Improved Mechanism for Actuating Mechanical Toys.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Jan., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 5th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 2nd Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Mechanism for Actuating Mechanical Toys.
I GEORGE COLE of the firm of George Cole and Company of 314 Spital Square
in the City of London Manufacturers do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows :―
This invention relates to improved mechanism for actuating mechanical toys in
which I transmit motion by means of a lever or levers whose lower ends rest upon
or are brought into contact with a revolving top or disc. Such levers being pivotted
or hinged to the framework of the toy their upper ends are brought into contact
with or secured to some working part of the toy for the purpose of actuating same.
On the table or surface of the top or disc are suitable projections or cavities with
which the said levers constructed and weighted for the purpose are brought into
contact in order to transmit various kinds of movements to the toy as required.
Cranks and gearing wheels may be used in connection with the levers by which
means this improved mechanism may be applied to an almost endless variety of
mechanical toys.
Dated this 3rd day of January 1891.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Mechanism for Actuating Mechanical Toys.
I GEORGE COLE of the firm of George Cole and Company of 31 Spital
Square in the City of London Manufacturers 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 :—
This invention relates to improved mechanism for actuating mechanical toys in
which I transmit motion by means of a lever or levers whose lower ends rest upon
or are brought into contact with a revolving top or disc. Such levers being
pivotted or hinged to the framework of the toy for the purpose of actuating same.
On the table or surface of the top or disc are suitable projections or cavities with
which the said levers, constructed and weighted for the purpose, are brought into
contact in order to transmit various kinds of movements to the toys as required.
Cranks and gearing wheels may be used in connection with the levers by which
means this improved mechanism may be applied to an almost endless variety of
mechanical toys.
And in order that my invention may be clearly understood and readily carried
into practice I will proceed to describe the accompanying drawings in illustration
thereof in which similar letters of reference represent similar parts and in which
Fig. 1 is a front view of a clappering nigger with the front of framework and the
body and legs of the figure removed to exhibit the working parts.
Fig. 2 is a top view of same.
Fig. 3 a front view Fig. 4 a top view of a modification.
Fig. 5 a front view Fig. 6 a top view of another modification.
Fig. 7 a top view Fig. 9 a front view of a walking tortoise parts of the animal
being taken away to exhibit the mechanism.
Fig. 8 is a side view of parts d a' & c c¹ of Fig. 7.
Fig. 10 is a front view and Fig. 11 a top view shewing lever or arm a a¹ with its
lower end bent into contact with projections c' and then extended so that both ends
of said lever or arm a a¹ may be utilized at one time for the purpose of actuating a
working part of a toy,

page_text: DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figs. 1 & 2. c is a spinning top with projections c¹. a a are levers or arms
secured at 2 to shafts turning freely in framework w. d d' are the arms of the
clappering figure secured to shafts at 3. These arms d d' are weighted or
formed so as to nearly balance levers or arms a a¹.
The head g of the figure is secured to and supported by a spiral spring i having
a projecting end i¹.
On the top being spun in the cup k in the usual way and the
mechanism mounted in frame w placed over said top the projections c' of same
strike the ends of levers or arms a a¹ which are knocked upwards their weight
however bringing them down again from time to time causing the partial rotation
backwards and forwards of the loose shafts b to which they are made fast and thus
imparting a continuous and varying to and fro movement to the arms d d¹ secured
in turn to one end of the shafts which causes the figure to appear as in the act of
playing the bones or clappers whilst at the same time the striking of the levers or
arms a a¹ upon the top accompanies the movement with appropriate sounds.
When a vigorous knock is given to arm or lever a¹ this rises to and strikes
projection of spiral spring i which sets the heady swinging to and fro. The head
may be set swinging also by securing one end of a flexible cord to the upper part
of the head and the other end to one of the arms of the figure in which case the
projection may be dispensed with. The levers or arms a a' and the arms d d¹ of
the figure being as already stated of nearly equal weight are easily kept in motion
and offer but little resistance to the top. t are stops to prevent the levers and arms
rising too high or falling too low.
Figs. 3 & 4. a a are levers or arms as already mentioned and the loose
shafts to which they are secured. 2 is a revolving disc set in motion by clockwork
or other well known means. care projections on said disc e² striking levers or
arms a a¹ & setting these in motion as before described. The bell m is hung at m¹
a slack cord connects it to lever or arm a the other end of this lever or arm a being
raised or knocked up by contact with c¹ of revolving disc c² causes the string or
cord to tighten and the bell to swing and ring.
