US2297143A

US2297143A - Truck for toy railroad cars

Info

Publication number: US2297143A
Application number: US356804A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles V Giaimo
Original assignee: Lionel Corp
Current assignee: Lionel Corp
Priority date: 1940-09-14
Filing date: 1940-09-14
Publication date: 1942-09-29
Anticipated expiration: 1959-09-29

Description

' Sept 29, 1942 c. v. GlAlMo 2,297,143

TRUCK FOR TOY RAILROAD CARS Filed Sept. 14, 1940 lil?) INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 29, 1942 TRUCK FOR TOY RAILROAD CARS Charles V. Giaimo, Irvington, N. J., assignor to rThe Lionel Corporation,.New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 14, 1940, Serial No. 356,804

Claims. .(Cl. 213-212) The present invention relates to trucks for toy railroad cars, and is more particularly directed toward trucks having car coupling devices and electromagnetic means for aiecting an uncoupling of the cars.

The present invention contemplates the provision of trucks for this and similar purposes wherein the magnet coil, current collector and associated parts are in the form of a preassembled unit adapted to be secured directly to the axles of the truck. When the electrical unit is secured directly to the axles of the truck as contemplated by the present invention, the current collecting device or devices carried by it have a very definite location with respect to the axles and therefore with respect to the tracks-on which the wheels travel. When the toy vehicle is in use there is a possibility of the carbody tilting and twisting with respect to the track level. This shifts the body of the truck relative to the axles.

By having the collector shoe carried directly by the axles the swaying or other movement of the car body has no effecten the current collector or its elevation with respect to the track.

The present invention also contemplates devices for the purpose referred to wherein the electrical connections between the current collector and the coil are readily made by means of the spring which is used to secure adequate contact pressure against the rail.

Other and further objects will appear as vthe description proceeds. r

The accompanying drawing shows, for purposes of illustrating the present invention, one of the many embodiments in which the invention may take form, together with modifications of certain parts, it being understood that the drawing is illustrative of the invention rather than limiting the same.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line I-I of Figure 4, showing a combined truck and coupler unit; l

Figure 2 is a sectional View on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, the wheels being omitted;

Figure 3 is an end elevational view taken from the right of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figures 5 and 6 are sectional views taken on the lines 5-5 and I--6, respectively, of Figure 2 looking -in the direction of the respective arrows;

Figure 7 is a sectional view of the contact spring before it is secured in place;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary elevational view through a modified form of construction; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 2 showing two collectors.

The car truck contemplated by the present inrto bear on the center rail II. yieldingly secured to apiece of molded insulating material 46 by a pin 4'I and spring .48. The invention is more particularly intended for use with toy track sections ihaving wheel bearing rails I0, I0, a central third rail I I and two intermediate rails I2, I2 placed at a higher elevation than the other' rails and adapted to supply current to a car-carried current-consuming device in a circuit in shunt with the propulsion circuit through the wheel bearing rails.

The truck has axles I3 and I4 of conventional form, and these carry the usual wheels I5. The ends of the axles are received in elongated holes I6 carried in the downwardly bent portions I'I, II of a sheet metal frame I8. This truck frame is of vthe usual form, and carries a pivot pin I9 by which the truck is connected to-a car body and a drawbar or coupler bar 20 having at its end a coupler hook :2I and a movable coupler head 22. The coupler head is normally in the full line position shown in .Figure 1y and is lifted to the dotand-dash line position either by the hook of another similar coupler during coupling, or by a horizontally movable rod 23 engaging a depending extension 24 on the coupler head.

A sheet metal .stamping 25 has four upwardly extending prongs V2,6 bent'over on to the axles I3 and I4, so as to secure the stamping 25 in place. This stamping also carries two spaced coil supports 21 and `28 apertured to receive a spool 29 carrying a coil 30 and an insulating plate 3|. The spool 29 accommodates an armature 32 connected to the pin or rod v23. The rod 23 has a denite position relative to the axles and the extension 24 fromthe coupler head is large enough to be reached by it normatter what the relative positions of the axles and truck frame.

The outer end of the plate V3| is apertured, as indicated at 33, and this receives two

prongs

34, 34 of a spring 35, shown more in detail in Figure 7. This spring has a soldering lug 35 to receive the lead Wire 3l for the coil 3G. The lower end 38 of the spring 3l extends across underneath the coiland bearsr on the upper end of a pin 39.

This pin is used to rivet together a piece of sheet insulating material 4|] and a molded piece ofinsulating material 4I. The molded piece passes through a hole 42 in the stamping 25. The lower .end of thepin 39 is adapted to ride on one of the -rails I2 and good contact is insured by the pressure of the spring.

