GB1017315A - Improvements in or relating to toys - Google Patents

Abstract

1,017,315. Mechanical toys. M. GLASS [trading as MANN GLASS & ASSOCIATES]. Jan. 30, 1964 [Feb. 4, 1963], No. 4021/64. Heading A6S. A toy figure, e.g. a bird, is supported on converging, rotatable, legs 25 (Fig. 5, not shown) having substantially circular feet 45, which legs are driven by an electric motor via a gear train. The toy waddles along a substantially straight path until "attacked" i.e. by having its tail pulled, whereupon it turns on its "attacker" and simultaneously produces raucous noises. Pulling on the tail causes a bar 147 (Figs. 6 and 8, not shown) to move forwardly against action of a leaf spring, which bar effects raising comb 17 (Fig. 1, not shown), and opening the lower jaw. Movement of the bar also effects anti-clockwise movement of a spring urged rocker 145 (Fig. 7), disengagement of clutch 68, and reversal of current flow to the motor. Upon reversal of the current the motion of the cogs in the gear train is reversed and compound gear 95 which is swingable about the shaft of compound gear 91 swings in an anticlockwise direction (Fig. 7) and engages an idler cog 115. The rotation of the leg adjacent cog 115 remains the same whilst the motion of the other leg is reversed thus the legs move in the same direction and the toy turns around. During turning of the toy a lug 167 of the rocker 145 follows the outer surface of the clutch 171, but upon engagement with the groove 169 the switch is returned to its first position and the toy again describes forward motion. During waddling movement a piston member 249 forces air through a resonating chamber 233 to produce a whistling sound, the pitch of which is varied by a second piston 261 which alters the effective length of the chamber 233. Upon reversal of the motor, the compound gear 95 swings anticlockwise and engages an abutment of a pivoted spring actuated arm 247, plug 245 is therefore removed from a bypass opening 243 of the chamber 233 and at the same time spring 277 contacts a cog wheel 101 thus to produce by vibration raucous sounds in a hollow resonating box 267. After resumption of waddling movement the raucous noise is stopped by depressing the comb 17 which action causes the vertical plate 287 which has legs astride the arm 247 to move that arm clockwise to disengage the spring 277 from the cog 101. Waddling is produced by two cog wheels 97, 99 which have staggered teeth, so that during drive of one leg the other leg will not be driven. Lever 173 when actuated anticlockwise operates the switch 53 to prevent current flow to the motor 49. In an alternative embodiment (Figs. 13, 14 not shown) the drive motor is controlled by a switch which is actuated by a comb. Reversal of the switch simply causes the toy to move in the opposite direction.