DE2835209A1 - RAILWAY SYSTEM FOR FREE-RUNING VEHICLES - Google Patents

Abstract

1. Track system for toy vehicles which are not rail-bound in themselves, consisting of flexible pieces of track, which can be shaped about their longitudinal and transverse axes and which can be connected to one another, and of baseplates and bearers, the pieces of track being fastenable, at different heights, to the baseplates or to the bearers to be connected to these, characterized in that there are provided, to constitute the bearers, approximately cube-shaped construction elements (1, 11) which can be connected releasably to one another and which possess, on one side, catches (2, 12) and, on one or more of the other sides, catch recesses (3 ; 13, 15-17) corresponding to the catches (2, 12), and in that a coupling (4, 14) for connecting two pieces of track (5) to one another and to the construction element (1, 11) is provided on at least one side.

Description

Helmut Darda Spielwaren- und Maschinenbau GmbH

In the valley
7712 Blumberg

Railway system for free-running vehicle toys

The invention relates to a railway system for free-running vehicle toys, in particular toy cars with spring drives, as shown and described in German patent specification 24 61 625, among other things.

Such spring-driven vehicle toys can run on the ground without the forced guidance of a path. However, the play value is significantly increased if the toy car is forcibly guided in a path which Can have steep curves, crossings, switches, loops and the like.

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A large number of such tracks are known per se.

Relatively rigid paths go, for example, from the US patent 3 665 636. In the drawings of this patent there is an upward winding serpentine track shown, the one-piece web over consisting of individual support elements with a Base plate is connected. This serpentine track is practically not variable, because of the shape and design of the Bahn are set.

Railway systems whose path can be deformed in the longitudinal and transverse directions are significantly more variable. Such a path goes out DE-OS 1 940 273 emerges. This path, which can be laid through the room in almost any way, is permitted a spatial, but forced movement of a toy. The disadvantage of this arrangement is that on the one hand the track is in one piece and on the other hand is bound to fixed points in the room, such as walls, furniture and the like.

It is from the German Offenlegungsschrift 1 944 and 2,034,050 known to fasten such elastic web pieces exclusively to base plates with the aid of support elements. However, the support elements according to DE-OS 20 34 050 only allow the production of a steep curve and enable not the production of other train figures. In the solution according to DE-OS 19 44 366, loops can be made but not other train figures. In particular, this construction does not offer the possibility of a space-filling To build a railway system in such a way as it is shown, for example, in DE-OS 1 940 273 with other means.

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The present invention was based on the object of providing a system of the generic type which is as universal as possible for a railway system Kind of usable building element to create, which the production of beams of different heights resp. Length allows, on which the flexible tracks in the most varied of figures are theoretically unlimited in space can be. In addition, according to the task at hand, this carrier element should function as a connecting element for individual track sections from which the closed track is put together.

This object is achieved according to the present invention in a web of the generic type with a carrier, the from roughly cube-shaped, detachably connectable with one another Components that have latches on one side and latching pockets corresponding to the latches on the other side, with a coupling on at least one side for connecting two pieces of track to one another and to the component itself is provided.

With such a girder component, vertically standing supports or horizontally lying bridge girders can be more unlimited Build up the height or length at which the track, which is made of flexible material, goes up into loops, can lead to steep turns and other figures.

A particularly favorable shape for the carrier component results when it is U-shaped with respect to a plane of symmetry, that is, in the form of a bridge, with the catches at the free ends of the elastically resilient legs

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are provided. Elastic, resilient plastic is suitable as a material. Are the notches with in the direction of the spring pointing locking lugs and the locking pockets provided with these corresponding transverse webs, so is after another Proposal of the invention a secure, but releasable connection by simply pressing the legs together the components together allows.

It is also proposed that the carrier element also with respect to the second plane of symmetry, which is perpendicular to the first plane of symmetry, is U-shaped - that is, to be designed in the shape of a bridge. This type of training has the advantage that the path is formed by a bridge-like structure according to the invention Carrier element can be passed. To make this possible, the distance between two opposite Legs of a carrier element correspond at least to the width of the web.

A particularly diverse combination option arises when that which defines the track sections Coupling piece runs parallel to the direction of extent of the locking pockets and the locking pockets opposite the Notches of the same carrier element are offset by 90 °. If you use several support elements to form a tower one above the other, there is inevitably a change of direction of 90 ° from element to element. Will Used track pieces that have angled inwardly bent webs on their underside, so is the To equip the rail coupling in a corresponding manner with outwardly angled webs that run parallel to one another, on which the track pieces can be pushed so

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that on a carrier element two butted abut Track pieces are connectable.

These track couplings are expediently provided on the side of the carrier component which the notches facing side — is opposite.

