US3115845A

US3115845A - Toy monorailways

Info

Publication number: US3115845A
Application number: US131021A
Authority: US
Inventors: Girz Alexander
Original assignee: Schreyer and Co
Current assignee: Schreyer and Co
Priority date: 1960-11-11
Filing date: 1961-08-11
Publication date: 1963-12-31
Anticipated expiration: 1980-12-31

Description

Dec. 31, 1963 A. GlRz 'roy MoNoRAILwAYs 3 Sheets-Sheet '1 Filed Aug. 11, 1961 Dec. 31, 1963 A. GlRz V3,115,845 l Toy MoNoRAILwAYs Filed Aug, 11. 1961 k s sheets-snm 2 J n v enlor ALMA/VMI@ q/ffz Dec. 31, 1963 A. Gm 3,115,845 Toy MoNoRAILwAYs Filed Allg. 11, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 :D L I fr, "`L

' Fig. frf E! 1 #A 1U I' M 3,115,845 Patented Dec. 31, 1963 3,115,845 TOY MONORAILWAYS Alexander Girz, Nurnberg, Germany, assigner to Schreyer & Co., Nurnberg, Germany Filed Aug. 11, 1961, Ser. No. 131,021 Claims priority, applicatien Germany Nov. 11, 1960 28 Claims. (Cl. lib- 145) The present invention relates to toy monorailways and particularly the vehicles as well as the rail sytsem for such railways.

Toy monorailways are known in which the vehicles ride on the running and guide rail similarly to full-scale vehicles, that is to say they bear, during running, on both sides on the edges of the rail in order to eliminate the danger of tipping off on curves or when travelling at high speeds. In order to adapt such monorailways to more universal use and to make them similar to large scale constructions, switches or points for branch lines are also known. As compared with other railway toys with two rails on the floor or the like, toy monorailways are particularly attractive when they are constructed as loop railways with points and the vehicles pass over diiferent elevations, or when, in conjunction with other trahie systems or railways, they bridge over the latter, particularly when they cross over the latter at a suitable elevation.

Particularly in toy transport installations, including monorailways, it is important that, on the one hand, the coaches should be of as simple construction as possible and that, on the other hand, they should be so constructed that they cannot jump off the running and guide rail and fall to the Hoor. In addition, the installation should be so rmly erected that it will also withstand considerable stresses due to the travelling vehicles. In known installations this has often led to diiiculties in the layout of the line, particularly when more or less rigid, that is to say inflexible, material was used for the monorail.

It is an object of the invention to obviate the abovedescribed and other shortcomings in toy monorailways of this type.

According to the invention, two rubber wheels disposed in front of and behind the motor are to be driven by an electric motor through reduction gearing, the said rubber wheels bearing on the running and guide rail and serving as running and driving wheels, means for current collection, lateral guidance and the maintaining of equilibrium being articulated to the body or running housing. Such an arrangement of the drive and the driving wheels permits the vehicle to be relatively low in height. The height depends in practice solely n the diameter of the electric motor. The provision of two driving wheels also affords the possibility of managing steep inclines.

These advantages are dependent in part on a favorable location of the center of gravity of the vehicle, which is particularly important in monorailways of this kind, as otherwise there is a danger of the vehicle falling oil the rail or becoming jammed on curves. Whereas the driving or supporting wheels are connected inflexibly to the body or housing of the vehicle, the devices for current collection, lateral guidance and maintenance of equilibrium are intentionally articulated to the same. These devices can thus follow all changes of direction of the guide rail. If they were also inflexibly connected to the body, as in known arrangements, there would be a danger of their not bearing fully on the guide rail or their rubbing too heavily against the latter on curves.

It is a further feature of the invention to construct the means for maintaining equilibrium and guiding the vehicle on the guide rail, together with the current-collecting means, as separate swivelling bolster arrangements which are pendulously articulated to the vehicle. These swivelling bolster arrangements are preferably disposed in front of and behind the elecrtic motor, which is situated approximately in the middle of the vehicle. These features contribute to a good travelling position as well as to the steering and holding of the vehicle on the guide rail.

The train may also be run by means of batteries contained in a coach or other vehicle. In that case, currentconducting rails are not used and the vehicles are supported by guide wheels or retaining claws which partly embrace the underside of the guide rail. It is then an advantage for the guide wheels to be tapered conically outwards, so that they can bear by these conical surfaces against the lower edges of the guide rail.

Running and guide rails containing conductors and made of synthetic plastic are already known. Apart from the fact that the conductor rails are structurally unsuitable, the manufacture of rails of this kind is relatively expensive. In addition, they do not comply with all the practical requirements. Accordingly, in order to meet this problem, in the monoral toy in accordance with the invention, the running and guide rail is made of a synthetic plastic which is rendered self-supporting by the incorporation of conducting wires or rails, preferably of round section. The conductors are secured in the running and guide rail in such a manner that they participate in its bending and do not spring out. It is thus possible for the rail to be bent to a limited extent to enable the layout of the railway to be shaped. On the other hand, the track will not be bent by the weight of the train, even with a long unsupported span.

Grooves provided in the running and guide rail to receive the conductors may be widened towards the inside and may embrace the conductors embedded in them in such a manner that the widest cross-section of the latter is embraced by the material of the guide rail. If conductors of round cross-section are used, the arrangement may be such that more than half, for example three quarters, of the cross-section of the conducting wire or rail is embraced by the running or guide rail. A conducting rail can thus be held particularly firmly and reliably in a guiding and supporting rail, so that there is no danger that the conductors may become loose during operation, for example after long use, due to constant connection and disconnection of the rail pieces during assembly and disassembly, or when the rail is bent, whereby the entire installation might be made useless. As the plastic material of which the running or guide rail is made is relatively rigid, the conducting wires or rails are held by the guide rail in such a manner that they cannot be dislodged or displad. This arrangement of the conductors inside 'the running rail can be effected particularly favorably, as regards manufacture, by uniting the conductors with the running and guide rail in the molding of the latter, that is in one operation. Alternatively, however, the grooves for receiving the conductors may also be so shaped that the latter can be forced into the grooves by pressing aside the protruding parts at the mouth of the latter. The largest cross-section of the conductors is then embraced by the material of the guide rail and the conductors are held securely by the guide rail.

