mechanical figure
nounUK /mɪˈkænɪkəl ˈfɪɡə/
US /məˈkænɪkəl ˈfɪɡjər/
A mechanical figure is a toy or statue that moves by itself using gears and springs.
The clock tower had a mechanical figure that waved its arms every hour.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A person who acts in a stiff, machine-like way without showing feelings.
He answered every question like a mechanical figure, never smiling.
3. A model of a human or animal used in engineering to test how machines move.
Engineers used a mechanical figure to study how a walking robot should balance.
4. A moving decoration in a clock or music box.
The old music box had a tiny mechanical figure that spun around as it played.