US2952941A - Brake controlled magnetic game - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 20, 1960 Filed May 14, 1958 R. L. PUNSHON BRAKE CONTROLLED MAGNETIC GAME 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 20, 1960 Filed May 14, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 62b ll IILLLWH HI 7| LM 7s Sept. 20, 1960 Filed May 14, 1958 R. L. PUNSHON BRAKE CONTROLLED MAGNETIC GAME-I 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept. 20, 1960 R. L. PUNSHON BRAKE CONTROLLED MAGNETIC GAME 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 14, 1958 HIE IOO

Sept. 20, 1960 Filed May 14, 1958 R. L. PUNSHON BRAKE CONTROLLED MAGNETIC GAME 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 BRAKE CONTROLLED MAGNETIC GAME Richard L. Punshon, 2944 Retallark St., Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada Filed May 14, 1958, Ser. No. 735,173

6 Claims. (Cl. 46240) This invention relates to a brake controlled magnetic game and is a continuation in part of my United States patent application for magnetic controlled toy equipment, Serial Number 601,250, filed July 31, 1956, now abandoned.

One object of my invention has been to provide a brake controlled electrical driven magnetic game of relatively simple construction, comprising a housing having a bottom floor, and a top floor having a circumferential aperture in its central portion, and said floors spaced apart by hollow pillars and secured together by bolts through the floors and pillars.

A further object has been to provide a turn table mounted on a plurality of wheels wherein the table may turn around a post in the center of a circumferential floor.

A further object has been to provide an arm integral at one end with an electrically driven motor, and having a hollow bearing integrally secured to its other end to lit and turn on a post on and adjacent the perimeter of a turn table.

A further object has been to provide a traction wheel with its axle supporting an electrically driven motor which drives a pinion gear and the pinion gear drives a ring gear which is secured to the traction wheel which when in motion travels in a circle on a circumferential floor.

A further object has been to provide a brake controlled electric driven magnetic game wherein the player operating the game controls all the movements of the motivated traction wheel by manipulating a brake.

A further object of this invention is to provide a brake controlled game wherein the person operating the game can, by manipulating the brake of the game machine at the precise moment, cause the mechanism to change the course of a traction wheel from one circular movement to another while said traction wheel is in motion.

A further object of my invention is to provide a carriage mounted on a spring actuated hinge secured to the top of a conventional motor, and the said spring actuated hinge having one end of a bar or shaft secured to one of its ends, and the other end of the shaft to project through the body of a magnet supporting carriage, to support said carriage upward against the underside of the upper or top floor of the game housing.

A further object of my invention is to provide a magnet conveying carriage mounted on a conventional motor and sustained or supported to the underside of the top floor of the game housing by hinged spring means connecting said carriage to said top floor, all for the purpose of guiding by magnetic attraction at free moving member such as a toy car or the like positioned on the topsurface of said top floor of the game housing.

A further object of my invention is to provide removable hazards such as gateways, walls, tunnels and the like to be placed on the top floor of the housing of my game in order that the player of the game may have an objective in steering toy cars and the like around and through these hazards without missing the target aimed for.

A further and important object of my invention is that it depends on the skill used by the person operating the brake at the precise instant as to whether the free moving toy car is guided safely around or clear of the hazards or hazard.

A further object of my invention is to provide an electrical motivated magnetic game which can be entirely manipulated by use of a brake lever only, to cause a motor driven traction wheel supporting a motor and magnet to travel in three difierent circles wherein the brake lever can be manipulated by precise coordination of the hand and eye of the operator to cause said motivated traction wheel and motor with magnet to change its course of circular travel from one circle to another circle of a different circumference while in revolutionary movement.

A further and important object of my invention is that the construction of the game may be modified to effect cheap manufacture by constructing most of the parts of the mechanism of plastic masonite, wood or other nonmagnetic materials.

