US3313242A

US3313242A - Road race set

Info

Publication number: US3313242A
Application number: US343839A
Authority: US
Inventors: Voce Carl
Original assignee: Eldon Industries Inc
Current assignee: Eldon Industries Inc
Priority date: 1964-02-10
Filing date: 1964-02-10
Publication date: 1967-04-11
Anticipated expiration: 1984-04-11

Description

pril l, 1967 Filed Feb. l0, 1964 .75L/f5, Z,

C. VOCE ROAD RACE SET 4 Sheets-Sheet l C. VOCE ROAD RACE SET April u, w67

4 Sheets-Sheet E Filed Feb. l0, 1964 April l1, i967 c. VOCE 33339242.

ROAD RACE SET Filed Feb. lO,v 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 April 11, 1967 c. VOCE 3,3342

ROAD RACE SET Filed Feb. l0, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet l Arma/5K5 United States Patent O 3,313,242 RQAD RACE SET Carl Voce, Gardena, Calif., assignor to Eldon Industries, Inc., Hawthorne, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Feb. 10, 1964, Ser. No. 343,339 7 Claims. (Cl. 1041-60) This invention relates to toys, and more particularly to a pair of race tracks, an electric motor driven race car for each track and an electric control circuit for connection with the tracks.

Although it is common practice to race two toy cars side by side, racing sets of the prior art have been diificult for children to operate. Further, such sets have been expensive both to manufacture and to repair.

According to the system of the present invention, a dual purpose control circuit is employed with a pair of two-rail tracks for economys sake. However, by employing a special electrical control circuit of the invention, universal versatility is achieved. Still further, although two different types of cars are employed in accordance with the present invention, one type may be easily and quickly converted to the other type without the expense of additional equipment.

Some portions of the system of the present invention are, by themselves, old in the art. For example, the control circut of the present invention employs a transformer having a secondary winding. A first diode is connected from one side of this secondary to a first variable resistor. A second diode is also connected from the same side of the secondary to a second variable resistor. However, the diodes are poled in opposite directions. With this equipment, it is possible to run two different race cars independently off of the same transformer.

The alternating current which is conventionally induced in the transformer secondary is split into two currents. Two independent pulsating direct currents are derived through the diodes. One of these can be used to energize a corresponding one of two separate race car electric motors. The other pulsating direct current can be used to energize the motor of the other race car. One variable resistor may be employed to control the speed of one car independently of the speed of the other car. The other variable resistor may also be employed to control the speed of the other car independently of the speed of the one car.

The transformer, the diodes, the variable resistors, and the connections of these circuit elements as just described are old in the art. Such circuit elements and such connections are shown, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 1,778,465. However, this patent does not disclose how such a control circuit might be applied to two pairs of two-rail tracks. Further, this patent discloses the control circuit for use only with a single three-rail track, the threerail track being more expensive than a two-rail track.

One might expect that it would be desirable and most economical to operate the corresponding rail of each of a pair of two-rail tracks at the same polarity and to employ an identical race car for each track. A corresponding rail of each track could be operated by the same polarity by connecting, for example, the rst variable resistor to the left hand rail of the left hand track, the second variable resistor to the right hand rail of the right hand track, and the other side of the transformer secondary to both the right hand rail of the left hand track and to the left hand rail of the right hand track. In such a case, due to the fact that the diodes are poled in opposite directions, if the first diode were poled to make the right hand rail of the left hand track positive with respect to the left hand rail of the left hand track, the right hand rail of the right hand track would thus be positive with respect to the left hand rail of the right hand track.

Alternatively, the left hand rail of each track could be maintained positive with respect to the right hand rail of each by connecting the first resistor to the right hand rail of the left hand track by connecting the second resistor to the left hand rail of the right hand track, and by connecting the other two rails to the other side of the transformer secondary, the diode connections being the same.

In accordance with the foregoing, by maintaining the right hand rail of each track at the same first polarity, by maintaining the left hand rail of each track at the same second polarity opposite the first polarity, and by employing identical race cars, it is possible to run either race car on either track in a first direction around the tracks.

