US3621607A - Self-propelled toy vehicle - Google Patents

Self-propelled toy vehicle Download PDF

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Publication number
US3621607A
US3621607A US885001A US88500169A US3621607A US 3621607 A US3621607 A US 3621607A US 885001 A US885001 A US 885001A US 88500169 A US88500169 A US 88500169A US 3621607 A US3621607 A US 3621607A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
vehicle
flywheel
gyroscopic
toy vehicle
supporting
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US885001A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Howard J Morrison
Marvin I Glass
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Glass Marvin and Associates
Original Assignee
Glass Marvin and Associates
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Glass Marvin and Associates filed Critical Glass Marvin and Associates
Priority to US885001A priority Critical patent/US3621607A/en
Priority to GB4399970A priority patent/GB1303697A/en
Priority to CA093167A priority patent/CA919911A/en
Priority to ZA707351*A priority patent/ZA707351B/xx
Priority to DE2054301A priority patent/DE2054301C3/de
Priority to FR7040598A priority patent/FR2074918A5/fr
Priority to ES1970196998U priority patent/ES196998Y/es
Priority to JP45111385A priority patent/JPS5231777B1/ja
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3621607A publication Critical patent/US3621607A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63G—MERRY-GO-ROUNDS; SWINGS; ROCKING-HORSES; CHUTES; SWITCHBACKS; SIMILAR DEVICES FOR PUBLIC AMUSEMENT
    • A63G19/00—Toy animals for riding
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
    • B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
    • B62D37/00—Stabilising vehicle bodies without controlling suspension arrangements
    • B62D37/04—Stabilising vehicle bodies without controlling suspension arrangements by means of movable masses
    • B62D37/06—Stabilising vehicle bodies without controlling suspension arrangements by means of movable masses using gyroscopes

