TOY MOVING-PICTURE AND AUDIO-SYNCHRONIZING MECHANISM

• US 3,590,525 A
• Filed: 02/19/1969
• Issued: 07/06/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Patrick M. Tomaro
• Original Assignee: Patrick M. Tomaro
• Inventors: Tomaro, Patrick M.
• Application Number:
  US04/800,379
• Time in Patent Office: 867 Days
• US Class Current: 446/408
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/02 Viewing or reading apparatus stereoscopic systems G02B30/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/02 incorporating moving display members

Abstract

A storytelling toy is provided having a series of pictures on a drum that rotates. A record telling the story is synchronized with the rotating picture drum. The toy is designed so that the drum and voice recording are interrupted at the end of each cycle and are resynchronized through actuation of a dual action switch each time the toy is restarted. Any undesired actuation of the switch by a child, therefore, cannot cause the unit to remain out of synchronization beyond one cycle of operation.

Claims

1. A toy moving-picture and audio-synchronizing mechanism including a picture-carrying drum mounted on a drum shaft and being rotatable therewith, a lug attached to tHe base of said drum and rotatable therewith, a rotatable record shaft operatively associated with said drum shaft, a spring loaded record mounted on said record shaft and adapted to play a sound as said record shaft is rotated, a motor providing rotation to said drum shaft and said record shaft, a battery power supply electrically connected to said motor, resilient contacts interposed between said motor and said power supply arranged to interrupt the flow of energy to said motor when contacted by said lug, said resilient contacts including an upper and lower portion, said lower portion including an upwardly extending portion having a springlike resiliency to normally maintain contact with said upper portion so that said resilient contacts are closed and the motor is energized, said upwardly extending portion movable away from said upper contact, when engaged by said lug, opening said contacts, a dual action switch pivotally arranged relative to said record and said drum such that when said contacts are opened a child may press said switch whereby one portion of said switch engages the record thereby resetting said record enabling it to commence its audio operation while another portion of the switch simultaneously forces the upper portion of said contacts into engagement with said upwardly extending portion of said lower portion closing said contacts providing energy to said motor thereby causing rotation of said shafts.

2. A toy moving-picture and audio-synchronizing mechanism including a rotatable drum having a serial picture story located thereon, a rotatable record operatively associated with the rotatable drum providing sound synchronized to the rotation of the serial picture story, drive means for continuously rotating said drum and said record simultaneously such that the continuous rotation of the serial picture story on the drum is synchronized with the continuous sound of said record, an interruptor operatively associated with said drum to automatically interrupt said drive means when said drum completes one rotation and the serial picture story begins to repeat, thereby stopping the rotation of said drum and said record whereby reactuation of said drive means rotates said drum and said record simultaneously and continuously so that said record sound is synchronized with the continuous rotation of the serial picture story on said drum.

3. A toy moving-picture and audio-synchronizing mechanism as set forth in claim 2 in which said drive means includes a dual action switch arranged relative to said record and drum for resetting said record and actuating said drive means such that when said dual action switch is contacted one portion of the switch engages and resets the record while the other portion of the switch aids in commencing the rotation of said drum whereby the continuous rotation of the serial picture story is synchronized with the continuous sound of said record.

4. A toy moving-picture and audio-synchronizing mechanism as set forth in claim 2 wherein said drive means includes a drum shaft adapted to rotate said drum, a rotatable record shaft having a record mounted thereon operatively associated with said drum shaft, and a motor adapted to rotate said shafts when energized.

5. A toy moving-picture and audio-synchronizing mechanism as set forth in claim 2 wherein said interruptor is a lug attached to said lug rotating with said drum and arranged to automatically interrupt said drive means when said drum has rotated through one complete revolution.

6. A toy moving-picture and audio-synchronizing mechanism as set forth in claim 2 wherein said drive means includes a motor, a battery power supply electrically connected to said motor, resilient normally closed contacts interposed between said motor and said power supply, said normally closed contacts arranged to be opened interrupting the flow of energy to said motor when engaged by said interruptor, a dual action switch arranged relative to said contacts for engagement therewith to close said coNtacts after they have been opened by said interruptor.

7. A toy moving-picture and audio-synchronizing mechanism as set forth in claim 2 in which said drive means includes resilient contacts having an upper and lower portion, said lower contact portion including an upwardly extending springlike portion normally in contact with said upper contact portion so that said upper and lower contact portions are normally closed by their interaction but capable of being opened when engaged by said interruptor.

8. In a toy adapted to provide simultaneous synchronized multiple actions, a motor, a dual action switch providing simultaneous electrical and mechanical control of said multiple actions, spring-pressed electrical contacts connected to said motor and operatively associated with one portion of said dual action switch, a first moving portion of said toy operated by said motor and having an interruptor associated therewith, said interruptor positioned to engage said contacts providing control of said motor, a second moving portion of said toy for conjoint action with the movement of said first portion and capable of being reset by the mechanical control portion of said dual action switch, whereby said dual action switch and said interruptor can act in concert to control the movement of said first and second portion of said toy.

9. In a toy adapted to provide simultaneous synchronized multiple actions as claimed in claim 8, said first moving portion of said toy including a picture story, said second moving portion including a record providing sound to the moving picture.