US1661463A - Toy horse - Google Patents

Description

`'Patented Mar. 6,1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER CAMPBELL, F TYRRELL, OHIO.

TOY HORSE.

l Application led VJune 29, 1925. Serial No. 40,130.

The object of this invention is to provide itself-propelled animal mounted upon wheels in such a manner that `when the rider bears his weight upon the saddle the front and rear wheels of the animal are caused to spread apart, and when the Weight on the saddle is released the legs are' drawn together, causing the animal to move forward.

Another object of this invention is to provide the legs of the animal with wheels provided with means for preventing a backward movement thereof so that the animal will have a positive forward movement upon each downward movement ofthe saddle caused by the placing of the weight thereon. A further object of the invention is to provide means for `adjusting the spring which draws the legs together, and whereby the tension of the spring can be increased to insure the positive drawing of the legs together.

A still `further object of my invention is to provide a self-propelled toy of this character in which the front legs and head of the animal. can be turned for guiding the saine.

In the accompanyingdrawings;- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my inven-` tion applied to a horse showing the body portion broken away to show the saddle operating means.

Figure 2 is a detail plan view showing the connection of the upper end of the leg operating levers.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 represents the main body of the horse, or other animal, which is provided with a head 2, having a neck portion 3 made separate and of an external diameter less than the body portion, and which is adapted to telescope within the body portion and leaving a space between the same. The neck portion of the horse extends down to the point A asshown by a line indicating where the neck ends. Carriedby the body portion 1 of the animal are the hind legs 9Awhich are carried the yoke member which is pivoted at 17 within the body of the animal and its forward end provided with a slot 26 through which passes the rod 24. The front legs of the animal as indicated at 8 are opposite the neck 3 of the animal and are carried by the yoke shaped member 16, which is pivoted at 18 ,within the neck portion of the horse and saidyoke member 16 at its upper end is provided with a transverse slot Q5 through which the rod 24 passes.

The rod 24, as shown in Figurev 1 of the drawings, is carried by the saddle 14 and extends downwardly through the slots `25 and 26 and passes through the cup shaped member 20 carried at the lower end of the body portion. The lower end of the i'od 24 below the cup shaped member 2O is screw threaded as indicatedV at 21 and upon which is screwed the adjusting nut 23, whereby the rod may be raised and lowered for ,a purpose hereinafter more fully described. Surrounding the rod 24 is a coil spring V19 which has its lower end bearing against the upper face of the cup shaped member 20, and its upper end bearing against the plate 21 which surrounds the rod and which in turn bears against the upper end of the yoke 16. The front legs 8 have mounted therein rollers l() on the shaft 12', and provided with l Y ratchet teeth on one side thereof adapted to be engaged by the pawl 13 which prevents any backward rotation of the wheels 1G. The hind legs 9`have the wheels 11 mounted on the shaft 12 and the pawl 13 engaging the ratchet teeth carried by the side of the Wheels to prevent any backward movement thereof. The body 1 of the horse has rigidly secured thereto bolts or rivets 6 and flat bars 4 and 5 which extend forwardly into the neck portion of the animal. The neck portion 3 is provided with transverse plates 27 adj aceiit its upper end and with the transverse plates' 28 adjacent its lower end, and between which the bars 4 and 5 extend. Passing loosely througlithe bars 4, and 5, and plates 27 and 28 is vthe rod 7, forming a pivot whereby the neckportion 3 may be turned thereon, and due to the transverse slot 25 the yoke may be turned toy allow theA neck and front legs to turn within the bod portion, whereby the animal may .be guide From the foregoing Vdescription it will be seen that when the weight of the rider on the saddle 14 forces'the rod 24 downwardly and engages the yokes 15 and 16 they are likewise forced downwardly against the tension of the spring 19 and the hind legs 9 of the animal are prevented from moving, due to the pawl 13', but the front legs 8 are `'moved forward and the whole animal has a 4tilting action or more of a squatting action.

