Joint construction for a doll or manikin

May 3, 1960 j. _WEIH 2,934,858

JOINT CONSTRUCTION FOR A DOLL OR MANIKIN

Filed June 5, 1958

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United States Patent Office

2,934,858

Patented May 3, 1960

2,934,858

JOINT CONSTRUCTION FOR A DOLL OR MANIKIN

Julius Weili, Ozone Park, N.Y., assignor to Idea! Toy Corporation, Hollis, N.Y., a corporation of New York

Application June 5, 1958, Serial No. 740,037

Claims. (Cl. 46—173)

My invention relates to a new and improved doll or manikin. In particular, my invention relates to a new and improved joint assembly for the limb of a doll, whereby one part of the limb may be connected to the body or one part of the limb may be connected to another part of the same limb. In particular, the invention relates to a new and improved assembly at the hip-joint and at the knee-joint of a doll or manikin.

According to my invention, I provide a simple and durable connection which can be manufactured and assembled at low cost. Other objects are described in the annexed drawings and in the following description.

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a part of the body and thigh, showing the leg in front elevation.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the upper part of the leg.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3—3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4—4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section on tire line 5—5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an exploded view, showing certain parts of the hip-joint of the assembly.

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7—7 of Fig. 1.

In this embodiment, the doll is of the walking type, but the invention is not so limited thereto.

The doll has a body or body member 23 which can be made of any suitable flexible or rigid material. In this embodiment, the body 23 is made of flexible material, such as a polyvinyl resin. Since the walking mechanism of a doll is well known, only a part of this optional walking mechanism is shown herein. This walking mechanism comprises a horizontal plate Fa, whose upstanding side flanges Fb are fixed to the inner face of the body of the doll. The plate Fa can be made of metal.

The metal plate F is turnable about a horizontal lateral axis which is located below the bottom of said plate F. The upper part of said plate F extends through the usual slot in the fixed metal plate Fa.

The thigh or thigh member 3 of the doll can be made of any suitable plastic, such as a polyvinyl chloride which is used in the well-known plastisol process. This thigh 3 is substantially rigid under ordinary hand pressure.

At its upper end, the thigh 3 is provided with a recess 3R. Said thigh 3 has a sleeve or open wall 16α which has a face or outwardly facing surface which is the base of the recess 3R. This wall 16α has a through-and-through bore or opening B which has a square cross-section and terminates at an inwardly facing surface. A rigid metal plate or outer enlargement 17 . of disc shape, is located outward of opening B in facing engagement with the bottom of the recess 3R. A rigid frusto-conical head or inner enlargement 15, made of suitable plastic, is located inward of and in engagement with the inner face of the wall 16α. This friisto-conical head 15 has a flat inwardly facing wall 15α. ....

A rigid metal pin, shank or extension 20 is provided at one end thereof with an integral head 20α, and at its other end with an affixed head 21. This rigid metal pin 20 extends through and beyond opposite ends of the sleeve or wall 16α and through a bore of a washer or plate 25 and alined bores of the metal plate 17, and the conical head 15. An insert or block 16 is non-rotatably received in the opening B and spacedly surrounds the shank 20 between the inner and outer enlargements 15 and 17.

One end of a compression spring 22 abuts the head 21. The other end of the compression spring 22 abuts the planar face 15α of the conical head 15. The compression of the spring 22 thus maintains the plate 17 frictionally engaged with the outer face of the wall 16α, and main10 tains the head 15 frictionally engaged with the inner face of the wall 16α. The block 16 has a square outline which fits against walls of the square bore B, so that the block 16 and the thigh 3 cannot turn relative to teach other.

The flat body of the washer or plate 25 abuts the outer 15 face of the plate 17 so that the pressure of the spring 22 is exerted directly upon the washer 25 and through the washer 25 against the plate 17. The plate 17 has a detent lug 26 which fits releasably within a detent hole or bore of the washer 25, when the thigh is in walking posi20 tion, see Fig. 7.

The washer 25 is fixed to the turnable flange F. through an intermediate member M which consists of two parts connected to each other by means of a pin 21α. This specific connection is not important for the purposes 25 of this invention, and the washer 25 may be directly connected to the flange F in any manner.

The plate 17 has four lugs 18 which are located within the bore B at the respective faces of the block 16, so that the plate 17 is fixed to and cannot turn relative to 30 the block 16 or relative to the thigh 3. Thus, the block 16, and lugs 18 define means securing the thigh 3 to the enlargement or plate 17, while the block, lugs and enlargement define means mounting the thigh for rotation relative to the body 23 about the axis of the extension 20. 35 As above noted, if the doll is used as a walking doll, the thigh 3 turns around the horizontal lateral axis which is below the bottom of the vertical flange F. If the doll is not used as a walking doll, the thigh 3 can turn relative to the body 23 around the horizontal lateral axis of the 40 pin 20.