The lever a on rising may at same time be made to strike wire n, which passes
freely through cylinder o fixed to the framework of the toy when the jointed
figure P secured on the end of said wire is moved up and down causing it to appear
as in the act of dancing or the like.
loose pawl q is
Rotary motion may also be obtained through these levers or arms a a' one
method of converting the motion being shown in Fig. 3 where a
pivotted or hinged at q¹ to arm secured to shaft . The pawl
slide and is engaged in one of the teeth of wheel s. On lever a
knocked up as already described the pawl g is pushed forward and drives the wheel
round in the direction of the arrow.
rests on rest or
being struck or
The lever a being slightly heavier than pawl q it falls down to be struck up
again by part e¹ of revolving disc c².
Figs. 5 & 6 show another modification to actuate figures and moving parts. The
lever or arm a is here shown with weight to partly balance it. The beam e
turning on pivot ƒ and beam e¹ turning on pivot f¹ are also balanced by
weights d³ df d³.
The object of this arrangement is that figures and parts may be separately
supported and easily moved and kept in motion by merely a slightly preponderating
weight given to the lower end of lever or arm a and thus that the power given out
by the revolving top or disc may be utilized to the utmost for the purpose of
actuating the various working parts of the toy.
Under this system of balancing and counterweighting comparatively heavy
modelled moving figures may be introduced and kept in motion without much
expenditure of power.
Figs. 1 & 2. It is obvious that instead of arms or levers a a¹ being made fast to

page_text: loose shafts b they may be hung or mounted loosely in the framework of the toy
and secured directly to the arms d d¹ of the figure. With reference to Fig. 3 it
will be readily seen that the movement in connection with jointed figure P may be
put to various uses for instance to actuate the eyes of a figure to open and close the
mouth or to produce various facial expressions etc.
Figs. 7. 8. & 9 show a further modification.
=
In these figures, representing a walking tortoise, disc c is actuated indirectly as
follows. A heavy wheel is mounted in a suitable frame and the spindle 2 of said
wheel rests upon a friction wheel turning on its own axis. To the axle of this
wheel is fixed the disc or wheel c upon the periphery or rim of which are the
projections e¹. On the heavy or fly wheel being put in motion by means of a
cord wound round its axle being drawn quickly therefrom, the wheel x (as is now
well understood) is made to turn carrying with it the disc c in the direction of the
arrow and the projections c¹ coming in contact with the levers a' actuate these
together with the legs of the animal similarly as already described whilst at the
same time wheels and being travelling wheels the tortoise is made to travel
along and thus to appear as in the act of creeping along or walking. t are stops as
already stated to control the movement of the levers a a¹ also that of the working
parts of the toy to which they are secured or with which they are to be brought
into contact. I attach very great importance to these stops as they not only
serve the purpose named but also that of regulating the contact of levers a a¹ with
the disc c by this means the latter is both relieved of the weight of said levers
otherwise pressing against it (as shown in Fig. 8) and freed from regular contact so
that levers a a¹ are thus actuated by a series of blows only struck by the irregular
In this manner accidental move-
projections c¹ of the comparatively free disc c.
ments are produced and imparted which are of great value in a mechanical toy also
a great saving of power is effected by reduction of friction. Of course the
projections and levers or arms a a' may be of any desirable shape or description.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
In mechanical toys the imp.ved arrangement combination and mechanism
consisting of
(1.) One or more balanced or partly balanced actuating levers or arms a a¹
(hinged or loosely hung in suitable framework) with a slightly prepon-
derating weight at one end capable of bringing it into direct contact with
projections or cavities upon a horizontally mounted disc or spinning top c
and with the other end secured to or capable of being brought into contact
with some working part of the toy such levers or arms a a' being controlled
and kept in position by stops capable of regulating and limiting their
movement substantially in the manner and for the purpose as described
herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
(2.) One or more balanced or partly balanced actuating levers or arms a a¹
(hinged or loosely hung in suitable framework) with a slightly prepon-
derating weight at one end capable of bringing it into direct contact with
projections or cavities upon the rim or periphery of a revolving disc and
with the other or both ends secured to or capable of being brought into
contact with some working part of the toy such levers or arms being
controlled and kept in position by stops capable of regulating and limiting
their movement all substantially in the manner and for the purpose as
described herein and represented in the drawings annexed.
Dated this 5th day of October 1891.
GEORGE COLE.