U.S. patent number 3,852,911 [Application Number 05/378,458] was granted by the patent office on 1974-12-10 for manually-manipulated animated figure toy.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Mattel, Inc.. Invention is credited to Dale P. Cleveland, J. Lewis Lewis, Stephen W. Piurkowsky, Jurgis Sapkus.
United States Patent |
3,852,911 |
Sapkus , et al. |
December 10, 1974 |
MANUALLY-MANIPULATED ANIMATED FIGURE TOY
Abstract
A puppet is supported by a rigid, hollow member in which a
puppet-manipulating rod is slideably and rotatably mounted for
selectively moving different puppet limbs in accordance with the
axial position of the rod and the direction of rotation
thereof.
Inventors: |
Sapkus; Jurgis (Manhattan
Beach, CA), Lewis; J. Lewis (Pacific Palisades, CA),
Piurkowsky; Stephen W. (Torrance, CA), Cleveland; Dale
P. (Inglewood, CA) |
Assignee: |
Mattel, Inc. (Hawthorne,
CA)
|
Family
ID: |
23493209 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/378,458 |
Filed: |
July 12, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
446/365 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63H
13/06 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63H
13/06 (20060101); A63H 13/00 (20060101); A63h
007/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;46/119,120,126,128,134,138,140,142,148 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
73,453 |
|
Nov 1951 |
|
DK |
|
821,310 |
|
Apr 1937 |
|
FR |
|
657,992 |
|
Oct 1951 |
|
GB |
|
Primary Examiner: Mancene; Louis G.
Assistant Examiner: Lever; J. Q.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Shirk; Max E. King; Stephen L.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A manually-manipulated, animated figure toy comprising:
a puppet assembly including a body, head and limbs;
a hollow, rigid tubular member having a first end secured to said
puppet and a second, free end;
an operating rod rotatably and reciprocably mounted in said tubular
member, said operating rod having a first end extending to a
position inside said puppet and a second, free end extending to a
position beyond said free end of said tubular member for
manipulation by a puppet manipulator; and
means connecting said first end of said rod to said head, legs and
arms for manipulation by rotating and reciprocating said rod, said
head including a fixed lower jaw and a swingable upper jaw, said
connecting means including means connected to said upper jaw for
swinging said upper jaw away from said fixed jaw when said rod is
manipulated.
2. A manually-manipulated, animated figure toy comprising:
a puppet assembly including a body, head and limbs;
a hollow, rigid tubular member having a first end secured to said
puppet and a second, free end;
an operating rod rotatably and reciprocably mounted in said tubular
member, said operating rod having a first end extending to a
position inside said puppet and a second, free end extending to a
position beyond said free end of said tubular member for
manipulation by a puppet manipulator; and
means connecting said first end of said rod to said head, legs and
arms for manipulation by rotating and reciprocating said rod, said
connector including actuators having arcuate hubs rotatably mounted
on said rod, arcuate detend means releasably connecting said hubs
to said rods and cords connecting said actuators to said arms and
legs.
3. A figure toy as stated in claim 1 wherein
said upper jaw connecting means includes a filament reciprocably
mounted in a sheath extending through said tubular member and
including an actuating button connected to said filament.
4. A figure toy as stated in claim 1 wherein said upper jaw
connecting means includes a cord having one end connected to said
upper jaw and another end connected to a finger extending from said
operating rod at right angles thereto.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The background of the invention will be set forth in two parts.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains generally to the field of
manually-manipulated animated figure toys and more particularly to
a puppet which is supported by a rigid, hollow member in which a
puppet-manipulating rod is slideably and rotatably mounted.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art known to Applicant is listed by way of illustration,
but not of limitation, in separate communication to the U.S. Patent
Office.
Among this prior art are British patent No. 657,992 and U.S. Pat.
Nos. 3,298,131 and 3,564,764. These patents disclose puppets having
a rigid member extending from the body of the puppet for supporting
the puppet while it is manipulated by means which either extend
through the rigid member or are otherwise associated with it.
The present invention exemplifies improvements over puppets of this
type.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
According to the present invention, two embodiments of a
manually-manipulated animated figure toy are disclosed. In each
embodiment, a puppet is supported by a hollow, rigid tubular member
in which an operating rod is rotatably and reciprocably mounted for
manipulation by an operator.