In making the assembly at the hip-joint which is shown in Fig. 1, the upper end of the thigh 3 may be softened, if necessary, by means of heat.

In making the final assembly shown in Fig. 1, and as45 suming that the doll has walking mechanism, the plates Fa and F and the parts which are finally located within the thigh 3, are assembled outside of the torso. These assembled parts are then put inside of the torso 23 and connected in place inside of the torso 23.

If the doll does not have walking mechanism, it does have flange F which is connected in some suitable manner to the torso of the doll. When all these parts have been connected to the torso 23, the upper end of the thigh 3 is softened, as by means of heat. This thigh 3 55 is now inserted through the respective opening of the wall of the torso 23, so that the head 15 passes through the square-shaped bore B.

When the upper end of the thigh 3 cools to ordinary room temperature, the assembly is maintained.

qq In the final assembly, the flat base of the frusto-conical head 15 abuts the respective face of the wall 16α.

At its lower end, the thigh 3 is provided with an internal sleeve-like partition 14 having a through opening 14α and forms part of the socket at the knee-joint. The 05 leg 2 is provided with a knee-portion 2α which is located within this knee-joint socket, in the final assembly.

As shown in Fig. 2, this upper part 2α of the leg 2 has a recess 4 which has walls 5 and 6. A suitable projection of the knee-socket fits within this recess 4, thus releasably ⁷® retaining the leg 2 in its upright walking position which is shown in Fig. 1.

0.034.858

The means for retaining the leg 2 in this upright walking position are not important for the purposes of this specification.

A generally U-shaped rigid metal yoke or extension 9 has legs or arms 8 and 8α extending through and beyond opposite inner and outer ends of the sleeve 14, or the opening therein, with its bight portion innermost, and has its distal arm portions 7 and Ία spread apart, arranged astride and tumably connected to the upper part 2α of the leg 2, by means of a transverse shaft or pivot pin 8'. The leg portions 7 and 7α of said yoke, or extension frictionally engage the upper part 2α of the leg 2 and define an outer enlargement on the extension in abutting engagement with the outer end or outer end surface of the sleeve.

As shown in Fig. 4, the parallel upper or inner portions of extension legs 8 and 8α are connected by a top or bight portion, and the partition 14 has a bore or opening 14α. A compression spring 11 has its upper end abutting the bight portion which conects the legs 8 and 8α. The lower end of this compression spring 11 abuts a lug 12 slidably received between the legs 8 and 8α which lug is integral with a frusto-conical head or enlargement 10. The head 10 and its lug 12 are made of any suitable hard plastic with the head extending laterally beyond the legs 8 and 8α.

As shown in Fig. 3, the frusto-conical head 10 has diametrically opposed side recesses R. The frusto-conical head 10 and its integral lug 12 are vertically slidable relative to the yoke or extension 9. When these parts are out of the knee-socket, the compression spring 11 will maintain the lug 12 forced against the top of the top portion 2α of the leg. However, in the final assembly, there is a space between the lug 12 and the top of the top portion. 2α, and this space is shown in Fig. 4, for convenience of illustration.

The lug 12 is initially connected to· the yoke and to the other associated parts, outside of the thigh 3. The socket portion of the thigh 3 is then suitably softened as by means of heat, and the assembly shown in Fig. 4 is inserted, so that the parallel legs 8 and 8α are extended through the bore 14α or opening of the socket or sleeve 14, to the position indicated in Fig. 1. In such position, the bottom flat face of the frusto-conical head 10 abuts the top or inner surface of the socket or sleeve 14, thus maintaining the lug 12 spaced from the top of the leg 2 and the outer enlargement or spread legs 7 and 7α. That is, the spring 11 urges the outer enlargement 7, 7α inward against the outer end of sleeve 14, and urges the inner enlargement 10 outward against the inner end of the sleeve.

Also, there is friction between the lug 12 and the walls of the socket 14, and the walls of the socket 14 are shaped to abut a part of the leg portion 2α. Hence, if the leg 2 is in upright walking position, it will be maintained in said upright walking position by said friction. Also, and as previously mentioned, the socket 14 has a releasable detent which releasably engages the recess 4 when the leg 2 is in the upright walking position.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention provides a joint construction for a doll or mannequin which is advantageously well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.