US1974331A - Toy train - Google Patents

Description

E. L.. GROFF SQP@ m wm,

TOY TRAIN Original Filed March 50, 1954 Patented Sept. i8., i934 infissi rTEN'r OF-Flc i american Flyer Manufacturing Company,

iChicago, lll., a corporation of Illinois @riginal application March 30, 1934, Serial No. 718,286. Divided and this application June 26,

i934, serial No. asas 8 C' il This invention relates to toy trains, either mechanical or electrical and moreparticularly to novel features of construction which contribute to provide an articulated train simulating standard 5 high speed trains of the streamline type set. forth in my copending application, Serial No. 718,286,

led March 30, 1934'of which this case is a di-4 vision.

A primary object of the invention is toprovide l a trainl including a. unit simulating a train vehicle body and having afsingle vestibule section at one end thereof adapted to cooperate with the body of an adjacent unit to close the joint or gap between the Abodies and at the same time permit l of relative angular movement therebetween, so

-that the various units of the train may readily follow track curves.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy train vehicle including al topy or roof, sides.

-and a bottom or bottom support, the said body being open at one end to provide, ineffect, a recess, and having its opposite end fitted with a single vestibule simulating section, capable ,of

spanning the gap between two adjacent vehicles,

and pivotally supported between the roof and the bottom of the body of one vehicle in such a way asto substantially close one end of the body carrying the same and provide a projecting portion adapted to intert or telescope with the open end 80 of an adjacent body. Thus, the presentv invention differs froma vestibule structure which consists of separate though abutting sections respectivelyA 'carried by the adjoining ends of adjacent vehicle bodies'.

vi A further object of the invention is to provide a cylindrical vestibule section carried by one end of the vehicle body and movable with reference thereto, thereby to adapt itself to readily close the gap between adjacent vehicles regardless of 40 whether or not the vestibule simulating section constitutes a part of the coupling means forv ad- ,jacent vehicle bodies.

Astill further object of the invention is to provide a, toy vehicle simulating unit having a mov- '45 able vestibme mm1-.ing section which is ccmmon to the adjacent ends of coupled vehicles, thereby making'a single movable section sumce Afor the complete vestibule simulating element, -witha consequent economy of manufacture and t0 assembly: while at the same time making it possible to .conveniently give the vestibule simulating sections separate color or decorative treatment,

l if desired, prior to assembly on the vehicle.

With the above 'and other objects in view, which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the invention consists in the novel features of` construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and dened in the appended claims. n

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Figure l is a detail elevation of a wheeled car body having the single vestibule section of the present invention applied thereto, the same being illustrated in its relation to other vehicles of the train.

Figure 2 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Figure l.

Mgure 3 is adetail top plan view partly in section, illustrating the adiacent ends of connected vehicle bodies.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several gures of the drawing.

'Referring to the drawing, i@ will be observed that it is proposed to provide a train consisting of a plurality of units A, B, B', etc., each simulating a train vehicle of the selected type and each having therebetween the single vestibule section desig 1 nated generally as C. f

The car bodies A, B, B etc. are preferably of hollow formation and have the external appearance of any selected type of train vehicle, such as passenger cars, Pullmans, baggage cars, freight cars and the like, and also\ preferably have streamline characteristics corresponding to the general streamline eiect of the entire train. Each of the-car bodies preferably includes a top or roof 1, sides 2-2 and a bottom wall 4 or its equivalent, to strengthen and stiifen the bodies, although in some forms of the invention it will be apparent that a full bottom wall is not essential. Each of the bodies is provided at the opposite ends of their tops or roof portions with the coupling extensions 5*--5b formed with a perforation or opening 6b. Also, the bodies are preferably provided with the wheeled trucks 13. Referring, by way of example, more particularly to the unit B and the mounting of the single y vestibule section C thereon, it will be observed that the said section C is preferably of cylindrical section to provide the joint side walls 1* and is also provided with the top wall 7b which conforms generally to the shape ofthe top or roof portion l of the vehicle ,or car body. While it is intended that the vestibule simulating section C shall be of the generally cylindrical or 110 tubular formationshown, nevertheless ,it will, of course, be understood that this term is intended to be relative in the sense that the general crosssectional shape ofthe member C need not neces- 5 sarily describe a complete circle. In every case,

however, the portion of the arc of the circle exposed at the joint between the trains must be suicient at all times to `close the gap between the sides of the car bodies in all relative angular polo sitions thereof when connected. In other words,

it will be apparent that whilethe present in-` vcntion is primarily concerned withr a single vestibule section which not only provides for masking the joint between the ends of adjacent car l5 bodies, and, to that end is intended to be substantially annular or cylindricaLneverthcless any variation from this particular cross-sectional shape such as an oval, must be regarded as within the scope of the invention to permit of the proper latitude in adapting the invention to ve- Inicie bodies of different width when used in con nection with trains of diierent gauge.

