US351799A

US351799A - Toy railroad

Info

Publication number: US351799A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1886-11-02
Anticipated expiration: 1903-11-02

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT LoUIs RUELIUs, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

TOY RAILROAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 351,799. dated November 2, 1886, Application filed May 22, 1886. Serial No. 202,993. (No model.)

To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS RUELIUs, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Toy Railroads, of which the following is a specification. i

The object of my invention is the production of an inexpensive and durable toy in the form of a sectional railroad-track adapted as to its sections to be connected together and to be either laid upon a floor to form a'toy sur-' face road, or to be elevated upon pedestals or other supports to forma toy elevated road. These objects I attain by constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings I have represented, and in this specification I describe, a good form of sectional toy-railroad track embodying 'my improvements, the particular subject-matter which I claim as novel being hereinafter definitely specified.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view in side elevation of a railroadtrack e1nbodying my invention and employed as an elevated road. Fig. 2 is an end ,elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the meeting ends of adjoining sections of the rails, indicating a convenient mode of effecting connection. Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of one of the pedest'alsi Fig. 5 is a top plan view of my track employed as a surface road. 9

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, 13 B are the stringers, and

0 O the cross-ties or sleepers, which are firmly connected to the stringers. A pair of stringers and its supported ties constitutes when the rails are applied a section of the track.

The rails D D are preferably of the form shown in Fig 3that is to say, of triangular section-having a small head and a broad base.

A are pedestals or standards adapted to be removably applied to the stringers by means of tenons a upon their upper extremities, adapted to mortises b, formed in thestringers.

When the track is used as an elevated road, the first section, or that to the left hand of the drawings, the stringers of which are designated by the letter B, the rails C, and the ties D, is

provided with two pedestals at each end, so that it will stand by itself. The adjoining section, or that to theright hand of the drawings, the stringers of which aredesignated as Bf, rails 0*, and ties D is adapted at one end to rest upon and be supported by the preceding section, and to receive and be supported by but two pedestals at its end farthest from the first section, and this is true of each succeeding section, the result being that I am enabled to dispense with two pedestals to each of the sections except the first, and thereby to economize material, render the erection simpler and quicker, andlessen the number'of detachable parts. The outer or advance extremities of the respective pairs of stringers are provided with lips F and F, as shown in Fig. 1, upon which the adjoining extremities of the stringers of the next section may rest. Each rail, end is cut away atone side to form a seat, (1, leaving aflange or projection, d, as shown in the drawings. The rails, with their ends thus conformed,are

PPIcE.

applied to each section of the road in such" manner that their flanges or projections extend some little distance beyond one end thereof. When thesecond section is applied to the previouslyerected first section itsprojecting tlanges d lie within the seatsd of the meeting ends of the rails of said first section, and rest upon the end cross-tie thereof, and should extend far enough to be over the endipedestals of said preceding section, and this rule should be regarded with every succeeding section of 'track applied, so that when weight is placed shown in Figs. 1 and 5. Other means of connection may, however, if desired, be employed. It is obvious that when the pedestals are removedthe sections can be united together by engaging the flanges d with the notches d, and

by applying the gum hands.

When the device is employed as a surface road, the lips may, if desired, be'removed, as they can be readily made detachable.

When it is desired to raise the track from the floor,the pedestals are to be applied in the manner shown in the drawings.

The device is preferably for cheapness made 1c wholly of wood nailed or screwed together.

The form of the different parts may be varied, provided the essential elements herein described are retained.

The foregoing construction results in a toy railroad composed of sections which are each complete and its parts permanently united. The completely-formed sections are adapted for connection in such nianner'that they cannot tilt or be displaced laterally. The toy may .20 be used either as a surface or as an elevated road. When used as the latter, but two pedestals are required for each section, with the exception of the first, the article of manufacture constituting my invention being so 2 5 strong, simple, and its detachable parts so few as to render it an improvement upon prior devices of the class, such characteristics being especially valuable in achilds toy.

I am aware that a toy consisting of a numher of separate members or miniature tinihers, designed who built up and interlocked together to form an elevated railroad,has been made the subject of United States Letters Patent No. 212,630, granted February 25, 1879, 3 5 to G. 0. Shepherd. I {U11 also aware that United States Letters Patent No. 254,587, were upon March 7, 1882, granted to J. A. Orandall for a toy elevated railroad formed of pedestals which uphold adjustable racks or lazy-tongs devices, which in turn support cross-tics or sleepers, but to neither of these constructions do I lay claim.

Having thus described my invention, I clairn 1. As an article of manufacture, a toy rail- 4 road composed of sections, each of which is for-med of permanentlyunited rails, crossties, and stringers, the rail ends of each section, except the first, being at one end flanged and adapted to extend over and lie within a seat formed therefor in the meeting-rail ends of the preceding section and rest upon the end tie of said preceding section and their other ends, and one end of the rails of the first section being cut away to in turn receive the flanges ot' the rails of the next section, and temporary connection between adjoining sections being secured by gum bands applied thereto, substantially as set forth.

2. As an article of manufacture, a toy railroad composed of sections, each of which is formed of perinanently-united rails, crossties. and stringers, the stringers being provided with mortises for the reception of tenon-provided pedestals, four of which pedcstalsinay 65 be applied to the first section of track and two to each succeeding section, the railends of each section, except the first, being at one end. flanged and adapted to extend over and lie within a seat formed therefor in the meeting-rail ends of the preceding section and rest upon the end tie of said preceding section, and their other ends and one end of the rails of the first section being cut away to in turn receive the flanges 01' the rails of the next see- 75 tion, and temporary connection between adjoining sections heing secured by gum bands applied thereto, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 18th day of January. I). 1886. 80

LOUIS RUEL'IUS.

In presence of J. BONSALL TAYLOR, XVM. C. Srnxwcnrncn.