Improvements in Mechanism for Actuating the Eyes of Dolls.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 8th July, 1896-Accepted, 22nd Aug., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanism for Actuating the Eyes of Dolls.
We, EDWARD AUGUSTUS HINRICHS, Crockery Dealer, and FREDERICK
POMEROY BEMIS, Insurance Agent, both of Davenport, County of Scott, and
State of Iowa, one of the United States of America, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described aud ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention consists in certain improvements in mechanism for actuating the
eyes of dolls whereby they will be kept open or shut until the doll is inclined to a
predetermined extent and then suddenly closed or opened, as the case may be,
thus obviating the unnatural and unpleasant effect produced when a doll having
its eyes actuated in the ordinary manner is inclined, whereby the eyes are only
gradually closed or opened, the eyes, if the doll is not inclined sufficiently to
complete the movement thereof, being left partly open, and in several forms of
the invention hereinafter described for effecting this result, the weight for
actuating the eyes is supported independently thereof, thus relieving the pivots of
the eyes of the strain which would be otherwise thrown thereon, and by which
they have heretofore been loosened.
Referring to the accompanying drawings in which corresponding parts are
designated by similar marks of reference:-
Figure 1 is a view partly in section of a doll head having this invention applied
thereto.
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the eyes and eye-actuating mechanism shown
therein, the parts being shown removed from the head.
Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing a slightly modified form thereof,
the mechanism being removed from the head.
Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing the use of a single pivoted
detent to release the weight for actuating the eyes.
Figures 5 and 6 are views similar to 1 and 2, respectively, but showing the use
of double detents, the mechanism being removed from the head.
Figure 7 is a view partly in section, showing the weight as pivoted, and moving
in a curved path around. its pivotal point.
Figures 8 and 9 are views similar to Figures 5 and 6, respectively, but showing
the use of a tilting track actuated by a weight running therein to move the eyes.
In all the forms of our invention herein shown the eye-balls 1 are pivotally
mounted behind their sockets 2 in the head and have connected therewith the
lever 3, preferably consisting of two twisted wires, one of which goes to each ball
and is connected thereto, through which lever the actuation of the eyes is effected,
thus permitting the use of a single weight to control both eyes, and ensuring the
simultaneous operation thereof, but the mechanism for effecting this actuation of
the eye-balls differs somewhat in the several forms of our invention.
In the device shown in Figures 1 and 2, a tube 4, slotted on two opposite sides,
is secured within the head by the cross-piece 5 (connected with the end 6 of the
tube) inserted in the open top of the head, through which opening the eye-balls
and mechanism for operating them are inserted, the opposite end (a) of the tube
being secured to the interior of the front of the neck, thus giving the top of the
tube when the doll is erect an inclination towards the rear, the ends of the tube
being closed as at 6, and having cushions 7 therein to receive the impact from the
weights hereinafter referred to. Through the slots in this tube the rear end of the

page_text: lever 3 secured to the eye-balls projects, and within the track formed by the tube,
and on each side of the lever, is a spherical weight 8, 8, moving freely therein.
Such being the case it will be seen that when the doll erect both weights and the
lever will be in the lower end (a) of the tube, and the eye-balls will be fully
opened, as shown in Figure 1, and that if the doll be so inclined as to cause the
end 6 of the tube to be below the level of the end a thereof, the weights will run
to the end b, closing the eyes as shown in dotted lines. To ensure the sudden
closing of the eyes hereinbefore referred to, a detent 9 formed by a depression in
the bottom of the tube may be placed near the end a thereof, which detent will
engage the lower weight 8 and prevent the movement thereof, except upon a con-
siderable inclination of the doll, when, it will escape from the detent and run to the
opposite end (b) of the tube, carrying the parts to the position shown in dotted
lines in Figure 1. A sudden opening of the eyes may be ensured by a similar
detent placed near the opposite end (b) of the tube to engage the weight 8ª and to
release it in a similar manner when the doll has become sufficiently erect. As the
weight 8 is free to move from the end a of the tube upon a slight inclination
thereof, the forward and upper end of the lever 3 may receive a supplemental
weight 10 located above the eye-balls and preferably on an extension of the
forward end of the lever above the eyes, so that the said weight 10 will hold the
rear end of the lever at the end a of the tube unless it is moved by the superior
force of the main weight 8. Such a supplemental weight, will, if properly placed,
moreover prevent the eyes from opening upon the initial movement of the weight 8
from the end 6 of the tube and before the weight 8" has escaped the detent 9.
In Figure 3 a form of the invention is shown similar to Figures 1 and 2, but in
this figure a single weight 8b is contained within the loop 11 upon the rear end of
the lever 3, and in this construction the cushions 7 may be dispensed with and the
detents used or not as desired. It will be seen that this single weight, will, by its
position in the tube, determine the position of the eye-balls.
In Figure 4 a form of the invention is shown in which a pivoted detent is used
instead of the fixed detent of the previous forms. The lever 3 has directly
mounted thereon the main weight 8, which swinging under the influence of gravity,
causes the movement of the eye-balls, but this movement is controlled by the
detent 9, pivoted at or near its middle on the transverse pintle 12. An arm 13,
having the auxiliary weight 14 on its end, projects rearwardly from the detent aud
causes the lower end of the latter upon the inclination of the doll to pass out of
engagement with the upper face of the lever 3, thus permitting the lever to be swung
by its weight 8 to the position shown in dotted lines, thus closing the eyes, the
end of the lever in this movement sliding on the forward face of the detent and
depressing the upper end 9b thereof, sufficiently to cause the engagement thereof
by the forward face of the lever, holding the eyes closed. Upon turning the doll
to an erect position again, the detent swings in the opposite direction, its upper
end releasing the lever and its lower end again engaging it. It is obvious that by
varying the position of the weight 14 in respect to the pivotal point the inclination
necessary to cause the eyes to close and open may be varied, and a stop s may be
provided to limit the movement of the detent.
In Figures 5 and 6 a different form of pivoted detent is shown, and in these
figures the rear end of the lever 3 is adapted to be engaged by the upper end of
the detent 9 pivoted on the transverse pintle 12", and held by the weight 14 in
engagement with the lever. It is obvious that upon the inclination of the doll
the upper end of the detent will release the lever and the latter swing over.
these figures two of these detents are shown, one for holding the eyes open and
the other closed, (the two positions being shown in full and dotted lines
respectively) and it is also obvious that both or either of these detents may be
used as may be desired.
In
In Figure 7 the equivalent of the detents hereinbefore described is formed by
the weight 8 in the form of a disk, through the centre of which the end of the
lever 3 passes, the weight being upon the free end of an arm 15, pivoted at 15 at

