US2539640A - Wheeled toy - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 30, 1951 H. SEBEL WHEELED TOY Filed June 14, 1947 I/VVE/VTOI? Ha rry Sc be! Patented Jan. 30, 1951 WHEELED TOY Harry Sebel, London, England Application June 14, 1947, Serial No. 754,645 In Great Britain February 25, 1944 1 Claim. (Cl. 2801.181)

The present invention relates to an action toy and more particularly to a toy suitable for very young children or for general amusement purposes.

The invention is characterised broadly by a wheeled toy simulating an animal and provided with two or more pairs of wheels mounted upon axles which are pivoted to the chassis of the toy intermediate the wheels and are adapted for unidirectional rotation, said axles being connected by links pivoted to the axles either upon the same side of their pivot points to the chassis or upon opposite sides. A body simulating the trunk of a quadruped is attached to the chassis, a head is attached to the front axle and a tail to the rear axle, so that the head and tail move from side to side with respect to the body.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a preferred construction according to the invention, and

Figure 2 shows an alternative preferred construction.

Referring to Figure 1 a central chassis member I provided with a seat is supported upon front and rear pivoted axles 5 and 9. The axles 5 and 9 each carry a pair of wheels 6 each of which is provided with a pawl and ratchet or analogous mechanism permitting rotation of the wheels in only one direction, namely, a forward 1 British patent application 13,885/43. The front and rear axles 5 and 9 are connected by a link IE] which is pivoted to each of the axles. This link H3 is preferably a solid non-flexible link capable of retaining the axles in their relationship to one another. While only one link member is needed a pair of links may be employed in which case the second link l9 occupies the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. It will be evident that by the rider placing his feet upon the footrests 8 provided on the axle 5 and pushing with each foot alternately the vehicle will progress. The axles 5 and 9 pivot about their pivot pins and each wheel of each axle in turn rotates about the other wheel of the axle as itsturning centre.

As shown in Figure 1 the link Hi connects the axles between points which lie on opposite sides to the points at which the axles are themselves pivoted to the chassis member I.

All four wheels 6 are shown as being rotatable in only one and the same directionfbut if desired only one of the wheels need be so provided. Preferably, however, both wheels on the front or back axle are so provided and this provides the same effect as when all four wheels are unidirectional in rotation. The same effect may be obtained by making both wheels on the one side of the vehicle unidirectional leaving the others freely rotatable in both directions. When two or all four wheels are provided with unidirectional rotation devices the rate of progress will be twice that when only one wheel is so provided.

The construction shown in Fig. 1 provides a toy having a tortoise-like or turtle-like progress. This construction lends itself when used as a toy or amusement device to receiving on the chassis a body resembling atortoise or a turtle and to enhance the effect a head may be attached to the front axle and a tail to the rear axle to give a side-to-side rocking motion. Such an arrangement is shown in dotted outline in Fig. 2 where 28 represents the body or shell portion of the tortoise. The head port on 2| is shown as supported in fixed relation to the pivot pin so as to rotate therewith in accordance with the turning movements of the axle 5, and 22 is the tail portion likewise supported in fixed relation to the pivot pin 4' and rotatable therewith in accordance with the turning movements of the axle 9. The leg portions 23 constitute housings for the several wheels 6 and the lateral extensions of the axles 5 and 9.

The construction shown in Figure 2 differs from that shown in Figure 1 in that the link If) connects the two axles on the same side of their pivot points to the chassis member I. This has the eifect that instead of the vehicle progressing in a tortoise-like manner it goes forward crabwise. That is to say, both wheels on one side of the vehicle go forward simultaneously and then both wheels on the other side of the vehicle and so on. Here again whilst only one link I0 is shown two or more links may be provided and if desired, both in the case of Figure 1 and Figure 2 the links when there are more than one may be flexible and formed from wire light cable or the like.

The wheels in the construction shown in Figure 2 may all be provided with the friction pawl 7 or the same effect may be obtained by so providing only two wheels either on the same axle or one wheel on each axle on opposite sides of the vehicle.

In order to assist the rider to balance himself and to enable a good purchase to be obtained in the footrests 8 a suitably disposed handle or reins may be attached to the toy and if necessary the operation of the toy may be efiected by hand Instead of foot pressure. For example, handles connected to the axles by link and lever mechanism may be positioned for convenient operation by the rider.

The wheel need not of course be grounded directly to the axles but may be carried on legs depending from the axles so asgto raisethebody of the toyand'to give the toy legs.

I claim:

A wheeled vehicle adapted for use as a toy amusement device comprising a central longitue.

dinally extending chassis, a running gear composed of two pairs of wheels, an axle for-eachpair of wheels, said axles having, their midpoints pivotally connected to the chassis fonmovement.

about vertical axes, at least one link pivotally connected at its ends to said axles atwpoints-v spaced from said axes and effectively connecting said-: axlesforconcurrent movement about said axes; means onatleast oneoi saidwheelsfor; preventing backward rotation thereof so thatxthe.

vehicle may be moved forward by alternate advancement of the opposite ends of the axles, a body supported on said chassis and simulating the trunk of quadruped, and members representing terminal portions of the quadruped separate from said trunk and attached to said axles for concurrent movement therewith, so that said terminal portions rock from side to side with respecttothetrunk astheopposite ends of the axles are alternately advanced to move" the vehicle forward.

HARRY SEBEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the fileof this patentr.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number; Name Date go 1,386,425 RendtoriT Aug. 2, 1921 1,300,587. Appleby Apr..14,1931 1,859,617 Carlstrom, .May .2.4,; 1.9.32.

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