Despite the fact that the largest cross-section of the conductor is embraced, it still projects sufficiently from the guide rail to enable the current collectors to slide correctly on it. One or more of the conductors may be sunk in a slot open from above, that is to say from the running surface of the rail, which slot is engaged by the current collectors. Possible slipping of the driving wheels of the vehicle on an upwardly projecting current rail is thus avoided. The conductors or conducting rails themselves may be made of iron wire, a zinc die-casting or the like.

By appropriate shaping and construction of the guide rail sections and of their interlocking connections, it is made possible that left-hand or right-hand curves can be formed as desired from sections of rail curved solely in one direction, interlocking connections with adjoining rail sections being possible in each case.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the embodiments of the invention described by way of example in the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l shows a monorail train composed of three vehicles coupled together;

FIGURE la is a plan vievr of the connection between two coaches, the roof being omitted;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal section through a coach with built-in apparatus in elevation;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-section through a coach unit on the line III-III in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a section taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 2;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of a section of running and guide rail, showing conductor wires and coupling means;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-section through the rail illustrated in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a cross-section, similar to FIGURE 6, of a modified form of running and guide rail;

FIGURE 8 is a side elevation of the connection between two abutting rail sections, which may be straight or curved;

FIGURES 9 and 9a are cross-sections of two arrangements of guide rail consisting of two halves joined together, in which the conductors, current collectors, retainingstirrups or clamps and guide wheels are disposed or move in a hollow space formed;

FIGURE 10 is a plan view of manually operated points or switches;

FIGURE 11 is a side elevation of the points or switches illustrated in FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 12 is a plan view of points operated by an electric motor;

FIGURE 13 is an underneath plan view to a larger scale, showing operating means driven by the electric motor in FIGURE 12;

FIGURE 14 is an elevation of a rail support with an adjustable column, and

FIGURE 15 shows another type of adjustable column.

As illustrated in FIGURE 1, the train may consist of a number of coach units, for example three units Ia, lb, 1c, of which one (la) is illustrated in FIGURE 2 in longitudinal section. The coaches la and 1c have devices for driving, for maintaining equilibrium and for guidance during running on a running and guide rail 2, in which conductor rails 3 and 4 are injected during molding (see in particular FIGURES 5 to 8).

An electric motor 5 accommodated in the driving coach is secured by a brace 1g in the housing thereof. The housing comprises an upper Cowling of plastic 1h and a bottom Cowling 1i of sheet metal, both secured to a common support plate le below which -a carrier plate llf is securely mounted. The plate 1e has a recess in which the motor 5.is held by the brace 1g. Plates 1e and If constitute rigid body frame units. At each end of the motor shaft there is a worm 6a, which drives a worm wheel 6. This reduction gearing drives toothed gears 8 disposed between and forming unitary members with pairs of rubber wheels 7. The wheels 7 serve as driving and supporting wheels for the vehicle. Half of the weight can thus accurately be disposed on the left and half on the right, which is important for the maintenance of balance or equilibrium during operation, in view of the low friction of the balance means. It is also advantageous that the wheels are disposed both in front of and behind the driving motor. Increased running surfaces and reliable trictional contact between the driving wheels and the running rail are thus obtained even when travelling around curves.

In front and in back of the driving wheels '7, there are pairs of holding and sliding or guiding devices which engage laterally around and under the rail 2 (FIG- URE 3). These devices are suspended on the housing by means of a swivelling bolster arrangement and comprise a part il@ of synthetic plastic, electrical connections I2 leading on the one hand to the motor 5 and on the other hand to current collectors 9 and guide wheels 1I. From each part It), two shafts 17 extend downwardly and carry the parts 9, Il, and l2. The current collectors 9 may also be constructed to run yas lateral supporting means and may be in the form of spring tongues or sliding wires. In addition, lateral support or lateral guiding may be adorded by the wheels Il, which can straddle or embrace the lateral conductor rails 3 and slidingly engage them from below. Instead, it is also possible for the wheels to extend under the lower side of the guiding and running rail 2 as shown in FIGURE 4. The holsters swivel about axis A-B by means of a nut lita. which permits pivotal movement relative to the plate le.

This arrangement reliably prevents the vehicle from jumping off the rail 2 and the driving wheels from becoming detached from the said rail, even at the high speeds which can be obtained. The means which hold the vehicles slidably on the rail are designed to have little or no braking action when they rub on the rail. To this end, as mentioned above, guide or lead wheels may be provided which rotate when they rub against the rail, thus further reducing any braking action. The shafts 17, which can be rocked outwardly with the guiding and current-collecting parts to enable the vehicle to be lifted oif the rail 2; are held in their normal vertical position by a spring not shown in the drawing.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, the component 10 may be made of two outer parts Itlb and an inner part 16C. These parts may be made of an elastic material or plastic and are encompassed by a ring 17a. The shafts 17 are embedded in the material of parts 10b and are rockable outwardly against the effect of the elastic rings 17a.

The middle coach 1lb of the three-part train illustrated in FIGURES l and la has no driving, supporting and guiding means such as are provided on each of the front and rear coaches la. and 1c. It is sufficient if one of these two coaches is driven. For coupling the coaches together, the coach Ib has at each end a coupling pin 35 which can be inserted into corresponding holes in the coaches lla. and 1c, so that the middle coach is carried by the front and rear coaches (FIGURE la). The coaches la and llc have accordion-like parts 36 which interengag-e with the middle coach with suicient 'freedom to ensure that the train is not prevented from running around curves. This construction of the coach units and of the driving, supporting and guiding means not only provides for effective driving of the train in both directions, but also the middle coach can be of very simple construction. It consists practically solely of a coach body suspended freely over the rail. This, on the one hand, reduces cost and, on the other, eliminates guiding Iforces which would otherwise be necessary to guide the middle coach on the rail 2.

