US3486271A - Model car and track system - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 30, 1969 R. H. FEIKEMA MODEL CAR AND TRACK SYSTEM 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 31, 1968 INVENTOR. Ross-R H. FEIKEMA Ma/( 22 iz- ATTORNEY Dec. 30, 1969 R. H. FEIKEMA 3,486,271

MODEL CAR AND TRACK SYSTEM Filed May 51, 1968 s Sheets-Shet 2 mmvrozz. F065;? H. FEIKEMA B ATTORNEY Dec. 30, 1969 R. H. F'EIKEMA 3,486,271

MODEL CAR AND TRACK SYSTEM 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 51, 1968 INVENTOR.

ROGER H. FE/KEMA ATTORNEY United States Patent 0 3,486,271 MODEL EAR AND TRACK SYSTEM Roger H. Feikema, Lake County, Ind. (2944 Hess Drive, Highland, Ind. 46322) Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 593,821, Nov. 14, 1966. This application May 31, 1968, Ser. No. 763,439

Int. Cl. A6311 33/26, 19/00, 19/16 U.S. Cl. 46-243 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention discloses a model car which can follow the banked turn of a track without mechanical or electrical connection to the track. The outside front wheel is mounted in an elevated position relative to the other wheels and the inside turn front wheel is preset at a turn angle. The resiliency of the current pick-up means, the turn of the inside front wheel and the elevation of the outside front wheel causes the inside front wheel to bear against The subject application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Ser. No. 593,821, filed Nov. 14, 1966, now abandoned.

This invention relates generally to the art of controlling model cars on a trackway, and more particularly to a model car having a novel structure and arrangement of parts for utilizing the inertial forces acting thereon to automatically control the turning of the model car around the curve of a track.

The particular problem that this invention is directed is that of eliminating the groove means in a track and link means connecting a model car to the track that is otherwise necessary in order to control the path of the car thereon. This method of connecting the model car to the track is artificial and does not realistically represent the operation of the actual prototype that the model represents. I am also aware of slotless race track-model car systems whereby the model car is controlled on the track by electrical means; however, the manufacture of this system is expensive and the different control circuitry limits the use of such model cars to a track system having circuitry especially designed to accommodate the control circuitry of the model car. Such model cars are not usable on other tracks which may have different trafiic control circutiry even though electrical power provided for the track is available and adaptable to operate the drive motor of the model car.

In my invention, I provide a model car having a novel structure obtained by easily and economically altering the design of a conventional model car, and a slotless track which includes electrical circuits which cooperate with the motor circuit of the car to provide the motive power only for the car. The track curve turning control of my invention is not accomplished by slot-link means of the prior art nor by electrical control means but by the cooperation of the altered structure of the model car and the track of my invention. More specifically, I provide as an object of my invention a model car and track means combination which is electrically energized to provide motive power only to the model car and means for controlling the path of the model car by constructing the model car to take advantage of the physical forces acting on the moving car and the reaction thereto of the track.

Another object of my invention is to provide a model car for operation on a track which requires skill to operate.

Another object of my invention is to provide a model car for operation on a curved track whereby realism in operation is obtained.

Another object of my invention is to provide a model car and track combination which is simple and economical to manufacture.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a novel model car and track system which accomplishes the turning of the model car to follow the curvature of the track automatically.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the study of the following detailed description taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a bottom view of the model car of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the model car of my invention showing the front wheels raised and exaggerated amount to emphasize the fact that the front wheels do not frictionally engage the track to take hold thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a front view of the front wheel assembly of the model car of my invention shown resting on the horizontal portion of the track;

FIGURE 4 is a front view of the front wheel assembly of the model car of my invention shown in operative relation with the banked curve portion of the track;

FIGURE 5 is a plan elevation of the curved track of my invention;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation of a portion of the track sectioned at line 9-9 of FIGURE 5, showing the straight portion of the track and the progressive increase of the bank of the track from the straight portion to the center of curvature thereof;

FIGURES 7 and 8 are cross-sectional end views of the track sectioned along line 77 and line 88 of FIG- URE 5, respectively, with accompanying force diagrams to show the change in magnitude of the component forces acting on a curvilineally travelling mass on different portions of the banked turn;

FIGURE 9 is a cross sectional end view of the track sectioned at line 99 of FIGURE 5. FIGURE 9 also includes a schematic diagram of the electrical supply for the track and the model car;

