Tumbling Tomboy
The Tumbling Tomboy doll is one of three different tumbling dolls. The other two are: Tippy Tumbles, and Timmy Tumbles (a boy version of Tippy). Remco was the original source of the tumbling doll but Ideal eventually took over production of the dolls.
The batteries for operating the doll are located in the remote control unit. Even though the wire plugs into the doll's ankle, the arms are the only motorized component inside the doll.
Here are the basic instructions for the doll:
Prepping the Doll for Action
Performing Acrobatics
Using the Go-Cart
Warnings
Original Service and Replacement Charges
A Remco order form at the bottom of the instructions states that:
US Patent 3500577
The batteries for operating the doll are located in the remote control unit. Even though the wire plugs into the doll's ankle, the arms are the only motorized component inside the doll.
Here are the basic instructions for the doll:
Prepping the Doll for Action
- Put 3 "D" batteries in the pocket book controller
- Insert plug into ankle
Performing Acrobatics
- The lever on the pocket book is a two way switch (forward, backward, and center off)
- By positioning the arms and legs differently the doll will perform a variety of acrobatic stunts when the pocket book switch is pushed in either direction.
- A headstand can be performed by moving the pocketbook switch to off when the doll is passing through an upside down tumble
Using the Go-Cart
- To use the go-cart, the doll needs to be completely seated in her go-cart
- The doll's ankles need to be secured under the clips at the front of the cart
- The arms must be in the same position if Tumbling Tomboy is to move her go-cart forward or backward when the controller is operated
Warnings
- The arms must be rotated in the same direction, one cannot be rotated forward while the other is rotated backward.
- One arm should not be held in place while the other arm is rotated.
- An additional warning is that Tumbling Tomboy should not be submerged in water.
Original Service and Replacement Charges
A Remco order form at the bottom of the instructions states that:
- servicing a doll costs $4.85
- replacing a Pocket book is $0.85
- replacing a Go-cart is $1.25.
US Patent 3500577
The Doll
This doll was purchased on eBay and did not come with instructions or a box. The listing was ambiguous about whether the doll worked or not. It described the motions that the doll was capable of performing, but that could have been extracted from other sources. When my sister opened the packing box and removed the doll, she noticed that the doll had a rattling sound. Rattling sounds usually indicate one of several possibilities: a loose punch-out piece of plastic from a leg, arm, or neck opening, or a piece of a plastic riser post that split off when the screws were driven into the doll to seal it, or pieces of stripped gears. We examined the control box and it looked functional, so we put in fresh batteries and connected the power plug to the doll's ankle. Nothing happened. Rather than dismantling the doll to look for a problem (remember the rattle?) we decided to try the less invasive approach of hooking up another Remco controller box that we had available. The doll worked! She both tumbled and propelled her cart forward and backward with a slow windmilling motion of her arms. I ended up dismantling the switch unit in the control box and polishing all the contacts. Plugging in either control unit continues to be hit or miss on whether the doll will power up. I actually believe that the control units are fine and that the problem lies with tarnished cylindrical contacts within the doll's ankle. Getting to these contacts would require: removing the doll's head, unscrewing the two halves of the doll, and then cracking open the leg along its fused seam. We felt these activities were likely to permanently damage the doll. We feel satisfied that jiggling connections will get the doll to operate properly while preserving her factory sealed condition.
The Cart
The Control Box
For more on these remote control units see my entries for Dune Buggy Baby and Timmy Tumbles.