US2602262A

US2602262A - City traffic toy

Info

Publication number: US2602262A
Application number: US19349A
Authority: US
Inventors: Nichols Earl
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1948-04-06
Filing date: 1948-04-06
Publication date: 1952-07-08
Anticipated expiration: 1969-07-08

Description

l July 8, 1952 E. NlcHoLs CITY TRAFFIC TOY Filed April e, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet l July ,8, 1952 E; NlcHoLs 2,602,262

CITY TRAFFIC TOY Filed April 6, 1948 3 *Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

EARL NlcHoLs July 8, 1952 E. NICHOLS 2,602,262

CITY TRAFFIC TOY 3 Sheet.s-Shee'rl 5 Filed April 6, 1948 I N VEN TOR. EARL N lcHoLs Patented July 8, 1952 s PATENT OFFICE CITY TRAFFIC TOY ,Earl Nichols, Richmond Hill, N. Y. Application April 6, 1948, Serial No. 19,349

9A Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in amusement devices, and, more particularly, aims to provide a novel and intriguingly interesting toy having to do with the control of vehicular' traffic.

According to the invention, a replica or representation-of a land area may be provided, as a portion of a city with a plurality of highways simulative of streets dividing the area into a plurality of blocks, with two or more of such streets intersecting each other.

A number'of miniature toyk vehicles are provided on' carriers transported by endless belts running along appointed slots, with all the belts preferably travelling at the same rate of speed, desirably a low one. Also, preferably, a single power means is provided for driving all the belts. Each belt runs around a block, so that normally theremay be a multitude of the toy vehicles simultaneously travelling around the various blocks, at the sides of the streets appropriate to the directions of travel-of said vehicles.

e At the one or more street intersections present, there is further provided a switch means, in the present case shown as manually selectively operable, whereby a toy vehicle approaching a street intersection, and which vehiclewould otherwise as above normally travel around its block, may be made to cross the street intersection, and so be transferred to another belt,- to travel with the latter-around its block. y

For further 'comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, referencewill be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended rclaims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth. In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view, showing an embodiment of the inventionvas now favored, the same illustratively incorporating four city blocks, so that at least one street intersection is provided.

Fig. 2 is a very much enlarged fragmentary top plan view, for showing more clearly said street intersection and the switch means located thereat, and, in the latter connection, for illustrating Aa plurality of` vehicles', with one thereof having just passed said street intersection, another approaching for similar travel, another rounding a corner at said intersection, and another approaching for similar travel. Y

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view, fragmentarily showing one Vof the belts. and also showing a vehicle carrier atop and in engagement with the beltr for transportation thereby; such carrier being shown as'having lawo toy vehicles thereon.

Fig. 4 is afragmentary top plan view, drawn to a scale intermediate that of Fig. 1 and that of Fig, 2, 'and so' ona scale large enough to allow the serrations or teeth on the top of a belt to be indicated; this View also showing the actuators for the individual switch members and a power drive to one of the driving pulleys for one belt. y

Fig. 5 is a Vertical section, taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4. y y

Fig. 6 is a perspective View showing, on a somewhat enlarged scale as compared with Fig. 2, operative connections each between a different actuator and an associated switch member.

Fig. 7 shows certain of the parts of Fig. 6 in top plan.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional detail View, taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Fig. 5; particularly for showing two cylindrical recesses each for receiving one of two `of the pulleys, and, more particularly, for making plain the inclusion of four triangular posts on the tops of which the switch membersv are mounted for fractional rotation.r

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of Fig. 2.

Fig. 10 is a partial vertical sectional View taken substantially'on the line YI Ie-lll of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the drive means, per se.

The toy, according to the present invention, includes a base I5. The base I5, in order to accommodate the aforesaid drive means and the aforesaid operative connections, incorporates (see especially Fig. 5) a bottom board I6, a doubly stepped front wall Il, a top board I9 and an intermediate board I8, thereby providing'an upper chamber 20 and a lower chamber 2l. To maintain the boards I6, I8 and I9 in place in parallel relation, the sides and back of the base are closed in by suitable walls (not shown) to which said boards are suitably attached.

