US3838855A

US3838855A - Vehicle landing control

Info

Publication number: US3838855A
Application number: US00173406A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Becker
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-11-24
Filing date: 1971-08-20
Publication date: 1974-10-01
Anticipated expiration: 1991-10-01

Abstract

A toy which is entertaining and educational in that the toy may be used to teach basic principles of flying and landing an airplane. A model airplane having a support is slideably supported on a monofilament support line. One end of the support line is secured to a fixed vertical support, and the other end is attached to a movable control. A landing surface is positioned below the support line for receiving the model airplane in a landing. The control regulates the tautness of the support line, thereby controlling the rate of vertical movement of the model airplane, which in turn controls the rate of movement of the model airplane along the support line.

Description

United States Patent [191 Becker VEHICLE LANDING CONTROL Filed:

Appl. No.: 173,406

Inventor: Joseph T. Becker, 21 W. 674 Glen Valley Dr., Glen Ellyn, Ill. 60137 Aug. 20, 1971 Related US. Application Data Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 879,413, Nov. 13,

1969, Pat. No. 3,600,843.

US. Cl. 273/95 B, 46/77, 46/81,

Int. Cl A63b 71/02 Field of Search 46/1 B, 1 H, l J, l R, 46/76, 77, 81, 86; 35/12; 273/95 B, 98, 108

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Oct. 1, 1974 2,634,127 4/1953 Shapiro 273/95 B 3,600,843 8/1971 Becker 46/1 H Primary ExaminerRichard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Marvin Siskind Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Anthony S. Zummer [5 7] ABSTRACT A toy which is entertaining and educational in that the toy may be used to teach basic principles of flying and landing an airplane. A model airplane having a support is slideably supported on a monofilament support line. One end of the support line is secured to a fixed vertical support, and the other end is attached to a movable control. A landing surface is positioned below the support line for receiving the model airplane in a landing. The control regulates the tautness of the support line, thereby controlling the rate of vertical movement of the model airplane, which in turn controls the rate of movement of the model airplane along the support line.

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VEHICLE LANDING CONTROL CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This is a continuation-in-part of US. Pat. application Ser. No. 879,413, filed Nov. 13, 1969, to be US. Pat. No. 3,600,843, issued Aug. 24, 197l, entitled TOY.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Toys have been used heretofore to provide instruction to its operator in the fonn of a game. Model airplanes have been used to provide a source of entertain ment for the operators. In order to simulate flight of the model airplanes, certain model airplanes have been mounted in various fashions on one or more support lines. Model airplanes which have been used heretofore have been arranged so as to go back and forth on a support line by raising and lowering one end of the support line. In certain instances, two lines have been used, wherein one line supported the model airplane and the other provided the means for moving the model. In other instances, the model airplane has carried a model bomb load. By shaking or appropriately moving the support line or a connecting line, the bomb load was dropped onto a target. None of the devices heretofore known provides a construction whereby the operator has a sense or simulation of actually controlling an airplane in flight. In the previously-mentioned patent, the patentee provided a model airplane which actually provided a simulation of flight and a simulation of landing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an educational toy construction wherein the operator is able to simulate a landing of an airplane by controlling a model airplane during its landing. The invention includes a line which is attached to a fixed vertical support. The other end of the line is attached to a movable control, which is arranged to simulate the wheel of an airplane. A model airplane is suspended on a support line. A landing surface is provided beneath the support line. One end of the support line is higher than the other. As the model airplane is released from the upper end of the support line, the airplane slides along the support line. Movement of the control causes a response in the movement of the airplane to go up and down or from side to side in a manner similar to that of an actual airplane. The operator then guides the airplane to a touchdown on a landing strip, simulating actual landing of the airplane. The present invention also provides a launcher to launch an airplane off a landing strip along the support line so that the airplane in effect flies upward along the support line, then comes to a stop on the support line, turns and flies back to the landing strip, by sliding along the support line. The operator controls the simulated flight of the model airplane and controls the landing of the model airplane on the landing strip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a toy embodying the herein-disclosed invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a catch for holding a model airplane prior to descent and showing a portion of a model airplane;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a portion of the catch and a fixed vertical support, showing the model airplane in a rest position and showing the model airplane in dotted form in a raised position prior to release for travelling along a support line;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, showing a fixed vertical support and a clamp for securing the fixed vertical support to a supporting surface, such as a table, with the catch mounted on the upper portion of the fixed vertical support and a reel rotatably mounted on the fixed vertical support;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a control for the toy;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on Line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the hereindisclosed invention, showing the control mounted at a higher level to start the descent of the model airplane from a keeper adjacent to the control;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the herein-disclosed invention, showing a landing strip having a launcher connected thereto for propelling the model airplane upward along the support line;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the toy shown in FIG. 8, but with the model airplane moving upward along the support line;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of the model airplane, showing a single support for the model airplane; and

