Doll

July 9, 1935.

M. WITTMANN

DOLL

2,007,784

Filed Feb. 25, 1933

Sheets-Sheet 1

<img file="US2007784A_D0001.tif" />

July 9, 1935.

M. WITTMANN

DOLL

Filed Feb. 25, 1933

2,007,784

Sheets-Sheet 2

<img file="US2007784A_D0002.tif" />

ATTORNEYS*

Patented July 9, 1935

2,007,784

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,007,784 DOLL Marie Wittmann, New York, N. Y.

Application February 25, 1933, Serial No. 658,473

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in dolls and has for one of its objects to provide a drinking doll of simple and practical construction wherein the hollow body thereof is made 5 compressible to control the ingress of a liquid into the same from a nursing bottle and in which an outlet provided at a suitable place in the body permits of the slow egress of said liquid into a cloth or diaper to thereby simulate a human 10 function.

Another object is to provide a novel connection between the body and limbs of the doll whereby said body is rendered liquid tight so that it can be bathed and by means of which 15 the limbs are permitted to have an unusual degree of movement relative to said body.

Another object is to mount the head of the doll for limited turning movement relative to the body thereof and to connect said elements 20 in such manner that the head will be securely held in position on the body and a water-tight joint effected therebetween.

A further object is to provide an improved nipple for a nursing bottle which will admit 25 air to the latter so that liquid will flow therefrom into the doll’s mouth and in which the admission of such air may be controlled by altering the position of the nipple within the bottle neck.

The above and other objects will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the inventive idea.

In the drawings:—

Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly broken away in shown section, of one form of doll constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the 40 doll showing a slightly different form of construction and indicating the doll in a reclining position such as it would assume when drinking from a bottle.

. Figure 3 is a vertical section through the doll’s 45 head and the neck piece of the body.

-Figure 4 is a horizontal section through the doll’s head.

Figures 5 and 6 are detailed sectional views illustrating different forms of limb joints for 50 the doll.

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view through an outlet valve for the doll body.

Figure 8 is a similar view of an inlet valve controlling the flow of liquid into said body.

As shown in Figure 1, the doll comprises a (Cl. 46—40) body 15, arms 16 and legs 17 all of which are hcllow and preferably made of rubber, the arms and legs being practically air and liquid-tight due to the nature of the connections for joining the same to the body 15. The latter is also 5 liquid-tight and is adapted to be compressed and then allowed to expand so as to create a suction within the body which will be sufficient to draw a liquid from a nursing bottle into said body. In Figure 1 the entire body 15 consti- io tutes a liquid receiving compartment, whereas in Figure 2 said body is divided intermediate its ends by a partition 18 which constitutes a liquid compartment 19 in the lower portion of said body. The head 20 of the doll may be made 15 of any suitable material and is provided with an opening for receiving the neck portion of the body 15, this portion being slightly tapered in order to obtain a close flt between the parts.

The body 15 is closed at its neck end by a neck 20 piece 21 which may also be made of rubber and which snugly fits within said neck portion so as to constitute a partition between the interior of the body and head of the doll. The exterior surface of the piece 21 is provided with a circum- 25 ferential bead 22 over which the rubber neck portion of the body fits, thereby assisting in holding said piece in position and in rendering the body water-tight.

Means are provided for mounting and main- 39 tajning the head 20 upon the body 15 for limited turning movement thereon and for further assisting in the retention of the neck piece 2 ί in proper relation to the adjacent portion of said body. Said means comprises a connecting member in 35 the form of a yoke 23 suspended from a rod 24 the ends of which are embedded in the sides of the head 20. Extending from said yoke in diverging relation to each other is a pair of resilient arms 25 each of which has its free end 26 40 bent outwardly. When mounting the head 20 upon the body the arms 25 are pressed together and inserted into a recess 27 formed in the neck piece 21, with one of said arms extending on each side of a wall or partition 28 in said recess. At 45 the inner end of the latter, the same is enlarged to provide a channel or groove 29 into which the ends 26 extend after the arms 25 have been fully inserted into the recess 27 and released. By engaging in said channel, the ends 26 contact a wall 50 thereof and thereby prevent withdrawal of the head from the body and any tendency of said head to be displaced by reason of an outward pull thereon will tend to wedge the tapered neck piece 21 more securely in the neck portion of the ⁵⁵

2,007,784 body. At the same time, there is permitted a turning movement of the head upon the neck which is limited by contact of the arms 2S with the wall or partition 28.