Notwithstanding the foregoing advantages of the use of the uniform rail polarities between tracks and the use of identical cars, the circuit connections for this type of operation also have several serious disadvantages. `In the rst place, niether car will go around either track in a second direction opposite the said iirst direction. Moreover, if a car is turned around to a heading in the second direction, the oar will back up and ruin theA cars direct current motor commutator and rail brushes.

The above-described and other disadvantages of the prior art are overcome in accordance with the system of the present invention by connecting the variable resistors to the same rail of each track. That is, each resistor is connected to the left hand rail of each corresponding track or to the right hand rail of each. It is thus immaterial which is called left or right. For this reason a described connection hereinafter may occasionally refer only to left or only to right for simplicity. These rails are then connected together and the other rail of each track are connected to the said other side of the transformer second-ary. For example, the left hand rail of the left hand track may be connected to the first resistor and the left hand rail of the right hand track may be connected to the second resistor. Both left hand rails are then connected together. Both right hand rails are then connected to the said other side of the transformer secondary.

Alternatively, according to the present invention, both left hand rails may be connected to the said other side of the transformer secondary. In this case, the rst resistor may be connected to the right hand rail of one track and the second resistor to the right hand rail of the other track and both right hand rails connected together.

In accordance with the present invention, race cars to be used on each of two adjacent tracks are connected differently and each carries still another diode. Each car contains a plug and jack connection to each rail brush so that a car may be converted from one type to another type simply by reversing the plug and jack connections.

By employing the track connections and race cars of the a present invention as aforesaid, it is possible to run either race car forwardly in either direction around either track. The easily reversible jacks are also an advantage of the present invention in the economical car repair or replacement may be made easily and quickly.

Note will be taken that the connections and race cars of the present invention provide a highly versatile yet economical road race set (l) by reversing the expected uniform rail polarity, (2) by making car wirings different for each pair to be used together, (3) by connecting the left rail of each of two tracks to the right rail of the other of the two tracks, and (4) by using a diode to be carried by each car.

It is an outstanding feature of the present invention that one or two track sections may be employed to switch a race car from an outside track to an inside track. By employing two such track sections, the road race becomes a still further greater test of skill. Note will be taken that this outstanding feature of the present invention is made possible by the circuit connections described previously. That is, uniform polarities are required for two rail tracks, and the energization of one car must not be confused with the energization of the other car. Note will be taken that the inside track is shorter than the outside track.

The above described and other advantages of the present invention will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings which are to be regarded as merely illustrative:

FIG. l is a top plan View of a road race set;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of a section of a track board shown in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the track board section taken on the line 3-3 shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of a race car which may be employed in the road race set of the present invention;

FIG. 4A is a perspective View of a guide for a road race car;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a rail brush which may be employed with the car shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the road race set shown in FIG. 1 with the exception of the omission of a portion of the entire links of the tracks and track board shown in FIG. l;

FIG. 6a is a perspective view of a conventional plug and jack connection which may be employed with race cars constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a road race set identical to that described in FIGS. 1 to 6, inclusive, with the exception that two different track sections are employed in the rack track;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged top plan View of a switch section of track shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the switch section of track shown in FIG. S; and

FIG. l0 is a sectional view of the said switch section of track taken on the line 10-10 shown in FIG. 8.

A road race set is indicated at 10 in FIG. 1 including a track board 11 made up of sections 12, 13, etc., each of which carries rails 14 and 15 of a first track 16 and rails 17 and 18 of a second track 19.

An enlarged top plan view of section 12 of track board 11 is shown in FIG. 2. Note will be taken that this section employs small non-conductive projections 20, and large non-conductive projections 21.

Conductive projections

22 and 23 are fixed to rails 17 and 1S of track 19.

Conductive projections

24 and 25 are fixed to

rails

14 and 15 of track 16. The raiis of the

tracks

16 and 19 tit together in the same manner as a conventional two-rail toy electric train track.

