A New or Improved Toy.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 25th Nov., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Toy.
I, ARTHUR BERTRAM KNIGHT, of 63 St. Charles Square, Notting Hill, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineering Student, 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 invention relates to a new or improved toy which can assume the form of a
ball at the end of a string but which, when caused to strike the ground or other
object, will divide and exhibit a doll or miniature representation of a member of
the human or animal species or other amusing representation.
For this purpose
form a hollow ball of stiff but flexible material in two
hemispheres hinged together and provided on the side opposite to the hinge with
simple fastening means. To the interior of the two hemispheres I fix the doll or
representation above referred to, and I preferably cause the same to be acted upon
by light springs to force it forward from the hemispheres when the latter are
opened out away from each other.
My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Fig. 1 represents the toy in the form of a ball attached to a string.
Fig. 2 represents the same when the two hemispheres are unlatched and the one
hanging down from the other and exhibiting a doll or representation of a human
being.
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 represent different modes of hinging the hemispheres, and
Figs. 6 and 7 show two forms of catches for holding them together..
a a are the two hollow hemispheres of stiff but flexible material, such, for
instance, as celluloid. These hemispheres are hinged together at a² and their edges
may meet with a butt joint, in which case they may be hinged together as shown
at Fig. 3, or the edge of one may fit into the edge of the other, in which case they
may be hinged together as shown at Figs. 1, 2, 4 or 5.
The latching means may consist, as shown at Fig. 6, of a stud or nipple a³ ou
one part fitting into a hole a near the edge of the other part, which arrangement
is employed when the edge of one hemisphere fits into the edge of the other, or a
catch a may, as shown at Fig. 7, be fixed to and extend a short distance from the
edge of one part to enter a hole a formed near the edge of the other part, such
arrangement being suitable when the two hemispheres meet with a butt joint.
The doll or other representation is partly fixed within one hemisphere and
partly within the other and a light spring c is preferably fixed within each hemi-
sphere to push forward the parts of the doll or other representation but which will
readily give way when the two hemispheres are to be closed together.
Other forms of hinges and catches may be used.
When the toy has its two hemispheres latched together, as shown at Fig. 1, it is
in the form of a ball, but, by dropping it on the ground the catch will be unfastened
and the toy will open out, as shown at Fig. 2.
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 :--
1. The improved toy constructed and operating substantially as herein shown
and described.
2. A toy consisting of two hollow hemispheres hinged together provided with
readily fastening and unfastening catches and fitted with a doll or other repre-
sentation or toy which can be enclosed by the hemispheres when the latter arc

page_text: closed and fastened together but which will open out therefrom as soon as the
hemispheres are unlatched, substantially as herein shown and described.
Dated this 19th day of October 1893.
ARTHUR BERTRAM KNIGHT,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.