Year: 1888

page_text: I GEORGE ROYLE 31 Comeragh Road West Kensington S.W. London do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The objects of this invention are to provide mechanical Toys in which figures such
as for example those of men and animals may receive a movement resembling or
imitating that of climbing, crawling, walking or any other motion, in such a
manner that one or more such figures may have a differential movement either
wholely or in some or all of their various parts, the said invention comprises certain
novel means hereinafter set forth whereby the above objects are secured.
The example of such Toys taken for the purpose of this description is that of a
man with a basket on his head, climbing a Coker nut tree moving both arms and
legs alternately in so doing, on reaching the top of the tree, the basket coming into
contact with a coker nut which is suspended in a suitable position for the purpose,
detaches it, and causes it to fall into the basket, the man then descends the tree, and
on the nut being taken out of the basket and replaced in its former position at the
top of the tree, he at once starts up again after it. The same principle may be applied
to many other moving figures, the example here given being simply an illustration
of these toys.
In the before mentioned example the tree is formed of Tin or other suitable
material having a slot at back to carry the connexion to the mans body, and a slot at
each side for the connexions working the arms and legs, at the bottom of the tree is a
broad base on which the tree stands, on the top of the tree is a double bearing carrying
a pulley in the centre round which a cord is passed twice, one end of this cord
being attached to the body of the man and the other to a weight moving up and down in
the stem of the tree, at each end of the spindle fixed to this pulley are arms fixed in
opposite directions on these arms are pins carrying small loose pulleys round which
cords pass, one being attached to the cross connexion of arms at one end and to
a small weight at the other, and the other to the cross connexion of legs and to a
similar weight at the other; all these weights being preferably made with a hole
through them, so as to slide on a wire or wires inside the stem of the tree, to prevent

page_text: them moving about and getting entangled, the figure of the man should preferably be
stamped out of thin tin for lightness with the arms and legs attached thereto on pins
in any ordinary manner, but preferably both arms and legs fastened at each end of
wires running right through the body and so ensuring an equal motion of both arms
and both legs, the connexion of feet and hands being by wires passing through the
stem of the tree, through the slots at sides before mentioned, and with loops in these
wires to which the cords passing over the side pulleys or arm of centre pulley at top
are fastened.
The coker nut should be cast of such weight that when it is in the basket it will be
sufficient to more than counter balance the preponderance of weight that causes the
man to climb up, and so cause him to descend. The coker nut is hung on a small hook
under one of the leaves, in such a position that the front of the basket touching it first,
will cause it to fall over off the hook and into the basket.
Dated this 14th day of June 1888.

page_text: GEORGE ROYLE 31 Comeragh Road, West Kensington S.W. London Gentleman
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:-
The objects of this invention are to provide mechanical toys in which figures such
as for example those of men and animals may receive a movement resembling or
imitating that of climbing, crawling, walking or any other motion in such a manner
that one or more such figures may have a differential movement either wholly or in
some or all of their various parts.
As an example of such a toy I describe the following arrangement to represent a
man climbing a coker nut tree, taking a coker nut off the tree in a basket, descending
with it and ascending again for it when it is removed from the basket and replaced in
position at the top of the tree.
The tree is formed of tin or other suitable material and is hollow, it has three long
parallel slots two of which are opposite and the third midway between the others.
A figure of a man is constructed of metal with movable legs and arms, which pass on
either side of the tree to imitate the position of climbing; at the top of the tree is
mounted a pulley fixed to a spindle carried on double bearings and at the outer ends
of the spindle are arms each carrying a small pulley. Over the central pulley passes
a cord attached at one end to the head of the figure and having a weight at the other
end inside the hollow tube representing the tree trunk and sufficiently heavy to pull
the figure to the top. The figures arms are connected to each other by a wire or rod
passing through the two opposite slots and the legs are also connected in the same
manner. A light cord attached to the connection of the figures arms passes over one
of the pulleys at the end of the centre pulley spindle and a light weight keeps it in
tension, the leg connection has a similar cord and weight acting on the other outside
pulley. As the figure ascends and the central pulley revolves the spindle operates the
two exterior arms and although the cord from the arms runs over the small pulleys
yet the crank motion of the pulleys imparts a reciprocating movement to the arms and
legs of the figure which movement may be varied by varying the relative positions of
the pulley arms. The figure as it ascends the tree appears to move its arms and legs
as in climbing. When it has ascended the tree, a cup shaped receptacle or basket
upon its bead strikes a weight resembling a coker nut and it falls from its hook into
the basket; the weight of the figure is now by this addition greater than its counter-
balance and the figure descends, going through the same motions till it reaches the
bottom. If the weight be now removed and replaced on the hook the figure will
again rise after the coker nut and again take it from the top of the tree where it is
suspended. The upper part of the tree is covered by metallic or other leaf like surface
and the weights may be inside the trunk or outside as desired; to prevent fouling
while moving it is advisable to guide the weights on vertical wires.

