A New or Improved Method of and Means for Producing a Movement more particularly intended to be applied to the Operating of Certain Mechanical Toys and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 7th July, 1899-Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Method of and Means for Producing a Movement
more particularly intended to be applied to the Operating of
Certain Mechanical Toys and the like.
We, TOM BENJAMIN BEVAN and WILLIAM CHARLES, both of 160, Chepstow
Road, Newport, Mon., Gentlemen, 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 new or improved method of and means for pro-
ducing a movement particularly intended to be applied for operating certain
mechanical toys and the like, the objects of this invention being, by means of
the mechanism employed, to give to a revolvable shaft or spindle, an irregular
and uncontrolled movement, firstly as regards the direction in which the said
shaft or spindle is caused to turn or revolve and secondly as regards the duration
or extent of such revolution.
This shaft or spindle when employed in connection with a mechanical toy,
may operate a small figure or marionette in such a manner as to cause it to give
in imitation an acrobatic performance, or the irregular movement of the afore-
said shaft or spindle may be employed for operating a mechanical toy of any
kind to which it is suitable, or it may be utilized in any other desirable manner.
In order that our invention may be fully understood, we will now proceed to
describe same with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a case containing a mechanical toy designed to
be operated by the improved mechanism hereinafter set forth.
Fig. 2 is a back view of same with the door or cover removed showing a part
of the operating mechanism in outside elevation.
Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the essential parts of the operating mechanism
and Fig. 4 is a cross section through the same and a part of the case wherein it
is contained.
In the application of this invention to the operation of a mechanical toy as
shown in the accompanying drawings, we provide a case of suitable size and
form furnished with a removable transparent front b and closed at the back by
a removable lid or cover c of any convenient shape and form (Fig. 4). The
case a is divided into two compartments by a partition d, the rear compartment
containing the operating mechanism e (Fig. 2) while the revolving spindle or
shaft projects through the partition into the front compartment where its
free extremity rests against or is supported by an upright (Fig. 1) in such a
manner as to give the said shaft or spindle the appearance of a horizontal bar,
and to this said shaft or spindle the extremities of the arms of a small figure or
marionette or the like are rigidly secured in such a manner that as the said
shaft or spindle f is caused to revolve as hereinafter described, the figure or
marionette is raised and lowered and caused to perform a series of revolutions or
partial revolutions around the said spindle or axis after the manner and in
imitation of an acrobatic performance.
The mechanism whereby an irregular motion is given to the shaft or spindle f.

page_text: comprises essentially a revolvable drum consisting of the side discs g furnished
centrally with holes or perforations 9 which are covered by smaller discs g
and a covering strip surrounding the outer peripheries of the side discs g in
such a manner as to form a hollow drum upon the inner periphery of which a
series of cups mare arranged. This hollow drum or cylinder turns upon a stud j
taking a bearing in a plate secured to the partition and upon a pin or
stud taking a bearing in a plate ♬ secured to. a cross.bar e arranged at the
back of the case.
Within the hollow drum or cylinder a free wheel w is arranged mounted on
the spindle and in such a manner as to be free to turn or revolve in any direc-
tion independent of the aforesaid hollow drum or cylinder, while the outer
periphery of the free wheel w is furnished with a series of cups or receptacles r
· preferably of segmental cross section.
Within the hollow drum or cylinder, a certain suitable quantity of any heavy
powdered or granulated substance is placed and as the said hollow drum or
cylinder is revolved, in any convenient and suitable manner, the said powdered
substance is raised by the cups m and discharged from each cup approximately
at the highest vertical point, in such a manner that it falls into the cups or
receptacles of the wheel w. The fronts of the cups m are suitably shaped and
turned up at the sides so as to ensure the whole of the substance being dis-
charged into the cups r, while these latter cups or recoptacles are preferably of
segmental cross section so as to contain the bulk of the powdered substance
within them during a comparatively large portion of the revolution of the wheel
and to prevent its being discharged therefrom until a comparatively low point
is reached.
The direction of the revolution of the inner wheel w depends as to which side.
of the vertical line the bulk of the substance raised by the cups m is deposited
in the cups r of the inner wheel w, the extent of the revolution of said wlieel in
any direction being dependent upon the quantity that may happen to be raised
in any one cup or series of cups causing that particular revolution, and in this
manner an irregular turning or revolving movement is communicated to the
spindle or shaft f, the powdered substance discharged from the cups or recep-
tacles as the wheel w turns or revolves being deposited in the cups m to be
again raised in the course of the revolution of the outer hollow drum.
We wish it to be understood that we do not restrict ourselves to the shape or
form of the cups shown in the drawings as they may be made in any other con-
venient shape and form provided they efficiently fulfil the objects in view, and
provided the joints of the outer drum be made sufficiently tight, it is obviously
possible for a liquid substance to be used to operate the inner free wheel w,
neither is the application of the irregular movement of the shaft or spindle f
restricted to the operation of a mechanical toy precisely in the manner herein
described and shown as it may be utilized' in any other suitable and convenient
manner and for any purpose to which it is suitable, but toys operated by this
improved mechanism will be found particularly useful as window attractions
and for advertising purposes etc.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. The new or improved method of and means for producing a movement
more particularly intended to be applied to the operating of certain mechanical
toys and the like, consisting in the combination of an outer drum or cylinder
carrying internally suitable cups such as m; with an internal free wheel such
as to furnished upon its outer periphery with a series of suitable cups or recep-
tacles such as r, rigidly mounted upon a suitable shaft or spindle such as f and
caused to turn or revolve by a substance of any suitable kind raised by the cups m
and deposited within the cups r, substantially in the manner set forth,

page_text: 2/. The combination with an inner free wheel w furnished with cups or recep❤
tacles such as r of an outer hollow drum or cylinder furnished upon its inner
periphery with cups such as m and designed when caused to turn in any convenient
and suitable manner to give an irregular turning movement to the inner wheel wo
and its shaft f, substantially as herein described and shown with reference
to the accompanying drawings, and for the purposes specified.
3. The application of the irregular turning movement of a shaft or spindle
such as f and produced in the manner herein set forth; to the operating of a
small figure or marionette for the purpose of producing in imitation an acrobatic
performance, substantially as herein described and shown with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
F. G. CASSELL,
(Of Cassell & Co.),
22, Glasshouse Street, Regent Street, London, W.,
Agent for the Applicant.