Patents Represented by Attorney Max E. Shirk
  • Patent number: 4215843
    Abstract: A toy molding apparatus having a housing or container with a heat source therein surrounded by a heat directing baffle member, at least a portion of the baffle member being configured for receiving a plastic squeeze bottle containing a gelatinous substance therein, the substance being generally solid at room temperature and approaching a liquid state at approximately 105.degree. Fahrenheit. The bottle is positioned within the receptacle for heating by the heat source and upon reaching a fluid state it is poured into a separate mold member to set upon cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1978
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1980
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Derek J. Gay, Robert G. Trout, Manuel G. Y. Chin, James E. Sawyer
  • Patent number: 4207935
    Abstract: A toy woodworking apparatus powered by a flywheel driven by a handle operatively coupled to a gear train through a ratchet mechanism, the gear train driving a sander disc, rotary slitter blades and a combined shear and punch member, the shear member being coupled to the drive train through a single-cycle coupling mechanism. The apparatus performs woodworking operations on wood slats or strips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1980
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerard L. Lambert, John S. Cook
  • Patent number: 4203602
    Abstract: A ball bumper for a pinball machine or the like having an inclined playing surface over which a metal ball travels for scoring purposes, the ball bumper including a plurality of post members secured to the playing surface, the post members having suspended therebetween an at least partially conductive resilient bumper member yieldable under impact by a rolling ball. Disposed rearwardly of the bumper member and in proximity to the bumper member is a solenoid actuated kicker arm. On the playing surface in proximity to the resilient bumper member is a conductive strip, the strip and the bumper member being connected to an electrical circuit which is completed by contact of the metal ball with the strip and bumper member to actuate the solenoid to drive the bumper member outwardly to thereby redirect the ball. The resilient bumper member may take the form of a rubber ring made of conductive rubber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1980
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Fred G. Kral
  • Patent number: 4201011
    Abstract: A toy motorcycle having a flywheel rotatably coupled to the frame, the flywheel being configured for fitting within opposite shell halves of a wheel having an annular gear member centrally disposed about the periphery thereof and recessed from the tire periphery. The flywheel has a pinion extending beyond the shell half, and a gear train operatively interconnects the pinion of the flywheel with the annular gear member through a clutch mechanism. Motive power is provided to the flywheel by means of a pull string wound about a spring biased drum coupled to the gear train through a unidirectional clutch assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1980
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: John S. Cook
  • Patent number: 4188748
    Abstract: A toy vehicle and housing set, the toy vehicle having a body with a shell member positionable thereover, the shell member being configured for simulating a body of another type vehicle. The housing has a track section for traversal of the vehicle thereover and sidewalls generally perpendicular to the track section, the shell member and housing sidewalls having coacting portions for removing the shell member from the vehicle during traversal of the vehicle therethrough. The housing contains a booster for accelerating the vehicle from the exit end thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1980
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Hubert A. Rich, Herbert May
  • Patent number: 4183172
    Abstract: A toy for supporting and conveying a doll or the like utilizing a doll carrier member rotatably coupled to a link of a continuous endless belt disposed within a channel beneath a platform having a continuous slot for passage therethrough of a portion of the doll carrier. The doll carrier includes a geared disc member with an integral triangular cam member, the disc member engaging a rack member within the channel to cause the doll to pirouette or turn with the cam member alternately engaging oppositely disposed spaced fixed cams to cause the doll to walk. The belt is motor driven and reversible and upon reversing, the cam structure causes the doll carrier to reverse directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 15, 1980
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Stephen Lewis, Jurgis Sapkus
  • Patent number: 4182076
    Abstract: An animated doll configured in the form of a ballerina having a crown on the head thereof connected to an actuating member on the longitudinal center line of the doll, the other end of the member having a cam. One leg can be detented to a fixed position in vertical alignment with the torso of the doll with the other leg thereof being pivotally coupled to the torso with a crank affixed thereto for co-acting with the cam for causing the leg to kick. The actuating member has a square shaft portion engaging a mating aperture within a drive gear which is driven by a motor fixedly coupled within the torso. Upon holding the crown, the doll rotates and one leg can be pivoted by depressing the crown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1978
