IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICAL TOYS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake of the firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co. Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICAL TOYS."-A-communication from abroad
by William Augustus Webber, of Medford, George Bradford Kelly, of Boston,
Edward Lyman Rand of Boston and John Leslie Given of Cambridge all
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ח
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at thẻ
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th April 1882.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICAL TOYS
[A communication from abroad by William Augustus Webber, of Medford, George
Bradford Kelly, of Boston, Edward Lyman Rand of Boston and John Leslie Given
of Cambridge all in Massachusetts, United States of America.]
The object of this invention is to adapt a doll or other figure or image in the
form of a human being, or an animal, or bird, or other living creature, to the
production of sounds in a manner to secure by proper manipulation the playing of
a musical tune or tunes, or airs, or other arrangement of musical tones by whatever
name called or the utterance as it were, of sounds in a series of notes, in imitation
of a cry, song, lullaby, lament, signal, carol, chirp, trill, twitter or whistle or the
like, all as may be desired.
1
To this end the present invention consists broadly of a doll or other image in
the form of a human being, animal, bird or other living creature, in combination
with mechanism for the production of the series of sounds desired, from reeds or
other suitable sound-devices which mechanism and sound-devices are arranged and
located substantially within any suitable portion of the image, as for instance, if
the image be a doll, so called, within the body portion thereof, and are constructed
to produce the series of sounds intended when the mechanism thereof is suitably
operated therefor, and for this operation said mechanism may be constructed and
arranged to work either automatically or to be worked by hand, as may be
desired.
"
One mode of carrying the present invention into practice, and which constitutes
one part thereof, is to arrange and combine in a convenient and compact form a
bellows or other suitable wind mechanism; a series of reeds in reed-chambers all

page_text: suitably arranged for the reeds to be sounded by said bellows; a perforated strip
of paper or other flexible material having its perforations in parallel rows or lines
and of lengths and relative location in accordance with the series of tones which it
is desired to secure; a race-way for said perforated strip; air-passages leading
froin and through such race-way to the reeds and their chambers and in position
corresponding to the rows of perforations in the paper strip; and mechanism for
confining the perforated strip in close contact against said race-way and at and
about the said air passages thereof and for feeding it along and over the same in
combination with a doll or other image in which mechanism and parts above
particularly described are placed and suitably encased, and preferably within the
body portion thereof, in a manner to be free to operate without hindrance and
otherwise arranged for the bellows or other moving part or parts of the mechanism
either to be directly or indirectly operated upon by hand at and upon the outside
of the body so encasing the same, and by being so operated to secure a sounding of
the reeds in accordance with the perforations in the several lines or rows of the
perforated strip which at the same time is being fed along in proper direction and
relation therefor.
In carrying the said invention into practice I provide in the body a chamber of
suitable form and size, to receive the mechanism and parts and to allow the same
to operate and to be operated. This chainber is preferably closed on all sides, and
at the front, with cloth or other material sufficiently flexible to permit of being
pressed upon from time to time without injury to it or to its connection, at and
along all its sides with the remainder of the body surrounding the chamber.
I provide a force-bellows constructed and arranged for its parts to be pressed
together against a spring and to open from each other because of the reaction of
such spring and for air to be received within it and to be forced out of it, through an
air-passage in one of its side boards and otherwise as force bellows are usually
constructed and arranged. A board is secured against the outside of the bellows-
board and provided with a series of parallel reed-chambers each containing a reed..
Each reed is in communication with an air passage of the bellows and each reed
has a separate air-passage leading from it to the surface of the board which surface
is the race-way for a strip of paper or of other flexible material. The race-way at
each side has a cheek piece both of which act as guides to the movement of the
strip of paper over said race-way. The paper strip has a series of parallel rows or
lines of perforations running in the direction of its length and of its line of
movement over the race-way and these rows of perforations correspond in their
relative distance apart to the distance apart of the air-passages of the reed-board,
at the surface or race-way of such board. The perforated paper-strip is an endless
one. There is a presser-roller turning in bearings of the cheek-pieces, and
extending across from one to the other thereof. This presser-roller is arranged at
one side of the air-passages of the reed-board and there to press the paper strip
into close contact with the surface of the board making the race-way for the paper
strip; and a roller is arranged at the other side of said air-passages and so as to
there press upon the paper strip, all as described for the presser-roller, and thus
between the two ensure a close contact of the paper strip with the surface of the
reed-board at and about the air-passages, and, if desired this closeness of contact
can be further ensured by making the race-way surface convex from one to the
other of said two rollers. The roller has spur wheels at each end inside of the
cheek pieces, for engaging each with a row of perforations in the perforated strip
and thus secure the travel of such strip in the direction in which the spur-wheels
are turned.