page_text: the back of the neck. In this form of the invention the eyes will remain open
until the inclination of the doll causes the weight to pass over the point 15, when
it will immediately fall to the position shown in dotted lines, closing the eyes,
which will be opened by the reverse operation of the parts. Suitable stops s¹, s,
may be provided to limit the movement of the arm 15.
In Figures 8 and 9 a track in the form of a tube 4º, with closed ends is pivoted
within the head upon the transverse pintle 12ª, the tube having an arm projecting
forwardly therefrom, the said arm 16 having an aperture in its forward end,
through which the rear end of the lever 3 projects. A spherical weight 8' is
contained within the tube, but is free to move therein. The normal position of
the tube is the same as that in the form of the invention shown in Figure 1, with
the eyes open, but when the doll is inclined sufficiently to cause the weight 8' to
roll within the tuhe to what was its upper end (b), the preponderance of weight
thus created at that end will tilt the tube upon its pivot, and cause the eyes,
through the connection between the arm and the lever, to close.
The reverse
will be the case when the doll is raised, and in this form of our invention it will
be seen that the opening and closing are not merely caused by the position of the
weight within the tube but by the position of the tube itself, and that therefore
the opening and closing will be sudden, for any tendency of the tube to stick
will be overcome by the shock occasioned by the impact of the weight upon the
end thereof.
It is obvious that mechanism such as before described may be used to control
the movements of the eye-lids of a doll provided with movable eye-lids, and that
in such a case the eye-balls themselves may be stationary.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1. In a doll which opens and shuts its eyes, means, controlled by the inclination
of the doll for causing a sudden opening or closing of the eyes, substantially as
described.
2. In a doll which opens and shuts its eyes, the combination of a weight, and
means controlled by the inclination of the doll for suddenly releasing the
weight, whereby the opening or closing of the eyes is effected, substantially as
described.
3. In a doll which opens and shuts its eyes, the combination with a weight, of a
detent for suddenly releasing the said weight, whereby the opening or closing of
the eyes is effected, substantially as described.
4. In a doll, which opens and shuts its eyes, the combination of meaus
controlled by the inclination of the doll for opening or shutting the eyes and so
arranged that when the inclination of the doll is changed sufficiently to start the
eyes to opening or closing the said movement will be completed without further
change of inclination of the doll, substantially as described.
5. In a doll, the combination, with pivoted eye-balls, of a weight for the
actuation thereof, and means actuated by the position of the doll for holding the
said weight until the doll is sufficiently inclined to carry the weight to the opposite
end of its path, substantially as described.
6. In a doll, the combination, with pivoted eye-balls, of a track, weights
movable on the said track for actuating the eyes, and a detent on the track to
engage the said weights, substantially as described.
7. In a doll, the combination, with the pivoted eye-balls, of a slotted tube, a
lever projecting from the eye-balls through the slot in the tube, a weight movable
in the tube, and a detent for controlling the movement of the said weight,
substantially as described.
8. In a doll, the combination, with the pivoted eye-balls, of a slotted tube, a
lever projecting from the eye-balls through the slot in the said tube, and a weight
contained and movable in the tube, substantially as described.

page_text: 9. In a doll, the combination, with the pivoted eye-balls, of a track, means
mounted thereon for controlling the movement of the eye-balls, and a supplemental
weight attached to the eye-balls and located above their pivotal points,
substantially, as described.
10. In a doll, the combination with pivoted eye-balls, of means for opening
the said eye-balls, means for closing the eye-balls,, and a supplemental weight
attached to the eye-balls and located, above their pivotal point, substantially, as
described.
Dated this 8th day of July 1896
EDWARD AUGUSTUS HINRICHS.
FREDERICK POMEROY BEMIS.
Tongue & Birkbeck,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.