An Improved Toy.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Sept., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 2nd June, 1894-Accepted, 7th July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Toy.
I, CLAUDE KENNEDY MILLS of 23 Southampton Buildings in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention,
(a communication to me from Claude Armand Jaboulay of 156 Grande Rue,
Oullins (Rhône) in the Republic of France, Clockmaker,) to be as follows:--
The toy which forms the object of the present application is composed of a
motor, for instance a clock movement, encased in a box and operating, by a simple
vertical rod having an up and down movement, a little figure which executes various
dances on the lid of the box.
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a front view and Figure 2 a side view
of the whole apparatus.
The clock movement is composed of a barrel a, which is wound up from the
outside of the box by a key band which gives movement to an escapement wheel c
by means of one or several wheels according to the length of time during which the
toy is required to work.
In the example shown in the drawings there is only one intermediate wheel for
a working of about twenty minutes.
The anchor d which acts upon the escapement wheel c is attached to a
pendulum e by means of a connecting rod f hinged at one end to the rod of the
pendulum and at the other end to the lever g keyed upon the shaft of the
anchor d.
On this same shaft is keyed a plate h on which rests the end of a light stem or
rod i, guided in a vertical tube j to regulate the movement; on the plate h may
be mounted a small stone serving as a bearing point on which the rod i rests.
This arrangement causes the rod i which passes through the lid of the box to
follow during the working, the oscillation of the pendulum and to take an alternately
up and down movement.
The body of the figure which is of cork or other light material is formed in its axis
with a closed tube k into which tube passes the end of the stem or rod i thereby
enabling the little figure to turn with great ease while following the up and down
movement of the stem or rod. The legs are suspended from the body by rings 1 I
which give them a large amount of movement; the height of the little figure
above the lid of the box, which latter serves as the floor, is regulated so that
when the legs are stretched apart as far as possible they still nearly touch the
ground.
The ball of the pendulum e is of a weight relatively high to the combined weight
of the whole of the pieces which it impels in its movement namely the little figure,
the rod and plate and moreover it is hollowed out in one of its parts or a little
eccentric so that the weight of these pieces brings the centre of gravity of the whole
into a vertical line with the point of suspension o.
Thus the figure forms an integral part with the pendulum and does not disturb
its movement. When the figure is lifted and the feet leave the ground the legs are
capable of moving under the slightest influence, and when the figure is lowered
and the feet touch the ground at an angle which is due to chance they cause the
figure to rotate first in one direction or in the other with more or less speed. Each
leg moving separately there result movements either in opposite directions or
together which give a continuous change in the steps made by the dancer.
The movement of the stem or rod i may be decreased at will by means of the
movable ring n so as to give more or less extent to the movements. When it is

page_text: desired to stop the working of the toy it is sufficient to press in the push piece p
which is connected to a slider which thus comes in front of the ball of the
pendulum.
In some cases several figures are mounted upon a single box which receive their
movement either conjointly or independently; a musical cylinder may be added
operated by the clock work in such a way that the time coincides with the
movement of the pendulum and the figure thus dances in time with the music.
The dancing figure may also be connected to a pendulum and clock movement
which would put it into action at certain determined intervals. It will be under-
stood that the exterior form of this toy may be varied also the arrangement and
nature of the motor which operates it.
Dated this 2nd day of September 1893.
C. K. MILLS,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C..
An Improved Toy.
I, CLAUDE KENNEDY MILLS of 23 Southampton Buildings in the County
of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, a
communication to me from Claude Armand Jaboulay of 156 Grande Rue,
Oullins (Rhône) in the Republic of France, Clockmaker, and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
The toy which forms the object of the present application is composed of a
motor, for instance a clock movement, encased in a box and operating by a simple
vertical rod having an up and down movement, a little figure which executes various
dances on the lid of the box.
In the drawings accompanying my Provisional Specification Figure 1 is a front
view and Fig. 2 a side view of the whole apparatus.
The clock movement is composed of a barrel a, which is wound up from the
outside of the box by a key 6 and which gives movement to an escapement wheel c
by means of one or several wheels according to the length of time during which the
toy is required to work.
In the example shown in the drawings there is only one intermediate wheel for a
working of about 20 minutes.
The anchor d which acts upon the escapement wheel c is attached to &
pendulum e by means or a connecting rod fhinged at one end to the rod of the
pendulum and at the other end to the lever g keyed upon the shaft of the
anchor d.
On this same shaft is keyed a plate h on which rests the end of a light stem or
rod i, guided in a vertical fixed tube j; to regulate the movement there may be
mounted on the plate ha small stone serving as a bearing point on which the
pin i rests.
This arrangement causes the pin i which passes through the lid of the box to
follow, during the working, the oscillation of the pendulum and to take an alternately
up and down movement.
The body of the figure which is of cork or other light material, is formed in its
axis with a closed tube k into which passes the end of the stem or rod i thereby
enabling the little figure to turn with great ease while following the up and down
movement of the stem or rod.
The legs are suspended from the body by rings which give them a great
freedom of movement; the height of the little figure above the lid of the box,
which latter serves as the floor, is regulated so that when the feet are stretched
as wide apart as possible they will still be above or over the ground or floor.

page_text: The ball of the pendulum e is of a weight relatively high as compared with the
combined weight of the whole of the parts which it causes to partake of its move-
ment, namely, the little figure, the pin and plate and moreover it is hollowed out
in one of its parts or is a little eccentric so that the weight of these parts brings
the centre of gravity of the whole into a vertical line with the point of
suspension o.
Thus the figure forms an integral part with the pendulum and does not disturb
its movement. When the figure rises and the feet leave the ground the legs are
capable of oscillating under the slightest influence, and when the figure is lowered
and the feet touch the ground at any angle, which is due to chance, they cause the
figure to rotate in one direction or the other with more or less speed. Thus by
each leg acting separately there result movements either in opposite or similar
directions which give a continuous change in the steps made by the dancer. The
movement of the stem or rod i may be decreased at will by means of a movable
When it is desired to
ring n so as to give more or less extent to the movements.
stop the working of the toy it is sufficient to press in the push piece which is
connected to a slide which thus comes in front of the ball of the pendulum.
desired several figures can be mounted upon a single box and they may receive their
movement either conjointly or independently; a musical cylinder may also be
added, operated by the clock work in such a way that the time coincides with
the movement of the pendulum and the figure thus dances in time with the music.
The dancing figure may also be connected to a clock movement which would put
it into action at certain deterinined intervals. It will be understood that the exterior
form of this toy may be varied as also the arrangement and nature of the motor
which operates it.
P
If
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 :-
A dancing automaton whose body turns freely on a vertical pin or rod receiving
an alternating upward and downward motion from a pendulum of a clock or other
movement and whose legs are suspended freely and at each descent touch the ground
at a variable angle due to chance in such manner as to produce a great variety of
movements.
1004 0.1...זגי.