GB1601180A - Toy puppet - Google Patents

Description

(54) A TOY PUPPET (71) We TECNOGIOCATrOLI S.p.A., of Via Antonelli 7, Cologne, Brescia, Italy; an Ialian body corporate, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to a toy puppet comprising a body having a head, arms and legs formed by members pivoted therein so as to be displaceable.

The present invention seeks to provide a toy in the form of a puppet, such as doll or animal figure which is readily assembled from members preferably moulded from plastics material and in which the head and limbs are all simultaneously displaceable forward and backwards by means of a single spring-loaded control push-button associated with and displaceable relative to the body on which the head and limbs are pivotally mounted.

According to the present invention there is provided a toy puppet having a body portion having a head, arms and legs pivotally mounted therein so as to be simultaneously displaceable; the body comprising two superimposed members fixedly connected together to define a cavity therebetween, the body also defining a peripheral passage or upper seat for the pivotal mounting of a neck portion upon which is mounted the head of the puppet; the two members of the body further defining two lateral passages or seats for the pivotal mounting of the two arm members and two lower passages or seats for the pivotal mounting of the two leg members the members forming the neck, arms and legs each having a pin member at the end thereof received within the cavity of the body portion, the pins all being directed towards and being engaged by a springloaded push-button which is displaceable substantially perpendicularly to said body to effect forward and backward displacement of the head, arms and legs of the puppet.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a toy puppet in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a central portion of the puppet with the body being shown in section to show the pivotal mounting of the neck and the limbs; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the puppet; Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken along the arrowed line A-A of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a detail of the pivot for one of the members forming a limb; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a member which may be used to form an arm or a leg of the puppet.

A puppet is shown in the drawing which comprises a body 1 formed by two interconnected superimposed members. These two members are, respectively, a rear member 2 having a portion including a central bush 3, and a front portion 4 defining an aperture 5.

Between two members 2 and 4, a cavity 6 is defined in which move the ends of members forming the head and limbs. These members enter the cavity 6 through passages or seats 7,8and9.

Provided in the cavity 6 of the body 1, adjacent the upper passage or seat 7, are two bifurcated supports 10 in which a member 11 representing the neck of the puppet is pivotally mounted. A headforming member 12 of the puppet is applied, in a known manner, to the member 11 which has two lateral pivots 13 pivotally mounted in the bifurcated supports 10.

Similarly, a pair of bifurcated suppqrts 14 are provided adjacent each of the passages or lateral seats 8 leading into the cavity 6 of the body 1. These supports 14 are provided for the pivotal mounting of members 15 which represent the arms of the puppet and which also have lateral pivots 16 which are connected to the bifurcated supports 14.

In the same manner, a pair of bifurcated supports 17 are provided adjacent each of the lower passages or seats 9 in the body 1 for the pivotal mounting of members 18 which represent the legs of the puppet. The members 18 also have lateral portions 19 which are connected to said pairs of bifur cated supports 17.

The arms and the legs of the puppet may each be formed by at least two articulated members having hinged joints. Thus, as shown in the drawings, an extension portion 15' is articulated, at 15", onto each of the members 15 of the arm so as to represent the forearm and/or hand of the puppet.

Similarly an extension portion 18' is pivotally mounted at 18" on each of the members 18 forming the legs and represents the lower part of the leg and/or the foot of the puppet.

The ends of the members 11, 15 and 18 located, in use, in the interior of the cavity 6 of the body 1 are each provided with a pin 20, 21 and 22 respectively. The free end of each pin faces, and is engaged by, the inner surface of a disc-like control push-button 23. This push-button 23 has a shank 24 which is guided in the bush 3 of the member 2 of the body 1 and biassed away from the body 1 by a spring 25. By operating the control button 23, that is to say, by alternatively depressing and releasing it, repeated forward and backward angular displacements of the neck and head, the arms and the legs are simultaneously obtained. The pushbutton 23 acts in the manner of a lever on the end pins 20, 21, 22 of the members 11, 15, 18 and since these pins are pivotally mounted on the body 1, therefore causes the displacement of the members themselves.

