US2903265A - Toy - Google Patents

Description

P 1959 w. N. WHEELER 2,903,265

TOY

Filed Sept. 24, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l m'l/iam N. Wheeler 1 N VEN TOR BY 4.0m

p 8, 1959 w. N. WHEELER 2,903,265

TOY

Filed Sept. 24, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I William IV. Wheeler y INVENTOR. "r 1 A'LLLLL I 1" I- \II 1 40 I2 22 United States PatentOfiice Patented Sept. 8, 1959 TOY William N. Wheeler, Lexington, Ky.

Application September 24, 1957, Serial No. 685,908

7 Claims. (Cl. 273-98) The present invention generally relates to a toy which generally simulates a clown but which may be any type of face or object mounted in a casing having an opening therein for movement of the face in relation to the casing together with the object having a target area which is capable of producing a sound when a projectile engages the same with the projectile being in the form a ball capable of being directed at a certain point of the face of the clown.

An object of the present invention is to provide an amusement device in the form of a toy simulating a clown with a movable face positioned in an opening in a casing which dodges a ball thrown towards the clown by the player together with means for preventing dodging movement of the clowns face if the ball is directed at a certain point of the face thus causing the ball to strike the nose of the clown and ring a bell.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an amusement device which is highly entertaining, well adapted for its intended purposes, constructed for use by all ages and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the toy of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the device with the casing removed therefrom;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 4-4 of Figure 2 illustrating further structural details of the working mechanism of the toy; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the mounting mechanism for the face and the ball.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral generally designates the toy of the present invention which incorporates a base plate or base 12 having depending supporting flanges 14 together with an upstanding hollow housing 16 rigid therewith. The housing 16 is provided with a circular opening 18 in the front wall thereof together with an arcuate slot 20 adjacent the center thereof and a vertical notch or slot 22 at the bottom edge thereof all generally disposed centrally of the front face of the housing or casing 16 with the opening 18 being disposed adjacent the upper edge thereof.

Disposed within the casing 16 and immediately adjacent the inner surface of the front wall is a vertically extending elongated plate 24 having a circular plate 26 at the upper end which is provided with indicia 28 which simulates a clowns face and which will register with the opening 18 to be revealed and observed therethrough. The circular plate 26 is substantially the same size as the opening 18 but may be slightly larger. Adjacent the center of the plate 24 there is provided a forwardly struck lug 30 which acts as a stop for the plate 24 for limiting the forward pivotal movement thereof and generally retaining the plate 24 parallel with the front wall of the housing or casing 16. Also provided in the plate 24 is a vertical slot 32 below the lug 3d and generally in intersecting relation to the arcuate slot 20. At the lower end of the plate 24 there is provided a pair of down wardly extending mounting lugs 34 with one mounting lug being disposed at each edge of the plate 24. Themounting lugs are connected to a pair of upwardly struck lugs 36 on the base plate 12 by a transverse pivot rod 38 which extends beyond each of the lugs 36. Interposed between the mounting lugs 34 is an upwardly facing U-shaped member generally designated by the numeral 40 which includes a pair of spaced parallel leg portions 42 and a bight portion 44 which is substantially arched in the center thereof. The bight portion 44 has a high center and downwardly inclined outer end portions. The U-shaped member 46 is freely mounted on the pivot rod 38 for a puipose set forth hereinafter.

One of the lugs 34 receives the inturned end 46 of an axial spring 48 encircling the rod 38 and having the other end 50 thereof extending downwardly into the opening formed by the upwardly struck lug 36 thus holding the plate 24 and the circular disk or plate 26 adjacent the inner surface of the front wall of the casing 16.

The circular plate 26 is provided with an opening 52 therein for receiving a projection 54 in the form of the nose of a clown with the projection 54 being mounted on one end of a bell crank member 56 having the apex thereof pivoted between a pair of rearwardly extending lugs 58 on the circular plate 26. The other end of the bell crank member 56 is formed in the form of a sphere 60 for reception Within and adjacent to a bell 62 mounted on the rear wall of the casing 16 by a fastening member 64 which is insulated from the bell 62 by an insulation washer 66 whereby the spherical member 66 will act as a gong for ringing the bell 62 in the event the projecting nose 54 is struck a blow and forced rearwardly as shown in the dotted line position illustrated in Figure 2.

