US1912193A - Electric toy trackage - Google Patents

Description

May 30', 1933.

L. G. HANDY ELECTRIC TOY TRACKAGE 3 Sheets-Shet 1 Original Filed Sept. 18 1926 Am. 5m, QN

INVENTR A L. Gessford Ha m15/ BY ATTORN EY 30, 1933. 1 G. HANDY I l 1912193 ELECTRIC TOY TRACKAGE Original Filed Sept. 18 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 S14/manto@ May 30, 1933- L. G. HANDY ELECTRIC TOY TRAGKAGE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Sept. 18. 1926 L. fogEN W 2 ATTORNEY Patented May 3G, 1933 a a tra E a .eng

ELECTRG TOY TRACKAGE Original application filed September 18, 1926, Serial No. 136,359, now Patent No. 1,753,147, dated April 1,

. 1930. Divided and this application led February 19, 1930. Serial No. 429,794.

Y This invention relates to trackage for toy electric trains, suchV for instance as is contained in my Patent No. 1,636,416, July 19th, 1927, and in my co-pending application Serial No.,136,359 filed Sept. 16,1926, now Patent No. 1,753,147, dated Apr. 1, 1930, the presont application being a division of said men# tioned co-pending application.

An objectofthe present invention is Vto provide improved means whereby the passage of a train along the toy electric trackage may be made to control the operation of auxiliary devices such assigne-ls and the like.

A further object is to provide a readily attachable and detachable attachment adapt` ed to be attached to the toy electric trackage, said section being constructed to provide mieans whereby the passage of a train over said attachment will complete a shunt circuit, in parallel with the train circuit, for controlling one or more auxiliary devices.

A further object is to, provideV an attachment particularlyadapted for convenient attachment to any toy electric track section and which when so attached will transform said toy electric track section and enable the use of said section for controlling one or more auxiliary devices connected thereto.

Other objects and aims of the invention, more or less specific than those referred to above, will be in part obvious and in part pointed out in the course of the following description of the elements, combinations, ar-

rangements of Darts and a licatioiis of rin- C l l ciples v constituting the invention; and the scope of protection contemplated will be in-l dicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying` drawings which are to be taken as a part of this specification, and in which l have shown merely a preferred form of embodiment of the invention Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of an electric toy track system and illustrating one of the present attachments operatively connected therewith. y 'l Fig. 2 is a top plan view of one of the toy electric track sections ofrw'hich the `system Fig. 1 is built, said section havingonel of the present improved attachments shown in operative position thereon.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the improved attachment Aappearing in F ig. 2. Y i

kldigu4 is an end view of the improved attachment showing the same in useupon the track section seen in` Fig. 2, said track section being shown in transverse section.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view illustrating a moditied arrangement of the contact strip and of the fastening means employed, with respect to the rails. j

Fig. 6 is a topplan view similar'to Fig. 2 but illustrating a modification according to which the contact strip employed is adapted to stand adjacent to the power rail, and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the structure ofhFig. 6.

Referring to the drawings for. describing in detailv .the structure illustrated therein, the reference characters L and Gr indicate the two metallic wheel bearing rails of an electric toy track section, and the reference character HY indicates the intermediate or third, metallic rail of said section. These three separate rails are connected together by cross tie means, such as the three metallic cross ties l, 2 and 3 as illustrated.

Theintermediate or third7 rail is insulat ed from the other rails and from the cross ties by insulating member 4-%4 as is customary.

The wheel bearing rails L and Gr as shown are not insulated from the cross ties. They are held in metallic contact with said cross ties as by'means of the tangs 5-5 provided upon the cross ties for this purpose and hence are in constant, electrical connection with said cross ties. l Y

Each of the rails L, G and H is provided with connecting means at its opposite ends by which itmay be readily mechanically and electrically connected in track forming relation with aligned rails of adjacent other toy track sections. As an illustration of means for this purpose the drawings herewith show said rails to be formed with sockets at their ends and metallic pins 6 6 for engaging in said sockets, said pins being adapted to eX- 100 tend into similar sockets provided in the aligned rails of adjacent other toy track sections.

rihe track system illustrated in Fig. 1 is made up of a series of toy electric track sections constructed as thus described, said sections being connect-ed together end to end in a well known manner. A source of electrical energy is indicated at 7 with a conductor 8 leading from one side thereof to the third rail of the system, and with a conductor as 9'from its opposite side connected with the two wheel bearing rails of the system, it being noted that although the conductor 9 is shown in Fig. 1 as having direct connection with both of the wheel bearing rails it is usually suiiicient to connect said conductor directly with only one of said rails, the current being ted to the other wheel bearing` rail through the several metallic cross ties which provide a metallic bond between the wheel bearing rails as above eXplained.

ln Fig. 1 a signal device to be operated by passing train is indicated at 10, and the attachment with which thepresent invention is particularly concerned is indicated by the reference character 11.' A conductor 12 eX- tends from a part of the attachment 11 to the signal-device 10, and a second conductor as 13 connects the opposite side of the signal device with the third rail H of the system. Y

il. train is indicated as travelling along the system said train having wheels 14 riding upon the wheel bearing rails L and Gr and having a contact shoe 15 riding upon the third rail, the shoe being connected to one side of a train propelling motor 16, the opposite side of the motor being mounted. uponthe trame as 17 of the train and hence upon all of the wheels ot the train and upon the wheel bearing rails L and G.

