US3484988A - Walking doll with ambulatory traction-drive mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 23, 1969 s. Rossms 3,484,933

WALKING DOLL WITH AMBULATORY TRACTION-DRIVE MECHANISM Filed May 22, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.2 ea

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United States Patent 3,484,988 WALKING DOLL WITH AMBULATORY TRACTION -DRIVE MECHANISM Saul Robbins, 35 Mountain Way, West Orange, NJ. 07052 Filed May 22, 1967, Ser. No. 640,278 Int. Cl. A6311 33/26, 11/14 US. Cl. 46-247 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A doll or other mobile toy is made to appear to walk by means of a pivoted traction mechanism within each foot and projecting downwardly. The mechanism has a drive means causing it to oscillate with a forward and backward motion, the two feet alternating. The mechanism is extended downwardly when moving backward, causing the doll to move forward; it is retracted when moving forward. The legs do not move relative to the body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various mechanisms have been used in the past. These have included dolls designed to have the legs flex or otherwise move, the use of partially hidden wheels, or the like. In general, these have been complex, and therefore expensive, or have lacked the desired realism.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a mobile toy and traction mechanism therefor.

More particularly, this invention relates to a mobile toy having a body portion having connected leg members and each of said leg members has a connected foot portion characterized therein that each foot portion is provided with an opening formed in the bottom thereof, a traction mechanism pivotally mounted in each foot portion adjacent the opening for alternate arcuate movement between a position protracting slightly through the opening in said foot and a position of retraction within said opening for imparting an intermittent traction to said foot portion over a supporting surface, a drive means mounted in said body portion, and an interconnecting linkage connecting said traction mechanism to said drive means whereupon actuation of said drive means effects said alternate protraction and retraction of said traction mechanism for imparting mobility to said toy.

The drawings FIGURE 1 illustrates a side elevation view of a walk ing doll with portion broken away for illustrating the traction mechanism of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation view of the doll having parts thereof broken away to illustrate the traction mechanism and drive therefor.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary side view of the foot portion of the doll illustrating the traction mechanism in a normal, inoperative position.

FIGURE 4 illustrates a view similar to that of FIG- URE 3, but illustrates the relative position of the component parts of the traction mechanism at the initiation of its movement toward a position of traction.

FIGURE 5 illustrates a view similar to that of FIG- URES 3 and 4, but illustrates the relative position of the component parts of the traction mechanism as it imparts a traction movement to the dolls foot.

FIGURE 6 illustrates a view similar to view 3, 4 and 5, but illustrating the traction mechanism at the end of its traction stroke.

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 6, but illustrating the relative relationship of the component parts ice of the traction mechanism at an intermediate position on the return non-tracting stroke of the traction mechanism.

FIGURE 8 is a detail side view of the' oscillating carrier of the traction mechanism.

FIGURE 9 is a top view of the carrier of FIGURE 8. FIGURE 10 is an end view of the carrier of FIGURE 8. FIGURE 11 is a detail side view of the traction shoe. FIGURE 12 is a right end view of the traction shoe of FIGURE 11.

Detailed description In the drawings there is shown the application of the traction mechanism of this invention as utilized in a walking doll 21. The doll 21 comprises essentially of a main body portion 22 having a head 23, arms 24 and legs connected thereto. The head 23, arms 24 and legs 25 are preferably connected to the body of the doll for relative movement thereto. Accordingly the head 23 is rotatably connected to the neck portion of the doll for relative rotation with respect to the body so that a child can twist the head from side to side. Such connection may be formed in any well known manner. The arms 24 are also rotatably connected in suitable arm sockets 24A formed in the upper part of the body. The legs 25 are rotatably connected in appropriate sockets 25A formed in the lower portion of the body. In the illustrated form of the invention the lower leg portions 25B need not be articulated at the knee 26 to the upper or thigh portion 25C of the leg.

In the bottom or sole portion 27 of the respective feet there is formed an opening 28 which is operatively related to the traction mechanism 20 of this invention.

As best seen in FIGURES 1 through 7 a traction mechanism 20 is disposed in each of the respective dolls feet. Each such traction mechanism 20 includes an oscillating carrier 30 which is pivotly journalled about a pivot pin 31, the ends 31A, 31B of which are suitably journalled in appropriate bearings 32 formed integral in the opposed side portions of the dolls foot. As shown, the carrier 30 is formed of a molded plastic part in which the pivot pin 31 is integrally formed therewith. Extending laterally to one side of the carrier 30 and disposed on either side of the pin 31 are pins 33 and 34. A stop abutment 35 also extends later-ally to one side of the carrier 30.

