US2610438A

US2610438A - Stack recharged puffing unit for toys

Info

Publication number: US2610438A
Application number: US691848A
Authority: US
Inventors: William R Smith
Original assignee: AC Gilbert Co
Current assignee: AC Gilbert Co
Priority date: 1946-08-20
Filing date: 1946-08-20
Publication date: 1952-09-16
Anticipated expiration: 1969-09-16

Description

V W. R. SMITH STACK RECHARGED PUFFING UNIT FOR TOYS 3 Sheets-She-et l Filed Aug. 20, 194e INVENTOR ATTORNEY Filed Aug. 2o, 194e Sept 16, 1952 w. R. SMITH 2,610,438

STACK RECHARGED PUFFING UNIT FOR TOYS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A lNvENToR WLggia/m 5l A ATTORNEY Sept. 16, 1952 w. R. SMITH STACK RECHARGED `PUF`FING UNIT FOR TOYS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 20, 1946 IKNVTOR Q I,

Y n B Af' 2./

' ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 1 6, 1952 animas 4sinonRECHARGED PUERINGUNrEon 'roYs v ny; New Haven, Gonna;

Applicationaugust-zo, 1946.seria-1No. serais'l 1i lThisl invention` relates to improvements in. a. general typeof sound. and'` smoke. producing. miniature apparatus, disclosed inane. fiorm in mv copending. application Serial No- 677,932. led. J une. 20, 1946,.V in` whichthereV arev claimedA certain features. of. the. inventionrthat are. disclosedbut.

not claimed herein.

An. important ob-ject'of. the.. present improve-r ments is to provide4 anorganization of. the. es-f sential components. of puffing. sound. and. smoke effect apparatus so uninedj and compacted as to be. housable entirely within` the: tiny-Y locomotive. simulating casing. ot an. HO gauge. toy electricj train orwithin.` some comparably Vsmall space: n-v a. trackside hollow ltoy lstructure simulating a steamlpower. house-or the like..V

Anotherobject is to reduce. the size',v lower the cost and. improve theperforma-nce ofthe. air impulsing device whichfgenerates; the pufling effect..

A. further. object is tostore within a. miniature.`

apparatusfor the. indicated. purpose: successive.- limitedsupples of vaporizable uent'substance in. such-.manner that. it is prooffagainst spilling or drainingout of theminiature.locomotive'orother tov contamina the apparatus ilf the" same. aci-4 cidentally be overturned.

Aiurther. object is to f eed puifs otsteamsimulatinavapor to.; a; location' near thedmitative'- power oylindergof. ay toy locomotive andA there-at' cause: the sameitobe. intermittentlydischarged. rr 'ag manner enhancing visibly the. realism of. performance of. atoyatrain'z@ A.; particular objective 'of'Y ments; is to-- coordinate; passageways for.v disl-A charging smoke vor steam simulating fume'srand; for taking in a replenishing charge ofi theiffum'e.U

generating substance. so that' a single smoke stack. wlls'erve both purposes; and so that the intake;v of a heavier-thaneair' uid. fume. sourcev substance; to the. wrong, *destinationirr ther ap'- p'aratus andthe discharging. offv fumesinto wrong. compartments of theapparatus will be inhibitedorjdeterredj..

These and related. objects vwill become clearqin..

greater particular asf the following,V description proceeds; hav-ing reference-to the: accompanyingy drawings? wherein Fialis a perspective' view of' ac toy; locomotive: containing; a. concealed. puffing.' "apparatus course- -ot being; charged with fume'.` producing. substance. through the locomotive smoke' stack.

