Toy Bottle Warmer With Sounding Means, Visible Signal And Bottle Elevating Means

Abstract

A toy bottle warmer for simulating the warming of a nursing bottle including spring-powered escapement type timing means having an output shaft, the shaft having signal indicating means alignable with an orifice in a casing element, cam means for partially elevating a bottle, and clapper means sounding a bell, with the simultaneous appearance of said signal indicating means.

Description

This invention relates generally to the field of spring-powered toys, and more particularly to an improved bottle warmer suitable for use by children of relatively tender years. The device includes means for simulating a timing cycle, and for signalling when the timing cycle is concluded.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

The Glass, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,120,717 of Feb. 11, 1964 discloses a toy cooking utensil incorporating a sounding means which simulates the frying of an egg. The Glass, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,120,718 of Feb. 11, 1964 discloses a toy barbecue grill with a sounding means, simulating the roasting of a simulated article of food.

The Palumbo, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,205,610 of Sept. 14, 1965 discloses a toy stove having pneumatic means for simulating the exiting of steam from a simulated kettle.

The Carter U.S. Pat. No. 3,491,479 of Jan. 27, 1970 relates to a toy chain saw including a sounder which simulates the cutting of wood.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Briefly stated, the invention contemplates the provision of an outer casing defining a recess into which a simulated nursing bottle may be placed. The winding of a spring mechanism times the rotation of a shaft which mounts a plurality of elements. One of these elements includes a cam which slightly elevates the bottle within the recess at the conclusion of a timing cycle. Another includes a clapper which strikes a bell as the shaft reaches the limit of its rotational path of travel. A third positions a colored semaphore before an opening in the casing to also indicate that the timing cycle has been concluded.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

In the drawing, to which reference will be made in the specification, similar reference characters have been employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is a vertical central sectional view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the device with a part of the casing removed for purposes of clarity, and illustrating the springwound timing means.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, corresponding to that seen in FIG. 1, but showing certain of the component parts in altered relative position.

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view thereof.

FIG. 5 is a vertical fragmentary sectional view as seen from the plane 5--5 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a similar sectional view to that seen in FIG. 5, but showing certain of the parts in altered relative position.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view as seen from the plane 7--7 in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENT

In accordance with the invention, the device, generally indicated by reference character 10, comprises broadly: a casting element 11, timing means 12, visible signal means 13, audible signal means 14, and bottle elevating means 15.

The casing element 14 is most conveniently formed as an injection molding from synthetic resinous materials, and includes a base wall 18 bounded by a lower surface 19, an upper surface 20 and a rabbeted peripheral edge 21. A frusto-conical side wall 22 is bounded by a lower edge 23 which engages the rabbeted edge 21, and includes a sloped upper wall 24 defining an opening 25 communicating with a bottle pocket or recess 26. The recess 26 has a cylindrical side wall 27 and a lower wall 28. An opening 29 extends into the walls 27 and 28 to provide access for the means 15.

The timing means 12 is of relatively simple construction, and includes first and second vertical walls 30 riding in slot 35a and 31 mounting a gear train 32 including shafts 33, 34, 35, and 36. Pinions 37, 38 and 39 engage gears 40 and 41. A star wheel 42 cooperates with an escapement rocker 43 as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 to permit the running down of the timing means in approximately five seconds which is adequate for play purposes. A motion output shaft 44 extends outwardly of the casing element, and mounts a winding gear segment 45 which selectively meshes with the pinion 39 for winding, and during this operation, the shaft 35 shifts leftwardly as seen in FIG. 7 to disengage the gear train and permit a winding action of the coil spring 47 to occur. The free end of the shaft 44 projects through an opening 48 in the casing element 12, and mounts a winding knob 49 to permit manual actuation thereof.

The variable signal means 13 includes a radially extending semaphore 50, the outer surface 51 of which is selectively visible through an upper opening 52 in the casing at the completion of a timing cycle, as shown in FIG. 1.

The audible signal means 14 includes a clapper 53 also supported by the shaft 44, the free end 54 of which contacts the outer surface 55 of a bell 56 simultaneous with the appearance of the visible means 13 in the opening 52. The bell 56 may be mounted centrally by mounting means 57 on the base wall 18.

The bottle elevating means 15 includes a cam 59 having an outer camming surface 60 which selectively engages the lower surface 61 of a bottle 62 to move the same from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. 1.

During operation, the bottle 62 is placed within the recess 26, and the shaft 44 rotated to "turn on" the device. This will result in the lowering of the bottle from the position shown in FIG. 1 to that seen in FIG. 3, and with release of the winding knob 49, the escapement allows the shaft 44 to slowly rotate in an opposite direction. At the conclusion of the unwinding action, the visible signal means 13 appears in the opening 52, the clapper 53 strikes the bell 56, and the cam 59 elevates the bottle again to the position shown in FIG. 1, the simultaneous events creating maximum play value.

I wish it to be understood that I do not consider the invention limited to the precise details of structure shown and set forth in this specification, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

Claims

I claim:

1. A toy bottle warmer for simulating the warming of a nursing bottle comprising: a casing element defining a bottle-receiving recess, said recess having a wall with first opening at a lower end thereof, said casing element having a side wall having second and third openings therein; timing means disposed within said casing element; a motion output shaft rotatably mounted in said casing element and projecting through said second opening, and having manually engageable means on an exposed end thereof; means for driving said shaft including a spring connected to said casing element and said shaft; means on said shaft for driving said timing means as said shaft is driven by said spring; rotation of said shaft in a first direction serving to wind said spring, audible signal means carried by said casing element and shaft including a bell sounded by a clapper upon rotation of said shaft in a second direction, and at the end of a timing cycle of said timing means; visible signal means carried by said output shaft and alignable with said third opening in said casing element at the end of said timing cycle, and means including a cam carried by said output shaft adjacent said first opening to simultaneously elevate a bottle disposed within said bottle-retaining recess.