The sections of running and guide rail 2 are made of a synthetic plastic which is rendered self-Supporting by the insertion of current-.conducting wires 3, preferably round in cross-section. An additional conducting wire 4, for example for the transmission of control signals or rfor the operation of a second train, may be provided, as shown. Although such a rail section can be slightly bent by hand, it cannot be readily deformed unintentionally, even under the weight of the train. The tiexibility should be suflicient for obtaining gradients of, for example, 25 cm. per meter of track. Curved rail sections can also be bent to produce sharper or wider curves.

The conductors 3, 4 are embedded in the grooves, which widen inwardly, in the rail sections 2 in such a manner that their largest cross-section is embedded in the rail material. However, as shown in FIGURE 6, part of the cross-section of each conductor projects from the surface of the rail so as to permit current collection. Especially the upper conductor rail Y4 may be countersunk in the rail, so that slipping of the driving wheels on the conductor, which is smoother than the running rail, is prevented. Such a rail is illustrated in FIGURE 7 in which the conductor 4 is disposed in a groove in the rail 2 in such a manner that a small part of its cross-section is not covered by the plastic material of the rail and is exposed in the countersunk groove, but does not project above the surface of the rail.

In order to be able to make left-hand or right-hand curves, as desired, with rail sections curved in a single direction (FIGURE 5), the pins and sockets for the coupling of the rail sections are so -disposed in the two lateral conductors 3 that, at each of the end -faces Zal and 2b of a section, one of the two said conductors has a pin and the other a socket. As shown in FIGURE 5, moreover, each of the two Vconductors 3 has a socket at one of its ends and a pin at the other. Whether the rail section 2 is in the position shown in FIGURE 5 or is turned around at an angle of 180, so that the end faces 2a., 2b have their sides reversed, the pins and sockets are always in the same position lfor fitting an adjoining section.

This not only has advantages in manufacture, lbut is also advantageous in making up a set of rails for sale, since only straight and curved sections, but not sections curved in both directions, need be provided. The conductors, sockets and pins are preferably arranged in straight sections in the same manner as in curved sections. Thus, `for example, with 1t) curved sections, it is possible to form `a continuous right-hand curve or a continuous lefthand curve, or a right-hand curve composed of three sections followed by a left-hand curve of seven sections, and

so on As already mentioned, it is possible to provide a third conductor, so that two independent circuits will be available and a second train can be run independently of the iirst. Alternatively, control signals can be transmitted by the third conductor to a train operated by the two lateral conductors. In order to be able to use monorailways of this kind, which have a third 4conductor in the top of the rail, with rail sections curved in one direction only, so as to be able to retain the advantages referred to above, the third conductor 4 may have a socket at each of the two end faces Za, 2b of the rail section 2. Separate coupling pins 4@ can be inserted in and removed from these sockets, depending upon whether it is desired to use the section for making a right-hand or a left-hand `curve and upon what form of connection to the adjoining rail section is required. Particularly in combination with the above-described arrangement of the connection pins and sockets of the two lateral conductors, a running and guide rail is thus provided which has all the advantages of threeconductor supply, although there are only two different forms of rail section. Straight sections and sections curved in one direction only are required for the entire layout.

When a third conductor is provided, necessary `arrangements must be made on the vehicle for current collection from this conductor also.

The same arrangement of coupling means between the conductors 3, 4 is advisable for straight sections as well as -for curved sections of rail, in order to make coupling to other sections as universal as possible.

The sockets are preferably sleeves 37 which engage respective conductors over a part of their length, while the remainder of their length is available to receive the pins. To form the pins, the lateral conductors 3 are preferably extended (Sal), so that the said conductors of one rail section can be inserted into the sockets or sleeves of the two adjoining rail sections.

The sleeves 37 insure both effective mechanical security of coupling and also good contact and current transfer. The sleeves may each have yan annular notch 3S which serves as an end stop for the insertion of the pin or eX- tended conductor of an adjoining rail section. This insures that the said connection means penetrates neither insu'tliciently nor excessively into the sockets. It is also possible to use the notch 38 as end stop for the conductor engaged by the sleeve 37.

The sleeves, together with the conductors, lare embedded so firmly in the complementary grooves in the rail that their largest `cross-section is embraced by the material of the rail. Secure attachment of the sleeves is thus insured. This is advantageously done in the same way as the abovedescribed incorporation of the conductors in the rail sections, -for example during the molding of the rail or by subsequent pressing of the said parts into grooves in the rail. The width or diameter of the grooves in the rail is made to suit the dimensions of the sleeves and conductors. If connection sleeves are employed, the grooves in the rail are made correspondingly larger.

In addition to the above-described means for coupling the rail sections, U-shaped clips 39 may also be provided, the legs of which can be inserted into corresponding openings, preferably bores 13, in the undersides of the rail sections to be jointed. As may be seen from FIGURE 8, these openings 13 are situated near the end faces 2a, 2b of the rail sections. In addition, similar openings 13 may be provided approximately in the middle of each rail section, so that rail-supporting columns to be described more fully below can be inserted into these openings.

In the arrangements illustrated in FIGURES 9 and 9a, the running and guide rail consists of two

halves

2c, 2d. These halves are joined together at the longitudinal central plane 2S and form a hollow space 27 which is open from above and into which

current collectors

23 or 24 project so as to slide on a

conductor rail

25 or 26. The

collectors

23, 24 are acted on by springs 22 and are pivotally mounted on the chassis at 23a, 24a respectively. Guiding and supporting devices may also slide in the space 27. In the gures, such devices are shown in one piece with the current collectors.

The rail installation may be mounted on supports 14 (FIGURES 14 and l5) having vertically adjustable parts 15. The parts 15 have pins 15a which can be inserted into corresponding holes 13 (FIGURE 6) in the rail. After erection, the rail structure then stands firmly on the supporting surface.