Fig. Zdis asimilar view iwithgthe'outer casingof the. toy 1ocomotlve, y its. piston. rod and pitman link removed. and the iilling funnel4 restored` to. fuelreceptve lposition- .on the interior. pung. mit.

the locomotive appears Yat I'E'and mayV be Fig.. 3i fs' an' enlarged Fper'specti'mi viewf'of the same subjje'ct as'Fig': 2j showiifrg'thecover"removedI from the' box-like' structure of' the puf'ng4 unit;

Fig; 4` is' a side' elevation of the" apparatus."

shown in Fig. 2. taken' partially in section; on'v the' planes 4 4 4 i'nFie". 5".. y f Fie. 5i`s' a plan View of"l the subject' of' Figs:A` 2;'

tion on the vplane directionjofthe arrows showing' branchl discharge conduits 'for' leading fumes to"` outlet` oriiicesf. proximate the imitatve power'gcylind'ers oftlie,

' Fig; 'Tis a fragmentary view.' oi' ay modified corr-5Y plane' #L1-f struction', taken in section; orrthe` Fig. 5.

Fig. fis'a in Fie'. 4l looking in view' taken' in section on' planea- S- the directionio'f the` arrows;

reveal internal' construction.

approximately full or. actual size equipped witrtwo drive wheels t3 and sixl traction wheels" f4* suited to ride on HO gauge' toy' railway traclsi" Thev tiny site` of rolling stock' in' so`called HO' gauge toyV trains' becomes evident f from the measurement', of' five-eighths inch between railv centers inthe' two -rail' track |15 herein"1 llustpat'ed;y It is apparent' that: the' interior offsuclr small,i miniature, toy locomotives aioridsv extremely' little space for containing and concealing ap paratus capable of' successfully' producing"v soimd" andA smoke effects to enhance the realism ofi toy locomotive performance'. This' stringent restri'c-.f tion of available space heretofore hasledtoa dis-r tribution of the sound 'and smoke' producing ap.- paratus. among. plural Y piecesy of the rolling' stcclltI motiva YFor example, the tender ofthe. locomo- No.. `67'? ,932, led. J une. 20). 1946'.

The: present improvements provide an organe ization. of, the essential. components of the sound, and smoke producing apparatus so uniedland compactedv as. to enable themto. be contained. wholly. within, the tinyspaeeoi` an HO gauge to locomotive along.. with the. electric motoriy which the locomotive is driven.

In.the present. drawings the power motor. of

generaltype shown in jU. S'. Patent' No. 2A grantedv to Marshalll` H. 'Frisbie' except that' the'.

stator of the present motor is a permanent field magnet and the motor runs on direct current at a potential not usually in excess of volts. This renders unnecessary an electromagnetic motor reversing circuit controller such as is employed in the toy locomotive of the said patent which leaves a space that may be occupied by the newly organized pulling unit |9 of the present improvements. Both motor I8 and pumg unit |9 derive their support from the chassis frame of the toy locomotive in whose side walls are journaled the axles 2| of locomotive wheels I3 and |4. Regarding the speed reduction gearing by which motor I8 impels drive wheels |4, it will suffice to note that the motor shaft has worm teeth cut therein which mesh with a worm gear 26 iixed on the axle to which drive wheels |3 are lixed at respectively opposite sides of the locomotive.

The pufling apparatus I9 of the present improvements is constructed as a sub-assembly unit removably attached to a. base plate 29 by holding screws 3| which plate in turn is secured removably to locomotive chassis frame 20 by holding screws 30. A major portion of the puffing unit comprises a box-like structure 32 hollowed out and partitioned to provide a smoke reservoir or fume collecting` chamber 33, a magazine 34 for heavier-than-air vaporizable substance capable of conversion into lighter-than-air smoke-like fumes, a horizontal fume outlet or discharge passageway or conduit 35, and a iiller passageway or .conduit`36 which by-passes chamber 33 and leads the fume source substance to magazine 34. While

passageways

35 and 36, or conduits serving the same purposes, may have devious arrangements and relationships within the novel concepts of this invention they are herein shown to communicate with each other at a junction location 40 spaced beneath the smoke stack outlet 4| formed in the outer casing I6 of the locomotive. Thus, as hereinafter more fully explained, magazine 34 may be recharged with vaporizable substance through smoke stack outlet 4| out of which also will issue the puis of smoke-like fumes produced by automatic operation of the pulling unit. s

