US1607337A - Toy railroad track - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 16 1926.

J. COOPER TOY RAILROAD TRACK 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Marchy 26, 1926 Ul .mi

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UNITED STATES JOHN COOPER, OF EVANS'ION, ILLINOIS.

TOY RAILROAD TRACK.

Application filed March 26, 1926. Serial No. 97,718.

This invention relates to improvements in track systems of toy railroads, the general object of the invention being to provide a crossing whereby a train can pass from one track to a second track when going in either direction so as to make a toy track switch operate similar to the real railroad switches.

Another object of the invention is to make the crossing or switch compact so that the two tracks can be placed close together.

A further object of the invention is to provide simple means for operating the switch means.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved crossing or switch.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure Figure 1.

In these views, 1 indicates a base which is formed with theusual flanges'2 which are adapted to rest upon a floor or other support to hold the base spaced from said support. This base is adapted to be placed between portions of the trackr supporting means of the :railroad at a point where the switch or crossing is desired to be located. The outer rail of track A is shown at 3 and the outer rail of track B is shown at 3', these rails being held to the base by the tongues 4 which are struck up from the base.

A pair of convergent rails 5 is carried by the base at each end thereof, the rails being slightly curved'and abutting against a point 6 on the base. One of these rails 5 abuts the inner rail of the track A, while the other rail of each pair abuts the inner rail of the track B. A A switch member C is placed at each end of the track portions A and B on the base and each member comprises the straight rail or tongue 7, the curved tongue or rail 8 and the base 9 to which the rails 4 is a section on line 4 4 of are connected. Each member C is pivoted to the base intermediate its ends, as shown at 10. Triangular plates 4or points 11 are carried by the base, with their bases forming portions of the inner rails of the tracks A and B. These points 11 are adapted to be engaged by the inner ends of the members C. Each third rail 12 of the tracks A and B is formed with an enlarged'portion 13 which is located over'each member C and these enlarged portions of each track are connected byv the depending parts 14 with a straight central part 15 which is insulated from the base, as shown at 16. Each depending part 14 passes under the curved tongue of each member 0.?

Four rotary disks 17, formed of insulating material, are carriedl by Vthe central part of the base `and each disk supports a rail section 18, the ends of which are `beveled. EachI disk is connected with the inner end of a member C by a link 19' so that the disk will be partly rotated by the movement of the member C. v

A slightly conical disk 2O is carried by the central part of the base and is insulated from the base by the insulation 21 and said disk is electrically connected with one of thecurved rails by meansof the conductor 22.' rThe rail' f sections are so arranged with respect to this disk that when they Vare moved to a certain position, their inner ends will contact with the disk and thus they will receive a portion of the current passing through the third rail. By makingl the disk with a sloping upper face, Contact is insured between the disk and rail sections. V

The base is provided with a pair of eX- tensions 1 at one side thereof, an extension being arranged adjacent each end of the base and each extension supports a switch operating member which comprises a` disk 23 rotatably supported and having a handle 24 thereon by which it can be moved and this disk is connected by a link 25 with the switch member C nearest to it. A link 26 connects the link 25 with lever 27' which is pivoted at its center to the center of the base, as shown at 28, the pivotal point being below the center of the disk 2O and the other end of said lever 27 is connected by a. link 29 with the switch member C of the other track and at the far end of the base.

From the foregoing it will Vbe seen that when the switch operating means at the right hand side of the device is operated, the link 25 will rock the member C at the right hand end of track B until its curved rail strikes the point 11, and this movement will rock the lever 27 and cause it, through means oi the link 29, to shift the memberI C at the tar end ot tra-ck ik in a similar manner so that it will engage the other point 11. A pair of track sections 18 will bridge the points 11 and 6, while the other pair ot track sections will have been moved by the movement or' the members C as just eX- plained into a posit-ion where they will align with each other and will be located at the center ot the track tormed by the other sections and thus form part oit the third rail. 1t will be noted that the inner ends ot the aligned sections will engage the disk 20 so that they will receive current therefrom. in this position ot the parts, a train can pass from track B on to track A and vice versa, the wheels ot the train passing along the curved rail 8 of section B and one ot the rails 5 across the rail forming sections 18, the points G and 11 on to the curved tongue of the other member C and the other rail 5. By turning the lever 2st in an opposite direction, the switch members at the right ot track B and the lett of tr ck A will be moved to a position similar to that occupied by the other switch members so that a train can pass over each track wit-hout leaving the same. Then by operating the other swi'ch actuating means, the switch members C at the lett oit track B and the right ot track A will be moved to a position where train moving to the right can pass from track B on to track or a train moving to the lett on track fr can pass to track B.

1t will thus be seen that 1 have provided an eight way crossing which is very compact and which permits the two tracks to be placed close together. Two ot the track sections 18 will serve as wheel engaging meinbers, while the other two serve as conductors. This invention makes the toy railroad similar to the real railroads. r1`he switches are easily operated. l

it is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of my invention will be readily apparent.

lt desire it to be understood that 1 may make changes in the construction and in the combination and arrangement ot the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope ot the appended claims.

l/Vhat 1 claim is 1. 1n a double track toy railway, a section comprising a support, outer rails ot t tracks thereon. a pair ot converging ,ils at each end ot the support, said converging rails forming the inner rails ot the two tracks, switch members pivotally connected with the support and arranged at the ends of the track sections, each member comprising a base, a straight rail and a curved rail,

four rotary disks inthe support, 'means for rotating the disks by the movement or" thev switch members, a short rail section carried by each disk, a pair of stationary points on the support, the space between which and the inner ends of the converging rails is bridged by two of the rail sections, means for supplying current to the other rail sections which torm portions of the third rail and manually operatedineans for adjusting the switch members.

2. 1n a double track toy railroad, a track section comprising a. base, outer rails of the two tracks carried thereby, a pair ot converging rails at each end of the base torming the inner rails oit the tracks, a point on the base at the inner end of each pair ot convergent rails, a third rail for each track on the section, each third rail having a pair 0i flattened portions, switch members pivotally supported on the base, one at each end of each track, each member1 comprising a base, a. straight rail and a curved rail, four rotary disks carried `by the base, a link connecting each disk with a switch member so that the rocking movement of the member will partially rotate the disk, a central disk, means tor connectingthe `same with one ot the third rails, a rail section carried by each disk, a pair ot triangular members .on the base, the bases of which form portions ot the inner rails of the tracks, two of the rail sections bridging the spaces between the triangular plates and the points of the convergent rails while the lother two are in alignment and contact with thel center ldisk to form partoi a third rail, a pair of manualb7 operated members, a link connecting each member to the switch member which is closest to it, a pair or" rocking levers pivotally supported at their centers and links connecting each lever with a pair oitl switch members which are diagonally opposite each other.

3. A track section tor a double track toy railway comprising a base, a pair oit tracks thereon, each track comprising a straight outer rail and a pair oit curved inner rails, each inner rail converging to a point with an inner rail ot the other track, stationary members on the base having` portions torming parts ot' the inner rails, four rail sections, two bridging the spaces between the inner ends oi' the curved rails and the stationary members, while the other pair align themselves between the other two and form parts ot the conducting means, a pivoted switch member at each end ot' each track, each member including an outer rail and an inner rail, means for actuating the switch members and means for moving the rail sections by the. movement of the switch mem.- bers.

1n testimony whereof 1 a'lx my signature.

JOHN COOPER.

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