IMPROVED PLAYTHINGS HEREBY DENOMINATED PESTALOZZIAN GYMNASTIC PLAYTHINGS
Year: 1852

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Lotsky at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th November 1852.
(Void by reason of notice to proceed not having been given within the
time prescribed by the Act.)
I, JOHN LOTSKY, of Soho Square, in the County of Middlesex, Doctor
of Philosophy, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVED PLAYTHINGS HEREBY DENOMINATED PESTALOZZIAN GYMNASTIC
PLAYTHINGS," to be as follows, viz. :-
This Invention consists in and has reference to the forination or
construction of playthings for children and others of gutta percha
or other analagous substance, which shall differ from those usually
employed in being thus constructed of such dimensions that they shall
exert the physical or physical and mental faculties of the players
therewith, and yet their physical energies shall not be overtaxed, by
reason of such playthings being graduated in size, &c. according
to the age and presumed strength of the players; for instance,
children under 5 years old having No. 1, and of from 5 to 7 No. 2, and
so on, and yet from being constructed of gutta percha or other
analagous substance, shall be less liable to hurt or wound or do other

page_text: mischief or damage than the much smaller playthings now generally
used.
Thus I construct fortification work of considerable size, (say about
2 feet high by 3 to 4 feet long, and the same breadth, composed
of several (say 20 pieces each) so cut up as to require some skill to
put them together.
After this fortification has been erected, it is to be battered down.
This is to be effected by gutta percha balls of not less than, say
1 foot in diameter. But in this as well as other instances, the sizes
will be graduated as aforesaid. The emulating play will consist in
who can quickest erect and batter down the fortification.
In the same way I make figures of bears and other wild beasts,
& place them on large pedestals to be knocked down with the large
balls aforesaid.
Also, I construct simple nine pins for the little children, or where
room or expense is a consideration, not smaller than, say, 2 fect
high.
In order to exercise the physical and mental energies at the same
time I construct large maps, (6 feet square, for instance, or there-
abouts) of gutta percha or other analagous substance, and about
6 inches thick, with or without a frame work of wood or pasteboard,
and propose that they be dissected, as is the case with the usual toy
maps; but these maps are to be figured on both sides, each repre-
senting a different country, and each side may be differently colored,
so as to render greater skill and knowledge necessary in putting the
pieces together.
I intend by all this to accustom the players to the sight of large
outlines and the handling of large masses comparatively heavy;
and it is obvious that the details of such large maps could be made
more minute and instructive. Some of the cheap maps made for
the Irish National schools might be made for the purpose.
These maps can be also made of solid light deal or similar wood,
and the gutta percha only used as an integument to make them
proof against moisture, &c.
Besides fortification work, figures of animals, &c., before described,

page_text: I make other forms, as pyramids, columns, &c. Also such parts
of children's garden implements as are not obliged to be of steel
or iron. And I would remark, that the gutta percha or other
analagous substance may in most cases be employed in combination
with a basis or frame work of other light materials.