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 9, but showing the model airplane turned and moving downward along the support line and showing the model airplane in a landed attitude in dotted form.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, and especially to FIG. 1, a toy generally indicated by numeral 20 is shown therein, which toy is a specific embodiment of the in vention disclosed herein. The toy 20 generally includes a keeper 22, a support line 24 connected to the keeper, and a control 26 connected to one end of the support line. A reel 28 is mounted on the keeper and stores the support line. A landing strip 30 is positioned below the line 24 and adjacent to the control 26. A vehicle, that is, a model airplane 32, is slideably supported on the support line 24 and is engageable with the landing surface 30.

The model airplane 32 is conventional in its construction in that it includes a fuselage 34. Wings 36 are mounted on the fuselage and provide lift for the model airplane as the model airplane travels along the support line. A pair of wheels 38 is connected to the fuselage to provide landing gear for the'model airplane. The model airplane also includes a convention horizontal stabilizer 40 and a vertical stabilizer 42. Fixed to the fuselage near the tail portion thereof is a hook 44. The model airplane has a pair of wire support hooks 46 and 48 fixed thereon. The support hook 46 is fixed to a central portion of the fuselage, and the support hook 48 is fixed to the vertical stabilizer 42. The

hooks

46 and 48 are in sliding engagement with the support line 24.

The keeper 22 is best seen in FIG. 4 and is shown mounted on a table 50. The table 50 is of a conventional table height. The keeper is secured to an edge of the table by a C-member 52, which has press-fitted therein a support rod 54, thereby providing a fixed vertical support. The support rod has a notch 56 in its upper end to receive the support line 24. A conventional thumb screw 58 is mounted in the C-member and is in engagement with the table to hold the C-member in position and thereby hold the support rod 54 in a fixed vertical attitude.

A vehicle catch 60 is mounted on the support rod below the notch 54. The vehicle catch is a formed wire member having a looped portion 62 which resiliently engages the support rod 54. A pair of oppositely extending

branches

64 and 66 are formed integral with the loop. A pair of

identical cantilever arms

68 and 70 is formed integral with the

branches

64 and 66, respectively. The

cantilever arms

68 and 70 have

hooks

72 and 74 formed integral with their respective free ends. As may be seen in FIG. 3, the

cantilever arms

68 and 70 slope downward from the support rod 54. The

arms

68 and 70 are spaced to receive the tail portion of the model airplane 32 therebetween. The horizontal stabilizer 40 of the model airplane engages the arms and is prevented from slipping off the arms by

hooks

72 and 74.

The reel 28 is conventional in its construction and includes a cylindrical body 76 and a pair of side flanges 78 and 80 formed integral with the body. The body has a central aperture 82 for rotatably receiving the support rod 54. A line slot 84 is formed in the flange 78 to receive the line 28 for holding the line onto the reel.

The control 26 is slideably and rotatably mounted on a simulated cockpit 86. The simulated cockpit includes a floor 88 having a pair of side walls 90 formed integral therewith. Each of the side walls has a lock flap 92 formed integral with the side wall. A rear wall 94 is formed integral with the floor 88 and the side walls 90. A front wall 96 is formed integral with the side walls 90 and the floor 88, and is opposed to the rear wall 94. A support panel 98 is formed integral with the front wall and has a top panel 100 formed integral with one edge thereof. An instrument panel 102 is formed integral with the top panel 100 and has simulated instruments printed on the top panel. The instrument panel includes a pair of lock slots 104 which receive the lock flaps 92 of the side walls. The instrument panel includes a control aperture 106, and the forward panel also has a control aperture aligned with the control aperture 106 of the instrument panel. In this instance, the cockpit 86 is made of cardboard and folded in order to make up the cockpit. It is readily apparent that the cockpit and instrument panel which provide a support for the control 26 may be made of any convenient material, such as, sheet plastic material.

The control 26 includes a drive shaft 108, which is slideably and rotatably mounted in the control support, that is, the instrument panel 102 and the forward panel 98. As may be seen in FIG. 6, the instrument panel 102 has a bushing 110 mounted in the aperture 106 to receive slideably the drive shaft 108. A wheel 112 is fixed to one end of the drive shaft, and a vertical support or post 114 is fixed to the other end of the drive shaft. The line 24 is secured to the post 114, as may be clearly seen in FIG. 5.