Other objects and advantages inherent in my invention will be apparent from the following description of an embodiment thereof and the appended drawing wherein- Figure 1 is a horizontal view in elevation with parts cut away to allow visualization of mechanism within the housing.

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the bottom floor of the game housing illustrating the turn table, commutator and arm to motor and traction wheel, and brake assembly in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the spring actuated hinge connected to the magnet conveying carriage by a bar or shaft.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the spring actuated hinge secured to the top of the motor, also illustrating the hinge bar or shaft in assembly with the spring actuated hinge and the magnet conveying carriage, also illustrating the commutator arm and bearing and the traction wheel in dotted lines, and a view of the ring gear and pinion.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the top floor of the game housing illustrating the toy car on the top floor, and the turn table and commutator assembly attached to motor and the spring actuated hinge are seen on the bottom floor viewing down through the large circumferential aperture in the top floor.

Figure 6 is a horizontal view of a conventional motor mounted on my axle shaft, and illustrating the ring gear being attached to the traction wheel, and the pinion gear attached to the motor armature shaft.

Figure 7 is a view in elevation taken on the line 77 of Figure 6 illustrating the inside of the traction wheel and ring gear being bolted together, also illustrating the pinion and the sectioned traction wheel axle shaft and motor armature shaft.

[Figure 8 is a rear View of the brake assembly attached to the underside of the bottom floor, also illustrating the upper end of the brake lever contacting the periphery'of the turn table, also a view of one of the turn table wheels, and an illustration of the commutator arm passing over the slip spring, and a view of the electric current conducting wire being threaded through an eye which is welded to the commutator arm.

{Figure 9 is a top plan view of the brake assembly supporting plate.

Figure 10 is a vertical view in elevation of the brake lever.

Figure 11 is a horizontal section taken on the line 11-11 of Figure 1 illustrating in part the total mechanism of the invention.

Construction Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the specification and drawings. 7 Referring to the drawings, ;a brake controlled magnetic game according .to my invention comprises a housing illustrated in Figures 1, and 11 wherein the vmechanism of the brake controlledgarneis illustrated.

The housing of the game seen in Figure 1 has two circumferential floors, a bottom floor 20, and a top floor 21, the bottom and top floors 20 and 21, are spaced apart by a plurality of hollow pillars 22 equispacedadjacent the perimeter, of thefloors 20 and 21, and the top floor 21- has a plurality of countersunk apertures 23 equispaced adjacent, its perimeter to receive the taper headed bolts 24, the bolts 24 project down through the apertures 23 and throughthe hollow pillars22, and through apertures 26. equispacedradjacent the perimeter of the bottom floor 20, and in Figure 5 is'seen thatrthe heads of the bolts 24 are'slotted, designated by 27 to receive a screw driver to hold them from turning while turning up, the feet 25 to secure the entirehousing in fixed position. There is arnarrow wall 28 projecting above and around the top floor 21 to preventtoy cars and the like from falling off while the game is in operation, and the wall 28 is secured around the edge of floor 21 by a plurality of screws .29. There is a section of wire screen 30 illustrated on 'the and screw into legs or feetjof the housing floor housing'in Figure 1 which wire screen is intended to go around the housing for appearance and to allow circulation'of air for cooling the motor, 'andwany suitable method of securingthe screen tothe housing may be used.

