Flying Toy-bird.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 14th May, 1896--Accepted, 20th June, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Flying Toy-bird.
We, JOHN NESBIT of 107 McWhorter Street, in the City of Newark, State of
New Jersey, U.S.A., Mechanic, and ALBERT BEHREND, of 317 Decatur Street, in
the City of Brooklyn, State of New York, U.S.A., Merchant, do hereby declare
the nature of our invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The subject matter of this invention pertains to a novel form of toy to represent
the actions of a flying bird, adapted to move upon a string, and mechanism so
arranged to cause a flying motion of its wings, in passing from one end of the
string to the other, and when the end of the string is reached, causing a rotation of
the upper portion of the body of the toy-bird, whereby the bird can be made to
return in the opposite direction on the string, without its removal therefrom.
The invention therefore consists in the novel flying toy herein set forth, and also
in the details of construction and novel combinations of parts, such as will be
hereinafter fully described and finally embodied in the clauses of the claim.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which :-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of our novel toy, movably arranged on a string,
illustrating its flying operation in one direction; said view also indicating in dotted
outline the position of the toy-bird on its return movement on the string.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the parts of the toy-bird, and
Fig. 3 is a view of the upper portion of the casing or body of the toy-bird, with
the lower part of said body removed, both of said views illustrating one form of
operating mechanism to produce the natural flying motion of a bird.
Fig. 4 is a plan view of the lower body-portion of the said toy, with the upper
and rotatively arranged bird-portion detached; and
Fig. 5 is a bottom view of said upper bird-portion.
Fig. 6 is a cross section of the toy, taken on line x in Fig. 2.
Similar letters of reference are employed in each of the above described views,
to indicate corresponding parts.
Referring to the said drawings:-
A, designates the main frame or body of the toy, comprising therein two parts a
and a¹, said part a¹ being secured by means of screws 5, see Fig. 2, in the holes a
to said part a.
The upper part a of said body is hollow, forming a suitable
chamber a, beneath its closed top a', and is slotted as at a and aº, as will be seen
from Figs. 2 and 3.
Within said chamber a³, we have arranged the operating mechanism, which
consists, essentially, of a suitable pin or rod c on which is rotatively arranged,
between suitable sleeves or collars c', a wheel c³ having a circumferential groove c*
and any suitable number of pins or teeth c in one side thereof.
In the closed top at of the body-portion a, we have arranged a vertical pin g,
which projects above said top and also beneath the same into the chamber a³, as
clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. On the lower portion of said pin, we have fixed or
secured a horizontal disc c from which depend the circumferential teeth c which
are in operative engagement with said pins or teeth c on the one end of the said
wheel c
Said pin g is rotatively arranged in a perforation a' in said top a and is held in
place by a suitable cam-arm d fixed to said pin g, but also rotatively arranged on
the upper surface of said part a', as will be clearly seen from Fig. 4.

page_text: Upon said upper part of the frame or body portion a, is a bird-like portion or
top-piece e, made with a bird's head e', the wings e³, and a suitable tail, which
may be suitably painted or ornamented with feathers in perfect imitation of a
bird.
The central part of said portion e is left open, as at e³, and over the same, we
have arranged a narrow strip of sheet metal, or any other suitable material,
provided with a centrally arranged hole or perforation into which the upper end of
said pin g extends and is provided with a head g', for loosely arranging said pin in
said perforation and holding the said parts in their operative positions.
The said portion e is slightly cut away on its under side to form recesses
and e³, see Figs. 2 and 5, and forced through the material above said recesses and
extending into the same, are the two fingers or projecting ends 1 and 2 of said
strip f, formed at right angles, or approximately so, at the ends of the same,
substantially as shown.
Said stripfis provided on its opposite sides, directly above the opening e³ in the
part e, with perforated ears or eyes f, with which are pivotally connected certain
ears of the small metallic hinge-plates h, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, and to
which we have secured the wing-portions of the toy-bird. Each plate his
provided with a downwardly extending lip or projection 2, and said plates / are
held in their normal positions in the opening es of the part e, by a suitable elastic
band 3, or other suitable means, adapted to engage with said projections /³, as
will be clearly evident from an inspection of Figs. 2, 5 and 6.
When the bird-like portion e has been arranged in its operative position on the
closed top a of the body a, a lug or projection e' on said part e can be made to
slide in either of the curved grooves or slots a* and as in the upper surface of said
closed top, in the manner and for the purposes, as will be hereinafter fully
described.
Of course it will be evident, that we do not limit our invention to the exact
construction of the hinge-plates h, as they may be differently made, and the body a
and the lower part a¹ may be made in one piece, if desirable, being made of wood,
or cast in metal, it being necessary, however, that the lower part of the body is
made sufficiently heavy, that when the groove 4 in the wheel c³ is placed on the
string i, passing through the slots a and a, the toy will be evenly balanced,
representing a bird perched in position upon the string.
Now, when the end of the string is slightly raised, the toy will move in the
direction of the arrow "1," see Fig. 2, the wheel c³ turning in the direction of the
arrow "2," at the same time causing the rotation of the disc c and the cam-arm d,
which will move in the direction of the arrow "3" in Fig. 4, and as the end
portions of the cand are brought against the edges of said downwardly extending
or projections on the respective hinge-plate h, said plates will be slightly
moved on their hinge-joints and with it the wings e will receive a reciprocatory
motion, representing the flying of a bird.
As soon as the cam-arm d has operatively passed beneath the said lips or
projections ³, the elastic band 3 exerts sufficient pressure or tension upon said
plates to cause saia wings to return to their normally inoperative or resting
positions, as will be clearly understood.
All this time the lug or projection e' on the under side of the part e rests in
the slot or groove a* in the top a against the stop a³, whereby the bird-like
portion e is slightly held with its head extending forwardly, as clearly shown in
Fig. 2.
Now, suppose the toy has nearly reached the end of the string i. The operator
quickly raises the said end of the string and lowers its opposite end i'.
The result will be, that the wheel e will now be caused to rotate upon the
string in the direction of the arrow "5," causing the cam-arm d to move in
the direction of the arrow "6." As soon as the ends of said can-arm d come in
contact with the edges of said lips 2, there will be nothing to hinder the partial
rotation of the entire part e on its pin g, thereby turning its bird-like head in the

