IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF AUTOMATON FIGURES OR TOYs
Year: 1866

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Scott Cavell at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 7th November
1866.
I, JOHN SCOTT CAVELL, of Gray's Inn Square, in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF AUTOMATON FIGURES OR TOYs," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of
automaton figures or toys representing human or animal figures or other
articles capable of being moved or changed into various positions, or of per-
forming dances and other exercises.
I propose to form the figures of paper, pasteboard, wood, metal, india-
rubber, gutta percha, or other suitable material, each limb being made
separately and united together by hinges or joints, and when requisite by
universal joints or ball sockets, according to the motion required. The trunk
and limbs of the figure are to be made hollow for the purpose of containing a
series of wires, cords, or strings, or.elastic bands with guide pullies, and rings
or loops for conducting such cords, wires, or strings to the various limbs and
for attachment thereto. At the back of the figure an aperture is formed for
the passage of these cords or wires, and the figure is supported by a hollow
pivoted joint at the. back through which the cords or wires pass; this pivoted

page_text: joint is set on a vertical tube behind the figure, the tube being supported on
a table, bench, or stage, and the operator being concealed from view pulls the
requisite cords or wires. in order to effect the desired motions of the figure.
By these arrangements no cords or wires are visible to the audience, and
the figure therefore moves by unseen agency which is not the case with the
dancing figures known as "marionettes." By means of the pivot joint the
figure may be turned head downwards, or may be revolved on its axis and
perform the various movements of the limbs at the same time, all the wires
or cords being provided with swivels to prevent them from twisting. The
head of the figure may be formed with a ball joint at the bottom of the neck,
and a short arm being extended from the neck joint within the figure the
head may be made to rock from side to side, or may revolve by means of a
cord or wire attached to the lever or arm. In order to permit of an advancing,
retreating, or lateral motion of the figure I-propose to channel or groove out
the table or bench with series of slots or curves, so that the vertical tube
may be passed along the grooves.carrying the figure in any direction required,
while the motion of the limbs is effected by the cords or wires; several figures
may be operated at the same time and on the same table. I also propose
to place one or a series of figures on pivoted joints on a sliding bar set on a
screen or vertical plane, so as to move them from side to side; or several
sliding bars may be set in the screen, each holding a figure, whereby they may
be made to approach or recede from each other. The tube or tubes being
rotated will carry the figure or figures round on an axis, the legs and arms or
other parts of the body of the figure being moved by the cords or wires.
The eyes or lips of the figure may be moved by means similar to those used
for moving the eyes of dolls. Springs may be applied (if desired) inside the
linibs, trunk, or head in various places for the purpose of rapidly bringing
back the limbs to position; when the cords or wires are slackened the position
of the springs and arrangement of cords. and wires will depend upon the
varieties of posture required in the figure. The figures may be made of any
size, and may either represent tightly garmented figures, or: :they may be
dressed in various styles of costume. If the limbs. are merely painted,
coloured, or stained, and not clothed, the joints must be made with full
rounded heads passing into their corresponding limbs, so that as the limbs
are bent no space or opening may be seen between the joints, but where the
figure is clothed there is no necessity for. so forming the joints. One. or
more figures may be attached to a horizontal hollow bar suspended from
two vertical tubes, through which the cords are passed to the figure or
figures. The horizontal bar is set in bearings on the vertical tubes, and is

page_text: provided with a grooved pulley and endless band passing below the stage or
table to another pulley and handle, by turning which the horizontal bar and
figure or figures are made to revolve or turn over and over, backwards or
forwards; the strings or cords actuating the limbs at the same time. By
the use of vertical sliding bars or moveable pivots the figures may ascend
and descend as well as perform the various postures as described.