Definitions

  • a self-propelled toy vehicle wherein the supporting and driving means also provides a gyroscopic effect on the travel of the vehicle.
  • the toy vehicle has mounted thereon a single supporting wheel in the form of a rotatable flywheel, which is capable of storing suflicient energy to provide a gyroscopic effect on the vehicle when the rotating flywheel is placed on a supporting surface.
  • the flywheel is wound with a string, similarly to the winding of a gyroscopic top, and a launching device is also provided in order to facilitate launching the device in a balanced condition and along a straight line.
  • the present invention relates to toy vehicles and is particularly directed to a gyroscopic toy vehicle.
  • Toy vehicles have been quite popular with children for many years, both in the form of self'propelled vehicles and as manually propelled vehicles.
  • Gyroscopic toys have also been somewhat popular, particularly gyroscopic tops.
  • a gyroscopic rotor was combined with a toy vehicle so as to provide a source of driving energy for the supporting wheels of the vehicle.
  • the present invention utilizes a gyroscopic rotor or flywheel as the self-propelling and Supporting means for the vehicle as well as controlling the direction of travel and balance of the vehicle.
  • a further object of the invention is to provide a toy vehicle which has, as its sole support during motion, a rapidly rotatable flywheel and a ground engaging skid disposed rearwardly of the flywheel and parallel to the direction of rotation of the flywheel.
  • Still another object of the invention is to provide a launching means for the above described vehicle, including means for supporting the vehicle in elevated relation to a supporting surface while effecting rapid rotation of the flywheel and means for moving the vehicle into a position of engagement between the flywheel and the support surface.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toy vehicle embodying the invention disclosed herein;
  • FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the toy vehicle with the driver-figure removed;
  • FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 4 is a longitudinal, sectional view of a launching device for the vehicle, with the toy vehicle supported on the launcher in position for operation;
  • FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the launcher
  • FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the vehicle.
  • the selected embodiment of the invention is in the form of a futuristic appearing vehicle it) including a body portion 12, preferably of impact-resistant plastic, having a seat portion 14 thereon for supporting a driver-figure 16, a simulated jet or turbine 18 at the rear of the vehicle, and simulated stabilizing fins 20 extending rearwardly along opposite sides of the body.
  • the under portion of the rear part of the body or frame includes a narrow skid element 22 extending lengthwise of the frame in alignment with a gyroscopic rotor or fly wheel 24 disposed forwardly thereof on the vehicle.
  • the gyro rotor or flywheel 24- is fixed to a transverse shaft 26 and is formed to provide a substantial portion of its mass adjacent the periphery of the wheel to provide an energy-storing and transfer means.
  • the flywheel is preferably metal with at least a portion of its outer circumference provided with a friction-producing material, such as a rubber O -ring 28 seated in a circumferential groove 30 in the flywheel.
  • the opposite ends 32 of the shaft 26 are preferably of reduced cross-sectional area (FIG. 3) in order to minimize friction during rotation of the flywheel.
  • the reduced ends 32 of the shaft are journaled in nylon bearings 34- or the like seated in transversly aligned bores formed in the frame.
  • the flywheel shaft 26 includes a transverse opening 36 therethrough for insertion of a cord or string 38, which is then wound around the shaft and provides means for effecting rapid rotation of the flywheel.
  • the skid portion 22 on the body is of relatively narrow width so as to provide a minimum amount of friction as it moves along the supporting surface during propulsion of the toy vehicle, during which time the fly wheel 24 maintains the vehicle in a balanced state laterally of its longitudinal axis with only the flywheel and the skid 22 engaging the supporting surface.
  • the skid is substantially narrower than the width of the flywheel and as a result the vehicle is laterally unstable when at rest.
  • a cord 38 is inserted through the opening 36 in the axle 26 a short distance and the cord is then wound around the axle, similar to the preparation of a gyroscopic top for operation.
  • the vehicle is then held in the users hand by grasping the vehicle rearwardly of the flywheel, and the string 38 is pulled rapidly to thereby effect rotation of the axle or shaft 26 and start the flywheel 24 in motion.
  • the frictional bearing surface on the flywheel provided by O-ring 28 will grip the floor and propel the vehicle forwardly at a rapid rate.
  • the flywheel or gyro rotor 24 will also serve as a gyroscope and maintain the vehicle in a straight line along the direction of rotation of the flywheel. This straight line propulsion of the vehicle will be further assisted by the skid 22, which provides the only other contact with the supporting surface during propulsion of the toy.
  • the gyroscopically acting flywheel 24 provides support, balance, and direction, as well as the propelling means for the toy vehicle.
  • An additional novel feature of the described toy vehicle is that the vehicle automatically accelerates for a distance once the rapidly rotating flywheel has been placed in engagement with a supporting surface. Since the flywheel 24 serves both as the energystoring means and the energy-transfer means to the supporting surface, there is a slight lag between initial transfer of energy and the maximum transfer of energy and, consequently, a resulting acceleration takes place at a point along the path of travel which is forward of the initial starting position.
  • the launching device 40 which is seen in FIGS. 4 and 5.
  • the launching device includes a platform 42 having formed therewith a pair of vertically extending side members 44 and 46 including relatively shallow sections 44a and 46a, respectively, at the forward end of the platform which are adapted to support the toy vehicle in slightly elevated relation to the platform.
  • a launching handle or lever 48 disposed with an inclined forward end portion 50 of the lever in position to push the vehicle forwardly on the platform as the rear portion of the lever is depressed.
  • a transverse handle 52 at the upper end of the lever.
  • the cord 3-8 In preparing for launching the toy vehicle the cord 3-8 might he wound around the axle 26 clockwise, either before placement of the vehicle 10 in the launcher 40 or while the vehicle is in position on the launcher, as seen in FIG. 4. A length of the cord is brought rearwardly along one of the side members 44a and is guided around a pulley 56 which is rotatably mounted on the side member 44.
  • the launcher is preferably stabilized by placement of the users knees or feet on opposite sides of the rear part of the platform 42, and the end of the string is pulled upwardly from the position seen in FIG. 4. As the string is unwound from the axle 26 there is a resulting rapid rotation of the flywheel 24 which is being held free of the supporting surface by the side member portions 44a and 46a.
  • the handle 52 is moved downwardly to provide engagement of the forward end portion of the lever 50 with the rear of the vehicle 10 and thereby cause the latter to move forwardly off of the supporting rails 44a, 46a to a position of engagement between the rotating flywheel 24 and the forward end of the platform or directly on to the supporting floor surface.
  • the position of the vehicle on the rails 44a, 46a of the launcher is such that the described initial forward movement of the vehicle is guided along a straight line in the direction of rotation of the flywheel, so as to provide maximum efficiency in the operation of the self-propelled vehicle.
  • At least the forward end of the launching pad which is initially engaged by the flywheel 24 is preferably roughened or otherwise provided with a surface of friction producing material, as indicated at 60, so as to minimize the slippage of the flywheel with the surface as the flywheel moves downwardly into engagement therewith.
  • the illustrated embodiment has the gyro rotor or flywheel at the forward portion of the vehicle
  • the flywheel acts as a gyroscope and controls the balance and the direction of travel of the vehicle. This can be achieved even though the flywheel is disposed at a midportion or even rearwardly on the vehicle, as long as the weight of the vehicle frame is not so great as to disrupt the gyroscopic effect of the flywheel. In the latter respect, the distance of the center of gravity of the vehicle body from the axis of rotation of the flywheel is an obvious factor as well as the actual weight of the vehicle body.
  • a toy vehicle comprising a body, a single supporting wheel mounted on said body for rotation relative thereto and in position for engagement with a supporting surface, said supporting wheel comprising a flywheel being capable of rotation at a speed sufficient to provide a gyroscopic action with respect to the entire vehicle, means for effecting rapid rotation of said flywheel, and said body being sufliciently light weight relative to the potential kinetic energy of the flywheel so as to respond to the gyroscopic action of said flywheel, whereby said flywheel serves as a gyroscopic rotor to guide the vehicle along a straight line as well as providing a balancing and supporting driving wheel for the vehicle.
  • a gyroscopic toy vehicle comprising a frame struc ture, a gyroscopic rotor fixed to an axial shaft which is journaled at its opposite ends in said frame to position the periphery of said rotor outwardly of said frame and along the longitudinal axis thereof, a narrow, groundengaging skid on said frame rearwardly of said rotor and parallel to the direction of rotation of said rotor, and means for effecting rapid rotation of said rotor while the latter is free of engagement with any surface, so that subsequent engagement of the periphery of said moving rotor with a supporting surface provides for an accelerating propulsion of said vehicle over the supporting surface while engaging said surface with said rotor and skid.
  • a toy vehicle comprising a body, a single supporting and driving wheel mounted on said body for rotation relative thereto and in position for engagement with a supporting surface, said supporting wheel comprising a flywheel having sufficient potential kinetic energy relative to the weight of said body to be capable of rotation at a speed sufficient to provide a gyroscopic action with respect to the entire vehicle as it propels said vehicle along a supporting surface, and means for effecting rapid rotation of said flywheel.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Toys (AREA)
US885001A 1969-12-15 1969-12-15 Self-propelled toy vehicle Expired - Lifetime US3621607A (en)