The toy 20 is set up for operation by attaching the support rod 54 to the table 50. The line 24 is released from the reel 28 until sufficient line is unwound to position the control 26 an appropriate distance from the support rod. The model airplane 32 is connected to the support line by placing the

hooks

46 and 48 into engagement with the support line 24. The horizontal stabilizer of the model airplane is then mounted on the vehicle catch. When the line 24 is left slack, the model airplane simply hangs in a position. as shown in solid form in FIG. 3. The operator then pulls back on the wheel to pull the drive shaft back to make the line 24 taut. As the line is made taut, the hook 48 is lifted to level out the plane, as shown in dotted form in FIG. 3. The tautness of the line tends to lift the hook 46 so that the horizontal stabilizer of the model airplane then slides over the

hooks

72 and 74 and slides along the line 24.

The rate of descent is controlled by the operator. As the wheel 112 is moved forward, the line is slackened. and the nose of the plane is allowed to go down, which also increases the speed of the model airplane just as occurs in landing a real airplane. When the operator pulls back on the wheel, the line 24 is made taut, the nose of the plane is raised slightly, and the plane slows down. This operation is identical to the operation of a real airplane during landing. As the model airplane descends, the wings provide some lift to the model so that the friction between the line and the

hooks

46 and 48 is at a minimum and the model is partially flying with the control providing guidance to the model. The operator may also turn the wheel 112, thereby rotating the drive shaft to move the post 114 from side to side. thereby simulating sidewise movement of an airplane. The operator must exercise a degree of skill and judgment in order to guide the model airplane to a touchdown on the landing surface 30. It may be appreciated that if the model airplane touches down too soon, it touches down prior to the landing surface, thereby simulating a crash. On the other hand, if the touchdown is too late, the model airplane overshoots the end of the runway.

Turning now to FIG. 7, which shows a modification of the present device, the model airplane 32 is shown connected to a guide line 24, which has one end connected to the control 26 and the other end is connected to a chair leg 200 rather than the support rod 54. The control 26 is mounted on a table top 202, which is at a level above the chair leg 200, and the landing strip 30 is positioned adjacent to the chair leg 200. The table top acts as a keeper for the model airplane 32. All of the parts are identical to those described above, except that the control 26 is positioned above the chair leg so that the model airplane travels from the control downward toward the chair leg.

The operation of the toy shown in FIG. 7 is described below. The model airplane 32 rests on the table top 202, which acts as the keeper. The wheel 112 is pulled back to increase the tautness of the line 24 so that the model airplane 32 is raised off the table top 202 and begins to slide down the line 24, as described above. The operator controls the model airplane, as described above, and lands the model airplane on the landing surface 30 in the same manner as described above. The rate of descent is controlled by the operator; and, of course, the airplane may be guided from side to side in making its approach to the landing strip.

Looking now to FIGS. 8 through 1 1, another form of the present toy is shown therein. The control 26 and keeper 22 are identical to that described above. A model airplane 300 is shown attached to line 24 for being launched from and landing on a landing surface 302. The model airplane 300 is a conventional model airplane having a fuselage 304 with a pair of wings 306 mounted on the fuselage to provide lift for the model airplane as the model airplane travels along a support line. A pair of wheels 308 is connected to the fuselage to provide landing gear for the model airplane. The model airplane also includes a conventional horizontal stabilizer 310 and a vertical stabilizer 312. The vertical stabilizer includes a positionable rudder 314. A hook 316 is connected to the fuselage near the center of gravity of the model airplane. The hook 316 includes an eye 318 which is formed integral with the hook and is engageable with the support line. The centerline of eye 318 is showed relative to the support line. The model airplane has a stud 320 formed integral with the fuselage for reasons which will become apparent hereinafter.

The landing surface 302 is a flat landing surface and has a launcher mounted thereon. The launcher includes a pair of hooks 322 attached to one edge of the landing surface and an elastic band 324 is connected to the hooks. The band 324 is engageable with the stud 320 for propelling the model airplane along the support line. Though an elastic band is shown herein, it may be appreciated that a spring-operated device or the like may be used to propel the model airplane.

