IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WALKING FIGURES TO BE EMPLOYED FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGE- MENT OF MECHANISM AND APPLIANCES TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.”
Year: 1876

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Seraphicus Francis Pichler at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th January 1876.
SERAPHICUS FRANCIS PICHLER, of Great Portland Street, in the County of
Middlesex. "
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WALKING FIGURES TO BE
EMPLOYED FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGE-
MENT OF MECHANISM AND APPLIANCES TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.”
A figure is constructed of wood or other suitable material or materials in the
human form, the feet, legs, and arms being pivoted so as to admit of their being
moved or actuated by the arrangements herein-after mentioned. In front of the
figure is placed a barrow or other vehicle connected with the arms or body of the
former, a grooved wheel being placed at the forward end of the barrow or vehicle,
and provided with an axle mounted in suitable bearings.
Cranks or cams are so placed as to be actuated by the sides of the wheel (which
sides are arranged as herein-after mentioned), such cranks or cams being connected
with or acting upon rigid jointed levers, which are respectively connected with the
arms, legs, and hips of the figure, so that upon the sides of the wheel rotating as
herein-after mentioned, such levers are respectively caused to move or be actuated
in opposite directions, thus causing the feet and legs to move forward alternately;
stops or other suitable and known contrivances being so arranged that upon the
joints of one limb being actuated the other limb is caused to become stiff or rigid.
Guides are employed at the upper part of the figure, by means of which the
action of the levers is regulated and a lateral motion produced, so that the legs and
feet are respectively brought one before the other.
The wheel of the barrow or other vehicle is composed of two exterior plates
which are free to revolve, a fixed central plate being placed between them and
attached at the lower portion of its periphery to a cylindrical piston, which is
employed and actuated as herein-after mentioned. As a support for the figure a
hollow bar is provided, the same being formed of steel or other suitable material
with corrugations on its surface, and having externally the appearance of a rope.
In the upper portion of the bar is a longitudinal slot extending from one end to
the other and opening into a chamber in the centre of the bar, which also extends
throughout the length of the bar. In this chamber the before-mentioned cylindrical
piston which is attached to the central plate of the wheel is placed, a rope or ropes
being fixed thereto, by means of which it can be drawn from one end of the bar to
CD 07

page_text: the other by the use of a winch or winches or of other suitable mechanism, such as
will be well known and understood. By thus actuating the piston the figure with
the barrow or other vehicle connected therewith is caused to move along the bar as
may be desired, the limbs of the figure being moved by the system of levers
actuated by the cranks or cams herein-before mentioned and producing the
appearance of walking, whilst the outer plates of the wheel, the curved peripheries
of which are corrugated to correspond with the corrugations on the bar, rotate upon
the latter and give the effect of rotation of the entire wheel. The piston should be
constructed of sufficient length to impart perfect steadiness to the figure.