The propelling circuit for the train is of the usual type well known in this art, namely, from source 7 through conductor 8 to the third,'or power, rail, through the shoe 15 and motor 16 to ground upon the frame of the train and back to the opposite side of the source through the wheel bearing or ground7 rails L and G.

A shunt circuit through the signal device 10 is closed as soon as one of the wheels of the train rides into engagement with the portion 'j of the present attachment, said shunt cir-' cuit being in parallel with the train circuit as follows: from source i alongl the third rail to conductor 13, through the signal device and back, by vway of conductor 12, to the portion 11, and thence, by way or" the wheel which is in engagement with said portion 11, to ground upon the frame ot the train, and back along the wheel bearing rails to the oppo- Y site side of the source.

Vment of parts of the present attachment may lation thereto as to provide a wedge-shaped channel along which the Harige of the car wheel will travel and make contact between the rail and the strip. It will of course be understood that the strip may if desired be shaped to provide 'a bottom wall as 18 upon which the peripheral portion of the flange of the wheel could ride.

Also, if desired, the strip may be suitably resilient so that the passage of the flange of the carwheel between said strip and the rail will cause the portion of said strip en` gaged by said flange to be sprung away from the rail, thereby insuring a better rubbing contact between the wheel and thetrack and strip. Y

The contact strip 11 is mounted upon a suitable separately formed-carrier as 19 by which said strip may be readily attached to or removed from any toy electric track section.'V Y

The carrier 19 as illustrated consists essentially of two separate carrier plates as 2() and 21 of insulating material connected together by the strip 11 which is supplied with flanges 22-22 for this purpose.

Shoulders, or hooks, as 23-23, and co-operative latch members 24 are providedy by whichV the plates 2O and 21 may be quickly and easily attached to the track section. One of the latch members 24 is electrically connected with a binding post 25, and one of the flanges 22 is electrically connected' with a binding` post 26, said two binding posts being carried by the plate 20 and adapted for the attachment of the auxiliary device 10 by means of the conductors 12 and 13.

The shoulders or hook forming members 23 are fixed upon the plates 20-21 in any ap-4 proved inanner as for instance by means of rivets as 27 so that they are rigid with said plates and insulated from all lother parts of the attachment.

The latch members 24 are pivotally-mounted upon pivot pins as 28 which preferably extend through the plates20 and 21 and one ot saidpivot pins being connected with a metallic strip as 29 at the lower side of the plate 20, said strip extending along the lower side of said plate and lbeing' connected with the binding post 25.

' The flanges 22-22 of the contact strip 11 may be fixed to the plates 20-21 in any approved manner but for convenience are shown to be held by rivets as 30 which extend through the plates, one of said rivets being connected with a metallic strip as 81 at the lower side of the plate 20 said strip 'extending along the lower side of said plate and being connected with the binding post 26.

One of the flanges 22 is Vconstructed to bridge directly between the two plates 20 and 21, and this flange is providedwith a re-inforcing rib as 32 co-operative with the contact strip 11 to stiffen the connection between the two plates 2O and 21. The mentioned flange 22 is bowed upwardly so as to bridge in insulated relationship over the cross tie 2 of the track section.

In attaching this attachment to a toy track section the insulating plates 20-21 are introduced edgewise downwardly v between the track rails G and H, the plate 2O being positioned between cross ties 1 and 2 and the plate 21 being positioned between cross ties 2 and 3. The hooks or shoulders 23 are moved into engagement with the flange as 33 of the wheel bearing, or ground, rail G andthe attachment is then rotated about said flange as a pivot to bring the plates into a substantially hori- Zontal position wherein the latch members 24 can be readily rotated into gripping relation with the flange 34-34 of the power rail H. Engagement of the latch members with the flange 34 serves to hold the hooks 23 in firm and predetermined relationship with the rail G, and at the same time makes electrical engagement with the power rail H and holds the attachment against accidental displacement, the contact strip 11 being thus positioned in the precise desired relationship to the rail G.

Removal of the attachment may of course be readily effected by simply releasing .the latch members-24 and lifting the attachment out from between the rails.

The binding posts 25 and 26 are provided merely for convenience of'attachment of the conductors 13 and 12 with the metallic strips 29 and 31, and hence with the power rail and with the contact strip 11, respectively.

The contact strip 11 and the latch or locking devices 24 both being mounted upon the insulating base members or plates 20-21 arer thereby insulated from each other. The shoulder or hook forming members 23, being also mounted upon this base member as above described, said base member thus constitutes what may be properly termed an insulating support for the contact strip and for the fastening devices.

It is noted that the latch devices 24 each provide both upper and lower jaws for grip` ping about the flange 34 of theV power rail,v and thus when these latching devices are in latching position they serve to hold the plates 20-21 against both upward and downward movement.

The attachment as thus described constitutes a readily attachable and detachable connector which when attached to an electric toy track system will provide means by which to connect to said system an electrically operf able auxiliary signal or like device in a shunt circuit parallelV with the train circuit.