The invention also proposes a component in which the track couplings are provided on the component sides which are directly adjacent to the sides having the notches. With such an element, two track couplings are expediently provided on opposite component sides. Such a component preferably allows the production of banked curves or horizontally lying loops and the like. Figures. A horizontally protruding carrier can also be built ^on a tower-like carrier with elements of this type if, as is further proposed, not only the upward or downward component surfaces but also the lateral surfaces are provided with snap-in pockets. An optimal possibility of variation results when latching pockets corresponding to the notches are provided on at least one side of the carrier element along all four edges. A carrier element according to the invention can be coupled in four different positions to such a side.

With .den components according to the invention is finally a perfect skeleton construction can be realized by a further proposed connecting bracket with which according to the invention formed carrier components can be connected to one another on the sides having the latching pockets. Such a

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The clip which can be inserted into one another in latching pockets of adjoining upright components is according to a further one Proposal of the invention is essentially U-shaped, with resilient legs being formed on which Outer edges of the locking webs of the locking pockets are provided behind engaging locking projections. To simply insert the clamp or to be able to solve, are expediently the free leg ends with tapered handles for Compression of the clamp equipped. With the same clamp, the Ttagerelemente can also with the base plates be connected, as these have not only rail couplings, but also snap-in pockets that are open at the top and bottom. With this design you can the base plates can also be used as intermediate platforms at different heights. To large-area base plates to be able to assemble and connect to each other from individual plate elements, it is proposed to use these also provide laterally open locking pockets through which the clips can be passed. In this case the length and width dimensions of the base plates should be integer multiples of the rail clamp so that the rails are independent depending on the number of base plates, they can always be guided and fixed and coupled from plate to plate.

The subject matter of the invention is described below with reference to preferred exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings are explained in detail. In the drawings show:

Figure 1 top view of a carrier component according to a first embodiment example with attached, sectioned track section,

FIG. 2 side view of the component according to FIG. 1 rotated by 90 ° about the vertical axis without a track section,

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Figure 3 section along the line III-III in Figure ^

Figure 4 top view of the component according to Figures 1 to 3,

Figure 5 side view of a component according to a second embodiment according to the present Invention,

Figure 6 rotated by 90 ° side view of the component according to Figure 5,

Figure 7 section along the line VII-VII in Figure 6,

FIG. 8 top view of the component according to FIGS.

Figure 9 interconnected components of the embodiment according to Figures 1-4, the lower Component is shown in section and the upper one in side view,

Figure 10 interconnected components of the first and second embodiment, the lower and Lateral component formed according to the first embodiment and shown in side view are, while the upper component is formed according to the second embodiment and in section is shown

FIG. 11 partial plan view of two base plates connected to one another with a clamp according to the invention,

FIG. 12 section along the line XII-XII in FIG. 11,

FIG. 13 side view of two sides to be connected with clamps on their sides having the locking pockets Components of the first embodiment in Exploded view,

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FIG. 14 side view of the arrangement according to FIG. 13 in Terminal stage,

FIG. 15 partial top view of two vertically connected Base plates,

Figure 16 section along the line XVI-XVI in Figure 15 and

FIG. 17 perspective illustration of a carrier component according to a third embodiment.

The first embodiment of a carrier component 1 according to the invention is shown in FIGS. 1-4 and with the Figure 9, which makes the pluggability clear, illustrates.

This component is designed cube-shaped in its outer contour, whereby three connected sides of the cube are completely missing and two opposite sides of the cube are designed in the shape of a bridge so that the element is U-shaped in cross-section when viewed from all four sides.

The side view according to Figure 1 leaves the two legs 1a, 1b recognize which due to the dimensioning and the choice of material are elastically resilient in the transverse direction. At their lower free ends, the legs 1 a, 1 b carry notches 2, the at their outer edges in the lower region of the locking mechanism serving locking lugs 2a. These notches 2 correspond located on the opposite side of the cube locking pockets 3, which, however, with regard to their direction of extension

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are offset by 90 with respect to the notches 2, as the top view in FIG. 4 in particular makes clear. The snap pockets 3 are divided by transverse webs 3a, 3b. In the assembled state, the latching projections grip behind these transverse webs 2a of the notches 2. The components are dimensioned so that two elements placed next to each other by means of a third element 11 placed in the middle and partially overlapping both element tops can be connected to each other.

On the top of the component run in the same direction of extension like the locking pockets 3 coupling webs angled outwards. They are used to hold track pieces 5, which have correspondingly designed angle pieces 5a on their underside. While the breakthrough 1c between the both legs 1a and 1b only serve the elasticity of these legs, the angled opening has to it, which is delimited by the sections 1a and 1a in Figure 2, the function of a bridge passage or tunnel opening. If you put two components of the type shown on top of each other, the coupling webs are 4 and thus attached to these pieces of track from the carrier component 1 'placed thereon, as FIG. 9 shows, in such a way bridged so that the web can penetrate the element 1 'in its full width. The composed of elements 1 Beams can be used as vertical supports or pillars and as horizontal beams.