For leading steam-like fumes to the location of imitative power cylinders 42 of the toy locomotive, `passageway 35 is intersected by transversely disposed passageways 43 each of which turns downward and extends throughout the length of vertical conduits 44 terminating in a laterally directed fume discharge orice 45 near the bottom ofV each conduit 44 on opposite sides of the locomotive just at the slide bearing for piston rod 46 in each of the imitative power cylinders 42. Puifs of visible vapor willA thereby be caused to spurt out of orice 45 in synchronization with reversals of sliding movement of piston rod 46 lengthwise through the said cylinder bearing into and out of cylinder 42. The piston rod isimpelled by the alternating pushing and pulling of pitman link 41 pivotally connected at 48 to each of the rear traction wheels I4. An imitative slide block 49 reciprocates lengthwise of stationary ways 56 for converting the swinging movement of pitman 41 into rectilinear motion of piston rod 46 as is conventional in the toy train art. If desired, the passageways 43 might communicate directly with smoke reservoir 33 instead of through the medium of'a portion of passageway 35.

The space in the rear portion of box-like structure 32 is divided into a resonance box or sound chamber 55 and a jet compartment 56 `by a vertical plate 51 that is preferably removably installed by means of its edges slidably iitting vertical grooves sunk in the inner surface of structure 32. Plate 51 contains an elongated aperture 58 lipped at v59 to cause sound producing diversion of the jet of air l6|.l expelled by bellows 6| through a jet orifice 62 shown in Fig. 4; Orifice 62 communicates with the bellows chamber through the hollow externally threaded nipple 63 which acts as a clamp bolt threading into stationary bellows head 10 while freely turnable in a clearance hole in rear wall 1| of the box structure. A nut 64 secures nipple 63. Jet compartment 56 opens freely to ambient air at 54. All of these sound producing parts are but briefly herein described for they may be constructed successfully in substantial accordance with my aforesaid copending application in which drawing Fig. '1 shows details of the plate 51.

In the present improvements the reciprocating head 61 of the box style bellows 6| is maintained in parallel relation to stationary bellows head 1U as it reciproates broadsidewise because it is maintained erect in a horizontal rectilinear path and prevented from skewing by means of a slide and follower mechanism including a depending slide foot 68 carried xedly on reciprocating bellows head 61 and riding in a horizontalslot or elongated guideway 69 formed in part by base plate 29 and in part by a channeled cap'plate 12 as best shown in Fig. 8. The horizontally elongated guide foot 68 has a profile shape that accords in transverse cross section with slot 69. Stationary bellows head 1U is fixed to the end wall 1| of box-like structure 32 and is pierced by the tubular nozzle 63 containing jet orifice 62 that threads into head 16 thus serving also as a bolt to clamp heady 16 xedly to structure 32. The bellows head steering function of slide foot 68 promotes uniform iiexing of the bellows walls 14 and prolongs their life, these walls consisting of appropriate limber or limp plicate sheet material such as thin balloon cloth coated with Vinylite and cemented air-tight to the edges of each bellows head. `Cap plate 12 is secured onv base 29 by rivets 92.

Bellows head 61 is caused to reciprocate from left to right in Figs. 2 to 5 by means of a movement transmitting stii T-shaped bar 15 iixed thereon by rivets 13 and containing a vertically elongated slot 11. zontally by the impelling action of a revolving crank pin 18 consisting of a shoulder stud threaded into the flank face of worm gear 19 which is rotatably-supported at on a standard 8| rigid with chassis frame 26.

Much in the manner of the automatic puiing unit of my aforesaid copending application'the box-like structure 32,V including smoke reservoir' 33 and the communicating

passageways

35, 36 is closed and sealed fluid-'tight at the top by a cover plate of insulating material secured removably against the top of structure 32 by six holding screws 86 threading into structure 32. A soft sealing gasket 84 may be interposed between plate A|55 and the top wall edges of structure 32. A floor plate 83 and soft gaskety 82interposed between the same and the bottom wall edges of structure 32 similarly close and seal the magazine 34 at the bottom, being secured removably by four holding screws 9U. A supplementary gasket 9| seals the junction of the closed sound chamber 55 with baseplate 29. Coverplate 85,