The instant toy is set up as described above, with the landing surface positioned adjacent to the control 26. The eye 318 of the hook is mounted on the support line. The elastic band 324 is placed into engagement with the stud 320 and the elastic band is stretched. The model airplane is released, and the elastic band then pulls the model airplane upward along the supportline toward the support rod 54. Prior to release, the rudder 314 is adjusted so that the model airplane has the eye 318 in sliding engagement with the support rod. As the inertia of the model airplane is used up by the frictional force of the hook in engagement with the support line and by moving the model airplane against the force of gravity, the model airplane slows down and eventually comes to a stop. The model airplane then turns on the line 180 and starts to slide back down the support line by gravity. Movement of the model airplane along the support line causes the rudder to hold the hook in skewed engagement with the support line. As the model airplane comes down along the support line, the operator then has an opportunity to land the airplane on the landing surface 302. The model airplane is landed in the manner described above, with the operator controlling the rate of descent by adjustment of the slack in the support line. It may be appreciated that the operator also may control the rate of movement upward when the model airplane leaves the elastic band by controlling the slackness in the line.

Although a specific embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention has been shown and described in detail above, it is readily apparent that those skilled in the art may make various modifications and changes without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It is to be expressly understood that the instant invention is limited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A toy comprising, in combination, a support line, a vehicle having a support movably engaging the support line and being movably supported thereby, a vehicle keeper releasably engageable with the vehicle for holding the vehicle prior to the vehicles movement along the support line, said vehicle keeper being a support surface, a control connected to the support line for regulating the rate of movement of the vehicle along the support line, and a launcher releasably engageable with the vehicle to propel the vehicle upward along the support line.

2. A toy as defined in claim 1 wherein the support surface provides a landing surface for the vehicle and the launcher is an elongated elastic member releasably engageable with the vehicle.

3. A toy as defined in claim 2, including a stud mounted on the vehicle for releasable engagement with the elastic member.

4. A toy comprising, in combination, a support line, a vehicle having a support movably engaging the support line and being movably supported thereby, a vehicle keeper releasably engageable with the vehicle for holding the vehicle prior to the vehicles movement along the support line, a control connected to the support line for regulating the rate of movement of the vehicle along the support line, said control including a drive shaft support, and a drive shaft axially slideably mounted in the drive shaft support, said drive shaft being connected to the support line to regulate the amount of slack in the support line to control the rate of movement of the vehicle along the support line.

5. A toy as defined in claim 4 and including a post mounted on the drive shaft, said post being connected to the support line, whereby rotation of the drive shaft causes the support line to be moved in a lateral direction for moving the vehicle supported on the support line in a lateral direction.

6. A toy as defined in claim 4 wherein the vehicle keeper is a support surface, and including a launcher releasably engageable with the vehicle to propel the vehiclealong the support line.

7. A toy as defined in claim 4, including a simulated instrument panel connected to the drive shaft support.

holding the vehicle prior to the vehicles movement along the support line, and a control connected to the support line for regulating the rate of movement of the vehicle along the support line, said vehicle keeper being positioned adjacent to the control, said support line having one end connected to the control and the other end connected to a line arrestment positioned below the level of the control. p

9. A toy as defined in claim 8 wherein the control includes a drive shaft support and a drive shaft axially slideably mounted in the drive shaft support, said drive shaft being connected to the one end of the support line.

10. A toy as defined in claim 8, including a reel connected to the control line to store the support line.

11. A toy comprising, in combination, a support line, a vehicle having a support movably engagingthe support line and being movably supported thereby, a vehicle keeper releasably engageable with the vehicle for holding the vehicle prior to the vehicles movement along the support line, said vehicle keeper including a fixed vertical support and a vehicle catch mounted on the fixed vertical support adjacent to the upper portion of the fixed vertical support, said catch being engageable with the vehicle to hold releasably the vehicle adjacent to the fixed vertical support, a reel rotatably mounted on the fixed vertical support. said reel having its axis of rotation coincidental with the axis of the fixed vertical support, said reel being connected to the support line for storing the support line, and a control connected to the support line for regulating the rate of movement of the vehicle along the support line.

12. A toy as defined in claim 11 wherein the fixed vertical support contains a slot near the upper end thereof for holding the support line.

13. A toy comprising, in combination, a support line, a vehicle having a support movably engaging the support line and being movably supported thereby, said support being a single member having a single hook in engagement with the support line, a vehicle keeper releasably engageable with the vehicle for holding the vehicle prior to the vehicles movement along the support line, and a control connected to the support line for regulating the rate of movement of the vehicle along the support line.

14. A toy as defined in claim 13 wherein the vehicle includes a control surface for holding the hook in a nonperpendicular engagement with the support line.

