US1534730A - Coaster wagon - Google Patents

Description

April 21, 1925'. 1,534,730

J. O'BRIEN I CQASTER WAGON Filed Sept. 2, 1924 grwwniw attocmq v Patented Apr. 21, 1925.

UNITED STATES assent JAMES OBRIEN, F HUTCHINSON, KANSAS.

COASTER WAGON.

Application filed September 2, 1924. Serial No. 735,350.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES OBRIEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hutchinson, in the county of Reno and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Coaster Wagon, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is directed broadly to an improved toyvehicle, and in the present instance, the invention has been embodied in a coaster wagon.

In wagons of this class it is quite common for the occupant to place one leg in. the body of the wagon and to propel the latter along the surface by engaging the foot of the other leg with the surface to push the wagon along. Since the occupant must necessarily kneel in the forward portion of the wagon in a manner to properly balance the same,

the common four wheel wagon is found objectionable in that the front wheel on the side of the propelling leg interferes with free movement of the leg.

It follows that it is my primary aim to.

devise a coaster wagon which will overcome this difficulty, this end being accomplished first by shaping the forward end of the body to facilitate free propulsion, and second by placing a single steering wheel at this end of the wagon.

In carrying out the invention I therefore provide a tri-wheel coaster wagon, the body of which is decreased in width at its front to facilitate pushing of the wagon with the le It is also a feature of the invention to mount the single ground engaging steering wheel on a vertical pivot and to also mount the pair of rear wheels on a similar pivot, there being a steering connection between the front and rear wheels so that they will be angled.simultaneously in opposite directions to make for short turns.

Other features and structural details will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing.

In the drawings Figure l is a side elevational view of a coaster wagon constructed in accordance with the present invention.-

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of F igure 1.'

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view disclosing the connection of the rear wheel with the body. a 5-5 In the drawing, the reference character 1 designates generally the body of the wagon. As is usual the body is elongated and is of the box-type design, the same including end and side walls. Referring to the forward end of the body it will be seen that from the point 2 to the point 3 at the forward end, it is gradually decreased in width. Particular emphasis is to be laid on this design inasmuch as it facilitates free movement of the operators leg when the latter is used as the propulsion means.

Fixed to the center of the under side of the narrow front end of the body is a bearing disk 4. Bearing rotatably against the under side of this disk is the bight portion of a vertical wheel yoke 5. The yoke is connected to the dlsk ona vertical pivot (not shown). The yoke 5 carries a horizontally disposed and elongated frame 6 in which the front ground engaging and steering wheel 7 is confined. The frame is provided with suitable hearings to accommodate the journals of said wheel. The ends of the frame extend well beyond the wheel, the for- 50 Ward end extending beyond the corresponding end of the body. A pulling tongue 8 is pivotally connected to this end of the frame and is provided at its upper end with a handle 9 by means of which the wagon is es guided and pulled. At its inner end, the frame 6 is provided with a flattened extension 10 forming an attaching car.

As before intimated, the rear wheels 11 are movably connected with the body so that they can be angled when the front wheel is angled to promote effective steering. In carrying out this end, I provide an inverted arched bolster 12 which has its down turned ends connected to the axle 13. The intermediate portion 14: of the bolster is flattened and is provided with a central aperture. The shank of a T-head bolt 15 is passed through this opening and a nut 16 is fitted onto the threadsof the shank. The shank of the bolt is also adapted to extend slidably and rotatably through an elongated slot 17 in a boxlike casting 18 fixed to the under side of the bottom of the body. As seen more clearly in Figure 3, the T-head of the bolt extends crosswise of the slot and has free movement in the box portion of the casting.

Connected at the rear end to the axle 13 are radius rods 19. In the present instance, these rods are in the form of flat metal strips which are disposed vertically as seen in Figure 1 but have their forward ends twisted as indicated at 20 to dispose these ends horizontally as seen at 21. One twisted end is placed on top of the ear 10 with the other twisted end beneath the ear as. seen in Figure 1. A pivot bolt 22 is then passed through the twisted ends and the ear to afford the desired connection between the frame 6 and the radius rods. To secure rigidity, I provide a brace 23 which is attached at its rear end to the bolt 15 and at its forward end to the pivotal connection 22 as shown in Figure l.

