STARTING MECHANISM FOR TOY WITH PHONOGRAPH

• US 3,796,284 A
• Filed: 03/10/1972
• Issued: 03/12/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gordon J. Popitt, John E. Sargeant, Ronald J. Zawistowski, Willard L. Zeigner
• Original Assignee: Gordon J. Popitt, John E. Sargeant, Ronald J. Zawistowski, Willard L. Zeigner
• Inventors: Sargeant, John E., Zeigner, Willard L., Popitt, Gordon J., Zawistowski, Ronald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Herrmann, Allan D.
• Application Number:
  US05/233,466
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 74/2 46/118,146,175AR,117 274/1A 185/39 188/65.1 24/115G,134R,134E,134EA,136R,263SB
• US Class Current: 185/39
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/06 combined with other apparatus having a different main function
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/394 Cam lever
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/3969 Sliding part or wedge
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/3984 Alignable aperture and spring pressed moving element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/11 Tripping mechanism

Abstract

A simple toy with a phonograph which begins playing only when a child performs a predetermined operation such as pressing a certain location on the toy, the toy including a pullstring phonograph and a mechanism for preventing inward movement of the string until the predetermined operation is performed. One toy housing is in the form of a doll with a resilient mouth portion that moves inward when the child kisses the doll, to operate a string engaging member so it releases the pullstring. Another toy is in the form of a jack-in-the-box, and includes a string engaging member that releases the pullstring of the phonograph when a child pushes a button to allow the lid on the box to open.

Claims

1. In a phonograph toy including motor means and means for energizing said motor means, said motor energizing means comprising a drawstring, the improvement comprising:

restraining means connectable to said motor energizing means for restraining said motor energizing means, said restraining means including a string engaging member;

means releasably connecting said string engaging member to said drawstring for restraining said motor energizing means;

trigger means for rapidly releasing said releasable connecting means; and

means for retaining said releasable connecting means in a released position until said trigger means is reset.

2. An improvement as stated in claim 1 wherein said releasable connecting means includes means for automatically latching said string engaging member in a motor restraining position when said trigger means is resEt.

3. A toy comprising:

a toy housing with an opening;

a phonograph disposed in said housing, said phonograph having a motor spring for driving it, and a pullstring coupled to said motor spring so that the pullstring winds the motor spring when the pullstring is pulled out and so that the motor spring pulls the pullstring back into the phonograph when the motor spring drives the phonograph, said pullstring extending out of said toy housing through said opening;

string restraining means in said housing for resisting movement of said string at least in a direction wherein it moves into said phonograph, said string restraining means being operable to release said pullstring so it can move into said phonograph, said string restraining means including a string-engaging member moveably mounted on said housing for movement between a resist position wherein it resists movement of said string at least in a direction to enter said phonograph and a release position wherein it releases said string, and a biasing spring coupled to said string-engaging member to urge it towards said release position, said pullstring extending at least partially about said string-engaging member so that the string changes direction to cause string tension to produce a net force on said string-engaging member, said string-engaging member positioned so that the force on it arising from tension in the string urges it towards said resist position; and

manually operable release means for operating said restraining means to release said pullstring, said release means including means for automatically latching said string-engaging member in said resist position when said member is moved thereto.