The traction mechanism 20 also includes a traction shoe 36 which has a connected hub 36B by which it is pivotally mounted on pin 34 of the carrier for relative movement with respect to the carrier 30. As best seen in FIGURES l1 and 12, the shoe portion 36A is provided with a friction surface 37. In the illustrated embodiment the friction surface 37 comprises a small endless band of friction material, as for example, rubber, which is stretched about a holding flange 38 extending laterally of the traction shoe. To further enhance traction, as will be hereinafter described, the elastic or rubber band may be provided with transversely extending ridges 37A.

Connected to the shoe 36 and extending laterally therefrom is an arm of extension 39 which is preferably weighted at the free end thereof with a suitable weight 40 which normally tends to bias the traction shoe 36 by gravity toward the stop abutment 35 of the carrier 30.

A drive mechanism 41 for effecting actuation or oscillation of the carrier 30 during operation of the respective traction mechanisms 20 is disposed within the body portion 22 of the doll. As shown, a. substantially U- shaped bracket 42 with connected upright side-forming tabs 43 is secured in the hollow of the dolls body adjacent the lower portion thereof for supporting the drive mechanism 41. The drive mechanism 41 comprises an electric motor '44 which is suitably supported between opposed front'and rear portions 42A, 42B of the U- shaped bracket 42 with connected upright side-forming of the motor 44, which is journalled on the front 42A of the bracket 42, is a gear 46. Gear 46 in turn is connected into meshing relationship with a driven gear 47 connected on the end of a shaft 48 rotatably journalled between the front and rear portions 42A, 42B of the bracket 42. Intermediate the ends of the shaft 48 driven by the driven gear 47 is a worm 49, which in turn is disposed into meshing relationship with a gear 50 fixed to a shaft 51 rotatably journalled between the opposite side tabs 43 of the bracket 42. Connected to the extended ends of the shaft 51 are a pair of eccentrics 52', 53. Each eccentric 52, 53 has laterally extending pin 52A, 53A disposed in out-of-phase relationship by substantially 180. Each of the respective eccentrics 52, 53 in turn is operatively connected to its associated traction mechanism by an interconnecting linkage 55 or 54. As shown, one end of each linkage is provided with a hub 56 which is pivotally connected to the projecting pin 33 of the carrier 30, and the other end of the respective linkages 54, 55 is connected by a pin of its respective eccentric 52, 53 by a slot 57 formed in the other end thereof. Thus, the pin and slot connection between the linkage 54, 55 and the eccentric 52, 53 permits limited lost rnolion therebetween to occur during operation of the traction mechanism 20, as will be hereinafter described.

A spring 58 is provided for normally biasing the carrier and traction shoe 36 carried thereon toward a normal retracted inoperative position as evidenced in FIG- URE 3. One end 58A of the spring 58 is held against abutment 59 and the other end 58B of spring 58 is biased against pin 33. An intermediate part of spring 58 is coiled about pivot pin 31.

Power for energizing the electric motor -44 comprises a battery which is suitably wired in circuit with the motor. Preferably the power source or battery is carried in a battery housing 60 formed in an internal portion of the dolls body 22. As best seen in FIGURE 1, the end of the battery housing 60 opens in the back of the doll, and a suitable cover or closure 61 secures the battery within the housing 60 in circuit with a motor 44. A suiable switch 62 is provided for making and breaking the circuit to the motor 44. The switch comprises essentially of a sliding contact which connects one of the battery terminals into and out of circuit with contact 63 which is connected by a wire conductor 64 to one of the motor terminals. The other .motor terminal is connected by a wire conductor 65 to a contact 66 in circuit with the other electrode of the battery.

Operation With the component parts of the mechanism thus described, the operation of the device is as follows:

When the switch 62 is closed and the circuit to the motor 44 energized, the eccentrics 52 and 53 connected to the ends of shaft 51 are driven with a rotary movement through the activating gear train 46, 47, 49, 50. The connecting links 54, 55 thus connected to each of out-of- phase pins 52A and 53A have imparted thereto an alternating reciprocating or up-and-down movement. As is evident in FIGURES 3 through 7, the respective reciprocating movements of the linkages 54, 55 impart an alternating oscillating movement to their respectively connected traction mechanisms 20.

