Mechanical toy

By chaining and distributing number of gear wheels this type of mechanical toys allows very complex motions.

Pulleys are very similar to gear wheels but two elements are connected by a metal chain or belt from elastic strong material (for example rubber.)

In 16th Century Leonardo da Vinci created his mechanical lion as a present for Louis XII.

Pierre Jaquet-Droz created The Writer, The Draftsman and The Musician - toys that are still present in the museum of Art and History in Switzerland.

[1] Also they play a valid part in teaching young children motor skills and are used in some schools to do this Mechanical toys were the subject of the Academy Award-winning 1972 short Dutch documentary, This Tiny World.