Where the toy car is to have any accessory, such as a lamp intended tobe lighted whenever the track is energized, the truck, as shown in Figure 1, is provided with a contactlroller 45 adapted `This roller is sulating piece 46 is secured to the upwardly bent end 49 of the stamping 25 by means of lugs 50 bent over as indicated. The end 49 of the stamping 25 has an opening 5I which receives Figure l, except that the hole 5l in the upwardly Y extending end 49 of the stamping 25 is closed by a non-magnetic sheet metal insert 53, as indicated in Figure 8.

Figure 9 illustrates an arrangement wherein an insulating plate 3| carries a second spring 35 cooperable with a second collector, the parts being the same as above described except thatv the stamping 25 has two holes 42. With this arrangement the coil can be energized by bringing the two supplemental rails to a diierent potential and separate circuit connections may be made to other accessories in the car.

It is obvious that the invention may be embodied in many forms and constructions within the scope of the claims and I wish it to be understood that the particular forms shown are but a few of the many forms. Various modifications and changes being possible, I do not otherwise limit myself in any way with respect thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a toy car truck having a body adapted to be connected to a car body, the body having downwardly bent apertured sides, wheeled axles of smaller diameter than `the vertical width of the apertures in the sides whereby vertical play between the body and the wheels and axles is possible, a frame carrying a horizontal magnet coil whose length is less than the spacing of the axles whereby the coil may be y' passed upwardly between the axles, means for xedly securing the frame to the axles, a downwardly spring pressed current collector having limited vertical movement with respect to the frame whereby the contact will not partake of the vertical movements of the truck frame with respect to the axles, and a horizontally reciprocable armature carried by the coil and extending over one of the axles.

2. The combination with the two axle truck for a toy car and a truck carried coupler having a longitudinally extending coupler bar provided with a coupler head biased toward coupling position, of a coupler head shifting device comprising a longitudinally movable plunger below the coupler bar, a longitudinally extending magnet coil for operating the plunger, a support for the magnet coil including a frame having a portion insertible upwardly between the axles of the truck and a bottom portion engaging the axles f and secured directly to the axles, and a current collector shoe carried by the frame and directly connected to the coil.

3. 'I'he combination of claim 2 wherein the frame has an upwardly extending end outside the axles and opposite the coil and having a contact roller insulatedly secured to said end of the frame, the shoe and roller being offset to cooperate with different rails.

4. In combination, a horizontal frame member, two upwardly extending spaced coil supports, a coil secured between the coil supports, an insulating plate extending laterally from one end of the coil, an opening in the frame member disposed on the side of the coil axis opposite the laterally extending plate, an insulating member extending through the opening and having limited vertical movement therein, a conducting pin carried by the insulating member, and a spring member anchored to the insulating plate and bearing on the pin to urge the insulating member down.

5. A current collecting device comprising a wheeled truck, a horizontal truck carried frame member having an aperture, an insulating plate secured to the frame member and having an end spaced laterally of the aperture, a conducting spring member having prongs bent over onto the plate to secure it to the plate and having an end above the aperture, and a vertically movable conducting element, insulated from the frame member, extending through the aperture therein, and having its upper end engaged by the spring and its lower end exposed for contact with a rail.

6. A combined truck and coupler unit for electric railroad cars, comprising a truck frame, a longitudinally extending coupler bar xedly secured to the frame and having a coupler head biased toward coupling position and having an operating element of substantially vertical dimension, two axles carried by the truck frame for limited vertical movement, a metal plate secured underneath and to the axles, a longitudinally extending, centrally disposed magnet coil secured to the plate, and a plunger in the coil normally out of contact with the operating element of the c oupler head but movable when the coil is energized to engage said member and shift the coupler head, irrespective of the relative movement of the axles with respect to the truck frame.

7. A combined truck and coupler unit such as claimed in claim 5 having an insulated contact shoe carried by and below the plate and laterally oiset with respect to the coil axis.

8. A unit such as claimed in claim 5, having an insulated contact shoe carried by and below the plate and laterally oiset with respect to the coil axis, and wherein the frame has an upwardly bent end opposite the coupler head, and having an insulated spring pressed contact roller disposed centrally of the wheels.

9. A subassembly for toy car trucks, comprising a metal plate having upwardly extending prongs adapted to be bent over onto truck axles, two parallel upwardly extending coil supports spaced closer than the prongs, an insulating plate carried by one coil supporta magnet coil supported by the coil supports, a spring carried by the insulating plate and connected to the coil, a contact member engaged by the end of the spring, the contact member being vertically movable in and .insulated from an aperture in the metal plate, and a plunger in the coil.

10. The combination with the two-axle truck of a toy car, and truck carried coupler having a coupler head biased toward coupling position, of a coupler head shifting device comprising a horizontal, longitudinally movable plunger, a magnet coil for operating the plunger, a support for the magnet coil comprising a vframe movable upwardly between the axles 'of the truck and secured directly to the axles, and a collector shoe carried by the frame, whereby the position of the collector shoe relative to the treads of the wheels is predetermined.

CHARLES V. GIAIMO.