Improvements in Toy Pictures.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in Toy Pictures.
I, CYRUS HELLER, residing at No. 15, Ross Street, in the City of Williamsport,
County of Lycoming and State of Pennsylvania, one of the United States of.
America, Printer, 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:—
Referring to the drawings-
Figure 1, is a side elevation of a horse, (this animal only being used as a type or
for illustration) as drawn or photographed, or otherwise made to form the basis on
which the present toy picture is made.
Figure 2, is a perspective, view of Figure 1, which has been shaded, cut out, its
feet set apart and standing upright on its feet.
Figure 3, shows the invention applied to pictures of soldiers illustrating the use of
the invention with two legged creatures.
The present invention is an improvement in card or paper toys. Toy pictures of
this kind are manufactured and sold now, but they are imperfect from the fact that it
is impossible to cut them out entirely from ground work or back ground, as this back
ground is necessary to make them retain the necessary perspective in which the said
objects are drawn and printed. It is also necessary to fold or créase the card-board,
or to attach an extra piece to the back of the object that will extend to the surface
upon which it is placed, to serve as a prop, in order to make the object maintain an
upright position, or in other words, make it stand up. This latter feature, the ability
to stand upright, is a very necessary one, and is the distinguishing feature of the
present invention.
The present improvement is designed to overcome these objectionable features, and
impart to any object it is desired to represent, the ability to stand upright and at the
same time to allow it to be cut clear from all ground work, and yet not offend the eye;
in the final result by violating the laws of the perspective.
In Figure 1, is shown an outline drawing of a horse made on card board or any
suitable paper or other material.
"The laws of perspective demand that the two feet of this object that are farthest..
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page_text: from the eye, marked, C, C, should rest on or about the line, B, as is designated by
the dotted lines in Figure 1, while those nearest the eye marked, D, D, should rest
as they are drawn in the example on the line, A. This is all right if an ordinary
picture was to be made, but it would be found, if when an object or animal was drawn
in this described manner and cut out, and endeavour was,made to cause it to stand by
itself, upon its four feet, the experiment would fail, for the simple reason that the
structure would not admit of it, and in case of an animal the legs, C, C, would be
shorter than those marked, D, D.
In order now to overcome this defect, the base parts or all four feet are made to
rest upon the line, A, Figure 1. In doing this the law of perspective is violated so
far as making a simple picture, but as it is designed now to produce not only a picture
but a picture and toy combined, or rather to make a toy out of a picture, it is necessary
to do so because the final result, as will be seen will again restore to the object the
proper relation of its parts which have been thus disturbed.
In Figure 2, is represented a shaded drawing of the same animal, cut out. By
spreading the legs apart about half an inch, I am enabled to make this stand upright
without any supports of any kind. All the feet do not now remain at the same distance
from the eye, as they did in the flat picture, but stand in the same relation to each
other and to the eye, as those of the animal would which it represents. I find too,
now that we do not need the perspective which a flat picture would require as we
have removed it from the relations of a flat surface without density. To prove now
that the laws of perspective are not violated, and that I have obtained in the end that
which we rejected in the beginning, it would be only necessary to have a photograph
or drawing as in Figure 2 taken of the completed device while standing for the photo-
graph or drawing would place the feet, C, C, farthest from the eye, back again to the
place they should occupy in a mere picture.
While I have illustrated my present invention by a horse I wish it understood
that this animal is only used for illustrating, as it will be obvious from my explanation
that this invention is adapted for a wide variety of uses in the manufacture of toys
which are too obvious to need any enumeration in detail. In some instances where
there may not be legs so adapted as in the present illustration to be set apart, a line or
lines may be cut at proper places in the material of which the device is made on
which it may be bent so as to secure the needed perspective in the object represented
and at the same time secure the needed means of support.
This adaptation of the invention is indicated in Figure 3, by a soldier, E, his
musket or rifle, e, being adapted to form the brace or. support. For a bird, a plant
might be used; and thus through the range of creatures standing on two legs it would
require merely mechanical adaptation to provide, according to the explanation given
above, for the support, and at the same time cause the creatures to have a perfectly
natural aspect and posture.
While I have above used the term "drawing" it is my purpose to produce the figure or
object designed for the toy or combined picture and toy in any convenient, easy or
desirable way, as by painting, photographing or lithographing; and
card-board, thin pieces of wood, paste-board, thickened muslin, or any substance or
material that will answer the obviously necessary conditions of the case.
may use paper,
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. A toy picture made of card-board or stiffened cloth or thin piece of wood, having
the shape of an animal or other object shown on a common base line and adapted by
the movement of certain parts of its material upon which a portion of the picture is
made to form a suitable support for the object and at the same. time give the proper
perspective fall at the parts."
2. The toy picture herein described consisting of an animal or other object represented
on a plane surface and having a support integral with it whereby without folding or
creasing it can be made to stand alone.

page_text: 3. A toy picture representing a human figure, animal or like object, consisting of a
single sheet having the picture or print on one or both sides, and the object drawn and
printed as described and adapted for operation so that when it is cut out it will be capable
by bending of standing alone without folding and without attached supports, and at
the same time securing the desired perspective effect.
4. The within described process of making toy pictures consisting in representing the
contour or shape of an object on a plane surface of card-board or other suitable
material, the base support or supports of said object being of proper length to touch
one common base line, and shading said object so as to bring it out properly, whereby
is produced a toy picture, which by cutting and bending a portion of said card-board
or other suitable material, and without folding or creasing, can stand alone.
CYRUS HELLER.
By Jensen & Son,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Patent Agents.