GB2103949A

GB2103949A - Amusement device

Info

Publication number: GB2103949A
Application number: GB08126086A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hajime Matsumoto; Toshi Hisa Suga
Original assignee: Toybox Corp
Current assignee: Toybox Corp
Priority date: 1981-08-26
Filing date: 1981-08-26
Publication date: 1983-03-02
Also published as: GB2103949B

Abstract

An amusement device comprises a toy wheeled vehicle 10, a trackway 12 on which the vehicle moves, and a lift mechanism 14. The vehicle 10 has freely mounted rotatable wheels, and an upwardly extending rod 38 which engages a lift mechanism flange 66. The lift mechanism 14 raises the vehicle 10 to a height at which the gravitational force then imparts movement to the vehicle around the continuous trackway 12. The vehicle 10 remains positioned on the trackway 12 due to a trackway rail 42 positioned between the freely mounted wheels of the vehicle. The trackway 12 includes four different track sections 44, 46, 48 and 50 which impart different movements to the vehicle 10 as the vehicle moves along the trackway. In the track section 44 for example, the trackway imparts a loop-to-loop movement to the vehicle 10. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Amusement device This invention relates to an amusement device, and in particular to an amusement device having a free-wheeling toy vehicle and a trackway cooperating to impart rapid and exciting movement to the vehicle as it moves along the trackway.

Toy vehicle and trackway devices for children are popular. These amusement devices must attract and capture the interest of the child, and maintain that interest for a reasonable period of time of play. In addition, the amustement devices must be entertaining for, and operable by, children of different age levels.

The present invention provides an amusement device comprising a support, first and second pulleys rotatably mounted on the support at spaced-apart positions, the first pulley being positioned above the second pulley, an endless belt stretched between the first and second pulleys to provide a first substantially straight belt segment and a second substantially straight belt segment, means mounted on the support for moving the belt, a continuous trackway mounted on the support, the trackway having a first substantially straight portion spaced apart from the first belt segment and substantially parallel thereto, a second substantially straight portion spaced apart from the second belt segment at an angle thereto, a third portion connecting the upper ends of the first and second portions and arching over said first pulley, and a fourth portion connecting the lower ends of said first and second portions, a vehicle provided with means for attaching the vehicle to the trackway for coasting movement therealong, and at least one flange projecting from the belt to engage the vehicle when the vehicle is positioned on the first portion of the trackway, whereby the vehicle is lifted by said at least one flange when the vehicle is positioned on the first portion of the trackway, and released for coasting movement after the vehicle arches over the first pulley.

Advantageously, the trackway has a generally L-shaped cross-section having a continuous rail for supporting and guiding the vehicle and extending substantially at right-angles to a support. Preferably, the vehicle is provided with at least one downwardly-facing wheel positioned on one side of the rail, and with at least one upwardly-facing support wheel positioned on the other side of the rail.

In a preferred embodiment, the trackway is constituted by a plurality of separable track sections. A first track section may include the fourth portion of the trackway, the first track section being such as to impart an elliptical and loop-to-loop movement in a substantially vertical plane to the vehicle as it travels therealong. A second track section may be such as to impart an elliptical movement in a substantially horizontal plane to the vehicle as it travels therealong. A third track section may be such as to impart a loop-to-loop movement in a substantially vertical plane to the vehicle as it travels therealong. A fourth track section may be such as to impart an S-turn movement in a substantially horizontal plane to the vehicle as it travels therealong.

Preferably, the vehicle comprises two cars connected by a hinge, the hinge being formed by a cylinder rotatably mounted on one car joined by a pin to another cylinder rotatably mounted on the other car, with the axis of rotation of one cylinder being substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the other cylinder when the two vehicles are moving in a straight line, the pin permitting the cylinders to pivot with respect to each other.