The movements of the members also cause an inertial effect, in that independent jerky displacements of the extension portions 15' and 18' of the arms and legs respectively are caused which give more extensive variety in the movements of the puppet.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A toy puppet having a body portion having a head, arms and legs pivotally mounted therein so as to be simultaneously displaceable; the body comprising two superimposed members fixedly connected together to define a cavity therebetween, the body also defining a peripheral passage or upper seat for the pivotal mounting of a neck portion upon which is mounted the head of the puppet; the two members of the body further defining two lateral passages or seats for the pivotal mounting of the two arm members and two lower passages or seats for the pivotal mounting of the two leg members the members forming the neck, arms and legs each having a pin member at the end thereof received within the cavity of the body portion, the pins all being directed towards and being engaged by a springloaded push-button which is displaceable substantially perpendicularly to said body to effect forward and backward displacement of the head, arms and legs of the puppet.

2. A toy puppet as claimed in claim 1, in which one body member has an opening formed therein through which the pins of the neck, arm and leg members pass the other body member having a central bush portion for receiving and guiding a shank connected to the push-button.

3. A toy puppet as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which a plurality of bifurcated supports are formed on the interior surface of the body portion adjacent each of the upper, lateral and lower passages or seats for the pivotal mounting of the neck, arm and leg members, each of the members having a pair of lateral pivots which are connected to the corresponding pair of supports.

4. A toy puppet as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which each arm and/or leg is formed of a single member pivotally mounted on the body portion.

5. A toy puppet as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 in which each arm and/or leg is formed of at least two members, one member being pivotally mounted on the body portion and a second member being hingedly connected to the first member and worming an extension thereof.

6. A toy puppet constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. cated supports 17. The arms and the legs of the puppet may each be formed by at least two articulated members having hinged joints. Thus, as shown in the drawings, an extension portion 15' is articulated, at 15", onto each of the members 15 of the arm so as to represent the forearm and/or hand of the puppet. Similarly an extension portion 18' is pivotally mounted at 18" on each of the members 18 forming the legs and represents the lower part of the leg and/or the foot of the puppet. The ends of the members 11, 15 and 18 located, in use, in the interior of the cavity 6 of the body 1 are each provided with a pin 20, 21 and 22 respectively. The free end of each pin faces, and is engaged by, the inner surface of a disc-like control push-button 23. This push-button 23 has a shank 24 which is guided in the bush 3 of the member 2 of the body 1 and biassed away from the body 1 by a spring 25. By operating the control button 23, that is to say, by alternatively depressing and releasing it, repeated forward and backward angular displacements of the neck and head, the arms and the legs are simultaneously obtained. The pushbutton 23 acts in the manner of a lever on the end pins 20, 21, 22 of the members 11, 15, 18 and since these pins are pivotally mounted on the body 1, therefore causes the displacement of the members themselves. The movements of the members also cause an inertial effect, in that independent jerky displacements of the extension portions 15' and 18' of the arms and legs respectively are caused which give more extensive variety in the movements of the puppet. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A toy puppet having a body portion having a head, arms and legs pivotally mounted therein so as to be simultaneously displaceable; the body comprising two superimposed members fixedly connected together to define a cavity therebetween, the body also defining a peripheral passage or upper seat for the pivotal mounting of a neck portion upon which is mounted the head of the puppet; the two members of the body further defining two lateral passages or seats for the pivotal mounting of the two arm members and two lower passages or seats for the pivotal mounting of the two leg members the members forming the neck, arms and legs each having a pin member at the end thereof received within the cavity of the body portion, the pins all being directed towards and being engaged by a springloaded push-button which is displaceable substantially perpendicularly to said body to effect forward and backward displacement of the head, arms and legs of the puppet.

2. A toy puppet as claimed in claim 1, in which one body member has an opening formed therein through which the pins of the neck, arm and leg members pass the other body member having a central bush portion for receiving and guiding a shank connected to the push-button.

3. A toy puppet as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which a plurality of bifurcated supports are formed on the interior surface of the body portion adjacent each of the upper, lateral and lower passages or seats for the pivotal mounting of the neck, arm and leg members, each of the members having a pair of lateral pivots which are connected to the corresponding pair of supports.

4. A toy puppet as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which each arm and/or leg is formed of a single member pivotally mounted on the body portion.

5. A toy puppet as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 in which each arm and/or leg is formed of at least two members, one member being pivotally mounted on the body portion and a second member being hingedly connected to the first member and worming an extension thereof.

6. A toy puppet constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.