Drinking toy

Aug. 13, 1957

2,802,301

R. J. LOHR

DRINKING TOY

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2,802,301

Aug. 13, 1957

Filed Aug. 12, 1953

R. J. LOHR

DRINKING TOY

Sheets-Sheet 2

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INVENTOR (7.

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United States Patent Office

2,802,301

Patented Aug. 13, 1957

2 body, and additional linkage later described for connecting the tail to the tongue so that manipulation of the tail, for example between the solid line position 18 and the broken line position 18', actuates the tongue.

δ The toy further preferably comprises a suitable dish 20 for carrying a body of liquid, typically water or milk. This dish is preferably secured to the animal body 12, but by means which are concealed or at least inconspicuous in order not to detract from the realism of the toy. The 10 lapped up liquid is carried within the lower portion of the body 12, which preferably is made water-tight for the purpose. The content may be discharged or returned to the dish by simply tilting the body upwardly relative to the dish, as shown by the change from the position 12 15 in Fig. 6 to the position 12' in Fig. 7.

Considering the structure in greater detail, and referring now to Figs. 1 through 5 of the drawing, the body 12 is made of two generally similar halves with a common dividing plane longitudinally and centrally of the 20 toy. These are preferably molded out of a suitable plastic, for example, that known commercially as polystyrene, but other suitable moldable plastics may be used. One half may be provided with tiny dowel pins around its periphery, and the other with mating holes or pockets 25 22, and the two halves are secured together in edge-toedge relation by means of a suitable cement or solvent, as is already well known in the toy art. The movable parts of the toy are inserted in position before securing the two halves of the body together. In Figs. 1 and 2 30 the meeting edges have been cross-hatched, as though cutting apart an already closed toy.

The tongue 16 is molded out of a suitable plastic, and is preferably red in color. It is generally trough-shaped and closed at its forward end, as indicated at 24, but 35 open at its rear end 26. The side walls of the trough are projected upwardly as shown at 28 to form bearing ears which are apertured to receive the transversely bent forward end 30 of a wire link 32. The tongue is also molded with a depending support arm 34, and this arm 40 is formed at its lower end with sidewardly projecting trunnions 36, best shown in Fig. 4. The trunnions 36 are received in mating bearings formed in the sides of the toy in the lower jaw or chain portion thereof.

From comparison of Figs. 1 and 2 it will be seen that ⁴ the tongue may be oscillated between the outward position shown in Fig. 1, in which the closed end 24 of the tongue is lowered enough to enter the body of liquid, and the inward position shown in Fig. 2, in which the open end 26 of the tongue has been tilted downward in order to flow or spill the picked up liquid into the main lower portion 40 of the toy body. This is preferably watertight and capable of holding the liquid content.

The tail lS is molded integrally with an arm 42, and with trunnions 44 therebetween. As will be seen in Fig. 3, the trunnions are received in mating bearings formed in the sides of the toy body, and the said sides are cut away at the tail as shown at 46 to provide clearance for movement of the tail. The rear end of the wire link 32 is bent transversely and passed through a hole in the forward end of the lever arm 42, as shown at 48. It will be evident that by oscillating the tail the tongue is caused to oscillate, in simulation of an animal lapping up liquid.

The dish 20 is preferably molded out of a suitable plastic, and is generally circular and shaped like a real dish except that a very limited portion adjacent the lower part of the animal body is enlarged, as shown at 50 in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. The bottom of the dish near the portion 50 is preferably provided with integral studs 52 _ (Figs. 4 and 5). The animal is preferably permanently pivotally connected to the dish, and this connection is aided by means of a separately molded connector 54. In the drawing it will be seen that the connector 54 com2,802,301

DRINKING TOY

Raymond J. Lohr, Erie, Pa., assignor to Louis Marx &amp; Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York

Application August 12,1953, Serial No. 373,794

Claims. (CI. 46—123)

This invention relates to toys, and more particularly to a toy simulating a thirsty animal lapping up liquid.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a toy which simulates an animal lapping up a liquid. In preferred form the toy simulates a kitten lapping up water or milk from a dish.

The liquid is lapped up by a movable tongue, and in accordance with a further feature and object of the invention I provide a rather comical and amusing means to actuate the tongue, preferably by manual manipulation of the tail of the kitten.

Another object of the invention is to properly position the toy and its movable tongue in relation to a body of liquid. This object is fulfilled by making the dish a part of the toy, and securing the simulated animal to the dish, but preferably by means which are relatively inconspicuous and hidden.

Another object of the inventon is to facilitate repeated operation of the toy by making it readily possible to return from the animal body to the dish, all of the liquid previously lapped up from the dish.

To accomplish the foregoing general objects, and such other objects as will hereinafter appear, my invention resides in the toy elements, and their relation one to another, as are hereinafter more particularly described in the following specification. The specification is accompanied by drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a toy embodying features of my invention, with the tongue in outward position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view, but showing the tongue in inward position;

Fig. 3 is a section taken approximately in the plane of the line 3—3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section drawn to enlarged scale to illustrate some details of the structure, this section being taken approximately in the plane of the line 4—4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken approximately in the plane of the line 5—5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing the toy in use; and

Fig. 7 is a similar elevation showing how liquid may be returned from the toy body to the dish.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Figs. 6 and 7, the toy comprises a simulated animal 12, in this case specifically illustrated as a kitten. The mouth of the animal is open as shown at 14, and includes a somewhat ladle-shaped tongue 16 which is movably mounted at the mouth of the animal, for movement between an outward position shown, and an inward position not visible in Fig. 6 but described later in connection with Fig. 2.

The toy further comprises means to move the tongue back and forth repeatedly between the outward and inward positions in order to cumulatively transfer liquid to the inside of the body in simulation of an animal lapping up liquid. In the present case this means comprises a tail 18 which is itself movably mounted on the

2,802,301 ³ prises a base 56 provided with end notches 58 dimensioned to mate with the studs 52. A short upright 60 projects upward from base 56, and at its upper end carries integrally formed cylindrical journals or trunnions 62 best shown in Fig. 4. It will be evident in Fig. 4 that the sides of the toy are provided with mating bearings , to receive the trunnions 62, and these bearings are located at the lowermost portion of the chin of the toy, where the pivotal connection is inconspicuous. It. will also be evident that the sides of the toy may be assembled together with the tongue 16, the tail 18, and the connector 54 all placed therebetween, and that subsequently the base 56 of the connector may itself be secured to the dish 20, as by the use of a cement or solvent or the application of heat. The connection is properly located and is strengthened by the studs 52 previously referred to, which are received in the slots 58.

By comparison of Figs. 6 and 7 it will be seen how the toy may be turned upward relative to the dish, this movement taking place about the axis of the trunnions 62 of the connector. In the raised position shown in Fig. 7 the liquid in the toy body runs back into, the dish. This will be evident on inspection of Figs. 1 and 2, with particular reference to the sloping wall 64 leading to the neck and lower jaw portion of the toy. This sloping wall is not normally visible, because of the simulated forward paws 66. These are hollow, and open inward in the present toy, in order not to interfere with the molding operation by which the sides of the toy are molded.

It is believed that the construction and method of assembly of my improved toy, as well as the operation and method of using the same, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description. It will also be apparent that while I have shown and described my invention in a preferred form, changes may be made in the structure shown without departing from the scope of the invention, as sought to be defined in the following claims.