Model figures in the shape of a sports person have been made for many years. In some cases, a model figure has a mechanism so that an arm or a leg may move in association with a racquet, stick or club. Examples of such sports figures are hockey players, golfers, baseball players and the like. Findlay in U.S. Pat. No. 1,539,251 shows a device for playing table football wherein the player has a handle rigidly attached thereto and the handle has a mechanism which when activated allows the player to move a leg to provide a kicking action. Munro in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,513,198 and 2,616,700 shows a golf puppet ball projector wherein a golf figure has a handle rigidly attached and by activating a knob on the handle, the figure provides a golf swing. Gorman in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,657,388 and 1,926,980 also provides a golf figure which not only has a golf swing action, but also may be pivoted about a base.
These figures provide at least one activity motion which may be operated remotely by a person holding a handle and, in the case of Gorman (U.S. Pat. No. 1,926,980), a pistol grip handle is disclosed. However, all these existing remote control mechanisms have a substantially fixed connection between the handle and the figure, thus a person operating the mechanism has to ensure that the handle from the figure is held at the correct angle, otherwise the activity motion occurs in the wrong plane.
It is an aim of the present invention to provide a model figure wherein at least one of the figure's limbs can be made to move remotely from a pistol grip handle attached via a hinged linkage mechanism to the figures. Thus an operator can adjust the angle between the pistol grip handle and the figure so that it may be operated on a floor or table and does not have a fixed angle between the handle and the figure. As well as being able to operate a limb from the pistol grip handle, in another embodiment the figure is mounted on a base and provision is made that a special thumb wheel is provided on the pistol grip handle so that movement of the wheel on the exterior of the handle rotates the figure. Thus, in the case of a golfer or hockey player, the ball or puck can be addressed from any direction by rotating the player. By utilizing a finger and thumb action, one is able to provide action for the figure in two planes.
It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a model figure with a pistol grip attached by a hinged linkage arm to the figure. The figure may be used either on its own or with others for playing a miniature sports game. Games may be designed to have several such figures for playing on either a floor, table or other surface. The pistol grip allows the model figure to be held in one hand and moved about a surface in different directions by simply moving the grip. An operator holding a pistol grip handle has controls for an activity movement such as the swing of a golf club or hockey stick, the kicking of a soccer ball and many other activities. The figure may also be rotated about its base. The figure may be moved around the floor and in some instances the base may be mounted on casters for easy movement. For example, a golfer may be moved about a simulated golf course or putting green. The golfer can swivel on a base thus allowing hitting the ball from any position and in any direction. Manipulating the controls together or separately produces a variety of actions. By pulling the trigger the activity motion occurs and by rotating a thumb wheel or thumb movement, the figure can be rotated on the base. The combined movement of thumb and forefinger provides activity for the figure in two planes. Furthermore, some of the figures may be interchangeable, for instance, a golf player may be replaced on a unitary base by a hockey figure which in turn may be replaced by a soccer player or a dancer, skater, butterfly catcher, and other different figures.