US2594527A

US2594527A - Spring operated toy

Info

Publication number: US2594527A
Application number: US791118A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wechsler Sammy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1947-12-11
Filing date: 1947-12-11
Publication date: 1952-04-29
Anticipated expiration: 1969-04-29

Description

S. WECHSLER SPRING OPERATED TOY Filed Dec. 11, 1947 INVENZ'OR. SAMMY WECHSL ER A TTORNEYS April 29, 1952 Patented Apr. 29, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIGE 2,594,527 SPRING OPERATED 'roY v Sammy Wechsler, New York, N. Y. Application December 11, 1947, Serial No. 791,118

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to spring operated toys wherein a spring is compressed and more particularly to that type of such toys which are operated by a compressed spring which, when released, will propel the toy in a forward direction.

An object of the invention is to provide a toy of the class described wherein the mounting for the spring is of simplified construction and readily adapted for use with toys having plastic bodies.

Another object is the provision of a toy of the class described in which a simple and efficient release mechanism is provided under the control of the user for releasing the toy to the operation of the spring.

A further object is the provision of a toy of the class described which is attractive in appearance and in which the propelling mechanism has a minimum of parts that are not easily damaged by children. 7

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the accompanying specification and drawings where the invention is shown applied to a toy automobile.

It will be understood however, that-this invention is applicable to any type of toy, for example, an airplane, or to any other toy which it is desired to either propel along the ground or project into the air under the power of a spring, as hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a horizontal view partly in section of a toy automobile embodying the invention, with the spring in extended or released position;

Figure 2 is a view partly in section of the containing tube for the spring, the latter being shown in compressed position;

Figure 3 is a detail view partly in section of a modified form of the locking mechanism for the spring; and

Figure 4 is a rear view showing a modified form of spring holder as used on a slightly different type of automobile body than that shown in Figure 1.

Referring to Figure l, the numeral H) generally denotes the body of a toy automobile which may be made of metal, plastic or any other suitable material. By way of illustration, it will be assumed that a plastic body is shown and this is broken away as indicated in the figure in order to show the mounting for the propelling spring hereinafter described.

Such plastic bodies for toy automobiles are usually die cast or injection molded and in the embodiment shown in the drawing, such a body 2 is molded with horizontal transverse ribs II and 12 therein and the body is provided at its rear end with a tube receiving aperture 13.

A tube 14 made of any suitable material, for example rolled up out of tin, is pushed into the opening I3 and the inner end of said tube is supported between the ribs II and I2.

A normally expanded spring 15 is placed within the tube and the inner end of this spring is suitably formed into a hook or eye It to receive a pin I'I which may be inserted from the bottom of the body as shown in Figure 1.

This pin passes through the rib I2, through the wall of the tube 14 and the eye l6 of the spring and terminates in the rib H thereby securing the tube to the body It and the spring within the tube, the pin performing a double function in this respect.

If now the automobile is placed on the ground and held with one hand while a rod I8 is inserted into the tube 14 with the other hand, the spring 15 will be compressed to the position shown in Figure 2, and when it reaches a suitable com pressed position, a latch I9 in the rod will enter an aperture 20 in the body and engage the inner wall of said aperture, or the latch l9 will enter the enlarged outer end 2| of the tube 14. In either event, the rod [8 will hold the spring I5 under compression.

If now the automobile is released from the hand while the rod I8 is held by the user, and the latch I9 is depressed as indicated by the thumb 22, Figure 2, the automobile will be re leased from the rod l3, spring I5 will suddenly expand, driving the automobile forward a considerable distance. If, instead of an automobile a toy airplane is used, the airplane will be projected into the air by the force of the spring.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the innor end of the latch l9, Figure l, engages the body of the automobile whereas in Figure 2, the inner end of the latch engages theouter end of tube 14, which is shaped to receive it.

The latter construction eliminates the necessity of the opening 20 in the body which is desirable in some instances, whereas the construction in Figure 2 ensures a very definite mutual relationship between the tube I4 and the rod 18 and affords a somewhat more precise latch mechanism, as the latch operation is a metal to metal one instead of being metal to plastic as that shown in connection with Figure 1.

In Figure 3 is shown a modified form of latch mechanism. Here the tube M has an opening 23 in its side wall.

inserted into the tube I 4, the rounded end 28 If now the rod having the rounded end 28 is will engage the nose portion 25 of the spring 24 and depress same and the rod will ride past the nose 25 until said nose enters the notch 21, whereupon the nose will enter the notch, as shown in Figure 3, thereby locking the rod I8 with spring I5 in its compressed position. as shown in Figure 2. 1

If now the outer end of the rod i8 is held in the hand and the outer end 26 of the latch 24 is slightly depressed, the vehicle will be released to the action of spring I5 and will be projected forward away from the rod.

While the invention has been described wherein the spring is mounted within the vehicle or object to be moved,'it will be understood that the relative positions of spring I5 and rod l8 may be reversed in a manner that will be obvious and that the inventive concept resides in interposing the spring between the object to be moved and a member to be held in the hand of the user, to,- gether with the provision of means for releasing the object to the tension of the spring. Referring to Figure 4, a modified form of spring holder is shown replacing the tube I4 shown in the preceding figures. In Figure 4 the body of the automobile is indicated by the numeral 29, but obviously this may be of any type such as that shown in Figure l.

Secured to the bottom of the body in a suitable manner such as by the ordinary drive pins 30, are the bottom plates 3I, 32 which may cover the entire bottom of the automobile or only so much of it as may be necessary.

The plates 3|, 32 are shaped so as to form, when placed together, a tube or bore 33 which forms the housing for the spring I5 andacts exactly the same as the tube I4 in Figures 1 to 3'. The spring I5 is held in the bore 33 iirany" suitable manner as, for example, anchoring the loop I6 of the spring through a hole in the side wall of the bore, or the end of the bore can be pinched together to close it at the forward en with a loop of the spring in the pinch.

While in connection with Figures 1 and 2 the latch I9 is shown for the sake of si'm'plic'ity 'and' convenience as a piece of spring wire riveted or' otherwise secured to the rod or compression mem-'' ber I8, it will be obvious that this latch could be formed by the outer end of the rod turned to form an open eye so that the rod and latch is formed in one piece of metal in a manner that will be obvious.

What is claimed is:

1. In a toy, in combination, a body forming a chamber, a compression member to be held in the hand and to be associated with said body to compress a spring, said member being separable from said body a normally expanded spring positioned within said chamber in said body extending between said body and said member, and latching means secured to said member and engaging the wall of said body at the rear end thereof for holding said member partly within said body to compress said spring, said means having a resilient part lying outside said body and extending freely toward said body to be operated by manual pressure applied thereto when said member is held in the hand to release said body to the action of said spring, to cause said body to withdraw from said member while the latter is held in the hand as aforesaid.

2. The combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein said latching means is resiliently secured to said compression member and engages said body when said member is associated therewith to compress said spring.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 1 including a tube extending longitudinally of the body and wherein said spring is mounted within said tube and where said compression member comprises a rod adapted to enter said tube to compress said spring therein.

4. The combination of a body having a rib therein, a tube secured to said rib and extending lengthwise of said body and through the rear end thereof, a spring within said tube and having its forward end fixed relative to said body, a compression member adapted to be forced into said tube to compress the spring therein and a resilient latch secured to said member and adapted to engage said body whereby said mem ber may be held in said tube against the pressure of said spring.

SAMMY WECHSLER.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,168,815 Madison Jan. 1 8, 1916 2,517,084 Carver Aug. 1, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 837,732 France Feb. 20, 1939