Abstract: A doll play set including a doll figure and a doll house. The doll house is open access, having a circular floor and three radially-extending upright walls defining three areas for play within a generally hemispherical outline or outer shape. The doll house is rotatably mounted on a base to afford ready access to all the areas. A receptacle for the doll figure is provided at the upper center of the doll house. There is a playhouse cover of flexible material, conforming to the hemispherical shape of the doll house, and being supported solely by the walls. The cover has a central opening to afford access to the receptacle. The components are proportioned to permit both (1) the doll to be placed in the receptacle up to its waist, with the cover over the doll house giving the appearance of an oversized skirt, and (2) the doll to be placed and played with in the play areas, the doll being shorter than the walls.

Abstract: Disclosed is a presently preferred embodiment of an electronic competitive player response game apparatus having at least three and preferably four player stations. Each of the disclosed stations is provided with a lamp for designating which one of the stations is "active," and with a set of push button switches for permitting a player, when his station is active, to select the next active station by the timely actuation of the proper switch. The disclosed apparatus is also provided with a game start switch for causing the commencement of a game round, and with electronic circuitry for controlling the game's progress.

Abstract: An action game comprising a unit for automatically and sequentially dispensing play pieces such as discs to a plurality of player stations. The players each attempt to match indicia, such as cutouts, on the discs dispensed to his or her station with indicia at that station to achieve an objective such as completing a row of discs. The illustrated unit includes a base on which a magazine for one or more stacks of the discs is rotatably mounted. As the magazine rotates, cam surfaces on the base and magazine engage discs from the bottoms of the stacks and cause such discs to be ejected outwardly to the respective player stations. When indicia do not match, the disc is put back in the magazine. The unit includes a mechanism for starting and stopping the rotation.

Abstract: A toy vehicle only slightly longer than a "penlight" battery, and with chassis less than twice the width of such a battery, is able (traction permitting) to climb any grade on which it will not tip over backward--grades up to about 40.degree.--and to negotiate a vertical step taller than its tire radius. The AA-battery-powered four-wheel-drive vehicle has a small electric motor with a double-ended shaft, and a symmetrical gearing system consisting of, at each end of the motor, a pinion fixed on the shaft, a spur gear driven by the pinion and driving a worm, and a worm gear keyed to a corresponding axle. The motor, pinions, spur gears and worms, and the upper portions of the worm gears, are aligned along one side wall inside the vehicle chassis, with the battery alongside them occupying the rest of the chassis. Traction and climbing characteristics are enhanced by twice-overscale tires, preferably of open foam, with highly pronounced treads.

Abstract: A surprise action game comprising a play area which may depict an environment such as a spider web and includes electrically conductive portions. Play objects, as for example toy insects, having at least some electrically non-conductive portions are disposed on the spider web area. A manually moveable member is provided to pickup, move or otherwise manipulate the play objects. The member has an electrically conductive portion which comes into close proximity to the electrically conductive portions of the web area incident to the manipulation; if these electrically conductive portions make contact, a circuit is completed to energize a motor, which in turn drives an arm to suddenly flip or propel a surprise object such as a spider onto the web area.

Abstract: A child's night light in the form of a holdable doll figure having a movable portion such as an arm which may be raised and lowered. The arm may hold an object such as a representation of a lantern or candle that holds a light bulb which automatically goes on when the arm is raised and goes off when the arm is lowered. The light bulb may be provided with a suitable light-diffusing cover, and it may be so positioned, when raised, to fully illuminate the three-dimensional contoured face of the doll without undesirable dark, scary shadow effects as would frighten the child. The doll may have a soft holdable body with at least the movable arm being a rigid molded part pivotally mounted at the shoulder of the doll. An off-on switch may be provided at the shoulder and be operable by the pivotal movement of the arm. The lantern may be detachable and may contain batteries that are electrically connected to the light bulb through the switch.