Bar 15 is reciprocated horiacme-eer chamber: 5.5,; however;J hasa-azfmeasure; of.' fluid;V communicationfwithusmokeafreservoir'53'3ethrouglrf atinygfhole-:Slf: thatsenables pulsationsr.- of air pressure.;` occasioned iin sound chamber 55 fbyfin termittent f j ets-` of air: 613;:r` to; `beAr` transmitted-tof the smokereservoir 33.-:

SmokeV isgenerated,` inAv reservoir.l 433 by.,T the-2- electrical :heating and vaporiza-tion .ofa'-.replenv ishablefsupply `ofL fume-source, substance derived` fromV magazines. 34e. `l12h-is fsubstance; usually ot, oily, liquid nature, is automaticallyifed.upward byy being absorbed. and. ledl upward. by.; capillary attraction -fromr magazine-1.34 through a. loop: of"

preferablyfbrous glassewicking,sawhichz te tingly plugs 'andl passes.through-holes:in thehor.. zontalpartition:` Wall. 89 magazine 4 ,from reservoirv 33 r. 7 A` fine'. electricalvr resistancewire 93 is. close-,wound tightly about. a. horizontal stretch ofy the wicking-.88 and. an;- chored.- by, being, soldered: to .the outside.Y of eye. letsdat. each of "its ends. These-eyelets-Y pierce. theinsulative...cover plate 85 rand. their. interiors,

through which wire. 93" passes, be plugged.

ywhich otherwise isolates.y

terstices 1 ofv i the material -become saturated. with.

thesupply of iliquidyetbecause of the capillary.' attraction. .they tend strongly to retain the liquid in'. the magazine .and l thus .keepit 'from .leakingout if the toy. locomotiveis accidentally` overturned..

The supplyj of vfume producing.. lioluid'isl replenishable themanner madefevident .by Figs.' 1 and '2 wherein a liquid droppen or the spoutof a .throws-away gelatin..oil can ijls' shown in; serted 'downward intothe fume outlet 4I of.' the locomotive 'sta-ck Vand. preferably ifarienough down th'erein'to enter the ll'er passageway. 3I"of the. pufling' unit. The. latter is providedfwith' a removable upstan'ding. tubularprojection 98whic'h'.

may 'flare i outwardv .like a funnel'wthin or b'ef neath srnok'eystack''l |to prevent illinggliquidde# livered by the'oil" can' from escapingatanypoint between the 'locomotives 'outer casinggl Gl'and'th'e. pufflngunit I9.. In.the;;form illustrated'in the drawingsav typeofoil ican comprising a transparent capsule..w-th. resilientexible walls is shown being manipulated bythe hand I00 of the userr in the manner described -in` greater `particular in my aforesaid copending application.

In Fig. 7=theref`isfi1lustrated a'modied construction .wherein the ller passageway 36' is partitioned crosswise byeacwall .IOI containinga V.tl1`neaded"`i"1ller aperture .sealed Eby theremov- V able.ithreaded.iplug I02 whichcan-.b'e turned and: removed by means of'itsv screwdriver slot H13.-

