US3648405A - Doll twistable at the waist - Google Patents

Abstract

A doll including upper and lower torso portions pivotally interconnected at the waist. A head and an arm are pivotally mounted on the upper torso portion. Transmission means, such as meshing gears, connected to the arm, head, and lower torso portion, transmit swinging movement of the arm to the head and lower torso portion.

Description

Unite States ntent j Tepper 1 Mar. 11%, W72

[54] DOLL TWISTABLE AT THE WAIST FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS [72] Inventor: Sidney Tepper, Mi lburn, 672,206 10/1964 Italy ..46/ 120 73 A T r C or t'on 'sslgnee oppe on) a I Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene [22] Fledi 1970 Assistanz Examiner-Robert F. Cutting [21 Appl. No.: 80,364 Attorney-Breitenfeld & Levine 52 11.8121, .46/120, 46/l2l,46/136 [57] ABSTRACT I I'll. Cl. y A including upper and lower mm portions pivotal in- 1 Field Search 136 terconnected at the waist. A head and an arm are pivotally mounted on the upper torso portion. Transmission means,

[56] Relerence such as meshing gears, connected to the arm, head, and lower UNITED STATES PATENTS torso portion, transmit swinging movement of the arm to the head and lower torso portion. 1,685,358 9/1928 Harcourt ..46/1 19 UX Adler ..46/ 120 6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PAIENTEDMAR 14 I972 SHEET 1 OF 2 IINVENTOR SIDNEY TIPPER- BY, X

' TTORNEYS DOLL TWISTABLE AT THE WAIST This invention relates to animated dolls, and more particularly to a doll having parts which move in response to movement of a limb of the doll.

It is an object of the invention to provide a doll which twists at the waist in response to movement of one of its limbs, so as to simulate human body movement, such as occurs during dancing.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a doll whose head turns in response to the same limb movement which causes twisting at the waist, and particularly whose head turns in a direction opposite to the direction of waisttwisting movement.

Additional objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a doll incorporating the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the doll with the front half of the upper torso portion removed;

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along line 3- 3 of FIG. 2, with the front half of the upper torso portion in place;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of the doll.

The doll chosen to illustrate the present invention includes a torso comprising a hollow upper torso portion and a separate lower torso portion ill. Theupper torso portion 10 is defined by a frontupper torso portion 12 and a rear upper torso portion 13 which are joined at their edges, such as by a suitable cement. A pair oflegs 14 are pivotally joined to the lower torso portion 11.

Theupper face 17 of lower torso portion 11 and thelower face 18 ofupper torso portion 10 are in opposed and mutually slidable relation, thefaces 17 and 18 being at the waist of the doll. A stem 19 (FIG. 5) projects upwardly from lower torso portion 11, and carries aflange 20 spaced aboveface 17. Thestem portion 21 betweenflange 20 andface 17 is pivotally accommodated within an opening 22 in thebottom wall 23 ofupper torso portion 10,flange 20 preventing separation of the two torso portions. Fixed to the upper end of stem 19 is acrown gear 24. The stem portion 25 betweenflange 20 andcrown gear 24 is pivotally supported in a recess formed in abearing bracket 26 projecting from rear upper torso portion 13, the stem portion being held within the recess by a plate 27 (FIG. 3) projecting from frontupper torso portion 12. Thus, it will be seen that the upper and lower torso portions are pivotally interconnected at the waist of the doll for twisting movement about a substantially vertical axis.

Upper torso portion 10 has ahollow neck 32 within which astem 33 is pivotally arranged. Two spaced apart collars carried bystem 33 prevent axial movement ofstem 33 with respect toneck 32. Adoll head 35 is fixed to the upper end ofstem 33, and acrown gear 36 is fixed to the lower end ofstem 33.

Upper torso portion 10 has twoopenings 39 and 40 in its shoulder region. The upper end of a doll arm 41 is pivotally secured to one shoulder of the doll, apin 42 projecting from arm 41 through opening 39. Anenlargement 43 on the end ofpin 42 prevents separation of arm 41 fromupper torso portion 10.