As shown in FIG. l, a race car 26 is located on track 16 and a race car 27 is located on track 19. Both

race cars

26 and 27 are connected to race in the direction of arrow 2S around track board 11. In order for the

cars

26 and 27 to finish at the same finish line, they must start at different positions around track board 11 since track 16 is shorter than track 19.

Note will be taken that a section 13 of track board 11 may be called a power track section and may have track terminals at 29, 30 and 31.

Cars

26 and 27 rest on portions of

tracks

16 and 19 on a section 32 of track board 11. An electrical controller 33 is connected from power track section 13 to a Wall plug 34 by

wires

35 and 36.

Both

cars

26 and 27 may be identical but for an internal electrical connection as will be explained. For this reason, the mechanical construction of only car 26 wil be explained. Note will be taken that car 26 is provided with a projection 37 to extend downwardly into a groove 38 between the rails of tracks 16 as shown in FIG. 6. Projection 37 is located precisely between a pair of rail brushes 38 and 39. Rail brushes 3S' and 39 are identical and for this reason only one rail brush is shown at 38 in FIG. 5. Note will be taken that rail brush 36" is a braided brush having a purposely unbraided end at 4i).

An electrical schematic diagram of the road race set 1G is shown in FIG. 6. Note will be taken that controller 33 is provided with a transformer 41 which has a primary Winding 42 and a secondary winding 43. Lead 36 is connected to one end of primary winding 42. Lead 35 is connected to the other end of primary winding 42 through an otf-on switch 44.

A iirst end 45 of secondary winding 43 is connected to two diodes 46 and 47. Diodes 46 and 47 are connected from secondary end 45 to corresponding

terminals

48 and 49. Note will be taken that diodes 46 and 47 are poled to be conductive in opposite directions from secondary end 45 to corresponding

terminals

48 and 49. The other end Si) of secondary 43 is connected to a central terminal 51 through a thermal circuit breaker 52. The direction of race car movement on track board 11 is again indicated by arrow 23 in FIG. 6.

Rails

14 and 17 of

tracks

16 and 19 are connected together by

leads

53 and 54 which are connected from

terminals

29 and 31 to contacting ends 55 in a connector cap 56. A variable resistor 57 is connected from terminal 4S to cap 56. A variable resistor 58 is connected from terminal 49 to cap 56. A lead 59 connects

terminals

30 and 51. Note will be taken that terminal 30 is connected to both of

rails

15 and 18 of

tracks

16 and 19, respectively.

As stated previously,

cars

26 and 27 may be substantially identical. Each may be provided with a chassis at 6% and 61. Each may be provided with a pair of

forward Wheels

62 and 63. Each also may be provided with a pair of

rear wheels

64 and 65. Rear wheels 64 are xed to an axle 66 which is driven by a motor. The motor 67 is provided with an output shaft 68 connected with a spur gear 69 that matches with a crown gear 7i) xed to axle 66.

Similarly, car 27 is provided with a motor 71 that has a drive shaft 72 connected to a spur gear 73 that matches With a crown gear 74 fixed with an axle 75. Axle 75 is in turn fixed to rear wheels 65 of car 27.

Motor 67 has a lead 76 which is connected with rail brush 39 through a quick detachable connector 77 which may be of the conventional plug and jack type.

Motor 67 also has a lead 7S which is connected to rail brush 33 through a diode 79 and a quick detachable connector 80.

Similarly, motor 71 is provided with a lead S1 that is connected to a brush 82 through a quick detachable connector 83. Motor 71 also is provided with a lead S4 that is connected to a rail brush 85 through a diode 86 and a quick detachable connector 87.

A conventional plug and jack connection is shown in FIG. 6a. For example, conventional conductive lead 76 is shown having insulation at 211i). A conventional cylindrical or tubular plug is indicated at 291 having a closed rounded end 262 as is conventional. Lead 76 and plug 201 are both made of a conductive metal. Lead 76 and plug 291 are thus soldered together in the conventional way. A hollow tubular or cylindrical jack 263 is also provided as shown in FIG. 6a. .I ack 2113 may be soldered to one of the

brushes

33, 39, 82 and 35. The solder connection may be conventional. The tit of plug 2 y1 in jack 203 is snug. It is tight to the touch, but plug 201 may be removed from jack 293 manually even though there is a slight friction t, as is conventional.