Abstract: Several types of toy vehicles are provided which automatically lean when negotiating turns. One such vehicle is a radio-controlled toy motorcycle, which carries two outriggers with supports that extend downward from the typical positions of a rider's feet. Each outrigger pivots about two independent axes, to bank the toy for negotiating turns. The outriggers are cam-operated from the same radio-controlled steering mechanism which operates the front fork of the toy to turn it. An articulated toy rider has arms which follow the handlebar motions, and legs which follow the outrigger supports--to suggest the illusion that the rider is supporting the motorcycle with his foot on turns. The radio receiver and control electronics, as well as electric motors to drive the rear wheel and the steering mechanism, are powered by dry cells advantageously mounted in the mufflers.

Abstract: A multitarget shooter game apparatus comprising a light beam gun and a plurality of separate targets in the form of light sensitive cells which can be positioned at substantial distances from one another, preferably in different directions from a shooting position where the gun is located. The targets units include housings for the cells and the cells may be adjustably positioned in the housings to account for ambient light conditions. The targets indicate, as by illuminating an LED, when they are active and can be shot at to produce a score and when they are inactive. In one form the targets are each alternatively active for a short time in a random or apparently random order. Thus, the shooter must respond quickly, aim and fire in different directions as the different targets become active.

Abstract: A competitive game apparatus comprised of a game board having a playing surface with a plurality of intersecting playing paths on which playing pieces may be positioned. Two or more players are each provided with a set of the playing pieces which are distinguishable from the playing pieces of the other player by indicia, as for example the color of the playing pieces. The players alternate in playing pieces on the paths, with each player attempting to extend a continuous strip of his or her player pieces while attempting to block the further extension of the strips of his opponents. A timer may be provided with each player required to complete his or her turn in a preestablished time period. This imposes a tempo on the play. Particularly when the game is played at a very fast tempo, the playing pieces already on the board tend to be inadvertently displaced, and it is desirable that the board and/or the playing pieces be constructed to detachably maintain the pieces where they are placed on the surface.

Abstract: An electronic time reaction game apparatus which is capable of being played by one or more players and which comprises a housing having a pair of opposed player ends. A microprocessor is located in the housing and may be suitably operated by a convenient source of power, e.g., conventional battery power. A pair of player actuable response switches and a plurality of player response lights are located at each player end. One of the response switches is forward acting and the other is rearward acting. The microprocessor initiates a game cycle by causing generation of a player ready signal and, after a randomly varying time interval, or apparent randomly varying time interval unknown to the player or players, initiates and causes generation of a player start signal.

Abstract: A time reaction game apparatus having a tiltable playing surface which is at least slightly convexed and has a goal located at or near the high point thereof. The goal may be in the form of a recess adapted to receive a playing ball. A timer is set and a ball is released onto the playing surface. The player of the game operates a manually actuable mechanism such as a remote joystick to tilt the playing surface to cause the playing ball to enter the goal. When the player is successful, the ball enters the goal, which automatically releases the next ball onto the playing surface. The timer goes off after a predetermined time period, and the goal may be automatically blocked as for example, by blocking the recess.

Abstract: A doll and an eye assembly, intended for use in a doll, wherein the assembly comprises a combined representational eyeball and eyelid movable mounted relative to a carrier or retainer, and weighted, in such a way as to tend to occupy a first positional relationship with the carrier or retainer (such as "open") in one attitude of the assembly to the horizontal but to occupy a second positional relationship with said carrier or retainer (such as "closed") in a different attitude of the assembly to the horizontal. The assembly also includes a fluid pressure actuable control operable to displace the combined eyeball and eyelid from said first "open" positional relationship to said second "closed" positional relationship.

