Hand operated Toy / Soldier

The patent concerns a toy figure (literally it is a soldier) performing drill exercises with a rifle. The height is 16 cm or 6.3 inch. As of 1941 these "Vivid Tin Soldiers" were offered in as German and International version.  So far the presented German and Italian version are known. Other nationalities are not expected. Both soldiers are considered to be members of Light Infantry Units and show the ranks of Private E2 - the Italien soldiers is member of the 9th Infantry Division "Pinerolo" from Bari.

By pushing the lever the figure moves its right hand arm upwards so that it presents the rifle - "Rifle Salute". Pushing the lever again the figure will return to "Parade Rest" - taking the butt of the rifle back close to the ground.

Technically this movement is achieved by the waist belt, which in fact exists twice. One is lithographed onto the tin body - the other one is a moveable strip of tin connected by a rivet to the right arm. At the bottom end of the moveable waist belt the rifle is fixed by a small bolt. By a - from the front invisible - clip on the belt the arm moves the belt - and thus the rifle - left upwards to "Salute Rifle" position and the rifle remains (held by 2 fishplates) in that position. The arm returns to "Attention" position. Usually the moveable belt coincides with the lithographed belt - on the pictures here not really because the mechanism is worn out. Pushing the lever again will cause the arm to "grab" the rifle, detach it from the holding point and arm, belt and rifle return - supported by the spring on the back - to "Parade Rest" position. Simple - isn't it???

generated: FEB-18-2007

last update: Christmas 2014