The vestibule simulating section C having the general characteristics above described is intended to be movably supported at one end of the car body so that ay portion `thereof normally ex. tends within the car body carrying the same while another portion projects beyond to t in to the open end of an adjacent car body. Clearlyv vaaoi rious expedients may be resorted to for the purpose of movably supporting the single. vestibule simulating section on the car body. However, as will be observed from the drawing, the upper wall 7b of the vestibule simulating section may be prot vided with a pin 9i adapted to enter the opening 6b of the coupling extension 5b, while the lower end of the section isprovided with a pivot element 92 adapted to fit into an opening in the transverse bottom support or bottom extension da. The pivot pin 9i may also serve as a pin for coupling adjacent car bodies. As previously explained, thetop or roof portions l of each car have the integral oiset coupling extensions 5l which are provided with periorations or openings, and "*When the vestibule simulating section C having the pin 9i is assembled on the car body, the said pin 9i may readily function to receive the perforated integral coupling extension 5b of an adjacent vehicle. From the foregoing it will be apparent that a distinctive feature oi the invention is to provide a toy Vehicle having a single vestibule simulating section supported at one end, with means for coupling the vehicle bodies of cars arranged at one 5s dend of the vestibule section. The single vestibule section is intended to be common to the adjacent ends of the car bodies to mask the joint or gap therebetween, but it will of course be understood that it is within the teaching and scope of the oo present invention to provide a vestibule section C at each end of a single car body, thereby to receive the open. ends of adjacent car bodies. In other words, it is within the scope of the present invenv tion to provide a car body which is so formed as to 6 5 :provide in eiect a recess at one end for receiving a single movable vestibule simulating section, a

portion of which projects beyond the vehicle body f 7o And, although the present vestibule section is shownas having its mounting pin 91 forming a ypart ,or the means forcoupling adjacent car simulating train vehicle bodies having the roof bodies, it will of course be understood that the equivalent of the pin 91 may be formed on end of the integral coupling sections 5 whilethesection C is rotatably supported therebeneath.

Without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resortedto, without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

l. A toy train including a plurality of members portions thereof interconnected to permit relative angular movement of the connected bodies,v and a single vestibule simulating section movably supported on one of said vehicle bodies and adapted to extend into the adjacent vehicle body to close the gap therebetween.

2. A toy vehicle having a body simulating av train vehicie and including a top, sides and a. bottom support, and a single vestibule simulating section pivotally mounted on said bottom support and adapted to project beyond the limits of said car body to cooperate with the body of an adjacent vehicle when in coupled relation thereto to span the joint therebetween.

3. A toy vehicle comprising a body formed to simulate a train vehicle and including a bottom, top and sides and a cylindrical vestibule section partially located within the limits of the bottom, top and sides, and pivotally connected with said top.

d. A toy train including a plurality of members simulating train vehicle bodies open at their adjacent ends, and a single vestibule simulating section mounted in one of the open ends of each of said bodies and adapted to intert with `and i315 project into the open end of an adjacent body.

5. A toy train including a. plurality of members simulating train vehicle bodies open at their adj acent ends, and a single vestibule simulating section pivotally mounted in one of the open ends l2@ of each of said bodies and adapted to interiit with and project into the open end of an adjacent .f body. l

6. A toy train including a plurality of members simuiating train vehicle bodies open at their adjacent ends, and asingle one-piece vestibule simulating section mounted in one of the open ends of each of said bodies and adapted to intert Vith and project into the open end of an adjacent I 130 7. A toy vehiclecomprising a. body formed to simulate a trainvehicle and including a bottom, top and sides, and open at one end, and a sub stantially-cylindrical one-piece vestibule section pivoted to the said bottom and top and between the sides of the end of the body opposite 'said open end. 8. A toy train including a. plurality of members' simulating, train vehicle bodies at least one of which has an open end,` a vestibule simulating section carried at .one end of one of the bodies and adapted to interiit with and project through the said open end of an adjacent body, and couf pling means between adjacent bodies cooperating with the vestibule section to maintain the vehicle 145 bodies in train formation. i v

' EMORY L. GROW.

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