US3399489A

US3399489A - Toy vehicle having supported indicia thereon

Info

Publication number: US3399489A
Application number: US535985A
Authority: US
Inventors: Barbara S Rogers
Original assignee: Barbara S. Rogers
Current assignee: BARBARA S ROGERS
Priority date: 1966-03-21
Filing date: 1966-03-21
Publication date: 1968-09-03
Anticipated expiration: 1985-09-03

Description

Sept. 3, 1968 5. ROGERS 3,399,489

TOY VEHICLE HAVING SUPPORTED INDICIA THEREON Filed March 21, 1966 INVENTOR. .Barara S Eager-s Un t d S ates Patfii Q 3,399,489 TOY VEHICLE HAVING SUPPORTED INDICIA THEREON Barbara S. Rogers, Whisconier Hill, Bi'ookfield Center, Conn. 06805 'Filed Mar. 21, 1966, Ser. No. 535,985 1 4 Claims. (Cl. 46-202) This invention relates generally to amusement devices, and more particularly to mobile animated devices adapted to carry and convey an article.

A'principalobject of this invention is to provide a mobile animated device in the nature of a toy particularly adapted to carry and convey an article in the nature of a sign having humorous indiciathereon, the mobility of the device and the nature of the indicia co-acting for the amusement and enjoyment of both user and observer.

Another object of this invention is to provide a mobile animated device in the nature of a toy in which a single mechanically powered object may be used to removably carry and convey any one of a plurality of indicia bearing articles or signs which are readily interchangeable according to a particular occasion.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a mobile animated device which is relatively inexpensive in construction, simple to'operate and humorous and pleasing in appearance.

These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more apparent from an understanding of the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the device of this invention in one form presently preferred;

FIG, 2 is a side view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another form of sign for the device.

Referring to the drawings, the mobile animated device is seen to comprise a carrier 12 and an indicia bearing article or sign 14 mounted on and carried by the carrier 12. The carrier 12, as best seen in FIG. 4, comprises a body member 16 which, in the form of the invention illustrated, has the general configuration and contour of a small bug or insect. It is to be understood, however, that the configuration of the body member, together with the decorative features as shown, are merely for the purpose of illustrating one form of the invention as presently preferred, and that any design of body member and manner of decorating same, such as a car, boat, human figure or any shape of nature, may be substituted for that shown without departing from the scope of the invention.

The body member 16 is hollow and is suitably supported for mobility by a pair of wheels 18 mounted on a housing 20 which is secured to the underside 21 of the body member 16. A third supporting wheel may be provided if desired, or the device 10 may simply rest on a portion 22 of the body member underside 21 acting as a skid.

Inside the body member 16, the frame 20 is utilized for supporting a propulsion means in any suitable and convenient manner so as to drive the wheels 18. Preferably, the propulsion means comprises an inertia powered motor which is well known in the art therefore is not shown in detail, but comprises generally a flywheel which is rotatably mounted in the housing 20 and geared to the axle of the driving wheels. Energy is imparted to the flywheel by rotating the wheels, such as by pushing the carrier on a surface, after which, when the carrier is released, the momentum of the flywheel continues to drive the wheels until such momentum is dissipated. The carrier is therefore propelled along a surface for longer or 3,399,489 Patented Sept. 3, 1968 course, optional depending upon the manner of design of the carrier 12.

The sign 14 is held in the position shown by a ing means, generally indicated by the numeral 28, the retaining means defining a socket 30 between it and the upwardly facing support portion 26, there being an entrance opening 32 into the socket 30 through which a portion of the sign 14 is received so as to fit and be removably held in the socket 30, as more clearly explained be-' low.

The retaining means 28 comprises a raised cover, strap or auxiliary wall member which has a central portion 36 disposed in overlying almost contiguous or slightly spaced relationship to the upwardly facing support portion 26 of the body member 16, or to the decorative layer 27 thereon, and another portion 38 which is either integral with or secured to (the latter being shown in.

the drawings) the upwardly facing support portion 26 around the perimeter of the central portion 36.

The latter portion 38 is interrupted over part of the perimeter of the central portion 36 so as to define the entrance opening 32 into the socket so that the sign 14 is removable from the carrier 12, whereby a plurality of signs are interchangeable on a single carrier to suit a variety of occasions.

It is apparent that the sign 14 may be formed with a bent tab at a lower end thereof which may be inserted into the socket to retain the sign in place, the auxiliary wall member 34 being unslotted.