lVhen the weight of the rider is removed from the saddle 14 the coil spring 19 forces the yokes 15 and 16 upwardly. The front wheels l0 are prevented from moving backward and the rear wheels 1l move forward causing the animal to have a forward rising action to assure the position shown in Figure l of the drawings.

vWhen it is desired to steer the animal the rider moves the neck portion 3 either to the rightor left causing the same to swing on the pivot 7 carrying' With it the yoke lli which in turn carries the legs 8, and causing the animal to be guided to either the right or left.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim isrl. A self-propelled toy comprising a body portion in the iorm ot' an animal, four legs pivoted to the body portion, a wheel carried by each leg, means lor preventing the backward rotation ot the wheel, lneans operating by the weight. ot' the rider `tor spreading the t'ront and rear legs apart, and spring means l'or drawing the legs together when the weight oi the rider is removed from the opf erating means.

2. A self-propelled toy comprising a body portion in the form of an animal, `t'ront and rear legs arranged in pairs and pivoted to the body portion, wheels carried by the lower ends of each ot' the legs, means for preventing the backward rotation ot' the wheels, a saddle, means operated by the downward movement olE the saddle for spreading the front and hind legs apart, and spring means tor drawing the legs together when the weight is removed from the saddle.

3. A self-propelled toy comprising a body portion in the lform of an animal, front and rear legs pivoted to the body portion, a wheel carried by the lower end of each leg, means lor preventing the backward rotation olf the wheel, a saddle carried by the body portion and adapted to engage the legs beyond their pivotal connection with the body portion 'for spreading them apart, and spring means for drawing the legs together when the weight is removed Atroni the saddle.

31. A selt-propelled toy comprising a body portion in the form ot an animal, two intermediately pivoted yokes carried by the body portion and carrying legs at their lower ends, a wheel carried by thc lower end of cach leg, means for preventing the backward rotation of the wheels, a saddle adapted to engage the upper ends of the vokes and toreing them downwardly spreading the legs, and spring means for forcing the upper ends of the yokes upwardly when the weight is removed from the saddle.

5. A self-propelled toy comprising a body portion in the form of an animal, two yokes intermediately pivotcd within the body portion and carrying at their lower ends the Vlront and hind legs of the animal, a wheel carried by the lower end of each leg, means for preventing the backward rotation of the wheels. a saddle carrying a rod passing through slots in the upper ends ol' the yokes. said saddle adapted to engage the yokes and force them downwardly spreading the legs apart, and a coil spring surrounding the rod and engaging the yokcs tor forcing the yokcs upwardly ior drawing the lfront and hind legs together.

(i. A self-propelled toy comprising a body portion, a neck portion pivotally mounted on a vertical pivot within the body portion, a yoke intermediatcly pivted to the body portion and carrying the hind legs ol the animal, a wheel carried by each ol' the legs, means lor preventing the backward rotation oli' the wheel, a yoke intermcdiately pivoted to the neck portion, front legs carried by the yoke, a wheel carried by each ofthe front legs, means Ator preventing the backward rotation oil said wheels, and a saddle adapt ed to engage the upper ends of the yokcs beyond their pivots l'or forcing the same downwardly for spreading the legs, and spring means l'or l'orcing the yokes upwardly and forcing the legsl together.

7. A self-propelled toy comprising a body portion, a neciY portion pivoted within the body portion on a vertical pivot, a yoke pivoted to the body portion and carrying at its lower end the hind legs of the animal, wheels carried by the hind legs, means for preventing the rotation o'l said wheels, the upper end of the yoke having a transverse slot; therein, a saddle carried by the body portion, a rod carried by the saddle passing downwardly through the longitudinal and transverse slots in the yokes, and a coil spring surrmiuding the rod and having its lower end bearing against; the body portion and its upper end against the yokes, whereby the weight ol the saddle forces the upper ends olE the yokes` downwardly spreading the legs apart, and the spring forcing the upper ends ol the yokes upwardly and forcing the legs together.

I'n testimony whereotI l allix my signature.

ALEXANDER oAMPBELL.

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