US3148500A - Animated clock - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 15, 1964 T. HAYES ANIMATED CLOCK Filed Jan. 29, 1963 INVENTOR 77/d/v4s //4 4-15 ATTOEIVEYS United States Patent 3,148,500 ANIMATED CLGCK Thomas Hayes, 2240 84th St., Brooklyn 14, N.Y. Filed Jan. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 254,727 1 Claim. (Cl. 58-426) This invention relates to the class of clocks and watches and more particularly to an amusement device for use in connection with a clockwork mechanism for providing not only a visual indication of the time of day, but also to provide amusement, entertainment and titillation of the observer.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a humanized figure for use as the second, minute and hour hands of a clock or watch, Which is so arranged that the legs of the humanized figure form the minute and hour hands respectively, while the second hand is in the form of the upper portion of the torso, the head and arms of a woman.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of an amusement clock which is so arranged that the body or torso of the humanized female figure rotates completely every minute with one of the arms of the woman serving as a second indicator and with the other arm moving towards and away from the torso or chest of the figure so as to provide entertainment and interest to the observer.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of an amusement clock in which the time indicating hands are in the form of a humanized female figure which moves in accordance with clockwork mechanism to not only point out the time of day, but to also perform an acrobatic dance in a highly amusing and entertaining manner.

One of the features of this invention resides in the provision of stop means for pivotal movement of the lower arm segment relative to the upper arm portion so that while the arm cannot completely flex outwardly nor can it fold inwardly completely, it may move due to gravity from a position adjacent the torso of the female figure to a position outwardly therefrom so as to simulate the balancing actions of an acrobatic dancer.

Still further objects and features of this invention reside in the provision of an amusement clock that is simple in construction, capable of being used with various conventional clockwork mechanisms and which is adapted for use as a souvenir or as a toy, while being relatively inexpensive to manufacture, thereby permitting wide use and distribution.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the invention, which will become apparent as the following description proceeds are attained by this amusement clock, a preferred embodiment of which being shown in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an amusement clock constructed in accordance with the concepts of the present invention and showing an alternative position of the second hand in phantom lines;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the hands in a further position and showing the lower arm segment in an outward pivoted position, due to the action of gravity;

FIG. 3 is a sectional detail view taken along the plane of line 3-3 in FIG. 1 illustrating in particular the arrangement of the hands;

FIG. 4 is a partial elevational view of one of the arms which form a part of the second hand with the lower arm segment being shown in an alternate position in phantom lines; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional detail view taken along the plane of line 5-5 in FIG. 4.

3,148,500 Patented Sept. 15., 1964 With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral 10 generally designates the amusement clock comprising the present invention. The clock 10 includes acasing 12 of any suitable shape and size. Mounted within thecasing 12 is adial 14 which is preferably covered with glass or other transparent protective material. Inscribed on thedial 14 are a series ofindicia 16 and markings 18 which indicate in a conventional manner the time of day or other suitable intervals of time.

The clock It) is driven byconventional clockwork mechanism 24 which is of the type that has a plurality ofshafts 26, 28 and 30 arranged in the usual concentric manner, the shaft 26 driving theouter hand 32, the shaft 2% driving the minute hand 34 and theshaft 30 driving thesecond hand 36.

As can be seen from an inspection of FIGS. 1 and 2, thehour hand 32 is in the form of a womans leg which may be clothed or colored in a distinctive manner from the minute hand 34 which is in the shape of the other leg.

Thesecond hand 30 is in the shape of the head 49, thetorso 42, and extendedarm 44 and anotherarm 46, which is divided into anupper arm portion 48 and alower arm segment 50. Thelower arm segment 50 is pivoted to theupper arm portion 48 by means of a pin orrivet 52, and stops 54 and 56 are provided on the respectiveupper arm portion 48 andlower arm segment 50 for limiting the amount of movement of thelower arm segment 50 relative to theupper arm portion 48.

As can be readily seen from an inspection of FIGS. 1 and 2, thesecond hand 36 rotates one entire revolution. The rotation of thetorso 36relative tothe legs 32 and 34 contributes to the overall effect of an acrobatic dancer. As can be readily seen, thearm 44 of thesecond hand 36 tends to point out the number of seconds, while the hour hand and theminute hands 32 and 34 respectively tend to point out the time of day in the conventional manner. Since thelower arm segment 50 is provided with acam surface 50 which cooperates with thestop 54 to limit the outwardmost movement of thelower arm segment 5% as shown in FIG. 4, there will never be any confusion as to which of thearms 46 or 44 is being used to point out the time. Nevertheless, the lower arm segment 56 is free to swing under the attraction of gravity or other external force and when in the position as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 1, the arm will be in its outwardmost extended position. However, as the torso rotates, the arm will fall inwardly to the position as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 1 wherein the arm is adjacent the torso of the humanized figure of a woman so that thearm 50 tends to simulate the balancing movements of an arcobatic dancer. Then, as the torso is further rotated to the position as shown in FIG. 2, the arm will rotate due to the force of gravity from the position shown in solid lines to a position shown in phantom lines.

Of course, the shape of the figure used may be varied and may be used in other forms.

A latitude of modification, substitution and change is intended in the foregoing disclosure, and in some instances, some features of the invention will be employed without the corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claim be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the present invention.

I claim:

An amusement clock comprising a dial having indicia for designating time, a clockwork mechanism mounted behind said dial, said clockwork mechanism including shaft means rotatable at predetermined rates, and a second hand, a minute hand, and an hour hand attached to said shaft means, said minute hand and said hour hand having a configuration of the legs of a woman, said second hand having a configuration of the head, arms and upper portion of the torso of a woman, one of said arms including an upper arm portion fixed to said torso and a lower arm segment pivoted to said upper arm portion, and stop means for maintaining said lower arm segment in a bent position relative to said upper arm portion while permitting pivotal motion of said lower arm segment relative to said upper arm segment due to gravity so that in some positions of said second hand said lower arm segment is adjacent said torso and said lower arm segment moves away from said torso in other positions of said second hand, the other of said arms being integrally fixed to said torso and extending outwardly from said torso.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 407,565 Ball July 23, 1889 672,357 Davison Apr. 16, 1901 2,169,380 Barrett Aug. 15, 1939 10 2,467,040 King Apr. 12, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 284,141 Switzerland Nov. 1, 1952

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