The drinking mechanism, forming one of the principal features of the present invention, comprises a mouth piece 30 made of rubber or any other suitable material and mounted interiorly of the head 20 contiguous to the mouth opening 10 31 therein, said mouth piece being carried by a strip 32 having its ends embedded in the sides of said head as best indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1. The mouth piece is provided with an opening 33 adapted to receive the nipple of a 15 nursing bottle and said opening communicates with one end of a flexible tubing 34 the other end of which is fitted over one end of a valve body 35 (Figure 8) which is mounted in a suitable opening formed in the neck piece 2f to one side of the 20 recess 27 therein. In Figure 1, in which the entire interior of the body 15 forms the liquid compartment, the valve extends only partially into said opening of the neck piece 21, but in Figure 2 the inner end of said valve is slightly extended and 25 has joined thereto one end of a flexible tubing 36 the other end of which is extended through the partition 18 so as to communicate with the compartment or chamber 19. The valve body 35 has a longitudinal duct 37 extending therethrough 30 and the flow of liquid through said duct is controlled by a ball valve 38 locked in the end of the valve body adjacent that to which the tubing 34 is connected, said ball valve being retained in the valve body by crimping the latter slightly at its 35 end as best shown in Figure 8. The valve 38 has a slight movement in the recess thus formed for it and when the valve is resting upon its seat the same only partially closes the duct 37, thus permitting the liquid flowing into the tube 34 from 40 the opening 33 in the mouth piece to pass around said valve and into said duct.

In practice, when the body (5 of Figure 1, or the portion of Figure 2 thereof below the partition 18, is compressed and then allowed to expand 45 a suction is created within the tube 34 which will draw liquid from a nursing bottle 70 the nipple 71 of which has been inserted into the doll’s mouth and said liquid will flow into the liquid chamber of the body. An outlet is provided in the lower 50 portion of the body 15 for permitting the slow escape of the liquid in the compartment in said body and this outlet, as shown in Figure 7, comprises internally and externally screw-threaded members 39 and 40, the screw-threaded shank of 55_ the latter member projecting through an opening 41 formed in the body 15 with the portion of the latter surrounding said opening being clamped between said members. In the member 40 there is threaded an apertured valve seat 42 60 the opening through which is controlled by a small ball valve 43 disposed within the member 39 and adapted to only partially close said opening so as to permit of the slow egress of the liquid in the body therethrough. When the body 15 Is 65 expanding after being compressed and the suction created by this operation is having the desired effect of drawing the liquid from the nursing bottle into the body, the ball valve 43 is drawn, by said suction, tightly against the valve seat 44 70 in the member 39 so that air will not enter the body during this suction operation. As soon, however, as the suction ceases the valve 43 assumes the position shown in Figure 7 and thus allows the slow passage of the liquid out of the 75 body. This flow of the liquid may be controlled to some extent by adjusting the valve seat 42 In the member 40.’

The invention further comprises novel means for joining the arm 16 and legs fl to the body 15 so as to permit of movements of said limbs relative to the body and at the same time render fluid-tight the connections between said elements. As shown in Figure 1, the joint for the arms is shown as comprising a socket 45 formed in the body 15 at the shoulder portion thereof and adapted to receive the rounded inner end 46 of the arm 16. The connecting element for joining the arm to the body is preferably made of rubber and comprises a stem 47 having heads or enlargements 48 and 49 formed Integrally with the ends thereof. The head 48 Is of concavoconvex formation and when assembling the body and arm said head is first inserted through an opening 50 formed in the socket 45 and of the same diameter as the stem 47. The concave surface of the head 48 will then engage the inner convex surface of the socket 45. After the connecting element has been thus positioned the arm 16 Is mounted thereon and for this purpose the rounded end 46 thereof is provided with an opening of larger diameter than the stem 47 so as to permit of free movements of the arm about axes of said stem. Such movements are also aided by the tapered recess 52 which provides an annular space surrounding the stem 47. This space causes a portion of the head 49 to encircle said stem in spaced relation thereto and reduces the thickness of the head so that the portion thereof projecting laterally from the stem and having its outer edge in contact with the rounded end 46 of the arm, will have a greater degree of flexibility which will permit of an easier turning of the arm 16 relative to the head to any desired position within its range of adjustment. Said recess also, in effect, increases the length of the stem 47 over what it would be if the space provided by the recess were filled in with a portion of the head 49, and such increase in length correspondingly adds to the flexibility of the stem. This increased flexibility of the stem and head affords just the right amount of pressure of the head against the rounded end 46 of the arm so that said arm may be easily adjusted to and maintained in various positions, and at the same time effects a water and air-tight connection between the body and arm. Also, any possible distortion or bending of the stem, when the arm 16 is being adjusted, and the subsequent tendency of the stem to return to its normal position, will not, by reason of the greater flexibility mentioned above, have the effect of overcoming the friction between the parts 45, 46 and 49 and the arm (6 will consequently remain in its adjusted position until it is again forcibly turned to a different position relative to the head 49. The length of said stem extending between the heads 48 and 49 is such that when the connecting element is in the position just described said stem is stretched slightly by reason of the insertion of the rounded portion 46 of the arm between the socket 45 and said head 49 and, as a consequence, there is produced in the connecting element a retractile action which causes the inner or adjacent surfaces of the heads 48 and 49 to conform to the contour of, and snugly engage against, the inner surfaces of the socket 45 and the rounded end 46 of the arm, thereby forming a fluid tight joint which will prevent the ingress of air or water into the body and arm and also eliminate the possibility of liquid within ’,784 3 opening and capable of extending therethrough in spaced relation to the edges of said opening, and a head on said stem insertable through said opening and contacting the member in which the opening is formed. ³

2. In combination, relatively movable body and limb members one of which is provided with an opening, a connecting element for said members comprising a stem of less diameter than said opening and capable of extending there- 1° through in spaced relation to the edges of said opening, and a head on said stem insertable through said opening and contacting the member in which the opening is formed, .there being a recess formed between said stem and a portion 1⁵of said head.