page_text: direction of the arrow "5," while the lug or projection e' moves from the groove
or slot a into the other groove or slot as in said top a', until it strikes the edge ato,
which acts as a stop, while the head points and the body A of the toy moves in
the direction of arrow "6," and the ends of the cam-arm come in sliding and
operative engagement with the said lips or projections h³ of the hinge-leaves to
cause the flying motions of the wings e*.
Of course it will be evident, that many changes may be made in the details of
the minor arrangements and combinations of parts without departing from the
scope of our invention, and hence we do not limit ourselves to the exact arrange-
ments and combinations of the parts herein shown; claiming broadly, as our
invention, first, a toy in the shape of a bird, movable upon a string, and mechanism
connected therewith for producing a flying motion of the wings of the toy-bird,
and secondly, the toy-bird movable in either direction upon a string and means for
rotating part of the body of the toy-bird to cause its head at all times to point in
the flying direction.
Our invention provides a simple mechanical toy for the amusement of children,
the construction and operation of the parts thereof being very life-like in all
particulars.
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. A mechanical toy, made to represent a bird, comprising a hollow body or
frame, a bird-like top thereon, having a pair of wings provided with hinge-plates,
having downwardly extending lips or projections 2, and means in said hollow body,
consisting essentially, of a wheel 3 having pins or teeth extending from one side
thereof, a toothed disc meshing with said wheel, and a cam arm d adapted to be
brought into operative engagement with said lips or projections 2 to produce a
flying motion of said wings, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. A mechanical toy, made to represent a bird, comprising a hollow body or
frame, and an upper bird-like portion e, having an opening e, a strip across said
opening, hinge-plates on said strip having downwardly extending lips or projec-
tions, wings secured to said hinge-plates, an elastic band connected with said
portion e and passed over said projections or lips h2, and means in said hollow body
adapted to engage with said lips or projections to produce a flying motion of said
wings, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
3. A mechanical toy, made to represent a bird, comprising a hollow body or
frame, and an upper bird-like portion e, having an opening e, a strip across said
opening, hinge-plates h on said strip having downwardly extending lips or projec-
tions, wings secured to said binge-plates, an elastic band connected with said
portion e and passed over said projections or lips 2, and means in said hollow body,
consisting, essentially, of a wheel e³ having pins or teeth extending from one side
thereof, a toothed disc meshing with said wheel, and a cam-arm d adapted to be
brought into operative engagement with said lips or projections 2² to produce a
flying motion of said wings, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
4. A mechanical toy, made to represent a bird, comprising a hollow body or
frame, a bird-like toy rotatively arranged on said body or frame, a pair of pivoted
wings on said top, and mechanism in said hollow body adapted to engage with said
wings to rotate said top and to produce a flying motion of the wings, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
5. A mechanical toy, made to represent a bird, comprising a hollow body or
frame, a bird-like top rotatively arranged on said body or frame, a pair of pivoted
wings on said top, having hinge-plates provided with downwardly extending lips or
projections, and means in said body or frame, adapted to engage with said lips
or projections to rotate said top and to produce a flying motion of the wings,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
6. A mechanical toy, made to represent a bird, comprising a hollow body or

page_text: frame, a bird-like top rotatively arranged on said body or frame, a pair of pivoted
wings on said top, having hinge-plates provided with downwardly extending lips or
projections, and means in said body or frame, consisting, essentially, of a wheel c
having pins or teeth extending on one side thereof, a toothed disc meshing with
said wheel and a cam-arm d adapted to be brought into operative contact with said
lips or projections h² to rotate said top and to produce a flying motion of the wings,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
7. A mechanical toy, made to represent a bird, comprising a hollow body or
frame, having a closed top and grooves a* and a forming stops, a bird-like top e
rotatively arranged on said body, having an opening e, and a lug or projection on
its under side adapted to fit into said grooves, a strip across said opening e³, hinge-
plates h on said strip having downwardly extending lips or projections h², wings
secured to said hinge-plates, and means in said hollow body, adapted to engage
with said projections or lips 2 to turn said bird-like top and produce a flying
motion of the wings, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
8. A mechanical toy, made to represent a bird, comprising a hollow body or
frame, having a closed top and grooves a* and a forming stops, a bird-like top e
rotatively arranged on said body, having an opening es, and a lug or projection on
its under side adapted to fit into said grooves, a strip across said opening e³, hinge-
plates on said strip having downwardly extending lips or projections ³, wings
secured to said hinge-plates, an elastic band connected with said bird-like top e and
passed over said projections or lips h², and means in said hollow body, consisting,
essentially, of a wheel ca having pins extending from one side thereof, a toothed
disc meshing with said pins, and a cam-arm d adapted to be brought into operative
engagement with said lips or projections 2 to rotate said bird-like tope and produce
a flying motion of the wings, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 14th do. of Mar. 1000
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97 Newgate Street, E.C., Agent for Applicants.
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97 Newgate Street, E.C., Agent for Applicants.