Thus, the amusement device comprises a toy wheeled vehicle and a trackway having different track sections on which the vehicle moves, wherein the cooperation of the vehicle and trackway sections imparts various rapid and exciting movements to the vehicle as it moves along the relatively compact and substantially vertically oriented trackway.

The amusement device provides a relatively compact trackway having track sections oriented in both the horizontal and vertical planes. The trackway is made up of a continuous track having a continuous rail running therealong. The toy vehicle is movably supported on the rail by the upper wheels of the vehicle, which rest on the upper surface of the trackway rail; and by lower support wheels of the vehicle, which rest on the under surface of the trackway rail. The lift mechanism employs two pulleys connected by a continuous belt having several separate flanges, that is to say the belt flanges. The continuous belt is rotated to allow the belt flanges to engage a rod and crossbar combination extending from the top of the vehicle. A flange engages the vehicle at the bottom of the lift mechanism and raises the vehicle to the top of the mechanism while it is moving along the trackway.

Once the vehicle has been raised to the curved track section above the top of the lift mechanism, the gravitational force causes the vehicle to leave the belt flanges on the lift mechanism belt. The descending trackway section the vehicle then follows is not parallel to the belt, so that the descending vehicle is no longer in the path of travel of the belt flanges. In further travelling along the continuous trackway by gravitational forces, the toy vehicle moves through the vertically oriented loop-to-loop at the end of the first track section, the sloping horizontal elliptical trackway section, the vertical loop-to-loop trackway section, and the sloping S-turn trackway section.At the end of the S-turn trackway section, the vehicle returns to the base of the lift mechanism, and is again engaged by the lift mechanism to be raised along the trackway to the top of the lift mechanism to repeat the movement already discussed above.

It is further preferred that more than one vehicle travel the trackway at one time.

Finally, it is preferred that various attractive decorations be placed on the device or vehicles, for example, pictures on the pulleys, a banner across the top of the trackway, or stripes on the vehicles.

An amusement device constructed in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the amusement device which is constituted by a toy vehicle, a continuous trackway and a lift mechanism; Fig. 2 is a fragmented front elevation of the top portion of the lift mechanism of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the top portion of the lift mechanism of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the electric motor driven gear mechanism which rotates the lower pulley of the lift mechanism; Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the toy wheeled vehicle shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 6 is an underneath view of the toy wheeled vehicle shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows an amusement device comprising two toy vehicles 10, a trackway 12 along which the vehicles move, and a lift mechanism 14 for lifting the toy vehicles to the top of the trackway. The two toy vehicles 10 are identical, so only one of them will be described in detail.

As best seen in Figs. 1,5 and 6, each toy vehicle 10 is constituted by a front car 1 6 and a rear car 18. The two cars 16 and 18 of each toy vehicle 10 are connected by a hinge 20 allowing each car to negotiate the curved trackway independently. Each hinge 20 is formed by a cylinder 21, which is rotatably mounted on the respective front car 16; and a cylinder 23, which is rotatably mounted on the respective rear car 18, with its axis of rotation being substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the cylinder 21 when the two cars are moving in a straight line. The cylinders 21 and 23 of each hinge 20 are loosely joined by a pin 25 to permit the cylinders to pivot with respect to each other.

The cars 16 and 18 of each vehicle 10 are provided with upper front wheels 26, upper middle wheels 28, and upper rear wheels 30. The wheels 26 and 28 are associated with the front car 16, and the wheels 30 are associated with the rear car 1 8. Each set of wheels is constituted by a unitary, spool shaped element rotatably mounted within the underside of the associated car 1 6 or 1 8. Also rotatably mounted to the underside of the cars 16 and 18 of each vehicle 10 are a lower front support wheel 32, a lower middle support wheel 34, and a lower rear support wheel 36. The wheels 32 and 34 are associated with the front car 16, and the wheel 36 is associated with the rear car 18.