game machine, and the parts claimed to .be as new invention are: a turn table 31 and turn table'wheels 32, and an integral commutator bearing 33 and arm 33A rotatablymounted on a vertical axle 34, and a slip spring 35 is secured to the top side of the table 31 by screws 36.- The commutator is composed. of the bearing 33 having a circumferential or cylindrical or Bakelite insulator sleeve .37 pressed around its periphery to prevent electricity passing from the brass shell or sleeve 38 across to the bearing 33, the brass sleeve 38 is pressed around the outer circumference of the insulator sleeve 37, the parts 33, 37 and 38 are called the commutator,- and the commutator is rotatably mounted on the vertical axle 34, the axle 34 is turned or machined down at its ends to leave aspindle and shoulder at each end of the axle in order that the ends of the axle spindles may be threaded I to receive nuts 39, 40 and 41 and washers 42, and 43, and" a clutch compression spring 44. The commutator is positioned and turns on a fibre or'felt washer 45 positioned between the commutator bearing 33'and the turn table 31, as seen in Figure 11, one spindle end of the axle '34 projects down through the washer 45 and through the turn table 31, and through a circumferential plate 46 and a nut 41 is turned up on the spindle end of theaxle 34 against the plate 46 which secures the commutator axle 34 firmly in a symmetrical 'vertical' position relative to the table 31, the commutator bearing 33 rotates around the axle 34 when the brake lever 47 is in contact 'with the turn table 31 and stops the turn table from revolving.

The turn table 31 is mounted on a plurality of wheels 32 as illustrated in Figures 11, 2 and 5, and has 'a hollow bearing 48 pressed into-its central portion, and the bear- .ing 48 and-table 31 is slidably and rotatably mount'ecl on 4 a V chined down at its upper end to form a spindle 56 which can be threaded to receive nuts 52 and 53, there is a bottom ball race 54 secured to the table 31 by ascrew 54a seen in Figure 2 and a top'ball race 55 around the upper end of the post 49 and ball bearings between the races 54 and 55 and the nut 5-2 is turned down on the spindle end 56 of the post 49 to exert suflicient pressure on the ball races to maintain the turn table 31 from jumping or moving out of coaxial parallel'alignment with the floor 21 during its circular movement, when the nut 52 has been turned downbn the race 55 to the desired pressure it is locked in position by lock nut 53. There is a vertical post 57- integral with the-ball race 54 on which one end of an electrical current transmitting brush 58 is secured by a screw 59, and the other end of brush 58 is in constant contact with the brass sleeve 38 during its revolutionary movement, also when not in motion.

The end of the commutator arm 33A is welded at 3317 to the commutator housing 641 of the conventional motor 61. There is provided a traction wheel 62 rotatably mounted on an axle 63being flat at one end 63a, and on this flat portion 63a of the axle 63'is mounted a conventional type of motor 61 which may be a motor to be driven by alternating electric current or, a motor designed to be driven by direct electric current, the motor 61 is secured to the portion 63a of the axle 63' by substantial screws 64. a

As it is necessary to rotate a substantial conventional magnet in circles adjacent the'underside of the floor 21 to attract and guide a magnet 65 carried by a free moving toy 'car 66 which is to travel in circles on the top of the floor 21, a magnet conveying carriage 67 is provided to carry a magnet 68, and the carriage 67 is sup ported upwardly against the underside of floor 21 by a bar 69 which is held in the turned end 69a of the upper leaf 70 of'a spring actuated hinge, the spring actuated hinge has two leaves 70 and 71, the bottom leaf 71 is more easily visualized in Figures 1, 3 and 4, and there is a hinge pin 72 connecting the hinge leaves 70 and 71 which is illustrated in Figures 1, 3, 4, and 11 andaround I the hinge pin 72 is coiled a spring 73 and its ends 74 press down on the hinge 71' forcing the end at 75 to deliver pressureto the underside of the hinge leaf 70 which in turn forces the bar 69 and the magnet conveying carriage 67 upwards against the underside of the top floor 2 1 and maintains the carriage 67 against the floor 21 while the game is in motion as well as when not in motion, the spring actuated hinge assembly is positioned on the top of the motor 61 as seen in Figures 1, 3, 4, andll and is secured to the motor 61 by screws 76 seen in' Figure 4 which go through apertures'77 seen in Figure '3 and threaded into, apertures 78 seen in Figure 2. The object a vertical post 49 as seen in Figure 11 which hasoaflat head 50, and the post 49 projects throughthe center. of

, the bottom floor 20 and is secured to the. bottom floor '20 in a symmetrical vertical position relative to'table: 31

