US3034258A - Hand puppet with fingertip controlled illuminable nose - Google Patents

Description

y 1962 s. SCHWARTZ 3,034,258

HAND PUPPET WITH FINGERTIP CONTRGLLED ILLUMINABLE NOSE Filed Oct. 28, 1960 ATTUE/VEY-S York Filed Oct. 28, 1960, Ser. No. 65,790 10 Claims. (Cl. 46-228) This invention relates to illuminable toys and. more particularly is directed to hand puppets having a fingertip controlled battery operated illuminable nose.

Among the objects of the invention is to generally improve hand puppets of the character described each comprising a molded hollow head'and a shirt waist body of pliable material into which the manipulators hand fits with his fingers extending into the head and arms to cause the puppet to perform, by incorporating therein a dry cell battery operated illuminable nose under control of a conveniently located finger tip actuated switch and having an accessible battery receptacle carried within the shirt waist, which shall have relatively few and simple parts readily assembled by a minimum of unskilled labor in low cost quantity production to form a reliable and dependable puppet capable of withstanding rought handling and use, which shall be neat and attractive in appearance and constructed to facilitate maintenance and replacement of parts by children using the toy and which shall be practical and efiicient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of the invention willin part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists of features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction here'- inafter disclosed, the scope of the'application of which will be indicated in the claims following.

In the accompanying drawing in which an illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a hand puppet having an illuminable nose constructed to embody the invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 22 in FIG. 1 showing the interior construction of the puppet and the assembly of the novel illuminable nose, finger tip control switch and battery holder.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged exploded detail view of the illuminable nose and finger tip control switch and the battery holder shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 44 in FIG. 2 showing details of the combination lamp holder and switch member, and a FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 55 in FIG. 2.

Referring in detail to the drawing, denotes a toy hand puppet constructed to embody the invention and featuring an illuminable nose 11 affixed to a molded hollow head 12 having a neck 12a and shoulder portion 12b to which is suitably attached, as by staples 120, a shirt waist 13 of pliable sheet material.

Shirt waist 13 may be made of any textile fabric or of pliable plastic sheet material such as vinyl which may be formed with heat sealed seams 13a to have a body portion 131; and a pair of arms 13c.

Illuminable nose 11 is seen from FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 to include a combination lamp holder and switch member 14 which may be molded of a suitable plasticresin, such as polystyrene, to comprise a tubular portion 14:: having an annular flange 14b extending about a midportion thereof and an integral U-shaped resilient switch portion 14c extending radially from one end thereof. Between I States atent O 3,@34,25$ Patented May 15, 1982 flange 14band switch portion 14c, tubular portion 14a is provided with a pair of slots 14d arranged on opposite sides thereof and as is clear from FIG. 4 are slightly offset from each other a distance suificient to conform to the pitch of the threads in base 15a of a standard miniature electric lamp 15. A U-shaped spring wire clip 19 engages slots 14d serving both as an electric contact and lamp base thread coacting means.

Combination lamp holder and switch member 14 may be permanently secured in position in a nose opening 12d formed in head .12 and sized to receive tubular portion 14a with annular flange 14b located against the interior rim thereof. Collar 14!: fits the end of tubular portion 14a extending through opening 12d and may be suitably secured thereto against the exterior rim of opening 12d as by cement joint I. Collar 14:: also serves as a snapon holder for a removable lamp cover 14g and has an undercut groove 14 into which bead 14h of lamp cover 14g removably snaps. Lamp cover 14g may be molded of a suitable plastic having translucent properties and colored as desired to blend with the face of the puppet.

A feature of the invention is the simplicity ofthe circuit wiring and switch whereby soldered connections are obviated orreduced to a minimum and the parts assembled with minimum labor costs. To this end lamp 15 may be powered by a single dry cell penlite type battery 16 which is supported in circuit with lamp 15 in battery holder 17 seen in FIG. 2 to be attached to the front of shirt waist 13 where it is readily accessible for battery replacement yet does not interfere with the performance of the puppet.

