Sinuous toy

Abstract

In its preferred embodiment, the sinuous toy is a mechanical snake with a plurality of body elements. The body elements are each pivoted with respect to each adjacent body element on a vertical axis. Each body element has a large circular opening therethrough. The body elements are configured to be more narrow laterally away from the pivot axis so that the body elements can swing with respect to each other to represent sinuous snake motion. A helical actuator coil extends through the interior opening of the plurality of body elements. The outside swept diameter of the helical coil actuator is slightly larger than the interior openings through the body elements so that the body elements rise and fall in a direction generally parallel to the pivot axes between the body elements. Means is provided to supply tension between the head and tail of the sinuous toy so that the body elements are thrust sideways to have twice as much sideways motion as the interior diameter of the body elements. Rotating the helical coil actuator through the body elements causes progressive sinuous motion both laterally and vertically to cause sideward progression of the sinuous toy.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.