US2551317A

US2551317A - Railroad toy

Info

Publication number: US2551317A
Application number: US786939A
Authority: US
Inventors: Damiano Frank
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1947-11-19
Filing date: 1947-11-19
Publication date: 1951-05-01
Anticipated expiration: 1968-05-01

Description

F. DAMIANO RAILROAD TOY May 1, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 19, 1947 Frank Damiano IN V EN TOR.

BY WW May 1, 1951 F. DAMIANO RAILROAD TOY 3 Sheets$heet 2 Filed Nov. 19, 1947 Frank Damiano I N V EN TOR.

BY flzmaoflu'.

May I, 1951 F. DAMIANO RAILROAD TOY Filed Nov. 19, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Frank Damiano INVENTOR.

Patented May 1, 1951 UNITED STATEfi PATENT OFFHCE RAILROAD TOY Frank Damiano, Newburgh, N. Y.

Application November 19, 1947, Serial No. 786,939

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in toys, more specifically, railroad toys, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herein described, wherein a car, carrying a balancing figure, is movable upon an endless, elevated track, the player or players being required to throwringson the figure while the'car is in motion.

A further object of the invention is to provide a railroad toy which is simple in construction, pleasing in appearance, and which may be easily and conveniently manipulated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a railroad toy which will not easily become damaged, and which will readily lend itself to economical manufacture.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a railroad toy which will constitute a source of continuous amusement for young and old alike.

With the above more important objects in View, and such other objects as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanyin drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational View of the car used in the invention, the same being shown in situ upon the track.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional detail of the track and support therefor.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the car per se, the same being shown in an opened position.

Figure 5 is a top plan View of the track per se, shown in a collapsed position.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 6-4: in Figure 2, and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the rings used in the invention.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of a railroad toy designated generally by the reference character It, the same embodying in its construction an elevated track ll supported in its elevated position by means of a plurality of supports 12.

The track I! is of an endless nature, and consists of a continuous rod E2 of circular crosssectional configuration, the rod l3 being formed in the underside thereof with a longitudinally 1 Claim. (Cl. 46-100) extending slot I 4, wherein a strip-like current collector rail is is secured. A plurality of insulators Iii are provided between the current collector rail i5 and the running rail 1 3, whereby the two rails are electrically isolated.

Each of the aforementioned supports I2 consists of an upright tubular standard I! formed at its lower end with a downwardly and outwardly projecting leg portion !:8, the upper end of the standard i2 being provided with an extension arm i9 which is adjustably secured thereto by means of a wing bolt and nut assembly 20.

The arms I 9 are rigidly secured to the running rail I3 and normally sup-port the entire track I l in an elevated position, as aforesaid. However, by simply loosening the wing nut and bolt assemblies Zil, the standards IT, together with the lugs l8, may be collapsed, so to speak, substantially as shown in Figure 5, so that the entire track may be easily and conveniently stored in a small space, when the toy is not in use.

A car designated generally by the reference character 2| is movable upon the track II, the car 2 I embodying in its construction a main body 22 equipped with a slidable roof and front portion 23, the slidable attachment of the portion 23 to the body 22 facilitating access to the interior of the body which houses an electric motor assembly 24.

A superstructure 25 is mounted upon the roof portion 23, the superstructure 25' housing a pair of wheels 25 which are arranged in tandem, and which are driven by the motor 24 through the medium of suitable gearing 2?. This gearing is carried by convenient brackets 28 secured to the motor 24, and it will be observed that the periphery of the wheels 26 is formed with a substantially semi-circular groove, so as to complementarily engage the contour of the running rail [3, as is best shown in Figure 3.

Electric current to the motor 24 is supplied through the medium of a step-down transformer 29, the secondary windings of which are connected by means of the conductors 3a to the running rail is and to the current collector rail l5, the latter being contacted on the underside thereof by a current collecting roller 3! mounted at the end of a resilient arm 32 which, in turn, is $6- cured and electrically connected to the motor 24.

A. balancing figure 33 is mounted upon the superstructure 25, the figure 33 being of wellknown, conventional type and including what may be referred to as a ladder 34 constituting a standard which, in turn, is surmounted by a platform 3 35 on which the figure 33 balances itself. This balancing action is, of course, achieved by associating a weighted balance bar 36 with the figure, the latter standing on one toe, while the extremity of its remainin leg is uplifted, as at 31.

When the invention is placed in use, the car 2| is caused to travel along the track II which, of course, will result in considerable rocking of the figure 33. The various players are then required to throw or project suitable rings 38 in such manner that the rings are deposited upon the uplifted leg 3'! of the figure 33, as will be clearly apparent.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly understood from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the retails of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is:

In a toy railroad vehicle for travel on an elevated track, the combination of an elongated 4 hollow body consisting of a lower member affording a bottom, sides and one end of said body, and an upper member affording a top and a second end of the body, upper longitudinal edges of the sides of said lower member slidably engaging side edges of the top of said upper member whereby said upper and lower members may he slid longitudinally relative to each other for gaining access to the interior of said body, an upstanding bracket struck out from the top of said upper member, and a bottomless superstructure provided on said bracket in vertically spaced relation to said body.

FRANK DAMIANO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 579,158 Mengis Mar. 23, 1897 1,295,779 McLafferty Feb. 25, 1919 1,547,273 Trayers July 28, 1925 1,674,734 Maynes June 26, 19 8 1,811,270 Henderson June 23-, 1931 1,899,820 Milne Feb. 28, 1933 2,112,072 Cullen Mar. 22, 1938 2,132,187 Rand Oct. 4, 1938 2,392,721 Burlin Jan. 8, 1946