    Date of Patent: January 8, 1980
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Derek J. Gay, Nicol S. Wilson, Roger H. Sweet, Saint E. B. Berford
  • Patent number: 4182075
    Abstract: A cap-firing arm for a toy figure, the arm being frictionally secured for rotation at the shoulder of the figure by a hollow hub having a pinion gear internally of the figure. The arm is hollow and includes a spring-loaded hammer member slidably mounted therein with a cocking pin extending outwardly through a slot in the lower portion of the arm. The hammer member includes a firing pin adapted for coacting with an anvil secured within a hand mounting member which is slidable for loading the cap. The hammer member includes a tear drop shaped lobe extending through a similarly configured aperture adjacent to the shoulder portion and an actuating rod extending through the hollow hub disengages the lobe upon depression of a back plate of the figure which simultaneously elevates the arm to a horizontal position whereupon the cap is fired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1978
    Date of Patent: January 8, 1980
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: David F. James
  • Patent number: 4177984
    Abstract: A captive flying toy airplane is tethered to a boom pivotally mounted to a turntable for pivoting the boom for altitude adjustment of a toy airplane, the turntable being mounted to a pylon base housing containing drive gears therein. A control housing is provided to position first and second wire control members passing through a tube connected to the housing, one controller of the control housing varying the position of a slide wire rheostat to control the speed of the toy airplane, the second controller pivoting a bell crank through a vertical plane to control the position of an altitude control rod passing through the center of the turntable to effect pivoting of the boom. A sound cone mounted within the pylon has the apex portion engaging a circumferential ratchet surface on one of the drive gears for emitting a simulated motor sound proportional to the speed of rotation of the gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1978
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1979
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond J. Douglas, Ference Fekete, Derek J. Gay, Gary L. Hunter, Nicol S. Wilson
  • Patent number: 4174587
    Abstract: A toy for accelerating unpowered toy vehicles along a roadway, the accelerator having a base with a roadway portion formed therein, the base having opposing elongate slots on either side of the roadway portion with vehicle engaging rollers rotatably mounted within the base and extending through the slots for engaging the vehicles sides. An air pump is provided, depression of which operates turbine means coupled to drive the rollers in opposite directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1977
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1979
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Marius J. Morin, Otto L. Gabler, Eugene J. Kilroy
  • Patent number: 4169571
    Abstract: A plurality of hose cradles support a sloping, flexible sewer hose. Each hose cradle includes a trough to each end of which a pair of legs is swingably connected in a manner such that the legs may be swung from vertical positions to outwardly swung horizontal positions or to inwardly-swung, nesting positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1978
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1979
    Inventor: William G. Duggan
  • Patent number: 4162792
    Abstract: A novel game is disclosed featuring a playing field having at least three lanes and divided into at least six rungs. A gamepiece representing the player may be positioned in any one of the three lanes and is free to move in a first direction from one rung to the next; randomly generated obstacles advance in the opposite direction from rung to rung; the object of the game is for the player to avoid collision with the obstacle or obstacles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1977
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1979
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard S. Chang, George J. Klose
  • Patent number: 4162793
    Abstract: A scoring system for an electromechanical game aparatus such as pinball or the like, the game including an operator selectable score altering mode on a given ball, for example, a "double or nothing" scoring feature, the selection being possible only once per player per game. A plurality of targets are associated with the selection and two registers are provided for monitoring game score as well as ball score for that play. The success or failure of the ball impacting the targets is monitored and at the conclusion of play of that ball the game score register is altered by the contents of the ball score register.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1979
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Gary J. Cummings
  • Patent number: 4161279
    Abstract: A curved track section for self-propelled toy vehicles, the track having a width sufficient to accommodate two toy vehicles side by side. A portion of the track is provided with a lane divider with the entrance end of the track being provided with an abutment portion extending in the direction of travel of the vehicles from a position adjacent the outer periphery to a position generally intermediate the inside and outside of the track, the abutment having a progressively increasing height and width in the direction of travel the vehicle, the lane selection of the vehicle being determined by the speed or angle of entry into the entrance end of the track section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1977
