Toy electrical road vehicle

Nov. 8, 1932. v. c. kline 1,886,484

TOY ELECTRICAL ROAD VEHICLE Filed May 31, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1

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Nov. 8, 1932.

V. C. KLINE

1,886,484

TOY ELECTRICAL ROAD VEHICLE

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Patented Nov. 8, 1932

1,886,484

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

VIRGIL C. KLINE, OF FLORAL PARK, NEW YORK

TOY ELECTRICAL ROAD VEHICLE

Application, filed. May 31, 1930.

This invention relates to a new toy electrical road vehicle and roadway.

It is a primary object of the invention to provide a device of this character for enter3 taining children and so constructed that it may be operated with a minimum of noise and confusion and without liability of danger to the child.

The above and other objects will appear 1.) more fully from the following description when considered in connection with the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side, elevational view of the road vehicle and track.

u Fig. 2 is a plan view of one form which the track may assume.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional vew of the roadway illustrating the position of the vehicle thereon.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken at rightangles to Fig. 3 and illustrating the controlling switch of the vehicle.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the vehicle supported upon the track and illustrating the manid ner of connecting the sections of the track.

Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views of the switch.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view of the steering and power supplying trolley.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary plan so view, parts being in section, illustrating the switching devices which may be employed.

Referring to the drawings, the rubber-tired vehicle 10 is arranged to be supported upon an imitation roadway 12 on which it is guid³⁵ ed and from which it receives electrical current for propelling the vehicle.

The vehicle is provided with an electric motor 14 having one terminal thereof grounded on the frame and the other termi4° nal extended to the switch member 16. A conducting member 17 preferably operated by the knurled nut 19 and its supporting rod 19α, engages with the spring switch members 16 and 18 so as to make or break the cir⁴⁵ cuit across the same, the members 16 and 18 being supported upon an insulating block 20 carried t).y the frame. The member 19 is preferably formed to simulate a radiator cap. The switch blade 18 is connected by ⁵⁰ means of a suitable conductor 22 to the veSerial No. 458,321.

hicle steering lever 24 which carries the conducting and steering trolley 26 at its forward end. Lever 24 is supported by means of the pin or bolt 28 suitably insulated from the frame of the vehicle. The steering wheel 26 55 is formed of fabric or other non-conducting material and includes a conducting ring 33, the outer surface thereof being connected by a conducting member 29 to the axle 30 of the wheel, this axle being supported upon a yoke . ec 31 formed at the forward end. of the steering bar 24. The frame of the vehicle 10 is grounded to the track 12 by means of the conducting spring 32 which may be supported upon any metallic part of the vehicle 65 frame, as for example, the front axle.

The bar 24 is insulated from the vehicle frame by means of insulation washers 34. A suitable insulation band of rubber or similar material is attached on the bar 24 in order 70 to prevent electrical contact between bar 24 and the forward vehicle axle.

The front wheels 36 of the vehicle are arranged to turn for steering the vehicle. They are preferably mounted upon stub axles 37 75 connected by links 38 to an insulating plate 40 carried by the bar 24.

The track 12 may . obviously be of any desired shape, preferably to provide different paths of movement for the vehicle, one form so of track which may be employed being illustrated in Figure 2.

The track 12 is formed in sections 12α, 125, etc. which include outer edges 42 adapted to be supported, upon the floor of a room, the 85 central portion of the track being arched as at 44 and provided with a central depression 45 which receives the conductor 46 placed therein and insulated from the track 12 as by means of the insulation strip 47. As 90 shown the conductor 46 is mounted at the bottom of the depressed portion 45, the upper edges of the portion 45 being only slightly wider than the wheel 26 to form a guide for the latter. 95

The sections of track 12 may be. attached in any suitable, manner. As shown each section is formed with a spring tongue 48 which passes through a slot 49 of the adjacent section so that the shoulder 48α. bearing against 1°·

1,886,484 the projection 49α of the adjacent track section tends to hold the track in position.

Current is carried from one conducting member 46 to another by means of spring fingers 50 mounted between the insulating strip 47 and conductor 46.

The switching devices disclosed comprise fingers 52 pivotally mounted on the track and carrying operating rods 54 for moving the guiding fingers 52 to their different operative positions. Spring members 56 may be employed to hold the fingers 52 in their set positions as shown. Current may be supplied from a suitable source of current supply shown as the battery 64 and a conductor /65 having a terminal clamp 66 attached to the conductor 46 and a second conductor 67 attached to the roadway 12 as shown at 68.

The connection from the motor 14 to the ²⁰ rear driving wheels 58 is shown as comprising a driving belt 60 and fabric or other gears 62 which further serve to decrease the noise of the vehicle in operation.

The electric road vehicle constructed as ²⁵ shown and described herein may be operated by a child without danger and with a minimum of noise and confusion.