Battery holder 17, collar 14s and lamp cover 14g may i all be molded of a plastic resin similar to member 14. Battery holder 17 is seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 as a unitary three sided box-like structure which is shown in a preferredform as skeletonized to save material. Thus the front side of battery holder 17 maybe reduced to two transverse strips 17a symmetrically spaced from opposite ends thereof and each formed with a central opening 17b for receiving suitable securing means to shirt waist 13, such'as eyelets 13d which are positioned along the vertical midline thereof blending with the ornamental appearance of the puppet as simulated front buttons or snaps. The two sides of battery holder 17 may be reduced to comprise a pair of longitudinal strips extending along the rear edge and having forward extensions 17d joining the transverse strips 17a- The opposite ends of longitudinal strips 17c are joined by end strips 17e. Battery 16 is thus cradled by front transverse strips 17a and side longitudinal strips 17c between top and bottom terminal springs 18 which are secured in snap-on relation in seats 17 formed on the exterior side of each end strip 17e. Strengthening webs 17g may be'provided in each corner of holder 17 to rigidify and reinforce end strips 17:: and the walls of seats 17 Elongated protuberances or ribs 17h may be formed on the interior surfaces along a midportion of the rear edges of longitudinal strips 170 to aid the snap-in retention ofbattery 16.

Terminal springs 18 may be formed of leaf spring metal and are substantially S-shaped to provide U-shaped mounting portions 18a which resiliently engage in seats 17] and also serve to clamp stripped ends 20a and 21a of lead wires 20 and 21, respectively, therein as is clear from FIG. 2. The free ends of mounting portions 1812 may be bent at right angles forming flanges 1817 which may be centrally notched at for locating lead wires 20 and 21. The battery contact portions 18d of springs 18 may be formed with an embossed rib 18c. for strengthening and as a battery terminal contact. The opposite stripped end 20b of lead wire 20 is attached to the free end of switch portion 140 by eyelet 14 engaging through-opening 1-4i formed therein. As is clear from FIG. 2 eyelet 14j 7 which serves as a switch terminal is located in alignment with central terminal 15b of lamp 15 when the latter is properly positioned in tubular portion 14a for make and break switch contact therewith. Likewise the opposite stripped end 21b of the other lead wire 21 is'elamped by the bent end 19a of wire clip 19 as is clear from FIG. 5 to provide a permanent electrical connection from one side of battery 16 to the base ferrule terminal of lamp 1S.

' This connection may also be soldered to insure against terminal springs 18 are attached to battery holder 17 re tainingly clamping lead ends a and 21a against the walls of seats 17a and also making electric contact therewith. The wiring between member 14 and battery holder 17 is now complete and the unit is ready for mounting in puppet 10. Member 14 may now be inserted through the open bottom of shirt waist 13 into head 12 and through opening 12d so that shoulder portion 12b abuts the rim thereof and switch portion preferably extends vertically and up-v wardly as shown in FIG. 2. Member 14 is secured in this position by cementing collar 14e thereon forming joint J. Battery holder '17 is now in position in shirt waist 13 and may be secured thereto by riveting eyelets 13d through openings 17b. Lamp 15 is then threaded into tubular portion 14a, being engaged by sections of spring Wire clip 19 which project-through slots 14d. Iiamp cover 14g may then be. snapped into undercut groove 14 of collar 14a and battery 16 into holder 17 so. that'the opposite battery terminals flex battery contact portions 180! of springs 18 for gripping the battery therebetween. The insertion of battery 16 into holder 17 also outwardly flexes longitudinal strips 170 to provide the necessary clearance for longitudinal protnberances17h, the latter thereafter serving to prevent accidental displacement of battery 16 from holder 17.

