Triceratops

Ugears adds a new beast to its dinosaur automaton collection with the Triceratops ("three-horned face"), a dynamic, mechanical DIY wooden model of the dominant herbivore of the late Cretaceous period. Like Ugears' Tyrannosaurus Rex model, the Triceratops is driven by a metal spring that transmits power through a reduction gear, turning the axle that drives the four legs. An eccentric gear sets the tail swaying in synchronous motion with the legs, helping the dinosaur walk smoothly, just as in nature.

Up to 9 meters in length and 9 metric tonnes in weight, Triceratops roamed the prairies of what is now North America some 68 million years ago, grazing on low-growing vegetation with their sharp, parrot-like beak. They were such a successful species that a leading paleontologist has estimated that five-sixths of all large dinosaurs at the time were Triceratops! Their most identifiable features are the large skull (roughly one-third of the total body length!), the large horns above the eye sockets, measuring up to 1 meter in length, and the large bony frill on top of the skull. Some paleontologists think the horns and frill were used for combat, while others think they served for visual display, especially in courtship. Triceratops skeletons have been found with partially healed bite marks from Tyrannosaurs, suggesting both predation and successful defense. Imagine a fearsome encounter between these "terrible lizards" as you build, play and display the Ugears Triceratops model alongside the Ugears Tyrannosaurus Rex model!

This amazing walking dinosaur model is a wind-up DIY wooden 1:32 scale model of a full-grown Triceratops. A winding key is concealed between the dinosaur's shoulder blades. Remove the key and insert it into either of the circular ratchet mechanisms located on either side of the dinosaur's belly. Hint: if the legs are blocking the winding slot, wind from the other side, or press the "Start" button and spin the large gear under the dinosaur's belly to advance the legs until the winding slot is clear. Press the "Stop" switch and give six or seven full twists of the key to wind the spring, then return the key to its position between the shoulder blades. Place the Triceratops on a smooth, flat surface, holding the automaton gently by the tail, push the "Start" switch down and release. Your Triceratops will saunter away, its tail swinging jauntily, its enormous head and frill bobbing and its jaws snapping. Perhaps it's trying to escape danger— a hungry Tyrannosaur or an exploding volcano? Or maybe your Triceratops is in search of greener pastures? It takes a lot of ferns and cycads to fill the belly of a 9-tonne beast!