I l by screws 51 through its head 50, the purpose ofthe post 49 is to hold the turn table'on center'duringits' revoluof the spring actuated hinge 70 and 71 is to support a round bar or shaft 69 rigidly in a horizontal position pro jecting through a circumferential hollow bearing 101 seen in'Figure 3 machined out of the carriage body 67, and the carriage67 is rockably and rotatably mounted on the shaft 69 to insure all four wheels of the carriage 67 to contact the underside of floor 21 while travelling around and against theunderside of 110m 21. In order that the conventional motor 61 drives the traction wheel 62, a ring gear 62a is bolted to the spokes of the traction wheel 62, by bolts 79 and the ring gear 62a is driven by a pinion gear 62b mounted onthe armature shaft 80 of the motor 61, the traction wheel 62 is held in place on the axle 63 by a washer 81 and a nut 82. Figures 6 and 7 illustrate the motor and traction-wheel assembly. Figure 7 illustrates armature shaft 86 and axle 63 sectioned. v I

The brake assembly is illustrated in Figures 1 and 11, and in dotted linesin Figures 2 and 5, and, Figure 8 is a hacker rear view of thebrake pedal 47 as directed by the small arrowl83 seen'in Figure 5, the view in Figure 8 illustrates the brake pedal 47 contacting the lower pedal 47 projects through an aperture 84 in the plate 85 and through an aperture 86 cut through the floor 20, the plate 85 has two downward projecting brackets 87 integrally joined to it, and there are apertures through the brackets 87, the brake pedal 47 has an aperture 88 through its intermediate portion seen in Figure and the pedal 47 is mounted in rockable position on a pin 89 which passes through the pedal bearing or aperture 88 seen in Figure 10 and through apertures in the brackets 87, and the assembly of the plate 85, pedal 47, pin 89, spring 102 are secured to the underside of the floor 20 by screws 89a through aperture 8% seen in Figures 1, 8 and 9, the end 90 of the drag link or rod 90a is hooked through the aperture 91 in the bottom end of the pedal 47. In Figure 11 it illustrates the drag link or rod 90a connected to the turned end 92 of the vertical rod 93 which projects up through aperture 94 through the floor 20, and through an aperture 95 through the top floor 21, and through a short piece of piping 96, and through the end of the brake handle 97 where it is secured by a set screw 98. The brake handle 97 has a slot 99 through its shank to receive a switch handle 100. The piping 96 rests on the floor 21 and is for the purpose of a rest for the brake handle 97 and prevents the rod 93 and handle 97 from dropping down out of position. The brake spring 102 seen in Figures 1, 8 and 11 and in dotted lines in Figures 5 and 6 is for the purpose of retaining the brake pedal in inoperative position. There is a light switch box 103 in assembly with the brake assembly which has a light bulb 104 projecting from the switch box 103, and when the brake handle 97 is at X to put the pedal 47 against the turn table 31' it also moves the switch handle 100 which turns on a light in the light bulb 104, and the instant the brake handle 97 is released the tension spring 102 pulling at the bottom end of pedal 47 rocks the upper end of pedal 47 away from the turn table 31 releasing the turn table 31 to start revolving, also throwing the brake handle 97 in reverse which in turn moves the switch handle 100 which turns off the light in the bulb 104.

The motor 61 is driven by an electric current supplied to it through a wire 105 leading from a conventional variable transformer 106, the wire 105 carries the electric current to the head 50 of the post 49 and the current continues up the post 49 into the spindle 56 of the post 49 and from the spindle 56 to the nut 52 and from the nut 52 into the ball race 55 and passes from the ball race 55 into the ball race 54 through the ball bearings and up the post 57 and from the post 57 to the brush 58 and the brush 58 carries the current to the brass sleeve 38 and the current passes from the brass sleeve 38 into the wire 107 and along the wire 107 and around the curved end 107a and down through the commutator housing 60 where it can be seen connected to a commutator brush not numbered, and the commutator brush delivers the current to the armature commutator 108 which drives the motor 61, and the electric current is returned from the armature 116 through the field coils 109 to the motor casing 110 back through the commutator arm 33a to the commutator bearing 33 and from the commutator bearing 33 the current passes through the washer 43 and up through the compression spring 44 and the washer 42 into the nut 40 and from the nut 40 down through or along the post 34 into the nut 41 and from the nut 41 into the circumferential plate .6 and passes from the circumferential plate 46 into the brushes 111 and from the brushes 111 down through the bolts 112 and from the bolts 112 into the bifurcated end of the ground Wire 113 and from the ground wire 113 to the transformer 106. The wires 114 and 115 go out from the transformer to a source of electrical supply. While the transformer is illustrated in Figure 11 it is only to illustrate that the transformer 106 is in the line and when in actual use will not be placed under the game machine but will be on the table or wall within handy reach of the player, and it is obvious that an electrical current switch must also be in the assembly of the wiring in order to start and stop the motor.

It is to be noticed that the brushes 111 are in a reversed position in Figure 11 than in Figure 1 and is not to be considered as it matters not which way the brushes 11 point as they will contact the circumferential plate 46 as good one way as the other.

While the use of a conventional variable alternating or direct current motor has been mentioned in the specification wherein a conventional variable transformer is necessary in the assembly of motor and electric wiring it is to be understood that a conventional alternating current asynchronous induction motor could be used, thus eliminating the necessity of a conventional variable transformer.

In Figure 2 it is illustrated that the traction wheel 62 and motor 61 are offset at the end of the arm 33a in order that the traction Wheel 62 toes outwardly to cause a pulling effect on the arm 33a as the outward pulling of the traction Wheel in combination with the clutching effect by the pressure of the compression spring 44 on the commutator and relayed pressure from the commutator to the turn table 31 causes the turn table to turn with the arm 33a while traction wheel is in motion, and when the arm 33a, commutator, and turn table 31 are in the position as illustrated in Figure 2 and the brake 47 is oif. The little arrow on the front of the traction wheel indicates the direction in which the wheel 62 is turning.

The wire 107 is supported on the arm 33a by an eye 117 seen in Figures 11 and 8. The light switch box 103 is secured to the edge of the upper floor by screws 103a. In Figure 5 it is illustrated the front wheels 118 of the toy car 66 are turned to the right from the purpose of following circles and the hind wheels 119 are turned to the left for the purpose of following circles. The electric current conducting Wire 107 is illustrated in Figure 11 only. Pins 121 seen in Figure 3 go through apertures 123 seen in Figure 11. Figure 8 illustrates the commutator arm 33A passing over the slip spring 35, and it is only when the brake pedal 47 engages the table 31 that the slip spring cannot move the table 31 and must bend back each time the arm comes around into contact with it. Referring again to the light switch box 103, there are two electric conducting wires 113A and A seen in Figure 11. There is a pin 58A seen in Figure 5 which holds the brush 58 to the brass sleeve 38 seen in Figure 11. 21A designates aperture in top floor. Hook may be used for trailer purposes to pull other free moving members not illustrated or specified. Screw 66A secures magnet 65 to carriage 66.

Operation Figure 2 illustrates the traction wheel 62 at or in junction D, and if the brake 47 is in neutral position, the traction wheel when in motion will follow or travel the permanent or stationary circle A around to junction F, and if the brake 47 is applied to the perimeter of the turn table 31 while the traction wheel is in junction F the traction wheel will leave circle A at junction F and revolve around commutator axle 34 and follow the dotted line circle B2 which junctions with stationary circle C at junction N, and if the brake 47 is released just before the arm 33A contacts the slip spring 35 see Figure 5, the arm 33A will stop revolving around axle 34, and the table 31 and commutator assembly will then revolve or rotate on the central axis or post 49 of the table 31, and the traction wheel will leave circle R2 at junction N and travel on circle C, when the traction wheel has traveled from junction N on circle C to junction E and if the brake is applied at the correct time to stop the turn table from Y turning when the traction wheel 62 approaches the cen- '7 circle C at junction E and travelcircleBl back to junction D whereit started frorn. .---'Ihe-ci1'cles A and C' are stationary circles, and the circlesB' may be made at anypoint between the circles A and- .C. If't-he traction wheel is traveling circle A .or C and the brake 47 is applied to stop the turn table 31 from revolving, the traction wheel will instantly leave the circle A or Crthat it may be traveling on and rotate between circles A and C on 213 circle, and as long as the brake 47 is held against the turn table 31 the traction wheel will-revolve on this B circle which is positioned between circle A and circle C and junctions with the circles A and B. Anytime the brake is applied the traction wheel make a B circle at any point around and between circles A and C. Figure 2. is for the purpose of illustratingthe movements of the traction wheel 62 which are indicated by arrows near the circles, and the circles A, Band C are illustrated in dotted lines, 'and only two B circles are drawn in dotted lines and termed B1 and B2 circles for explanatoryreasons'only. The circles A, B, and C illustrated on the bottom floor 20 in Figure 2 are directly'below the circles A, B and C illustrated on the 8 through the tunnel Q, and the player fails: as he was too late, in applying the brake and caused the. to'y'carf 66 to run into'the side of the tunnel or hazard Q; Modificationsmay bemade in the preferred embodiment of the inventionldescribed and illustrated herein, and not in a- 'limited sense, without departing from the spirit-and scopeof the invent-ion. as defined by the appended claims;

;What I claim'and desireto secure by Letters Patent'is:

1; An electro-mechanical toy of skill comprising, means defining a planar 'surface,a toy vehicle freely movable on and about. said surface, hazardson said planar surface about and through which the vehicle is to travel and avoid contact therewith, a revolvable turn-table pivot- V turn-table for rotatably drivingthe turn-table when said turn-table is free to rotate and having means for rotating independently ofqsaid turn-table when said turn-table is top floor '21'seen in Figure 5 and any position on the bottom'floor 20 the traction wheel 62 is in, the toy car 66 on the top floor will be in the same identical position, for

example ifthe-toy car 66 is traveling circle 'B1 on the 7 top floor 21 the traction wheel 62 on floor 20 directly under the toy car 66 will also be traveling circle B1 on the bottom floor and both the car 66 and wheel 62 will be in the same position on circles B1 on the topand bottom floors relative to the game housing.

The brake controlled magnetic game operates as follows. With the motor 62 in motion and the brake handle 97 in hand, and the toy car traveling circle A, the person hereinafter called the player wishes'to control the toy car by using the brake handle 27 to guide or steer the toy car around and between fences, gateways, ttmnels,

and the like, which may be called hazards. It is the object of the player to steer the toy car to go around the circle B1; and between the fences G and H in order to accomplish his objective he must wait for the toy car 66 which is representedby large arrows to go around 'on circle A and if the player moves the brake handle 97 along the dotted line to X the brake will be applied, and in this example the player put the brake on at the right instant when the toy car 66 was moving into junction D which caused the toy car to leave circleA' and travel circle B1 and go between fences G and H and on and around on circle Blto the junction E of B1 and C, and as the player wishes to steer the car 66 through tunnel i he releases the brake handle 97 when the arm 33A has nearly reached the rendered immobile; a carriage carried by said driven means and disposed, radially of the'turn-table and movably supported beneath and adjacent to said planar surface, a magnet-responsive element on'said vehicle, a magneton saidrcarriageto attract said element on the vehicle so that thevehicle moves in correspondence with the movementof said. carriage, means operable at will for rendering theturn-table'immobile or freely mobile to selectively cause the driven'lmeans'to rotate independently about its own pivot on the turntable or to rotate with the tum-table about the pivotof the'turn-table and thereby to, cause the vehicle to travel in a manner to avoid the hazardsonsaid planar surface.

*2; An electro-mechanical toy of skill comprising means defining a planar surface, a toy vehicle freely movable on and about said surface, removable hazardson said planar surface. about and throughwhich the vehicle is to travel and avoid contactitherewitma revolvable turn-table pivotally mou'nte'dfor rotation in a plane below and-substantlallyparallelto said. surface, rotatably driven means eccentrlcally and pivotally mountedon said turn-table for rotatably driving the turn-table when said turn-table is free to rotate and having means for rotating independently of. said turn-table when said turn-table is rendered immobile, a carriage carried by said driven meansand dis:

posed radially of the turn-table and movably supported beneath said planar surface and'adjacent thereto, a magnet responsive element on said vehicle, a magnet on said carriage to attract said element on'the vehicle so that the vehicle moves in correspondence with the'movement of said carriage, meansoperable at will for rendering the turn-table immobile or freely mobile to selectively cause slip spring 35 see Figure 5, and the toy car leaves circle B1 and travels circle C through the tunnel j and continues to. go around circle C and back to junction E, the player then wishes to steer the toy car 66 between the fenceK and the dice L, to accomplish this movement the player applies the brake and the toy car 66 leaves circle Cat junction E and travels circle Bl going between the fence K and the dice Land continues to travel circle B1. A further objective. the player has is to steer the car between gateway posts ror pins M and between fencesO and P and when the toy car 66 traveling circle B1 arrives in junction D the player releases the brake and the toy car the driven means'to rotate independently about its own pivot on the,turn-table or'to rotate with the turn-table about the pivot of the turn-table and thereby to cause the vehicle to travel in a manner to avoid the hazards on said planar surface.

3. electro-mechanical top of skill comprising, first means defining a first substantially planar surface, a toy vehicle freely movable on and aboutsaid first planar surface,.hazards" positionable on said first planar surface aboutand through which the vehicle is to travel and avoid 66 leaves circle B1 and travels circle A around to junction P where the brake 47 is applied to the table 31.and the toy car 66 leaves circle A and travels circle B2 through and between gateposts or pins M, and continues around on circle B2 between fences Oand P and back to junction ceptional accuracy'in the use of the brake as well as judging the rightplace to leave circleA to'cause the toy 66 to travel o an invisible circle B which goes contact therewith, second means defining a second substannally'planar' surface spaced from the first planar surfaceand disposed substantially parallel thereto, a revolvable tum-table pivotally mounted for rotationin a plane substantially parallel to the second surface, a carnage movably supported beneath and adjacent to said first planar surface, rotatably driven means pivotally and eccentrically mountedon the turn-table"andindependently revolvable thereon when'the turn-table is rendered substantially immobile and, for rotatably; driving the turn table when the turn-table is free to rotate, means on said driven means for movably supporting said carriage radially of said'turn-table, clutch means for'operably couplmg the driven-means and the turn-tableand adapted to allow the driven means to rotate independently of the turn-table when the turn-table is rendered substantially immobile, a magnet-responsive element on said vehicle, a magnet on said carriage to attract said element on the vehicle so that the vehicle moves in correspondence with the movement of said carriage, and means operable at will for selectively rendering the turn-table immovable so that the driven means rotates about its own pivot on the turn-table independently of the turn-table or for rendering the turn-table freely mobile so that the driven means and turn-table turn in unison about the pivot of the turn-table thereby to cause the vehicle to travel about the first surface in paths avoiding the hazards thereon.

4. An electro-mechanical toy of skill comprising, first means defining a first substantially planar surface, a toy vehicle freely movable on and about said first planar surface, hazards on said first planar surface about and through which the vehicle is to travel and avoid contact therewith, second means defining a second substantially planar surface spaced from the first planar surface and disposed substantially parallel thereto, a revolvable turn table pivotally mounted for rotation in a plane substantially parallel to the second surface, a carriage movably supported beneath said first planar surface relatively adjacent thereto, rotatably driven means pivotally and eccentrically mounted on the turntable and independently revolvable thereon when the turn-table is rendered substantially immobile and for rotatably driving the turntable when the turn-table is free to rotate, means on said driven means for movably supporting said carriage radially of said turn-table, a motor-driven traction wheel disposed to rotate on said second surface for driving said driven means, clutch means for operably coupling the driven means and the turn-table and adapted to allow the driven means to rotate independently of the turn-table when the turn-table is rendered substantially immobile, a magnet-responsive element on said vehicle, a magnet on said carriage to attract said element on the vehicle so that the vehicle moves in correspondence with the movement of said carriage, and means operable at will for selectively rendering the turn-table immovable so that the driven means rotates about its own pivot on the turntable independently of the turn-table or for rendering the turn-table freely mobile so that the driven means and turn-table turn in unison about the pivot of the turntable thereby to cause the vehicle to travel about the first surface in paths avoiding the hazards thereon.

5. An electro-mechanical toy of skill comprising, first means defining a first substantially planar surface, a toy vehicle freely movable on and about said first planar surface, hazards positionable on said first planar surface about and through which the vehicle is to travel and avoid contact therewith, second means defining a second substantially planar surface spaced from the first planar surface and disposed substantially parallel thereto, a revolvable turn-table pivotally mounted for rotation in a plane substantially parallel to the second surface, a carriage movably supported beneath said first planar surface relatively adjacent thereto, driven means pivotally and eccentrically mounted on the turn-table and independently revolvable thereon when the turn-table is rendered substantially immobile and for rotatably driving the turn-table when the turn-table is free to rotate, means on said driven means for movably supporting said carriage radially of said turn-table, clutch means for operably coupling the driven means and the turn-table and adapted to allow the driven means to rotate independently of the turn-table when the turn-table is rendered substantially immobile, a magnet-responsive element on said vehicle, a magnet on said carriage to attract said element on the vehicle so that the vehicle moves in correspondence with the movement of said carriage, and means comprising a brake operable at will for alternatively rendering the turn-table immovable so that the driven means rotates about its pivot on the turn-table independently of the turn-table or for rendering the turn-table freely mobile so that the driven means and turn-table turn in unison about the pivot of the turn-table thereby to cause the vehicle to travel about the first surface and in paths avoiding the hazards thereon.

6. An electro-mechanical toy of skill comprising, first means defining a first substantially planar surface, a toy vehicle freely movable on and about said first planar surface, hazards on said first planar surface about which the vehicle is to travel and avoid contact therewith, second means defining a second substantially planar surface spaced from the first planar surface and disposed substantially parallel thereto, a turn-table pivotally mounted for rotation in a plane substantially parallel to the second surface, a carriage movably supported beneath said first planar surface relatively adjacent thereto, driven means pivotally and eccentrically mounted on the turn-table and independently revolvable thereon when the turn-table is rendered substantially immobile and for rotatably driving the turn-table when the turn-table is free to rotate, means on said driven means for movably supporting said carriage radially of said turn-table, a motor-driven traction wheel disposed to rotate on said second surface for driving said driven means, clutch means for operably coupling the driven means and the turn-table and adapted to allow the driven means to rotate independently of the turn-table when the turn-table is rendered substantially immobile, a magnet-responsive element on said vehicle, a magnet on said carriage to attract said element on the vehicle so that the vehicle moves in correspondence with the movement of said carriage, and means comprising a brake operable at Will for alternatively rendering the turn-table immovable so that the driven means rotates about its pivot on the turn-table independently of the turn-table or for rendering the turn-table freely mobile so that the driven means and turn-table turn in unison about the pivot of the turn-table thereby to cause the vehicle to travel about the first surface in paths avoiding the hazards thereon.

References (Zited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,639,545 Pastorius May 26, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 647,284 Great Britain Dec. 13, 1950 674,801 Great Britain July 2, 1952

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