I1"i..,op,erationv currentis picked up from @the` rails". of i. track. I 5 from which. ,locomotive :I 2 is f insulated.` by..y the non-conductiveAmaterialfor` cl'i'assisv connections ofY wheels I3 and f. I '4,f: byil means of a tender as disclosed in the aforesaid copending application Serial No. 677,932. From Thisbuilds up a `temporaryfpressu'r'e'.intheisounl sucnftended.comethenexibleleadwireswhltlfc.. energizeheating coil 93. Motor.I8:lszelectricallmv energizedy in s shunt relation toircoil.y 93` by. a'dditionalfexiblezlead:Wires: I04- coming; from thee same locomotive' tender] (not .f shown) By,-.turning;.worm' :25ethezmotorsimultaneously? drives-.J the.: locomotivef wheels: I3r andi causes-2 bellows: heads I'I: to r reciprocate: f between-^l itsr; full-1+ linerfand'rbrokenlinefpositions inFig.: 4. 'I'.hefv. strokesaof the bellows :head-.may 'bexbroughtf:into?y anyr'desred synchronous relation :with 'fthearevor lutions of the Wheels I3, I4 and therebywithzthei strokesrfrof pistoni rodfzdfby a'proper-r-choice of gearfratiorb'etween Worrnkgearf'l 9L' and v'vormigear?.A 2 6:1. Forzexampleg. bellowsrhe'adzl ,can .becau'sed tots-make f a2 .blowing-compression of :,thef: bellovvsr contained air: corresponding to if each stroke: 0152:.y pistorrrod-AG which will; realistically causez'spurts oi`r steam :simulatingiumes :to: escapeaoutof coneM cealed porices:v 45 sproxima'te:thefrodabearings: iniv powericylinders :423' as'in` a real :locomotive:- L At the.: saineftime bursts: of.' steam'like: orsmolieeMA like;- -fumes,. depending on. the a colori producings; composition:V of; Vthe .'.oilyfueliirrmagazinez3ll';..vvillf billow'upwardcthrough fsmoketstackfdl asfior'fced'l outx oi reservoir. S31-through'. passagewayawhent 4 ntermittentvjetsxzof air60 are'xprojectedf towards.. andi;V through-.- lippedif opening:- 58y in' the: sounds. plate. 51y and: the1:1ce-i11'to^ sound chamber? 55:

chambery which'xexerts in termittentuid pressulr impulsesithrough. holeizl sin; a reservoir: 33 causes: fumes@ dvvellingf thei: latterH to5 leave stantly; generated? by 'the'.lieati-rgmfrthe corra stantly fuel soakedf wick 88f byresistancewirefff 93-.- Also as'. disclosed `in my aforesaid :ermerrdingI applicationzrthe yplay-"of air:j ets 4on:.theflip'l59" of/faperture" 58 inthe :soundaplatevmakes realistic-2 I Dufflrlg sounds. .f augmented abyf thev resonance' off; the. trapped :body of .'airiinf.soun'dchambert'ss..

Many of the purposes ofthe:present'improvev ment will be served." .byfJ 'variationsf of the and arrangements "of, parts 'herein'cliosent villus trate the invention.: Henceiall" such' variations ofandfrecogni'zed"substitutes for velernentsfofy the* particularfapparatus herein disclosedjwlll bonn*- derstood asf'compreh'ended by" and Withinthe coverage' of such' dennitionsm of 'ther appended?" claims as fairlyinclude the same."

lfclaim':

1. In 'a toyy puningdcomotivehaving 1an iup;

wardly"directedl'smoke'stack outlet' for thezdis-v I charge of visible" fumes',v the combination'` .with'=. said outlet "of, ai source of efumes 4within said Ylcomotive" 'including' a magazine fory storinglaV charge of" heavierthan-air vaporizablefV fume.` sourcesubstance; a fume collecting chambery-a.-

. combination denedIinc1aim lfinvwhich'theffsaid.:

fume .dischargeiconduitvjoins the sai-dillinggconafr duitat a; .junction below-f thezsaid stackfoutlet and :above: .thesaid magazine thereby: tofsdliver: thesaid fumesr:to-.fsaidty illingflconduit at'st'chlA point that they will ascend therethrough to said 4. In a toy pumng locomotive having a smoke stackoutlet for the discharge of visible fumes, the combination defined in' claim 1, together with a shapeless fleece of filaments iilling and confined by the said magazine in a suficiently close mass to inhibit spilling of the said fume source substance out of the said smoke stack in theevent of overturning the said toy locomotive.

.5. Inv a toy pufng locomotive having a smoke stack outlet for the discharge of visible fumes,

thecombination defined in claim 1, together with structure externally on the said locomotive fashioned to simulate the appearance of a steam power cylinder, together with an auxiliary passageway leading away fumes derived from the said source of fumes and giving outwardly of the locomotive at a point sumciently proximate said cylinder simulating structure so Vthat fumes emitted from said auxiliary passageway at said point will appear to issue from said cylinder.