When incompatible plastics are used to form the. shirt waist 13 and holder 17, as inthe case of vinyl and polystyrene, a separating sheet 22 may be interposed therebetween,

The practical utility of hand puppet 10 will now be apparent. Puppet 10 is slipped onto the hand like a glove through the open bottom of shirt Waist 13 with at least one finger extending into each arm and head. The finger extending into head 12 is'placed to contact eyelet 141' so' that slight forward pressure will flex switch portion 14c as shown in broken lines in FIG. 2 closing the circuit to lamp 15. On release of finger pressure, resilient switch portion 140 will return to normal open circuit position. 7

To change lamp 15, lamp cover 14g is squeezed and pulled outwardly to release bead 14h from engagement in grp ove 14f, lamp 15 is unscrewed and replaced and lamp cover 14g snapped back into position. Likewise,

by applying inward pressure between eyelets 13d, battery the above invention, and as various changes mightv be' made in the embodiment .above set forth, it is to be understood that all matters herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent: p

l. A hand puppet toy having a hollow head and shirt waist body sized to fit the hand of a manipulator with at least one finger extending up into the hollow head cavity, said head being formed with a nose opening, a miniature electric lamp and holder mounted in said nose opening, said holder including a normally open resilient finger actuated switch extending within said head cavity for actuation to a closed circuit position by pressure of said finger, a battery holder and dry cell battery mounted on the interior-of said shirt waist body,-and electric lead wires interconnecting terminals of said battery with said lamp and switch for energizing the lamp on the closing of the switch by said finger pressure.

2. The hand puppet 'toy defined in claim 1 in which said lamp has a base ferrule terminal and a center terminal, said lamp holder being an open ended tubular shaped structure with one end on the exterior of said head and the opposite end in the interior of the head cavity, said tubular structure having an axial bore sized to receive the base ferrule terminal of said lamp with the lamp extending from said exterior end and thecente'r terminal located at said interior end, said switch being formed as a resilient U-shaped member extending from said tubular structure and having a free end in alignment with said axial bore, a switch contact carried by said free end normally 'spaced from said center terminal, said free end being movable toward said center terminal on fiexure of said U-shaped member.

3. The hand puppet toy defined in claim 1 in which said lamp holder is an open ended tubular shaped structure having an axial bore with one end terminating on the exterior of'said head and the opposite end in the interior of "the head cavity, a radial flange extending from a midportion of said tubular structure contacting an interior rim of said'nose' opening, a collar securely mounted on said tubular structure on the exterior of the head abutting an exterior rim of said nose opening, said collar and radial flange coacting with the rim of said nose opening to retain said tubular structure in said mounted position, said lamp having a base positioned in said bore with the lamp extending from said exterior end of the tubular structure.

4. The hand puppet toy defined in claim 1 in which said lamp holder is an open ended tubular shaped structure having an axial bore with one end terminating on the exterior of said head and the opposite end in the interior of the head cavity, said lamp having a base ferrule terminal and a center terminal, said axial bore being sized to receive the base ferrule terminal with the lamp extend mg from said exterior end and the center terminal located at said'interior' end, said switch being formed as a resilient U-shaped member extending from said tubular struc ture and having a free end in alignment with said axial bore, a switch contact carried by said free end normally spaced from said center terminal, said free end being movable toward said center terminal on fiexure of said U-shaped member to said closed circuit position, a radial flange extending from a midportion of said tubular structure contacting an interior rim of said nose opening, a collar securely mounted on said tubular structure on the exterior of the head abutting an exterior rim of said nose opening, said collar and radial flange coacting with the rim of said nose opening to retain said tubular structure in said mounted position, said collar having an undercut groove, and a removable translucent lamp cover having a bead releasably retained in said undercut groove;

5. The hand puppet toy defined in claim 1 in which said 'lamphas a threaded base ferrule terminal and a center terminal, said lamp holder being a molded plastic open ended tubular structure having an axial bore with 'onevjend terminating on the exterior of said head and the opposite end in the interior of the head cavity, said axial bore being sized to receive the base ferrule terminal of said lamp with the lamp extending from said exterior end and the center terminal located at said interior end, a midportion of said tubular structure within the head cavity being formed with a pair of transverse slots communicating with said bore, a U-shaped electric current conducting clip having opposite arms lying in said slots with portions thereof extending into said bore and engaging said threaded base ferrule serving as complementary internal thread means and as electric contacts.