It will be understood that whilethis device is shown and described as being of appropriate form and proportions adapting it for use as an attachment-upon individual elec-v tric toy track sections of the type now well known'in commerce, yet the inventive principles of the device are equally usable irrespective of the type of track sections to which the device is connected and in fact irrespective ofY whether the track system be made up of separable sections or not. n

In the modification Fig. 5 it is suggested that the contact strip, indicated 35, may, if preferred, be arranged outside of the rail G so as to be engaged by the main tread portion of a passing car wheel insteadof by the flange portion of said wheelV as in the previous iigures. This modification further'suggests that if desired the fasteningmeans by which to connect the device with the rails of the track section may be so arranged that the shoulders or hook members 23 will engage the power rail H and the latch or locking device 24 will engage the wheel bearing rail G.' The hook member 23 is electrically connectedwith the binding post 25, and the contact'strip 35 is electrically connected with the Ybinding post 26, said two binding posts being adapted for the attachment'of auXiliarydevices, as 10,'`

thereto as in the previous figures, and the circuits, and all other features of the device,v

are the same as already described.

I n the modification Figs. 6 and 7 itis suggested that the contact strip, here indicated by the reference character 37, may, if preferred, be arranged ininsulated association adjacent tothe central or power rail H so as to be engaged by the motor brush or contact shoe as 38 of a passing train, which brush or shoe rests upon both said contact strip and power rail H. The manner inv which the contact shoe bridges the gap between the contact strip and the power rail is clearly illustrated in Fig. 7.

|`The manner of connecting this attachment onto the track may be the same as hereinbefore described, but the drawings suggest that if desired the insulating plates may be provided with apair of metallic shoulder parts,

as 39 and 40 for engaging the power rail and one of the wheel bearing rails respectively.

and adapted to be placedy into gripping engagement with said rails as by first slipping the shoulders 39 over the bottom part of the power rail and then snapping the shoulders 40 onto the lower part of the wheel bearing rail, as will be readily apparent from the drawings. l

The contact strip 37 may be rigidly mount# ed upon the insulating supporting plates 2OA and 21 inthe same manner as described with reference to the previous structures. Also one of these plates may be provided with wire terminals, as 41 and 42. rlhe terminal 41 may be electrically connected with the conf tact strip 37 as by means of a conductor 43,

and the terminal 42 may be electrically connected with the metallic shoulder which engages the wheel bearing rail as by a conductor 44. i

- The circuit for operating the auxiliary device l0 in this instance may be traced as follows: from one side of the source 7 along one or both of the wheel bearing rails, through the shoulder 40, conductor 44, terminal 42 and conductor 45 to one side of the device 10. Thence through conductor 46, terminal 4l, conductor 43 to the insulated contact strip 37, and by means ot the contact shoe 38, when said shoe is present, into the power rail H and back to the opposite side oi the source.

It may bejhere pointed out that the contact strip 37 and likewise the contact strips as shown in any of the other structures herein, may irP desired be provided with suitable electrical connecting means by which they may be electrically connectedwith similar contact strips attached to adjacent portions of the track to thereby aord added length of contact strip to be engaged by the co-operative part of the passing car.- By connecting together several sections of contact strip mounted end to end along the length of the track it will be necessary to make electrical connection between the auxiliary device Il() and only one section ofthe contact strip; it being understood that this is true whether the contact strip be associated kwith the power rail or with one of the wheel bearing rails. To accomplish this result thel drawing F ig. 6 suggests that vthe contact strip 37 may be of tubular form similar to the rails and that a metallic pin as 47 may project from one end, the opposite end providing a socket as 48 within which a pin as 47 of an adjacent contact strip section may frictionally engage, as clearly indicated at the left hand y end of Fig. 6, the joint being of the same general character as that employed tor the connecting together ot the rails of the standard toy electric track section. Y

As many changes could be made in this construction without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the tollowing claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description, or shown inthe accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative only and notV in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is i l. A detachable connector for toy electric railroads, comprising means for detachably mounting the connector on two rails of toy track and a contact carried thereon adapted to stand spaced from a wheel bearing rail in a position to be engaged by the liange of a car wheel passing along said wheel bearing rail.

2. A detachable connector for toy electric railroad track, comprising an insulating support carrying a plurality of wire terminals, a hook cooperable with the power rail and electrically connected to one of the terminals, a locking device cooperable with a wheel bearing rail when the hook is engaged with the power rail to releasably hold the connector in place, and a resilient member carried by the insulating support electrically connected with the other terminal and positioned to stand inside a wheel bearing rail so as to be engaged by a car wheel flange as the wheel passes along said rail.

3. A connector for use with three-rail toy electric railroad track, said connector having a hook and catch cooperable with the central rail and a wheel bearing rail for releasably fastening the connector in place, a Contact supported inside a wheel bearing rail in position to be engaged by a flange on a car wheel passing along said wheel bearing rail, and a terminal for the contact, all these parts being secured to an insulating support and attachable to and detachable from the toy railroad track as a unit.

4. In a toy electric railroad, a section of track having track rails and an insulated central rail, a signal device, and a detachable connector electrically'connected with the signal device, said connector having means for detachably supporting it from the central rail and one of the track rails and at the same time establishing electrical connection from the central rail to the signal device, and a contact electrically connected with the signal device and carried by the connector adjacent a track rail in a position to engage the liabrlige of a car wheel passing along said track rai 5. In a toy electric railroad, comprising a series of toy electric track sections connected together end to end and each section consisting of opposite wheel bearing rails and an intermediate power rail, and a source of electrical energy connected with said power rail and with at least one of said wheel bearing'rails for thereby propelling a vehicle along the track in the usual manner, the combination therewith of a separately formed attachment consisting of an electrically opera-ble device and connecting means by which said electrically operable device may be readily detachably connected with said track to operate in parallel with the propelling motor of the vehicle incident to the passage of the vehicle over any selected track section to which the attachment may be attached, said connecting 'means including means by which it may be conveniently attached to or removed from any track section without removal of modification of said section and including also a contact arranged, when the attachment is attached, in position adjacent the track rail for engagement by a part of the passing vehicle.

