GB1578273A - Toy vehicle - Google Patents

Description

TOY VEHICLE (71) We, TOMY KOGYO Co., INC., a cor poration or organized under the laws of Japan, of No. 9-10. Tateishi 7chome, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo, Japan do hereby declare this invention, for which we pray that a Patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a toy vehicle and is more particularly concerned with a toy vehicle wherein energy for propulsion of the vehicle is stored by movement of the vehicle in either direction.

According to the present invention, there is provided a toy vehicle comprising a frame, an axle with wheels secured thereto mounted for rotation with respect to said frame, a source of energy, and a gear mechanism activated by the rotation of said axle in either direction for actuating said energy source to store energy therein, the energy that has been stored being thereafter released by releasing the vehicle causing said axle to rotate propelling the vehicle, wherein said gear mechanism comprises first and second gear trains operatively connecting said axle and said power source, said first gear train including a first gear mounted on a first shaft extending through slots in said frame to allow said first gear train to disengage when said second gear train is active and said second gear train including a second gear mounted on a second shaft extending through slots in said frame to allow said second gear train to disengage when said first gear train is active.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described,by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a top plan view of the vehicle, illustrating in particular a frame or a chassis and a gear mechanism mounted therein; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1 , lllustrating a gear train which operatively winds the energy storing spring when the vehicle is pressed downwardly and moved rearwardly; Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 1 , illustrating another gear train which operatively winds the energy storing spring when the vehicle is pressed downwardly and moved forwardly; and Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the frame or chassis within which the gearing mechanism is mounted, illustrating in particular the spring plate which normally biases the rear axle to which the wheels are attached downwardly out of engagement with the gear trains.

Referring now to the drawings, the toy vehicle is designated generally by the reference numeral 10 and includes front wheels 12, rear wheels 14 and a frame or chassis 16 to which the gear mechanism is mounted. The chassis 16 consists of walls 18,20 and 22 which are positioned in spaced relationship with the elements 24.

As illustrated in Figure 1 , there is positioned on the outside of each of the walls 18 and 22, a spring plate 26 which is mounted to rotate freely about a shaft 28 extending outwardly from the walls 18 and 22 (see also Figure 4).

Abutments 30 extend outwardly from the walls 18 and 22 engaging the forward ends 32 of the plates 26. The other ends of the plates 26 are formed with slotted openings 34 through which the ends of an axle 36, to which the rear wheels 14 are rigidly mounted, extend. The walls 18 and 22 are provided with slots 38 through which the ends of the axle 36 extend such that it is possible when pressing downwardly against the top of the vehicle 10 to move the axle 36 upwardly within the slots 38 for the purpose of engaging the gearing mechanisms to be described hereinafter, during which time the midsection of the spring plate 26 bends. Release of the top of the vehicle 10 permits the resilient characteristics of the plates 26 to return the axle 36 to its original position midway of the slots 38, as illustrated in Figure 4.

Mounted to the chassis 16 is a casing 42 within which a coiled spring 44 is located. One end 46 of the coiled spring 44 is attached to a shaft 48 which extends through the walls 18, 20 and 22 while the other end 49 thereof is attached to the casing 42. Gears 50 and 52 are also securely mounted to the shaft 48 so as to rotate therewith.

It will be apparent from Figure 3 that a gear wheel 54 is attached to a shaft 56, the ends of which are mounted within slots 58 within the walls 18 and 20, thus permitting the gear 54 to move as the shaft 56 moves within the slots 58.

A gear 60 is mounted to the axle 36. From the foregoing, it will be apparent that when the vehicle is pressed downwardly and moved forwardly as illustrated in Figure 3, the counterclockwise rotation of the rear wheels 14 and the axle 36 cause the gear 60 to rotate counterclockwise and be brought into engagement with the gear 54, at which time the shaft 56 moves downwardly within the slots 58 bringing the gear 54 into engagement with the gear 50 which, in turn, rotates the shaft 48 coiling the spring 44 storing energy therein. The gears 50, 54 and 60 form a first gear train of the gear mechanism.