6. In a toy puffing locomotive having a smoke stack outlet for the discharge of visible fumes, the combination dened in claim 1, together with a removable external casing shell on the said locomotive said shell carrying structure fashioned to simulate the appearance of a steam power cylinder, together with an extension of said fume discharge conduit structurally separate from said casing shell containing a branch passageway leading away fumes derived from the said fume discharge `conduit and opening outwardly of the locomotive at a point proximate said cylinder simulating structure.

7. Pseudo steam puing apparatus for hollow toys, including the combination with means to generate and store fumes, of a box-like-bellows for impulsing air to displace said fumes comprising, a stationary bellows head containing a jet orice, another bellows head movable in a path to approach and recede from said stationarybellows head, a limp plicate sheet material encompassing thespace between and connected to said bellows heads,v and a slide and follower mechanism cooperatively related to said movable bellows head in a manner to maintain the same in parallel relation to said stationary bellows head as the former approaches and recedes from the latter.

8. Pseudo steam puffing apparatus as defined in claim 7, in which the said slide and follower includes a guide foot carried by the said movable bellows head and an elongated guideway traversable by said guide foot toward and away from the said stationary bellows head.

9. Pseudo steam puing apparatus as defined in claim 7, in which the said slide and follower includes a guide foot rigid with said movable bellows head'elongated in directions toward and away from said stationary bellows head, and ak stationary guideway elongated in the said directions traversable by said guide foot and tting bellows head against departure from parallel relation to said stationary bellows head.

10. Pseudo steam pufling apparatus as defined in claim 7, 'in which the said slide and follower mechanism causes the said movable bellows head to travel in a horizontal path, together with a stiff bar fixed on and projecting horizontally from said movable bellows head, containing a vertically elongated slot, and a crank pin disposed to revolve in a vertical plane having a free sliding t in said slot.

11. Miniature unitary apparatus for emitting visible fumes comprising a box-like structure and partitions shaped and disposed to divide the interior of said structure into chambers and passageways including a fume reservoir, a horizontal passageway leading from said reservoir, and a magazine for fume source liquid underlying both said reservoir and said 'passageways together with means to feed said liquid upward automatically from said magazine into said fume chamber.

12. Miniature unitary apparatus as defined in claim 1l, together with a hollow toy locomotive shell housing said apparatus, a smoke stack outlet in said shell, and a tubular conduit extending between said outlet and the said box-like structure arranged to afford a passageway communication between the said fume reservoir the said magazine and said stack outlet.

13. Miniature unitary apparatus as dened in claim 11, together with a hollow toy locomotive shell housing said apparatus, a smoke stack outlet in said shell, and a funnel-like conduit disposed to give passageway communication between the said fume reservoir the said magazine and said stack outlet.

14. In a toy pu'ing locomotive, the combination of an inverted hollow shell modeled externally in imitation of a real locomotive including an engineers cab at the rear, an inverted box-like wheeled chassis frame having side walls `joined by a platform affording roof wall nested upward at least partially and separably within said shell, a locomotive propelling electric motor carried on said chassis frame substantially beneath and partially nested upward in said cab, and apparatus comprising movable elements operative to produce pseudo locomotive puiiing eects organized as a sub-assembly of apparatus parts mounted on said roof wall of the chassis frame ahead of said cab and constructed to be separable as a unit from said shell and from said chassis frame, the said apparatusincluding a bellows, a crank and pitman link operating said bellowsand a worm gear impellingly related to said crank, the said locomotive propelling motor having a worm meshable with said worm gear.

the latter in a manner to constrain said movable l WILLIAM R. SMITH.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name k Date 1,287,767 Schanschiel Dec. 17, 1918 1,287,768 Schanschieff Dec. 17, 1918 1,287,769 Y SchanSchieif Dec. 17, 1918 1,737,787 Dombrow Dec. 3, 1929 2,078,145 Hall Apr. 6, 1937 2,253,610 Coderre Aug. 26, 1941 2,324,359 Callan July 13, 1943 2,520,916 Dasenbrock Sept. 5, 1950