In accordance with this invention the oscillation of the respective traction mechanisms 20 is such that the upward movement of the connected linkage 55, as seen in FIGURE 4, will effect displacement of the carrier 30 in a clockwise direction about its pivot 31 as indicated by arrow A. Upon the initial displacement of the carrier 30 about pivot 31, the abutment engages the traction shoe 36, as seen in FIGURE 4, thereby driving the trac- 4, tion shoe in the same direction as the carrier 30, as indicated by arrow B. As the linkage 55 is reciprocated toward the upper dead center travel of the associated eccentric 53, the shoe is driven through its traction stroke as evidenced in FIGURE 4. The radiusof travel which pin 34 makes about pivot 31 as the carrier 30 is displaced on the upward movement of link 55 is such that the friction surface 37 of the traction shoe 36 will project. slightly beyond the opening 38, as seen in FIGURE 4, thereby causing the associated foot of the doll to rise slightly above the supporting surface 70. In doing so, the traction effected by the traction shoe against surface 70 will cause the associated leg of the doll to be advanced an incremental amount in the opposite direction of the traction stroke of the traction shoe 36 as indicated by arrow C. At the end of the traction stroke, FIGURE 6, it will be observed that the traction shoe 36 and the carrier which drives the same through the traction stroke are retracted within the foot of the doll, causing the foot to come to rest on surface 70.

On the downward displacement of the reciprocating linkage 55 the carrier 30 is oscillated in the opposite direction, i.e. counterclockwise about pivot 31 in FIG URE 7.

The return movement of the carrier is influenced both by the downward displacement of the linkage 55 and the spring 58 acting thereon. However, on the return stroke of the carrier 30, the traction shoe carrier thereon, in returning to the position of FIGURE 3, will pivot relative to the carrier or lag the carrier thereby resulting in a lost motion which will prohibit the traction shoe from tracting on surface 70 during the return stroke. Thus, on the return of the carrier 30 and associated traction shoe 36, the latter is at all times maintained in a retracted, non-tracting position within the foot of the doll. This is rendered possible for the reason that the stop abutment 35 functions as a drive in one direction only. On the return stroke the drive between the carrier abutment 35 and the shoe 36 is disengaged as the linkage bottoms. In doing so, the lost movement or lag of the shoe 36 relative to the carrier 30 on the return stroke of the traction mechanism causes the friction surface 37 of the traction shoe 36 to be maintained in a retracted position, causing it to pass over the surface 70 without effecting any traction thereon. The lost motion effected by the relative lag or oscillating movement between the carrier 30 and the traction shoe 36 carried thereon, on the return stroke of the carrier is rendered positive by the relative lost motion permitted by the pin and slot connection between the linkage 55 and its associated eccentric as the pin 55A bottoms. By weighing the traction shoe 36 as indicated by Weight 40, the shoe 36 will tend to assume its normal position, on the return stroke of the carrier 30, as indicated in FIGURE 3, by gravity.

Since the respective eccentrics 52, 53 are arranged in out-of-phase relationship by approximately it will be noted that the respective traction mechanisms are alternately actuated. This is, as one traction mechanism is being advanced through its traction stroke as herein described, the traction mechanism in the other foot is being returned to its initial position in a non-tracting manner. The alternate periods of traction thus effected by the respective traction mechanism will cause first one foot to be raised and advanced an incremental amount while the other is supported on the surface 70. By alternate actuation of the traction mechanisms, the respective feet will simulate a walking characteristic to the doll.

A significant feature of the walking doll described is that the construction is such that a child may play with the doll in the usual manner, taking advantage of all the movements permitted by the respective doll appendages without adversely affecting the walking mechanism of the doll. Whenever the child desires to utilize the doll as a walking doll, she merely has to straighten the legs of the doll so that the doll can stand unsupported in an upright position on a supporting surface. Upon energizing the motor circuit by closing the switch, the motor is actuated thereby causing the respective traction mechanisms as herein described to be alternately oscillated for effecting incremental movement of the dolls feet over a supporting surface.

While the instant traction mechanism has been described in conjunction with a walking doll, it will be readily understood that the traction mechanism may be applied to the body of any animated or inanimate device such as a toy vehicle or the like to effect mobility thereof over a suitable surface. Therefore, variations and modifications of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit or scope thereof.

I claim:

1. A mobile toy having a body portion having fixedly connected leg members and each of said leg members having a connected foot portion, each foot portion being provided with an opening formed in the bottom thereof, a traction mechanism pivotally mounted in each foot portion adjacent the opening for alternate arcuate movement between a position projecting slightly through the opening in said foot and a position of retraction within said opening for imparting an intermittent traction to said foot over a supporting surface, a drive means mounted in said body portion, and an interconnecting linkage con meeting said traction mechanism to said drive means whereupon actuation of said drive means effects said alternate projection and retraction of said traction mechanism for imparting mobility to said toy and causes said traction mechanism to move backward relative to said foot portion when in said projected position allowing said foot portion to be pushed forward along the supporting surface.