A ratchet wheel is provided at one end of the spur-wheel shaft or feed roller,
and a spring pawl is fulcrummed upon the moving part of the bellows, and running
through a clasp is attached to the stationary part of the bellows, all so as to pull
upon the ratchet-wheel in the opening movement of the bellows and to pass
backward over the teeth of the ratchet-wheel in the closing movement of the
bellows without effect upon the ratchet wheel. This operation of the pawl and

page_text: ratchet wheel ensures an intermittent rotation of the feed-roller, and, through it,
a feed of the music sheet forward over the air passages leading from the reed-
chambers of the board, and as it is occasioned by working the bellows, obviously
the reeds are sounded in accordance with the perforations of the music-sheet so
passing by and over said air-passages.
The mechanism described is placed within the chamber of the doll, with the
moving part of the bellows toward the front side of the body, and then as a whole
secured therein by attaching ear pieces of the bellows board to the sides of the
chamber in any proper manner, and this attachment is made so as to leave all the
parts of the mechanism free to work and without hindrance or obstruction as has
been described.
After having secured the mechanism in the chamber as described, the front side
of the doll is fastened in place over the moving part of the bellows which is at the
front of the doll, when, as is evident, said mechanism can be worked from the
outside of the doll by simply pressing the bellows together which secures the feed
of the perforated strip and the sounding of the reeds in accordance with its
perforations, and as a consequence, the performance of the tune or air, for which
said perforations are arranged, thereby attaining the object of this invention as to
a doll, which as well known, is in the representation or image of a child.
The perforated music strip being endless, obviously, never becomes disconnected
from the feed and presser rollers. If the fastening of the mechanism within the
doll be such as to enable it to be readily attached and detached, the music sheet
may be changed from time to time as may be desired.
The mechanism herein described may be arranged to be operated by and from
a crank-handle attached to the feed roller shaft which for that purpose needs
only to be projected through, and to the outside of the body of the doll and at its
outer end adapted for the attachment of the crank handle preferably in a manner
to be readily attached and detached.
Again the mechanism described may be arranged to be driven from the action of
clock mechanism and a spring suitably combined with it.
Moreover the reed-chainbers may be provided with valves arranged to be opened
and closed by and through mechanism operated from the travel of the music sheet
in proper relation thereto.
Devices to be sounded by the passage of air through, them other than reeds may
be employed, and again devices to be sounded otherwise than by the passage of air,
as for instance by an impingement against, or striking of them, may be used in which
case obviously mechanism suitable for operating them is to be used, such as a strip
of paper with parallel, rows of perforations or a cylinder with parallel rows of
projecting pins running around the cylinder.
Other wind mechanism, than force-bellows may be used.
I may employ mechanisin which differs from that above described in the
following respects, that is to say.
The pawl and ratchet wheel are arranged to operate the feed-roller in the
opening movement of the bellows instead of in the closing movement thereof; the
presser roller is dispensed with; the feed-roller is constructed with a series of
parallel ribs or flanges around its periphery, in lines to bear upon the perforated
paper strip between its rows of perforations and in a manner to confine the paper
strip closely to the surface of the race-way and against the escape of air at the air
passages, except as desired. Again this feed-roller is held to its work by the
pressure of springs properly applied therefor.
Although the present invention has been herein particularly described with
respect to a doll, it is not intended to limit it thereto, and obviously the description
given is as well adapted to images of other descriptions, representing a human
being, an animal or bird or other living form, and in a way to attain therewith all
the objects and purposes of this invention herein before recited.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th October 1882.
"
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co, Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICAL TOYS
A communication from abroad by William Augustus Webber, of Medford, George
Bradford Kelly, of Boston, Edward Lyman Rand, of Boston, and John Leslie
Given, of Cambridge, all in Massachusetts, United States of America.