In the form of the invention preferred, however, the auxiliary wall member is provided with a slot 40 disposed substantially centrally of the auxiliary wall member and extending from the part of the perimeter of the cen tral portion 36 which defines the entrance opening 32 to a point proximate the opposite edge of the auxiliary wall member in order to accommodate a portion of the sign 14 as more fully described below.

The sign 14 comprises a generally elongate member 42 having an indicia bearing portion 44 on an upper end thereof and supporting means 46 on the other end. The supporting means comprises a base member which is substantially flat and shaped generally complementary to the shape of the socket 30 so as to fit and be received therein through the entrance opening 32. The base member 46 is disposed in generally planar perpendicular relationship to the elongate member 42 so as to rest on the upwardly facing wall portion 26 and dispose the sign 14 in upstanding relationship thereon. When so disposed, the elongate member passes through the slot 40 in the auxiliary wall member 34.

It is apparent that a wide variety of materials is readily adaptable to fabrication of both the carrier 12 and the sign 14. However, in the form of the invention presently preferred and shown in the drawings the body member 16 is formed of a rigid material, such as plastic or sheet metal, except for the auxiliary Wall member which is formed of a flexible material such as felt or leather, but which has sufficient resistance to flexure to retain the sign 14 in place. The sign itself is preferably formed of plastic or cardboard. Other decorative aspects of both the carrier and the sign may be formed of any desirable material.

It is to be understood that the invention is not to be retain-' 3 p deemed limited to the specific construction described and shown, but rather it is intended to cover all such modifications and variations thereof as may be deemed to be within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An amusement device including in combination a carrier comprising a hollow-shaped body member having a generally upwardly facing support portion, wheels supporting said body member, propulsion means mounted within said body member for propelling the carrier along a surface, retaining means mounted on said upwardly facing support portion and defining a socket between said retaining means and said support portion, and defining an entrance opening into said socket, and a member having an indicia bearing portion formed on one end thereof and supporting means formed on the other end thereof, said supporting means being shaped complementary to the shape of said socket so as to-fit and be removably received therein through said entrance opening whereby said carrier supports and conveys said member while the former is being propelled by said propulsion means. 7

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said retaining means comprises an auxiliary wall member having a first portion disposed in overlying relationship to said upwardly facing support portion of the body member, and a second portion secured to said support portion around the perimeter of the first portion except for a portion of its perimeter which is spaced from said support portion of the body member to define said entrance opening, and said supporting means of said member comprises a relatively flat base member disposed in planar perpendicular relationship to said member whereby said base member rests upon said upwardly facing support portion and is retained thereon by said auxiliary wall member to dispose said member in upstanding relationship.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein said auxiliary wall member is provided substantially centrally thereof with a slot extending from the portion of its perimeter adjacent said entrance openingto a point proximate the opposite edge of the auxiliary wall member, said member extends substantially centrally from the base member so as to be received in said slot when said base member is received within said socket.

4. A- device according to claim 3 wherein the auxiliary wall member comprises a piece of flexible material adhesively secured to said body member, said material having sufficient resistance to flexure to retain said base member within said socket. 7

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,873,553 2/1959 Ullman 46209 3,292,291 12/1966 Kelley 40-129 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. AN AMUSEMENT DEVICE INCLUDING IN COMBINATION A CARRIER COMPRISING A HOLLOW-SHAPED BODY MEMBER HAVING A GENERALLY UPWARDLY FACING SUPPORT PORTION, WHEELS SUPPORTING SAID BODY MEMBER, PROPULSION MEANS MOUNTED WITHIN SAID BODY MEMBER FOR PROPELLING THE CARRIER ALONG A SURFACE, RETAINING MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID UPWARDLY FACING SUPPORT PORTION AND DEFINING A SOCKET BETWEEN SAID RETAINING MEANS AND SAID SUPPORT PORTION, AND DEFINING AND ENTRANCE OPENING INTO SAID SOCKET, AND A MEMBER HAVING AN INDICIA BEARING PORTION FORMED ON ONE END THEREOF AND SUPPORTING MEANS FORMED ON THE OTHER END THEREOF, SAID SUPPORTING MEANS BEING SHAPED COMPLEMENTARY TO THE SHAPE OF SAID SOCKET SO AS TO FIT AND BE REMOVABLY RECEIVED THEREIN THROUGH SAID ENTRANCE OPENING WHEREBY SAID CARRIER SUPPORTS AND CONVEYS SAID MEMBER WHILE THE FORMER IS BEING PROPELLED BY SAID PROPULSION MEANS.