US2551195A - Hand doll - Google Patents

Description

M. C. WIRTH May l, 1951 HAND DOLL Filed Nov. 30, 1948 :NVE/vm. Ame/E c. W/.e Thi ,Patented May l, 1951 'Y uterino1 i PAIBNT-Q- OEEIQB v I. i 12,551,195 nomic Marie C. Ecorse, Mich. Arriere?iilh'io, estremi per;

Myinvention relates to puppets, and more? 4particularly to thatI type"of"pupp`et 'wherein theihollowhea'd Vis secured to a costumeand'whereiifnf1 a puppete'ers lingers are adapted toV be'insertedi-f in the vhollow head to manipulate thessamerelae-@t tive to the costume.

Withthe foregoing in View, it is an object of" an improved puppet of' my invention to provide the class described. l l

A further Objectis to provide an iin-proved'. puppet of the class described wherein two pairs of limbs are connected'to appropriate portions. of the costume, and wherein a pair .of semi-rigid. connectors are -utilized,"eaclf connector connecting'tw limbs' together for-mani ulation simul-4v taneously by the puppeteer.

A furtherf'objectlis fto"'provide an improved puppet such as that last described, and which. includes'rieans providing a'fir'iger grip carri'edi by each of the semirigid'connectors.

Other objects and advantagesv reside in the particular structur 'of the "invention, combina-1` thereof; l

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional View `taken at right angles to the section of Figure 2 z and showing the manner of manipulating the device, the costume being shown in broken lines.

Referring specically to the drawing, wherein like reference characters have been used throughout the several views to designate like parts, |0 designates a puppet head which includes a neck portion formed with a peripheral groove I2 adapted to receive the neck portion of a costume .I3 therein. The neck portion of the costume is secured to the head by any suitable flexible tie member I4, Figure 2. The head I0 may be made of any suitable material, and the costume I3 may be of any suitable form. Thus, the head IIJ, as illustrated, represents the head of a clown and the costume I3 is a .ciowns costume. Obviously, any suitable head varid/or costume may be utilized as desired. Interior-ly., the head is formed with a hollow I5 adapted to receive av ringer I6 of the manipulator therein, as clearly shown in Figure 3, Also, the back portion of the costume I3 is formed with an opening I'I, Figure 2, for

the insertion'.therethroughofcthe handofftheH manipulatoix Obviously, by moving the? finger-1: I6,' the manipulatonor puppeteer,V isablef/to manipulate lthe head? in all'directions.m A v.' I'-f J'Th'e device ofv theinventi'on' contemplates the adapted to be secured to appropriate portionsfl of the costume I3 in any suitable mannenirrI'n the embmiim'erit illustrated, the limbsfhave v.been

made of any suitable materialSandi'seeureditov appropriate portions. of thercostume" If3ffinf"'any' suitablermannerh.' In' the embodiment. illustrated, f'

solid material Lifand slwrist 1i and! :ankle Y 'portions thereof aresiaiorm'ed with peripheral. 'grooves .211.9V

Figure i3, which :are adapted ftolhave appropriate l portions of"V thecostume I 3'1"seatedfthereinriandf -securedpbynlexible ties, not shown, similar 'toi the.. ties@ l 1| for: the g'neck portionf fof ftheicostume previously "described.l,Obviously,' if 'lthe hand's:

,and feet are made'A of textileimateria'l, theyma'y be readily sewed to the costume I3.

A pair of semi-rigid connectors 2| and 22 are enclosed in the costume I3. Each of the connectors connects two limbs of the puppet together for simultaneous actuation respectively by fingers 21 and 28 of the puppeteer. In the embodiment illustrated, an adjacent limb of each pair is connected together by the connectors 2| and 22. Also, in the embodiment illustrated, the connectors 2| and 22 comprise semi-rigid Wires, the ends of which are enlarged or otherwise formed, as at 23, and secured to the hands and feet I 8 and I9 in any suitable manner, as by being embedded therein. Also, it should be noted that each semi-rigid connector includes a laterally-directed arm portion 24 and a depending leg portion 25. The connectors 2| and 22 include means such as the loops 26 providing nger grips for the fingers 27 and 28 of the puppeteer. It is preferred that the loops 26 be adjustable as to size whereby to permit them to have a comfortable t with the :fingers of the puppeteer. This is readily accomplished by pushing or pulling on the adjacent arm and leg portions 24 and 25, whereby to enlarge or reduce the size of the loop. In the embodiment illustrated, each of the connectors 2| and 22 is laterally inwardly bowed to provide the arm and leg portions 24 and 25. However, it is obvious that they could be angularly directed or otherwise formed to provide such portions. By prof.

viding them in the arcuate form illustrated, it is seen that a rocking motion may be imparted to each connector as the same is manipulated by the puppeteer.

In operation, the puppeteer may engage the puppet in a manner illustrated in Figure 3, with the finger I6 inserted in the cavity I5 for the head I0, and the fingers 21 and 28 engaging the finger grips 25 of the semi-rigid connectors 2| and 22. Thereafter, by manipulating the fingers in a well known manner, the puppet may be animated to perform a large number of life-like movements. Obviously, a skilled puppeteer may manipulate a puppet in a wide variety of ways.

While I have shown a human figure, it is obvious that the device might well be equally applicable to an animal puppet. Also, while I have shown a connector connecting specific limbs together, it is obvious that they can be utilized to connect other limbs together. While I have shown and described what is now thought to be a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of other forms and expressions. Consequently, I

do not limit myself to the precise structure shown and described hereinabove except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A puppet of the type including a flexible costume and a hollow head secured thereto for manipulation by a nger inserted therein, comprising a pair of hands and a pair of feet secured to appropriate portions of said costume, a pair of semi-rigid wires, each wire being rigidly connected at each end thereof to one of said hands or feet, thereby operatively Connecting an adjacent hand and foot together for manipulation simultaneously and serving as arm and leg members respectively therefor, said wires being laterally inwardly bowed toward each other to form said arm and leg members, and each of said Wires being formed with a loop intermediate the ends thereof for providing a finger grip.

grip-providing loop intermediate Said arm and leg portions.

3. A puppet of the type including a flexible costume and a hollow head secured thereto for manipulation by a nger inserted therein, comprising a pair of hands and a pair of feet secured to appropriate portions of said costume, a pair of semi-rigid wires, each wire being rigidly connected at each end thereof to one of said hands or feet, thereby operatively connecting an adjacent hand and foot together for manipulation simultaneously, said wires each including a laterally-directed arm portion and a depending leg portion, each wire being formed with a nger grip-providing loop intermediate said arm and leg portions, and said loops being adjustable to provide finger grips of varying sizes.

MARIE C. VVIRTH.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,518,576` Edwards Dec. 9, 1924 1,950,698 Sharran et al Mar. 13, 1934 2,302,349 Renshaw Nov. 17, 1942 2,433,555 Hulse Dec. 30, 1947

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