US2571554A - Self-propelled toy - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 16, 1951 F. A. FASANO SELF-PROPELLED TOY Filed Jan. 4, 1946 1 5 Q/J '0, M A p L M 4 9 mm F. a L mi 5 w .u

INVENTOR 6/ ATTORNEY,

Patented Oct. 16, 1951 *oiso STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to toys, and has for its main object to provide devices of this type which imitate movable objects, like ships, etc., and which can be made to appear as moving without any outside force.

Another object of this invention is to provide toys of the character indicated, which may be made movable by extremely simple means as by a stretchable resilient element, a rubber band, applied to the toy in a novel manner.

Still further objects of this invention will be apparent as the specification proceeds, and, among others, I may mention; to provide moving toys of the character indicated, which are easily operated, inexpensive to manufacture, and highly entertaining in appearance and operation.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification and accompanying the same:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a boat to which my invention has been applied; and

Fig. 2 is a similar side view of the same, while;

Figs. 3 and 4 show details of its construction.

In Figs. 1 to 4 I show an embodiment of my invention as applied to aquatic toys, particularly ships.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the numeral 30 indicates the imitation toy ship, in general, and a shaft 3| is placed thereacross, rotatable in bearings 32. In this case, a rubber band 33 is employed, and its inner end 34 is secured to the shaft 3!, while its outer end 35 is fixedly secured, in the embodiment shown in the drawings, to post 42 at the rear end of the boat.

In this embodiment, a string or cord 36 is also secured on the shaft, as at 31, and wound therearound as indicated at 38, its windings being opposite to the windings 50 of the rubber band 33. I prefer to employ, in this embodiment of my invention, a rockable or pivoted tube 39, having an extension plate 40 at the lower part of its rear end. Plate 46 rotatably engages the pin 42 fixed at the rear end of the boat, so that the tube 39 may oscillate around said pin, as will be obvious, and as is indicated by the double arrow 43.

Preferably the rear end 35 of the rubber band will also be secured on the pin 42, as mentioned hereinbefore and indicated in the drawings. Any appropriate element 44, in the drawings shown as a ball, is secured at the rear end 45 of the thread or cord 36, which, otherwise, is unsecured at said end, the ball being made large enough to prevent an inward slipping of the cord through the tube 39.

Paddle wheels 46, of any appropriate construction, are secured at the ends of the shaft 3|, adapted to engage the water 41.

The operation of this embodiment of my device will be obvious. First the cord 36 will be drawn backwardly (arrow 48) thereby unwinding the same from the shaft 3| and causing the shaft to rotate in the direction of arrow 49. This unwinding and rotating of shaft 3! will, on the other hand, wind the rubber band 33 on the shaft 3!, as indicated at 58, thereby stretching the band 33. When the boat is now placed on the water and the paddle wheel 46, through which the winding and unwinding was done, released, it will start to rotate in the opposite direction (arrow 5!) and will cause the boat to sail forwardly (arrow 52). During the unwinding and winding, the tube 39 will oscillate once in one direction, then in the other direction on pin 42, as will be obvious, thereby avoiding an entangling of the cord and the rubber band, and insuring their smooth operation.

Of course, the ship may be finished in appearance and all the moving mechanism concealed, with the exception of end 45 of the cord 36 with the ball 44 thereon, and the paddle wheels 46.

It also will be apparent that the principle and construction of my invention may be applied to other movable toys, like automobiles.

What I claim as new, and want to protect by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A toy, comprising a boat, adapted to float on water, a transverse shaft in said boat, and paddles at the ends of the shaft, whereby on rotation of the shaft, said paddles may cause the boat to move on the water, a resilient cord, like rubber, one end of the same being wound on said shaft, the other end secured to the body of said boat at a distance from said shaft, and substantially perpendicularly to the axis of the shaft, a non-resilient cord, one end of the same wound around said shaft oppositely to said resilient cord, the other end of it being free, whereby upon removing said boat from the water and a pull being exerted on the free end of said non-resilient cord, said resilient cord will be wound on said shaft and stretched, and upon replacing the toy on the water, the resilient cord will cause said shaft to rotate and said paddles will move the toy on the Water, during said movement rewinding said non-resilient cord and making it ready for the next winding operation, a pin being secured adjacent to one end'of the boat, and said other end of said resilient cord being secured to said pin, a tube pivoted at one end on said pin, its other end being turned towards said shaft, both the resilient and non-resilient cords being passed through said tube, the non-resilient cord projecting through its pivoted end whereby upon the winding and unwinding of the device, said cords will be guided by said pivoted tube.

2. A toy, comprising a body, a transverse shaft in said body, and propelling means for said body on the shaft, whereby on rotation of the shaft, said means may cause the body to move, a resilient cord, like rubber, one end of the same being Wound on said shaft, the other end secured on said body at a distance from said shaft and substantially perpendicularly to the axis of the shaft, a non-resilient cord, one end of the same wound around said shaft oppositely to said resilient cord, the other end of it being free, whereby upon a pull being exerted on the free end of said nonresilient cord, said resilient cord will be wound on said shaft and stretched, and upon releasing said non-resilient cord, the resilent cord will cause said shaft to rotate and the body will move, during said movement rewinding said non-resilient cord and making it ready for the next wind ing operation, a pin being secured on said body, and the other end of said resilient cord being secured to said pin, a tube pivoted at one end on 4 said pin, its other end being turned towards said shaft, both the resilient and nonresilient cords being passed through said tube, the non-resilient cord projecting through its pivoted end whereby upon the winding and unwinding of the device, said cords will be guided by said pivoted tube.

FRED A. FASANO.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 200,714 Groth Feb. 26, 1878 368,499 Teichmann Aug. 16, 1887 1,094,886 Diossy Apr. 28, 1914 1,258,963 Troje Mar. 12, 1918 1,311,415 Parrish July 29, 1919 1,744,904 Kelly Jan. 28, 1930 1,779,349 Whatley Oct. 21, 1930 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 8,865 Great Britain 1901 760,068 France Dec. 6, 1933

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