The improved wagon is used in the same manner that the common coaster wagons are utilized. It may be pulled along the ground by the tongue 8 or it may be used for coasting purposes in which instance the tongue will be disposed in the approximate position seen in Figure 1. Obviously, when the front wheel 7 is turned upon its pivot for steering, the yoke and frame are angled therewith, a pull being exerted upon the radius rod in a manner to simultaneously angle the rear wheels. In this instance it is to be noted that the body 1 is well above the peripheries of the wheels to prevent the hindrance in angling. The rear wheels are of course angled in a direction opposite to the front wheel so that the desired arc is produced for insuring a short turn without overbalancing the wagon. Actual use of a wagon constructed in accordance with the invention has shown that it does not overturn as easily as the common four wheel wagon. This is especially true when short turns are being made. Under such condi tions, the common four wheel wagon is very likely to overturn.

Undoubtedly, the foregoing description when taken in connection with the drawing will enable persons skilled to the art to which the invention relates to obtain a clear understanding of the same. For this reason, a more lengthy description is thought unnecessary.

While the disclosure has been restricted to a coaster wagon, I wish it to be understood that such description is not to be construed limitaneously, for it is within the conception to adapt the invention to similar toy ve hic-les, Whether they be straddle-car type or other forms of toy-vehicles.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1. A toy vehicle of the class described, comprising a body, a hollow casing secured to the under side of the body and provided with a longitudinally extending elongated slot, a pair of rear wheels, an axle connecting said wheels together, an inverted U- shaped bolster having its downturned end connected with the ends of the axle, the intermediate portion of the bolster being flattened and movably contacting the under side of said casing, a bolt carried by the flattened intermediate portion of the bolsters, said bolt being provided with a cross-head disposed within said casing, the shank of the bolt extending slidably and rotatably through the aforesaid slot, and a steering wheel at the front of the body connected with the rear wheels for simultaneously angling all wheels.

2. A toy vehicle of the class described comprising a body, an inverted yoke, the bi 'ht portion of which is pivotally connected with the body at the forward end of the latter, an integral horizontally elongated frame'carried by the lower end of the arms of said yoke, a single ground engaging and steering wheel arranged within said frame, said wheel having journals rotatably received in bearing openings in the side portion of said frame, a single bolster of U- shaped form inverted and connected to the rear portion of the body, an axle extending through the dependin arms of said bolster, wheels mounted upon the outer ends of the axle, and a pair of forwardly diverging radius rods connected at their rear ends to the axle and pivotally connected at their forward ends to the aforesaid frame, whereby to provide a steering connection between the front and rear wheels.

3. A toy vehicle of the class described, comprising a body having its forward end fashioned to facilitate foot propulsion, and an inverted yoke having a flattened bight portion pivotally connected to the under side of the body adjacent the front end thereof, an elongated frame integral with the lower ends of the arms of said yokes, a ground en- 1 gaging and steering wheel disposed within said frame and provided with journals rotatably received in bearing openings in the side portions of the frame, the rear portion of said frame being equipped with a fiattened extension, a hollow casing secured to the under side of the body adjacent the rear end thereof, said casing being provided with an elongated longitudinally extending slot, an inverted U-shaped bolster having a flat intermediate portion movably contacting the under side of said casing, said flattened portion having an aperture in alignment with rid slot, a bolt extending through said aperture and having its ends disposed slid-ably and rotatably within the casing, the shank thereof passing through said slot, an axle extending through the downturned ends of said bolster, rear wheels secured to the outer ends of the axle, a pair of forwardly diverging radius rods connected at their rear ends to the axle, and pivotally connected at their forward ends to the aforesaid flattened ex tension, and a brace having its rear end in association with said casing and its forward 10 end connected with said extension.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JAMES OBRIEN.

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