Holes for receiving pins 15a may also be provided in the undersides of the

parts

14 or 15, so that a number of supports can be erected one on the other. In addition, the supports themselves may be vertically adjustable in relation to their supporting surfaces. This may, for eX- ample, be achieved by making the part 15 slidable in relation to the part 14 and providing a set screw 14a to clamp it in its adjusted position (FIGURE 14). FIGURE l5 shows an alternative means of adjustment by a toothed rack 14h.

With a single structural unit for these supports, the child playing with the railway can make supporting arrangements of various heights. Thus both the rails and the supports assist in making it possible to erect the track at any height and with any layout, for example in the form of a loop railway, a so-called scenic railway, and so forth, without special upwardly or downwardly bent rail lengths being required for the purpose.

As illustrated in FIGURES 10 and 11, points can be adjusted by hand, using a hand lever 16 to rock the blade 18 between its positions.

Alternatively, use may be made of an electric motor 29 which drives a screw spindle 21 engaging in a threaded sleeve 2lb, to which the blade 18 is operatively secured. When the sleeve Ztl has been moved beyond the thread on the spindle 21 and has thus reached one of its end positions, it presses against one of two contact springs 19, so

that, by the lifting of the spring, an electrical contact es-r tablished there is broken and the motor cie-energized. By means of a switch (not shown in the drawing), the motor can then be energized, for running in the opposite direction, by a contact established by the other spring, whereupon the spindle 21 will turn in the opposite direction. As the sleeve is pressed towards the thread of the spindle 2li, suitably by one of the springs E9, it will be moved by the spindle 21 from its end position and driven along the spindle until it reaches the other contact spring i9, where it interrupts the motor circuit last made.

Reliable motor operation of the points is thus possible with simple means. it is advantageous that the motor and the driving means for moving the points are mounted on the guide rail structure and do not need additional supporting means.

To avoid derailment of a vehicle, that is, to prevent it from dropping off the rail, in the event of incorrect or insulicient movement of the points, provision is made for the vehicle to be stopped in advance of danger resulting from this cause. To this end sections 30, 3l (see FIG- URE l0) of the rail leading away from the points are arranged to be without current supply on one side due to interruption of their conductors, so that they can be supplied with current only by the blade 1S of the points. For this purpose, the sections 30, 3l have contact strips 32 which extend down to the base surface 33 of the rail (FIGURE 1l). When the blade 18 is in the correct position, it supplies current to the section 3d or 31 through the strips 32 by means of contact pins 354i. Otherwise, the

section

39 or 31 is without current, so that an adjoining portion of the guide rail is likewise without current for a desired distance and derailing of the train due to incorrect setting 0f the points is avoided.

Having now described my invention with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, I do not wish to be limited thereto, but what l desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States of America is set forth in the appended claims.

1-. A toy monorailway comprising a running and guide rail-and at least one vehicle including a support plate or the like and an electric motor and being driven by said electric motor, said vehicle being provided with means extending downwardly from said support plate and straddling saidrail, a pair of wheels made of rubber or the like serving as running and driving wheels resting on said rail, one disposed atV each end of said motor, reduction gearing connected between each said wheel. and said motor and operatively linking said wheels to said motor, and a vehicle housing connected to said support plate, said means straddling said rail comprisinf7 one unit ahead of and one unit behind said motor and being articulately supported in said housing and being provided at the lower ends thereof with current collector means and at the upper ends with current connector means, and pairs of lateral guidance and balance maintaining devices each including two members one each in engagement with a dierent side of said rail.

2. A toy monorailway comprising -a running and guide rail and at least `one vehicle including a support plate or the like and an electric motor and being driven by said electric motor, said vehicle being provided with means extending downwardly from said support plate and straddling said rail, a pair of -wheels made of rubber or the like serving as running and driving wheels resting on said rail, one disposed at each end of said motor, reduction gearing connected between each said wheel and said motor and operatively linking said wheels to said motor, and a vehicle housing connected to said support plate, said means straddling said rail comprising one unit ahead of and one unit behind said motor and being articulately supported in said housing and being provided at the lower ends thereof with current collector means and at the upper ends with current connector means, and pairs of lateral guidance and balance maintaining devices each including two members one each in engagement with a different side of said rail, said wheels being arranged in pairs enclosing a toothed gear between them and forming unitary members therewith and said toothed gear having driving engagement with said reduction gearing.

3. A toy monorailway comprising a running and guide rail and at least one vehicle including :a support plate or the like and an electric motor and beinsy driven by said electric motor, said vehicle being provided with means extending downwardly from said support plate and straddiing said rail, a pair of wheels made of rubber or the like serving as running and driving wheels resting on said rail, one disposed at each end of said motor, reduction gearing connected between each said wheel and said motor and operatively linking said wheels to said motor, and a vehicle housing connected to said support plate, said mean-s straddling said rail comprising one unit ahead of and one unit behind said motor and being articulately supported in said housing and being provided at the lower ends thereof with current collector means `and at the upper ends with current connector means, and pairs of lateral guidance and balance maintaining devices each including two members one each in engagement with a different side of said rail, said wheels being arranged in pairs enclosing a toothed gear between them and forming unitaryv members therewith and said toothed gear having driving engagement with said reduction gearing, said motor having a shaft provided at both ends with worm gears and each said reduction' gearing including a gear in driving engagement with one said worm gear and with one said toothed gear.

