US2154297A - Action toy - Google Patents

Description

April 1939- w. o. YANCEY 2,154,297

ACTION TOY Original Filed Nov. 2, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Minn 3% 56 1 s4 m: 26 lnventor ril '11; 1939. w Y N EY 2,154,297

ACTION TOY Original Filed Nov. 2, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3nventor i4 Wimam OYQM M WM'QIQKNS Patented Apr. 11, 1939 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE ACTION TOY William 0. Yancey,

San Francisco, Calif.

8 Claims.

This is a continuation of my application No. 172,469, filed Nov. 2, 1937.

This invention relates to improvements in toys, and has particular reference to an animated toy wherein animal figures, such as rabbits, ducks, birds or human figures may be employed to accomplish the objects of the invention.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved toy wherein figures are caused to perform amusing and entertaining movements.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved toy including a plurality of figures that cooperate with one another to roll balls, marbles, or the like back and forth down opposed runways.

A further object of the invention is to produce a device of this character that is durable and economical to manufacture, smooth working and efficient in operation, and highly entertaining and amusing.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description andclaims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals areemployed to designate like parts throughout the same;

1 Fig. l is a front elevation of a toy constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is adetail of a handle therefor;

Fig. 3 is a plan of the toy shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken substantially along line IV-IV of Fig. 3 showing the animal figures of the toy in full and dotted line positions;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken substantially along line V-V of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an end view disclosing the ball hopper arrangement;

Fig. 7 is a view of the opposite end of the toy showing the wheel and crank arrangement.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section taken substantially along line VIIIV'III of Fig. 3 showing the ball lifting portion of a figure in diiferent operative positions.

In the drawings, a toy embodying the invention isillustrated as including a frame I 0 that has .secured thereto rollers l2 and a main actuating wheel H. The wheel I4 may be provided with a peripheral rubber surface, so that the wheel may readily travel over a polished floor or the like and obtain satisfactory traction without marring the surface. A pair of opposed animal figures l6 and iii, in this instance being of the likeness of rabbits, are pivotally mounted upon the frame II] as by means of pivot pins 20 and 22 respectively. As illustrated to advantage in Fig. 4, the figure 18 has an extending portion 24, the outer edge portion of which is formed as a section of a perfect circle drawn about the pivot pin 22 as a center. The upper end of the ex-, tending portion 24 is provided With a surface 26 adapted to receive a marble or ball 28 in resting position thereon (Figs. 4 and 8). The wheel I4 is provided with a laterally extending crank arm 30 adapted to register with a laterally extending crank arm 30 adapted to register with a radially extending slot 32 formed in the figure l8, and accordingly, upon rotation of the wheel M the figure i8 is caused to reciprocate about the pivot pin 22 toward and away from the positions indicated in Fig. 4 by solid and broken lines, re-

spectively.

A runway 34 to receive the ball 28 is mounted in inclined relation upon the frame I0 and having its upper end disposed adjacent the position of the ball lifting surface 26 when the figure I8 is in its upper or solid line position, as shown in Fig. 4. The animal figure I6 is likewise provided with a portion 36 extending circumferentially of the pivot pin 20, the upper marginal edge of which is recessed to provide a ball receiving pocket 38.

A link 46 is pivotally connected at one of its ends to the figure l8 and at its other end to the figure IS in offset relation with respect to the pivot pins 20 and 22 respectively. Consequently, reciprocation of the figure l8, as accomplished by rotation of the wheel l4, produces similar but oppositely timed reciprocatory movements of the figure I6. For instance, when the figure I3 is being moved from the broken line position toward the solid line position shown in Fig. 4, the figure i6 is being moved from the broken line position toward the solid line position shown therein. The lower end of the inclined runway 34 terminates adjacent the lowered or solid line position of the pocket 38 of the figure 16. Consequently, when the wheel M\ is rotated commencing from a position where the ball receiving portion 23 of the figure I8 is in its lowered or broken line position, the device is adapted to lift a ball 28 resting thereon to the upper or solid line position shown for delivery to the upper end of the runway 34 down which the ball will roll under the force of gravity and into the receiving pocket 33 of the figure l6, which according to the arrangement of the link connections between thefigures will be in its lowered or ball receiving position. It should be noted, however, that the outer arcurate surface 31 of the extending portion 36 is concentric with the pivot pin 2% and consequently the clearances between the lower end portion of the runway 34 and every portion of the surface 31 are equal and relatively small. Hence, in case the ball 28 traverses the runway 34 at such time as the receiving pocket 38 is in raised posi tion, the ball will be retained by the surface 3'! at the lower end of the runway until such time as the receiving pocket assumes its lowered ball receiving position, and during this time there is no possibility of the ball leaving its proper operating channel and/or binding or locking relatively movable members of the toy against smooth operation thereof. A guide piece 42 having an arcuate shaped surface complementary to the arcuate shaped edge of the extending portion 24 of the figure I 8 and slightly spaced therefrom is disposed below and adjacent the upper end of the runway 35 in such manner as to provide means for guiding the ball 28 during its upward lifted movement by the figure l8 for delivery to the upper end of the runway, without binding of the relatively movable parts of the toy.