The chamber 20, as will be noted from Fig. 4, is of considerablyless horizontal expanse than the chamber 2 I.

Referring to Figs. 4, 5 and ll, within the chamlber 2| is an electric motor 22,v suitably secured in position, with its shaft 23 carrying a worm 24 in driving engagement with a worm-gear 25 fixed on a shaftl 26'suitably journalled as at 21 and 28. Fixed also on the shaft 26 is 'a spur gear 29, meshing with a gear 35 fixed on a shaft 3l carrying an attached collar 32 and journalled in

bearings

33 and 34.

This shaft 3I flxedly carries a driving pulley 35 for a belt 36; and, for simultaneously driving three

other pulleys

3l, 38 and 39, each the driving pulley for one of the three

otherrbelts

48, 4I and 42, so that all said pulleys rotate,V and all said' belts travel in the direction indicated bythe arrows in Fig. 4, each of the last-named pulleys is fixed on a

shaft

43, 44 or 45 corresponding to the shaft 3|. The shaft 431 has fixed thereon fa' spur gear 46 similar to gear 29. Each of the other two 6o Shafts 44 and 45 has xed thereonl a

similar spur gear

41 or 48, and all four of the

gears

29, 46, 41 and 4B vmesh with a somewhat larger spur gear 43 (Fig. 5) fixed on a shaft 56 having an attached collar 5l' and journalled at 5|a and 51h.

Consequently, when lthe motor 22 is energized through a suitable switch (not shown) carried by the base l5 or in a separate casing connected by appropriate wiring to the motor 22 and to any convenient source of current supply, each of the belts 36 and 40-42 travels around each of the four endless paths indicated at 52, 53, 54 and 55 in Fig. 1; said belts being held to travel through said paths while in drivable contact with the

pulleys

35, 31, 38 and 39, by twelve suitably mounted idler pulleys 56.

As also: shown in Fig. 1, each `of said paths 52--55 runs ,around a rectangular area A, B, C or D, each such area representing say a city block, so that there will be portions of six streets along which the traffic units may travel, and at least one street intersection51.

As indicated in dot and dash lines in Fig. 1 in the case of the block A, each of the four blocks may have a sidewalk representation 58 running around all of its sides, as by applying an appropriate imprinting to the top of the base l5; and along each such sidewalk may be well-like holes, such as indicated at 53, 60 'and 6l, for interchangeably receiving pegs projected from the bottoms of different toy pieces, as lamp-posts, re'plugs, trees, etc., and spaced back from the sidewalk around each of said blocks may be lines of similar holes, as indicated at 62, for interchangeably receiving `pegs projected from the bottoms of other toy pieces constituting miniature reproductions of various types of buildings.

Still referring to Fig. 1, the top of base l5 may be marked -with an arrow N, indicating the north direction, so that the :four corners of the street `intersection 51 may be readily identified compass-wise, in which connection it will be notedV that adjacent each of four push-

buttons

63, 64, -65 and 66, all projected from the front wall l1 of the base l5, appear the markings SW, NW, NE and SE, these respectively for operating, as will later be explained (see, for the moment, Figs. 6 and 7), the four

switch members

61, 68, 69 and 10.

Each of the aforesaid paths 52-55 is an endless slot grooved down into the top portion of the top board I9 of the base I5, and in each of these grooves is one of the belts 36 and 46-42. Each of these endless belts is of a sufficiently flexible material, as leather, to allow passage of the belt easily around itsv pulleys, and each such belt along its upper marginal portion is serrated or toothed as indicated at 15.

Shown in Fig. 3 is a typical one of the aforesaid carriers, 16, to be transported, together with as many of its fellows as desired, by each of the belts as such belt travels in its appointed direction. Each carrier 16 is in the form of an elongated strip, of a material sufficiently flexible to allow the carrier to assume the necessary curvature in passing through the curved portions of the slots running around the pulleys, such, for instance, as the curved slot portions marked 11, 18, 19 and 8D in Fig. 8.

The curved slot portions 11 and 80, see Fig. 8, at their bottoms are somewhat higher than the stepped down portionsfl and 82 of the board I `9 on which the bottoms of the driving

pulleys

35 and 39 rest, and the

curved slot portions

18 and 19, see Figf, are also somewhat higher at their `real object moving in actual traic.

bottoms than the bottoms of cylindrical recesses 83 and '85 on which the bottoms of the

driving pulleys

31 and 36 rest.

A carrier 116 (Fig. 3) ishshown as adapted to carry a pluralityof toy objects `85 and. 86, each representative of a passenger automobile or a truck or the like such as ordinarily constitutes a

Objects

85 and 86 are suitably secured to projections 81 and 68 opstanding from the carrier. Two such miniature vehicles-are preferred for each carrier, one near the forward end thereof, and one near the rear end thereo`f,`for a reason which will be made clear ina moment. A carrier 16 is provided at its bottom with ratchetftooth-like serrations for matchingthe teeth 15 of 2, belt, these serrations of the carrier being on the bottoms of downward extensions 1liEL and16b therefrom at the forward and rear ends thereof. f

Referring now particularly to Fig. 2, a carrier 16 is shown partially on the belt 4| and partially on the belt 45 with the vehicular object l815 `advancing toward the intersection T51-and with-its vehicular object 85 having already crossed the intersection; further, another carrier 16 is shown entirely on the belt 42, with itsv vehicular object 85 rounding the south-east corner at said intersection and with its vehicle`86-approaching said corner.

To insure that a carrier -16 will properly transfer itself fromone belt to anotheras in the-case of the carrier shown at the v,upper part of Fig. v2, is the reason why a carrier is desirably'made as long as illustrated; moreover, the reason Vwhy Va vehicular object is desirably mounted near 'the front end and also near the rearend of-a carrier, is to allow the weight of such objects Vwhich may be cast of lead, to bear downon the carrier, .particularlyv during the transferof a carrier from one belt to another. y y

Comparing Figs. 2 and V8, itwill be noted that to allowa carrier to transfer fromithe slot 52 to the -slot I55, or from the slot '53 to the slot-52, or Afrom the slot 54 to the slot 5,3, or from the slot 55 to the slot 54, that is, to allow a toy car-or vthe like to cross the intersection-51 in'anfeasterly'direction, a southerly direction, a westerly direction, or in a northerly direction, at said lintersection v51 the aligned straight stretches of the

slots

52 and 55 are joined by a'straight slot portion 89, the aligned straight stretches of the slots 53 and -52 are joined by a straight slot portion 96, the aligned straight -stretches of theslots '54 and 53 are joined by a lstraight slot portion'9l, and the aligned straightstretchesofthe slots'55 and 54 are joined by a. straight-slot portion 482.

The switch means provided, vhere shown-as for selective manual operation by 4actuators constituting the push-buttonsyGS-SB(Figs. 4, 6 and 7 ,comprises-as aforesaid, the -switch members {i1-10. Comparing the rviews last-mentioned with Figs. 5 and', each of saidrmemb'ers-61-r-10is fixed on the upperend of-'oneoffour-'shafts82B. With the underside of each such member resting on the top of one of four triangular posts 9.3 in-` tegral with or suitably Ysecured yto the board I9 and defining thev lateral bounds of thefadjacent slot portions, the shaft 92EL carryingthat member extends down through a .suitable `bore 93e, see particularly Fig. 10, in the associated post E93 rand iixedly carried at the bottom of each such shaft is an arm 94, connected by a'rod `95 Vto one of the push-buttons 6'3-66. f