The object of this invention is to adapt a doll or other figure or image in the
form of a human being or an animal, bird, or other living creature to the
production of sounds, in such a manner as to secure by proper manipulation
the playing of a tune or tunes or airs, or other arrangement of musical tones by
whatever name called, or the utterance as it were, of sounds in a series of notes,
in imitation of a cry, song, lullaby, lament, signal, carol, chirp, trill, twitter, whistle,
or the like, all as may be desired.
To this end, the present invention consists broadly of a doll or other image in
the form of a human being, animal, bird, or other living creature, in combination
with mechanism for the production of the series of sounds desired from reeds or
other suitable sound-devices, which mechanism and sound-devices are arranged and
located within any suitable portion of the image (as for instance, if the image be
a doll within the body portion thereof) and are constructed to produce the series
of sounds intended when the mechanism is suitably operated; for this operation
the said mechanism may be constructed and arranged to work either automatically
or by hand, as may be desired.
One mode of carrying the present invention into practice and which constitutes
one part thereof is to arrange and combine in a convenient and compact form, a
bellows or other suitable wind mechanism, a series of reeds in reed chambers
sounded by the said bellows; a perforated strip of paper or other flexible material,
having its perforations in parallel rows or lines and of a length and relative
location in accordance with the series of tones which it is desired to secure, a
raceway for the said perforated strip, air passages leading from and through such
race-way to the reeds and their chambers, and in position corresponding to the
rows of perforations in the paper strip, and mechanism for holding the said
perforated strip in close contact with the said raceway at and about the said air
passages thereof, and for feeding it along and over the same, in combination with
doll or other image in which the said mechanism and parts above particularly
described are placed and suitably encased, and preferably within the body portion
thereof, in such a manner as to be free to operate without hindrance, and otherwise
arranged for the bellows or other moving part or parts of the mechanism to be
either directly or indirectly operated upon by hand at and upon the outside of the
body so encasing the same and by being so operated to secure a sounding of the
reeds in accordance with the perforations in the several lines or rows of the
perforated strip which at the same time is being fed along.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a side view of a doll above the hips, part of the casing being cut
away to show the mechanism constructed according to this invention.
Figure 2 is a back view of the same.
Figure 3 is a side view of the mechanism detached showing the bellows closed.
Figure 4 is a vertical section of the same but showing the bellows opened.
Figure 5 is a vertical section of a modification of this invention,
Figure 6 is an elevation of the same.

page_text: A represents the body portion above the hips, B the head, C the neck and D D
the arms of a doll.
The body A has a chamber E of suitable form and size, to receive the mechanism
and parts, and to allow the same to operate and to be operated. The chamber E
is preferably closed on all sides, and at the front with cloth a or other material
sufficiently flexible to permit of being pressed upon from time to time without
injury to itself or to its connection at and along the edges of the said chamber, a
force bellows F is constructed and arranged, for its sides or boards to be pressed
together against a spring b and to open from each other because of the reaction of
such spring; the air is received, into and forced out of the said. bellows through an
air passage e, in one of its sides d, a board g is secured upon the outside of the
bellows-board d'and is provided with a series of parallel reed-chambers h each
containing a reed k. Each of the said reeds is in communication with the air
passage c of the bellows, and has a separate air passage m leading from it to the
surface n of the board g which surface is the race-way for a strip of paper o or
other flexible material. The race-way n at each side has a cheek piece p, both of
which act as guides to the movement of the strip of paper over the said race-way.
The paper strip o has a series of parallel rows or lines of perforations running in
the direction of its length and of its line of movement over the race-way n; these
rows of perforations correspond in their relative distance apart to the distance
apart of the air passages m of the reed-board g at the surface or race-way n of
such board. The perforated paper strip o is shown in the form of an endless band,
a presser roller 8 turns in bearings in the cheek pieces' p and extends across from
one to the other. The presser roller s is arranged below the air passages m of the
reed-board to press the paper strip into close contact with the surface of the race-
way n; and a roller t is arranged above the said air passages m also to press upon
the paper strip, thus between the two rollers a close contact of the paper strip
with the surface of the race-way at and about the air passages m is maintained, if
desired this closeness of contact can be further ensured by making the race-way
surface n, convex between the two rollers as shewn in the drawing.