Ashaft 47 projects from the upper end of theother doll arm 46, and fixed to the shaft are aflange 48 and aspur gear 49. The portion ofshaft 47 betweenarm 46 andflange 48 is rotatably accommodated within opening 40, andflange 48 prevents separation ofarm 46 from upper torso portion It). The portions ofshaft 47 on each side ofgear 49 are rotatably accommodated in recesses inbearing brackets 50 projecting from rear upper torso portion 13. Shaft 47 is held in the recesses inbrackets 50 by plates (not shown), similar toplate 27, rojecting from fromupper torso portion 12.Spur ear 49 mes es withoth crown gears 24 and 36, as shown in I68. 2

and 3.

When playing with the doll, a child may grasp theupper torso portion 10 with one hand and with the otherhand swing arm 46 in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1. As a result,gear 49 will pivot in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 3 causing pivotal movement ofgear 24 and hence lower torso portion 111 in the direction of arrow B in FIG. I. At the same time,gear 36 and hence head 35 pivot in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 1, which is opposite to the direction of movement of lower torso portion llll. Whenarm 46 is swung back in the reverse direction, the directions of movement of the lower torso portion 11 andhead 35 are also reversed.

Thus, it will be seen that in response to swinging movement ofarm 46, lower torso portion 11 andhead 35 turn in opposite directions, simulating live dancing movements. Although in the present illustration the doll torso and head respond to movements ofarm 46, they could be arranged to respond similarly to movement of one of thedolls legs 14.

The invention has been shown and described in preferred form only, and by way of example, and many variations may be made in the invention which will still be comprised within its spirit. It is understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any specific form or embodiment except insofar as such limitations are included in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A toy doll comprising:

a. an upper torso portion,

b. a lower torso portion separate from said upper torso portion, at least one of said torso portions being hollow,

c. means pivotally joining said torso portions to permit twisting movement of the doll torso at the waist about a substantially vertical axis, said joining means permitting only said twisting movement but being other wise inflexible,

. a limb pivotally mounted on said hollow torso portion,

and

e. means within said hollow torso portion responsive to swinging movement of said limb about its pivot connection to said hollow torso portion for pivoting the other torso portions with respect to said hollow torso portion, whereby the doll experiences a twisting movement at its waist.

2. A doll as defined in claim 1 including a head pivotally mounted on said upper torso portion, and wherein said means (e) includes means for pivoting said head in response to swinging movement of said limb.

3. A doll as defined in claim 2 wherein said means (e) is constructed to turn said head and other torso portion in opposite directions.

4. A doll as defined in claim 2 wherein said hollow torso portion is said upper torso portion, and said limb is an arm of the doll.

5. A doll as defined in claim 1 wherein said means (e) includes a gear rotatable with said limb, and a gear meshing with said limb gear rotatable with said other torso portion.

6. A doll as defined in claim 4 wherein said means (e) includes a gear rotatable with said arm, and gears meshing with said arm gear and rotatable with said other torso portion and said head, respectively, whereby said. head and lower torso portion turn in opposite directions in response to movement of said arm.

Claims (6)

1. A toy doll comprising: a. an upper torso portion, b. a lower torso portion separate from said upper torso portion, at least one of said torso portions being hollow, c. means pivotally joining said torso portions to permit twisting movement of the doll torso at the waist about a substantially vertical axis, said joining means permitting only said twisting movement but being other wise inflexible, d. a limb pivotally mounted on said hollow torso portion, and e. means within said hollow torso portion responsive to swinging movement of said limb about its pivot connection to said hollow torso portion for pivoting the other torso portion with respect to said hollow torso portion, whereby the doll experiences a twisting movement at its waist.

2. A doll as defined in claim 1 including a head pivotally mounted on said upper torso portion, and wherein said means (e) includes means for pivoting said head in response to swinging movement of said limb.

3. A doll as defined in claim 2 wherein said means (e) is constructed to turn said head and other torso portion in opposite directions.

4. A doll as defined in claim 2 wherein said hollow torso portion is said upper torso portion, and said limb is an arm of the doll.

5. A doll as defined in claim 1 wherein said means (e) includes a gear rotatable with said limb, and a gear meshing with said limb gear rotatable with said other torso portion.

6. A doll as defined in claim 4 wherein said means (e) includes a gear rotatable with said arm, and gears meshing with said arm gear and rotatable with said other torso portion and said head, respectively, whereby said head and lower torso portion turn in opposite directions in response to movement of said arm.

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