6, An attachment for toy electric track sections,.said attachment comprising a support, means by which the support may be readily7 detachably connected with the track section, said means including a hook to engage one member of the track section and a latch operable to engage another member of the track section in a manner to hold itself and the hook in engagement with the respective members of the track section and 'a contact carried by the support arranged to stand, when the attachment is attached to a track section, insulated from the track section in posit-ion to be engaged by a part of a passing vehicle for receiving current therefrom.

l 7. In a toy electric railroad, the combination including a track provided with a pair of wheel bearing rails and an insulated power rail, a connector including an insulating support having a pair of wire'terminals in insulated relation thereon for the attachment of a signal device thereto, means by which said connector is readily attachable to said tra ck at any selected locality along said track and by which it is as readily detachable from the track at will, said means including parts to at once mechanically connect the connector to the rails and place one of' said terminals in electric connection with one ot said rails, and a contact member carried by said connector as a unit therewith in electric connection with the other terminal and disposed so that when the connector is attached said contact will stand in position to be engaged by a portion of a car passing along the track in engagement with another et said rails.

8. In a toy electric railroad the combination including a track provided with a pair of wheel bearing rails and an insulated power rail, a connector including an insulating support having a pair of wire terminals in insulated relation thereon for the attachment oat a signal device thereto, means by which said connector is readily attachable to sai-d track at any selected locality along said track and by which it is as readily detachable from the track at will, said means Vincluding parts to at once. mechanically connect the connector to the rails and place one of said terminals in electric connection with the power rail, and a contact member carried by the connector as av unit therewith in electric conn-ection with the other terminal and disposed so that when the connector is attached said contact will stand in close proximity to one ot the wheel bearing rails to be engaged by a part ot a car wheel moving along said wheel bearing rail.

9. In a toy electric railroad, th-e combination including a track provided with a pair ot wheel bearing rails and an insulated power iail, a connector including an insulating support having a pair ot wire terminals in insulated relation thereon tor the attachment A of a signal -device thereto, means by which the track at will, said means consisting ot a v metallic holding member carried by said in-` sulating support to det-achably `engage about a portion ot one rail, and a secon-d metallic holding member in insulated relation to the first holding member and movable to detachably eng-age about a portion of another rail, a conductor extending between one of said holding members and one of said terminals, a flexible contact member `carried upon said. insulating support consisting ot a strip ot flexible metal and being disposed ina position to be engaged and flexed by apart ot a passing car when the connector is attached, and a second conductor ext-ending between said flexible contact and the second terminal.

l0. In a toy electric railroad the combination including a track provided with a pair of wheel bearing rails and an insulated power rail, a connector carrying its own means for readily detachably mounting it partly upon one ot said whe-el bearing rails and partly upon said power rail, said connector when thus mounted being in conductive communication with said power rail, a contact member carried by sai-d connector insulated therefrom, said contact member being so positioned upon said connector that when said connector is in position upon the track said contact member is disposed adjacent to but spaced from one of Ysaid wheel bearing rails to be engaged by the iange of a car wheel moving along said rail, a signal device disposed adjacent the track, and Vconductors extending from said signal device to said connector and to said contact member carried thereby.

1l. In a toy electric'railroad the combination including a t-oy track consisting ot a pair of wheel bearing rails, an insulated power rail and cross-ties by which said rails are connected together, a connector carrying its own means tor readily detachably mounting it upon the track at -any selected point in the length of the track, said connector when thus mounted being in conductive communication with a rail of on-e polarity, a contact member carried'by said connector` and insulated therefrom, said Contact member being so positioned upon said connector that when said connector is in position upon the track said Contact member is disposed in position to establish an electrical connection with a part ota car moving along the rails'of said track which part has electrical connection with a rail of a. polarity opposite to that of the rail with which the connector is iii conductive communication, a signal device, and conductors entendi ng from said signal device to said connector and to said contact member carried thereby. t Y

12. A detachable'connector for toy electricrailroad tracks, said connector comprisico ing an insulating plate carrying a stationary fastening device engageable with a rail of one polarity, a pivoted fastening device engageable with a rail of opposite polarity, a wire terminal permanently electrically connected with one of said fastening devices, a contact carried by the plate insulated from both of said fastening devices and elevated. with respect thereto in a position adapted to be engaged by a portion of a car moving along the rail engaged by the fastening def vice which is not electrically connectedwith said terminal and a second wire terminal permanently connected with said contact.

13. A detachable connector for toy electric railroad track, comprising a pair oi' insulating supports, means by which said supports are rigidly connected together in spaced relation to each other so as'to receive a cross tie of the track structure in insulated relation between them, att-aching means to detachably attach the connector upon the track, and a contact strip supported jointly by said supports to stand in position to be engaged by a part of a car passing-along the track, a wire terminal connected with saidl contact strip, and a second wire 'terminal adapted to have connection with a rail of the track through said attaching means.

