US2887823A

US2887823A - Steering mechanism for toys

Info

Publication number: US2887823A
Application number: US761280A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles H Vaughan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-09-12
Filing date: 1958-09-12
Publication date: 1959-05-26
Anticipated expiration: 1976-05-26

Description

May 26, 1959 c. H. VAUGHAN 2,887,823

' STEERING MECHANISM FOR TOYS Filed Sept. 12, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

% W MM May 26, 1959 Filed Sept. 12, 1958 c. H. VAUGHAN,

STEERING MECHANISM FOR TOYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FTTaF/YEX United States Patent 2,887,823 STEERING MECHANISM FOR TOYS Charles H. Vaughan, Pontiac, Mich. Application September 12, 1958, Serial No. 761,280 3 Claims. (Cl. 46-201) This invention relates to a toy vehicle and has particular reference to a steering control mechanism for a toy.

The present invention contemplates a manually controllable steering mechanism for a toy such as a toy automobile, a boat, an airplane, or the like. The control means may be manipulated through a remote control means such as a cord, which may also provide a means for propelling the toy, although a separate motive power source may be employed if desired.

A principle object of the invention is to provide a new and improved dirigible toy and a remote control means for operating the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a directional control mechanism for a toy vehicle which is simple in construction and economical to manufacture. Y

A further object of the invention is to provide a steering control for a toy which may be remotely controlled while the toy is in motion.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and may be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, of which there are two sheets, which by way of illustration show preferred embodiments of the invention and what I now consider to be the best mode in which -I have contemplated applying the principles of my invention. Other embodiments of the invention may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims.

7 In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a toy vehicle equipped with the novel steering mechanism of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the vehicle with the body removed to illustrate the steering mechamsm;

i Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the steering mechanism in another position thereof;

- Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view'of the steering mechanism; 1

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 4;

.Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified form of steering mechanism; and Fig. .7 is a sectional view taken on line 7--7 of Fig. 6.

' A preferred form of the invention is shown in Figs. 1 to 5 in which a toy vehicle 10 having steerable front wheels 12 and rear wheels 14 is provided with a steering mechanism. constructed according to the present invention. The vehicle 10 may include a frame 16 and a body 18 mounted thereon, with the front and rear wheels-12 and 14 supported from the frame 16. As shown in the drawings, the frame lficomprises a generally flat sheet metal plate haviriganarrower forwardly projecting end 20 on which the front wheels 12 are mounted.

The front wheels 12 are journaled on a front axle 22 which is pivotally mounted atits center on a pin or rivet 24, projecting upwardly from the A forward portion 20 of the vehicle frame .16. The front wheels 12 form the steering wheels of the vehicle and the axle 22 may be 2 pivoted on pin 24 between the dotted-line position of the wheels shown in Fig. 2 in which the vehicle will make a right-hand turn and the position shown in Fig. 3

in which the vehicle will turn to the left when propelled in a forward direction.

The directional control mechanism comprises a rod-like control element 30 having its inner end 32 rotatably anchored to a bracket 34 which is suitably secured to the vehicle frame 16. The inner end 32 of the control element 30 is rotatably supported in suitable apertures in bracket 34 for rotation about its axis and has a laterally bent tudinal alignment with the apertures in the bracket 34- in which the inner end 32 of the control element is supported. The control element 30 is preferably made of wire'having some degree of resiliency and the element 30 is bent so that it is maintained in a stressed or sprung condition bet-ween its points of engagement with 'the bracket 34 and the plate 40, which is secured onto the front axle 22.

The up-turned end 42 of plate 40 is spaced forwardly of the pivot pin 24 on which the axle 22 is journaled so that the control element 30 willengage the plate 40 at a point spaced from the pivot axis of the front wheel assembly. The control element 30 is shown in Fig. 4 and in solid lines in Fig. 2 in the position it would occupy when the wheels 12 are set to move the vehicle in a straight line. As will be seen from Fig. 4, the control element 30 is slightly bowed between. its point of engagement between the plate 40 and the bend 38 which leads to the end portion 32 which is journaled in the bracket 34. After passing through the aperture or slot 44 in plate 40, the control element 30 is bent upwardly as at 46 and then rearwardly at 48 and has an upwardly projecting outer end .3 or control arm 50 adapted to pass through a suitable clearance slot in the body 18 of the toy. A string or cord 52 is secured to the outer end of the control element 30 for a purpose to be described hereinafter.

As illustrated in Fig. 5, the control element 30 may be shifted between the two limit positions thereof illustrated in dotted lines inFig. 5 which correspond tothe limit positions of the front wheel assembly of the toy. The vehicle may be propelled by pulling on the cord 52 and the cord is also employed to effect steering of the toy.

When the control arm 50 is rotated to the right-hand side of the'toy into the position shown in Fig. 3, the stressed portion of the control element, which is that portion between bracket 34 and plate 40, will react against the plate 40 in a direction to pivot the same and the axle 22 and wheels 12 carried thereby in a direction to effect a left turn of the toy. When the control element 30 is swung to its other limit position corresponding to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the stress of the controlwire 30 will be in an opposite direction to swing the front wheel assembly in the opposite direction to effect a right-hand turn.