A return runway 56 is provided adjacent the runway 35 in reverse inclined relation thereto. As shown in the drawings, the runway it may be in the form of a tube having a receiving port 52 in its upper end adjacent the raised or broken line position of the receiving pocket 38.

As shown in Fig. 6, the upper surface of the receiving pocket 38 is preferably sloped laterally downwardly toward the direction of the receiving port 52. Hence, when the ball 28 is lifted in the pocket 38 to a position adjacent the receiving port 52 it rolls freely into the receiving port under the force of gravity. A vertically disposed side plate 54 operates to guide the ball 28 and to maintain it within the pocket 38 until it reaches its maximum raised position without permitting binding or locking of the relatively movable parts. The lower end of the return tube 50 is provided with a discharge port 56 communicating laterally with the space between the animal figure l8 and the guide piece 42. Vertically disposed guide plates 58 and 60 (see Figs. 3, 7 and 8) are provided to laterally maintain the ball 28 upon the receiving surface 26 during the lifting operation thereof without binding or locking of the relatively moving parts of the toy. The plate 60 may be arranged also to constitute a front piece of the toy which extends completely across the front thereof and at the same time constitutes a guide for laterally maintaining the ball on the runway 34 and within the receiving pocket 38 during operation of the toy. As shown in Fig. 8, the ball receiving surface 26 of the figure I 8 is preferably sloped downwardly away from the return tube 58 so that the extending portion 24 and'the guide plate 58 provide a scissors action upon upward movement of the surface 26 to urge the ball 28 away from the discharge port 56. Thus the possibility of the ball 28 becoming caught between the lifting surface and a marginal edge portion of the discharge port is precluded.

Thus a toy has been provided wherein in response to rotation of the wheel M the animal figure It will lift a marble or ball or other similar object and. deposit it in the upper end of an inclined runway down which the ball will roll under the force of gravity and be received by the animal figure I8 which will in turn lift the ball and deposit it in the upper end of a return inclined runway, down which the ball will roll under the force of gravity and be delivered again to the animal figure [B for repeating the process. The toy is adapted to be actuated by pushing or pulling it across a fioor or other surface, as by means of the handle illustrated in Fig. 2, which is provided at one end with a hook Hi adapted to be detachably connected with a staple 72 extending from the frame of the toy. In the alternative, the toy may be placed upon the table or similar object and actuated by manual rotation of a crank handle 75 extending from the wheel l4.

To add to the interest of the toy a hopper may be provided about the receiving end of the return tube 55!. A vertically swingable lid 82 may be provided for the hopper and mounted upon a horizontal hinge 84 in such manner that a pin 86 extending laterally from the animal figure i6 is adapted to raise one edge of the lid 82 during the ball lifting motion of the figure It so that when the ball is ready for delivery to the return tube the lid 82 is sufficiently raised to permit transfer of the ball from the figure It to the return tube 59. During the down stroke of the figure 16 the lid is allowed to return to its closed position under the force of gravity. Hence, a toy is provided which produces the effect of one animal figure lifting a series of nuts, easter eggs, balls or the like, one by one, and rolling them down a runway toward a second animal figure which in turn lifts each of the objects and deposits them in a storage hopper, opening the lid of the hopper each time. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the hopper 80 is: preferably arranged to extend laterally beyond the line of the crank handle in such manner as to constitute a guard for the handle during movement of the toy across a floor between or around such objects as furniture or the like. Hence, the possibility of the crank handle 15 becoming caught upon such objects while the user of the toy is pushing or trailing it at the end of a string, is minimized.

To further ornament the toy and to increase 1 the entertainment features thereof, series of counting beads 90 may be conveniently supported upon rods 92 extending between opposed extending side wall portions of the hopper 80.

Although only one form of the invention is shown and described in detaiL'it will be apparent to those skilled in. the art that the invention is not so limited but that various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a toy, a frame, a pair of spaced figures pivotally mounted upon said frame, an inclined runway disposed between said figures, each of said figures being provided with a ball receiving portion and an arcuate extending edge portion contiguous with the ball receiving portion and concentric with the axis of each respective pivotal mounting and in close spaced relation with the adjacent end portion of said inclined runway, and means for imparting reciprocatory motion to said figures whereby said figures are adapted to receive a rolling object when in their respective lowered positions: and to lift saidobject relative to said runway without binding of said object between relatively moving portions of said toy.

