A Swimming Doll.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Swimming Doll.
I, ELLEN HODGSON, of Sheraton-Fortrose, Inverness, North Britain. Wife of
Major General Hodgson Bengal Army (retired) do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to a Swimming doll.
It may be pneumatic that is to say it may be made of indiarubber and capable of
being inflated; or, it may be made of tin or other metal. The arms and legs are
made to go through the action of swimming as nearly as possible by means of
clockwork inside the doll actuated through the medium of wires.
For the opening for winding there may be provided a small screw or cork to be
inserted in the opening when winding is finished so as to prevent the water getting
in. The balance of the doll may be regulated by weights.
In lieu of clock work the power may be obtained by winding up a length of
elastic string.
Dated this 10th day of September 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Swimming Doll.
I, ELLEN HODGSON of Sheraton, Fortrose, Inverness, North Britain. Wife of
or General Hodgson, Bengal Army (retired) 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 a Swimming Doll.
It may be pneumatic that is to say it may be inade of 'indiarubber and capable of
being inflated; or, it may be made of tin or other metal. The arms and legs are
made to go through the action of swimming as nearly as possible by means of
clockwork inside the doll actuated through the medium of wires.
For the opening for winding there may be provided a small screw, or, cork to. bo
inserted in the opening when winding is finished so as to prevent the water getting
in. The balance of the doll may be regulated by weights.
In lieu of clock work the power may be obtained by winding up a length of
elastic string.
But in order that my said invention may be more readily understood and easily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the accom-
panying drawings in which
Fig. 1 is an elevation and

page_text: Fig. 2 a plan of a doll constructed in accordance with my invention.
Referring to the said drawings I employ a body portion A of wood or other suit-
able material or metal which may be shaped by milling, or stamped out by dies.
To the said portion A I pivot the arms B and legs which are made of a similar
material to the body and are jointed at the elbows and knees in any convenient
manner. To the inner sides of the arms and legs at the jointed portions I secure
flat steel or other springs D so arranged that when the reel or drum E, upon which
the cords d are wound, is released, as hereinafter explained, the legs and arms will
be straightened out until the cords are again wound upon the reel when they assume
the position shewn in the drawings; the springs upon the legs being preferably
stronger than those upon the arms so as to increase the propelling power. The said
movements continuing until the clockwork mechanism is completely unwound.
In order to wind and release the said reel or drum E I secure it loosely upon the
spindle F, which is rotated by the ordinary spring drum f, and provide it with two
vertical pins or projections f f secured to and held in position by the flat spring G.
The arbor g of the spindle F is formed with a bulge gl caused to engage with the
pin f which is shorter than the other fand thus rotate it until the pin f which
has its end bevelled as shewn, comes in contact with the fixed stop H also having
its end bevelled, when the pin f' is raised out of the path of the bulge gl and the
reel E released until the pin in the periphery of the reel comes in contact with
the stop J; the backward rotation of the reel being obtained by reason of the
springs upon the joints of the limbs. The bulge then comes in contact with the
pin f again and the same movements are repeated.
The cords employed for operating the limbs are preferably of cat-gut but I may
also if desired employ thin-brass-or-other wire in combination with the cat-gut
the cat-gut portion being merely wound upon the reel.
The head is connected to the body by a socket so that it can be straightened when
the doll is in ordinary use and either the whole or greater part of the doll may be
encased in a pliable thin water-proof or indiarubber covering, which would allow
of free movement of the various parts and prevent their deterioration by the action
of the water, except the head and the portion of arms and legs below the springs
which might be painted flesh colour. The head may be painted, provided with
hair and have eyes inserted in the usual manner.
The feet of the doll are also hinged in such a manner that upon the drawing up
of the legs they will offer no resistance to the water but when thrown out again
assume the position as shewn and thus help to propel the doll; the said hinges
being preferably made of brass or similar inaterial which will not rust.
As a modification in place of constructing the legs as shewn I may make them
in two separate portions and connect them together by a spiral spring in which case
the would be operated by the same mechanism above described through the
medium of a stout wire within the spiral spring. In this arrangement however
the legs would not have the same action as first described but would merely be
forced straight out and then returned straight in.
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:-
The swimming doll, substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 10th day of June 1897
JOHNSONS,
115 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.