A New or Improved Mechanical Toy.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 29th Mar., 1890-Accepted, 10th May, 1890
PROVISIONAL
SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Mechanical Toy.
I, HENRY HARGREAVES, of 74 Ferme Park Road, Stroud Green, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to a new or improved mechanical toy, so constructed that its
use or exercise requires more or less skill on the part of the person playing therewith,
and consequently the use or exercise thereof may be made a subject of competition
between two or more such persons, but it may be used as a source of amusement by
one person only if desired. The said new or improved toy consists of a box or
framework having mounted at each end thereof a roller or pulley over which passes
an endless cord. To the upper part of this cord are attached various figures or
objects, which may be guided in suitable slides formed in the upper part of the
aforesaid box or framework. These figures or objects may be caused to move to and
fro by turning one of the aforesaid rollers or pulleys in a suitable direction by means
of a cranked handle, by means of a finger of the hand, by means of a stick, or
otherwise. Various games may be played with the figures or objects so set in
motion, for example the figure of an acrobat may be used so formed or adapted that
various objects such as a ball, a pole, another figure, and so forth, can be balanced
thereon, the amusement or competition consisting in moving the figure with the
objects balanced on it, by means of the roller or pulley and cord from one end to
the other of the box or frame without the balanced object or objects falling off the
figure. Or, a series of figures representing the game of "the tug of war
used, in which case each of two players, one placed at each end of the box or frame,
would endeavour to so actuate the roller or pulley at his end as to draw the set of
figures to his side of the centre line.
may be
It is obvious that a great variety of games may be arranged in connection with an
apparatus of this kind by using appropriate figures or objects, for example by using
two or more sets of rollers or pulleys each with its corresponding endless cord, races,
tournaments and so forth can be represented and be made the subject of amusement
or competition.
Dated this 28th day of September 1889.
H. HARGREAVES.
Per W. H. Beck,
115, Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Mechanical Toy.
I, HENRY HARGREAVES, of 74 Ferme Park Road, Stroud Green, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the
accompanying sheet of drawings and to the letters and Figures marked thereon,
that is to say :-
This invention relates to a new or improved mechanical toy, so constructed that.
its use or exercise requires more or less skill on the part of the person playing
therewith, and consequently, the use or exercise thereof may be made a subject of
competition between two or more such persons; but it may be used as a source of
amusement by one person only if desired. The said new or improved toy consists
P

page_text: of a box, or framework, having mounted at each end thereof a roller or pulley over
which passes a cord, chain, or band. To the upper part of this cord, chain, or band,
are attached various figures or objects which may be guided in suitable slides formed
in the upper part of the aforesaid box or 'framework. These figures or objects may
be caused to move to and fro by turning one of the aforesaid rollers or pulleys in a
suitable direction by means of a cranked handle, by means of a finger of the hand,
by means of a stick, or otherwise: Various gamies may be played with the figures
or objects so set.in motion; for. exainple a series of figures representing the game of
"the tug of war may be used, in which case each of two players; one placed at
each end of the box or frame, would endeavour to so actuate the roller or pulley at.
his end as to draw, the set of figures to his side of the centre line.
23
It is obvious that a great variety of games may be arranged in connection with
an apparatus of this kind by using appropriate figures or objects, for example by
using two or more sets of rollers or pulleys (each with its corresponding cord;
chain, or band) races, tournaments, and so forth can be represented and be made the
subject of amusement or competition.
The said new or improved toy is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in
which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a toy constructed to represent
the movements of two sets of players engaged in the game known as the "tug of
war, and Figure 2 is an end view of same. Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional
elevation of a similar toy constructed to represent a passage of arms or tournament
between two mounted knights, and Figure 4 is a plan of same.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the toy therein depicted consists
of a box or framework A, at each end of which is mounted a roller or pulley B B'.
A cord,, chain, or band C, is connected to a stand D on which are secured the
figures E representing one set of players of the game. The cord, chain, or band C
after passing through a guide eye B³, or over a guide roller if preferred, is wound
several times round the roller B, then several times round the roller B₁, and, after
passing through a guide eye B, or over a guide roller if preferred, is connected to
the stand D on which are secured the Figures E' representing the other or opposite
set of players. The middle convolution of the cord, chain or band C, on the
rollers B and B is preferably fixed to the said rollers so as to prevent slipping of
the cord, chain or band thereon. The two stands D and D' are connected together
by the remaining portion of the cord, chain or band C, by a separate cord, or
otherwise, or they may be made as one single stand carrying both sets of figures;
and the two sets of figures are also connected together by the cord G which
represents the cord or rope which the two sets of players are supposed to be pulling
at. The stands D.and D' are adapted to slide on the top H of the box A between
guides II. Jis a frame.with, a bell K suspended thereto.
The rollers B and B are preferably provided with enlarged parts at B* and B**
respectively, and these enlarged parts may be grooved or otherwise roughened on
their circumferences the better to enable them to be turned by the finger of the hand,
or other instrument, introduced through the corresponding openings LL' at the
ends of the box A. The rollers B and B₁ may also be provided with fly
wheels Bº Bº1.
It will now be understood that if the roller B for example be turned in the
direction of the arrow by the finger or by a stick or other instrument introduced at
the opening L, the cord C will draw the figures E and E¹ to the left. If; on the
other hand, the roller B' be turned in the direction of its arrow by the finger or other
iiistrument introduced at the opening L', the cord will draw the figures E and E
to the right, consequently if one player operates upon the roller B, and another upoli
the roller B', the two can compete as to which of them will be first able to draw the
figures E, or E¹, up to or beyond the centre of the length of the box indicated by
the fraine.J, and to cause the bell K. to be rung by the head of one of the figures E,
or E', coming in contact therewith.
If preferred,, the lower, part of the cord,C may be dispensed with,, the free ends of
the cord being, in that case, secured to the rollers B and B' respectively, after