In FIG. 7, a road race set 166 is shown which may be identical to track board 11 shown in FIG. l except that some additional curved sections of track at 191, 102, 103, 164 and 1195 are employed with a pair of switch sections of

track

106 and 107. As stated previously, road race set 109 is identical to road race set 10 except for the said

track sections

191, 102, 193, 194, 105, 1116 and 107.

The details of switch track section 186 are shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and l0. The details of switch track section 107 are identical to the details of switch section 166. For this reason, the details of switch section 167 have not been shown.

As shown in FIG. l0, section 106 includes a molded plastic body 103 which has metal track rails 199, 111), 111 and 112 securely held therein. A groove is provided at 113 and 114 having the function of groove 33 shown in FIG. 3.

Other sections of track are shown at 115, 116, 117, 113, 119 and 126 in FIIG. 8.

Additional grooves are also provided at 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127 and 128 as shown in FIG. 8.

lDielectric plastic switches at 129, 139, 131 and 132 are provided which are movable to switch a car from an inside track to an outside track by directing blade 37 into one of the grooves shown in FEC. 8. Blade 3'7 is the blade fixed to car 26 shown in FIG. 4.

As shown in FIG. 9, switches 129 and 139 are operated by a cable arrangement 133 through a trigger 134 pivoted at 135 as shown in FIG. 8. Cable arrangement 133 is provided with an internal axially movable cable 136 at a cable sheath 137. Trigger 134 is provided with a housing at 138 as shown in FIG. 8. Cable sheath 137 is tixed to body 1113. Cable 136 extends through body 103 and is pivoted at 139 to a crank arm 141i which is normally spring-biased by spring 141 to keep wedges 129 and 13) in the positions shown in FIG. 8. A stop 14 is provided for spring 141 at one or its ends. Another end 143 of spring 141 rests against crank 143.

Crank 140 may be connected to

wedges

129 and 139 in any conventional pin and slot arrangement to reciprocate

wedges

129 and 140 back and forth vertically across body 198 as shown in FIG. 9. An identical arrangement at 144 is shown at the right end of body 108 in FIG. 9. Arrangement 144 is operated to move

wedges

131 and 132 in a manner identical to the manner in which

wedges

129 and 130 are moved. However, it will be realized that crank 141) rotates counterclockwise when cable 136 is pulled whereas at the same time the crank of arrangement 144 corresponding to crank 141) rotates in a clockwise direction. A minor reversal of parts in arrangement 144 over those shown at the left end of body 168 is required to accommodate this difference in rotation. However, the parts are otherwise identical at each end of body 108. This movement is produced through a lever and linkage system 145 which is pivoted to crank 140 at a pin 146 and which is pivoted to body 168 at a pin 147.

In accordance with another feature of the present invention arrangement 144 may be entirely eliminated.

Crank 140 is shown in FIG. l0, having pins at 148 to engage

slots

149 and 150 in

members

151 and 152 6 respectively, which are molded integrally with

wedges

129 and 130. Member 151 has a projection 153 that extends into a space between a strap 154 and body 198 to slide in that space. The same thing is true of a projection 155 which extends between a strap 156 and body 103.

In the operation of the track section 106, housing 138 is grasped and trigger 134 is pulled. Cable 136 then is pulled upwardly through sheath 137 as viewed in FIG. 9. This rotates crank arm counterclockwise. Rotation of arm 149 is yieldingly resisted by spring 141. Pins 148 then slide in

slots

149 and 150, and

wedges

129 and 130 are moved apart.

Rotation of crank 14) in a counterclockwise direction, through linkage system produces a clockwise rotation of a similar crank arm in arrangement 144. This, in turn, spreads

wedges

131 and 132 apart.

Fromthe foregoing, it will be appreciated that

cars

26 and 27 are identical but for the connection of particular leads 76 and 81 and diodes 79 and 86 with

corresponding brushes

39, 85, 38 and S2. Note will be taken further that even the electrical circuit of

cars

26 and 27 are identical except for these connections. That is, leads 78 and 84 are identical, and diodes 79 and 86 are poled to be conductive in the same direction in corresponding leads 78 and 84, respectively.