Priority Applications (8)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US885001A US3621607A (en) 1969-12-15 1969-12-15 Self-propelled toy vehicle
GB4399970A GB1303697A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1969-12-15 1970-09-15
CA093167A CA919911A (en) 1969-12-15 1970-09-15 Self-propelled toy vehicle
ZA707351*A ZA707351B (en) 1969-12-15 1970-10-29 Self-propelled toy vehicle
DE2054301A DE2054301C3 (de) 1969-12-15 1970-11-04 Spielfahrzeug mit Schwungradantrieb und Kreiselstabilisierung
FR7040598A FR2074918A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1969-12-15 1970-11-13
ES1970196998U ES196998Y (es) 1969-12-15 1970-11-30 Perfeccionamientos introducidos en vehiculos de juguete gi-roscopicos.
JP45111385A JPS5231777B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1969-12-15 1970-12-15

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US885001A US3621607A (en) 1969-12-15 1969-12-15 Self-propelled toy vehicle

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3621607A true US3621607A (en) 1971-11-23

Family

ID=25385913

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US885001A Expired - Lifetime US3621607A (en) 1969-12-15 1969-12-15 Self-propelled toy vehicle

Country Status (8)

Country Link
US (1) US3621607A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS5231777B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CA (1) CA919911A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE2054301C3 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
ES (1) ES196998Y (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2074918A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1303697A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
ZA (1) ZA707351B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (17)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3701216A (en) * 1971-12-22 1972-10-31 California R & D Center Wheel apparatus and rack and pinion launcher enabling repeated strokes and having automatic ejector
US3798832A (en) * 1972-06-19 1974-03-26 Marvin Glass & Associates Toy vehicle and associated conditioning means therefor
US3932957A (en) * 1975-02-12 1976-01-20 Marvin Glass & Associates Toy vehicle
US4201011A (en) * 1978-07-05 1980-05-06 Mattel, Inc. Toy motorcycle
US4363186A (en) * 1981-02-12 1982-12-14 Adolph E. Goldfarb Toy motorcycle and launcher
US4373290A (en) * 1981-06-22 1983-02-15 Adolph E. Goldfarb Wheeled turbine-powered toy vehicle and launcher apparatus
US4433504A (en) 1981-05-27 1984-02-28 Takara Co., Ltd. Container and start apparatus for toy cars
US4438587A (en) * 1982-11-26 1984-03-27 Arco Industries Ltd. Blowgun toy car launcher
US4443967A (en) * 1982-02-12 1984-04-24 California R & D Flywheel driven toy car
US4498886A (en) * 1981-06-22 1985-02-12 Adolph E. Goldfarb Wheeled turbine-powered toy vehicle and launcher apparatus
US4526554A (en) * 1981-02-12 1985-07-02 Adolph E. Goldfarb Toy motorcycle and launcher apparatus
US4732569A (en) * 1986-07-07 1988-03-22 Mattel, Inc. Toy vehicle launcher
US4946417A (en) * 1989-07-04 1990-08-07 Sente Creations Co., Ltd. Running toy shooting apparatus
US5941754A (en) * 1997-11-17 1999-08-24 Maxim; John G. Electrically powered miniature vehicle with water drain activation timing module and rear wheel lift mechanism
US20100093256A1 (en) * 2008-10-10 2010-04-15 Jakks Pacific, Inc. Mobile toy with displaceable flywheel
US9956491B2 (en) 2008-10-10 2018-05-01 Jakks Pacific, Inc. Stunt figure for attaching with a mobile toy to allow for performance of a stunt
US11883758B1 (en) 2023-04-17 2024-01-30 Mattel, Inc. Toy vehicle playset