page_text: having been wound round the same a sufficient number of times to allow the
figures E E to be drawn to either end of the box or framework A.
:
The figures E and E' may be caused to assume positions more or less inclined to
the horizon in a backward direction as they approach the end of the box A, and
more or less forward out of the perpendicular as they approach the middle point J,
in imitation of the positions the players naturally assume when one set succeeds in
drawing the other beyond the prescribed mark. This is effected by pin-jointing the.
forward feet of the figures to the stands, as shown at E' for example, and by placing
a pin E in the hinder leg of one or more of the figures, which pin comes under
wires M secured at each end of the box A and rising from each end towards the
middle as shown. As the figures E or E' move backwards, they are caused to incline.
backward by the pin E3 being pressed downwards by the wires M, and as they move
forwards towards the point J they are allowed to incline forward out of the
perpendicular by reason of the pin E being allowed to rise by the said wires.
Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, it will be seen that parts, which are similar in
character and action to those described in reference to Figures 1 and 2, are
distinguished by similar letters of reference. In this case the stands or slides D
and D, carrying the figures E and E¹; each move in separate guide ways on the
upper side of the box A, so that the figures can pass each other in either direction;
and instead of the stands being connected to the rollers B B by a single cord they
are connected therewith by two cords, that is to say the figure E is connected to the
roller B firstly by a cord C attached at one end to the roller B and after passing:
several times round the latter, assuming the figures to be in the positions shown in
Figure 3, is passed through the eye B³ and is then attached at the other end to the
rear of the stand D. A second cord C is attached at one end to the roller B; and
after passing several times round the latter in a direction opposite to that in which
the cord is wound round, it is passed through the guide staples or eyes NO and-01,
and is then attached at the other end to the front part of the stand D: The cords-C
and C³ are similarly arranged with reference to the roller B'; stand D₁ and staples or
eyes N, 02 and 0 By these means the stand D and figure E can be moved to and
fro by means of the roller B, the cord C paying out or unwinding, from the said
roller.as the cord is wound thereon, and vice versa. Similarly, the stand D' and
figure E' can be moved to and fro by means of the roller B, the cord C¹ paying out
or unwinding, from the said roller as. the cord C³ is wound thereon, and vice versú,
each stand and figure being moved quite independently of the other. In order to
impart an up and down movement to the figures E and E, to give the horses more
or less the appearance of galloping, they are pin-jointed by the hind legs to the
stands and D' respectively, and rods PP, secured to the under side of the fore
parts of the horses, pass down through slots D' and D in the stands D D¹ and
through slots A A² respectively formed in the cover of the box A. These rods P P
carry friction rollers QQ₁ at their lower ends which respectively follow the
undulations of the fixed guide pieces R R¹ and thereby impart to the horses, as they
move along, an imitation of a rearing, prancing, or galloping, motion. The riders
on the horses are provided with lances, and their heads are preferably hinged
to their bodies, or otherwise only temporarily connected therewith, so that
when the lance of one rider comes in contact with the head of the other rider
the said head will either be turned back on the hinge or otherwise displaced from the
body.
It will now be understood that one player, operating upon the roller B, will be
able to move the figure E backwards and forwards at pleasure along its guide on the
top of the box A, and that another player, operating upon the roller B', will be able
to move the figure E' in a similar way, and that either player, by watching his
opportunity and moving his figure in a suitable way, will be able so to guide the
lance, carried by his own figure, that its point will strike the head of his adversary's
figure and turn it back on its hinge or displace it from the body. This requires a
certain amount of skill or address and affords an amusing competition for young
people.
1

page_text: A convenient means of turning the roller B. or B' consists in passing a string
several times round the enlarged part of either of the said rollers, and then, by
pulling one end of such string, and correspondingly slacking out the other end, the
roller is caused to rotate in either direction, as may be required.
I have described and illustrated my new or improved toy arranged for two different
subjects or games, and it is obvious that various other games may be devised with
other figures or objects set in motion by similar means, for example the figure of an
acrobat may be so formed or adapted that, when placed in position on the sliding
stand, various objects such as a ball, a pole, another figure, and so forth, can be
balanced thereon, the amusement or competition consisting in moving the stand and
figure, with the objects balanced on it, by means of one roller and two cords mounted
as shown in Figure 3, from one end to the other of the box A, without the balanced
object or objects falling off the figure.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First The new or improved mechanical toy, consisting of one or more figures set
in motion by means of one or more rollers operated by the finger of the hand, or
other instrument, and connected to and actuating the said figure or figures by means
of one or more cords, chains, or bands, substantially as hereinbefore described, and
illustrated in the drawings.
"
Second-The mechanical toy representing the game known as the "tug of war,'
consisting of the box or frame A, the rollers B B₁, the cord C, and the figures E E',
combined, arranged, and operating substantially as hereinbefore described, and
illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.
Third The mechanical toy representing a tournament, consisting of the box or
frame A, the rollers B B', the cords C, C, C², C³, the figures EE', the rods PP',
and undulating guides RR', combined, arranged, and operating, substantially as
herein before described, and illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings.
Dated this 20th day of March 1900.
H. HARGREAVES.
Per W. H. Beck,
115, Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent.
H.
HARGREAVES.
Per W. H. Beck,
115, Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent.