US2576828A - Cast metal model railroad track - Google Patents

Description

MQW@ Z7, QS WL in. FABER CAST METAL MODEL RAILROAD TRACK Filed Aug. 24, 1946 IN VEN TOR. Wa. Mm P @5f/Q.

Patented Nov. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to improvements in toy and model railway tracks.

n -The use of toy railways for the amusement and instruction of children is quite extensive and the building, especially by amateurs, of model railroad trains, is quite a hobby.

. Toy railways have come equipped with tracks that are usually pressed from some thin sheet metal and are very cheaply and iiimsily constructed.

Theordinary toy railway track, due to its poor and weak construction, is liable to become dis- .arranged so that it will not function properly, ,and if accidentally stepped on by a child or by an adult, it will be crushed beyond possible repair.

Y It is the object of this invention to produce a railway track more especially for toy and model railroads which shall be made from cast material, either metal, such as aluminum, or

aluminum alloys or of some suitable plastic. The construction of the track is to be such that it will be sufliciently strong to resist breakage, even if stepped on by a grown up person.

i lAnother object of the invention is to produce a lcast railway track that can be molded in sections andreadily assembled into any lengths and which shall comprize curved sections that can be employed for interconnecting the straight sides of an endless track and which shall be so designed that the curved sections may be used at either end of such track, being reversible, so as to t either a right or a left hand turn.

A further object of the invention is to produce a railway track of the class described which shall be provided with interconnecting dowel pins arranged in alternate relation by means of which the several sections can be rmly and rigidly interconnected.

A further object of the invention is to produce -a railway section that shall have one rail, either -one of the rails supporting the cars or a third rail, which is insulated from the railway track rangement of parts that will now be described in detail, and for this purpose reference will be had to the accompanying drawing in which the invention has been illustrated in its preferred form, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan View showing portions of three straight railway sections interconnected in operative relation, portions having been broken away and shown in section so as to better disclose the construction;

Figure 2 is a section taken on line 2 2, Figure vFigure 3 is a section similar to section 2 but instead of showing a third rail insulated from the track, it shows one of the train supporting rails so insulated;

Figure 4 is a section taken on line 4 4, Figure 3, and shows one way in which the electrified rail is supported by and insulated from the base;

Figure 5 is a section taken on lines 5 5, Figure l;

Figure 6 is a top plan View to a somewhat enlarged scale showing the adjacent ends of two railway sections and shows in greater detail how the electric connection is effected between they ends of the third rail;

Figure 7 is a diagram in the form of a top plan view showing how the curved sections can be used, either for a right or for a left hand turn; and

Figure 8 is a section taken on line 8 8, Figure 6.

In the drawing reference numeral I0 designates a supporting surface such as a oor and reference numeral II designates the base or road bed part of the invention. It will be observed from Figure 2 that the base is provided with inclined sides I2 whose edges rest on the supporting surface. The center part, which has been designated by reference numeral I 3, is elevated above the supporting surface and has formed integral therewith a transversely extending slightly elevated surface I4 that represents ties. Tracks I5 are cast integral with the base and the latter is also provided at the center of some ties with a pair of spaced Vlugs I6 that position a third rail I'I which is positioned between the lugs and electrically insulated therefrom by some suitable insulating material like that designated by reference numeral I8. The ends of the third rail have been designated by reference numeral I9 and these are slightly bent, as shown most clearly in Figure 6, so that when two sections are interconnected. the ends I9 will come into good electrical contact and will be slightly bent so as to be under sum. cient strain to maintain the contact.

Each track section is provided with two dowel pins which Vhave been designated by reference 'numeral 20, the end of each section has one dowel pin and one opening for the reception of the 4dowel pin carried by the other section. The Idowel pins are secured to their sections by solder or by any other suitable means so as to be permanently attached to the section at points indi- -cated by reference numeral 2 I. Each dowel pin is provided with a transverse hole 22 which is in `register'yvith' V a 'corresppnding'fhol in the mate'- rial of the base and the sections are interconnected with pins 23, as shown more particularly in Figure 5. After the sections have been assembled and interconnected'jth'ey"form"a"very substantial and rigid structure that will re st forces that would destroy the ordinarytoy 1^-I road track. For the purpose' of interconnecting the ends of the straight sections to form an endless track, each set sprovided with anumbr ofarcuate ,sections like those designated by refer- 'n "r'meral Ziifin Figure' v'Due' to the'i'act 'tnat eaeherid br the'e'drved sections 24, nke'the end df the straight Sections; is 'provided with" a single`-dwel pin 20 andan opening'positioned to receive a corresponding dowel pinfrom the adjacent section, 'the curvedendsectiorrs Amay be iised'toiefeet either` a right or a left hand curve ndcariftherefr'' be employed at either end of a 'closed track.