As is probably self-evident, rail brush 39 contacts rail 15, rail brush 38 contacts rail 14, rail brush 85 contacts rail 18, and rail brush 82 contacts rail 17.

In the operation of the road race set 10,

resistors

57 and 58 may be varied independently and the speeds of

cars

26 and 27 thereby varied independently. Furthermore,

cars

26 and 27 may race side by side in the direction of arrow 28 or in the opposite direction of arrow 23. Furthermore, car 26 may be positioned in the position of car 27 as shown in FIG. 6 and vice versa, and the cars may again be raced side by side in the direction of arrow 2S or in the direction opposite arrow 28. Thus, the present invention is highly versatile, yet economical.

Further, the unique construction of

cars

26 and 27 make it possible to use two different cars nearly identical in construction but simply having different rail brush lead connections. The same may be changed manually by the operator for economical car repair or replacement.

In addition to the foregoing, it will also be noted that the use of the circuit and arrangement shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, inclusive, makes it possible to employ switch track sections 166 and 107 to make the road race set 106 a further game or" skill due to the fact that cars may be switched from an outside to an inside track to improve the chances of a player to win. Further, a car may be switched from an inside track to an outside track for passing.

Note will be taken that if

race cars

26 and 27 are reversed so that they move in a clockwise direction around tracks 16 and 19 rather than in a counter clockwise direction as shown in FIG. l, variable resistor 57 will control car 26 and variable resistor 58 will control car 27 rather than the reverse which is shown in FIG. 6.

As an alternative, a blade similar to guide blade 37 may be employed both at the forward and rear ends of

cars

26 and 27. All such blades may be pivotally mounted in the cars.

Although only one specific embodiment of the present invention has been described and illustrated herein, many changes and modifications will of course suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. This single embodiment has been selected for this disclosure for the purpose of illustration only. The present invention should therefore not be limited to the embodiment so selected, the true scope of the invention being defined only in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A race car comprising: a chassis; a direct current motor having a drive shaft carried by said chassis;

wheels suspended from said chassis to support the same; means connecting the motor drive shaft with said wheels; a pair of motor leads; a diode connected serially with one of said leads; a pair of rail brushes suspended from said chassis; a first quick detachable electrical connector connected between one of said leads and one of said brushes; and a second quick detachable electrical connector connected between the other of said leads and the other of said brushes, said connectors being substantially identical.

2. A road race set comprising: a transformer including primary and secondary windings, said secondary winding having first and second ends; two adjacent conductive tracks, each of said tracks having two rails; first and second diodes both connected from the first end of said transformer secondary winding, said first diode having its anode connected to said rst end and said second diode having its cathode connected to said first end; a first variable resistor connected from the cathode of said first diode to the right hand rail of one of said tracks as viewed in a predetermined direction up said one track; a second variable resistor connected from the anode of said second diode to the right hand rail of the other of said tracks as viewed in said predetermined direction, said resistors being adjustable independently of one another; means connecting said right hand track rails together; means connecting both of the left hand track rails to the second end of said transformer secondary winding; a race car on each of said tracks, each of said cars having a direct-current electric motor; a brush on each race car to slide along each rail of each corresponding track; means carried by one of said race cars including a diode connected serially with the motor thereof to prevent the said motor from being energized except by voltages making the right hand rail of a corresponding track positive with respect to the left hand rail thereof; means carried by the other of said race cars including a diode connected serially with the motor thereof to prevent the said motor from being energized except by voltages making the left hand rail of a corresponding track positive with respect to the right hand rail thereof; a chassis for each of said race cars; wheels suspended from each of said chassis to support each; means connecting the drive shaft of each of said motors with said wheels; a pair of leads for each of said motors; said racecars being identical but for the connection of said motor leads with said brushes; a quick detachable connector between the right hand brush and the motor of one of said cars; a quick detachable connector connecting the left hand brush with the diode of said one car; a quick detachable connector connecting the right hand brush of the other of said cars with the diode of said other car; and a quick detachable connector connecting the left hand brush of said other car with the motor thereof, all of said connectors being substantially identical.