4. A toy monorailway comprising a running and guide rail and at least one lvehicle including a support plate or the like and an electric motor :and being driven by said electric motor, said vehicle being provided with means extending downwardly from said support plate and straddling said rail, a pair 0f wheels made of rubber or the like serving as running and driving wheels resting on said rail, one disposed at each end of said motor, reduction gearing connected between each said Wheel and said motor and operatively linking said wheels to said motor, and a vehicle housing connected to said support plate, said means straddiing said rail comprising one unit ahead of and one unit behind said motor and bein-g articulately supported in said housing and being provided at the lower ends thereof with current collector means and at the upper ends with current connector means, and pairs of lateral guidance and balance maintaining devices each including two members one each in engagement with a different side of said rail, said wheels being arranged in pairs enclosing a toothed gear between them and forming unitary membens therewith and said toothed gear having driving engagement with said reduction gearing, said motor having a shaft provided vat both ends with worm gears and each said reduction gearing including a gear in driving engagement with one said worm gear and with one said toothed gear, said Support plate including means receiving and supporting said electric motor and said units straddling said rail being swivelling bolsters.

5. A toy monorailway in accordance with claim 4, wherein each said bolster comprises a plastic support member on which said current collector and said current connector means and said guidance and balancing means are supported.

6. A toy monorailway in accordance with claim 5, wherein said guide rail has a conductor rail in each of its sides and each said bolster supports a pair of downwardly extending vertical shafts, one on each side of said guide rail, for supporting said current collector means proximate a conductor rail and said guidance means are in the form of rollers, one on each said vertical shaft and extending below the conductor.

7. A toy monorailway in accordance with claim 6, wherein said guidance rollers taper outwardly.

8. A toy monorailway in accordance with claim 6,

wherein said vertical shafts are tiltable outwardly of said guide rail.

9. A toy monorailway in accordance with claim 6, wherein said current collector means are resilient tongues or the like and are spring biased by `way of said vertical shafts into engagement with the sides of said guide rail.

10. A toy monorailway comprising a running and guide rail and at least one vehicle including a support plate or the like and an electric motor and being driven by said electric motor, said vehicle being provided with means extending downwardly from said support plate and straddling said rail, a pair of wheels made of rubber or the like serving as running and driving wheels resting on said rail, one disposed at each end of said motor, reduction gearing connected between each said wheel and said motor and operatively linking said wheels to said motor, and a vehicle housing connected to said support plate, said means straddling said rail comprising one unit ahead of and one unit behind said motor and being articulately supported in said housing and being provided at the lower ends thereof with current collector means and at the upper ends with current connector means, and pairs of lateral guidance and balance maintaining devices each including two members one each in engagement with a dierent side of said rail, said running and guide rail being made in sections of a plastic material rendered self-supporting by a pair of conductor rails firmly embedded therein and retained therein during bending of said rail.

ll. A toy monorailway comprising a running and guide rail and at least one vehicle including a support plate or the like and an electric motor and being driven by said electric motor, said vehicle being provided with means extending downwardly from said support plate and straddling said rail, a pair of wheels made or rubber or the like serving as running and driving wheels resting on said rail, one disposed at each end of said motor, reduction gearing connected between each said wheel and said motor and operatively linking said wheels to said motor, and a vehicle housing connected to said support plate, said means straddling said rail comprising one unit ahead of and one unit behind said motor and being articulately supported in said housing and being provided at the lower ends thereof with current collector means and at the upper ends with current connector means, and pairs of lateral guidance and balance maintaining devices each including two members one each in engagement with a diierent side of said rail, said running and guide rail being made in sections of a plastic material rendered self-supporting by a pair of conductor rails firmly embedded therein and retained therein during bending of said rail, each said running and guide rail section having inwardly widening grooves to receive said conductor rails.

l2. A toy monorailway comprising a running and guide rail and at least one vehicle including a support plate or the like and an electric motor and being driven by said electric motor, said vehicle being provided with means extending downwardly from said support plate and straddling said rail, a pair of wheels made of rubber or the like serving as running and driving wheels resting on said rail, one disposed at each end of said motor, reduction gearing connected between each said wheel and said motor and operatively linking said wheels to said motor, and a vehicle housing connected to said support plate, said means straddling said rail comprising one unit ahead of and one unit behind said motor and being articulately supported in said housing and being provided at the lower ends thereof with current collector means and at the upper ends with current connector means, and pairs of lateral guidance and balance maintaining devices each including two members one each in engagement with a different side of said rail, said running and guide rail being made in sections of a plastic material rendered self-supporting by a pair of conductor rails firmly embedded therein and retained therein during bending of said rail, each said running and guide rail section having inwardly widening grooves to receive said conductor rails, said conductor i@ rails being of circular cross-section and more than half of said cross-section being embedded in the material of said rail section.

13. A toy monorailway comprising a running and guide rail and at least one vehicle including a support plate or the like and an electric motor and being driven by said electric motor, said vehicle being provided with means extending downwardly from said support plate and straddling said rail, a pair of wheels made of rubber or the like serving as running and driving wheels resting on said rail, one disposed at each end of said motor, reduction gearing connected between each said wheel and said motor and operatively linking said wheels to said motor, and a vehicle housing connected to said support plate, said means straddling said rail comprising one unit ahead of and one unit behind said motor and being articulately supported in said housing and being provided at the lower ends thereof with current collector means and at the upper ends with current connector means, and pairs of lateral guidance and balance maintaining devices each including two members one each in engagement with a different side of said rail, said running and guide rail being made in sections of a plastic material rendered self-supporting by a pair of conductor rails firmly embedded therein and retained therein during bending of said rail, each said running and guide rail section having inwardly widening grooves to receive said conductor rails, one of said conductor rails at one end of said rail section having a connecting pin and the other dening a socket to receive a pin and at the other end of said rail section said one conductor rail defining a socket to receive a pin and the other having a connecting pin.