2. The mobile toy as defined in claim 1 in which said drive means includes a motor means and an eccentric for each traction mechanism drivingly connected to said motor means, and said linkage being connected to its eccentric whereby a reciprocal movement is imparted to said linkage as said motor means is actuated.

3. The mobile toy as defined in claim 2 in which said eccentrics are disposed in out-of-phase relationship with respect to one another so that the traction mechanism in one foot is retracting as the traction mechanism in the other foot is projecting through its respective opening.

4. The mobile toy as defined in claim 1 in which said drive means includes an electric motor, a source of electrical energy and a circuit including a switching means connecting said motor to said source of energy.

5. The mobile toy as defined in claim 1 in which the traction mechanism of the respective foot portions includes an oscillating carrier pivotally mounted within the respective foot portions, a traction shoe pivotally journalled on said carrier for relative oscillating movement thereto, the pivot of said traction shoe being eccentrically disposed with respect to the pivot of said carrier, and said linkage having one end thereof pivotally journalled to said carrier whereby the actuation of said drive means and connected linkage imparts a relative oscillating movement of said carrier and traction shoe carried thereon whereby said traction shoe is alternately projected and retracted through said opening as it oscillates relative to said oscillating carrier.

6. The mobile toy as defined in claim 5 in which said carrier includes a stop abutment for engaging said traction shoe in effecting the drive of said traction shoe through its projected position, as said carrier is pivoted in one direction, and whereby said traction shoe is free to oscillate relative to its carrier on the return of said carrier to effect a relative lost motion therebetween thereby permits said traction shoe to return without imparting a tractional force on a supporting surface.

7. The mobile toy as defined in claim 5 in which a spring normally biases said carrier toward its initial inoperative position.

8. The mobile toy as defined in claim 6 in which said traction shoe is weighted so as to be: biased by gravity toward said stop abutment.

9. The mobile toy as defined in claim 1 in which said toy is a walking doll.

10. The mobile toy as defined in claim 5 in which said traction shoe includes a band of friction material to define the peripheral edge adapted to frictionally engage the supporting surface over which said toy moves as said shoe is driven through its projected position.

11. A mobile toy having a body portion and base portion, a drive means for effecting the mobility of said toy over a supporting surface, characterized therein that said base portion is formed with an opening therein, a traction mechanism disposed adjacent said opening, said traction mechanism including an oscillating carrier pivotally mounted within said base portion adjacent said opening, a traction shoe pivotally mounted to said oscillating carrier for relative oscillation thereto, and a drive means connected to said carrier for effecting oscillation of said carrier and traction shoe carried thereby, whereby said shoe is driven by said carrier as said carrier and connected shoe are oscillated in one direction through a projected position relative to said opening and whereby said shoe is free to oscillate or lag relative to said carrier upon the return stroke of said carrier to effect a relative lost motion therebetween.

12. A walking doll having a body portion having a head and leg members connected to said body, said leg members having a foot portion and a motor means disposed within the body portion of said doll, characterized therein that each foot portion is provided in the bottom thereof, a traction mechanism pivotally mounted in each foot portion, each of said traction mechanisms including an oscillating carrier pivotally journalled in each foot portion, a traction shoe pivotally journalled to its respective carrier for relative movement thereto, the pivot of said shoe being offset relative to the pivot of said carrier whereby the pivot of said shoe travels in an are which is radius about the pivot of said carrier, an abutment stop connected to said carrier, weight means connected to said shoe for biasing said shoe against said abutment stop by gravity, a spring normally biasing said carrier toward inoperative position, a linkage pivotally connected at one end to each of said carriers, an eccentric for each of said traction mechanisms connected in driving relationship to said motor means, said eccentrics being disposed in out-of-phase relationship, and said linkage having its other end operatively connected to its respective eccentric whereby alternate reciprocating movement is imparted to said connecting linkage for effecting outof-phase oscillation to the respective carrier and associate shoes of said traction mechanism in each of said feet to simulate a walking characteristic.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,038,275 6/1962 Curci 46-247 FOREIGN PATENTS 9,767 4/ 1920 Great Britain. 531,549 2/1955 Italy.

ANTONIO F. GUIDA, Primary Examiner R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 46-149 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,484,988 December 23, 1969 Saul Robbins It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 52, "portion" should read portions Column 3, line 3, cancel "with connected upright side-forming" and insert Connected to the armature shaft 45 line 45, "suiable" should read suitable Signed and sealed this 8th day of December 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr. 4 E. SCHUYLER, JR.

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

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