6. The hand puppet toy defined in claim 1 in which said battery holder is a box-like structure having a front wall section, opposite side wall sections, opposite end wall sections and an open rear for insertion and removal of said battery, the end wall sections each being formed with a seat, S-shaped terminal springs each having a battery contacting end and a U-shaped portion resiliently seated in one of said seats clampingly retaining a stripped end of one of said electric lead wires therein and in electric contact therewith, said battery contacting ends extending in alignment into said box-like structure engaging opposite terminals of said battery positioned to extend therebetween.

7. The hand puppet toy defined in claim 1 in which said battery holder is a molded plastic boxlike structure having a front wall section, opposite side wall sections, opposite end wall sections and an open rear for insertion and removal of said battery, said front wall section being formed with a pair of spaced openings, and a pair of eyelet rivets passing through said openings and securing the battery holder to said shirt waist body.

8. A hand puppet toy having a hollow head and shirt waist body sized to fit the hand of a manipulator with at least one finger extending up into the hollow head cavity, said head being formed with a nose opening, a molded plastic open ended tubular shaped combination lamp holder and switch mounted to extend through said nose opening and having an axial bore terminating at one end on the exterior of said head and at the other end in the interior of the head, a lamp having a base ferrule removably mounted in said axial bore and a center terminal located at said interior bore end, an opening in a midportion of said holder within said head cavity communicating with said bore, a terminal connection carried by said holder extending through said opening and making electrical contact with said base ferrule, said switch comprising a resilient U-shaped member extending from said tubular structure and having a free end in alignment with said axial bore, a switch contact carried by said free end normally spaced from said center terminal, a battery holder and dry cell battery mounted on the interior of said shirt waist body, electric lead wires interconnecting terminals of said battery with said terminal connection and said switch contact, said U-shaped member free end being accessible to receive pressure by said finger for movement of said switch contact toward said center terminal for closing the circuit and energizing the lamp.

9. The hand puppet toy defined in claim 8 in which said holder includes a radial flange extending from a midportion of said holder contacting an interior rim of said nose opening, a collar securely mounted on said holder on the exterior of the head abutting an exterior rim of said nose opening to secure said holder in position, said collar having an undercut groove, and a removable translucent lamp cover having a bead releasably retained in said undercut groove.

10. A hand puppet toy having a hollow head and shirt waist body sized to fit the hand of a manipulator with at least one finger extending up into the hollow head cavity, said head being formed with a nose opening, a miniature electric lamp and holder mounted in said nose opening, said holder including a normally open resilient finger actuated switch extending within said head cavity for actuation to a closed circuit position by pressure of said finger, a dry cell battery, a battery holder of molded plastic formed as a box-like structure containing said battery having a front wall section, opposite side Wall sections, opposite end wall sections and an open rear for insertion of said battery, said front wall section being formed with a pair of spaced openings, a pair of eyelet rivets passing through said openings and securing the battery holder to said shirt waist body, said end wall sections each being formed with a seat, S-shaped terminal springs each having a battery contacting end and a U-shaped portion resiliently seated in one of said seats, a pair of lead wires having stripped ends, each of said stripped ends being anchored in one of said seats by and in electrical contact with one of said U-shaped spring portions, said spring battery contact ends extending in alignment into said box-like structure engaging opposite terminals of said battery positioned to extend therebetween, inwardly projecting aligned ribs formed on each of said side Wall sections adjacent said open rear for contacting the cylindrical side of the battery as snap-in retention means therefor, opposite ends of said lead wires connecting with said lamp and switch for energizing the lamp on the closing of the switch by said finger pressure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 844,577 Borchardt Feb. 19, 1907 1,110,100 Ambash et al. Sept. 8, 1914 2,814,158 Gelardin Nov. 26, 1957 2,818,463 Parker Dec. 31, 1957 2,886,623 Lehr May 12, 1959

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