As illustrated in Figure 2, gears 62 and 64 are unitary in construction and mounted to a shaft 66 which is appropriately journaled between the walls 20 and 22. In similar manner, gears 67 and 68 are unitary in construction and mounted to a shaft 70, the ends of which are mounted within elongated slots 72 provided within the walls 20 and 22 thus permitting the shaft 70 to move up and down within the slots 72. Finally, the gear 74 is fixedly secured to the axle 36. Thus, as the vehicle 10 is pressed downwardly and moved rearwardly as illustrated in Figure 2, the clockwise rotation of the rear wheels 14 causes the axle 36 and the gear 74 attached thereto to turn clockwise.The rotating gear 74 meshes with the gear 67 urging the shaft 70 to which the gears 67 and 68 are attached to move upwardly thus forcing the gear 68 into engagement with the gear 64 thus rotating the gear 64 clockwise. The similarly clockwise rotating gear 62 meshes with the gear 52 rotating same counterclockwise coiling the spring 44 storing energy therein. From the foregoing, it will be apparent that both the forward and rearward movement of the vehicle 10 causes the spring 44 to be coiled within the casing 42. The gears 52,62,62,68,67 and 74 form a second gear train of the gear mechanism.

It will also be apparent from Figure 3 that during the time the vehicle is being moved rearwardly (Figure 2) the shaft 56 moves upwardly within the slots 58 disengaging the gears 50 and 54. In similar manner, it will be apparent from Figure 2 that when the vehicle is moved forwardly (Figure 3) the shaft 70 moves downwardly within the slot 72 disengaging the gears 67 and 74. In this manner, there is no interference between the two gear trains when the vehicle is moved forwardly and rearwardly.

It will be understood, of course, that upon releasing the vehicle 10, the spring plates 26 assume their normal positions causing the axle 36 to move downwardly within the slots 38 to resume its normal position at which time the gears 60 and 74 are disengaged from the gears 54 and 67, respectively, after which the shaft 48 is rotated in a clockwise direction under the influence of the energy stored in the spring 44 causing the gears 62 and 64 to rotate counterclockwise at which time the gear 64 engages the gear 68 causing same to rotate clockwise at which time the shaft 70 moves upwardly within the slots 72. The clockwise rotation of the gear 67 causes the gear 74 which meshes therewith, and which is attached to the axle 36, to rotate in a counterclockwise direction thus causing the counterclockwise rotation of the wheels 14 to propel the vehicle 10 forwardly.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A toy vehicle comprising a frame, an axle with wheels secured thereto mounted for rotation with respect to said frame, a source of energy, and a gear mechanism activated by the rotation of said axle in either direction for actuating said energy source to store energy therein, the energy that has been stored being thereafter released by releasing the vehicle causing said axle to rotate propelling the vehicle, wherein said gear mechanism comprises first and second gear trains operatively connecting said axle and said power source, said first great train including a first gear mounted on a first shaft extending through slots in said frame to allow said first gear train to disengage when said second gear train is active and said second gear train including a second gear mounted on a second shaft extending through slots in said frame to allow said second gear train to disengage when said first gear train is active.

2. A toy vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said source of energy comprises a spring coiled around a third shaft mounted to said frame for rotation, and wherein said first gear train further comprises a third gear mounted on said third shaft and positioned to engage said first gear and a fourth gear mounted on said axle and positioned to engage said first gear when the first gear train is active.

3. A toy vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein said second gear train further comprises a fifth gear mounted on said axle and positioned to engage said second gear when the second gear train is active.

4. A toy vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein said second gear train further comprises a sixth gear mounted on said second shaft, seventh and eighth gears journalled for rotation together on said frame, said seventh gear being positioned to engage said sixth gear, and a ninth gear mounted on said third shaft and positioned to engage said eighth gear.

5. A toy vehicle as claimed in claim 4, further comprising means normally disconnecting said axle and said first and second gear

