Portable toy train track

United States Patent mi 3,592,384

<td> [72]</td><td> Inventor</td><td> Patrick M. Tomaro Maptewoed, NJ.</td>

<td> [21]</td><td> Appl. No</td><td> 13303</td>

<td> [22]</td><td> Filed</td><td> Feb. 24,197®</td>

<td> [45]</td><td> Patented</td><td> July 13,1971</td>

<td> [73]</td><td> Assignee</td><td> Remco ladustrias, fee.</td>

Harrison, NJ.

<td> 1,389,781</td><td> 9/1921</td><td> Peifer....................</td><td> 238/10</td>

<td> L604312</td><td> 10/1921</td><td> Cutler.....................</td><td> 238/10</td>

<td> 2,207,171</td><td> 7/1940</td><td> Gibson ....................</td><td> 238/10</td>

<td> 2,647,693</td><td> 8/1953</td><td> Garver....................</td><td> 238/10</td>

<td> 2,724,557</td><td> 11/1955</td><td> Pettit.......................</td><td> 238/10</td>

<td> 3,074,647</td><td> 1/1963</td><td> Bonanng.................</td><td> 238/10</td>

<td> 3,288,368</td><td> 11/1966</td><td> Atheam..................</td><td> 238/10</td>

[ 54 ] PORTABLE TOY TRAIN TRACK

Claims, 8 Drawing R-s.

[52] U.S.CL....................................................... 238/10 E,

46/1

[51] tot. CL........................................................A638119/3®

[50] Field of Search............................................ 238/10,10'

A, 10 E; 104/60; 46/1

[56] Eteferaas Cited

UNITED STATES PATENTS

1,142,150 6/1915 Dorrill.......................... 238/10

Primary Examiner—Arthur L. La Pointe Assistant Examiner—Richard A. Bertsch Attorney—Bryan, Parmelee Johnson &amp; Bollinger

ABSTRACT: A portable toy train track is described wherein sturdy portable lightweight track sections interlock with one another to form a train track for a toy train of a size sufficient to support the weight of a child. The train track sections are of unitary molded construction with molded flanges extending longitudinally from track sections to interlock with flange receiving recesses in adjoining sections.

<img file="US3592384A_D0001.tif" />

PATENTED JUL 131971

3,592.384

SHEET 1 OF 4

<img file="US3592384A_D0002.tif" />

PATENTED JUL 131971

3,592,384

SHEET 2 OF 4

<img file="US3592384A_D0003.tif" />

INVENTOR

PATRICK M. TOMARO BY

ToAz»jl£sjl &lt;£,

ATTORNEYS

PATENTED JUL 1319?!

3,592,384

SHEET 3 OF 4

<img file="US3592384A_D0004.tif" />

<img file="US3592384A_D0005.tif" />

INVENTOR PATRICK M. TOMARO

ATTORN

PATENTED JUL 131971

SHEET U OF 4

3,592,384

<img file="US3592384A_D0006.tif" />

<img file="US3592384A_D0007.tif" />

<img file="US3592384A_D0008.tif" />

INVENTOR

PATRICK M. TOMARO

ΡολλιλΙμ- &lt;£. ^οΚν_4βτ*ζ

ATTORNEYS

3,592,384 1 2

PORTABLE TOY TRAIN TRACK

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a portable toy train track. More specifically, this invention relates to a portable toy train track for supporting a self-propelled train of a size sufficient to support the weight of a child.

In a train track, in accordance with the invention, a plurality of train track sections are provided which interlock with one another to provide continuous rail conveyance for a train. The track is of light weight molded construction, suitable for quick installation and easy assembly by a child. The track sections interlock with one another in a self-aligning manner to obtain quality rail joints between adjoining track sections and prevent casual dislodgement between sections. The portable track is of high strength construction, yet light weight to enable a child to assemble the track at any convenient location such as the basement of a home or a garden or the like.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These advantages and other may be understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment of a track in accordance with the invention in conjunction with the drawings wherein,

FIG. 1 is a perspective broken view of joined track sections in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a broken perspective view of a single-track section in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective broken view of the underside of a track section in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective broken view of the underside of a pair of tracks sections as they are assembled to one another;

