US2600340A - Animated mechanical toy - Google Patents

Description

June 10, 1952 w STRAUSS 2,600,340

ANIMATED MECHANICAL TOY Filed March 8, 1950 INVENTOR. M4715? L. 577 /4055 Patented June 10, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANIMATED MECHANICAL TOY Walter L. Strauss, New York, N. Y. Application March 8, 1950, Serial No. 148,458

11 Claims. 1

This invention relates to animated mechanical toys, particularly to a toy comprising a pair of figures joined for movement relative to each other.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a novel and improved animated mechanical toy of the general type, above referred to, which offers a new and surprising play effect.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved toy the two figures of which are so joined together that they appear to play or fight with each other for the possession of an article.

Another object of the invention is to provide two animal figures each grasping the same article and so activated that they appear to struggle for the possession of the said article.

Another more specific object of the invention is to provide a toy the two animal figures of which are in form of dogs having bitten in the same piece of meat or in sausages and so activated that they will perform varied and abrupt movements relative to each other. As a result, the impression is created as if the dogs were fighting for the sausages or the meat.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy of the general type, above referred to, one figure of which has a tail which can make wagging motions.

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be pointed out hereinafter and set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing several now preferred embodiments of the invention are shown by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational sectional view of a toy according to the invention showing the two figures in a relative position which may be assumed to be an inactive position.

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top view showing the two figures in an intermediate or activated position.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing a modi' fied detail of the toy, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing another modification of the detail according to Fig. 4.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 3 in detail, these figures show an embodiment of the invention comprising two hollow figures l and 2 representing crouching dogs. The dog figures may be made of any suitable material such as sheet metal and have a substantially flat base with which they can be placed upon an appropriate base for instance a table. The two dogs are joined in positions facing each other and spaced apart by means of a drive shaft 3 rotatably passed through openings in the mouth portions of the dogs. Shaft 3 is rotated by any suitable drive means such as a spring actuated movement 4 mounted within dog I. Inasmuch as this movement may be of conventional design, a detailed description does not appear to be essential for the understanding of the invention. It suffices to say that the movement is wound by means of a key fitted upon a winding stem 5. Conventional brake means may of course also be provided.

According to the invention, the otherwise rigid shaft is provided with a flexible insert 6. This insert extends substantially from mouth to mouth of the dogs and is joined with the left and right hand rigid sections of the shaft so that the entire shaft is revolved by movement 4. The flexible insert may take any suitable shape and may be made of any material appropriate for the purpose. It may be of metal, for instance in form of a coil spring or of a material such as rubber. In the present instance, the outer shape-ancl preferably also the coloring-of the insert simulates a string of sausages. This string may be formed for instance by covering a coil spring or by employing a correspondingly shaped rubber element. The insert is preferably s0 biased that it always tends to assume the substantially straight position shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The toy further comprises a pair of running Wheels 9 and 10, one for each dog. The two wheels are fixedly mounted on shaft 3 for rotation in unison therewith and are so positioned that they protrude with part of their rim through an opening II and I2 respectively in the base of dogs I and 2 respectively.

As will be noted, the two wheels are mounted transversely to the axis of shaft 3 and hence to the longitudinal axis of the two dogs assuming the same are in aligned position. However, it should be understood that the wheels may also be mounted at an angle other than a angle relative to the aforesaid axes. I

Shaft 3 is preferably extended through the rear end of dog 2 and a hollow body l3 in form of dog tail is fitted upon bent-off shaft section 14 so that it will rotate together with the shaft.

The function of a mechanical and animated toy, as hereinbefore described, i as follows:

Let it be assumed that the spring movement is wound and that the two dogs are placed upon a table with the insert 6 in' substantially straight position. If the two dogs are now released with the two running Wheels 9 and I0 revolving in clockwise direction, wheel 9 will tend to move dog I in counterclockwise direction and wheel ID will tend to move dog 2 in clockwise direction. As

a result, the two dogs approach one or the other as is shown in Fig. 3. Simultaneously, insert 6 is bent and, hence, tensioned. Finally, the tension of insert 6 will overcome the propulsion by wheels 9 and I and will snap back the dogs into or toward a substantially aligned position whereupon the two dogs again begin to approach each other. It will be apparent that the relative movements of the dogs, particularly upon a smooth table, will be rather abrupt and irregular. Due to the snap action of insert 6, the dogs appear to jump around so that the impression is created as if the dogs were struggling for the possession of the string of sausages. Furthermore, the rotation of tail element l4 will create the impression as if dog 2 be wagging its tail.