14. A toy monorailway comprising a running and guide rail and at least one vehicle including a support plate or the like and an electric motor and being driven by said electric motor, said vehicle being provided with means extending downwardly from said support plate and straddling said rail, a pair of wheels made of rubber or the like serving as running and driving wheels resting on said rail, one disposed at each end of said motor, reduction gearing connected between each said wheel and said motor and operatively linking said wheels to said motor, and a vehicle housing connected to said support plate, said means straddling said rail comprising one unit ahead of and one unit behind said motor and being articulately supported in said housing and being provided at the lower ends thereof with current collector means and at the upper ends with current connector means, and pairs of lateral guidance and balance maintaining devices each including two members one each in engagement with a different side of said rail, said running and guide rail being made in sections of a plastic material rendered self-supporting by a pair of conductor rails firmly embedded therein and retained therein during bending of said rail, each said running and guide rail section having inwardly widening grooves to receive said conductor rails, one of said conductor rails at one end of said rail section having a connecting pin and the other defining a socket to receive a pin and at the other end of said rail section said one conductor rail defining a socket to receive a pin and the other having a connecting pin, and a third conductor rail being provided along the upper surface of said rail section presenting sockets at both ends and a separable pin being provided for coupling said third rail to the corresponding rail of an adjacent section.

15. A toy monorailway comprising a running and guide rail and at least one vehicle including a support plate or the like and an electric motor and being driven by said electric motor, said vehicle being provided with means extending downwardly from said support plate and straddling said rail, a pair of wheels made of rubber or the like serving as running and driving wheels resting on said rail, one disposed at each end of said motor, reduction gearing connected between each said wheel and said motor and operatively linking said wheels to said motor, and a vehicle housing connected to said support plate,

i ll

said means straddling said rail comprising one unit ahead of and one unit behind said motor and being articulately supported in said housing and being provided at the lower ends thereof with current collector means and at the upper ends with current connector means, and pairs or" lateral guidance and balance maintaining devices each inciuding two members one each in engagement with a different side of said rail, said running and guide rail being made in sections of a plastic material rendered seit-supporting by a pair of conductor rails rmly embedded therein and retained therein during bending of said rail, each said running and guide rail section having inwardly widening grooves to receive said conductor rails, one of said conductor rails at one end of said rail section having a connecting pin and the other dening a socket to receive a pin and at the other end of said rail section said one conductor rail defining a socket to receive a pin the other having a connecting pin, and a third conductor rail being provided along the upper surface of said rail section presenting sockets at both ends and separable pins being provided for coupling said third rail to the corresponding rail of an adjacent section, said sockets being in the form of sleeves received over part of their length on said conductor rails and adapted over another part to receive connecting pins.

16. A toy monorailway comprising a running and guide rail and at least one vehicle including a support plate or the like and an electric motor and being driven by said electric motor, said vehicle being provided with means extending downwardly from said support plate and straddling said rail, a pair of wheels made of rubber or the like serving as running and driving wheels resting on said rail, one disposed at each end of said motor, reduction gearing connected between each said wheel and said motor and operatively linking said wheels to said motor, and a vehicle housing connected to said support plate, said means straddling said rail comprising one unit ahead of and one unit behhid said motor and being articulately supported in said housing and being provided at the lower ends thereof with current collector means and at the upper ends with current connector means, and pairs of lateral guidance and balance maintaining devices each including two members one each in engagement with a different side of said rail, said running and guide rail being made in sections of a plastic material rendered self-supporting by a pair of conductor rails rmly embedded therein and retained therein during bending of said rail, each said running and guide rail section having inwardly widening grooves to receive said conductor rails, one of said conductor rails at one end of said rail section having a connecting pin and the other deiining a socket to receive a pin and at the other end of said rail section said one conductor rail deiining a socket to receive a pin and the other having a connecting pin, and a third conductor rail being provided along the upper surface of said rail section presenting sockets at both ends and separable pins being provided for coupling said third rail to the corresponding rail of an adjacent section, said sockets being in the iorm of sleeves received over part of their length on said conductor rails and adapted over another part to receive connecting pins and having an annular notch intermediate said parts serving as a stop.

17. A toy monorailway comprising a running and guide rail and at least one vehicle including a support plate or the like and an electric motor and being driven by said electric motor, said vehicle being provided with means extending downwardly from said support plate and straddling said rail, a pair of wheels made of rubber or the like serving as running and driving wheels resting on said rail, one disposed at each end of said motor, reduction gearing connected between each said wheel and said motor and operatively linking said wheels to said motor, and a vehicle housing connected to said support plate, said means straddling said rail comprising one unit ahead of and one unit behind said motor and being articulately supported in said housing and being provided at the lower ends thereof with current collector means and at the upper ends with current connector means, and pairs of lateral guidance and balance maintaining devices each including two members one each in engagement with a different side of rail, said running and guide rail being made in sections of a plastic material rendered self-supporting by a pair of conductor rails rmly embedded therein and retained therein during bending of said rail, each said running and guide rail section having inwardly widening grooves to receive said conductor rails, one of said conductor rails at one end ot said rail section having a connecting pin and the other defining a socket to receive a pin and at the other end of said rail section said one conductor rail dening a socket to receive a pin and the other having a connecting pin, said rail section furthermore having a countersunk groove and said widening groove being provided in said countersunk groove and receiving a conductor raii in a manner that said conductor rail does not project above the surface of the rail section.

18 A toy monorailway comprising a running and guide rail and at least one vehicle including a support plate or the like and an electric motor and being driven by said electric motor, said vehicle being provided with means extending downwardly from said support plate and straddling said rail, a pair of wheels made or rubber or the like serving as running and driving wheels resting on said rail, one disposed at each end of said motor, reduction gearing connected between each said wheel and said motor and operatively linking said wheels to said motor, and a Vehicle housing connected to said support plate, said means straddling said rail comprising one unit ahead of and one unit behind said motor and being articulately supported in said housing and being provided at the lower ends thereof with current collector means and at the upper ends with current connector means, and pairs of lateral guidance and balance maintaining devices each including two members one each in engagement with a different side of said rail, said running and guide rail being made in sections of a plastic material rendered self-supporting by a pair of conductor rails rmly embedded therein and retained therein during bending of said rail, each said running and guide rail section having inwardly widening grooves to receive said conductor rails, one of said conductor rails at one end of said rail section having a connecting pin and the other dening a socket to receive a pin and at the other end of said rail section said one conductor rail dehning a socket to receive a pin and the other having a connecting pin, said rail sections having bores at the adjacent ends thereof and U-shaped coupling clips being provided in addition to said pins and sockets for coupling said sections together.