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. end 46 of the coiled spring 44 is attached to a shaft 48 which extends through the walls 18, 20 and 22 while the other end 49 thereof is attached to the casing 42. Gears 50 and 52 are also securely mounted to the shaft 48 so as to rotate therewith. It will be apparent from Figure 3 that a gear wheel 54 is attached to a shaft 56, the ends of which are mounted within slots 58 within the walls 18 and 20, thus permitting the gear 54 to move as the shaft 56 moves within the slots 58. A gear 60 is mounted to the axle 36. From the foregoing, it will be apparent that when the vehicle is pressed downwardly and moved forwardly as illustrated in Figure 3, the counterclockwise rotation of the rear wheels 14 and the axle 36 cause the gear 60 to rotate counterclockwise and be brought into engagement with the gear 54, at which time the shaft 56 moves downwardly within the slots 58 bringing the gear 54 into engagement with the gear 50 which, in turn, rotates the shaft 48 coiling the spring 44 storing energy therein. The gears 50, 54 and 60 form a first gear train of the gear mechanism. As illustrated in Figure 2, gears 62 and 64 are unitary in construction and mounted to a shaft 66 which is appropriately journaled between the walls 20 and 22. In similar manner, gears 67 and 68 are unitary in construction and mounted to a shaft 70, the ends of which are mounted within elongated slots 72 provided within the walls 20 and 22 thus permitting the shaft 70 to move up and down within the slots 72. Finally, the gear 74 is fixedly secured to the axle 36. Thus, as the vehicle 10 is pressed downwardly and moved rearwardly as illustrated in Figure 2, the clockwise rotation of the rear wheels 14 causes the axle 36 and the gear 74 attached thereto to turn clockwise.The rotating gear 74 meshes with the gear 67 urging the shaft 70 to which the gears 67 and 68 are attached to move upwardly thus forcing the gear 68 into engagement with the gear 64 thus rotating the gear 64 clockwise. The similarly clockwise rotating gear 62 meshes with the gear 52 rotating same counterclockwise coiling the spring 44 storing energy therein. From the foregoing, it will be apparent that both the forward and rearward movement of the vehicle 10 causes the spring 44 to be coiled within the casing 42. The gears 52,62,62,68,67 and 74 form a second gear train of the gear mechanism. It will also be apparent from Figure 3 that during the time the vehicle is being moved rearwardly (Figure 2) the shaft 56 moves upwardly within the slots 58 disengaging the gears 50 and 54. In similar manner, it will be apparent from Figure 2 that when the vehicle is moved forwardly (Figure 3) the shaft 70 moves downwardly within the slot 72 disengaging the gears 67 and 74. In this manner, there is no interference between the two gear trains when the vehicle is moved forwardly and rearwardly. It will be understood, of course, that upon releasing the vehicle 10, the spring plates 26 assume their normal positions causing the axle 36 to move downwardly within the slots 38 to resume its normal position at which time the gears 60 and 74 are disengaged from the gears 54 and 67, respectively, after which the shaft 48 is rotated in a clockwise direction under the influence of the energy stored in the spring 44 causing the gears 62 and 64 to rotate counterclockwise at which time the gear 64 engages the gear 68 causing same to rotate clockwise at which time the shaft 70 moves upwardly within the slots 72. The clockwise rotation of the gear 67 causes the gear 74 which meshes therewith, and which is attached to the axle 36, to rotate in a counterclockwise direction thus causing the counterclockwise rotation of the wheels 14 to propel the vehicle 10 forwardly. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A toy vehicle comprising a frame, an axle with wheels secured thereto mounted for rotation with respect to said frame, a source of energy, and a gear mechanism activated by the rotation of said axle in either direction for actuating said energy source to store energy therein, the energy that has been stored being thereafter released by releasing the vehicle causing said axle to rotate propelling the vehicle, wherein said gear mechanism comprises first and second gear trains operatively connecting said axle and said power source, said first great train including a first gear mounted on a first shaft extending through slots in said frame to allow said first gear train to disengage when said second gear train is active and said second gear train including a second gear mounted on a second shaft extending through slots in said frame to allow said second gear train to disengage when said first gear train is active.

2. A toy vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said source of energy comprises a spring coiled around a third shaft mounted to said frame for rotation, and wherein said first gear train further comprises a third gear mounted on said third shaft and positioned to engage said first gear and a fourth gear mounted on said axle and positioned to engage said first gear when the first gear train is active.

3. A toy vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein said second gear train further comprises a fifth gear mounted on said axle and positioned to engage said second gear when the second gear train is active.

4. A toy vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein said second gear train further comprises a sixth gear mounted on said second shaft, seventh and eighth gears journalled for rotation together on said frame, said seventh gear being positioned to engage said sixth gear, and a ninth gear mounted on said third shaft and positioned to engage said eighth gear.

5. A toy vehicle as claimed in claim 4, further comprising means normally disconnecting said axle and said first and second gear

trains.

6. A toy vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein said means normally disconnecting said axle and said first and second gear trains comprises slot means in said frame through which said axle passes, and spring means normally urging said axle downwardly within said slot means to a position where said fourth and fifth gears are disengaged from said first and second gears, respectively, such that only when said vehicle is depressed against the force of said spring means does said axle move upwardly within said slot means to a position where said fourth and fifth gears engage said first and second gears, respectively.

7. A toy vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.