US2509788A - Toy railroad - Google Patents

Description

y 3 1950 R. G. SMITH 2,509,788

' TOY RAILROAD Filed Dec. 5; 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

iNVENTOR g lF/CHA RD 6'. SMITH F BY W WW/ ATTORNEY R. G. SMITH May 30, 1950 TOY RAILROAD 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 5, 1944 INVENTOR RVs/MRO 6. SMITH ATTORN EY y M, Ma R. G. SMITH 2,509,788

TOY RAILROAD Filed Dec. 5, 1944 I5 Sheets-Sheet 15 7 f m e /7 mm Z0 0 /IV I J O T 5* 2/ l zz INVENTOR RVs/4,420 6. SMITH ATTORNEY Patented May 30, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOY RAILROAD Richard G. Smith, Amsterdam, N. Y.

Application December 5, 1944, Serial No. 566,669

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to toy railroads.

In the operation and maintenance of regular railways it is customary to employ a small car which can be propelled along the track when it is necessary, or may be removed from the track to clear the track for the passage of regular trains. These cars may be operated by hand, or propelled electrically, or by gasoline engine.

The present invention contemplates arranging the toy track layout so that short lengths of wheel bearing and power rails are supported on a laterally shiftable carrier, and this carrier supports laterally of the first track rails a second short length of track rails suitable for supporting a toy hand car, the whole being arranged so that either set of track rails may be inserted into the layout and the toy hand car brought into line with the other rails or shifted out of line. This makes it possible to simulate the use of a hand car.

The invention also contemplates that the track carrier shall be operated electromagnetically from one position to the other, either manually under the control of circuit closers, or semi-automatically, one movement being train controlled, while the other is manually controlled, or completely automatic.

The invention also contemplates the use of a power operated hand car which when brought from the siding position to the aligned position may be started into operation so that it will continue along the track in a manner similar to a train. When it is desired to return to regular train operation the hand car is stopped on the short track raiis, shifted out of the way and the usual rails restored.

ihe invention may conveniently be embodied in an accessory having the hand car-either selfpropelled or a dummy-and the track carrier, its support and operating mechanism, the latter being adapted for insertion into the regular track layout. The track layout may be conventional, but has controlled circuits either manual or automatic and, in some cases, insulated lengths of power rail.

The accompanying drawings show, for purposes of illustrating the present invention, an embodiment in which the invention may take form, together with an electric circuit, it being understood that the drawings are illustrative of the invention rather than limiting the same.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the track acces sory showing the parts in position for regular 2 train operation and carrying supplemental rails alomside the track;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figures 1 and 3 looking in the direction or the arrows;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view on a line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view with the track carrierremoved to show electrical contacts;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 55 of Figures 1 and 2; and Figure 6 is a wiring diagram.

Reference is first made to the wiring diagram of Figure 6. The toy railroad track layout with the conventional wheel bearing rails no, I and power rail II is connected to the usual transformer T through wires indicated at l2, l3 and train control switch it so that propulsion current can be supplied to the power and return rails.

The power rail is here shown as being interrupted by insulators indicated at E and I6 and a jumper connection ll extends from one power rail to the other. The distance separating insulators i5 and it will be sufficient to permit a train, whose running gear is indicated at R, to coast to a stop before it reaches the track accessory indicated generally at A. The train can operate in either direction. This accessory has two solenoid coils 58 and l 9 w..,ose common point is connected by a wire 23 with one of the terminals of the transformer T, for example, the terminal adapted to deliver volts. The outer ends of the coils l8 and it] are connected through push buttons 2! and 22, respectively, to wire 23 which in turn is connected to the return side of the transformer either by a direct Wire as indicated or to the wheel bearing rail. The power wire jumper I? is connected through a wire 24 through contacts to be described with a short length of power rail 25 carried on the accessory so that when the parts are in the position indicated in Figure 6 regular train operation can be had along the tracks.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, it will be seen that the accessory A has a sheet metal base which carries short lengths of wheel bearing rail 3! and short lengths of power rail 32. All these rails are adapted to be connected into track sections having cooperative rails. The particular form of construction of the rails will be varied so that they will fit the rails employed in the remainder of the toy track layout. The over-all space occupied in the track layout by the rails 3| and 32 will normally be somewhat less than the length of the regular track section and they may be supplemented by a suitable short track section to make up the regular track switch section length.

The base 30 has a central depression 33 and the inner or adjacent ends of the wheel bearing rails 3| extend to some extent over this depression 33. The power rails 32, 32 are connected together by a jumper 35 which is connected to a contact 35 carried in and insulated from the depressed part 33 of the base. A sheet metal rail carrier 36 is fitted in the depression 33 and is adapted to slide back and forth therealong being held down by the ends of the rails 3 l This carrier supports lengths of wheel bearing rail 31, 3! which are adapted to be aligned with the wheel bearing rails 3|, 3!. It also carries the short length of power rail 25 above referred to. The rail 25 isinsulated from the carrier 36 and is provided with a contact 33 adapted to engage fixed contact 35 so that when the parts are in the positions indicated in Figures 1, 2 and 6 all the power rails of the track are connected together and continuous train operation may be had.

The track carrier 35 is moved back and forth by a link 59 operated by a bell crank lever 40 pivoted at M. The lever 40 carries a pin 42 connected to an armature as which passes through the coils l3 and 19. These coils i8 and I9 are connected by wires M, 45 and it with binding posts 41, 3 and as so that the coils may be connected to extraneous control devices such as push buttons or circuit control closers 2! and 22.

The depressed portion 33 of the base also carries a contact i! adapted to engage a contact similar to the contact 38 and extending down from the rail 25 so that when the rail 25 is in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 it is connected to the contact 55. The contact 5!! is connected to the wire 24 which in turn is connected to a binding post 5!, this binding post being available for connection to the jumper wire ll.

The carrier 36 also carries two short lengths of wheel bearing rail 52, which may be used to support a hand car. If this hand car is a dummy hand car, only the two track rails 52 will be required to support it and the train may be allowed to coast to a stop between one of the insulators 55 or IE and the accessory so that it will not hit the hand car. The dummy car can be shifted back and forth, if desired.

If a seli-propelled hand car is to be used, the insulators l5 and l5, jumper H and wire 24 may be omitted and the third rail in the region of the accessory will then be live. A self-propelled hand car indicated at 53 in Figures 1, 2, 5 and 6 and will be provided with wiring indicated in Figure 6. This will include a propulsion motor having field winding 54, armature 55 and reversing switch 55 under the control of a solenoid-coil indicated at 57. This coil operates a ratchet 58 which turns the drum 56 of the reversing switch so that the propulsion motor circuit is open or power is applied to the motor to operate it in one direction or the other. As the coil 51 is energized as long as propulsion current is supplied to the propulsion motor, this coil holds the ratchet operating mechanism 58 in one position until deenergized, whereupon the coil operated mechanisms are released and drop.

As the car 53 will be deenergized when it is on the rails 52, 52 and they are in the position indicated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the reversing switch mechanism and propulsion motor will be deenergized and any devices operated by the coil 51 or the motor will assume a released position. Advantage is taken of this fact to provide a convenient means of stopping the selfpropelled hand car at the right place and holding it there while the car is on the siding.

As shown more clearly in Figure 5 the power rail 59 has a dropped portion til. This is adapted to receive a vertically movable stop element 6! which is controlled by the solenoid coil 62. This coil is connected across the armature terminals of the propulsion motor and is energized when the motor is energized. Instead of lifting element 6! by the solenoid as shown, it could be operated by the coil 57 of the reverser.

