US2205459A

US2205459A - Circular racing toy

Info

Publication number: US2205459A
Application number: US235074A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph S Bardega
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1938-10-14
Filing date: 1938-10-14
Publication date: 1940-06-25
Anticipated expiration: 1957-06-25

Description

June 25, 1940. J. 5. BARDEGA 2,205,459

} CIRCULAR RACING TOY I Filed 001;. 14, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Wm. I wflmmu FE I I Inventor Jasz/w S. 5ARDEGA,'

, d W, M Attorneys June 25, 1940.

J. 5. BARDEGA CIRCULAR RACING TOY Filed Oct. 14, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 Inventor l I= -5 Josme/ 5'. EARDEGA 25, 1940. J. 5 BARDEGA 2,205,459

CIRCULAR RACING TOY Filed oci. 14, 1958 s Sheets-Sheet s A iiomeys Patented June 25, 1940 UNITED sTATEs rATENT OFFICE;

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in circular racing toys or amusement devices of the type including an annular raceway over which a plurality of cars or other objects are adapted to travel and has for one of its important objects to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, novel means for driving said cars or other objects in a manner to cause them to travel at different speeds at different points, to pass one another, etc., thus closely simulating a real race and providing considerable amusement and entertainment.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide a racing toy of the aforementioned character embodying driving means for the cars or other objects of such a construction and arrangement that any of the cars may win the race. In other words, the propelling of the cars is What may be considered chance controlled.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a racing toy of the character described which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, attractive in appearance, compact, light in weight and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a racing toy constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is an elevational view thereof.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the driving disc, the motor shaft being shown in section.

Figure 4 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through one of the cars.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view through one of the cars, taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view through a portion of the device, taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken substantially on the line I'l of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a circular platform I of suitable sheet metal. On its periphery, the circular platform I is provided with an integral, dcwnturned supporting flange or skirt 2 which rests on a base 3, also of suitable metal.

The marginal portion of the circular platform I is depressed and otherwise formed to provide an inclined or banked circularraceway which is designated generally by the reference numeral 4.

Guides 5 which are integral with the metallic 5 platform I divide the raceway 4, ,into a plurality of circular, concentric tracks 6. Each track 6 has formed therein a plurality of substantially segmental slots 7 the ends of which are spaced from each other, as illustrated to, advantage in Fig. 1 of the drawings The slots 1 are preferably formed by piercing the metal, thus providing depending reinforcing lips or flanges 8 (see Fig. 6).

In the embodiment illustrated, cars designated generally by the reference numeral 9 are adapted to travel around the tracks 6, being restricted to said tracks by the guides 5. One car is provided for each track. Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, it will be observed that each car 9 includes a suitable body It mounted on axles II. The end portions of the axles II carry wheels I2. Loosely mounted for swinging movement on each axle II is a pawl I3. The pawls l3 are operable in the slots I of the tracks 6.

Mounted on substantially the central portion of the platform I is a spring motor I4. An upstanding Winding key I5 is provided for the motor I4. The motor- I4 is enclosed in a housing IB of suitable metal which, as shown to advantage in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, is formed to simulate a grandstand. It will be noted that the shank of the motor winding key 15 passes rotatably through the top of the motor housing IS.

The shaft ll of the motor I4 extends downwardly through the platform I and has rigidly secured on its lower end a driving disc I8 of suitable metal. Rollers I9 are provided beneath the platform I for preventing excessive wobbling of the driving disc I8. The driving disc I8 comprises an inclined or banked marginal portion 20 corresponding substantially to the banked raceway 4 of the platform I. Rising from the marginal portion 20 of the driving disc I8 are what may be referred to as teeth or abutments 2!. The teeth 2| are arranged to provide spaced circular series, each series being adapted to travel beneath the slots '1 inone of the circular tracks 6. Thus, the teeth 2| are engageable with the pawls l3 for propelling the cars 9.

It is thought that the operation of the device will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. The cars 9 are placed at a starting point on their respective circular tracks I5 with the pawls I 3 thereof hanging through the slots 1 at that particular point and resting on the disc l8, or possibly on one of the teeth 2|. The disc I8 is then actuated by the motor l4. When the disk 18 rotates the teeth 2! engage the pawls I 3 and push the cars 9 around the tracks 6. The same number of teeth 2| are provided for each of the tracks 6. As shown to advantage in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the teeth 2| of each circular series are arranged in differently spaced groups or sections at different points. Also, the spacing of the teeth 2| at one point or section for one of the tracks 6 is preferably different from the spacing of the adjacent teeth. Briefly, the arrangement of the teeth is such that the cars 9 will be caused to travel at different speeds at different points on their respective tracks and said cars will also be caused to pass and perhaps repass one another. When the pawls l3 hit the forward ends of the slots 1 and drag over the connecting portions 22 of the tracks 6 between said slots, said pawls are, of course, disengaged from the teeth 2|. After passing over the connecting portions 22 the pawls l3 drop into the next slot 1 to be again picked up by one of the teeth 2|. Thus, the cars 9 are momentarily disconnected from orfreed of the driving disc l8 as they travel around the tracks 6. Of course, the frequencyof these disconnections is dependent on the number and length of the slots 1. Each time a disconnection takes place the particular car involved loses ground or drops back relative to the driving disc l8 while the pawls l3 are again picked up by the next following teeth. Thus, the uncertainty of the eventual winner of the race is further increased. As best seen in Figure 7, the connecting portions 22 between the circumferential slots 1 are grooved in a manner to provide guides for the pawls l3 as said-pawls travel thereover between said slots.

It is believed that the many advantages of a racing toy constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood and although a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

A racing toy comprising a platform including a plurality of circular tracks, each track having circumferentially spaced slots therein, a disc rotatably mounted beneath the platform, means for actuating the disc, spaced teeth on the disc beneath the slots, wheel supported members operable on the tracks, and pawls pivotally mounted on saidmembcrs and operablein the slots for releasably connecting the members to the disc for actuation thereby, said pawls being engageablc with the platform at the ends of the slots for periodically disconnecting the members from the disc, the platform having circumferential grooves therein connecting the spaced slots for guiding the pawls therebetween.

JOSEPH s. BARDEGA.