Abstract: A toy stacking and kicking mechanism is disclosed having a support base, and a hollow post extending upwardly from the support base. The outer surface of the post is preferably designed and shaped as a brightly colored character, such as a clown or the like that is attractive to children, and the top of the post is designed as a hat. A plurality of generally U-shaped objects, each having a center opening and a passage extending from the center opening through the object at one end thereof, is stacked on the support base of the post. A foot member is pivotally mounted within the hollow post and is movable from a retracted position to an extended position in which the foot member passes through a slot in a wall of the post for engaging and kicking the lowermost object from the support base.

Abstract: A rotary drive mechanism for toys, kinetic sculptures, and the like, employs a pawl and ratchet mechanism to transmit driving torque between a driving wheel and a driven inertia wheel. The driving wheel may itself be driven by means of a drive string that may frictionally engage a circular drive surface to permit the driving wheel to be rotated independently with limited slippage between the string and the drive surface. A fixed and uniform amount of energy can be imparted to the driving wheel and the driven wheel through a spring that is connected to the drive string and preloaded by a predetermined amount. A second inertia wheel can be mounted coaxially of the one inertia wheel and both wheels may operate with random motion through an interference coupling. The pawl and ratchet mechanism in one embodiment forms an escapement to provide intermittent drive to the wheels. The inertia wheel is rotationally unbalanced with a weight offset from the axis of rotation.