Abstract: A toy hovercraft apparatus and which includes a toy hovercraft and a launcher therefor. The hovercraft comprises a frame having an outwardly flaring skirt with a downwardly projecting peripheral lip to form an air chamber therebeneath. A motor, e.g., an electric motor, supported centrally of the skirt, rotates a fan located in an upper portion of the chamber to draw in air through inlets and create a pressurized air cushion in the chamber, which, in turn, causes the hovercraft to float or hover over a floor, or other surface. One or more relatively small rechargeable batteries are also carried on the frame and connected to the electric motor for powering the motor and the batteries may be periodically recharged. The hovercraft is preferably round and is constructed so that the weight is symetrically distributed which permits the torque created by the fan to cause rapid rotation of the hovercraft in a level horizontal plane without imparting horizontal motion to the hovercraft.

Abstract: A preschool play apparatus comprising a base having a wall defining a plurality of different shape holes. There is a translucent viewing window in the wall adjacent each of the holes. There are also a plurality of plugs or inserts having shapes which match the shapes of the holes. The child-user attempts to insert the plugs in the holes of matching shapes. When he or she is successful at inserting a plug, the inserted plug engages a mechanism which moves a picture up to the adjacent translucent window so that the picture is visible through the window. The base may take the form of a play telephone switchboard, with the plugs being attached to telephone lines or cords secured to the switchboard. The windows are translucent such that the pictures are readily visible without backlighting when they are adjacent the windows, but are not readily visible when spaced away from the windows.

Abstract: Toy mother and baby animal figures which simulate the giving of birth to the baby animal. The mother animal figure includes a hollow body having an interior chamber with an exit opening. An openable door is provided over the exit opening. The toy baby figure which is representative of an offspring of the mother animal is disposed within the chamber. The baby figure is capable of being collapsed, as by having multisection foldable legs which fold up against its body, so it will fit within the chamber. A conveyor mechanism is included within the mother animal figure and is manually actuable by the user to move the baby figure toward the exit opening while also opening the door so that the baby figure may be pushed out through the exit opening and thus be "born". After it is born, the baby figure may be expanded as by having its legs unfolded and it may be self-standing. The chamber may also be openable to permit replacing the baby figure.

Abstract: A play set comprising a three-dimensional doll figure and a variety of flexible, resilient clip-on pieces representing clothing for the doll to wear, vehicles and animals for the doll to ride in and/or on, etc. The doll has an original appearance, i.e. original clothes, pose, etc. The clip-on pieces may cover over portions of the original appearance and replace them in addition to adding to them. For example, original arm positions and a shirt may be replaced by different arm positions and a coat. Similarly, legs of a standing figure may be replaced by a motorcycle and legs positioned astride the motorcycle. In preferred form, the figure is bias-relief, having a flat rear surface defining a peripheral shoulder and the clip-on pieces each conform generally to the front of the bias-relief figure and have retaining lips that engage the peripheral shoulder.

Abstract: A liquid activity toy having a housing with one or more reservoirs into which the child user can introduce a liquid, such as water, to operate one or more actuators to cause one or more actions or activities to occur. One of these activities is the rising of an object to a position outwardly of the toy housing and thereafter a dropping of the object back into the housing, and where this object may represent a growing of a toy flower. Another activity which may occur by the introduction of water is the rising up of another object such as a toy animal and which may thereafter drop back into the housing of the toy. A third activity which may occur upon the introduction of water into the toy is the movement of an object representative of a toy animal or insect in a circular path as to represent a flying bee. The various actuators which cause the activities to occur are designed so that only a small amount of water which may be free flowing water is required to cause the desired activity.

Abstract: A surprise action game apparatus comprising in a presently preferred form a game board defining a plurality of pathways, one for each player, and each having a starting end and extending longitudinally therefrom to a finish line. There are a plurality of play pieces, one on each player's path for longitudinal movement therealong. The play pieces are adapted to be knocked over when engaged. The game apparatus further includes a knock-down unit which may be positioned at the starting end of any selected one of the pathways. The unit includes a movable wheeled toy striker vehicle and operating mechanism for propelling the vehicle along the selected pathway, but only after random or apparently random operation of the mechanism, to engage and knock down the play piece on that pathway. In play of the game, at each player's turn, the player places the knock-down unit at the start of his or her pathway and selectively operates the mechanism.