3. A road race set comprising: two endless approximately parallel tracks mounted on sections of quick detachable track board, a section of each of said tracks being mounted on each track board; a race car on each of said tracks, each of said race cars being positioned with their forward ends extending in the same direction around said tracks; a chassis for each of said race cars; a pair of rail brushes suspended from each of said chassis to contact each rail of each corresponding track, each of said tracks having two rails; projection means on each of said chassis between each corresponding pair of brushes thereon; means on said track board for cooperation with said chassis projection to guide said cars around said tracks, said brushes being located at the forward end of each of said cars; a pair of wheels located at the forward end of said cars; a pair of wheels located at the rear of each of said cars adapted to be driven by each corresponding motor thereof; a transformer including primary and secondary windings, said secondary winding having first and second ends; first and second diodes both connected 8 from the first end of said transformer secondary winding; said first diode having its anode connected to said first end and said second diode having its cathode connected to said first end; first variable resistor connected from the cathode of said first diode to the right hand rail of one of said tracks as viewed in a predetermined direction up one of said tracks; a second variable resistor connected from the anode of said second diode to the right hand rail of the other of said tracks as viewed in said predetermined direction, said resistors being adjustable independently of one another; means connecting said right hand track rails together; means connecting bot-h of the left hand track rails to the second end of said transformer secondary winding; means carried by one of said race cars including a diode connected serially with the motor thereof to prevent the said motor from being energized except by voltages making the right hand rail of a corresponding track positive with respect to the left hand rail thereof; means carried by the other of said race cars including a diode connected serially with the motor thereof to prevent the said motor from being energized except by voltages making the left hand rail of a corresponding track positive with the right hand rail thereof, each of said motors having a drive shaft; a pair of leads for each of said motors; a diode connected serially with one of said leads or each of said pairs, each of said cars being identical but for lead connected with said brushes thereof; a quick detachable connector connecting the diode in one of said cars with the left hand brush thereof; a quick detachable connector connecting the right hand brush of said one car to the motor thereof; a quick detachable connector connecting the right hand brush of the other of said cars with the diode carried thereby; and a quick detachable connector connecting the left hand brush of said other car with the motor thereof, all of said connectors being identical.

4. A rroad race set comprising: two endless approximately parallel tracks mounted on sections of quick detachable track board, a section of each of said tracks being mounted on each track board; a race car on each of said tracks, each of said race cars being positioned with their forward ends extending in the same direction around said tracks; a chassis for each of said race cars; a pair of rail brushes suspended from each of said chassis to contact each rail of each corresponding track, each of said tracks having two rails; projection means on each of said chassis between each corresponding pair of brushes thereon; means on said track board for cooperation with said chassis projection to guide said cars around said tracks, said brushes being located at the forward end of each of said cars; a pair of wheels located at the forward end of said cars; a pair of wheels located at the rear of each of said cars adapted to be driven by each corresponding motor thereof; a transformer including primary and secondary windings, said secondary winding having first and second ends; first and second diodes both connected from the first end of said transformer secondary winding; said first diode having its anode connected to said first end and said second diode having its cathode connected to said first end; a first variable resistor connected from the cathode of said first diode to the right hand rail of one of said tracks as viewed in a predetermined direction up one of said tracks; a second variable resistor connected from the anode of said second diode to the right hand rail of the other of said tracks as viewed in said preetermined direction, said resistors being adjustable independently of one another; means connecting said right hand track rails together; means connecting both of the left hand track rails to the second end of said transformer secondary winding; means carried by one of said race cars including a diode connected serially with the motor thereof to prevent the said motor from being energized except by voltages making the right hand rail of a corresponding track positive with respect to the left hand rail thereof; means carried by the other of said race cars in- 9 cluding a diode connected serially with the motor thereof to prevent the said motor from being energized except by voltages making the left hand rail of a corresponding track positive with the right hand rail thereof, each of said motors having a drive shaft; a pair of leads for each of said motors; a diode connected serially with one of said leads of each of said pairs, each of said cars being identical but for a lead connected with said brushes thereof; a quick detachable connector connecting the diode in one of said cars Iwith the left hand brush thereof; a quick detachable connector connecting the right hand brush of said one car to the motor thereof; a quick detachable connector connecting the right hand brush of the other of said cars with the diode carried thereby; a quick detachable connector connecting the left hand brush of said other car with the motor thereof, all of said connectors being identical; and means including two sections in said tracks actuable to switch a car from one of said tracks to the other of said tracks.