FIGURE 10 is a side elevation of the model car of my invention provided with a modified front wheel assembly therefor;

FIGURE 11 is another side elevation thereof showing the side opposite that shown in FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 12 is a bottom view of the model car provided with the modified front wheel assembly showing a force couple acting on the car which contributes to the turning forces thereon;

FIGURE 13 is a frontal elevation of the modified front wheel assembly of the model car of my invention showing its posture relative to the horizontal straight portion of the track, and showing the elevational difference be tween the inside turn and outside turn wheels;

FIGURE 14 is a front elevation of the rear drive wheel assembly of the model car of my invention showing its position relative to the horizontal straight portion of the track;

FIGURE 15 is a frontal elevation of the modified front wheel assembly showing the elevational position of the wheels relative to the banked curve portion of the track; and

FIGURE 16 is a frontal elevation of the rear wheel assembly of the model car provided with the modified front wheel assembly showing its posture relative to the banked curve portion of the track.

Referring now to the drawings, particularly FIGURES 1 through 9, the model car of my invention is designated generally by the numeral 10. My invention resides in the novel structure of the front wheel assembly and utilization of the electric current pick-up means to partially support the front end of the model car. Front wheels 12 are rotatably mounted on the ends of axle 14 which is connected in any convenient manner to frame 16 of car 10. Front wheels 12 are preset to a turn position so that its radius of curvature is approximately equal to the radius of curvature of the turn of track 18. Current bars 20 and 22 are connected to the undercarriage of frame 16. Commutator brushes 24 and 26 are held against a disc armature (not shown) of an electric motor (not shown) which drives rear wheels 28 of car 10. Commutator brushes 24 and 26 are contained in sockets 30 and 32, respectively, provided in frame 16. The armature axle is connected to a gear train (not shown) which meshes with gear 34 fixed to rear axle 36 to which rear wheels 28 are connected and driven thereby. Current bar 20 is connected by means of wire 38 to a spring bar 40, which is fixed by one end thereof to frame 16 and the free end thereof is adapted to retain brush 24 in its socket 30. Spring bar 40 makes contact with brush 24 and also serves to urge brush 24 against the disc armature of the electric motor. Wire 38 includes a diode rectifier 41 in series circuit. Laterally spaced current pick-up bars 42 and 44 are flexibly or pivotally connected at one of their ends to current bars 20 and 22, respectively, and the other ends thereof extend forwardly in advance of front wheel 12. Current pick- up brushes 46 and 48 are fixed to the other end of bars 42 and 44, respectively, and are spaced apart so that they are aligned with any adjacent pair of current strips on track 18. A spring 50 may be provided for each of current pick-up bars 42 and 44, in which case the tension of springs 50', or the flexing bias of pick-up bars 42 and 44 if no springs are employed, are adjusted so as to react on bars 42 and 44 to contribute to the support of the front end of the model car so that front wheels 12 do not rest on surface 52 of track 18 with suflicient force to produce rolling friction therebetween. With reference to FIG- URE 9, the current supply circuit for the track and car illustrated by the diagram is simple since it is not used to control the maneuvering of the car other than by speed. Road surface 52 of track 18 includes imbedded therein and flush therewith, a plurality of laterally spaced and parallel metallic strips which serve as current carrying rails. Strips 54, 56 and 58 comprise a starting circuit for four cars, the motor circuits of which are diagrammed and symbolically designated by letters A, B, C and D. Any pair of adjacent current strips 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70 and 72 provides a circuit for any of the motor circuits A, B, C and D of the model cars riding thereon. The circuits of strips 54 and 58, and 56 and 58 include rectifier diode means 74 and 76 respectively, to match the current direction of motor circuits B and D, respectively. Similarly, the circuits of strips 58 and 54, and 58 and 56 include rectifier diode means 78 and 80, respec tively, to match the current direction of motor circuits A and C, respectively. Switch means 82, 84, 86 and 88 are respectively provided in starting circuits A, B, C and D for controlling current to any of the model cars. Strips 54 and 56 run generally parallel around track 18 and are insularly spaced from each other and the combined width of strips 54 and 56 is approximately equal to the width of strip 58. Current pick-up brushes 46 and 48 of model car 10 pictorially shown on track 18 in FIGURE 9, are laterally spaced to make contact with strips 56 and 58 of starting circuits C and D. After being put in motion and having attained a speed which causes the car to move to a larger orbit on the track, the lateral s d g movement of he car wi l tran f current pic p brushes 46 and 48 to the next adjacent pair of strips 58 and and thereby continue to receive a full wave electric current which is rectified by motor circuit C or D to drive its motor.