The roller t has spur wheels u at each end inside the cheek pieces p, for engaging
with a row of perforations in the perforated strip o and thus secure the travel of
such strip in the direction in' which the spur wheels are turned. A ratchet wheel w
is provided at one end of the spur wheel shaft or feed roller t, and a spring pawl x
is pivoted at y upon the moving board f of the bellows the said pawl runs through
a guide z attached to the stationary side & of the bellows. In the opening
movement of the bellows the said pawl pulls upon the ratchet wheel w but passes
back wards over the teeth of the same in the closing movement without moving the
said ratchet wheel. This operation of the pawl and ratchet wheel ensures an
intermittent rotation of the feed roller, and through it a feed of the music sheet
forward over the air passages m leading from the reed-chambers h of the board g
and as this movement is occasioned by working the bellows, obviously the reeds
are sounded in accordance with the perforations of the music-sheet passing over the
air-passages m.
The mechanism hereinbefore described is placed within the chamber E with the
moving board f of the bellows toward the front of the body, and then as a whole
secured therein by attaching the ear-pieces a² of the bellows board d, to the sides
of the said chamber, in any suitable manner, this attachment is made so as to leave
all the parts of the mechanism free to work without hindrance or obstruction.
After having secured the mechanism within the chamber E as described, the
front of the doll is fastened in place over the moving part of the bellows, when it
is evident that the said mechanism can be worked from the outside of the doll by
simply pressing the bellows together, which secures the feed of the perforated
strip o, and the sounding of the reeds in accordance with its perforations, and as a
consequence the performance of the tune or air, for which the said perforations are
arranged.
The perforated music strip being endless obviously never becomes disconnected

page_text: from the feed and presser rollers. If the fastening of the mechanism within the
doll be such as to enable it to be readily attached and detached, the music-sheet
may be changed from time to time as may be desired.
The mechanism herein before described may be arranged to be operated by and
from a crank handle, attached to the feed roller shaft which for that purpose needs
only to be projected through to the outside of the body of the doll and at one end
and adapted for the attachment of the crank handle, preferably in a manner to be
readily attached and detached.
Again the mechanism described may be arranged to be driven by the action of
clock mechanism and a spring suitably combined with it.
The reed chambers may be provided with valves arranged to be opened and
closed by and through mechanism operated by the travel of the music sheet.
Devices other than reeds to be sounded by the passage of air through them may
be employed, and devices to be sounded otherwise than by the passage of air, as
for instance by impingement against or striking of them may be used in which
case mechanism suitable for operating them is to be used, such as a strip of paper
with parallel rows of perforations or a cylinder with parallel rows of projecting
pins running around it.
A modification of this invention is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 the wind
mechanism therein shown differs from that above described in the following respects
that is to say.
The pawl and ratchet-wheel wo are arranged to operate the feed roller in the
opening movement of the bellows instead of in the closing movement thereof, the
presser roller is dispensed with; and the feed roller is constructed, with a series of
parallel ribs or flanges around its periphery to bear upon the perforated paper
strip between its rows of perforations in such a manner as to hold the said paper
strip closely to the surface of the race-way' and prevent the escape of air at the air
passages except as desired, this feed roller is held to its work by the pressure of
springs b properly applied therefor.
Although the present invention has been herein particularly described with
respect to a doll it is not intended to limit it thereto, and obviously the description
given is as well adapted to images of other descriptions representing a human
being, an animal, bird, or other living form, and in a way to attain therewith all
the objects and purposes of this invention herein before recited.
Having thus fully described the said invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents and the manner, of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim
First. A mechanical toy constructed in imitation of a living creature, and
internally provided with devices capable of being operated to produce musical
sounds, all substantially as, and for the purpose, described.
Second. A mechanical toy made in imitation of a living creature and having
placed within it bellows or other wind producing mechanism, a series of reeds and
reed-chambers; a race-way for a perforated music-sheet, air-passages leading from
the race-way through the reeds, and mechanism for holding the said perforated
music sheet in close contact with, and feeding it along, the said race-way, all
constructed and arranged, in relation to each other and to the outside of the toy,
to be operated substantially as, and for the purposes, described.
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Fourth day of October in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
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