ItV has been `pointedout above that some toy trains and" model Ttra'ins are so constructed' that a third rail is not necessary, the current being p icked upffroin'one'o'f the' supporting rails, which portingkstructure.

v"""iibrder -to'accon'imodate toy and model trains constructed' in"'th`e"manner' just described,` the track" been "slightly modified as shown "in Figresi aridi. v"nrthis, eonstructin the third 1 rail has been omitted together with the lug 'I6 and'm" the' placeV ci'fthdthir'd rail a` combined supporting' railand electric" conductor like"l that Vriesig'nated'by' reference numeral" 2'5 is" subst'i 1'I1`ited."` This rail has downwardly'extending pins "-:r

26 at spaced intervals and "the ties are provided "Withopenings spaced'toitcorrespond with the spacingwof th'e'l'nins"4 andthe latter are 'surrounded by an':insulatingsleevez', which separates the rail 25 from the conducting base. The track sections are provlided" 'attheir'A ends" 'with transverselyV extending flanges 28 as shownin Figure '8 and may als'oh'ave tr'airsverseiyextending flanges atiinter- .be -given 'the' 'appearance of "a cindr or Vballasted roaz'ibed` as" indicated by th'e'stipplingin FigureV 1. .:Pa-rticular 'attention :is 'also called to" the' Inan- Lnerim which the third railis insulated; "f The L6 Vare moldedlattli time'that'theremainder*of the .track .is molded and" the third rail'is merely `provided with" insulating *covering I 8 that electrically separates'it'from'the pins l'and from .the pper surface of 'the ties.

The construction employing the dowel pins alternately arranged makes it possible to positively prevent the sections from coming apart by employing pins 23, which may be easily removed whenever the track has to be separated.

In cases where mechanically operated trains, for example, such as are driven by means of springs or by small gasoline or steam engines, are employed, the third rail may be omitted and can ,be removed `very readily by simply lifting it up- Vwardl'yf` f r'ornits position between pins i6. Pins Zilareprefrably applied after the track has been molded because, by doing so the holes may be cor- `rectly positioned by means of suitable templates, "whereas,l if'tli'epins were to be molded in position it would be more difficult to obtain a satisviacto'ryt and would require the pins to be conv1"I-I'afving'described'the invention what is claimed as new is:

"'A lsectional model railroad track having a section formedofcast metal 'and a pair 'of spaced rails cast integral'therewith,'means at the" ends of the section to reversibly"joinV either end 'thereof toa'like section, 'pairsof 'upstanding'memb'ers Vspaced longitudinally' of the' section, "a third Arail arranged' between 'said pairs 'ofV members, means for electrically insulating said third railffrni 'said members, said'tni'rd r'air having 'the Irrds thereof bfert irffepposite" directions laterauyof the'lngitudinal 'aism'ofthe Section and extending therebiey'fond, theconstriction being such that the "ends 'f 'said vthird r'aiilwill provide 'electrical contact with adjacent third rails on like sections 'iri i'rersible positions C "of assembly, Said' first ereditari @prima @we nn Seeed-'fo the# stetige sed'rreiiieg" lengiidieall'y beraad the endithereof atfeach'end of the sectionoh `opposite sides and same distance from the thirdrailQaLn aperture ineach end ofthe'section', similarly disposed forY receivingfa dow'el whereby ibseetieris .may b e .rsrersiblr'jomea bi1 xtending'ihresh ,e 9.9il'esection and a dowel pin'V to 'lorkafsveltifnib is@ gestioni' wILMER P. FABER.

REFERENCES Crrsn Y The following referencesare ofrecord inthe @1? Q??hs .Pieff UNiTEDSTArEs PATENTS Number Name .Date 11,350,573 Lombardo Aug; 24, A1.32.0 1,559,392 vvhiteleyl oct. 27, 1.925 1,678,079 Reischl 'July 24, 1928 ,2,143,195 Kil-,bi1 9,11. al Janl0, 1.939 `.,.2,.2.ri2r,11 Caruso Feb. 18,194.1 ,2,265,965 Frisbie L ,Dea '9, 19151 einen rebel Maya ne FOREIGN PATENTS Number `.Coimirv Date 493943 Holland Feb. 1,5;A 1.3%,1 s022223

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