19. A toy monorailway comprising a running and guide rail and at least one vehicle including a support plate or the like and an electric motor and being driven by said electric motor, said Vehicle being provided with means extending downwardly from said support plate and straddling said rail, a pair of wheels made of rubber or the like serving as running and driving wheels resting on said rail, one disposed at each end of said motor, reduction gearing connected between each said wheel and said motor and operatively linking said wheels to said motor, and a vehicle housing connected to said support plate, said means straddling said rail comprising one unit ahead of and one unit behind said motor and being articulately supported in said housing and being provided at the lower ends thereof with current collector means and at the upper ends with current connector means, and pairs of lateral guidance and balance maintaining devices each including two members one each in engagement with a different side of said rail, said running and guide rail being made in sections of a plastic material rendered self-supporting by a pair of conductor rails iirmly embedded therein and retained therein during bending of said rail, each said running and guide rail section having inwardly widening grooves to receive said conductor rails, one of said conductor rails at one end of said rail section having a connecting pin and the other defining a socket to receive a pin and at the other end of said rail section said one conductor rail delining a socket to receive a pin and the other having a connecting pin, said rail sections having bores centrally along the bottom sections thereof and supporting posts being provided having pins on the upper ends thereof for engagement with said bores to support said sections.

20. A toy monorailway comprising a running and guide rail and at least one vehicle including a support plate or the like and an electric motor and being driven by said electric motor, said vehicle being provided with means extending downwardly from said support plate and straddling said rail, a pai-r of wheels made of rubber or the like serving as running and driving wheels resting on said rail, one disposed at each end of said motor, reduction :gearing connected between each said wheel and said motor and operatively linking said wheels to said motor, and a vehicle housing connected to said support plate, said means straddling said rail comprising one unit ahead of and one unit behind said motor and being articulately supported in said housing and being provided at the lower ends thereof with current collector means and at the upper ends with current connector means, and pairs of lateral guidance and balance maintaining devices each including two members one each in engagement with a different side of said rail, said running and guide rail being made in sections of a plastic material rendered self-supporting by a pair of conductor rails firmly embedded therein and retained therein during bending of said rail, each said running and guide rail section having inwardly widening grooves to receive said conductor rails, one of said conductor rails at one end of said rail section having a connecting pin and the other deiining a socket to receive a pin and at the other end of said rail section said one conductor rail defining a socket to receive a pin and the other having a connecting pin, said rail sections having bores centrally along the bottom sections thereof and supporting posts being provided having pins on the upper ends thereof for engagement with said bores to support said sections, said posts defining elongated hollow spaces therein and receiving adjustable rods in said hollow spaces and set screws being provided for adjusting the position of said rods and said posts being adapted -to be stacked one on top of the other by means of said pins.

21. A toy monorailway comprising a running and guide rail and at least one vehicle including a support plate or the like and an electric motor and being driven by said electric motor, said vehicle being provided with means extending downwardly from said support plate and straddling said rail, a pair of wheels lmade of rubber or the like serving as running and driving wheels resting on said rail, one disposed at each end of said motor, reduction gearing connected between each said Wheel and said motor and operatively linking said wheels to said motor, and a vehicle housing connected to said support plate, said means straddling said rail comprising one unit ahead of and one unit behind said motor and being articulately supported in said housing and being provided at the lower ends thereof with current collector means and at the upper ends with current connector means, and pairs of lateral guidance and balance maintaining devices each including two members one each in engagement with a different side of -said rail, said running and :guide rail being made in sections of a plastic material rendered self-supporting by a pair of conductor rails rmly embedded therein and retained therein during bending of said rail, each said running and guide rail section having inwardly widening grooves to receive said conductor rails, said conductor rails being of circular cross-section and more than half of said cross-section being embedded in the material of said rail section, and said conductor rails being continuous members such as iron Wire, Zinc injections or the like.

22. A toy monorailway comprising a running and guide rail and at least one vehicle including a support plate or the like and an electric motor and being `driven by said electric motor, said vehicle being provided with means extending downwardly from said support plate and straddling said rail, a pair of wheels made of rubber or the like serving as running and driving wheels resting on said rail, one disposed at each end of said motor, reduction gearing connected between each said wheel and said motor and operatively linking said wheels to said motor, and a vehicle housing connected to said support plate, said means straddling said rail comprising one unit ahead of and one unit behind said motor and being articulately supported in said housing and being provided at the lower ends thereof with current collector means and at the upper ends with current connector means, and pairs of lateral guidance and balance maintaining devices each including two members one each in engagement with a different side of said rail, said running and guide rail being made in sections of a plastic material rendered self-supporting by a pair of conductor yrails firmly embedded therein and retained therein during bending of said rail, said section having a recessed hollow space extending from the upper sur-face downwardly, one said conductor rail being embedded in said section within said hollow space and said vehicle having a spring biased member supporting a connector proximate said conductor rail in said hollow space.

23. A toy monorailway comprising a running and guide rail and at least one vehicle including a support plate or the like and an electric motor and being driven by said electric motor, said vehicle being provided with means extending downwardly from said support plate and straddling said rail, a pair of wheels made of rubber or the like serving as running and driving wheels resting on said rail, one disposed at each end of said motor, reduction gearing connected between each said wheel and said motor and operatively linking said `wheels to said motor, and a vehicle housing connected to said support plate, said means straddling said rail comprising one unit ahead of and one unit behind said motor and being articulately supported in said housing and being provided at the lower ends thereof with current collector means and at the upper ends with current connector means, and pairs of lateral vguidance and balance maintaining devices each including two members one each in engagement with a different side of said rail, said running and guide rail being made in sections of a plastic material rendered selfsupporting by a pair of conductor rails irmly embedded therein and retained therein during bending of said rail, said section having a recessed hollow space extending from the upper surface downwardly, one said conductor rail being embedded in said section within said hollow space and said vehicle having a spring biased member supporting a connector proximate said conductor rail in said hollow space, and said section comprising a pair of halves joined together at the center Vof said section.

