IMPROVEMENTS IN TOYS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Harris Lake, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & C°
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings London for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TOYS" communicated to him from abroad by James
Nelson Gifford, Junior, of Fairhaven Massachusetts, United States of America,
Mechanic.
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings London for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TOYS" communicated to him from abroad by James
Nelson Gifford, Junior, of Fairhaven Massachusetts, United States of America,
Mechanic.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Harris Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th November 1882.
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN TOYS [A communication
to him from abroad by James Nelson Gifford, Juuior, of Fairhaven Massachusetts,
United States of America, Mechanic.]
My Invention relates to that class of toys in which there is a target and a
tethered ball for shooting the same, and consists in a novel construction and
arrangement of the parts, as hereinafter more fully set forth, by which a more
desirable article of this character is produced than is now in ordinary use.
The nature and operation of the improvements will be readily understood by all
conversant with such matters from the following explanation, its extreme simplicity
rendering an elaborate description unnecessary.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a handle which is the body
of the toy, also an image representing a man, both of these parts being constructed
of wood or of any other suitable material.
A spring wire has its lower end attached rigidly to the upper end of the handle
and is so bent or formed that its upper end, when the wire is at rest, is immediately
over the head of the said image.
Attached to the upper end of this wire by an elastic cord there is a small ball,
preferably composed of wood, hard india-rubber, or some similar material.
The upper end of the handle is chambered or bored out and within this chamber
or hole there is an elastic cord, attached firmly to the feet of the image, and to the
handle at the bottom of the said hole, the cord acting contractively to keep the
image in an upright position or on its feet.
D

page_text: The arms of the image are loosely jointed to their respective shoulders and are
rigid throughout, or have no joints at the elbows or wrists.
When the image is in an upright position, the left arm bangs loosely at its side,
but the right arm is hooked over a pin or catch which projects from the body of
the image near its hips, and is kept in contact therewith by the contractile action
of an elastic cord one end of which is attached to the arm, and the other to
the upper portion or neck of the image.
In the use of my improvement, the handle is taken in the left hand, and the
ball in the right. The ball is then withdrawn a short distance, and suddenly
released, the spring wire and contractile action of the cord causing it to strike
the image, and knock it off its feet, or making it fall into a horizontal or inclined
position.
The sudden jarring of the image caused by the impact of the ball releases its
right arm from the pin or catch, upon which one of the cords contracts, and
instantly raises the arm, the hand being brought up to the nose in token of derision,
in a very mirth provoking manner.
It will be evident that every time a shot is made, the arm will have to be "set"
or forced down over the catch. It will also be obvious that both arms, and one of
the legs, may be provided with cords and catches so arranged that when a shot is
made, they will assume some grotesque position, if desired, in which case the leg
to be moved must be provided with one or more joints, and with an elastic cord
arranged after the same general manner of the right arm. Instead of the image
representing a man, images of animals, birds, or the like may be employed, if
desired.

page_text: '
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Harris Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th May
1883.
33
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firmn of Haseltine, Lake, and Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN TOYS A communication
to me from abroad by James Nelson Gifford Junior, of Fairhaven, Massachusetts,
United States of America, Mechanic.
This invention relates to that class of toys in which there is a target, and a
tethered ball for shooting the same, and it consists in the novel construction and
arrangement of parts, as hereinafter set forth whereby a more desirable article of
this character is produced than is now in ordinary use.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a toy constructed according to this invention
and showing the said toy in position for use.
Figure is a similar view showing the position of the toy during use; and
Figure 3 is a sectional view showing the method of attaching the image to the
handle.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several Figures.
A indicates the handle or body of the toy and B an image representing a
man, both of these parts being constructed of wood or any other suitable
*material.
A spring wire C has its lower end attached rigidly to the upper end of the
handle, A, and is so bent or formed that its upper end, when the wire is at rest is
immediately over the head of the image B.
Attached to the upper end of this wire at m, by an elastic cord D is a
small ball, E preferably composed of wood, hard india rubber, or some similar
material.
The upper end of the handle is chambered or bored out as shown at d
Figure 3, and within this chamber or hole there is an elastic cord, a attached
firmly to the feet of the image, B and to the handle at the bottom of the
hole d, the said cord acting contractively to keep the image in an upright position,
or on its feet
The arms of the image are loosely jointed to their respective shoulders at x, and
are rigid throughout, or have no joints at the elbows or wrists
When the image is in an upright position, the left arm hangs loosely at its side,
but the right arm is hooked over a pin or catch, v, which projects from the body of
the image near its hips, and is kept in contact therewith by the contractible action
of the elastic cord Z, one end of which is attached to the arm, and the other to the
upper portion or neck of the image, as shown in Figure 1.
In the use of the improved toy, the handle, A, is taken in the left hand, and the
ball, E in the right. The ball is then withdrawn a short distance, as shown by the
dotted lines in Figure 2, and suddenly released, the spring, O and contractible
action of the cord Ď causing it to strike the image, and knock it off its feet, or
making it fall into a horizontal or inclined position
The sudden jarring of the image caused by the impact of the ball releases its right
arm from the pin or catch upon which the cord Z contracts, and instantly raises
the arm as shown in Figure 2, the hand being brought up to the nose in token of
derision, in a very mirth-provoking manner.
"9
It will be evident that every time a shot is made, the arm will have to be "set
or forced down over the catch, v. It will also be obvious that both arms and one

page_text: of the legs may be provided with cords and catches so arranged that when a shot
is made, they will assume some grotesque position, if desired, in which case the leg
to be moved must be provided with one or more joints, and with an elastic cord
arranged after the same manner as the right arm as shown in Figure 1. Instead
of the image representing a man, images of animals, birds, or the like may be
employed, if desired.
Having thus fully described the said invention as communicated to me by my
foreign Correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I Claim :-
First. The improved toy consisting of the handle A, the image B, the spring C,
the ball E, and the cords D, a, all constructed, combined, and arranged to operate
substantially as specified.
Second. In a toy substantially such as described, an image attached to the body
or handle thereof by an elastic cord or its equivalent, in such a manner, that when
the image is "shot" or struck by a ball, and thereby moved, it will be caused to
assume its normal position again by the action of the said cord, substantially as
set forth.
Third. In a toy substantially such as described, an image having one of its
limbs jointed and provided with an elastic cord and catch, or their equivalents, so
constructed and arranged, that when the image is "shot," or struck by a ball, the
limb will be released from its catch, and, after being so released, assume a new
position by the action of the cord, substantially as specified.
'In witness whereof I the said Henry Harris Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty fifth day of May in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hun and eighty three."