The starting circuit of rails 56 and 58, and 54 and 58 comprise line 90 from an AC. current source 92 to rail 58. By closing any of switch means 82 and 84, current passes through the rectifier diode circuit of said closed switch means and a model car 10 spanning the starting rails connecting the circuit of said closed switch means, having a directionally matching rectifier diode circuit thereby energizing the electric drive motor to put car 10 in motion. A second model car (not shown) similar to car 10 may be provided having pick-up brushes similar to brushes 46 and 48 but spaced apart to span the width between current strips 58 and 54. Power is fed to this second car by closing, for example, switch means 86 of rectifier circuit B. Of course, this second model car contains a directional diode in its matching motor circuit which permits current flow in the same direction as rectifier circuit B. additional circuits A and D are included for rail circuits 54 and 58, and rail circuits 56 and 58. respectively. Though they employ the same rails as circuit B and C, switch circuit A and D include rectifier diode means permitting current to flow in opposite directions. Therefore, two additional model cars (not shown) may be provided on track 18, having motor circuits A and D to permit current flow in the same direction as switch circuits A and D. Accordingly, the circuits of FIGURE 9. permit four separate controls for four separate model cars on rack track 18.

In the operation of my invention, model car 10 of my invention is placed on a pair of starting rails such as 58 and 56 on the straight portion of the track. Switch means 82 of circuit D for example, is closed to allow current to be supplied to rails 56 and 58. The electric motor of car 10 (having a directionally matching rectifier circuit) being thus energized will cause it to move forward along the rails. The forward movement of car 10 is caused by the driving traction of rear wheels 28. The front end of car 10 of my invention is slidingly supported by pickup brushes 46 and 48. As the velocity of the car increases and moves along the track, the car may change or-bital position to other more radially distance rail pairs laterally spaced along the track, the circuits of which receive A.C. current which is rectified by the cars diode circuit so that one or the other sine wave of the current cycle passes through the cars circuit. As long as the car is on the straight portion of the track, the rear wheels which provide equal driving traction and the current pick-up brushes contributing to the support of the front end of the model car will cause the model car to travel in the direction that it is facing and will move laterally therefrom by forces acting on the model car due to its velocity. 1 accomplish this by providing a banked curvature at the turns of track 18. With reference to FIGURE 3, a diagrammatic front view of the front wheels and brush assembly is shown on the horizontal surface 52 of the track straight portion. Front wheels 12 are preset in a turned position and shown raised from the track surface by the bias action of springs 50 acting on current bars 42 and 44. The amount that front Wheels 12 are shown raised is exaggerated :to illustrate the fact that front wheels 12 do not rest on the track surface 52 with sufiicient friction to cause effective turning motion. In the actual practice of my invention, I have found that front wheels 12 may actually make contact with the track surface, however, the bias of spring 50, or that of current bars 42 and 44 if no springs are provided other than the leaf spring effect of current bars 42 and 44, are adjusted so that current pick-up brushes 46 and 48 connecting current bars 42 and 44. supports a portion of the weight of the front end of the model car so that front wheels 12 do not bear on track surface 52 with sufficient force to effect a turn.

At the banked curve as illustrated in FIGURE 4, the centrifugal force designated by the symbol Fc acting on the model car travelling around the curvature acts on the center of gravity G of the model car in a horizontally radial direction which may be resolved into component forces Fn and Fp which symbolically represents the force normal to the track surface 52 and the force parallel to the track surface. When model car of my invention enters the turn portion of track 18, a centrifugal force acting on car 10 will come into being. The turn of car 10 is initiated on the banked surface of track 18 since the centrifugal force Fc acting against the banked surface generates a force acting on car 10 normal to the banked surface 52 of track 18. This force Fn acts on the resiliently supported front end of car 10 in opposition to the bias of springs to cause the pressing down of front wheels 12 to thereby make effective contact with track surface 52. Since wheels 12 are angularly positioned at a pre-set turn, the radius of which is approximately the same as the radius of curvature of the turn of track 18, the car Will auto matically negotiate the complete turn of the trackway as long as the bank in the turn portion of the track is present. When the car has completed the turn and is heading into the straight portion of track 18, the centrifugal force of the car is reduced to a point Where the normal component Fn of the centrifugal force is less than the bias of springs 50, thereby allowing springs 50 to return to their normal position. This accomplishes the raising of the front end of car 10 and the lifting of front wheels 12 sufficiently to stop the turning operation. When this occurs, the car is facing in a direction substantially parallel with the straight portion of the track and the car is driven more or less rectilineally by the driving traction of rear wheels 28 and the front end thereof is slidingly supported in part by pick-up brushes 46 and 48.