24. A toy monorailway comprising a running and guide rail and at least one vehicle including a support plate or the like and an electric motor and being driven by said electric motor, said vehicle being provided with means extending downwardly from said support plate and straddling said rail, a pair of wheels made of rubber or the like serving as running and driving wheels resting on said rail, one disposed at each end of said motor, reduction gearing connected between each said wheel and said motor and operatively linking said wheels to said motor, and a vehicle housing connected to said support plate, said means straddling said rail comprising one unit ahead of and one unit behind said motor and being articulately supported in said housing and being provided at the lower ends thereof with current collector means and at the upper ends with current connector means, and pairs of lateral guidance and balance maintaining devices each including two members one each in engagement with a different side of said rail, said running and guide rail being made in sections of a plastic material rendered self-supporting by a pair of conductor rails firmly embedded therein and retained therein during bending of said rail, said section including switch means comprising a motor operatively associated with said rail section and current supply means for said motor including a pair of contact springs, each associated with a different position of said section and movable by means of said motor, one of said contact springs being operable to interrupt the current supply therethrough and to said motor, the other said contact spring being movable to establish a circuit for said motor to run in the opposite direction for driving said section in the opposite direction.

25. A toy monorailway comprising a running and guide rail and at least one vehicle including a support plate or the like and an electric motor and being driven by said electric motor, said vehicle being provided with means extending downwardly from said support plate and straddling said rail, a pair of wheels made of rubber or the like serving as running and driving wheels resting on said rail, one disposed at each end of said motor, reduction gearing connected between each said wheel and said motor and operatively linking said wheels to said motor, and a vehicle housing connected to said support plate, said means straddling said rail comprising one unit ahead of and one unit behind said motor and being articulately supported in said housing and being provided at the lower ends thereof with current collector means and at the upper ends with current connector means, and pairs of lateral guidance and balance maintaining devices each including two members one each in engagement with a diierent side of said rail, said running and guide rail being made in sections of a plastic material rendered selfsupporting by a pair of conductor rails firmly embedded therein and retained therein during bending of said rail, said section including switch means comprising a motor operatively associated with said rail section and current supply means for said motor including a pair of contact springs, each associated with a different position of said section and movable by means of said motor, one of said contact springs being operable to interrupt the current supply therethrough and to said motor, the other said contact spring being movable to establish a circuit for said motor to run in the opposite direction for driving said section in the opposite direction, and a section adjoining said section including said switch means where the circuit between said sections is interrupted and where interruptable contact means extend below said sections for separation and for movement into engagement.

26. A toy monorailway in accordance with claim 1, comprising an intermediate motorless car articulately supported between two said vehicles including and driven by an electric motor.

27. A toy monorailway in accordance with claim 13, wherein adjacent ends of rails are provided with lateral apertures adapted to receive the ends of U-shaped connecting clamps or the like.

28. A toy monorailway comprising a running and guide rail and at least one vehicle including a support plate or the like and a motor and being driven by said motor, said vehicle being provided with means extending downwardly from said support plate and straddling said rail, a pair of wheels made of rubber or the like serving as running and driving wheels resting on said rail, one disposed at each end of said motor, reduction gearing connected betweeneach said wheel and said motor operatively linking said wheels to said motor and a vehicle housing connected to said support plate, said means straddling said rail comprising one unit ahead of and one unit behind said motor and being articulately supported in said housing and being provided at the lower ends thereof with pairs of lateral guidance and balance maintaining members each including two members, one each in engagement with a difierent side of said rail.

References Cited in the i'ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 546,389 Peterson Sept. 17, 1895 1,200,093 Ellis Oct. 3, 19116 1,914,168 Rosenthal June 13, 1933 2,051,958 Madison Aug. 25, 1936 2,132,187 Rand Oct. 4, 1938 2,196,257 Dubilier Apr. 9, 1940 2,645,185 Fields July 14, 1953 2,913,997 Wolf Nov. 24, 1959 2,974,606 Macrander Mar. 14, 1961 2,987,013 Rosenbaum June 6, 1961 3,017,838 Bingham Ian. 23, 1962

Claims

1. A TOY MONORAILWAY COMPRISING A RUNNING AND GUIDE RAIL AND AT LEAST ONE VEHICLE INCLUDING A SUPPORT PLATE OR THE LIKE AND AN ELECTRIC MOTOR AND BEING DRIVEN BY SAID ELECTRIC MOTOR, SAID VEHICLE BEING PROVIDED WITH MEANS EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID SUPPORT PLATE AND STRADDLING SAID RAIL, A PAIR OF WHEELS MADE OF RUBBER OR THE LIKE SERVING AS RUNNING AND DRIVING WHEELS RESTING ON SAID RAIL, ONE DISPOSED AT EACH END OF SAID MOTOR, REDUCTION GEARING CONNECTED BETWEEN EACH SAID WHEEL AND SAID MOTOR AND OPERATIVELY LINKING SAID WHEELS TO SAID MOTOR, AND A VEHICLE HOUSING CONNECTED TO SAID SUPPORT PLATE, SAID MEANS STRADDLING SAID RAIL COMPRISING ONE UNIT AHEAD OF AND ONE UNIT BEHIND SAID MOTOR AND BEING ARTICULATELY SUPPORTED IN SAID HOUSING AND BEING PROVIDED AT THE LOWER ENDS THEREOF WITH CURRENT COLLECTOR MEANS AND AT THE UPPER ENDS WITH CURRENT CONNECTOR MEANS, AND PAIRS OF LATERAL GUIDANCE AND BALANCE MAINTAINING DEVICES EACH INCLUDING TWO MEMBERS ONE EACH IN ENGAGEMENT WITH A DIFFERENT SIDE OF SAID RAIL.