US2538162A - Mechanical figure - Google Patents

Description

J. A. MORIN MECHANICAL FIGURE Jan. 1s, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 24, -1947 lo-SEPH A. MORIN Jan. 16, 1951 J. A. MORIN 2,538,162

MECHANICAL FIGURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 24, 1947 dass pH MORIN Patented Jan. 16, 1951 UNITED STATES. PATENT yOFFICE Y I 2,538,162 j l MECHANICAL FIGURE Joseph Albert Morimiersey city, N. J. Application September 24, 1947, Serial No. '175,791

Y This invention relates to animated figures.

van improved mechanism by means of which one arm of a gure may be operated in a manner to simulate the natural movement of a human arm.

A further object of this invention is to provide an animated figure of adult size which is adapted to be mounted outdoors with the body of the figure stationary and one arm swingable across the front of the figure and the swinging arm bending at the elbow during the swinging thereof.

To the foregoing objects, and others which may hereinafter more fully appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more specifically referred to and illustrated. in the accompanying drawings, but it is to be understood that changes, variations, and modications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of a ligure, partly broken away, constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the operating mechanism of the device.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the operating connection between the driving means and the movable arm embodied. in the device.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral I designates generally a figure embodying a body or torso II with a pair of arms I2 and I3. The torso II is of hollow construction and in the present instance the arm I3 is stationary, whereas the arm I2 is movable as will be hereinafter described.

In order to provide for movement or animation of the arm I2, I have provided an operating mechanism which includes a base I4 adapted to be xedly secured in the lower portion of the torso I I. The base I4 has mounted on the upper side thereof an upright frame plate I5 which is braced by means of pairs of substantially triangular bracing members IB and I'I.

A motor I8 is mounted on the upper side of the base I4 and includes a shaft I9 which is connected with a transmission 20 also secured on 2 Claims. (Cl. 46--119) the upper side of the base I4. A vertical-shaft 2| extends from the transmission 25 andis connected with a speed reducing mechanism 22 secured to the frame plate I5 above the transmission 20.

A driven shaft 23 extends from the upper side of the speed reducer '22 and has secured thereto a crank member 24. An inclined crank shaft 25 has its lower end journalled or rockably mounted as indicated at 26 on the upper side of the base I4 and theshaft 25 extends through a bearing 21 which is fixedly carried by the bight of a U-.shaped supporting strap or bar 28.

'The strap or bar 28 is formed with hook-shaped rear ends 29 engaging the opposite verticaledges of the frame plate I5 and secured in vertical adjusted position relative to the frame plate Al5 by means of set screws 30.

The crank shaft 25 has secured adjacent the upper end thereof a crank member 3I anda pitman 32 is operatively connected between the two crank members 24 and 3l. The pitman 32 is formed of a pair of spaced apart parallel plates 33 which are held in spaced apart relation 'by means of spacers 34 through which securing bolts 35 engage.

A crank pin 36 is xedly secured to the crank member 24 and is provided at its upper end with a ball 31 which engages confronting ball sockets 38 formed on the inner sides of the pitman plates 33. The crank member 3I has secured thereto a crank pin 39 which is also formed at its upper end with a ball 45 engaging in confronting ball sockets similar to sockets 38 formed on the inner sides of the pitman plates 33.

An elongated bar 4I is fixed`at its inner end to the crank member 3| being formed with a downwardly bent inner end 42 which is secured as at 43 to one side of the crank member 3l. A second. securing member 44 extends through the upper side of the bar 4I and is threaded into the upper side of the crank member 3I. A pivoted outer bar 45 which is formed at its inner end with a fork 46 is pivotally mounted as at 41 on the outer end of the inner bar 4I. The bar 4I formsthe upper arm of the figure and the bar 45 forms the lower or outer arm member of the figure.

The bar 4I is adapted to be suitably covered With sufficient material so as to simulate the upper portion and the configuration of a normal arm. The lower bar 45 is also adapted to be covered with padding or the like to conform to the conguration of the lower arm of a gure. The bar45 at its outer end is formed with a stud or tapered pin 48 about which a hand 49 is adapted to engage. The outer bar 45 is spring-pressed to swing inwardly by means of a exible connection 50 which is connected between the bar 46 and the bar supporting member 218.

The iiexible connection 50 is shown as being in the form of a chain which is secured at its outer end as at 5| to the bar 45 and is secured as at 52 to the supporting member 28, at av point located to the rear of the bearing 2'! supporting the shaft 25. A spring 53 is interposed between the ends of the flexible member 5B and is of such tension that when the bar 4| is swung toward the front of the gure I0 the spring 53 will be tensioned to cause the outer bar 45 to swing inwardly relative to the upper bar 4I.

When the upper bar 4I is swung outwardly and rearwardly the tension on the spring 53 is def creased and the weight of the bar 45 with the padding and other elements secured thereto will 'swing' the vbar 45 outwardly to substantially straighten out the arm.

Inv the use and operation of this device, the figure I 0 is set up at a convenient location in an upright position. The motor I8 is connected to a source of electric supply and the speed reducer 28 is designed to reduce the speed of the driven shaft 23 to a point where the bars 4I and 45 will swing in a slow manner simulating the movement of a person. This device can be used for attracting the attention of passing motorists to a gas station, inn, or other establishment and in view of the simplicity of the device, it can be operated at small cost and for an indefinite period of time.

I claim: 1. An animated gure comprising a body, a

frame insaid body, at-least one swingable arm carried by said body, said arm including upper and lower elongated members, means pivotally securing said members together,v a crank rockably carried by said frame, means xedly securing said upper member to said crank, a second crank rotatably carried by said frame, means for rotating said second crank, anoperative connection between said cranks whereby said first crank will be oscillated upon rotation of said second crank, a. iiexible connection between said frame rearwardly of said first crank and said lower member, and a spring interposed in said flexible connection whereby said lower member will be biased to assume an acute angle relative to said upper member, said spring being of such tension that upon outward and rearward swinging of said arm said lower Imember will gravitatingly swing to substantially a straight angle relative to said upper member.

2. An animated figure comprising a body, a frame in said body, an outwardly inclined shaft journalled in said frame, means for rocking said shaft, a swingable arm including upper and lower elongated members, means pivotally securing said members together, mean xedly mounting said upper member to the top of said shaft, spring means having one end connected to said lower member and the other end thereof connected to said frame rearwardly of said shaft whereby when said shaft is rocked forwardly said spring means will be tensioned to urge said lower member into bent relationship relative to said upper member, and when said shaft is rocked rearwardly the tension of said spring means is reduced to allow the weight of said lower member to urge it into straight relationship relative to said upper member.

JOSEPH ALBERT MORIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,169,380 Barrett Aug. l5, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 603,855 Germany Oct. l0, 1934

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