Transfer mechanism intended for use in toys

A transfer mechanism for use in moving an article from a first location to a second location which comprises:

• support means,
• a holder movably mounted on said support means so as to be capable of being moved from adjacent to said first location to said second location,
• said holder being capable of receiving said article when adjacent to said first location,
• a bottom door located on said holder,
• latch means located on said holder for use in controlling when said door can be opened, said latch means extending from said holder,
• latch trip means on said support means for engaging said latch means so as to permit said door to be opened when said holder is adjacent to said second location so that an article held in said holder will fall out of the bottom of said holder onto said second location.

A transfer mechanism for use in moving an article from a first location to a second location which comprises:

• a base,
• an externally threaded shaft rotatably mounted on said base so as to extend upwardly therefrom,
• a hollow tower located around said shaft, said tower having a first opening leading into its interior adjacent to said base and a second opening leading from its interior above said base, said openings being located on opposite sides of said tower,
• a carrier for holding said article and for supporting said article as it is moved from said first location to said second location,
• cooperating guide means on said tower and on said carrier for controlling movement so that during rotation of said shaft said carrier can be elevated along the length of said shaft and can be pivoted with respect to said shaft,
• said carrier being capable of being moved between positions adjacent to said openings so that said article can be loaded on and removed from said carrier at said positions,
• said carrier including a thread like projection capable of fitting against the thread on said shaft,
• said carrier including a platform for carrying said article, said platform being inclined relative to said tower so as to lead from the side of said tower in which said first opening is located toward the side of said tower in which said second opening is located,
• said carrier and said platform fitting relative to the interior of said tower so as to hold said article on said platform by engagement with the interior of said tower when said carrier is intermediate said positions adjacent to said openings,
• the weight of said carrier being distributed so that said carrier can pivot generally away from said shaft in order to enable said projection to slide downwardly over said thread on said shaft when there is no weight on said carrier and so that said carrier will pivot generally toward said shaft so as to hold said projection in engagement with said shaft when said article is located on said carrier, and
• power transmission means for use in rotating said shaft operatively connected to said shaft,
• inclined chute means for conveying said article from said second opening, said chute means having an end,
• an arm rotatably mounted on said tower, said arm being operatively connected to said shaft so as to rotate when said shaft rotates,
• a holder means for carrying said article attached to said arm so as to rotate therewith, said holder means passing adjacent to the end of said chute means during its rotation,
• door means for removing said article when said article is located on said holder outwardly through the bottom of said holder.