Improved Mechanism for Creating Motion in Toys.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 22nd Apr., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Mechanism for Creating Motion in Toys.
I, ERNST PAUL LEHMANN, of No. 6, Plauerstrasse, Brandenburg on the Havel,
Prussia, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to improved mechanism for creating motion in toys; the
said motion may be further transmitted to a variety of parts of the toy, to perform
a variety of functions, adapted to the nature of the toy, which may represent a
human being or animal or a working mechanism, or a combination of two or more
of these.
The primary motion for creating a derived motion is obtained either by a
driving spring, as usually employed in toy-figures, or by any other driving power.
By such primary motion, a crank-shaft arranged within the toy receives rotary
motion and by said crank-shaft the crank of which is working within a fork of
a rod, said rod is caused to assume a to-and-fro travelling motion in suitable
guide-ways. To the said travelling rod one, two or more cranks are coupled by
joints, said cranks being connected to shafts, which owing to the to-and-fro motion
of the shifting rod, are alternately swung in one and the other direction. From the
said shaft or shafts receiving a rocking motion, any convenient parts of the toy
derive their alternately swinging or rocking motion.
To make my invention fully understood, will further describe the same with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side-elevation of
the working mechanism of the toy, and
Figure 2 a plan of the same, the casing or frame, in which the said working
mechanism is enclosed, being shown in section.
Figure 3 illustrates, as an example, the mode of employing the said working
mechanism to a tricycle cart, with the rider in front and another human figure
mounted on the rear, both figures receiving motion by the rocking shafts, whereby
life and action are apparently given to the toy.
C
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a is a crank-shaft, receiving motion from the
driving spring b, which on being wound up by its shaft e imparts motion to the
wheel axle d and to the crank-shaft a, by a suitable train of wheels. The crank-
shaft a however, as has been stated before, may receive its rotary motion through
any other convenient means, incorporated in the toy or acting from without.
The crank a¹ of said shaft a works within a fork e, formed on or secured to
a rod which, being guided in suitable guide-ways is caused by the said crank a¹
to alternately travel to the right and to the left. The ends of said rod f, are
connected respectively to cranks g, h, the said cranks being secured on their
respective shafts g and has fully shown in Figure 2. Owing to the to-and-fro
motion of the rod f, the said shafts g and h, are swung or rocked. If the said
cranks g¹ and h¹ are placed on the same side of the travelling rod f as represented
in Figure 2, the two shafts 7 and h will both be rocked in the same direction.
But if the said cranks g¹ and h¹ are placed on opposite sides of the rod f, then,

page_text: as will be well understood, the rocking motion of the two shafts will be opposite
to each other.
Instead of connecting two cranks g¹ and h¹, and two shafts g and h to the
travelling rod f, a single crank and shaft, or more than two cranks and shafts
might be connected to be rocked in the manner described. Two or more rods,
such as f, provided with a fork such as e may be simultaneously shifted by the
same crank a', or by other cranks of the same shaft, and if said further cranks are
formed at different angles, the said rods f, will be shifted one after another,
each serving to work a crank or cranks, such as g¹ and h and a shaft or shafts
such as g and h.
In the drawings, the said rod f, is assumed to be arranged in a horizontal
position, and the shafts g and h, accordingly, turn in a vertical position. But the
rod or rods f might as well be arranged in an inclined or vertical position, and
the shafts g and h, accordingly would keep a corresponding inclined or horizontal
position.
The rocking shafts g and serve to impart motion to sundry parts of the toy,
and they may be utilised in a great variety of ways, motion being transmitted
by said shafts either directly, or indirectly, by connecting rods, toothed segments
or any other elements for transmitting motion.
Figures 3 and 4 only serve to illustrate an example of a toy in which the
working mechanism as before described has been employed.
While the tricycle-cart is moving on in constant motion derived from the driving
spring and train of wheels, the two figures A and B, the lower extremities of which
are imagined to he rigid, while the upper bodies are secured to the shafts g
and respectively, and arranged to turn on the lower part of the body, will be
rocked along with their respective shafts g and h. The figure B, mounted to the
rear, when rocking, will apply its broom to the head of the driver A, in front
and the said driver will simultaneously turn and strike with his tool in defence.
Any other reciprocal actions of the two figures A and B may of course_be_caused
by the rocking motion derived from the shafts g and h. Or the rocking motion
of one or both of the shafts y and h, may be employed to steer the vehicle, viz., to
change its course alternately to the right and left from the straight line, by causing
the rocking shaft or shafts to act on the steering wheel or wheels.
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. In a toy, the combination, with a crank or cranks, of a rod or rods having
a fork or forks within which the said crank or cranks work to alternately shift the
said rod or rods in the direction of their length, the said rod or rods being
connected to a crank or cranks on a shaft or shafts to which a rocking motion is
thus imparted, substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. In a toy, the combination, with a crank or cranks working in the fork or
forks of a travelling rod or rods, of a shaft or shafts to which rocking motion is
imparted by the said rod or rods, and a toy figure or figures to which the rocking
motion of the said shaft or shafts is transmitted, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
3. A toy substantially as described and represented in the drawings.
1000
27th day of February 1999.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.