The rod has a first end extending to a position inside the body of
the puppet and a second, free end extending to a position beyond
the free end of the hollow, rigid tubular member.
Each embodiment also includes means connecting the first end of the
rod to the head, legs and arms so that the head may be rotated by
moving the rod axially so that the legs and arms may be selectively
moved, depending upon the axial position of the rod and the
direction in which it is rotated. In a first embodiment, these
connecting means comprise gears and gear sectors and in the second
embodiment these means comprise swingable arms and strings or
cords.
Each embodiment includes a fixed lower jaw and a swingable upper
jaw. In the first embodiment, the upper jaw may be swung upwardly
away from the lower jaw by operating a Bowden cable which extends
through the rod. In the second embodiment, the upper jaw is
connected to the rod by a string in such a manner that the jaw may
be swung upwardly by rotating the rod in a predetermined
direction.
In both embodiments, the hollow, rigid tubular member is rotatably
mounted at the upper end of a support post and means are provided
to fix the tubular member in different rotated positions so that
the puppet may be supported in erect, inverted or horizontal
positions.
The features of the present invention which are believed to be
novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The
present invention, both as to its organization and manner of
operation, together with the further objects and advantages
thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following
description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in
which like reference characters refer to like elements in the
several views.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a manually-manipulated animated
figure toy constituting a first embodiment of the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged, side-elevational view, with parts removed to
show internal construction, looking in at the right side of the
figure toy of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged, partial rear-elevational view with parts
removed to show internal construction of the figure toy of FIG.
1;
FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are enlarged, front-elevational views of the
figure toy of FIG. 1 with the cover removed to show the internal
parts in different operating positions;
FIG. 7 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view taken along
line 7--7 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a face plate used on the figure toy
of FIG. 1;
FIGS. 9 and 10 are front-elevational views of the head of the
figure toy of FIG. 1 showing the facial expression thereof in
mouth-closed and mouth-open positions, respectively;
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a manually-manipulated animated
figure toy constituting a second embodiment of the present
invention;
FIG. 12 is an enlarged, partial, front-elevational view of the
figure toy of FIG. 11;
FIG. 13 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view taken along
line 13--13 of FIG. 11; and
FIG. 14 is an enlarged, partial perspective view of the actuator
portion of the figure toy of FIG. 11.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring again to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS.
1-4, manually-manipulated animated figure toy constituting a first
embodiment of the present invention, generally designated 10,
includes a puppet assembly 12 carried by a hollow tubular member 14
rotatably mounted on a post 16 upstanding from a platform 18.
Puppet 12 includes a torso or housing assembly 20 comprising rear
and front housing halves or torso portions 22, 24, respectively,
which may be formed integrally with front and rear halves 26, 28,
respectively, of tubular member 14 from a suitable polymeric
material by injection molding techniques. Torso 20 is provided with
a neck opening 30, a pair of upper limb openings 32, 34 and a pair
of lower limb openings 36, 38 in which a head assembly 40, right
and left arms 42, 44 and right and left legs 46, 48, respectively,
are journaled.
Puppet 12 may be manipulated by a hollow operating rod 50 slideably
and rotatably mounted in tubular member 14. Operating rod 50
includes a first end 52 journaled in torso 20 on a fixed pin 54
having a rectangular head 56 trapped in an opening 58 provided in
torso 20 and a second, free end 60 which carries an operating knob
62 adapted to be grasped by an operator for rotating and
reciprocating operating rod 50.
Referring now to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, figure toy 10 also includes
connecting means 64 which connect the first end 52 of operating rod
50 to the head and limbs of puppet 12 for manipulation thereof by
rotating and reciprocating rod 50. Connecting means 64 includes a
neck post 66 rotatably mounted in neck opening 30 in torso 20 and
having a lower end 68 journaled in a journal box 70 and carrying a
crank pin 72 (FIG. 4) working in a crank slot 74 provided in a yoke
76 retained in position on end 52 of operating rod 50 by a pair of
semi-circular ears 78, 80. Connecting means 64 also includes a pair
of driving gear sectors 82, 84 keyed to end 52 of rod 50 on
opposite sides of yoke 76. Each driving gear sector 82, 84 includes
a large gear sector 86 and a small gear sector 88 each having a
toothed portion 90 and a reduced-diameter, smooth portion 92 (FIG.
