US2113839A - Marionette toy - Google Patents

Description

April 12, 1938. H. H, HEDGES 2,113,839

MARIONETTE TOY Filed July 16, 1936 Patented Apr. 12, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to toys and more particularly to a marionette used ln connection with.

puppet shows, and has for its principal object to provide a light weight, simple and inexpensive '5 marionette construction which is durable and capable of manipulation in a lifelike manner.

Other important objects of the invention are to provide a simplified control giving a free range of movements simulating all of the movements of the person or animal represented by the marlonette; to provide a control having separable elements that may be used independently or as a unit; and to provide a joint construction which is capable of flexure in all directions.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a marionette and 20 its control constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the marionette body, parts of which are broken away to better illustrate the construction.

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

I designates a marionette and 2 the control therefor embodying the improvements in the present invention. 'I'he marionette I includes a flexible jointed body 3 including a trunk portion 30 4 having arms 56, legs 1-8 and a head 9. The

trunk portion 4 includes upper and lower blocks I and II preferably of rectangular shape. The upper block I0 has a fiat upper end I2 cooperating with fiat side faces i3 and I4 thereof to 35 form shoulders I5 and I6. The lower block conforms in size to the upper block and has its lower corners cut away, as at I1 and I8, to form angular attaching portions for the legs 1 and 8.

The upper and lower blocks are preferably connected by a fabric sleeve I9 engaged over the adjacent ends of the respective blocks and secured by fastening devices, such as staples 20. Thefabric sleeveforms a flexible connection at the waist upon which the upper portion of the body may be caused to bend relatively to the lower portion.

The head 9 is secured to the fiat face I2 of the upper block by screw eyes 2| and 22, the eyes 23 55 head is thus mounted so that it can rock back 0 and 24 being interengaged with each other and and forth lor sidewise relatively to the block 4 uny der movement of the controls, later described.

The arms and 6 are formed of tubular fabric strips 28 and 29 having their upper ends secured to. the shoulder portions I5 and I6 of the upper block by staples 30 and 3l, the tines of which are projected through the fabric and into the fiat upper end of the block, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

'Ihe upper arms 32 and 33 are formed by cylindrical blocks fixed within the tubular strips at a sufficient distance below the shoulders to provide flexible shoulder connections 34 and 35 for the arms. 'The cylindrical blocks terminate short of the elbow portions of the arms to provide similar flexible connections 36 and 31 for the forearms 38 and 39 carrying the hands 40 and 4I. The tubular material forming the forearms at the ends of the cylindrical blocks provides flexible joints from which the hands may be rotatedV and on which the elbows and shoulders are constructed to move responsive to movement of the controls.

'I'he legs 1 and 8include similar tubular strips 42 and 43 having their upper ends secured to the angular portions of the lower blocks by similar staples 44 and 45. Sleeved Within the lower ends of the tubular strips and secured thereto in any suitable manner, such as with glue, are pin- like leg members 46 and 41 carrying feet 48 and 49 respectively. Rigidity is imparted to thigh portions of the legs by thigh blocks 50 and 5I that are fixed within the tubular strips. The body thus described may be clothed in any suitable manner, such as a clown suit 52.

'Ihe control includes a handle bar 53 having a fixed cross bar 54 arranged with the ends 55 and 56 thereof projecting laterally from the sides of .the cross bar at points spaced from one end thereof to connect with reins, such as cords, 51 and 58 secured to the sides of the head by tacks or like fastening devices 59 and 60. Projecting upwardly from the forward end of the bar 53 is a cylindrical pin 6I pivotally mounting a removable cross bar 62 having an opening 63 to receive the pin. The bar 62 substantially conforms in length to the bar 54. Fixed to the outer ends of the bar 62 are cords 64 and 65 that have their ends connected with the upper ends of the leg pins by tacks or the like 66 and 61, driven through the tubular strips and into the ends of the leg pins 46 and 41 as best shown in Fig. 2.

The wrists of the marionette are connected by similar reins 68 and 69 with the cross bar 62 at points spaced inwardly from the ends thereof, as best shown at 16 and 1I. The rear end of the handle bar 53 is provided withja cord 12 that is connected to the back of the lower block Il to cause movement of the body at the waist con-1 tion of the natural movement of a body so as to impart lifelike actions, thereby increasing interest and attractiveness of a puppet show. A marionette constructed with the tubular fabric joints as described may, by manipulation of the controls, allow for any desired movement to best bring out the gestures for the character that the marionette is supposed to represent. Certain movement of the hands and body may best be effected by removing the cross bar 62 from the pin 6I so that it may be manipulated independently and separably from the main handle bar 5I. The cross bar 62 may also be oscillated on the pin to give effects not possible with the fixed type of cross bar.

It is obvious that a marionette constructed and assembled as described may be manufactured at relatively small cost and is substantially indestructible.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a toy of the character described, a body including upper and lower blocks, a tubular fabric sleeve having its ends engaged over said blocks, means securing the ends of the sleeve to the blocks, arm and leg members connected with the respective blocks including tubular fabric strips,

hand and foot membershavingrshank portions 3. In a toy of the character described, a body described, a bodyportionsof said sleeves'.A y

4. A control 'for a marionette including a main 5 bar, a-pivot pin on the main ba'r, a transverse bar pivotally andremovably mountedon said pin.

and a fixed transverse bar on the main bar.

5. In a marionette toy, albody, flexible cloth'` members having one end fixed to.s`ald lbod`y,-hand and foot members connected to theopposite ends of said cloth members, andblocks'connected to said cloth members to impart rigidity to selected portions of said members and'having ends spaced from the body and the respective hand and foot members to provide flexible joints at the ends of said blocks.

6. A marionette including a body, limb members comprising exible cloth strips connected with said body, rigid terminal members connected with said strips, and blocks connected with the strips intermediate the body and terminal members to impart rigidity to selected portions of vthe limb members and having ends spaced from the body and terminal members to provide freely fiexing joints whereby said joints impart a life-like movement to said limbs incidental to manipulation of the marionette.

7. In a marionette toy, a body including upper and lower blocks, a cloth member having its ends 30 connected with said blocks to form a waist joint, forearm and leg members, cloth members connecting the forearms and the leg members respectively with the upper and lower blocks. and blocks fixed to said last named cloth members to impart rigidity to selected portions of said cloth members and having ends respectively 4spaced from said body blocks and from the respective forearm and leg. members to provide flexible joints. 1 i

Y. HAZELLE H. I-AIEDGES.

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