page_text: Other methods of imparting the desired motion to the legs and arms of the
figure may be used which are hereinafter particularly described and instead of a
simple book at the tree top for supporting the coker nut weight, the book may
form the end of a lever which lifts out a pawl from a ratchet wheel so that when
the coker nut weight is hung up, the interior balancing weight is free to lift up
the figure, but when the figure descends with the coker nut weight it cannot rise
again till the coker nut is suspended as before and releases the pawl.
In order that my invention and the manner of performing the same may be properly
understood I hereunto append two sheets of explanatory drawings to be hereinafter
referred to and representing examples of the application of my invention.
On sheet 1 Figures 1, 2 & 3 of the accompanying drawings, the hollow metal
tube A represents the trunk of the tree, having a broad base B the figure C has
movable arms and legs, a connecting wire a passes through the side slots between
the arms and a wire between the legs. A projecting piece c passes through the
central slot and is attached by the cord d to the weight D passing over the middle
pulley E the pulley spindle e is carried in bearings shown and carries arms f, 9,
and small pulleys h, i, a cord k passes from the arm connecting wire a over the
pulley h and is kept in tension by a weight a similar cord m connects the leg wire b
with the small pulley i and the weight n. The basket F upon the head of the figure
is arranged to strike the coker nut weight G and cause it to fall from the hook into
it. The action is as follows:-When the coker nut weight G is hung up, the
falling weight D pulls up the figure C and the small pulleys hi allow the cords k m
connecting with the arms and legs to run over but the revolving crank motion
offg causes a reciprocating movement of the arms and legs imitating climbing.
When the basket F strikes the coker nut weight G then it falls into the basket and
overbalancing the weight D the figure travels down again and so on. The figure
always appears to follow the coker nut and take it down from the tree.
wires op guide the weights and prevent them from fouling and swinging into
contact with each other.
The
Figure 4 shows an elevation of the middle pulley E with the arms fg and the
small pulleys with their cords d km on a larger scale.
I sometimes dispense with the small pulleys and cords actuating the arms and legs
of the figure and impart motion to them in another way.
On sheet 2 Figure 5 is shown an external elevation of this modification.
Figure 6 is an elevation of the pulley with pawl and ratchet edge on a larger
scale.
Figure 7 is a plan of the pulley and details.
Figure 8 is a transverse vertical section enlarged of the climbing figure showing
mechanism and Figure 9 a side elevation of crank and connections for moving arms
and legs.
Figure 10 is an enlarged view of a portion of the tube A showing slot and rack.
The hollow tube A. represents the trunk of the tree in which there is one slot H (see
figure 10) B is a broad base. The metal figure C carries a toothed wheels which
goes into the rack t (Figure 10) A cord d is attached to the point c projecting from the
basket and it passes over the pulley I and fastens to the weight D. The weight D
in falling raises up the figure C till the basket F upon the head strikes the coker nut
weight G and detaches it from the point u upon the lever K the figure then travels to
the bottom as before by virtue of the added weight.
The lever (see Figures 5, 6 & 7) K at the end v forms a pawl which falls into the
ratchet indentations formed on the edge of 1 so that when the coker nut weight G is
lifted from the basket F the weight D cannot fall or the figure Crise until the
suspending of the coker nut G upon the point u of the lever K raises the pawl end v
out of the ratchet indentations on I and so permits the wheel to revolve and D to
fall, L is a cap slipping over the end of the tube A and carrying the wheel I and
lever K. The lever K is pivotted at the point and is the spindle upon which I
revolves. The motion of arms and legs is imparted by the toothed wheels and the
mechanism shown at Figures 8 & 9 the wheels is rotated by the rack shown at

page_text: Figure 10 and it actuates the crank and spindle M (Figures 8 & 9) the crank M
moves in a slot N in a slotted bar O linking to loops upon the spindles P. Q. which
spindles carry the arms and legs of the figures. As the crank M rotates it moves
the slotted bar O up and down and so causes the loops on P. Q. to cause the
spindles P. Q. to move and therefore the arms and legs of the figure. The slotted
bar O is arranged to move the arms and legs in opposite directions as shown to
imitate climbing.
The limits of motion of the arms and legs are shown by the dotted lines. The
toothed wheel and rack may be replaced by any mechanical equivalent such as a pin
wheel with perforations in the tube or the tube representing the tree trunk may be
made with indentations or inclines acting on levers to give the motion to hands and
arms. The arms and legs are fixed to the spindle P Q at the points y y yy. Although
I have described the application of my invention to the example hereinbefore
particularly detailed. Yet I do not confine myself to a toy with one figure or a toy
in which a coker nut weight is lifted off instead of the coker nut, the climbing figure
may lift another figure upon its shoulders or head and take it down or the tree may be
dispensed with and a climbing sailor appear to ascend the mast of a vessel and take
down a spar, sail or other object or figure. A toy may be arranged in which figures
vehicles &c. derive movement from a falling weight and a reverse movement from a
counter weight.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
1. A mechanical toy in which a figure is caused to ascend some perpendicular or
inclined object by the action of a weight in falling, and in which the figure descends
automatically by receiving another weight which overbalances the first substantially
as herein described.
2. A mechanical toy in which a figure is caused to ascend some perpendicular or
inclined object by the action of a weight in falling and in which the figure descends
automatically by receiving another weight which overbalances the first combined with
a mechanical device for giving motion imitating climbing crawling or walking to the
legs and arms of the figure substantially as herein described.
3. The construction substantially as herein described of mechanical toys with
climbing figure taking down a coker nut or other object or figure from a tree, mast
or other perpendicular or inclined object.
Dated this 6th day of November 1888