MECCANO ROBOT of 1930 - First Toy Robot Ever

[Lunik]

Since I knew, the Meccano „Robot (or Mechanical Man)“ was the world‘s first robot ever on the toy market, I have been so curious about the look and feel of a vintage piece. Certainly no chance of finding one that has been built in the early 1930s and survived since as a complete device. But the vintage parts are still around. And here is the robot:

 

Vintage parts from 1927-1933 (Meccano‘s ‚dark red, dark green‘ period), built according to the original construction plan

 

 

 

By the 1930s electro-mechanics had become state of the art in the technical world, mechanical men were a hype coming up in literature and cinema. Meccano, Liverpool, UK, was the prime and world wide supplier of construction system toys. Their engineers and skilled customers creatively developed all kinds of models and devices. In May 1930 Meccano first printed this new type machinery‘s construction details, model #6.3 in the ‚Instructions for Outfits Nos. 4 to 7’, called it ‚Robot (or Mechanical Man)‘.

 

The visionary intro, spanning 100 years when the construction plan was reflected in Meccano Magazine Jan.1931

 

 

There has been confusion about the first print date. 

Both years, 1931 and 1929, have been sorted out to be errors. Details here:

http://www.nzmeccano.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=3788&pid=45482#pid45482

  

 

[Roboto]

Fantastic!!

[Lunik]

The design was based on Meccano outfit #6 plus the electric motor E6, the reversing version. In 1930 outfit #6 had a price of 125 shillings, the motor was 15s 6p. The average British industrial worker‘s wages was some 50s per week back then. Although Meccano products were popular, outfit #6 must have been something for the better off family, still a once per year acqusition, whilst the average boy had to build his equipment slowly by collecting the smaller sets or single parts.

 

Imagine the year of 1930 in UK: King George V, increasing unemployment, radio playing Duke Ellington’s big band swing, „The Blue Angel“ talkie in cinema, box shaped saloon cars, popular photography still black-and-white.

 

Meccano robot decoration on a desk 1930: other tangible robots none - only in the movies, theatre, pulp mags etc. (Forget the IKEA pencil. This is a bad fake scenario.)

   

[Lunik]

Got the initial kick to start this project, when in Holland I was lucky to buy two vintage Meccano outfits #2, one from 1928, one from 1931. A shipowner in Rottterdam once had bought them for his grandson. The sets had remained in the family since. 

 

   

 

[Lunik]

About a year to collect the missing parts with real good luck. Still something like 2% substituted until good vintage replacements will be found. Learned quite a bit about Meccano‘s history. The build job was fun. Not every trick and detail is documented in the plan. The robot standing 21.5“ high, fixed head, fixed arms, walks swinging his legs, shuffling the feet, „grippers“ on the heels to avoid sliding back. 

 

The balance between low friction to allow the feet slide on the ground as against enough structure for the grippers to find hold, is a tricky issue with this construction. The E6 motor can be run at 6V DC or at 9V AC. Mine definitely is better at 10+V AC, but for how long? The old motor does not run smoothely. Wonder if a replacement would help. Meccano came up with a 20V version of this motor by 1933. Many builds of the robot have been variations, specially in regard to the motor drive and the sliding/gripping feet.

 

   

 

[Lunik]

Other builds, mentioned somewhere here before:

 

Ricardo Werner, Argentina, published this charming „MECCANO ROBOT 1929“ video of a Robot 1930 variation, credited to a „Mr. Ferrand, who built it“ of nickel plated Meccano parts from Meccano’s pre 1926 phase. The motor drive and mechanics have been modified considerably: feet rolling on wheels, ratchet, arms swing, head rotates, wider body dimensions.

 

https

://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5GOBZqJO5Tg#fauxfullscreen

 

 

 

 

Malcolm Hanson has built this fellow for display in the „Der Griff nach den Sternen“ exhibition at the Toy Museum City of Nuremberg, Germany, held in 2009. Minor changes, e.g. re the type of bolts and the legs‘ parallelogram mount. This robot was my inspiration, to attempt another build from vintage parts. 

 

Just noticed, unfortunately all photos currently have disappeared here from Gernot‘s presentation of the exhibit. Gernot had essentially contributed to that event.

 

This photo and more: http://www.nzmeccano.com/image-30298

 

 

 

 

Henk Gosses built a couple of Robot 1930 variations from post war red and green parts. This is not Mrs. and Mr. Meccano (sorry Henk). This is one of Henk’s builds, side by side with my ‚new‘ vintage. Henk‘s has a big non-Meccano motor, strong enough to also make the arms swing. The modifications forced the body to be shorter and deeper, the neck longer, different switch.

 

Compare the colours of vintage and modern parts in one photo. Meccano people also called the dark red tint ‚Burgundy‘. Cheers.

   

 

[Martian Gil]

Beautiful!   
I love the Meccano and Gilbert builds - thanks for sharing and congrats!

[Andyman]

Thanks for sharing this, Lunik! Very cool stuff.

[Sparkrobot]

Lunik

Truly magnificent robot's

[robert]

Thank You! I remember you posting this build earlier when it was first completed. What a remarkable robot! It's wonderful to see a restored original.

[roboz]

Wonderful Project , congrats !!

Love all the old Meccano's especially the animated displays 

[Lunik]

Many thanks, guys, for your nice comments. 

 

3 hours ago, robert said:

Thank You! I remember you posting this build earlier ...

Yes, Robert. I have before mentioned the one built by Henk Gosses, when I introduced my big TRIX robot here. At that time, I had just started collecting the vintage parts for my version 1930 robot. One year since. This one original in every regard: age of the parts, every constructive detail, no customizing, the look, the sound when it walks, even the smell of the running electric motor generating ozon, and sparks on the carbon brushes.

 

3 hours ago, roboz said:

Love all the old Meccano's especially the animated displays 

The Meccano displays are fantastic and mechanically at least one or two degrees more complicated than the 1930 robot. Don‘t think I‘ll go into those as well or into construction set models on a broad basis. Two construction set robots are very special for me:

 

-    TRIX: Recreating one much like the huge TRIX has been my passion, as it’s picture had impressed so many boys in Germany, and the original piece probably not existing any more.

 

-     Meccano: The first robot ever on the toy market! And it still can be built all original. It would substantially not have been any different if assembled in the early 1930s. Though, of course it makes a historical difference if the device has been mounted for 89 years or just recently. 

 

Think the Meccano Robot of 1930 should be the first entry on the timeline, or has it been added meanwhile?

   

 

[Blechroboter]

Awesome work done with the contemporary parts. For sure need to spend a lot of time, but it was worth it! My congrats!

 

Btw. Noticed the 2 disc colour wheel by Wilhelm Kraus. It has a pretty "atomic look" in movement. Could be nice action in a tin robots chest.

[Lunik]

Thanks, Blech. It has been much fun and helped build nice contacts to construction set people of the world.

 

Thanks also for the info, this sweet little planetary drive has been made by Wilhelm Kraus. It is only marked ‚Made in Germany‘. Great early metallic enamel effect. Goes well with satellites, stars and space stuff. Agree, could have been a motif for a Mighty 2 Robot.

[Dirk]

Hello Klaus! This is a very informative summary! Great project! 

Also great for coming up with these dates for the Mecchano Robot - around 1928 /1930 Thanks a lot!

I would still like to say that we can now undoubtedly recognize who the ancestors of the first fully manufactured toy robot are

and by that I mean Robot Lilliput (1937) - of course!