US705855A - Toy or advertising device. - Google Patents

Description

Patented July 29,, I902.

J. A MANGOLD. T0Y 0B ADVERTISING DEVICE.

(Application filed June 20, 1901.)

UNITED STATES PATE T OFFICE.

JOHN A. MANGOLD,O F MOUNDS'VILLE, WVEST VIRGINIA.

TOY OR ADVE RTISING D EV ICE.

Y SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 705,855, dated July 29, 1902.

Application filed June 20, 1901. 7 Serial No. 65,339- (No model.)

placed in a show-window or other public place and to employ means for operating one or more puppets,,so that irregular, andconsequently more human-like andamusing, movements and gyrations will be given the same.

,At the same time one of the important features of the invention resides in the means whereby the operating mechanism is concealed and its location disguised, so that the figures appear to move about in irregular directions apparently under no influence from any exterior operating mechanism.[ To this end the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the following specification is considered preferable; but it will be understood that the construction thus shown and described is open to such modifications as may fall within the scope of the claims hereto appended. 1

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a toy or advertising device embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same, a portion of the casing be"- ing shown in section, more clearly illustrating the position of the motor. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the projecting portion of the operating-shaft, showing the manner of attaching the fan and crank-disk thereto. Fig. 4: is a detail perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of the puppets employed. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional View through the crankdisk.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawmgs.

In carrying out the invention a casing 10 is provided having an'inclosed upper portion and an open lower portion. In the upper portion is arrangeda otor 11, and suspended there-from are puppets 12, which are located in .the open-portion of the casing. In the present instance the casing 10 is in the form of a boxing comprising a rectangular base 13, vertical side and rear walls 14c and 15, and a front wall 16, that extends from the upper edge of the boxing only part way to the base, leaving anopening through which a view of the interior of the lower portion of the boxing can be obtained. The interior of said lower portion is in the form of a stage comprising a fiat platform 17-,and the front face being suitably ornamented to constitute the proscenium, while the lower edge of the front wall is curved to form the proscenium-arch 18. A strip 19,extending across the open space below the arch, is.suitably decorated to represent the lower portion of a raised curtain. Located contiguous to the upper edge of the front wall are hooks 20, by means of which an advertising-card may be suspended, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

' The motor 11 may be of any suitable construction, the one preferred and shown, however, being operated by spring power and having a casing 21,within which the several gear-wheels and springs are located. It is arranged within the inclosed upper portion of the boxing and is preferably secured to the inner face of the front wall, suitable vertical strips 22 being provided for the purpose. Projecting from the casing is a driven shaft 23, that carries on its outer end a crankdisk 24, having a plurality of openings 25, that are located at different distances from the shaft. These openings are preferably disposed in a row extending from a shaft toward the rim. A slot 25 is arranged in the disk and in alinement With the row of openings 25, but on the opposite side of the shaft. A counterweight 25 is adj ustably secured to the disk by means of a set-screw 25, that passes through the slot 25. Fan-blades 26 are secured to the shaft between the disk and the casing and limit the speed at which said shaft will rotate. A suspending device in the form of a fine wire or cord 27 is secured to the disk by means of a hook 28, that is fastened to the upper end of said cord and is arranged to engage in one of the openings 25. To the lower portion of this suspending IOG device are pivotally attached the puppets 12. In the present instance two of these puppets are employed. They are represented as wrestlers pr prize-fighters, the bodies 29 being made of somelight material, such as cork, and having sheet-metal legs 30, pivoted to the lower portion thereof. They are pivotally connected by means of links 8l,that represent arms, and to the central portion of these links the suspending device is fastened through the medium of a loop 32.

The operation of the device is as follows: The springs of the motor are first wound up, and to gain access to the same the upper portion of the rear wall is preferably in the form of a door 33, hinged at its lower edgeand having suitable means for securing it in closed position. The motor having been set in operation,the driving-shaft will be rotated, and because of the eccentric connection of the suspending device the puppets will not only be given a vertical reciprocatory movement, but will be swung from side to side. They will thus gyrate in irregular directions about the platform or stage, and because of their intermediate pivotal connection they will have a swinging movement upon the lower end of the suspending-cord. In the present instance they will therefore perform amusing evolutions representing aprize-fight or wrestling match, and to heighten the illusion a miniature ring composed of posts 34, connected by ropes 35, may be arranged about the same, thus limiting the swinging move.- ment of the figures.

By this construction it will therefore be seen that a very amusing toy is provided which when placed in a show-window will attract attention and if an advertising-card is displayed upon the front of the same will certainly be seen and read by persons who stop to watch the figures upon the miniature stage. Because of the inclosed casing the interior of the stage is comparatively dark, and as an actual practice a very fine wire is employed for suspending the puppets. This cannot be seen, so that they appear to dance and gyrate about the stage without any exterior operating mechanism. By means of the several openings in the crank-disk the movement of the puppets may be regulated, and because of the detachable connection employed difierent sets or kinds of figures may be interchanged, so as to provide new attractions. When the hook is adjusted toward or from the shaft, the counterweight is in like man ner adjusted so that the figures will always be properly counterbalanced and less driv-' ing power will be necessary for operating the same.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein-described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion,and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a platform, of a motor having a driven shaft, a portion of said shaft being located above the platform, and a freelyswinging puppet suspended from and having an eccentric connection with the portion of the shaft that is located above the platform, whereby said puppet is moved laterally as well as vertically upon the movement of the shaft.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a platform, of a motor having a driven shaft, a portion of said shaft being located above the platform, and a freely swinging puppet suspended from and having an adjustable eccentric connection with the portion of the shaft that is located above the platform, whereby said puppet is moved laterally as well as vertically upon tlTe movement of the shaft and the range of movemen of said puppet may be varied.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a platform, of a motor having a driven shaft, a portion of said shaft being located above the platform, a freelyswinging puppet located above the platform,

and a flexible connection secured at one end to the puppet and having its other end eccentrically attached to the portion of the shaft that is arranged above the platform, to move the puppet laterally as well as vertically upon the rotation of said shaft.

4. In a toy of the class described, the com= bination with a driven shaft, of means for driving the shaft, a puppet, and a connec-- tion attached at one end to the puppet and its other end having a detachable eccentric connection with the shaft, said connection being movable toward and from said shaft, whereby the range of movement of the puppet may be varied.

5. In a toy of the class described, the combination with a driven shaft, of means for driving the same, a body having an adjustable eccentric connection with the shaft at one side, and a counterweight adjustably secured to the shaft on the side opposite the puppet connection.

6. In a toy of the class described, the combination of a driven shaft, of means for driving the same, a disk secured to the shaft and rotatable therewith, a puppet adj ustably connected to the disk on one side of the shaft, and a counterweight adjustably secured to the disk on the side opposite the puppet connection.

7. In a toy of the class described, the combination with a driven shaft, of means for driving the same, a disk secured to the shaft and rotatable therewith, said disk being proing through the slot-of said disk and engagvided on one side with a'row of openings exing the counterweight.

tending from the shaft toward the rim, and In testimony that I claim the foregoing as a slot located in alinement with the row of my own I have hereto affixed my signature in 5 openings on the opposite side of the shaft, a the presence of two witnesses.

puppet, a connection between the puppet and the disk, said connection including ahook de- JOHN MANGOLDf tachably engaging in the openings of the disk, Witnesses:

a counterweight located on the side of the E. A. HARDESHELL, :0 disk opposite the hook, and a set-screw pass- HENRY T. ANSHUTZ.

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