Year: 1888

page_text: I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake and Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of
the said 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 that class of mechanical toys in which the motions of life
are imitated by means partially automatic, and partially by movements communicated
by the user, the object being to make a mechanical toy that by proper manipulation
will imitate creatures the movements of which are like those of the inch or loop worn.
This object I attain by the mechanism shown in the accompanying Drawings, in
which
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention as it appears on the table or floor
and
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the same.
Figure 3 is a detached view of one of the engaging spurs.
A represents the floor or table upon which the toy is placed when it is desired to
exhibit the same. B and C are two blocks which serve as foot-pieces. the front
one and B the rear one. Each of these foot-pieces is provided with spurs like those
shown at K K and H H. These spurs are bent at right angles as shown at I Figure 3
and the part 2 is driven into the block until the part 3 comes in contact with the
end of said block, where it is held by the staple O, Figure 1. The foot-pieces Cand B
may be made of any material and of any design, and provided with any desirable
means for securing contact with the surface upon which the thing is placed. A cloth
or carpet surface is to be preferred.
The two foot-pieces B and C are united by a spring-plate D, as shown in Figure 2,
and also by a running looped string or cord N N N². The spring may be concealed
by any fancy covering as E for instance, or the covering may be shaped to represent
a living or fanciful creature, a worm, snake, or dragon, for instance.

page_text: This looped string or cord N N N has one end tied to the eyebolt M, Figure 2,
in the foot-piece B; and from thence the cord passes to and through the eye-bolt L
in the foot-piece C; thence back and through the eye-bolt M under the foot-piece B,
as shown at N2; thence to a stop-picce S and from there to the hand of the user.
To operate the toy I proceed as follows: The stop-piece S in the cord N is so
adjusted that it will not admit of the spring D becoming straight, but will always
maintain it slightly curved-that is, the stop is so adjusted that as the spring D
straightens, the cord N N will be drawn through the eyebolt M until the stop S
reaches said eye-bolt, and thus prevent any further extension of the spring. In this
condition the toy may be placed upon the carpet and the spurs K K of the foot-piece C
inserted into the carpet. Now by pulling the cord rearward, the roar foot-piece B is
drawn forward, by slackening the cord, the spurs H H of the foot-piece B will enter
the carpet, being forced in by the reaction of the spring D, and the forward foot-
piece, C, will advance with a tendency to rise upward, imitating the motion of a
worm. Now, if the cord is again pulled rearward the forward foot-piece C, comes
down and engages with the carpet and the rear piece B is drawn forward. These
motions may be repeated indefinitely, and with a little practice the toy may be made
to contort itself in a great variety of ways.
Having now particularly described the nature of the said invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
In a mechanical toy; the combination of the spring D and foot-pieces C and B,
having engaging spurs, with the cord N, the said cord being secured at one end to the
rear foot-piece B, thence passing freely through a loop or eyebolt secured to the
forward foot-piece C, and thence back under the foot-piece B, substantially as
described, and for the purpose set forth.