To support columns that are perpendicular to one another to be able to connect, was based on the construction according to the invention

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developed second component, the one with Figures 5-8 and Fig. 10 is illustrated.

The basic structure of this component variant 11

corresponds to component 1 explained above. From

The second exemplary embodiment differs from this in the following features.

1. Receiving pockets 15, 16 and 17 are on the side element surfaces provided, that is to say the areas which are directly adjacent to the element sides with the notches 12. These snap pockets allow the addition of girder columns running transversely to the supports. Since the snap pockets on all four Sides and are arranged perpendicular to each other, an attachment in any direction is possible.

2. All four edges are on the top of the component Locking pockets 13 and 15 are provided so that the next following component can be placed on this component in four different positions are. Here, two opposite edges are cut out so that two are perpendicular to each other Latching pockets 15 are created, as the section in FIG. 7 in particular makes clear.

3. The coupling webs 14 are on opposite side surfaces of the element attached, which are the element sides with the notches 12 adjacent. So that can flexible material, for example, can be transferred from the horizontal to the vertical. The consequence of this arrangement is that the component 11 is only U-shaped with regard to one plane of symmetry, as shown in FIGS and 7 show. The opening 11c is also provided here,

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around the legs 11a and lib in the transverse direction the required To give spring properties.

The openings 11d and e have no function with the exception the material savings and a certain optical effect.

4. The catches 12 are provided on both sides with nose-like catch projections 12a, 12b. The additional inner protrusions 12b enable locking of those lying next to one another Components with a common component 11 placed centrally on them.

Practically all construction tasks can be solved with these two different component types.

The construction principle for beams extending in one direction is based on two superimposed supports Components 1 and 1 'illustrated in Figure 9. The shifted Arrangement of the catches 2 to the catch pockets 3 or the rails 4 carrying the track pieces leads to one another Bridge arrangements offset by 90 ° within a girder.

The construction principle of the structural element 11 connecting a vertical with a horizontal carrier can be seen clearly from the illustration in FIG. As mentioned in the introduction in detail, the component 1 ¹ on all four sides of the device can be attached. 11 Furthermore it is

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Of course, it is possible to divert the extension direction of the attached girders by means of further inserted components 11, so that large portals as well as different angular constructions can be built. The user's imagination are - apart from the fact that it is bound to an orthogonal basic system - almost no limits.

Finally, that illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14 permits Bracket 23 the joining of components on those sides that only have locking pockets. the Basically U-shaped bracket 23 is designed so that its two legs 23a and 23b in all locking pockets of the components 1 and 11 can be introduced, with pairs of lateral locking projections 23c and 23d for one Ensure locking when the clamp is resiliently resilient in its initial position after being pressed together with the handle 23e to return. The exploded view in Figure 13 shows the insertion of the clip 23, while with the representation the final state is shown in FIG.

By means of such a bracket 23, however, can also be placed side by side Base plates are connected, as Figure 11 shows. This clip 23 passes through lateral locking pockets 22 of the base plates, as shown in FIG. To bring the clamp 23 into the dot-dash position 23 ' To be able to do so, the base plate must have a sufficiently large recess 24 in this area.

It is also possible to place them perpendicular to one another Base plates 20 and 2O ″ with the help of such clamp 23 to connect, which on the one hand in a plate 20

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ORIGINAL iNSPECTED

laterally open latching pockets 22 and, in the case of the other base plate 20 ', through latching pockets 21 that are open at the top and bottom, as is made clear with the aid of the representations according to FIGS. 15 and 16. There is thus the possibility of Use of base plates with a square base and using the brackets to form a closed cuboid.

In the locking pockets 21, which the base plate 20 perpendicular enforce, the elements 1 and 11 can be used with their notches 2 and 12, respectively. Of course there is one Connection of the components by means of the clamp 23 according to the manner illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14 is also used possible.

In addition, the base plate has coupling webs 25 for attachment and connection of track pieces not shown. In parallel with these coupling webs 25 there are also locking pockets 21 'is provided so that components are connected via the coupling webs 25 and thus via the track pieces attached to them or 11 can be set like a bridge.

With the elements 1 and 11 it is also possible to anchor the base plates to one another over greater distances.