' 2. In a toy, a frame, a pair of spaced opposed figures pivotally mounted upon. said frame, each of said figures being provided with a ball supporting surface, a pair of reversely inclined run- 7 ways disposed between said figures, means for imparting movements to said figures, and. means associated with said figures and said runways and cooperating therewith to provide rolling ball passageways between adjacent ends of said runways, whereby movements of said figures cause a rolling ball disposed in one of said runways to be lifted by one of said figures from the lower end of said runway and delivered into the adjacent upper end of the other of said runways and allowed to roll thereupon under the force of gravity to the lower end thereof and to be received thereat and lifted by the other of said figures and delivered into the upper end of the first mentioned runway for rolling thereupon for delivery again to the first mentioned figure for repeating the operation.

3. In a my, a frame, a pair of spaced opposed figures pivotally mounted upon said frame, each of said figures being provided with a ball supporting surface, a pair of reversely inclined runways disposed between said figures, means for imparting movements to said figures, and means associated with said figures and said runways and cooperating therewith to provide rolling ball passageways between adjacent ends of said runways, whereby movements of said figures cause a rolling ball disposed in one of said runways to be lifted by one of said figuresfrom the lower end of said runway and delivered into the adjacent .upper end of the other of said runways and allowed to roll thereupon under the force of gravity to be received and lifted by the other of said figures and delivered into the upper end of the first mentioned runway for rolling thereupon for delivery again to the first mentioned figure for repeating the operation, said ball receiving surfaces of said figures being inclined laterally downwardly in the directions of the lateral movements of the ball when being delivered from one runway to another.

, 4. In a toy, a frame, an inclined runway supported upon said frame, a storage hopper supported upon said frame adjacent one end of said runway and extending for a substantial distance laterally of a portion of said frame, ball lifting means disposed adjacent said hopper and adapted to receive a ball from said runway and to elevate and discharge the same into said hopper, and a manually operable crank arm associated with said lifting means for actuation thereof and extending laterally of said frame within the longitudinal line of said hopper, whereby said hopper constitutes. a guard to protect said crank arm from becoming caught upon foreign objects when the toy is moved across a floor or similar surface.

5. In a toy, a frame, a pair of spaced figures pivotally mounted upon said frame, a pair of reversely inclined runways disposed between said figures, a wheel rotatably mounted upon said frame, means associated with said wheel and each of said figures for imparting reciprocating movements to said figures, and means associated with said figures and said runways and cooperating therewith to provide rolling ball passageways between adjacent ends of said runways, whereby movements of said figures cause a rolling ball disposed in one of said runways to be lifted by one of said figures from the lower end of said runway and delivered into the adjacent upper end of the other of said runways and allowed to roll thereupon under the force of gravity to the lower end thereof and to be received thereat and lifted by the other of said figures and delivered into the upper end of the first mentioned runway for rolling thereupon for deliveryragain to the first mentioned figure for repeating the operation.

6. In a toy, a frame, a figure pivotally mounted upon said frame and being provided with a ball receiving surface, means for reciprocating said figure in such manner that said ball receiving surface alternately moves between lowered and raised positions, means for delivering a rolling object to said receiving surface when in its lowered position, a storage hopper having an upper marginal edge portion adjacent the raised position of said figure, a hinged lid for said storage hopper, and means associated with said figure and adapted to raise said lid to an open position during movement of said figure from its lowered to its raised position.

7. In a toy, an inclined runway adapted to support an object in gravity movable relation thereon, a member pivotally mounted adjacent the lower end of said runway and having an object receiving surface thereon, means for oscillating said member about its pivotal mounting to raise said object relative to said runway and to subsequently return said object receiving surface to a position adjacent the lower end of said runway for receiving another such object, the marginal edge portion of said member adjacent the object receiving surface and said runway being formed to provide uniform and close clearance between said runway and adjacent portions of said member during operating movements of said member, whereby the objects being handled are prevented from jamming the relatively movable parts of the toy.

8. In a toy, a frame, a pair of spaced opposed figures pivotally mounted upon said frame, each of said figures being provided with a ball supporting surface, a pair of reversely inclined runways disposed between said figures, crank means for imparting synchronized movements to said figures, and means associated with said figures and said runways and cooperating therewith to provide rolling ball passageways between adj acent ends of said runways, whereby movements of said figures cause a rolling ball disposed in one of said runways to be lifted by one of said figures from the lower end of said runway and delivered into the adjacent upper end of the other of said runways and allowed to roll thereupon under the force of gravity to the lower end thereof and to be received thereat and lifted by the other of said figures and delivered into the upper end of the first mentioned runway for rolling thereupon for delivery again to the first mentioned figure for repeating the operation.

WILLIAM O. YANCEY.

I CERTIFICATE CF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,15%297. I April 11; 19 9.

' WILLIAM o. YANCEY. I

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, second column, lines 9 and 10, strike out the words "with a laterally extending crank arm 50 adapted to register"; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 16th day of May, A. D. 1959.

Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

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