Wind-up toy
Encyclopedia
A wind-up toy is a toy
powered by a clockwork motor.
. Also, in 1509, Leonardo da Vinci
created a wind-up lion
as a greeting for Louis XII in Italy
. Wind-up toys were at first for only royalty
, and were much more elaborate, with a very complex system of gears and springs. René Descartes
also created a life-sized wind-up human
girl
to prove a theory that all animals were very complex machines. However, as legend goes, the mechanical girl was thrown overboard after a man was frightened by it.
After the much larger, elaborate wind-up machine art declined in interest, wind-up toys were created very cheaply and in very large numbers by the 1800s. Wind-up machines then became known as wind-up toys, and were designed in all different forms to move around.
European toy makers created and mass produced the first tin
windup toys during the late 1880s. Over the next 60 to 70 years, more manufacturers created ever more intricate designs. The trend stopped with the introduction of the small and inexpensive Alkaline battery
in the 1960s which allowed motors to run without a wind up mechanism. Over the next 20 years, wind up toys lost popularity.
Plastic Wind-ups started in 1977 when the Japanese company Tomy
made the classic walking Robot (Rascal Robot). Tomy's ability to build small precision plastic gears and parts allowed them to greatly reduce the size of the gear box (housing the spring drive).
Toy
A toy is any object that can be used for play. Toys are associated commonly with children and pets. Playing with toys is often thought to be an enjoyable means of training the young for life in human society. Different materials are used to make toys enjoyable and cuddly to both young and old...
powered by a clockwork motor.
History
Wind-up toys date far back into history, into the 15th century. Karel Grod, a German inventor, created some of the first wind-up toys, including a metal fly and a mechanical eagleEagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
. Also, in 1509, Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
created a wind-up lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
as a greeting for Louis XII in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Wind-up toys were at first for only royalty
Royal family
A royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term imperial family appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning...
, and were much more elaborate, with a very complex system of gears and springs. René Descartes
René Descartes
René Descartes ; was a French philosopher and writer who spent most of his adult life in the Dutch Republic. He has been dubbed the 'Father of Modern Philosophy', and much subsequent Western philosophy is a response to his writings, which are studied closely to this day...
also created a life-sized wind-up human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
girl
Female
Female is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces non-mobile ova .- Defining characteristics :The ova are defined as the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller, usually motile gamete, the spermatozoon, is produced by the male...
to prove a theory that all animals were very complex machines. However, as legend goes, the mechanical girl was thrown overboard after a man was frightened by it.
After the much larger, elaborate wind-up machine art declined in interest, wind-up toys were created very cheaply and in very large numbers by the 1800s. Wind-up machines then became known as wind-up toys, and were designed in all different forms to move around.
European toy makers created and mass produced the first tin
Tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
windup toys during the late 1880s. Over the next 60 to 70 years, more manufacturers created ever more intricate designs. The trend stopped with the introduction of the small and inexpensive Alkaline battery
Alkaline battery
Alkaline batteries are a type of primary batteries dependent upon the reaction between zinc and manganese dioxide . A rechargeable alkaline battery allows reuse of specially designed cells....
in the 1960s which allowed motors to run without a wind up mechanism. Over the next 20 years, wind up toys lost popularity.
Plastic Wind-ups started in 1977 when the Japanese company Tomy
TOMY
is a Japanese toy, children's merchandise and entertainment company created from the March 2006 merger of two companies: Tomy and long-time rival, Takara...
made the classic walking Robot (Rascal Robot). Tomy's ability to build small precision plastic gears and parts allowed them to greatly reduce the size of the gear box (housing the spring drive).