As best seen in Fig. 5, each toy vehicle 10 is provided with a rod 38 extending upwardly from the vehicle's upper surface. A cross bar 40 is positioned at the top of the rod 38, the cross bar extending at right-angles to the rod.

Referring again to Figs. 1 and 3, the continuous trackway 1 2 is of L-shaped cross-section, having a continuous rail 42 extending substantially at right-angles to a continuous support portion 43.

The rail 42 is movably positioned between the outer flanges of the unitary, spool shaped wheels 26,28,30 and the lower support wheels 32,34 and 36 of the vehicles 10 to serve to guide the vehicles along the trackway 12.

The mode of attachment of the vehicles 10 to the L-shaped cross-section continuous trackway 12 permits the vehicles to move, under the action of gravity, along a flimsy track which is both supported and joined at one leg of the "L', leaving the other leg of the "L" free to form a continuous rail for the vehicles. The interaction of the rail and the wheel combination allows easy detachment of the vehicles 10 from the trackway 12 if the user so chooses. However, the vehicles 10 cannot fall off of the trackway 12 by themselves, regardless of the direction they face (for example even if the vehicles are upside down).

As can be seen in Fig. 1, the trackway 12 consists of four sections. The first track section 44 has a generally elliptical shape, is positioned substantially in the vertical plane, and includes a loop-to-loop. The first track section 44 joins the second track section 46 at an intersection 45. The second track section 46 has a sloping, generally elliptical shape, includes a loop-to-loop, and is positioned substantially in the horizontal plane.

The second track section 46 joins the third track section 48 at an intersection 47. The third track section 48 includes a loop-to-loop in the vertical plane. The third track section joins the fourth track section 50 at an intersection 49. The fourth track section 50 is a sloping S-turn section in the vertical plane. The fourth track section 50 joins the first track section 44 at an intersection 51.

It will be apparent that there are a number of suitable ways for joining these track sections, for example by providing a tongue at the end of one track section to fit within, and frictionally engage, an opening provided at the end of the adjacent track section. Preferably, the tongue and groove would be made part of the support portion 43 of the continuous trackway 12.

The lift mechanism 14 includes a lift mechanism base 52. The lift mechanism base 52 is provided with supports 54 which are further connected to the track sections 48 and 50. The lift mechanism 14 is also provided with a lift mechanism tower 56. The lift mechanism tower 56 is provided with trackway supports 58 supporting the trackway sections 44 and 46. The lift mechanism 14 is also provided with a lower pulley 60, an upper pulley 62, and a continuous belt 64 connecting the two pulleys. Belt flanges 66 are located on the continuous belt 64; the belt flanges being uniformly spaced on the outside of the continuous belt, and being positioned in the path of travel of the vehicles 10 as they ascend the right-hand vertical portion (as seen in Fig. 1) of the track section 44.

As best seen in Fig. 4, the lower pulley 60 is rotatably driven, via a plurality of gears 68, by a miniature electric motor 70. The motor 70 is of conventional configuration well-known in the art, and is provided on the lift mechanism base 52.

The motor 70 may be powered by batteries. The motor's armature carries the first of the gears 68, so that power is transferred through the rest of the gears to terminate with a gear attached to the axle of the lower pulley 60.

As seen in Fig. 1, the vehicles 10 are driven along the continuous trackway 12, and are imparted with different movements due to the intercooperation of the vehicles, the lift mechanism 14, and the various track sections of the trackway. For purposes of describing the preferred embodiment of the amusement device and its operation, the toy vehicle 10 located at the lift mechanism base 52 as shown in Fig. 1 will be considered to be at starting position of the trackway 12. When the motor 70 of the lift mechanism 14 is activated, the upwardly-extending rod 38 and cross bar 40 of this vehicle 10 O is engaged by one of the belt flanges 66 of the continuous belt 64. The vehicle 10 is moved vertically by the continuous belt 64 so that the vehicle ascends the track section 44.As illustrated in Fig. 2, the vehicle 10 is moved through the curved uppermost portion of the track section 44 by the continuous belt 64 until gravity causes the vehicle 10 to move freely on the descending portion of the track section 44.

