A New or Improved Toy.
Year: 1897

page_text: A New or Improved Toy.
I, WILLIAM CHANCELLOR HAIGH, of 41, Corporation Street, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my said inven-
tion to be as follows:-
:-
The object of my invention is to produce a toy imitation of a boat or like race,
which can be played or used on a table and constitute an interesting and exciting
parlour game in which two or more persons can exercise their skill and patience
in causing one or other of rival boats or objects to first reach the winning post.
To this end therefore and as applied to a boat race I employ, by preference, flat
bottomed toy boats, made of wood, papier-mache or other suitable material, and
within these boats I fit a set or series of miniature figures of men or rowers, of,
by preference, like material, and hinged to the floor of the boat. Oars are fixed
to the arms of the figures and extend over the sides of the boat. In the bodies of
these figures I form a slot or opening through all of which, in each boat, I pass
a length of thread, or fine cord,--the edge of the opening or slot being of a knife-
like or fulcrum character.
Assuming the race to take place over a table one end of the thread of each
boat is secured to a miniature flagstaff or winning post, weighted to stand on
the table, held by hand or by preference, clamped to the edge of the table. The other
ends of the threads are held by the persons entering into the game or competition.
The boats are then drawn along the cord and set back to a starting line. At a
given signal the competitors .commence to alternately pull the thread tight and
then slacken it, the effect of which is to first raise the rowers to a vertical position.
and cause the boat to swing forward from the point of contact with the cord (in
pendulum fashion), and secondly, by reason of the weight of the figures (or special
weights applied) causing them to fall forward with the slackening of the thread,
to fall forward and advance along the thread ready for the next tightening, which
again swings forward the boat, and so on continuously; slackening and tighten-
ing until the winning post is reached, the falling of the figures forward by the
slackening. of the cord, and their erection by the tightening of the cord, affording
a perfect semblance of natural rowing.
The uncertainty of the degree of pull, and hence the speed at which the boat
travels, together with the distractions of watching the progress of the competing
boat, serve to create a considerable amount of merriment and excitement.
I prefer to limit the movements of the rowers by stops or seats behind each.
figure, but I may leave them free to move over their centres, and so permit of them
to reverse when the thread is pulled too strongly and row in an opposite direction
to the increased amusement of the players, or serve for extending the duration
of the race, which may be devoted to two or three laps of the table, and an extra
ug at the thread serving to reverse the rowers at the end of each lap.
Whilst my invention is chiefly applicable to toy boats, I may apply it to other
oys capable of being travelled along in like manner; the essence of my invention

page_text: being the use of a toy adapted to be travelled along by the alternate slackening
and tightening of a thread or cord in the manner aforesaid.
1 1
14:11907
I, WILLIAM CHANCELLOR HAIGH, of 41, Corporation Street, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described 1
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of my invention is to produce a toy imitation of a boat or like race,
which can be played or used on a table and constitute an interesting and exciting
parlour game in which two or more persons can exercise their skill and patience
in causing one or other of rival boats or objects to first reach the winning post.
To that end and as applied to a boat race I employ, by preference, flat bottomed
toy boats made of wood, papier-mache or other suitable material, and within
these boats I fit one or more miniature figures of men or rowers, of, by preference,
like material, and hinged to the floor of the boat. Oars are fixed to the arms of
the figures and extend over the sides of the boat. In each figure I form a slot
or opening and through the figures of each boat I pass a length of thread, or
fine cord. The edge of the opening or slot is, by preference, of a knife-like or
fulcrum character.
Assuming the race to take place over a table, one end of the thread of each
boat is secured to a miniature flagstaff or winning post, weighted to stand on the
table, held by hand, or, by preference, clamped to the edge of the table. The
other ends of the threads are held by the persons entering into the game or com-
petition. The boats are then drawn along the cords and set back to a starting
line. At a given signal each competitor commences to alternately pull the thread
tight and then slacken it, the effect of which (assuming the thread has previously
been slack) is, first, to cause the boat and figure to swing bodily forward from the
point of contact with the cord (in pendulum fashion) and thereby cause the figures
to assume a vertical position, and secondly allow such figures by their own weight
(or special weights applied) to fall forward along the thread to another position
ready for the next tightening which on taking place again swings forward the
boat and erects the figures ready for the next slackening and so on continuously;
slackening and tightening, until the winning post is reached.
I prefer to limit the movements of the rowers by stops or seats behind each
figure or by the manner of hinging, but I may leave them free to move over their
centres, and so permit of them getting reversed when the thread is pulled too
strongly and rowing in an opposite direction, to the increased amusement of the
players or serve for extending the duration of the race, which may be devoted to
two or three "laps" of the table, an extra tug at the thread serving to reverse the
rowers at the end of each lap.
And in order that my said invention may be more readily understood and
carried into practical effect I have hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings and will
now proceed to describe the same with the figures and letters of reference marked
thereon.
On Sheet one, I shew a series of diagram views, Figs. 1 to 4, demonstrating the
action of my improved toy as applied for a miniature boat race.

page_text: On Sheet two, Figs. 1* and 2* I shew a boat (about full size) with a single
rower, and shewing the two positions he alternately occupies under the move-
ments of the thread.
In Fig. 3* of the same sheet, I shew a boat with a series of
rowers, in the position they occupy when the cord is slack. Fig. 4* represents an
end view of the boat, and a front or rear view of its occupant or occupants.
Referring to Sheet one, Fig. 1 shews the thread (a) secured to winning post
(hold-fast) (b), threaded through hole (c) in the figure (d), and held between
finger and thumb of the player.
The figure () is hinged to the boat at (e), and the character of such hinge is,
by preference, such as to prevent the figure moving past the hinge centre, and
ensure of the figure falling forward when unsupported by the thread (a).
Assuming the normal position of the figure to be as shewn in Fig. 1 the pulling
of the thread tight causes the figure and boat to swing pendulum fashion on
point (f) to the position shewn in Fig. 2. On slackening the thread the figure
falls forward, and takes a fresh fulcrum at (9) as shewn in Fig. 3, on which, with
the next tightening of the thread, the figure and boat again swing forward to the
position shewn in Fig. 4, and so on continuously; the alternative pulling and
slackening of the thread serving to propel or navigate the boat across the table
to the winning post.
As aforesaid, the figure (d) may be so hinged as to fall on either side, and thus
serve to operate backwards or forwards.
Whilst my invention is chiefly applicable to toy boats, I may apply it to other
toys capable of being travelled along in like manner, as for example a toy figure
of a man, woman or child, with upper part hinged to the lower part, with small
hole or loop in neck or upper part, and similarly, objects in one piece with rounded
base may be made to travel by hole and thread.
Having thus 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 desire
to claim by Letters Patent is:-
1: A length of thread or cord, in combination with a toy boat having one or
more hinged figures with aperture in upper part, and mounted and operating as
and for the purposes as set forth.
2: A toy boat with one or more hinged figures, and each figure formed with
a hole or aperture in its upper part, as and for the purposes set forth.
3: A toy figure with upper part hinged to lower part or solid, and aperture in
upper part, in combination with a thread or cord passing through upper part,
as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 27th day of January 1898.
WILLIAM CHANCELLOR HAIGH.
By John G. Wilson & Co.,
Agents, 55, Market Street, Manchester.