Springs 96, connected'at oneend'to the free ends of the arms 93 and'at theirother-ends to the top board I9, turn the arms against lixed pins9f| 'mountedontheintermediate board I8, see Figs.

associated switch member isrmoved toblock the entrancevtoy the respective curved slot portions 1l, T8, 19 or '80, as shown in the case of the switch member 69 inlig. 1l. In those positions of the

switch members

61, 68, 69 or 10, the leadingdown- Award extension 16a, as the carriers 16 approach the switch members i61, 6'8, 69 or 10, 'will be cammed off the

respective belt

36, 40, 4l or 42 by the

respective switch member

61, 68, 69 or '10 and caused to enter Vthe respective straight slot =89, '90, 9i or92 to move across the intersections =5l; It is appreciatedthat the push buttons 63-66 must be held in'until the rearmost downward extension 1Gb has moved off the

respective belt

36, 40, 4l or 42, when the pressure on the vpush button can be released. The springs '96'will then function to restore the s-witch members 61-19 to their starting positions. Y

As the carriers 16 complete their movement across the intersection, they will be picked up and moved on by the respective belt'3l,.4ll,v 4I' or 42 located on the other side of the intersection.

For example-in order to obtain the action illustrated' in Fig.` 2, in regard to the carrier 16 at the upper part of this view, the switch member 69 was swung to the position shown in Fig. 9 just before the leading end of said carrier reached the same, and then, as soon as the rear end of said carrier entered the slot portion 9|, the said switch member 69 was allowed to snap back to its starting position, by action of its spring-96. f

While I have illustrated and described the preferredembodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as dened in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

vl. A vehicular traflic control toy comprising a base, a plurality of endless belts, means for continuously advancing said belts, means partially xed on said base for guiding said belts to paths of movement having aligned straight stretches which if prolonged to meet would traverse a location analogous to the intersection of one highway with another on an actual land area, the parts of said guiding means xed on said base being slots therein within the lower portions of which slots said belts are accommodated, further guiding means carried by said base constituting slot portions providing such prolongations, a. plurality of toy vehicles, a plurality of elongate carriers each supporting above the same at least one of .said vehicles. said carriers ttable into the upper subdivisions of said slots and slot portions, interhooking means partially carried at the upper sides of said belts and par- "forlatching a c Athat carrier with its underlyingV belt along the y'Gally lC mlvedvatj theundersides or said carriers carrier to a beltto cause travel of slot through which said belt advances, switch means at said location for normally holding a carrier to travel pastsaid location with the same belt by which said carrier was advanced toward said location, andmeans actuable to operate said switch means to engage the leading end of a carrier, when said end of said carrier approaches said location, thereby to direct said end of said carrier into one of said slotkportions for advancing said end of said vcarrier to another belt for latching thereto, the means for guiding said belts also including a plurality of idler pulleys for Veach belt, and the means for continuously advancing said belts including a driving pulley for each belt, and a power means for rotating all said driving pulleys simultaneously, there being at least four of .said belts, and the driving pulleys for said belts being at said location.

2. A vehicular traiic control toy comprising a base, a plurality of endless belts, means for continuously advancing said belts, means partially xed on said base for guiding said belts to paths of movement having aligned straight stretches which if prolonged to meet would traverse a location analogous to the intersection of one highway with another von an actual land area, the parts of said guiding means fixed on said base being slots therein within the lower portions of which slots said belts are accommodated, further guiding means carried by said base constituting slot portions providing such prolongations, a plurality of toy vehicles, a plurality of elongate carriers each supporting above the same at least one of said vehicles, said carriers iittable into the upper subdivisions of said slots and slot portions, interhooking means partially carried at the upper sides of said belts and partially carried at the undersides of said carriers for latching a carrier to a belt to cause travel of that carrier with its underlying belt along the slot through which said belt advances, switch means at said location for normally holding a carrier to travel past said location with the -same belt by which said carrier was advanced toward said location, and means actuable to operate said switch means to engage the'leading end of a carrier, when said end of said carrier approaches said location, thereby to direct said end of said carrier into one of said slot portions for advancing said end of said carrier to another belt for latching thereto, the means for guiding said belts also including a plurality of idler pulleys for each belt, and the means for continuously advancing said belts including a driving pulley for each belt, and a power means for rotating all said driving pulleys simultaneously, there being at least four of said belts, and the driving pulleys for said belts being at said location, there being a spur gear underlying and xed to each of said four driving pulleys, and a fth spur gear between and meshing with all the rst-named four spur gears.

3. A vehiculartraflc control toy comprising a base, a plurality of endless belts, means for continuously advancing said belts, means partially fixed on said base for guiding said belts to paths of movement having aligned straight stretches which if prolonged to meet would traverse a 1ocation analogous to the intersection of one highway with another on an actual land area, the parts of said guiding means xed on said base being slots therein within the lower portions of which slotssaid belts are accommodated, further acoaaee guiding meansv carried byfsaid base constituting slot portions providingfsuch prolongations, a plurality of vvtoy vehicles, aplurality of elongate carriers each'supportin'gabove the same at least-one of said vehicles,- sai'd carriers ttable Yinto the upper subdivisions of said slots and -slot portions, interhookingmeans partially-carried at the -upper sides of saidbelts andpartially carried -at the undersides of-saidl carriers -forllatchingva carrier-to a belt to-cause travel of that-'carrier with said carrier approaches said location thereby -to direct lsaid end-of said carrier Yinto one of said slot portionsfor-advancing -said'end vof said carrier to anotherbelt for vlatching lthereto, there being at -least Vfour of said belts, 'the yguiding means for said belts being shaped and-disposed to cause each belt to approach and then Vturn away from said location whereby rthere -are two possible directions -of--trave1 for a -toy vehicle across said location.

4. A vehicular traino-control toycomprising-a base,` a plurality vof endless-"belts, means for continuously advancing `said' belts, -means partially Xed on said basefor guidingsaidbeltsto paths of movement 'having 'aligned straight vstretches which if prolonged to meet would utraverse -a location analogous to thewintersection of one highway with another on an kactual-land area, the parts of said guiding means-iixed on-said base being slots therein within the "lower portions of Vwhich slot-s said belts areacc'ommodated, further guidingmeans carried bysaid @base constituting slot portions providing such 1prolongations, a A-plurality'o' `toy vehicles, a pluralityY of elongate carriers "each supporting `"above the same at least vone of 'said vehicles, said carriers ttableintoitheupper subdivisions of said slots and slot portions, 'interh'ooking 'means 4partially carried at 'the' upper sides of said 'belts-and .partially carried attheundersides of `said carriers for latching' a carrier'tofabelt 'to cause travel ofr thatv carrier with itsunderlying belt'along the slot through "which'said 'belt "advances, kswitch means at said'location"for"normally holdinga carrier to travelpa'st said locationwiththe .same belt 'by which 'said "carrier 'was nadvanced toward said location, Yand 'means `actuable^tofoperatesaid switch means to'engage the'leading end of'a'carrier, when said 'end 'of said carrier "approaches said locationthe'rebyto direct said end of/said carrier into 'one of Vsaid `slotV portions 4for advancing said end ofsaid 'carrier'to `another 'belt-for latching thereto, there being at least four of said belts, the guiding .means for said belts being shaped and disposed to causeY each belt to approach andthen turn away from said location whereby "there are "two possible directions `oi travel for a toy vehicle acrosssaidflocation, and said switch'means including four-switch members atlsaid'location'.

V5. A vehicular traic control toy -comprising a base, -a plurality -oflendless belts, `means for continuo-usly -advancing --said belts, means partially fixed onsaid base for guidingasaid belt-sto paths of movement having V`aligne`cl-straight stretches which -if prolonged to meet would traverse a locationvanalogous to Ithe intersection of one-highwayvwithanother on an actual'lan'd -its underlying -beltalong the slotthrough which area, 4the .parts ofsaid "guiding means 'xed Ion isaid "base being kslotscherein lwithin the 'lower portions of which slots'said belts vare accommodated, yfurther guiding `means carried Aby said "base constituting'slot portions 'providing -such prolongations, a-pluralityof toyvehicles, va plurality of velongatecarriers `each supporting above Vthe same at Vleastdon'e'of said vehicles, said car- Vriersiittable into the 'upper subdivisions of said slots and-slot portions, interhooking means Vpartially carried atthe upper sides of said belts-and partially carried at the undersides of said carriers for latching Va carrier to `a belt to cause travel of,y that carrier with its--runderlying'belt -along -the'slotthrough which said belt advances, switchmeansat said ylocation for normally holding -a carrier -to'travel ipast said location with `the samelbeltlbyiwhichsaid'carrier Vwas vadvanced toward. said location, and means actuable lto .operate'said switchmeansto engage the leading endof a carrier, when said endof said carrier approaches said location thereby todirect said end of said carrier'intoone of 'said slot portions for .advancing said end Yof .said carrier to another belt forlatching thereto, there being at least four of .said ibelts, the guiding means vfor saidsbelts 'being shaped and disposed to cause each belt `tocfapproach and 'then turn away `from saidlocation 'whereby .there are twoV possible directions oftravel for a `toy vehicle-across said location, .Tand said vswitch means including four switch members at said location, each operable for transfer .of ga vcarrier .from a .different one. of said `four belts .to another belt, therebeing four actuators `eachiseparately operable thus .topperate aiselected switch-member.

y6. A vehiculartraic controltoy comprising a base, aplurality 'of .endless belts, .means V:for continuously advancing 4said belts, .means partially vfixed on said basezforcguiding said belts-to vpaths of Vmovement lhaving alignedstraight .stretches which if prolongedto-meetwouldtraversea location analogous to the intersection'of one highway with another on an: actual :land Tarea, the .parts of said guiding `means Yiixe'don .said Abase being slots therein within the lower portions Yof which slots said ybelts are accommodated, further-guiding means carried ,by said base constitilting slot portions providing such prolongations, fa. plurality of Ntoy vehicles, a .plurality 'of elongate `carrierseach supporting above the same at least oneof saidvehicles, said carriers fittable into the upper subdivisions off'said slots andeslot portions, interhooking-means partially carried at the upper sides-of said belts-andpartially carried at the undersides of nsaidfcarriers for latching a carrier vto a belt to cause travel of that carrier with its `underlying 'belt Aalong the slot through which said belt advances, switch means atsaidlocation Afor normallyholding a carrier to travel pastsaid location .with the same belt by which Ysaid carrier was .advanced toward Said location, and means actu-able to operate said switch means .to engage the leading end of va carri'en'when said end of said carrier approaches said location thereby to direct said end .of said Y carrier into one of "said slotiportions for advancing said end 'of "said carrier'to another belt for latching thereto, therebeing atleast four of 'said belts, vthe guiding means VVfor said belts being shaped'and disposed to cause each Abelt to approach and then turn away from "said location whereby -there are two possible vdirections of travel for a--toy-vehicleacross said location, -said base f-carryingl ovei-its top a representation of a land area including-saidhighways.