14. A detachable connector for toy electric railroads, comprising a support, means for detachably mounting the support on two rails of the toy track and a contact carried upon the support adapted, when the support is mounted upon the "track, to stand spaced from the power rail of the track in position to be engaged by a car contact shoev passing along said power rail and for the purpose of controlling an electric circuit.

'15. In a toy electric railroad, a length of track having wheel bearing rails and an insulated central rail, a signal device, and a detachable connector electrically connected with the signal device, said connector having means by which it may be detachably mounted upon at least two rails track and at the same time'establishing electrical connection between the signal device and a wheel bearing rail, and a contact electrically connected with the signal device and carried by the connector adapted, when the connector is mounted upon the track, to stand adjacent to the central rail in position to he engaged by a car contact shoe passing along said central rail.

16. In a toy electric railroad the combination including a toy track consisting of a pair of wheel bearing rails, an insulated power rail and cross-ties by which said rails are connected together, a connector carrying its own means for readily detachably mounting it upon the track at any selected point in the length of the track, said connector when thus mounted being in conductive communication withone of the wheel bearing rails,

of the toy a contact member carried by Asaid connector and insulated therefrom, said contact member being so positioned upon said connector that when said connector is 1n position upon the track said contact member is disposed in position to establish an electrical connection with a part of a car moving along the rails of said track which part has electrical connection with the power rail, a signal device, and conductors extending from said signal device to said connector and to said contact member carried thereby.

17. In a toy electric railroad, the combination including a track provided with a pair of wheel bearing rails and an insulated power rail, a connector including an insulating support having a pair of wire terminals in insulated relation thereon for the attachment of a signal device thereto, means by which said connector is readily attachable to said track at any selected locality along said track and by which it is as readily detachable trom the track at will, said means including parts to at once mechanically connect the connector to the rails and place one of said terminals in electric connection with one of the wheel bearing rails, and a contact memberl carried by the connector as a unit therewith in electric connection with the other terminal and disposed so vthat when the connector is attached said contact will stand in close proximity to the powerrail so as to be engaged by a car contact shoe moving along said power rail.

18. In a toy electric railroad, comprising a series of toy electric track sections connected together end to end and each section consisting of opposite wheel bearing rails and an intermediate power rail, and a source of electrical energy connected with said power rail and with at least one of said wheel bearing rails for thereby propelling a vehicle along the track in theusual manner, the combination therewith of a separately formed attachment consisting of an electrically operable device and connecting means by which said electrically operable device may be readily detachably connected with said track to operate in parallel with the propelling motor et the 'vehicle incident to the passage of the vehicle over any selected track section to which said electrically operable device may be connected, said connecting means being construct-ed at its opposite ends to provide for mating electrical engagement with other like separately formed connectingmeans connected with the track in alignment with'they mentioned connecting means. n

19'. In a toy electric railroad, comprising a series ot toy electric track sections connected together end to end and each section consisting of opposite wheel bearing rails and an intermediate power rail, and a source of electrical energy connected with said power Vrailand with at least one of said Wheel bearing rails for thereby propelling a vehicle along the track in the usual manner, the combination therewith of a separately formed attachment consisting of an electrically operable device and connecting means by which said electrically operable device may be readily detachably connected Awith said track to operate in parallel with the propelling motor of the vehicle incident to the passage of the vehicle over any selected track section'to which said electrically operable device may be connected, said connecting means including a contact strip adapted to extend longitudinally of the track in position to be engaged by a part oi' the passing vehicle and having a socketV at one end and a connecting pin at the other end whereby like contact strips of other separately formed attachments may be readily electrically connected therewith.

' 20. A detachable connector for toy electric railroads, where said railroad includes atoy electric track section made up of a vpower rail and two wheelfbearingrails spaced from each other in parallel relation and a plurality of cross-ties also spaced from each other and connected with the rails to hold all of said elements in unitary ass-einbly, the power rail being insulated from all the other mentioned elements, said connector comprising means for readily detachably mounting it upon two of the mentioned spaced elements of said toy electric track section, and a contact carried thereon adapted to stand adjacent to one of the rails of said section in position to be engaged by a car part moving along said rail.

2l. A detachable connector for toy electric railroads, where said railroad includes a toy electric track section made up of a power rail and two wheel bearing rails spaced from each other in parallel relation and a plurality of cross-ties also spaced from each other and connectedwith the rails to hold all of said elements in unitary assembly, the power rail being insulated from all the other mentioned elements, said connector comprising means forv readilyv detachably mounting it upon two of the mentioned spaced elements of said toy electric track section and for at the same time establishing electrical connection with one of the rails of said track section, and a contact comprised in said connector adapted, when the connector is mounted upon the track section, to stand spaced from another rail of.

said track section in position to be engaged by a car part moving along said last rail.

