Improvements in or relating to Automaton Toys.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Automaton Toys.
I, LAURA BIDDLE, Franklyn Lodge, Newton Unthank, near Desford, in the
County of Leicester, Married Woman, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to automaton toys the principal object being the
production of a toy boat carrying one or more toy human figures provided with
oars, the movements of both the figures and the oars being in imitation of one or
more individuals rowing so that the toy boat is thereby moved along when placed
on water.
A toy constructed according to the present invention comprises a boat of suit-
able shape, a carriage therein carrying the toy figures and having a movement
imparted thereto to cause the figures to move and manipulate their oars in imita-
tion of persons rowing and clock mechanism and connections between it and the
carriage to actuate the latter to effect the propulsion of the boat.
The toy figures may be fixed to the carriage or mounted on a seat or base plate
adapted to slide into position on the carriage and the latter may according to one
method, be supported on and actuated by crank pins on the side of wheels receiving
their motion from clock mechanism located in the boat.
The shafts of the wheels carrying the crank pins may have bearings in a suit-
able framing in the bottom of the boat and the opposite end of the shafts may be
cranked for attachment to the carriage or instead of the end of the shaft being
cranked a disc having a crank pin thereon may be employed.
The means described communicate a rotary motion to the carriage and its
figures and the latter are thereby caused to manipulate the oars, dipping them into
the water, taking the stroke and subsequently removing them from the water to
propel the boat in imitation of a person rowing.
While it is found and believed that a rotary motion communicated to the carriage
is attended with the best and most satisfactory results the invention is not limited
to such movement as broadly speaking so long as the carriage is provided with a
fourway movement viz. to and fro, and up and down the oars will receive the
necessary action for propelling the boat.
The oars may be passed loosely through holes in the hands of the figures and
may be loosely fulcrummed on pins or in rowlocks at the side of the boat.
It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the structural details
set forth as these may be varied in different ways without departing from the
principle of the invention.
Dated this 27th day of April 1898.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Automaton Toys.
I, LAURA BIDDLE, Franklyn Lodge, Newton Unthank, near Desford, in the
County of Leicester, Married Woman, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion 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 automaton toys, the principal object being the pro-
duction of a toy boat carrying one or more toy human figures provided with oars
which are actuated in such a manner as to represent one or more individuals
rowing, so that the boat is moved along when placed on water.
A toy boat and its oarsmen constructed according to this invention comprises
a carriage within the boat, carrying the toy figures or oarsmen, having a movement
imparted thereto to cause the figures to move and manipulate their oars in imita-
tion of actual rowing and clock mechanism and connections between it and the
carriage to actuate the latter and the oarsmen to effect the propulsion of the boat
as herein before mentioned.
The invention will be understood from the following further description in
reference to the accompanying drawing wherein,
Figure 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of a toy boat and its
oarsmen constructed in accordance with this invention.
Figure 2 is a transverse section on the line X X of Figure 1 and, Figure 3 is
a transverse section on the line 0 0 of the same figure.
A represents the boat which may be made of metal or of any other suitable
material and contain within it the carriage supporting the oarsmen and mechanism
for actuating the same.
B are the toy human figures representing oarsmen, the said figures being made
of wood, metal or other material and fixed in any suitable manner to a carriage C.
The latter is supported on four (more or less) bearers or angle plates D D¹ two
each side thereof and screwed or otherwise fixed thereto in any convenient manner.
Each bearer is mounted on a crank pin E2 or equivalent on the side of a spur
wheel E or E which forms part of a train of wheels actuated by clock mechanism.
Each of the figures or oarsmen has a circular hole B' through his hand into
which is inserted the end of the oar F, the latter being perforated to pass loosely
over a pin A (or rowlock) projecting upwardly from the upper edge of or attached
to the side of the boat as in Figure 2.
Thus as the crank pins revolve with their respective wheels E E¹ the bearers D) D¹
are actuated thereby so that a combined rotary and vibratory movement is imparted
to the carriage C and the oarsmen B whereby the oars receive a four way move-
mene, which comprises (1) lowering the oars into the water (2) taking the stroke (3)
raising the oars out of the water and (4) moving them forward to their original
position preparatory to being again lowered into the water.
The bearers are actuated by two pairs of spur wheels E E E E¹, one pair of
said wheels E being mounted, one on each end of a shaft E³ Figure 2 and the
other pair similarly mounted on a shaft E Figure 1 each shaft passing into and
having bearings in the sides of a rectangular metal or other framing G soldered,
screwed or otherwise fixed to the bottom of the boat.
Between the two pairs of spur wheels E E is an intermediate spur wheel H
gearing therewith and carried on an arbor H¹ also in the side of the framing G.
The spur wheels E¹ are driven by pinion J on an arbor J¹ in the side of the
framing G and gearing with a toothed wheel K on the driving arbor K¹ of clock
mechanism.
In the present instance, as most clearly indicated in Figure 3, the motor or clock

page_text: mechanism comprises the wheel K carried on the said arbor K', a pinion K² on the
latter driven by a crown toothed wheel L on a vertical spindle or winding stem L'
provided with a usual clock spring arrangement M and a wing nut L² by means
of which the spring M is wound to set the mechanism in action.
A rudder N having a cord or wire № attached to its tiller N¹ passing through
the holes in the hands of a steersman B completes the crew of the boat.
Neither the rudder nor the steersman is actuated in any way by the clock or
other mechanism.
The whole of the actuating mechanism may be enclosed by a cover plate l'
attached to the boat in any suitable manner and having a central longitudinal
slot P¹ therein to allow for the movement of the figures.
I do not restrict myself to the precise arrangement of means shown for impart-
ing the four way movement to the oars as the train of wheels may be arranged in
many other ways.
I do not restrict myself to the precise mechanism shown and described between
the clock mechanism and the carriage and oarsmen as it is obvious that these may
be arranged in other ways within the skill of the mechanic to cause the oarsmen
to manipulate their oars to effect the propulsion of the boat.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A toy comprising a boat, one or more toy human figures therein provided
with oars, a carriage for said figures, clock mechanism and connections between
it and the carriage to actuate the latter in such a manner as to cause the figures to
manipulate the oars and thereby propel the boat.
2. A toy comprising a boat, a carriage therein provided with one or more toy
human figures furnished with oars, clock mechanism and connections between
it and the said carriage to impart a combined rotary and vibratory motion to the
latter whereby the said figures are caused to alternately dip their oars into and
raise them out of the water to effect the propulsion of the boat.
3. A toy comprising a boat, one or more toy human figures therein provided with
oars, a carriage for the said figures, clock mechanism and connections between it
and the carriage whereby the latter is actuated so as to cause the figures to dip
their oars into the water, take the stroke, raise the oars out of the water and move
the oars forward preparatory to repeating the operation.
4. A toy comprising a boat, one or more toy human figures therein provided with
oars, a carriage for the said figures, clock mechanism and a train of wheels
actuated thereby and connections between the latter and the carriage to cause the
figures to alternately dip their oars into and raise them out of the water to effect
the propulsion of the boat.
5. A toy comprising a boat, one or more toy human figures therein, a carriage
for the said figures, clock mechanism and a train of wheels actuated thereby and
bearers for the said carriage mounted eccentrically on the face of certain of the
said wheels whereby the carriage is actuated to cause the figures to manipulate
their oars to effect the propulsion of the boat.
6. A toy comprising a boat, one or more toy human figures therein provided with
oars, a carriage for the said figures, and clock mechanism and means intermediate
it and the said carriage the whole constructed, arranged and operating substan-
tially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Tinted this 28th day of January 1899
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.