2). Ears 78, 80 of yoke 76 are trapped by small gear sections 88 in
such a manner that rod 50 is free to rotate relative to yoke 76,
but will move yoke 76 laterally when rod 50 is reciprocated.
Connecting means 64 also includes a pair of arm-swinging gears 94,
96 each carried by a journal 98 having a first end 100 rotatably
received in journal box 70 and a second end 102 journaled in an
associated one of the arm openings 32, 34. Each gear and journal
assembly may be integrally formed from suitable polymeric materials
by injection molding techniques and may be strengthened by a
plurality of axially-extending flutes 104 having ends 106
engageable with torso 20 for minimizing axial movement of journals
98. A pair or idler gears 108, 110 drivingly engage the gears 94,
96, respectively, and are rotatably mounted between journal box 70
and journal brackets 112, 114, respectively.
Connecting means 64 also includes a pair of leg-swinging gears 116,
118 journaled in lower limb openings 36, 38, respectively, in
laterally-offset positions with respect to the arm-swinging gears
94, 96. The leg-swinging gear 116 is operatively connected to an
auxiliary gear 120 drivingly engaged by an idler gear 122 which, in
turn, is adapted to be driven by the small gear sector 88 on
driving gear sector 82 when operating rod 50 is moved axially to
the position shown in FIG. 4. This position is established by
seating a pair or protuberances 124, 126, which are mounted on end
60 of rod 50, in a first annular slot 128 (FIG. 1) provided in
tubular member 14 (FIG. 4) and including shoulders (not shown)
engageable by protuberances 124, 126 to limit the rotation of rod
50.degree. to 180.degree.. The location of these shoulders is such
that driving gear sectors 82, 84 will drive leg-swinging gears 116,
118, respectively, when knob 62 is rotated 90.degree.
counterclockwise (looking in from the right hand side of FIG. 4)
from a predetermined neutral position and will drive the idler gear
108 and arm-swinging gear 94 when knob 62 is rotated 90.degree. in
a clockwise direction.
Rod 50 may then be shifted axially in the direction of arrow 130
(FIG. 4) for moving the protuberances 124, 126 to the position
shown in FIG. 5 where they may be worked in a second annular slot
132 (FIG. 1). This moves driving gear sectors 82, 84 into alignment
with both the leg-swinging gears 116, 118 and the idler gears 108,
110, whereby both arms 42, 44 will be swung by clockwise rotation
of knob 62 (looking in at knob 62 from the right in FIG. 5) and
both legs 46, 48 will be swung when knob 62 is rotated in a
counterclockwise direction. Rod 50 may then be slid axially in the
direction of arrow 134 (FIG. 5) until protuberances 124, 126 seat
in a third annular slot 136 (FIG. 1) where driving gear sectors 82,
84 will be moved to the positions shown in FIG. 6 wherein gear
sector 82 will engage leg-swinging gear 116 to swing right leg 46
when knob 62 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction and will
not engage idler gear 108 when knob 62 is rotated in a clockwise
direction. Sector gear 84 will engage idler gear 110 for swinging
left arm 44 when knob 62 is rotated clockwise but will not engage
leg swinging gear 118 when knob 62 is rotated counterclockwise.
Moving rod 50 axially rotates head 40 through yoke 70, crankpin 72
and neck post 66.
Referring now to FIGS. 1-4 and 8-10, figure toy 10 also includes a
face plate 138 swingably mounted on head 40 by fixed pins, like the
one shown at 140 in FIG. 1, for swinging movement from the position
shown in FIGS. 1 and 9 to the position shown in FIG. 10 when a
button 142 on knob 62 is depressed. Face plate 138 then
automatically returns to the position shown in FIG. 9 when button
142 is released. Button 142 is carried by a stem 144 (FIG. 4) which
is biased to the right (as viewed in FIG. 4) by a compression
spring 146 having a first end 148 seated against a fixed wall 150
in knob 62 and a second end 152 seated against button 142. Stem 144
is connected to a filament 154 reciprocably mounted in a sheath 156
mounted inside hollow rod 50 and extending through torso 20 and
neck post 66 to a position adjacent a fixed bracket 158 carried by
face plate 138. Filament 154 is connected to bracket 158 for
swinging face plate 138 to the position shown in FIG. 10 when
button 142 is depressed.