    Date of Patent: July 17, 1979
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Wayne R. Halford
  • Patent number: 4158307
    Abstract: A governor rotor assembly having a one piece rotor with a base portion generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation thereof with a parallel spaced cross member, the base portion having diametrically opposed tangentially extending U-shaped recesses formed therein with the open end thereof facing in the direction of rotation. The cross member is provided with similar diametrically opposed tangentially extending U-shaped recesses in facing relation and in general alignment with the U-shaped recesses of the base portion, with the cross member recesses facing opposite to the direction of rotation. A pair of counterweights have the pivot pins thereof configured for being pivotally received within the recesses by insertion therein by angularly positioning the pivot pin relative to a pair of facing recesses and then rotated until the pivot pin is generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1979
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Frederic A. Schwager
  • Patent number: 4155194
    Abstract: A toy launcher is provided for launching airplanes, missiles or the like, the launcher being provided with a base having a drum member pivotally mounted within the base, the periphery of the drum having a bearing for receiving the axis of a joy stick handle which is pivotally mounted with respect to the drum member. A gimbal mechanism within the drum is operatively connected to the handle and to a launch arm extending out from the drum, the launch arm containing a launch mechanism for releasably receiving airplanes or the like for launching the same in response to actuation of a trigger mechanism in the handle. Manipulation of the joy stick angularly displaces the surface of the launch arm to permit pre-positioning of the intended flight path and bank angle of the projectiles to a given attitude prior to launching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1979
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth I. Amamoto, Ferenc Fekete, Wayne R. Halford, Eugene J. Kilroy, Michael O. Hirtle
  • Patent number: 4154121
    Abstract: A unidirectional clutch mechanism for use in a toy vehicle or the like having an inertia motor energized by a spring-return drawstring mechanism having a drive spool receiving the drawstring and the return spring, the drive spool having a drive disc portion with an integral square shank loosely encircled by a clutch disc with a circumferentially disposed slot engaged by an arcuate projection on the surface of the drive disc, the projection being shorter in length to allow relative motion between the discs. The opposite surface of the clutch disc is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed bearing members, each pivotally receiving a pawl of a unitary spring member having a square portion engaging the square shank with spring portions extending therefrom to pivot said pawls upon relative motion between the shank and the clutch disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1979
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Toshio Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 4150903
    Abstract: A toy simulating a typewriter for enabling a child to compose a large number of sentences from a limited number of words, the toy having a keyboard with a plurality of keys, each key having a word imprinted thereon. A carriage is provided with paper receiving imprints of the words from hinged type arms operable upon depression of the keys, depression of one of the keys performing the imprinting operation and release of the key actuating a spacer frame coacting with an indexing bar for incrementing the carriage under force of a spring a predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1979
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles E. Bailey, Sidney Bass, Russell C. Edmisson
  • Patent number: 4150749
    Abstract: A riffled ore concentrating table of the reciprocating type is connected to a table support by ball bearings. The table support has one of its edges pivotably connected to one edge of a base member and the other of its edges supported by the other edge of the base member in a manner such that the elevation of one edge of the table may be adjusted with respect to the other edge of the table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1979
    Inventor: Walter W. Stevens
  • Patent number: 4147133
    Abstract: A dispenser for small animal food or the like, the dispenser including a base member having a planar surface and upwardly extending wall portion defining an elongate trough for tiltably receiving a plurality of unitary hopper members, each hopper member having a front wall, sidewalls, a back wall and a bottom with a pivot projection downwardly depending from the bottom, the pivot projection being generally coextensive or co-planar with the front wall. A depressor pedal member is generally co-planar with the bottom and is supported in generally parallel relation with the planar surface of the base with the hopper member supported within the trough. A cover is provided to completely enclose the plurality of hopper members, the cover having an aperture through which the depressor member extends, the cover aperture being in alignment with a hopper aperture formed in the front wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 3, 1979
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Molnar, James B. Stewart, Sheldon P. Schmidt