the frame A, holders e to receive candles which serve to
illuminate the surface b and the figures placed thereon.
Instead of the wedges c, screws each passing through one of the sides a of the
frame A and abutting against a part of or upon another of the said sides a of the
frame A may be employed or the wedges c may be made in the form of taper screws
as indicated in Fig. 3. By the said screws or the wedges formed as taper-screws being
turned the desired degree of tension may be imparted to the surface b.
Although I have shown the frame A as being square in form I would have it under-
stood that such frame may be made triangular or polygonal in form or may be made
circular. In cases in which the frame A is made circular it is necessary that the

page_text: surface b should be strained in a manner similar to that in which the "head" or
of a "drum" is strained.
"
skin
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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 :-
The toy hereinhefore described which consists of a surface adapted to be vibrated
by sounds produced by a musical instrument or other apparatus or appliance producing
sounds and of figures of human beings, animals, birds or other objects, adapted to
stand upon the said surface and to be moved about upon such surface by the vibrations
of the said surface.
Dated this Twenty-eighth day of May 1889