Puppet 12 may be rotated from the upright position shown in FIG. 1
to suitable horizontal and inverted positions by releasing a detent
mechanism 160 (FIG. 4) from engagement with an associated one of
the cylindrical bores 162 carried by tubular member 14. Detent
mechanism 160 includes a gripper plate 164, which is slideably
mounted in post 16, and which includes a finger 166 biased into
engagement with bore 162 by a compression spring 168 encompassing a
post 170 carried by plate 164. Post 16 includes a lower end 172
(FIGS. 1 and 7) encompassed by a collar 174 above which a
horizontal partition 176 is mounted. Partition 176 is provided with
an aperture 178 through which an upstanding post 180, which is
provided on platform 18, passes when collar 174 is engaged with
resilient fingers, like the ones shown at 182, 184, to lock post 16
in position on platform 18. It will be apparent to those skilled in
the art that post 16 may be readily removed from platform 18 when
it is desired to use puppet 12 apart from its platform.
Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 4, the arms 42, 44 each includes a
unitary arm portion 186 having a lower end 188, which carries a
splined pin 190 and a horizontal shelf 192, and an upper end 194,
which carries a splined pin 196 and which is provided with a living
hinge 198 formed therein by reducing the cross section thereof. Pin
196 frictionally engages end 102 of journal 98 for non-rotatably
connecting arm member 186 thereto and pin 190 is engaged by an
aperture 200 provided in a hand member 202 for swingably connecting
it to arm member 186. Hand 202 includes a shank portion 204 having
an end 206 which engages shelf 192 to prevent hand member 202 from
being swung in one direction and which clears shelf 192 when hand
member 202 is swung in the other, opposite direction. The legs 46,
48 each includes an upper unitary leg member 208 having an upper
end 210, which carries a pin 212 engageable with an associated one
of the gears 116, 118 and a living hinge 214, and a lower end 216,
which carries a horizontal shelf 218 and a splined pin 220. Legs
46, 48 each also includes a lower unitary leg member 222 having an
upper end 224 swingably connected to pin 220 and engageable with
shelf 218 to prevent swinging of leg member 222 in one direction
while permitting swinging thereof in the other, opposite direction
and a lower end 225 (FIG. 1) which carries a foot 226.
Referring now to FIGS. 11-14, a manually-manipulated animated
figure toy constituting a second embodiment of the present
invention, generally designated 10A, includes a puppet assembly 12A
carried by a hollow tubular member 14A rotatably mounted on a post
16A and maintained in predetermined rotated positions thereon by a
set screw 160A.
Puppet assembly 12A includes a torso or frame assembly 20A having a
rear frame half 22A and a front frame half 24A. The rear frame half
22A includes a pair of forwardly extending brackets 230, 232 to
which the front frame half 24A is secured by suitable screws, like
the one shown at 234. The front frame half 24A includes an upwardly
extending portion 236 having an upper end 238 extending rearwardly
to the upper end 240 of rear frame half 22A and forming a support
for rotatably receiving a neck post 66A. Puppet assembly 12A also
includes a head assembly 40A having a hollow neck portion 242
frictionally engaged on the upper end 244 of neck post 66A. Head
assembly 40A includes a lower portion 246 including a fixed jaw
member 248 and an upper portion 250, which is swingably connected
to the lower portion by suitable pins 252, 254, and which includes
a swingable jaw portion 256 biased to a closed position on fixed
jaw portion 248 by a spring 258 having a first end 260 affixed to
upper head portion 250 and a lower end 262 affixed to lower head
portion 246.
Puppet assembly 12A also includes right and left arms 42A, 44A and
legs 46A, 48A each swingably and rotatably connected to frame
assembly 20A by a hinge member 264 engaged in a cylindrical member
266 which, in turn, is rotatably connected to frame assembly 20A by
a bushing 268. Rotation of each cylindrical member 266 for arms
42A, 44A is limited by a stop screw 270 carried thereby and
engageable with front frame half 24A in two positions of rotation
180.degree. apart.