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4463515A (en) * 1982-04-27 1984-08-07 Gordon Barlow Design Self-contained and self-propelled toy vehicle
AU3053084A (en) * 1984-02-10 1985-08-15 Smrt, T.J. Wheel with o-ring

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2209745A (en) * 1940-04-25 1940-07-30 Walter R Benjamin Spinning device
US2788613A (en) * 1955-06-10 1957-04-16 Ideal Toy Corp Inertia-propelled toy vehicle and launching runway
US2829467A (en) * 1956-08-13 1958-04-08 Mariano J Pagano Two-wheeled gyro-controlled toy motorcycle
US3192664A (en) * 1962-06-21 1965-07-06 Travers Raymond Toy vehicle

Cited By (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3701216A (en) * 1971-12-22 1972-10-31 California R & D Center Wheel apparatus and rack and pinion launcher enabling repeated strokes and having automatic ejector
US3798832A (en) * 1972-06-19 1974-03-26 Marvin Glass & Associates Toy vehicle and associated conditioning means therefor
US3932957A (en) * 1975-02-12 1976-01-20 Marvin Glass & Associates Toy vehicle
US4201011A (en) * 1978-07-05 1980-05-06 Mattel, Inc. Toy motorcycle
US4363186A (en) * 1981-02-12 1982-12-14 Adolph E. Goldfarb Toy motorcycle and launcher
US4526554A (en) * 1981-02-12 1985-07-02 Adolph E. Goldfarb Toy motorcycle and launcher apparatus
US4433504A (en) 1981-05-27 1984-02-28 Takara Co., Ltd. Container and start apparatus for toy cars
US4498886A (en) * 1981-06-22 1985-02-12 Adolph E. Goldfarb Wheeled turbine-powered toy vehicle and launcher apparatus
US4373290A (en) * 1981-06-22 1983-02-15 Adolph E. Goldfarb Wheeled turbine-powered toy vehicle and launcher apparatus
US4443967A (en) * 1982-02-12 1984-04-24 California R & D Flywheel driven toy car
US4438587A (en) * 1982-11-26 1984-03-27 Arco Industries Ltd. Blowgun toy car launcher
US4732569A (en) * 1986-07-07 1988-03-22 Mattel, Inc. Toy vehicle launcher
US4946417A (en) * 1989-07-04 1990-08-07 Sente Creations Co., Ltd. Running toy shooting apparatus
US5941754A (en) * 1997-11-17 1999-08-24 Maxim; John G. Electrically powered miniature vehicle with water drain activation timing module and rear wheel lift mechanism
US20100093256A1 (en) * 2008-10-10 2010-04-15 Jakks Pacific, Inc. Mobile toy with displaceable flywheel
US8579674B2 (en) * 2008-10-10 2013-11-12 Jakks Pacific, Inc. Mobile toy with displaceable flywheel
US9956491B2 (en) 2008-10-10 2018-05-01 Jakks Pacific, Inc. Stunt figure for attaching with a mobile toy to allow for performance of a stunt
US11883758B1 (en) 2023-04-17 2024-01-30 Mattel, Inc. Toy vehicle playset

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS5231777B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1977-08-17
ES196998U (es) 1975-04-01
DE2054301A1 (de) 1971-06-16
FR2074918A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1971-10-08
DE2054301C3 (de) 1981-08-20
DE2054301B2 (de) 1981-01-15
ES196998Y (es) 1975-08-16
ZA707351B (en) 1971-07-28
CA919911A (en) 1973-01-30
GB1303697A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1973-01-17

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