In order to keep elevated trajectories, it is angled in section Component 31 according to FIG. 17 has been developed. This is formed in that the aforementioned components 1 and are cut open along the diagonal surface. The notches 32 with their locking projections 32a are also in this component on the bottom of the "cube" and the corresponding ones

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Locking pockets 33 are provided on the adjacent "cube" side. Here, too, the recess 31c ensures that the legs 31a and 31b formed in this way are resilient with respect to one another can be deflected. Coupling webs 34a and 34b running parallel to one another are provided on the diagonal surface. In contrast to the embodiments of the components 1 and 11 are vertically crossing coupling webs on this surface 34a and 34b are provided so that the track pieces can be pushed on from four different sides.

With the aforementioned components of the type according to the invention can be any one in a simple non-positive manner Build a cubic skeleton, so that a track system for free-running toys can be formed, if desired fills an entire room. Base plates can be installed as intermediate platforms at different heights, from which starting from further track sections are grown or to which starting device the one in the German utility model 78 03 533 type described. Are starting devices of this type in regular, the The drainage path of a toy can be mounted at appropriate distances and loaded with drawn-up vehicles The impression can be given that a vehicle is driving a theoretically unlimited distance. There namely the starting device according to the utility model 78 03 533 is designed so that an arriving vehicle in the starting device triggers in the waiting position, only a single vehicle needs to be started manually to the Trigger game play.

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Claims (15)

PATENT CLAIMS Railway system for free-running vehicle toys, consisting of flexible ones that can be deformed around their longitudinal and transverse axes, interconnectable track pieces that are attached to base plates or carriers connected to them can be fastened at different heights, characterized in that the carrier consists of approximately cube-shaped, releasably interconnectable components (1, 11) exist, which latches on one side (2, 12) and on the other side of the notches (2, 12) have corresponding locking pockets (3; 13, 15-17) and that at least one side a coupling (4, 14) for connecting two track pieces (5) with each other and with the Component (1, 11) is provided. 2. Railway system according to claim 1, characterized in that the carrier component (1, 11) with respect to a The plane of symmetry is U-shaped, the catches (2, 12) at the free ends of the elastically resilient Legs (1a, 1b; 11a, 11b) are provided. Postal checking account: Karlsruhe 76979-754 Bank account: Deutsche Bank AG Villingen (BLZ 69470039) 146.332 030007/0553 ORIGINAL INSPECTED 3. Railway system according to claim 2, characterized in that the carrier component (1) also with respect to the second, "perpendicular to the first symmetry plane, standing symmetry plane is U-shaped. 4. Railway system according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the railway coupling from parallel to each other extending, laterally angled webs (4), on which track pieces (5) can be pushed, which at their underside have the webs corresponding angle pieces (5a). 5. Railway system according to claim 4, characterized in that that the rail couplings {4) are provided on the side of the carrier component (1) which is the side with the Notches (2) are opposite. 6. Railway system according to claim 5, characterized in that that the track coupling webs (4) run parallel to the direction of extent of the locking pockets (3) and the latter opposite the notches (2) on the same element (1) are offset by 90 °. 7. Railway system according to claim 4, characterized in that the railway couplings (14) on the component sides are provided which are directly adjacent to the sides having the notches (12). 8. Railway system according to one or more of claims 1 - 7, characterized in that on at least one side of the carrier element (11) along all four edges Latches (12) corresponding latching pockets (13, 15) are provided are. 030007/0553 2835203 9. Railway system according to one or more of claims 1 - 8, characterized in that latching pockets (13, 15-17) are provided on all five sides of the carrier component (11). 0O. Railway system according to one or more of claims 1 - 9, characterized in that the catches (2, 12) on one or both sides Latching projections (2a; 12a, b) and the latching pockets (3, 13, 15-17) these corresponding transverse webs (3a, b; 13a, b; 15a, b; 16a, b; 17a, b). 11. Railway system according to one or more of claims 1 - 10, characterized by one of the support components attached to one another in the latching pockets (3; 13, 15-17) that merge into one another (1,11) insertable bracket (23), which essentially U-for * - mig is formed and the resilient legs (23a, b) on their Outer edge have latching projections (23c, d) engaging behind the latching webs of the latching pockets. 12. Railway system according to claim 11, characterized in that the free ends of the legs (23a, b) with tapered handles (23e) are equipped for compressing the clamp (23). 13. Railway system according to one or more of claims 1-12, characterized in that the base plates (20) upwards and downwards as well as latching pockets (21, 22) and rail couplings open to the side (25) have. 14. Railway system according to one or more of claims 1-13, characterized in that the length and width dimensions of the base plates (20) are whole multiples of the rail length. 15. Railway system according to one or more of claims 1,2 ^ 4,7 and 10, characterized by a component (31) which has approximately the shape of a cube cut along a diagonal surface whose adjacent cube outer sides are the notches (32) or the Latching pockets (33) and coupling webs which preferably intersect at right angles are provided on the diagonal surface of the cube. 030007/0553