Q2. As an articleof manufacture, an electric toy track section intended for removable insertion into track forming relation with other electric toy .track sections in the usual mann-er, said section being made up of spaced wheel bearing rails and an intermediate insulated third rail withfcross-tie means by which all of: the rails are mechanically con- -nected together for unitary handling andr said section having attaching means at its opposite ends by which to removably, mechaniupon and carried by said plate in position to be engaged by a passing car part, a pair oi' wire terminals carried by said plate spaced apart thereonadapted for the attachment of opposite conductors thereto, and a pair of conducting vmembers also carried by said plate electrically connecting said terminals respectively with said contact and with a rail of said toy track section, and said plate of insulating material and said contact and said wire terminals and said conducting members all forming component parts of the complete removably insertible toy track section,

23. ln a toy electricrailroad, a toy electric track section made up of a power rail and two wheel bearing rails spaced 'from each other in parallel relation and a pluralityl of cross-ties also spaced Jfrom each other and connected with the rails to hold all of said elements in unitary assembly, the power rail being insulated from all the other mentioned elements, a signal device to bel operated by the passage of a car along said track section, a contact formed separate from the track section intended to be attached to orremoved from said track section at will, a conductor wire providing electrical connection between said contact and one side of the signal device, means carried as a unit with saidcontact by which the contact maybe readily detacliably mounted upon two of the mentionedy spaced elements of said track section ininsulated close proximity to one of the rails of the track section and in position to be engaged by a car part moving along the track section, and means providing electrical connection between another rail of the track section and the opposite side of the signal device.

24. In a toy electric railroad, a toy electric track section made up of a power rail and two wheel bearing rails spaced from each other invparallel relation and intermediate and end metallic cross-ties also spaced from each other and connected with the rails to hold all ofl said elements in unitary assembly, the power rail being insulated from all the other men-` tioned-elements, a pair of insulating supports spaced apart one at each sideof an intermediate cross-tie, a contact bridging said intermediate cross-tie in insulated relation thereto and in position to be engaged by a car part moving `'along the track section, said contact vUl being mounted by its opposite end portions upon said pair of insulating supports, and means by Vwhich said insulating supports are mounted upon two of the mentioned spaced elements of the track section.

25. In a toy electric railroad, a toy elec` tric track section made up of a power rail and two wheel bearing rails spaced from each other in parallel relation and intermediate and end metallic cross-ties also spaced from each other and connected with the rails to hold all of said elements in unitary assembly, the power rail being insulated `from all the other mentioned elements, a pair of insulating supports spaced apart one at each side of a cross-tie of the section, and a contact mounted upon said pair of supports bridging said mentioned cross-tie and held by said supports spaced from said mentioned cross-tie in position to be engaged by a car part moving along the track section, there being means associated with said insulating supports to engage at least two of the mentioned spaced elements of the track section to predetermine the position of the contact with respect to the rails of the section.

'26. In a toy electric railroad, a toy electric track section made up of a power rail and two wheel bearing rails spaced from each other in parallel relation' and intermediate and end metallic cross-ties also spaced from each other and connected with the rails to hold all ot' said elements in unitary assembly,

`the power rail being insulated from the other mentioned rails, a pair of insulating supports spaced apart and carried by the track section one at each side of an intermediate cross-tie, and a contact mounted upon said pair of supports bridging said intermediate cross-tie and held by said supports spaced from said mentioned intermediate cross-tie in position to be engaged by a car part moving along the track section, there being means associated with said insulating supports extending to engage at least two of the mentioned spaced rails of the track section to predetermine the position of the Contact with respect to at least one of said last mentioned spaced rails.

27. A detachable connector for toy electric railroads, where said railroad includes a toy electric track section made up of a power rail and two wheel bearing rails spaced from each other in parallel relation and a plurality of cross-ties also spacedV from each other and connected with the rails to hold all of said elements in unitary assembly, the power rail being insulated from all the other mentioned elements, said connector Vcomprising a pair of insulating supports spaced apart. a. contact strip extending between'and being fixed to said insulating supports serving to hold them mechanically connected together for unitary handling, and means by which said insulating supports may be detachably mounted upon two of the mentioned spaced elements of the track section vadapted to hold the contact strip in position to be engaged by a car part moving along the track section. j i

28. A vconnector for toy electric railroads, where said railroad includes a toy electric track section made upl of a power railand two wheel bearing rails spaced from each other in parallel relation and a plurality of crossfties also spaced from each other and connected with the rails to hold all of said elements in unitary assembly, the power rail being insulated from all the other mentioned elements, said connector comprising a pail' of insulating supports spaced apart, a contact stripextending between and being fixed to said insulating supports serving to hold them mechanically connected together for unitary handling,said insulating supports and said contact strip being adapted to be positioned intermediate two adjacent rails of the track section, and saidk insulating supports having parts to utilize said two adjacent rails to hold the contact in operative spaced relation with respect to said two adjacent rails and in position to be engaged by a car part moving along one of said adjacent rails.

29. 'A detachable connector for toy electric railroads, where said railroad includes a toy electric track section'made up of a power rail' and two wheel bearing rails spaced from each other in parallel relation and intermediate and end metallic cross-ties also spaced .from each other and connected with the rails to hold all of said elements in unitary assembly, the power rail being insulated'from all the vother mentioned elements, said connector comprising a pair of insulating supports spaced apart adapted to stand when the connector is attached one at each side of a-n intermediate cross-tie, a contact vstrip extending between and being iXed to said insulating support-s serving tovhold them mechanically connected together for unitary handling, and means b-y which said insulating supports may be detachably mounted upon two of the mentioned spaced Velements of the track section adapted to hold the contact strip in position bridging the intermediate cross-tie in insulated relation thereto and so as to be engaged by a car part moving along the track section.