A toy equipped with a steering control mechanism of the kind described herein may be very easily operated through the control cord 52. The resiliency of the control wire 30 is such that the same may be deflected by a pull exerted through the cord 52 to efiect turning of the wheels from one position to another, without change in the r0 tational' position of thecoritrol wire. Thus, when the arm 50 .of the control element is positioned at the righthand side of the toy, as illustrated in solid lines in Fig. 33

Patented May 26,-1959 enemas the front wheels will be turned to efiect a left-hand turn under the normal stress of the control wire the cord- 52 is allowed to remain slack. However, if a sufficiently strong pull is exerted on the cord 52 with the control arm 50in the Fig. 3 position, the control wire will be deflected sufiiciently to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3 to turn. the wheels 12 to efiect a right-hand turn, while the control arm 50 remains at the right-hand side of the toy because of the pull exerted through the cord. When the vehicle is swung in an are at the end of the cord 52, for example, in a right-hand turn, with the control arm 50 extending toward the operator from the right-hand side of the toy, the control wire will be deflected to turn the wheels to the right as long as the cord is maintained sulficiently taut under the influence of centrifugal force. If the cord is then allowed to go slack, the control wire, while remaining in the same rotational position will turn the wheels to the left due to the resiliency of the wire and the normal stress imparted thereto by its engagement with the bracket40. The vehicle will then continue in a left-hand turn and, as soon as the vehicle reaches a certain point. in its left-hand turn relative to the position of the operator, a pull on the cord will swing the upper end 50 of the control element 30 over to its other limit position. If thecord were then to be allowed to go slack, the leverage of the bowed portion of the control wire would be directed in the opposite direction against the plate 40 to pivot the steering wheel assembly in the opposite direction, whereupon the toy would begin to execute a 180 turn. However, if instead a strong pull is again exerted through the cord 52, the control wire will be deflected to turn the wheels for a left-hand turn as long as the cord is maintained in a taut condition by swinging the toy in an are at the end of the cord, even though the arm 50 now extends from the left-hand'side of the vehicle. Subsequent slackening ofthe cord will allow the wheels to be turned bythe stress of. the control wire to eifect a right-hand turn and after av certain point is reached in such turn the control arm 50 will swing over to the opposite or righthand side of:the toy by a slight pull on the cord, to complete the cycle. Thus byproper manipulation of the control cord 52, the toy can be made to traverse a path simulating a figure 8 by executing a substantially 180 turn at each end of: the path of movement.

In. the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 6'

and 7, the construction is essentially the same as that previously described, exceptthat the front wheels 12 are mounted on separate axles 60, each of which is pivotally supported from the frame 16. In this modification a bracket 62 is suitably secured on the forward end of the frame 16 such as byspot welding or the like. The bracket 62.pivotally supports' a bearing element 64 at each end thereof. Each bearing element 64 is pivoted on a pin 66 supported by the bracket 62. The wheel supporting'axles 60.,are supported in thebearing elements 64. A plate 68 is provided at its ends with depending pins 70 journaled in suitable apertures in the bearing elements 64. The plate 68 has a slot 72 through which the control wire 30 extends as inthe previous modification, with the control wire being stressed between its points of engagement with the plate 68 and the fixed anchor bracket to which the inner end of the wire 30 is connected as in the previous modification. The operation of the steering arrangement shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is the same as in the previous modification and movement of the control element 30 into one position will through plate 68 effect pivoting of the bearing elements 64 in one direction to turn the steering wheels 12. Movement of the control, element 30 to its other position will swing bearing elements 64 in the opposite direction to turn the vehicle in the opposite direction.

The, invention has been described in connection with a toy automotive vehicle,but itwill be apparent that the novel steering control mechanism might be employed for operating a direction controlling member such as a rudder on a boat or a suitable airplane control surface. It is also contemplated that the control mechanism might be employed for controlling a single steerable wheel such as in a three-wheeled toy vehicle. The novel steering control might also be employed in a toy vehicle provided with an independent motive power source, such as a fiywheel or spring type motor.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 619,446. filed October 31, 1956, now abandoned, for Steering Mechanism for Toys.

While I have illustrated and described preferred embodiments of my invention, it is understood that these are capable of modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a toy having a body, a direction controlling member pivotally mounted on said body, a control element in the form of a wire rotatably supported on said body for rotation on its axis, said control element engaging said direction controlling member at a point spaced from the pivot axis of the latter and having an arm extending laterally therefrom, and a manually manipulatable cord connected to said arm for imparting movement to said toy and for rotating said control element toward the side of the toy from which the pull is exerted on the cord, said control element being resilient and deflected by its said engagement with said direction controlling member so as to be'stressed to exert a turning force on said direction controlling member, the direction of which turning force is determined by the rotational position of said control element, said control element being disposed so that, when the cord is slack, the stress imparted thereto by said engagement with said direction controlling member reacts against and turns the latter to eifect turning of the toy in a direction opposite the side of the toy on which said arm is disposed, said control element being adapted to yield in response to a pull thereon through said cord to turn said direction controlling member and toy in the opposite direction without change in the rotational posi tion of said control element.

2. In a toy having a body, a direction controlling member pivotally mounted on said body, a control element in the form of a wire rotatably supported on said body for rotation on its axis, said control element engaging said direction controlling member at a point spaced from the to said control element for imparting movement to said toy and for rotating said control element between said positions, said control element being adapted to yield and be deflected without change in its rotational position in response to a pull thereon through said cord to pivot said direction controlling member and thereby turn the toy in the direction opposite that to which it is turned in response to the said turning force exerted thereon by the stress of said control element.

3. In a toy having a body, a direction controlling member pivotally mounted on said body, a control element in the form of-a wire rotatably supported on said body for rotation on its axis, said control element engaging said direction controlling member at a point spaced from the pivot axis of the latter and having an arm extending laterally therefrom, and a manually manipulatable cord connected to said arm for imparting movement to said toy and for rotating said control element toward the side of liontrolling nieinber, the direction of which turning force is determined by the rotational position of said control element, said control element being disposed so that, when the cord is slack and said arm is disposed at one side of the toy, said turning force effects turning of the toy toward the opposite side thereof, said control element being adapted to yield in response to a pull thereon through said cord to turn said direction controlling memher and the toy in the other direction Without change in the rotational position of said control element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS