US2977714A

US2977714A - Self propelled toy

Info

Publication number: US2977714A
Application number: US777658A
Authority: US
Inventors: Blair W Gibson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-12-02
Filing date: 1958-12-02
Publication date: 1961-04-04
Anticipated expiration: 1978-04-04

Description

April 4, 1961 B. w. GIBSON 2,977,714

SELF PROPELLED ToY Filed Deo. 2, 1958 and@ United States l vMy invention pertains toA a usefnent devices:forichilew 2,977,714 Patented Aplxnxf,`4

. y 2 `Figure 3 is a section taken along line 3--3 of Figure 2, whileV i j f f Figure is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along line 4 -4 of Figure ,j ,l y .My improved self propelledrtoy shown in its preferred modification as described hereinbelow consists 'of a tubui lar shell'10 consisting of two

sections

12 and 14.' These' are mounted ina spaced' apart parallel relationshipfon a shaft 16. Theshaft is suitably journalled inthe conical projections 18fand 20 that are axially located on the re?` -v spective interior faces 22 and 24 ofthe section`s'12 and'14i".`

dren particularly in the natrdf yself pr'jopelled toystht can be easily ,operatedan'd :manipulated ytofobtairi 'diverse and unexpected effects muclift'c'n thearnusement 'o fwthe ehild. v,i .Toys ofA the. selfl propelledtype ,are.fyvvidyelyy kndwii'.

Many employ springwoun'd:motora-'othersbands orffan elastic nature or evenelectric .motors `to proyide'rnobility to such toys. Obviously toys ofv theself propelled type are based eithenon the wheel or"sphereprinciplesuby which they cantravver'se fafs'urfface,y The customaryfmeans ,toconnectV the toy with thev power source in nappropriate j cases is touse a gear trainf'between it andlthe power source, which `,in some 'rriarlnerfiwill roll yor"wheel1 vthe toy -along -a surface. The mode vof .travel in. some cases'is controllable and a preselected path eithencir'cular or linear can be realized. Moreovertoys of' this type haveconcealed Vwithini their shape a 'means nfor "starting and stop pingthe motor. j' j' 'i l In 4the operation of the A"motor, various Iancillary effects canbe provided to gi-vef'a varietyof vmovements `'either of the rhythmic or spastictype which of course adds to the enjoyment of "the: toy-by the'child.` `f However, most'toys'ofltle lv'self propelledftype lack control over their mvementsd- Generally they run.` only 'in preselected Apaths lwhichcannot belvarlied to-vgive other paths of travel. Normally -theyarenot'controllable by the child and for this reason somethingmore is de.: sired in toys of this type to give `additional and complete satisfaction. to the child. A v

It therefore is .anobject of my invention to provide a 'a self propelled toy of the class described that is con- `trollable at the willof the child. j:

A further object of. my..irirs11ti0na1is.t0 Provide@ toy of theI type `describedwhose path ofttravel can hechanged while in motion at the will of the child operatingit'.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a self propelled toy of the type described wherein the motive power can be applied independently to either wheel or to none and still give various gyrations and spastic effects when the motor is in operation, -and at the will of the child.

Another but not final object of my invention is to pro- 4vide a toy of the split wheel self propelled type wherein the rate of travel of each Wheel can be adjusted to obtain various unexpected results much to the `amusement and surprise of the child.

These and other objects will become apparent to those skilled in this art particularly in View of the clear and definitive description given hereinbelow of the fundamental principles underlying my invention which are applied in connection with disclosure of a preferred modication and further illustrated in the attached drawings forming a part of this disclosure.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of my self propelled type.

Figure 2 is a vertical section.:

. The

tubular shell'se'ctions

12 and 14 have one end thereof closed while the yo ther end is open and facesthe operi; lend ofthefotlhersection thereby creating between a cavity ,within which is housed the motion making mechl anism. 'Each sectiorif121or l1,4A is generallyU-shapeiri cross section, and each having a web 26 and'28 respectively. Frorn the Vcircular rims of the said websV 26 'and 28V, depend circulars flanges, 30l and 32 respectively'. Around the periphery of each ofsaid flanges 30 4and 3.2 adjacent v.to .the edgeofthe

respective web portions

26 and 28 are'dispo'sed collars y374A and 36.` The collars 34 and 36 actas the rims 38 andf40 for'the tubular sections 1,2 andl 14 Lto form solid vweb wheel members 42 and 44,. TheA solid web .wheel members 42 and 44 have

hubs

46 and 48 vof which the conical extensions 184 and 2 0 Aare apart l.: .j

1mentioned previously, the shaft 16 maintainsl the `freely rotatableiwheels 42 and 44 ina spaced apart paral lel relationship whereby the wheels can move'independ; ently .of each other. Between the two

sections

12 and 14 there `is provided a space 50- for this purpose. The ends of the s haft v16 support theV said wheels which are inf freely rotatable condition. 'L

At an intermediate pointbetween the said conical ex.;

tensions

18 and 20, themechanism for propelling and'con trolling the movement of the toy isV suspended from the shaft 16 by means of arms 54v that support thesaddle 52 in which themechanism is seated. The saddleSZ is made'of a strip of metal or some other suitablematcirial as desiredinto an' open shaped container to hold the motor 58 and the battery cell 60 which is the source of energy of motion making device. i v A energy of the motion making device. j The motor 58 has an upright sh ft onwhich is mounted l ltxedly av pinion gear 62, which in turn drives the larger 72 and 74. They are preferably made of electrically conductive metal since they are a part of the electrical circuitry involved in this toy. One of the sections 72 may be a solid rod while the other 74 is preferably of a tubular construction for reasons described further. The ends of the

shaft sections

72 and 74 are connected together with a connector sleeve 76 which is frictionally engaged about the ends of the said sections. In event it is desirable to rotate one section and retain the other section motionless then the shaft section will slip within the embrace of the connector sleeve 76.

The outer ends of the

shaft sections

72 and 74 protrude beyond the faces of sections' 12 and 14 and have thereon threads 78 with which to engage on one end a capped nut 80 and on the other end a knurled nut 86. Positioned on the inner side of the'hubs 46 and 48 respectively are

collars

82 and 84 respectively with which the hubs can be in abutting relationship when the

nuts

80 and 86 are turned inwardly to the faces of the wheels 42 and 44. The wheels are thus engaged fric tionally by the nut and collar and will rotate with .the shaft 16 if the latter is in motion. When disengaged the Wheel is freely rotatable. Thus by proper adjustment one or both wheels can be engaged by the friction clutch about each hub to any desired degree to provide any desired degree of motionV and rate to each wheel.

Thus by proper adjustment the child can have the toy run in a circle or run longitudinally. Likewise by having the device in a slippable wheeling condition, the motor on the saddle will rotate about the shaft 16 and cause the toy to move in a spasmodic way which is unpredictable and yet amusing. Though not illustrated I may mount suitable figurines of people, animals and other characters on the lsaddle or Shaft or otherwise conceal the nature of the mechanism by proper adorment which will not interfere with the function of the device.

To maintain the saddle 52 within the central part of the cavity 88 between the

sections

12 and 14, I provide on the shaft 16 suitable guides 110 about one of the arms 54 which prevent the arms from moving laterally on the shaft 16. However it should be noted that the arm 54 is also freely rotatable.

I also provide a means to control the llow of electricity from the battery 60 to the motor 58. Within the tubular section 74 of the shaft 16 there is a rod 90 whose end 92 extends within the bore 94 of the connector sleeve 76. This end is in almost contacting relationship with the end of the section 72 and also joined by the connector sleeve 76 to form the shaft 16. Both

sections

72 and 74 are made of an electrically conductive material such as metal or copper but separated by the non-conductive connector sleeve 76. The end 96 of the rod 90 terminates into a push-pull snap type of switch by which the contact made between the two ends completes the circuit for electricity to How into. To provide for the ow of the electric current, I use a commutator ring 100 which is in slidable rotary contact with the shaft section 72. This is connected to the usual binding post 104 by means of a wire 102. The other binding post on the motor 58 is connected to the battery 60. The battery is grounded to the arm of the saddle. Thus electricity will flow when the switch 98 is pushed inwardly.

Obviously the wheel sections can be made of various materials. Clear plastics such as methacrylates and others can be used. Likewise any of the other components may be made of desired materials just as long as they vperform the intended function.

Though as indicated previously the disclosure is dix'ected to the preferred .embodiment of my invention and end tubular wheels, said wheels mounted rotatably in a spaced apart parallel relationship respectively on the ends of a driven shaft, the said driven shaft comprising at least two axially aligned portions frictionally engaged with each other, a friction clutch means on at least one end of the said driven shaft ac tingon at least one of the hubs of said wheels, a motor means suspended from said shaft, a power .transmission means connecting said motor means and at least one of said axially aligned portions of said shaft, and a means lto control said motor means.

2. A self propelled toy comprising a pair of closed end tubular wheels, a mechanism housing cavity formed within the said tubular wheels, a shaft adapted to maintain s aidv wheels in a spaced apart rotatable parallel-relationship, the said shaft comprising at least two co-axially aligned portions, a friction clutch on one of the said each wheel independently, .a motor means suspended from said shaft adapted to rotate one of the said coaxially aligned portions of said shaft, a gear train connecting the said shaft and said motor means and a means to control said motor.

'3. A self propelled toy comprising a pair of closed end tubular wheels, a mechanism housing cavity formed within the open ends of said wheels, a shaft adapted to maintain said wheels in a spaced apart rotatable relationship, the said shaft comprising two axially aligned electrically conductive portions, a connector between the said sections adaptedl to maintain said portions in a spaced apart coaxial alignment and electrical disconnection, a means within one of said portions to contact the other portion within the said connector, a means to conduct electricity to each of said shaft portions, an electric motor power means suspended from said shaft adapted to rotate said shaft, a friction clutch on the outer end of each of said portions adapted to engage the hub of the tubular wheel and a means for moving the said means within said one portion to control flow of electrical current to lsaid motor disposed on the said end of said one of said shaft portions.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 135,851 Sellers Feb. 1l, 1873 672,707 Mackin Apr. 23, 1901 2,846,814 Lettieri ...gv.-..-,.. Aug. 12 1958 axially aligned portions of said shaft adapted to engage