30. A detachable connector for toy electric railroads, where said railroad includes a toy electric track section made up-of a power rail and two wheel bearing railsspaced from each other in parallel relation and a plurality of cross-ties also spaced from each other and connected with the rails to hold all of said elements in unitary assembly, the power rail being insulated from all the other mentioned elements, said detachable connector' comprising two separate supports spaced apart, 'two cor-operative attaching devices carried by each support by which each supp ort may be independently mechanically .connected .in

supported relation upon tworof the spaced l'lO elements of the track section, and a contact strip carried by said two supports collectively in insulated relation and so as to be engaged by a current carrying car part moving along the track section.

31. A detachable connector for toy7V electric railroads, where said railroad includes a toy electric track section made up of a power rail and two wheel bearing rails spaced `from each other in parallel relation and a plurality of cross-tiesalso spaced from each other and connected with the rails to hold all of said elements in unitary assembly, the 'power rail beingjinsulated from all the other mentioned elements, said detachable connector comprising an insulating support having a pair of shoulder parts thereon permanently spaced apart a distance adapting them to lit closely between two of the spaced elements of the track section and being shaped and arranged with respect to said two spaced elements so as to grip said elements by snapping onto at least one of said spaced elements,

where y the connector may be readily snapped onto or ott of the track section, and a Contact carried by said insulating support adapted, when the connector is snapped on, to stand in position to be engaged by a car part moving along the track section.

32. A detachable connector for toy electric railroads, where said railroad includes a toy electric track section made up of a power rail and two wheel bearing rails spaced from each other in parallel relation and a plurality of cross-ties also spaced from each other and connected with the rails to hold all of said elements in unitary assembly, the power rail being insulated and of opposite polarity from all the other mentioned elements, said detachable connector comprising two separate supports spaced apart, two co-operative attaching devices carried by each support by which each support may be independently mechanically connected in supported relation upon two oi5 the spaced elements of the track section, and a contact strip carried by said two supports collectively in insulated relation and so as to be engaged by a current carrying car part moving along the track section, a pair of wire terminals carried by one of said supports in insulated relation therein and said last support being constructed to provide electrical connection between one wire terminal and the contact strip and a separate electrical connection between the second wire terminal and an element of the track section having a polarity opposite to that of the mentioned car part.V

33. As an article of manufacture, a contact strip adapted for use in association with and in addition to the three rails of toy electric railroad systems, said contact strip raving means by which it may be detachably attached in insulated operative position in the system and having means at at least one of its ends adapted for electrical connection thereto of a second andotherwise insulated contact strip to serve as an extension of the first.

34. An attachment for toy electric track sections, said attachment comprising a support, means by which the support may be .readily detachably connected with at least two rails of the track section, anda contact carried by the support arrangedto stand, when the attachment is attached to ja track section, insulated from the track section in position to be engaged bv a part of a passing vehicle for receiving current therefrom. 35. In a toy electric railroad, a toy electric track section made up of a power rail and two wheel bearing rails spaced from each other in parallel relation andi intermediate and end metallic cross-ties also spaced from each other and connected with the rails to hold all of said elements in unitary assembly, the power rail being insulated from all the other mentioned elements, a pair of insulating supports spaced apart and carried by the track section one at each side of said intermediate cross tie, and a contactrmounted upon said pair of supports bridging .said intermediate cross tie and being held bytsaid supports spaced ininsulatedrelation from said intermediate cross tie in position to be engaged by a car part moving along the track Section,

36. As an article of manufacture,v an electric toy track section intended to be attached to or removed Jfrom track forming relation with other electric toy track sections in the usual manner, said section being made up y of spaced wheel bearing rails and an intermediate insulated power rail with cross-tie means by which all of the rails aremech'anically connected Y together for unitary handling, means by which to electrically connect an electrically operable device in circuit with the power rail and one of the wheel bearing rails of the section to thereby put said elec* trically operable device in shunt with the track circuit, and control means for said shunt circuit comprising a metallic contact member carried by said section in the space between two ofthe'rails thereof in position to be engaged bv a car wheel passing along one of said wheel bearing rails, and insulating supporting means for said contact member having parts extending'to engage said two mentioned rails to thereby utilize said two rails in'holding the contact member in co-operative relation with the mentioned p wheel bearing rail.

37. In a toy electric railroadvmade up of' a plurality oit' toy track lsections connected `together end to end, each section comprising spaced wheelbearing rails andan insulated intermediate power rail, a source of electric energy having one side electrically connect- A'io ed with the power rail and. having its other side electrically connected with the wheel bearing rails, connecting means by which to electrically connect anl electrically operable device in circuit with the power rail and with one of the wheel bearing rails to thereby put saidelectrically operable device in shunt with the track circuit, said connecting means including a. contact member positioned in the space between the power rail and one of said wheel bearing rails adapted to be en- Ygaged bya part of a passing vehicle, and insulatingl supporting` means for said contact member having paits extending to engage said two mentioned rails to thereby Autilize said two rails in holding the contact member spaced from both of said mentioned rails forco-operation with the vehicle part.

38. As an article of manufacture, an electric toy track section intended to be attached to or removed from track 'forming relation with other electric toy track sections in the usual manner, said section being made up of spaced wheel bearing rails and an intermediate insulated power rail with crosstie means by which all of the rails are inechanically connected together for unitary handling, means by which to electrically connect an electrically operable device in circuit with the power rail and'one of thewheel bearing rails ot the section to taereby put said electrically operable device in shunt with the track circuit, and control means for said shunt circuit `comprising a metallic contact member carried by said section in the space between the power rail and one of the wheel bearing rails in position to be engaged by a car wheel passing along the mentioned wheel bearing rail, said contact member being resiliently Yyieldable under engagement kby said car wheel to thereby'accommodate itself to the position of the car wheel and being insulated from the remainder of the section by insulating and supporting means which utilizes the two mentioned rails to prevent its displacement.

