US2996303A - Rocking-walking toy - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 15, 1961 J. w. PELTIER ROCKING-WALKING TOY Filed June 10, 1959 K m m m lvlr. em 4 w v m m F 0 0 H T m m M J 6 m 2 .m. 3 El 6 x m B 4 2 2 u 8 32 2 mm. 2

5 4%. .b 0/0 a 2 m m 2 m a 8 M 2 a Filed June 10, 1959, Ser. No. 819,464 1 Claim. (Cl. 280-1) The present invention generally relates to a toy or amusement device primarily adapted for use by children but which is not limited to such use since the device may also be used as an exerciser having certain therapeutic values for exercising various muscles such as the muscles of the hands, arms and legs.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an amusement device or toy generally in the form of a walker which moves forwardly in a step-by-step manner due to the actions of the occupant or operator with there being required certain coordination of movements to effectively propel the device thereby developing coordination of the person employing the device as Well as providing an exercising device and a highly interesting and entertaining toy or amusement device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a toy or exercising device which is extremely simple in construction, easy to use, utilitarian for many purposes and generally 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 had 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 vertical sectional view taken substantially along the center line of the device illustrating the structural details of the riding platform and the other components of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a schematic side elevation showing an initial position of the components of the toy;

FIGURE 4 is a schematic side elevation showing a progressive position of the components;

FIGURE 5 is a schematic side elevation showing a further orientation of the components; and

FIGURE 6 is a schematic side elevation showing the final position of the components as they again approach the position of FIGURE 3.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, thenumeral 10 generally designates the amusement device of the present invention which may be said to include two separate rockable components generally designated bynumerals 12 and 14.

Therockable component 12 includes a pair of spacedparallel legs 16 having an enlargedlower end 18 provided with an arcuatelower surface 20 for rockingly engaging a supporting surface. The forward edges of the enlargedlower ends 18 are rigidly interconnected by atransverse rod 22 thus maintaining thelegs 16 in properly spaced relation. The upper ends of thelegs 16 are each provided with an upwardly extendinghandle 24 which is inclined forwardly or away from therockable component 14. The upper ends of thelegs 16 are also rigidly interconnected by atransverse rod 26 which extends between the upper end of theleg 16 adjacent the point of attachment of thehandles 24.

Therockable component 14 includes a pair of laterally spacedparallel legs 28 having forwardly curvedupper ends 30 and enlargedlower ends 32 which have arearward extension 34 extending behind the rear surface of theleg 28 and receiving aplatform 36 therebetween. Theplatform 36 is provided withdownturned end flanges 38 for attachment to the enlargedhead 32 and the rear- 2,996,303 Patented Aug. 15, 1961 wardly extendingportion 34 byfasteners 40. The forward edge portion of the enlargedhead 32 is arcuately curved as indicated bynumeral 42 for rockingly engaging a supporting surface with the lower edge of therearward extension 34 generally being tangential to the lowermost portion of thecurved edge 42. The forwardmost ends of the forwardly curvedupper ends 30 are mounted on thetransverse shaft 26 and thetransverse shaft 26 together with theplatform 36 serve to retain thelegs 28 in rigidly spaced relation. It is pointed out that thelegs 28 are disposed inwardly of thelegs 16 and will move partially between the enlargedheads 18 during relative pivotal movement of the,rockable components 12 and 14 which may also be termed rocker arms.

When using the device of the present invention, the occupant stands upon theplatform 36 and will grasp thehandles 24. Assuming that the orientation shown in FIGURE 3 is a starting position, the operator standing on theplatform 36 would lean forwardly and push on thehandle 24 which would cause theleg members 16 to roll or rock on the supporting surfaces. As the device rocks about thecurved edge 20 of theleg member 16, thetransverse rock 26 will move in an are generally about thebottom edge 20 of the enlargedhead 18 and will also normally swing to seat its own center of gravity which will elevate the enlargedhead 32 slightly off the ground and will also permit thelegs 28 to swing forwardly as illustrated in FIGURE 4. After thelegs 28 are as far forwardly as possible or as is desired, the operator shifts his weight rearwardly and pulls on thehandles 24. As soon as all the weight is taken on therearward extensions 34 of the enlargedelements 32, thelegs 16 will be pivoted forwardly thus swinging the enlargedhead 18 forwardly due to rearward pressure being exerted against thehandles 24. The forward movement of the enlargedlower end 18 is illustrated in FIGURE 6 and will come to rest in substantially the same condition as shown in FIGURE 3. Thus, by alternately leaning forward and pushing forwardly on thehandles 24 and then allowing the trailing rocker arm to move upwardly and then rocking backwardly allowing the trailing rocker arm to support the device and thus enables forward movement of thelegs 16 due to rearward force being exerted on the handles thereby providing an easily operated step-by-step device which is highly amusing, entertaining and also provides an exercise and develops coordination.

The device may be constructed of any suitable material such as plywood, regular wood, metal or plastic and may be decorated in any suitable manner.

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:

A combination exercising and amusement device comprising a first pair of parallel members in the form of legs which have a forwardly curved upper end portion, a transverse platform rigidly interconnecting the first pair of members adjacent the lower end thereof and providing a support upon which a person employing the device may stand, a second pair of members disposed in parallel relation exteriorly of the first pair of members, a pivot rod rigidly interconnecting the upper ends of the pair of members and extending through the upper ends of the first pair of members thus pivotally connecting the pairs of members together, said second pair of members being 7 "2,996,303 g A or e 4 straight and provided with a rounded bottom surface for handles are pulled rearwardly thus moving the lower rocking engagement with a supporting surface, said first ends of the first pair of members forwardly when the pair of members having a lower edge surface for engageperson is leaning rearwardly and the lower ends of the ment with a supporting surface, the length of said second second pair of members is supporting all of the weight, pair of members being such that the first pairof members 5 the forward shifting of the weight moving the second 'willibeflelevated otf of the supporting surface and swing P of members to a Vertical P i whereby the lower towards'the second pair of members when the second ends of the 'Sfi'P members Will e ed ro ipair'of members are disposed in vertical position, each a the Supporting Surface and move by g y abfiut the of said second pair of members having a rigid handle 1 rod mwafds the Vertical membersextending upwardly from the upper end thereof for pro- 9 .viding handles for the person standing on the platform References Cited m the file of thls Patent for use when employing the device, said platform and UNITED STATES PATENTS handles being orientated vertically from each other so 7 1,643,745 Smith 8, 9 that a person standing on the platform will have the r 2,309,213pepper Jam 26, 1943 handles and transverse rod generally disposed 1n the waist 15 e region whereby forward and rearward shifting of weight FOREIGN PATENTS will propel the device in a step-by-step manner when the 474,552 Italy Sept. 26, 1952

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