15. A toy comprising, in combination, a support line, a vehicle having a support movably engaging the support line and being movably supported thereby, a vehicle keeper releasably engageable with the vehicle for holding the vehicle prior to the vehicles movement along the support line, a control connected to the support line for regulating the rate of movement of the vehicle along the support line, said control including a drive shaft support and a drive shaft axially slideably mounted in the drive shaft support, said drive shaft being connected to one end of the support line, said vehicle keeper including a fixed vertical support and a vehicle catch mounted on the fixed vertical support, said vehicle catch being engageable with the vehicle to hold releasably the vehicle adjacent to the fixed vehicle support, said vertical support being engageable with the support line, and a reel connected to the support line for storing the support line.

16. A toy comprising, in combination, a support line, a vehicle having a support movably engaging the support line and being movably supported thereby, a vehicle keeper releasably engageable with the vehicle for holding the vehicle prior to the vehicles movement along the support line, a control connected to the support line for regulating the rate of movement of the vehicle along the support line, said vehicle keeper being positioned adjacent to the control, said support line has one end connected to the control and the other end connected to a line arrestment positioned below the level of the control, and a landing surface positioned adjacent to the line arrestment.

17. A toy comprising, in combination, a support line, a vehicle having a support movably engaging the support line and being movably supported thereby, a vehicle keeper releasably engageable with the vehicle for holding the vehicle prior to the vehicles movement along the support line, said vehicle keeper including a fixed vertical support and a vehicle catch mounted on the fixed vertical support, said vehicle catch being en gageable with the vehicle to hold releasably the vehicle adjacent to the fixed vertical support, a reel rotatably connected to the fixed vertical support, said reel connected to the support line for releasably storing the support line, and a control connected to the support line for regulating the rate of movement of the vehicle along the support line.

18. A toy comprising, in combination, a support line, a vehicle having a support movably engaging the support line and being movably supported thereby, a vehicle keeper releasably engageable with the vehicle for holding the vehicle prior to the vehicles movement along the support line, and a control connected to the support line for regulating the rate of movement of the vehicle along the support line, said control including a drive shaft support having a simulated instrument panel mounted on the surface thereof; a drive shaft axially, slideably and rotatably mounted in the drive shaft support; a handle connected to the drive shaft on one end adjacent to the instrument panel; a post mounted on the other end of the drive shaft; the support line being connected to the post; whereby rotation of the post moves the support line laterally and axial movement of the drive shaft regulates the amount of slack in the support line to control the rate of movement of a vehicle along the support line.

19. A toy comprising, in combination, a support line, a vehicle having a support movably engaging the support line and being movably supported thereby, a vehicle keeper releasably engageable with the vehicle for holding the vehicle prior to the vehicles movement along the support line, the vehicle keeper is a support surface which also provides a landing surface for the vehicle, a control connected to the support line for regulating the rate of movement of the vehicle along the support line, a fixed vertical support positioned above the level of the control and being spaced away from the control having the support line connected thereto, said support surface being positioned adjacent to the control and being at substantially the same level as the control, and a launcher connected to the support surface releasably engageable with the vehicle for propelling the vehicle along the support line toward the fixed vertical support.

Claims

1. A toy comprising, in combination, a support line, a vehicle having a support movably engaging the support line and being movably supported thereby, a vehicle keeper releasably engageable with the vehicle for holding the vehicle prior to the vehicle''s movement along the support line, said vehicle keeper being a support surface, a control connected to the support line for regulating the rate of movement of the vehicle along the support line, and a launcher releasably engageable with the vehicle to propel the vehicle upward along the support line.

4. A toy comprising, in combination, a support line, a vehicle having a support movably engaging the support line and being movably supported thereby, a vehicle keeper releasably engageable with the vehicle for holding the vehicle prior to the vehicle''s movement along the support line, a control connected to the support line for regulating the rate of movement of the vehicle along the support line, said control including a drive shaft support, and a drive shaft axially slideably mounted in the drive shaft support, said drive shaft being connected to the support line to regulate the amount of slack in the support line to control the rate of movement of the vehicle along the support line.

6. A toy as defined in claim 4 wherein the vehicle keeper is a support surface, and including a launcher releasably engageable with the vehicle to propel the Vehicle along the support line.