Y 7. A vehicular traflic base, a plurality of endless belts, means for continuously advancing said belts, means partially fixed on said base for guiding said belts to paths of movement having aligned straight stretches which if prolonged to meet would traverse a location analogous to the intersection of one highway with another on an actual land area, the parts of said guiding means fixed on said base being slots therein within the lower portions of which slots saidbelts are accommodated, further guiding means carried by said base constituting slot portions providing such prolongations, a plurality of toy vehicles, a plurality of elongate carriers each supporting above the same at least one of said vehicles, said carriers ttable into the upper subdivisions of said slots and slot portions, interhooking means partially carried at the upper side of said belts and partially carried at the undersides of said carriers for latching a carrier to a belt to cause travel of that carrier with its underlying belt along the slot through which said belt advances, switch means at saidlocation for normally holding a carrier to travel past said location with the same belt by which said carrier was advanced toward said location, and means actuable to operate said switch means to engage the leading end of a carrier, when said end of said carrier approaches said location thereby to direct said end of said carrier into one of said slot portions for advancing said end of said carrier to another belt for latching thereto, there being at least four of said belts, the guiding means for said belts being shaped and disposed to cause each belt to approach and then turn away from said location whereby there are two possible directions of travel for a toy vehicle across said location, said base carrying over its top a representation of a Yportion of a city area including at least four blocks, each belt travelling around a diierent one of said blocks.

8. A vehicular traiic control toy comprising a base, a plurality of endless belts, means for continuously advancing said belts, means partially fixed on said base for guiding said belts to paths of movement having aligned straight stretches which if prolonged to meet would traverse a location analogous to the intersection of one highway with another on an actual land area, the parts of said guiding means xed on said base being slots therein within the lower portions of which slots said belts are accommodated, further guiding means carried by said base constituting slot portions providing such prolongations, a plurality of toy vehicles, a plurality of elongate carriers each supporting above the same at least one of said vehicles, said carriers ttable into the upper subdivisions of said slots and slot portions, interhooking means partially carried at the upper sides of said belts and partially carried at the undersides of said carriers for latching a carrier to a belt to cause travel of that carrier with its underlying belt along the slot through which said belt advances, switch means at said location for normally holding a carrier to travel past said location with the same belt by which said carrier was advanced toward said location, and means actuable to operate said switch means to engage the leading end of acarrier, when said end of said carrier approaches said location thereby to direct said end of said lcarrier into one of said slot portions for advancing said end of said carrier to another belt for latching thereto, there being at least four of said belts, the guiding means for said belts being shaped and disposed to cause control toy comprising a each belt to approach and then turn away from said location whereby there are two possible directions of travel for a toy vehicle across said location, said base carrying over its top a representation of a portion of a city area including at least four blocks, each belt travelling around a different one of said blocks, said representation including middle-of-the-street and sidewalk indicia.

9. A vehicular tramo control toy comprising a base, a plurality of endless belts, means for continuously advancing said belts, means partially xed on said base for guiding said belts to paths of movement having aligned `straight stretches which if prolonged to meet would traverse a location analogous to the intersection of one highway with another on an actual land area, the parts of said guiding means xed on said base being slots therein within the lower portions of which slots said belts are accommodated, further guiding means carried by said base constituting slot portions providing such prolongations, a plurality of toy Vehicles, a plurality of elongatecarriers each supporting above the same at least one of said vehicles, said carriers ttable into the upper subdivisions of said slots and slot portions, interhooking means partially carried at the upper sides of said belts and partially carried at the undersides of said carriers for latching a carrier to a belt to cause travel of that carrier with its underlying belt along the slot through which said belt advances, switch means at said location for normally holding a carrier to travel past said location with the same belt by which said carrier was advanced toward said location, and means actuable to operate said switch means to engage the leading end of a carrier, when said end of said carrier approaches said location thereby to direct said end of said carrier into one of said slot portions for advancing said end of said carrier to another belt for latching thereto, there being at least four of said belts,`

the guiding means for said belts being shaped and disposedl to cause each belt to approach and then turn away from said location whereby there are two possible directions of travel for a toy vehicle across said location, said base carrying over its top a representation of a portion of a city area including at least four blocks, each belt travelling around a different one of said blocks, said representation including middle-of-the-street and sidewalk indicia, and saidbase also carrying at its top means for the interchangeable mounting of miniature objects such as lampposts, re plugs, trees, buildings and the like.

i EARL NICHOLS.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Great'Britain y Sept. 22, 1939