3. A connecting element for two parts of a doll body, said element comprising a resilient, stem adapted to project through one of said parts and having a head on one end engageable ²⁰with the latter part, there being a recess formed between said stem and head whereby a portion of the latter will encirclO said stem in spaced relation thereto.

4. A connecting element for two parts of a ²³doll body, said element comprising a resilient stem adapted to project. through one of said parts and having a head at each end thereof, each head engaging a surface of one of said parts, and there being a recess formed between said ³⁰stem and one of said heads into which said stem projects so that a portion of the latter head will encircle said stem in spaced relation thereto.

5. In combination, body and limb members having interengaging surfaces, and a connecting ³⁵element extending between said members and operable to draw said surfaces into intimate contact with each other, said-element comprising a resilient stem and an enlarged flexible head on at least one end of said stem, said head hav- ⁴⁸ing a portion which extends toward the other end of said stem in spaced encircling relation to the end thereof/at which the head is located.

6. In combination, body and limb members having interengaging surfaces at least one of 45 which is provided with an opening, a molded unitary connecting element extending between said members and having a resilient stem projecting through said opening in spaced relation to the edge of the member forming said opening, ⁵⁰and a head on the stem insertable through said opening and engaging the inner surface of the member in which said opening is formed, the length of said stem being such that the same is expanded to produce a retractile action when ³³said connecting element is in operative position.

7. In combination, body and limb members having relative movements, and a connecting element for said members having at least one head engaging an interior surface of one of said mem- ⁸⁸bers, and further having a resilient stem which is expanded longitudinally when said members are joined by said connecting element, said stem and head having a recess formed therebetween which spaces a portion of the latter in encircling ⁸³relation to said stem.

8. In combination, hollow, air-tight body and limb members having interengaging surfaces, a connecting element extending between said members and having enlargements at the ends there- ⁷⁰of engageable with the inner surfaces of said members, and further having a resilient member joining said enlargements and operable, by expansion of the latter member, to compress between them the engaged portions of said body ⁷⁵ the body escaping through the joint. In other words, the retractile action of the stem 47 actually compresses the portions 45, 46 between the heads 48, 49 to effect said fluid-tight joint, but 5 said compression is not of such a nature as to prevent movability of the arm 16. As a matter of fact, the connection affords a considerable degree of movability of the arm relative to the body in all directions and in various planes, and j® the pressure of the heads 48, 49 against the portions 45, 46, caused by said stem- il, creates friction between the parts sufficient to yieldably maintain the arm in any of the positions which it is capable of assuming.

jg The joint for the legs 11, as shown in Figure 1, comprises a socket portion 53 adapted to receive the rounded end 54 of the leg 11, and said socket portion has an opening 55 therein through which the concavo-convex head 56 is projected when g® mounting the connecting element in position.

The element, in this instance, is also provided with a stem 51 having a flange 58 formed adjacent the free end thereof. Disposed between said flange and the inner surface of the rounded end S5 5® of the leg is the head 5® provided with a tapered opening 60 through which the stem 51 extends. In this instance also, the resilient stem 51 is slightly stretched when the connecting element is mounted in position so that the retractile 30 action of said stem will, maintain the heads 56 and 59 in intimate .contact with the respective surfaces engaged thereby and said flange 58 will so engage the head 59 as to render the leg fluidtight but, at the same time, permit of adjust38 ing the leg to various positions relative to the body and the maintenance, by friction, of the leg in such positions.

In Figure 5, there is shown a slightly modified form of arm joint in which the resilient stem 6i 40 is formed integrally with the socket portion 62 of the body 15 and extends outwardly through the opening §3 of the arm ¢6. A head 64 within said arm is interposed between the inner surface thereof adjacent said opening S3 and the flange 45 65 formed upon the stem, thereby being retained in position within the arm and acting in the same manner as the heads S8, 49 and 56, 59 to compress the adjacent body and limb portions therebetween and frictionally maintain the 50 latter portion in any of its adjusted positions.

The form of joint shown in Figure 6 also contemplates the resilient stem 66 of the connecting element being formed integrally with the socket portion 67 of the body and having the head 68, 55 similar to the head 49, made integrally with the end of said stem and adapted to be inserted through the opening SS formed in the rounded end of the arm i6 so that said head, due to the retractile action of said stem. 66, will have in60 timate contact with the inner surface of the arm surrounding said opening. As in the forms shown in Figures 5 and 6 and the leg connection of Figure 1, the recess provided in the heads of the connecting elements all have the same func65 tion as specifically described above in connection with the recess 52.

It will be understood that the various forms of joints used for the limbs of the doll may also be employed in attaching separable ears to the 70 doll’s head, if so desired.