FIGURES 1 through 9 illustrate the model car and track system of my invention disclosed in the original patent application. Though the model car of my invention operating on a banked curve track as illustrated in FIG- URES 1 through 9 function satisfactorily and accomplishes the stated objectives when the track run is relatively long and is provided with broad curves, numerous experiments conducted subsequent to the filing of the original application with model cars which operated on a shorter track run provided with sharper curves, it was found that the turn control would be improved if the outside turn front wheel was additionally suspended or connected, or otherwise constructed so that it will not frictionally engage the track when the inertial forces act on the model car to cause the front end thereof to nose down due to its rapid travel around the banked curve. This modified front wheel assembly structure allows only the inside turn front wheel to make effective contact with the track, This absence of effective track contact by the outside turn front wheel permits the tipping of the model car at the curve thereby raising the inside turn rear drive wheel disengaging it from driving contact with the track. This additional feature enables a model car having the conventional two wheel rear drive to, in effect, disengage the inside turn drive wheel thereby eliminating the rectilineal stability of laterally spaced equal traction forces of the two rear drive wheels.

Accordingly, this invention as illustrated in FIGURES 10 through 16 disclose an improved model car designed to operate on a relatively short track run having sharper turns as a result thereof, and which are commercially more prevalent.

With reference to FIGURES 10 through l6,numeral designates the model car of my invention provided with the modified front wheel assembly. Front wheels 112 and 113 are mounted on the ends of axle 114 which is connected in any convenient manner to frame 116 of car 110. Front wheel 112 is preset to a turn position so that its radius of curvature approximates the radius of curvature of the turn of track 18. Front wheel 113 may or may not be preset to a turn position since it may be connected to axle 114 so as to remain in a raised position and not bear against track 18. This may be accomplished in several ways, for example axle 114 may be connected to model car 110 at an angle as shown in FIGURE 13; or wheel 113 may be raised or lowered in a slot type connection and thereby be prevented from supporting any of the weight of the car; or Wheel 113 may be substantially smaller in diameter than wheel 112 so that the tread thereof will not reach track 18. Returning to FIGURES 10, .11 and 12, the preferred embodiment of my invention contemplates the connection of axle 114 to frame 116 of model car 110 at an inclined angle from the horizontal to maintain outer turn front wheel 113 connected thereto at a position raised from the track surface and elevated with reference to inside turn front wheel 112.

In the operation of this invention, the track and electric circuit supplying power thereto is substantially the same as described above for model car 10. Also the other parts and the arrangement thereof of model car 110 are the same as the corresponding parts on model car 10 and their operations are identical with the exception of the front wheels above described and the rear drive wheels which have been differentiated by numeral designations 128 and 129. As the model car 110 enters the banked curve of track 18, the centrifugal force designated by the symbol Fc acting on the model car will act as a moment force about the fulcrum point of contact Fm between front wheel 112 and the surface 52 of track 18, since front wheel 112 is resiliently supported in a raised position by current pick-up brush 148. The action of centrifugal force Fc acting with a moment arm (shown as dotted line) about fulcrum point Fm will cause the tipping of the model car which action will result in the raising of the inside turn rear wheel 128 from track surface 52 as shown in FIGURE 16. The normal component force Fn of the centrifugal force Fc serves to nose the front end of the model car 110 so that front wheel 112 makes effective contact with track surface 52 to thereby negotiate the curve by following the preset turn of front wheel 112. Since front wheel 113 is raised relative to front wheel 112, a tipping action occurs lifting the inside turn rear wheel 128 from drive contact with track 18.

Since rear drive wheel 128 is raised from the track surface 52 of track 18, and the effective friction contact with the track surface is made by rear drive wheel 129 and front wheel 112, a force couple Cf (FIGURE 12) is created by the drive of the rear Wheel and the drag of the front wheel 112 around the center of gravity which assists in the turning of the model car 110.

