Improvements in or relating to Mechanical Toys..
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Oct., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 25th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 9th Jan., 1997
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Mechanical Toys..
I, JOHN WILLIAM HAROLD VIVIAN, of Stanwell House, Stanwell, Staines,
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to mechanical toys, its object being the construction of a
toy or model comprising, for example, the figure of say a man, a motor for pro-
pelling the toy, and devices to impart desired movements to the figure in imitation
of those of men.
One construction according to this invention is a small sleigh or trolley in
which a clockwork or spring-operated motor is concealed to operate rollers or
wheels which effect the propulsion of the toy. This sleigh carries a lever which
extends in the direction in which the sleigh is to travel, and supports the
figure of a skater, so as to produce an impression that the skater draws the sleigh
after him.
The body and limbs of the figure may be given movements in imitation of those
which occur in performing the "outside edge" in skating; one way of effecting
this is to pivot the lever to the sleigh and engage one end with a cam or equivalent
part of the motor in such a way that the lever will be oscillated; at the other end
of the lever the body of the figure is supported. The legs of the figure are loosely
hung and are counterbalanced in such a manner that when influenced by gravity
alone they incline forward from the body. When the lever tilts the body to either
side, the foot at that side is dragged back by contact with the ground, whilst the
other foot, being simultaneously lifted from the ground, will be swung forward by
the action of gravity on its counterbalance, so as to imitate the swing of the human
leg in performing the "outside edge." There may be a cross connection or lever
provided to cause the legs to operate reversely.
Conveniently the lever and cam-pieces may be of a single piece
single piece of wire or of
sheet metal. The ends of the lever are so formed as to engage with cams, tappets,
a crank, eccentric or other convenient part of the motor mechanism. The latter
may be of any of the several types commonly employed in toys operated by
stretched elastic or by a metallic spring and clockwork gearing, or may be of any
other desired kind. Upon the lever or sleigh devices are constructed to limit as
desired the movements of the lever.
Although the invention is herein before described with reference by way of
example to a skater and sleigh its application is not limited to that exemplification.
Dated this 9th day of October 1896.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I, JOHN WILLIAM HAROLD VIVIAN, of Stanwell House, Stanwell, Staines,.
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described.
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to mechanical toys, its object being the construction of a
toy or model comprising, for example, the figure of say a man, a motor for pro-
pelling the toy, and devices to impart desired movements to the figure in imitation
of those of men.
One construction according to this invention is a small sleigh or trolley in which
a clockwork or spring-operated motor is concealed to operate rollers or wheels
which effect the propulsion of the toy. This sleigh carries a lever which extends
in the direction in which the sleigh is to travel and supports the figure of a skater,
Bo as to produce an impression that the skater draws the sleigh after him.
,י
The body and limbs of the figure may be given movements in imitation of those
which occur in performing the "outside edge in skating one way of effecting
this is to pivot the lever to the sleigh and engage one end with a cam or equivalent
part of the motor in such a way that the lever and consequently the figure will be
oscillated:
In the accompanying drawings;
.
Figure 1 is a perspective view partly broken away of a toy constructed in
accordance with this invention.
Figure 2 is a rear elevation showing the mechanism, the casing being
removed.
Figures 3 and 4 are detail views illustrating the construction of certain of the
parts.
A are the cheek plates of the apparatus kept at the desired distance apart by
struts A, B is an axle journalled between the check plates and having wheels B
fixed at its opposite ends and extending below the cheek plates, so that when
rotated in the manner hereinafter described they will effect the propulsion of the
toy. C is a spindle also journalled between the cheek plates, and extending to.
the exterior of one of them; this extension is provided with a milled head to
enable the spindle to be rotated by hand. C³ is a spring secured at one end to a
part of the frame and at the other end to the spindle C so that when the spindle
is rotated in a given direction by means of the milled head C₁ the spring will
tend to rotate it in the reverse direction; C is a spur wheel fixed upon the
spindle C and gearing with a pinion B on the shaft B to which the propelling.
wheels are attached. When the spring rotates the spindle C in the reverse direction
to that in which it. was.rotated by the milled head, the spur wheel acting through
the pinion B' upon the axle B rotates the latter and causes the wheels B¹ to revolve
aud effect the propulsion of the toy.
A cam D is fixed upon the spindle C so as to turn with it; a lever E is pivotted
at E' in the frame of the apparatus and has one end so formed as to be engaged
by the cam D in its rotation so that the latter will impart a vibratory movement
to the lever E about the axis of its long central portion E.
An arm F is fixed to the lever E and connected by a spring F to the frame

page_text: in such a manner as to maintain the end of the lever E always in engage
ment with the cam D and prevent its range of oscillation exceeding, the desired,
extent.
The mechanism between the cheek plates A is concealed by them and by-the
figure. G representing a person seated in the sleigh.
Upon the outer end of the lever. E is fixed the body of the figure H representing
the skater. As the lever E oscillates the body of the skater will thereby be
caused to sway from side to side. The skater's legs H are hung freely from
pivots H2 at their upper ends within the skater's body, beyond which pivots they
are extended so as to form bell-crank levers H. In proximity to the ends of the
levers Hare the arms of a short lever J which is formed together with its pivot Ji
from a single piece of wire bent to the required_shape, its ends resting in
notches J in the casing of the figure as shown in Figure 3. The ends of this
lever J engage with the extremities of the bell-crank levers H³ in such a manner
that if one leg H' moves backward the bell-crank lever H' thereof actuates the
intermediate lever to move the other leg forwards. When the body of the skater
sways to one side the leg at the side towards which it sways comes in contact with
the ground, and in the forward movement of the toy produced by the wheels B' is.
drawn backward forcing the other leg forward by actuating the intermediate lever J.
From the foregoing it will be seen that the forward movement of the skater and
the lateral sway of the skater's body will be effected by the motor mechanism
in the sleigh so that the movement of the skater's legs is caused by the movement of
the ground relatively to one or the other of them so that the foot comes into contact.
with it in the swaying of the skater's body.
Curved projections L are formed on the inside of the casing in front of the
upper part of the legs H', the effect of these projections being to cause the legs,
which have slight lateral play upon the pivots H, to move in the air across towards
the opposite side of the figure H as they are brought forward.
Suitable supporting devices for the sleigh are provided in addition to the
wheels B', conveniently they may be castors such as K, the object of which is to
enable the sleigh to move in a slightly zigzag path, and not be hindered from
following the skater from side to side as he performs the reverse arcs of the
"outside edge."
Conveniently the lever and cam-piece may be constructed of a single piece of
wire and of sheet metal respectively. The end of the lever in the sleigh can be so
formed as to engage with tappets, a crank, an eccentric or other convenient part
of the motor mechanism if desired instead of with the cam D. The motor mechanism
may be similar to that commonly employed in toys operated by stretched elastic
or by a metallic spring and clockwork gearing, or otherwise as desired. Suitable
devices may be provided upon the lever or sleigh to limit the movements of the
lever as found convenient.
Although the invention is above described with reference by way of example to.
a skater and sleigh its application is not limited to that exemplification.
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;-
1. In a toy the combination with a mechanically propelled sleigh or the like of
a figure constructed and operated so as to simulate the movements of a skater.
2. In a mechanical toy the combination with propelling mechanism of a cam
such as D and rod E E' substantially as and for the purpose described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In a mechanical toy the combination with propelling mechanism of a figure H.
with pivotted leg pieces such as H'H' a lever J and projections L substantially as
and for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete:

page_text: mechanically operated toy substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 25th day of November 1896.
JOHN WILLIAM HAROLD VIVIAN
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.