39. In aY toy electric railroad made up of a-plurality of toy track sections connected together end to end, each section comprising spaced Wheel bearing rails and an insulated intermediate power rail together with cross- .ties extending between saidrails to which the rails are attached, a source of electric energy having one side electrically connected with the power rail and having its other side electrically connected with the wheel bearing rails, connecting means by wnich to electrically connect an electrically operable device in circuit with the power rail and with one of the wheel bearing rails to thereby'put said electrically operable device in shunt with the track circuit, said connecting means including a contact member positioned in the space between the power rail and one of said wheel bearing rails, and insulating supporting means other than the cross ties, said insulating supporting means servingto support the contact member and utilizing the two mentioned rails to hold the contact member spaced from both of said rails.

40. In a toy electric vrailroad made up of a plurality of toy track sections connected together end to end, each sectionv comprising spaced wheel bearing rails and an insulated intermediate power rail, together with cross ties extending between said rails to which the' rails are attached, a source of electric energy having one side electrically connected with the power' rail and having its other side electrically connected with the wheel bearing rails, connecting means by which to electrically connect an electrically operable device in circuit with the power rail and with one ot' the wheel bearing rails to thereby put said electrically operable device in shunt with the track circuit, said connecting means including a contact member positioned in the space between the power rail and one of said wheel bearing rails, and insulating supporting means other than the cross ties, said insulating supporting means serving to support the contact member and having insulating parts projecting from opposite sides of the contact member toward said two rails respectively, and there being means associated with said'insulating parts adapted for utilizing` the two mentioned rails to predetermine the position of the contact member with respect to both of said two mentioned rails.

4l. In a toy electric railroad made up of a plurality of toy track sections connected together end to end, each section comprising spaced wheel bearing rails and an insulated intermediate power rail together with cross ties extending between said rails to which the rails are attached, a source of electric energy having one side electrically connected with the power rail and having its other Aside `electrically connected with the wheel bearing rails, connecting means by which to electrically connect an electrically operable device in circuit with the power rail and with one of the wheel bearing rails to thereby put said electrically operable device in shunt with the track circuit, said connecting means including a contact member, and an insulatingsupport other than the cross ties, there being means associated with said insulatingsupport utilizing the power rail and at least one of the wheel bearing rails to predeter- Ymine the position of the contact member with respect to the remainder of the structure and so thatit will be engaged by a car part passing along` one of the rails.

1.2. In a toy electric railroad made up of a plurality of toy track sections connected together end to end each section comprising spaced wheel bearing rails,an insulated power rail and-cross ties to which the rails are connected for unitary handling, a source of electric energy connected with the power rail and with one of the wheel bearing rails, means by which to electrically connect an electrically operable device in circuit with the power rail and with the mentioned wheel bearing rail to thereby put said electrically operable device in shunt with the track circuit, and said connecting means includingan elongated contact member, a plurality of separate supporting members Jfor said contact member, said supporting members being o insulatingl material spaced apart in the length of the conta-ct member a distance within the length of one of said sections and each being constructed to utilize the power rail and one oi' the wheel bearing rails of one of said sections to hold the contact member spaced from both of the mentioned rails of said section.

43. As an article of manufacture, an electric toy track section intended to be attached to or removed from track forming relation with other electric toy track sections in the usual manner, said section being madel up of spaced Wheel bearing rails and an intermediate insulated third rail with cross-tie means by which all of the rails are mechanically connected together for unitary handling, a member comprised in the section in addition to said rails and said cross-tie means and being insulated so as to be normally dead and adapted to serve as a contact to be engaged by a part of a. passing car for controlling an electric circuit, and said contact having means by which it may be electrically connected end to end with a similar contact comprised in an adjacent track section.

44. In a three-rail toy electric railroad made up of toy track sections separably connected end to end in track forming relation, a contact strip mounted upon one of said sections in insulated relation to the three rails of said section adapted to serve as a contact to be engaged by a part of a. passing car for controlling an electric circuit in parallel with the train circuit, and said contact strip having means by which it may be connected end to end with a. similar contact strip of an adjacent section.

45. In a three rail toy electric railroad made up of a plurality of separate toy track sections separably connected together end to end in track forming relation, contact means insulated from the three rails of said toy railroad intended for engagement by a p-art of a passing car for controlling an electric circuit in parallel with the train circuit, and said contact means extending across the joint between two adjacent sections and including two members separably joined together and supported upon said two sections respectively.

46. A detachable connector for toy electric railroad track, said connector comprising a pair of insulating plates, a Contact strip fixed to said plates so as to be immovable with respect thereto and to serve in holding said plates connected in a fixed spaced relation to each other, the space between said plates being greater than the width of a cross tieof the toy railroad track to which the connector is to be attached thereby to enable said plates to be positioned at opposite sides of such cross tie when the connector is attached, and means by which to detachably hold said plates in position at opposite sides of such cross tie with said contact strip in insulated spaced relation to such cross tie and in position to be engaged by a car part passing along the rails of the track for controlling an electric circuit.

In testimony whereof I aliiX my signature.

L. GESSFORD HANDY.

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