Projecting forwardly and upwardly from the casing 16 is an elongated arm 68 having a spherical ball 70 on the upper end thereof and having a lower end extending rearwardly in right angular relation as designated by the numeral 72. The rearwardly extending portion 72 of the arm as extends through and is rigidly connected to the walls or legs 42 of the channel shaped member 4%) above the transverse pivot rod 38 thus capturing the pivot rod 38 and locking the channel shaped member 44 to the arm 68 for rocking movement in the plane of the legs or side walls 42 within the limits of the incline of the downwardly extending portions of the bight portion 44 of the channel shaped member 4d. The rear end of the rearwardly extending portion 72 overlies an upwardly struck lug 74 and is also engaged by the hook end 76 of an axial spring 78 encircling rod 38 and having an elongated arm 849 having the hook end 76 formed thereon. The other end of the spring 78 designated by numeral 82 extends downwardly and engages the rear edge of the opening formed by the upwardly struck lug 86. The spring thus urges the arm 68 to a neutral position adjacent but slightly spaced from the front wall of the casing 16. Also provided on the arm 68 is an inwardly extending projection 84 which is at a position for registry with the arcuate slot 20 as well as the vertical slot 32.

In playing with the toy of the present invention, the ball 70 is held between the thumb and forefinger and pulled forward and downward away from the casing 16 thus tensioning the spring 78. The player positions the ball, crosswise of the base 12 in line with the clowns nose 54 and releases the'ball 70. If the ball is correctly positioned, the projection 84 enters the arcuate opening 20 and vertical slot 32 and allows the vertical plate 24 to remain stationary. The ball 70 then strikes the nose 54 causing the gong or striking member 60 to move up and ring the bell. However, if the ball 70 is not centered with respect to the nose when released, the projection 84 strikes the member 24 adjacent an edge of the vertical slot 32 and pushes the clowns face back away from the opening 18. In this instance, the striking member 60 is carried back into the bell without striking the bell and the face of the clown which moves backwardly gives the impression of the clown actually dodging the ball. Thus, if the ball 70 is properly aimed, the clowns face 28 will remain stationary and the bell will be rung by the ball 70 engaging the nose 54. If the ball 70 is not aimed properly, then the clowns face 28 will be moved rearwardly without the bell ringing and simulating the dodging of the clown as the ball approaches thereby providing a highly amusing and entertaining toy.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A toy comprising a base, an upstanding hollow casing on said base having a front wall, said front wall having an enlarged opening therein, a vertically extending plate disposed within said casing and having a portion thereof registered with said opening, said plate carrying a pivotal bell crank having a member projecting from the plate acting as a target, a bell mounted in said casing for engagement by said bell crank when the target is struck for ringing a bell, means mounting said plate for rearward pivotal movement, an elongated arm pivotally mounted to said base and extending forwardly of the front face of the casing, a ball on the upper end of said arm for engagement with said target, means mounting said arm within the casing for spring biased pivotal movement in a vertical plane and free swinging movement in a transverse plane whereby the ball may be aimed at the target with the spring biasing of the arm causing the ball to move towards the target, and means on said arm for engaging said plate when the ball is improperly aimed for moving the plate away from the opening or for registry with means in said plate when the ball is properly aimed to allow the plate to remain stationary so that the ball will strike the target and ring the bell.

2, The combination of claim 1 wherein said means on said arm includes a projection, said plate having a vertical slot therein for receiving said projection when the ball is properly aimed to permit the ball to contact the target with the projection etfecting the movement of the target away from the opening if the ball is not properly aimed whereby the plate will dodge the ball if it is incorrectly aimed.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said mounting means for said plate includes a transversely extending pivot rod, the mounting means for said arm including a channel shaped member with the bight portion thereof having a high center point and downwardly inclined end portions, said channel shaped member being rigid with a rearwardly extending portion of said arm and pivotally mounted on said transverse pivot rod whereby the channel shaped member will limit the swinging movement of the arm about substantially a horizontal axis and permit rotation of the arm about a transverse axis for movement toward the target, spring means connected with the rearwardly extending portion of the arm forming resilient bias means for urging the ball towards the target.

4. A toy comprising a base, an upwardly extending member movably supported on said base, a target on said member, a rigid arm mounted on said base for swinging about perpendicularly arranged axes, a projectile on the outer end of said arm for engaging the target when properly aimed, spring means between the base and arm for urging the arm and projectile towards the target, and means on said arm for engaging the member for moving the target away from the projectile when the projectile is inaccurately aimed at the target.

5. A toy comprising a base, an upwardly extending member movably supported on said base, a target on said member, an arm mounted on said base for swinging about perpendicularly arranged axes, a projectile on the outer end of said arm, spring means between the base and arm for urging the arm and projectile towards the target, and means on said arm for moving the target away from the projectile when the projectile is inaccurately aimed at the target, said means engaging the upstanding member for pushing the member and target thereon away from the projectile, means on said base for limiting the swinging movement of said arm whereby the projectile is incapable of hitting the target when inaccurately aimed.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said upstanding member is provided with means for rendering said moving means ineffective when the projectile is correctly aimed.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said projectile is in the form of a ball, said target including means for producing a sound when struck by the ball.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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