As above stated normal train operation may be had when the parts are in the position shown in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive. If one wishes to operate the hand car, the train is stopped, the locomotive is brought onto some location, for example, one a siding S, where the power rail is insulated and separately energized, then the push button 2! is closed thereby energizing the coil l9, and this coil will operate the lever 40 and link 39 to shift the carrier 36 from the position indicated, to a position where the parts have been moved to the left, Figures 1 and 2, an amount to bring rails 52 and 59 in line with rails 3! and 32. The rail 59 is provided with two contacts 15 and 16 adapted to engage the fixed contacts 35 and 5!]. In this way the rail 59 will be energized. The reversin switch on the hand car will then be immediately energized, and this will lift the device 5| out of the dropped portion 69 and open the propulsion motor circuit. The hand car, however, will not start until the circuit has been opened and reclosed because a second movement of the reversing unit is necessary to establish the propulsion motor connections. The hand car may then be operated with the control switch at [4 and travel about the track as desired, so long as the train R does not interfere with its operation. The reversing switch of the hand car may be disabled if oneway hand car operation only is desired. When it is desired to stop the hand car it is run toward the accessory and the power turned off just before it gets there, so that it will coast along until the device 5i falls into the dropped portion Bil. This will stop the hand car and. then it can be shifted to the side position by operating the button 22. Where the hand car is a dummy the rail 59 and wiring for this rail may be omitted. Then the power rail between l5 and It will be dead when the hand car is in line with the rails and the train can coast up near the accessory and stop.

Since it is obvious that the invent on may be embodied in other forms and constructions within the scope of the claims, I wish it to be understood that the particular form shown is but one of these forms, and various modifications and changes being possible. I do not otherwise limit myself in any way with respect thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A toy railroad comprising an electrically propelled train, a power supply, track layout having the usual wheel bearing rails and power rails, a track carrier interposed in the track layout and laterally shiftable relative to the adjacent rails of the track and having two sets of wheel bearing rails either of which may be aligned with the adjacent rails so that the train can pass over the aligned set of wheel bearing rails and so that the other set of rails will be disposed laterally of the adjacent rails of the track, the track carrier also having a power rail between each pair of wheel bearing rails the power rail on the carrier being electrically connected with aligned power rails to supply power to the locomotive, electromagnetic means for shifting the track carrier back and fourth, means for energizing the electromagnetic means, and an electrically propelled vehicle of a length to be supported on a pair of track rails on the carrier, whereby it may be shifted from a position to one side of the track where it is deenergized to a position in line with the track where it is energized for self propulsion, the carrier and Vehicle having normally interengageable elements which keep the vehicle in position on the deenergized rails of the carrier, and the vehicle having means for disengaging said elements when propulsion current is supplied to the vehicle.

2. A toy railroad accessory comprisin a base, two sets of fixed power and wheel bearing rails, the sets being separated from one another to provide a gap and aligned with one another whereby the accessory can be interposed in a toy track layout, a transversely reciprocable slider carried by the base and carrying two pairs of wheel bearin rails, either pair of which may be placed in line with the fixed wheel bearing rails, the base being depressed between the sets of fixed rails and the inner ends of the fixed rails overlying the slider and holding the slider down against the base.

3. A toy railroad accessory comprising a base, a slider carried by the base, an electromagnetic device carried on the base for shifting the slider back and fourth, wheel bearing and power rails carried by the base and extending in a direction at right angles to the movement of the slider, wheel bearing and power rails carried by the base at the same spacing as those on the slider, a second set of wheel bearing rails on the slider, and devices for limiting the movement of the slider so that either set of wheel bearing rails thereon may be aligned with the fixed wheel bearing rails on the base, the base being grooved to accommodate the slider and the fixed wheel bearing rails overlying the slider and holding it in the groove.

4. A toy railroad track having wheel bearing rails and a central power rail a short portion of which is depressed below the common level of the remainder of the track, and a toy vehicle on the track having a propulsion motor and a solenoid operated armature energized concurrently with the motor and carrying a stop element adapted to be lifted above the general level of the track when the solenoid is energized and to drop onto the power rail when the solenoid is deenergized and to enter the depression.

RICHARD G. SMITH.

REFERENQES CETED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Oct. 3, 1916 Number Number

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