When model car 110 has completed the turn and is heading into the straight portion of track 18, the centrifugal force P0 of the car is reduced to a point where the normal component Fn of the centrifugal force is less than the bias of springs acting between frame 116 and current bars 142 and 144, thereby allowing springs 150 and current bars 142 and 144 to return to their normal position. This accomplishes the raising of the front end of car 110 and the lifting of the weight from front wheel 112 on track surface 52 sufficiently to stop the turning operation. When this occurs, the car is facing in a direction substantially parallel with the straight portion of the track. At this point, no effective centrifugal force is acting on the car and the car is returned from its tipped position so that both rear drive wheels 128 and 129 makes traction contact with the track to contribute to the subsubstantially rectilineal run while the front end thereof is slidingly supported by current pick-up brushes 146 and 148.

It is obvious from the foregoing that my invention provides model car which automatically accomplishes the following of a banked turn of a track without providing the cars with link means connecting the cars to the track and without, in the alternative, providing a complex electric circuit to propel and control the steering of the model cars. It is further apparent that my invention provides a model car and track system which provides realism in operation and requires skill in managing the speed of the model car. I claim: 1. A model car for use on a track having a straight section and a banked turn section comprising:

a front wheel pre-set in a turn position; a current pick-up member depending from said model car for movement on said track; and a spring means between said car and said current pickup member for resiliently maintaining said current pick-up member spaced from said car, said spring member providing a bias between said car and pick-up member effective to prevent said pre-set front wheel from bearing on said straight section of said track and ineffective to prevent said preset front wheel from bearing on said banked turn section of said track. 2. A model car for use on a banked track having a straight section and a banked turn section comprising:

front wheels adjustably connecting the forward portion of said car for positioning said front wheels in a selective turn position; current pick-up members adjacent said front wheels for sliding on said track; spring means connecting said car and said current pickup members, and said spring means providing a bias force against said car effective to raise said forward portion of said car from said track when said car is on the straight section of said track, and inefiiective to raise said forward portion of said car from said track when said car is on the banked turn section of said track. 3. A model car for use on a banked track having a straight section and a banked turn section comprising:

front wheels connecting said car for positioning said front wheels in a selective turn position; current pick-up members adjacent said front wheels for sliding on said track; spring means connecting said car and said current pickup members; and said spring means providing a bias force against said car effective to support said front wheels from effective engagement with said track when said car is on said straight section of said track, and ineffective to support said front wheels from effective engagement with said track when said car is on said banked turn section of said track. 4. A model car for use on a track having a straight section and banked turn sections comprising: front wheels and rear drive wheels; one of said front wheels being mounted on said model car in an inside turn position, the other of said front wheels being mounted on said model car in an outside turn position, and said other of said front wheels being mounted on said model car at an elevated position thereon relative to one of said front wheels and said rear drive wheels. 5. A model car for use on a banked track having a straight portion and turn portions comprising:

front wheels and rear drive wheels, at least one of said front wheels being mounted on said model car in a turn position, said one of said front wheels being an inside wheel and the other of said front wheels being an outside wheel. and said other of said front wheels being mounted on said model car at an elevated position thereon relative to said one of said front wheels. 6. A model car for use on a track having a straight portion and banked turn portions comprising:

front wheels and rear drive wheels; at least one of said front wheels being mounted on said model car in a turn position, said one of said front wheels and one of said rear drive wheels being inside turn wheels and the other of said front wheels and the other of said drive wheels being outside turn wheels; and said model car being tiltable so that one of said front wheels and said rear drive wheels make co-planular contact on said straight portion of said track, and said front wheels and the other of said rear wheels make coplanular contact on said turn portions of said track. 7. A model car for use on a track having a straight portion and banked turn portions comprising:

front wheels and rear drive wheels; at least one of said front wheels being mounted on said model car in a turn position, said one of said front wheels and one of said rear wheels being inside turn Wheels and the other of said front wheels and the other of said drive wheels being outside turn wheels; current pick-up means having one end thereof connected to said car, and the other end thereof contacting said track for multidirectional movement thereon adjacent said front wheels; said current pick-up means being resiliently flexible between said ends thereof, said model car being tiltable to alternately position one of said front wheels and both of said rear drive wheels in coplanular contact on said straight portion of said track, and said one of said front wheels and the other of said rear wheels in coplanular contact on said turn portions of said track.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,784,527 3/1957 Sariff 46243 X 3,243,917 4/1966 Giammarino et a1. 46243 3,271,899 9/1966 Vaughan 46243 X ANTONIO F. GUIDA, Primary Examiner R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner

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