Puppet 12A may be manipulated by a rod 50A slideably and rotatably
mounted in hollow tubular member 14A and having a first end 52A
positioned within frame assembly 20A and a second end 60A extending
to the outside of hollow tubular member 14A and carrying an
operating knob 62A adapted to be grasped by an operator for
rotating and reciprocating operating rod 50A. The head and limbs of
puppet 12A are connected to end 52A of rod 50A by suitable
connecting means 64A including a crank finger 72A having an upper
end 272 affixed to the lower end 68A of neck post 66A and a lower
end 274 working in a crank slot 74A provided in a rigid finger 76A
affixed to rod 50A so that finger 72A will rotate head assembly 40A
when rod 50A is reciprocated. Finger 76A is provided with an
aperture 276 through which a head-operating cord or string 154A
passes. String 154A includes a knot 278 engageable by finger 76A
for tensioning cord 154A to pull upper head portion 250 about pivot
pins 252, 254 in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed in FIG.
13) to move upper jaw 256 to an open position. Connecting means 64A
also includes limb actuators 280, 282, 284 and 286 connected to leg
46A, arm 42A, arm 44A and leg 48A, respectively, by suitable cords,
like the one shown at 288 in FIG. 13 for actuator 284 and arm 44A.
Each actuator is swingably mounted on rod 50A as shown in FIG. 13
for actuator 284 and may be operatively connected thereto by a key
290 affixed to rod 50A and engageable by an arcuate detent 292
slideably mounted in an arcuate slot 294 provided in the hub
portion 296 of actuator 284. An arcuate leaf spring 298 presses the
arcuate detent 292 into releasable engagement with key 290 so that
reciprocation of rod 50A to the position shown in FIG. 11 will
cause the hub portion 296 of leg actuator 280 to bottomout against
bracket 230 releasing key 290 from detent 292 so that leg actuator
280 will be disconnected from rod 50A while arm actuator 282
remains in engagement therewith. Additionally, arm actuator 284 and
leg actuator 286 will bottom out against a fixed stop 300 so that
the key for actuator 284 and 286 will be released from actuator 286
when rod 50A moves to the position shown in FIG. 11. When rod 50A
is then moved to the right, as viewed in FIG. 11, to its extreme
right hand position, as shown in FIG. 12, actuator 280 and 282 will
bottom out against stop 300 and actuators 284 and 286 will bottom
out against bracket 232 for releasing actuator 284 and 280. It
will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art that
intermediate positions of rod 50A will connect all of the actuators
280, 282, 284 and 286 to an associated one of the keys 290.
Operation of figure toy 10A will be readily understood. An operator
may grasp post 16A and press the suction cup 302, which is provided
on the lower end 172A thereof, into engagement with a suitable
surface to steady post 16A. With his other hand, the operator may
grasp knob 62A and reciprocate it for causing finger 76A to swing
head assembly 40A from side-to-side. If knob 62A is rotated
clockwise (looking in from the right in FIG. 11) leg actuators 280,
286 will swing upwardly tensioning cords 288 and swinging legs 46A,
48A. Counterclockwise rotation of knob 62A causes finger 76A to
tension cord 154A and swing movable jaw 256 to an open position
while simultaneously swinging arm actuators 282, 284 downwardly to
tension cords 288 and swing arms 42A, 44A. Pushing rod 50A to the
left, as viewed in FIG. 11, until knob 62A bottoms out against
tubular member 14A causes actuators 280, 282 to bottom out against
bracket 230 and causes actuators 284, 286 to bottom out against
stop 300 releasing key 290 from the arcuate detents 292 for
actuators 282 and 286 so that arm 42A and leg 48A will not be
operated when knob 62A is rotated.
Conversely, moving knob 62A to its extreme right hand position,
causes actuators 280, 282 to bottom out against stop 300 while
actuators 284, 286 bottom out against bracket 232 so that keys 290
will be released from actuators 280 and 284, whereby leg 46A and
arm 44A will not be swung when knob 62A is rotated.
While the particular figure toys herein shown and described in
detail are fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the
advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that they
are merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of
the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details
of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the
appended claims which form a part of this disclosure. Whenever the
term "means" is employed in these claims, this term is to be
interpreted as defining the corresponding structure illustrated and
described in this specification or the equivalent of the same.
* * * * *