8. A toy comprising, in combination, a support line, a vehicle having a support movably engaging the support line and being movably supported thereby, a vehicle keeper releasably engageable with the vehicle for holding the vehicle prior to the vehicle''s movement along the support line, and a control connected to the support line for regulating the rate of movement of the vehicle along the support line, said vehicle keeper being positioned adjacent to the control, said support line having one end connected to the control and the other end connected to a line arrestment positioned below the level of the control.

11. A toy comprising, in combination, a support line, a vehicle having a support movably engaging the support line and being movably supported thereby, a vehicle keeper releasably engageable with the vehicle for holding the vehicle prior to the vehicle''s movement along the support line, said vehicle keeper including a fixed vertical support and a vehicle catch mounted on the fixed vertical support adjacent to the upper portion of the fixed vertical support, said catch being engageable with the vehicle to hold releasably the vehicle adjacent to the fixed vertical support, a reel rotatably mounted on the fixed vertical support, said reel having its axis of rotation coincidental with the axis of the fixed vertical support, said reel being connected to the support line for storing the support line, and a control connected to the support line for regulating the rate of movement of the vehicle along the support line.

13. A toy comprising, in combination, a support line, a vehicle having a support movably engaging the support line and being movably supported thereby, said support being a single member having a single hook in engagement with the support line, a vehicle keeper releasably engageable with the vehicle for holding the vehicle prior to the vehicle''s movement along the support line, and a control connected to the support line for regulating the rate of movement of the vehicle along the support line.

15. A toy comprising, in combination, a support line, a vehicle having a support movably engaging the support line and being movably supported thereby, a vehicle keeper releasably engageable with the vehicle for holding the vehicle prior to the vehicle''s movement along the support line, a control connected to the support line for regulating the rate of movement of the vehicle along the support line, said control including a drive shaft support and a drive shaft axially slideably mounted in the drive shaft support, said drive shaft being connected to one end of the support line, said vehicle keeper including a fixed vertical support and a vehicle catch mounted on the fixed vertical support, said vehicle catch being engageable with the vehicle to hold releasably the vehicle adjacent to the fixed vehicle support, said vertical support being engageable with the support line, and a reel connected to the support line for storing the support line.

16. A toy comprising, in combination, a support line, a vehicle having a support movably engaging the support line and being movably supported thereby, a vehicle keeper releasably engageable with the vehicle for holding the vehicle prior to the vehiclE''s movement along the support line, a control connected to the support line for regulating the rate of movement of the vehicle along the support line, said vehicle keeper being positioned adjacent to the control, said support line has one end connected to the control and the other end connected to a line arrestment positioned below the level of the control, and a landing surface positioned adjacent to the line arrestment.

17. A toy comprising, in combination, a support line, a vehicle having a support movably engaging the support line and being movably supported thereby, a vehicle keeper releasably engageable with the vehicle for holding the vehicle prior to the vehicle''s movement along the support line, said vehicle keeper including a fixed vertical support and a vehicle catch mounted on the fixed vertical support, said vehicle catch being engageable with the vehicle to hold releasably the vehicle adjacent to the fixed vertical support, a reel rotatably connected to the fixed vertical support, said reel connected to the support line for releasably storing the support line, and a control connected to the support line for regulating the rate of movement of the vehicle along the support line.

18. A toy comprising, in combination, a support line, a vehicle having a support movably engaging the support line and being movably supported thereby, a vehicle keeper releasably engageable with the vehicle for holding the vehicle prior to the vehicle''s movement along the support line, and a control connected to the support line for regulating the rate of movement of the vehicle along the support line, said control including a drive shaft support having a simulated instrument panel mounted on the surface thereof; a drive shaft axially, slideably and rotatably mounted in the drive shaft support; a handle connected to the drive shaft on one end adjacent to the instrument panel; a post mounted on the other end of the drive shaft; the support line being connected to the post; whereby rotation of the post moves the support line laterally and axial movement of the drive shaft regulates the amount of slack in the support line to control the rate of movement of a vehicle along the support line.

19. A toy comprising, in combination, a support line, a vehicle having a support movably engaging the support line and being movably supported thereby, a vehicle keeper releasably engageable with the vehicle for holding the vehicle prior to the vehicle''s movement along the support line, the vehicle keeper is a support surface which also provides a landing surface for the vehicle, a control connected to the support line for regulating the rate of movement of the vehicle along the support line, a fixed vertical support positioned above the level of the control and being spaced away from the control having the support line connected thereto, said support surface being positioned adjacent to the control and being at substantially the same level as the control, and a launcher connected to the support surface releasably engageable with the vehicle for propelling the vehicle along the support line toward the fixed vertical support.