According to the embodiment of Fig. 4, a running wheel Ill is idling upon shaft 3.

Fig. shows a modification in which a running wheel I5 is fixedly mounted on a rotatable shaft which is coupled with shaft 3 by gears H and i8 so that the rotational direction of wheel I5 is opposite to the rotational direction of wheel 9.

It will be apparent that the wheel arrangements according to Figs, 4 and 5 will have an efiect similar to the one described in connection with Figs. 1 to 3 but the relative movements of the dogs will be somewhat different.

While the invention has been described in connection with an embodiment showing two crouch ing dogs struggling for the possession of a string of sausages, various modifications of the basic idea of joining two figures by a flexible member and of providing cross wheels may be employed, many of which suggest themselves. For instance, two standing dogs may be shown fighting for a bone or the figures may be in shape of cats playing with a soft ball. It is of course also possible to show human figures, for instance two children playing with or fighting for a toy. It will further be apparent that the running wheel of do 2 may be omitted. Then, the propulsion of dog I will drag dog 2 along though lagging behind until the snap action of insert 6 become effective to overcome the friction between dog 2 and the surface upon which it is placed.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An animated mechanical toy comprising two bodies each in form of a figure, a flexible elongated member biased to assume a substantially straight position and connected at each end to one of said bodies for joining the same spaced apart, a running wheel on each of said bodies protruding from the base of the respective body, each of said wheels being fixedly mounted in a position in which its plane of rotation is at an angle relative to the axis of the elongated member when the said member is in its straight position, and drive means disposed on one of said bodies and operatively coupled with at least one of said wheels for rotating the same.

2. An animated mechanical toy comprising two bodies each in form of a figure, a rotatable drive shaft extending from one of said figures to the other joining the figures spaced apart, the section of the drive shaft between the two figures being made of a fiexible material biased to assume a substantially straight position the remainder of the shaft being rigid, a pair of running wheels mounted on said shaft transversely to the axis thereof, each of said wheels being mounted on one of the figures and positioned protruding from the base of the respective figure, and drive means disposed on one of said figures and coupled with the shaft for rotating the same, one of said wheels being fixed to the shaft for rotation in unison therewith.

3. A mechanical toy as described in claim 2, wherein the running wheel of the figure with the drive means is fixed to the shaft, the other wheel being an idler.

4. A mechanical toy as described in claim 2, wherein both the wheels are mounted for rotation by the shaft.

5. A mechanical toy as described in claim 4, in combination with a gear train reversing the rotational direction of one of the wheels relative to the rotation of the other wheel.

6. A mechanical toy as described in claim 2, wherein each of said bodies is in form of an animal figure, said flexible shaft section extending approximately from mouth to mouth of said animal figures.

7. A mechanical toy as described in claim 6, wherein said flexible shaft section is in form of a food article.

8. A mechanical toy as described in claim '7, wherein said flexible shaft section has a shape and design simulating a string of sausages.

9. A mechanical toy as described in claim 2, wherein each of said bodies is in form of a hollow animal figure, said drive means and said running wheels being disposed Within the respective hollow body, and wherein said rotatable shaft is extended to protrude beyond the rear end of the figure other than the other one housing the drive means, and wherein a hollow body in a shape simulating an animal tail is secured to said protruding shaft end for rotation in unison therewith.

10. A mechanical toy as described in claim 2, wherein said protruding shaft end supporting said tail body is bent off to form an angle with the general shaft axis for simulating wagging movements of an animal tail.

11. An animated mechanical toy comprising two hollow figures of animals of the quadruped kind, a rotatable drive shaft extending from one animal figure to the other joining the same spaced apart, said shaft being passed through the mouth portions of the figures, the section of the shaft between the two figures being made of flexible material in form of a food article the remainder of the shaft being rigid, a pair of running wheels each mounted transversely to the axis of the shaft and positioned within one of the figures protruding from the base thereof, a spring actuated movement mounted within one of the figures and coupled with the shaft for rotation thereof, the said wheels being secured to the shaft for rotation in unison therewith, said shaft being extended to protrude through the rear end of the figure other than the one housing said movement, said protruding shaft end being bent off to form an angle with the shaft axis, and a body in form of an animal tail disposed on said bent-off shaft portion for rotation therewith.

WALTER L. STRAUSS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,017,066. Weigel Feb. 13, 1912 1,212,332 Ensign et a1 Jan. 16,191? 1,552,314 Kohl e Sept. 1, 1925

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