FIG. 5 is a broken perspective view of the underside of assembled track sections:

FIG. 6 is a side view in elevation taken along the line 6-6 of adjoining track sections during assembly thereof;

FIG. 7 is a side view in elevation taken along the line 7-7 in FIG. 2 showing the position of several parts thereof during installation of adjacent track sections;

FIG. 8 is a section view taken along the line 8-8 in FIG. 2 showing the interlock between assembled track sections.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT

With reference to the FIG. 1, a pair of track sections 10 and 12, in accordance with the invention, are perspectively shown. Each track section is a frame of unitary molded construction made of a lightweight material such as a plastic of sufficient thickness to provide rigidity and sturdiness for supporting a train carrying a child. Each track section is shaped so as to provide a pair of parallel spaced longitudinally aligned wheelbearing rails 14—16 each having a wheel bearing surface 17. The rails are spaced from one another with a plurality of cross ties such as 18 spaced at intervals selected to provide strong vertical and lateral support for the rails.

Interlocking of track sections 10—12 is accomplished with flanges 20 located at ends 22 of each track section. Also, at each track section end is a flange-receiving recess 26 formed by channel-shaped crossties 18. As shown in FIG. 1, the flange recess 26 interlocks with a flange 20 from an adjoining track section.

As may be seen from the view in FIG. 3, rails 14—16 and crossties 18 are of channel cross section. Rail channels 28-28' extend longitudinally, terminating at the end wall 30 of a flange 20 and being open at the opposite end. Rail channels 28-28' are wide at the bottom of a track section and narrow adjacent the wheel bearing surface 17 of the rails. The rail channels 28-28' cross the channels of crossties 18. The open ends of the rail and crosstie channels terminate in common mounting plane to provide stable ground support.

Ends 22 of sections 10 are provided with longitudinally protruding lips such as 32 which mate within lip receiving recesses 33 formed by the open ends of the narrow portions of the rail channels 28-28'. Lips 32 and the recesses 33 are located so that casual dislodgement of assembled track sections is prevented. Thus, assembled track sections such as ⁵ shown in FIG. 1 can be raised by holding only one section with the other prevented from releasing because of the coaction between flanges 20 and lips 32. Only a controlled pivoting of assembled tracks about a horizontal axis can obtain their release so that in their horizontally aligned operative positions ^υ a reliably connected track is formed.

Flanges 20 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) are in the form of a T with the crossbar 34 of the T providing lateral flange segments 36-36'. The leg of the T, that is the longitudinal extension 37, ₅ is selected so that inner surfaces 38-38’ of the flange segments 36-36' seat within the channel 26 and adjacent to the outer wall 40 of end located crossties 18'. For ease of assembly, surfaces 38-38’ are chamfered in a direction which is upwardly and away from the bottom of walls 40 of end located ties 18'.

Supporting edges such as 42 interconnect adjacent crossties with one another and are horizontally disposed in lateral directions from the bottom of rail channels 28-28'. Edges 42 impart enhanced rigidity and vertical support .capability to the track sections.

The longitudinal leg portion of each flange is provided with a longitudinal upwardly projecting rib 44 sized to fit within the narrow portion of the rail channel of an adjoining track. Rib 44 provides enhanced vertical and lateral support in the vicinity of a rail joint.

In the assembly of the track sections 10—12 the sections are pivoted about a horizontal axis at an angle as shown in FIGS.

4, 6 and 7. The leg 37 of the T-flanges 20 rest in the wide portions of the rail channels 28 and lips 32 are aligned for protrusion into the narrow portions of rail channels 28. Note that the 35 crossbar portions 34 of the flanges 20 are poised to seat in the crosstie channels 26 and the legs 37 in channels 28-28' upon coplanar alignment of the track sections thus preventing their twisting and longitudinal casual release.

In FIG. 1, 5 and 8 the horizontal coplanar alignment of ⁴⁰ track sections 10-12 is shown. The underside view in FIG. 5 provides a clear indication of the position of interlocking flanges 20 and flange receiving recesses 26. Notes in the view of FIG. 8 how lip 32 provides rail joint vertical support for a sufficient longitudinal distance to span the gap 46 between ³ rails of adjoining track sections.