5. A road race set comprising: a transformer including primary and secondary windings, said secondary winding having firs-t and second ends; two adjacent conductive tracks, each of said tracks having two rails; first and second diodes both connected from the first end of said transformer secondary winding, said first diode having its anode connected to said first end and said second diode having its cathode connected to said first end; a first variable resistor connected from the cathode of said first diode to the right hand rail of one of said tracks as viewed in a predetermined direction up said one track; a second variable resistor connected from the anode of said second diode to the right hand rail of the other of said tracks as viewed in said predetermined direction, said resistors being adjustable independently of one another; means connecting said right hand track rails together; means connecting both of the left hand track rails to the second end of said transformer secondary winding; a race car on each of said tracks, each of said cars having a direct-current electric motor; a brush on each race car to slide along each rail of each corresponding track; means carried by one of said race cars including a diode connected serially with the motor thereof to prevent the said motor from being energized except by voltages making the right hand rail of a corresponding track positive with respect to the left hand rail thereof; means carried by the other of said race cars including a diode connected serially with the motor thereof to prevent the said motor from being energized except by voltages making the left hand rail of a corresponding track positive with respect to the right hand rail thereof; a chassis for each of said race cars; wheels suspended from each of said chassis to support each; means connecting the drive shaft of each of said motors with said wheels; a pair of leads for each of said motors; said race cars bein-g identical but for the connection of said motor leads with said brushes; a quick detachable connector between the right hand brush and the motor of one of said cars; a quick detachable connector connecting the left hand brush with the diode of said one car; a quick detachable connector connecting the right hand brush of the other of said cars with the diode of said other car; a quick detachable connector connecting the left hand brush of said other car with the motor thereof, all of said connectors being substantially identical; and means including a section in said tracks actuable to switch a car from one of said tracks to the other of said tracks.

6. A road race set comprising: two endless approximately parallel tracks mounted on sections of quick detachable track board, a section of each of said tracks being mounted on each track board; a race car on each of said tracks, each of said race cars being positioned with their forward ends extending in the same direction around said tracks; a chassis for each of said race cars; a pair of rail brushes suspended from each of said chassis to contact each rail of each corresponding track, each of said tracks having two rails; projection means on each of said chassis between each corresponding pair of brushes thereon; means on said track board for cooperation with said chassis projections to guide said cars around said tracks, said brushes being located at the forward end of each of said cars; a pair of wheels located at the forward end of said cars; a pair of wheels located at the rear of each of said cars adapted to be driven by each corresponding motor thereof; a transformer including primary and secondary windings, said secondary winding having first and second ends; first and second diodes both connected from the first end of said transformer secondary Winding; said first diode having its anode connected to said rst end and said second diode having its cathode connected to said first end; a first variable resistor connected from the cathode of said first diode to the right hand rail of one of said tracks as Viewed in a predetermined direction up one of said tracks; a second variable resistor connected from the anode of said second diode to the right hand rail of the other of said tracks as viewed in said predetermined direction, said resistors Vbeing adjustable independently of one another; means connecting said right hand track rails together; means connecting both of the left hand track rails to the second end of said transformer secondary winding; means carried by one of said race cars including a d'iode connected serially with the motor thereof to prevent the said motor from being energized except by voltages making the right hand rail of a corresponding track positive with respect to the left hand rail thereof; means carried by the other of said race cars including a diode connected serially with the motor thereof to prevent the said motor from being energized except by voltages making the left hand rail of a corresponding track positive with the right hand rail thereof, each of said motors having a drive shaft; a pair of leads for each of said motors; a diode connected serially with one of said leads of each of said pairs, each of said cars being identical but for lead connected With said brushes thereof; a quick detachable connector connecting the diode in one of said cars with the left hand brush thereof; a quick detachable connector connecting the right hand brush of said one car to the motor thereof; a quick detachable connector connecting the right hand brush of the other of said cars with the diode carried thereby; a quick detachable connector connecting the left hand brush of said other car with the motor thereof, all of said connectors being identical; and means including a section in said tracks actuable to switch a car from one of said tracks to the other of said tracks.

7. A road race set comprising: a transformer including primary and secondary windings, said secondary winding having first and second ends; two adjacent conductive tracks, each of said tracks having two rails; first and second diodes both connected from the first end of said transformer secondary winding, said first diode having its anode connected to said first end and said second diode having its cathode connected to said first end; a rst variable resistor connected from the cathode of said rst diode to the right hand rail of one of said tracks as viewed in a predetermined direction up said one track; a second variable resistor connected from the anode of said second diode to the right hand rail of the other of said tracks as viewed in said predetermined direction, said resistors being adjustable independently of one another; means connecting said right hand track rails together; means connecting both of the left hand track rails to the second end of said transformer secondary winding; a race car on each of said tracks, each of said cars having a direct-current electric motor; a brush on each race car to slide along each rail of each corresponding track; means carried 11 by one of said race cars including a diode connected serially with the motor thereof to prevent the said motor from being energized except by voltages making the right hand rail of a corresponding track positive with respect to the left hand rail thereof; means carried by the other of said race cars including a diode connected serially with the motor thereof to prevent the said motor from bein-g energized except by voltages making the left hand rail of a corresponding track positive with respect to the right hand rail thereof; a chassis for each of said race cars; wheels suspended from each of said chassis to support each; means connecting the drive shaft of each of said motors with said wheels; a pair of leads for each of said motors; said race cars being identical but for the connection of said motor leads with said brushes; a quick detachable con nector between the right hand brush and the motor of one of said cars; a quick detachable connector connectin-g the left hand brush with the diode of said one car; a quick detachable connector connecting the right hand brush of the other of said cars with the diode of said other car; a quick detachable connector connecting the left hand brush of said other car with the motor thereof, all of said connectors being substantially identical; and means including two sections in said tracks actuable to switch a car from one of said tracks to the other of said tracks.

References Cited hy the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,657,511 1/1928 Lorenz et al. 104--60 1,778,465 10/1930 Ozanne 104-149 2,754,432 7/1956 =M0stek 104--149 X 2,955,044 12/1960 Johnson 104--150 3,070,732 12/1962 Crandall et al.

3,117,755 l/1964 Krctzmer 246-415 3,205,833 9/1965 lFitzpatrick 104-6() 3,220,356 11/1965 Leslie 104-151 FOREIGN PATENTS 503,477 4/1939 Great Britain.

ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

LEO QUACKENBUSH, Examiner. M. J. HLL, S. B. GREEN, Assistant Examiners.

Claims

1. A RACE CAR COMPRISING: A CHASSIS; A DIRECT CURRENT MOTOR HAVING A DRIVE SHAFT CARRIED BY SAID CHASSIS; WHEELS SUSPENDED FROM SAID CHASSIS TO SUPPORT THE SAME; MEANS CONNECTING THE MOTOR DRIVE SHAFT WITH SAID WHEELS; A PAIR OF MOTOR LEADS; A DIODE CONNECTED SERIALLY WITH ONE OF SAID LEADS; A PAIR OF RAIL BRUSHES SUSPENDED FROM SAID CHASSIS; A FIRST QUICK DETACHABLE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR CONNECTED BETWEEN ONE OF SAID LEADS AND ONE OF SAID BRUSHES; AND A SECOND QUICK DETACHABLE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR CONNECTED BETWEEN THE OTHER OF SAID LEADS AND THE OTHER OF SAID BRUSHES, SAID CONNECTORS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY IDENTICAL.