As illustrated in Fig. 3, the descending portion of the track section 44 curves outwardly, and accordingly guides the coasting vehicle 10 out of engagement with the belt flanges 66 after the vehicle passes the summit of the trackway 12.

The descending portion of the track section 44 is not parallel to the belt 66 so that the vehicle 10 does not hit the belt flanges 66 as it descends. It will be apparent that gravity causes the vehicle 10 to move freely down the descending portion and through the loop-to-loop of the trackway section 44.

As the vehicle 10 leaves the track section 44, it crosses the intersection 45 and enters the connected track section 46. Movement of the vehicle 10 along the track section 46 is again provided by coasting, since the wheels 26,28,30,32,34 and 36 are freely mounted for rotation.

After the vehicle 10 coasts through the track section 46, it crosses the intersection 47 and enters the connected track section 48.

After the vehicle 10 reaches the end of the loop-to-llop section 48, it coasts across the intersection 49 and enters the track section 50.

It will be apparent from Fig. 1 that the vehicle 10, after coasting through the track section 50, crosses the intersection 51 and returns to the starting position of the continuous trackway 12 at the base 52 of the lift mechanism 14 for further movement along the trackway 12 in the manner previously described. Obviously, the other vehicle 10 moves round the trackway 12 in a similar manner.

It will be apparent that each vehicle 10 is imparted with various rapid and exciting movements (such as upside-down, climbing and descending movements) as it travels along the continuous trackway 1 2. It will be apparent, however, that modifications and variations could be made to the vehicle and the trackway described above.

Claims

1. An amusement device comprising a support, first and second pulleys rotatably mounted on the support at spaced-apart positions, the first pulley being positioned above the second pulley, an endless belt stretched between the first and second pulleys to provide a first substantially straight belt segment and a second substantially straight belt segment, means mounted on the support for moving the beit, a continuous trackway mounted on the support, the trackway having a first substantially straight portion spaced apart from the first belt segment and substantially parallel thereto, a second substantially straight portion spaced apart from the second belt segment at an angle thereto, a third portion connecting the upper ends of the first and second portions and arching over said first pulley, and a fourth portion connecting the lower ends of said first and second portions, a vehicle provided with means for attaching the vehicle to the trackway for coasting movement therealong, and at least one flange projecting from the belt to engage the vehicle when the vehicle is positioned on the first portion of the trackway, whereby the vehicle is lifted by said at least one flange when the vehicle is positioned on the first portion of the trackway, and released for coasting movement after the vehicle arches over the first pulley.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the trackway has a generally L-shaped cross-section having a continuous rail for supporting and guiding the vehicle and extending substantially at right-angles to a support.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the vehicle is provided with at least one downwardlyfacing wheel positioned on one side of the rail, and with at least one upwardly-facing support wheel positioned on the other side of the rail.

4. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the trackway is constituted by a plurality of separable track sections.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein a first track section includes the fourth portion of the trackway, the first track section being such as to impart an elliptical and loop-to-loop movement in a subsiantially vertical plane to the vehicle as it travels therealong.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein a second track section is such as to impart an elliptical movement in a substantially horizontal plane to the vehicle as it travels therealong.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein a third track section is such as to impart a loop-to loop movement in a substantially vertical plane to the vehicle as it travels therealong.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein a fourth track section is such as to impart an S-turn movement in a substantially horizontal plane to the vehicle as it travels therealong.

9. A device as claimed in any one of claim 1 to 8, wherein the vehicle comprises two cars connected by a hinge, the hinge being formed by a cylinder rotatably mounted on one car joined by a pin to another cylinder rotatably mounted on the other car, with the axis of rotation of one cylinder being substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the other cylinder when the two vehicles are moving in a straight line, the pin permitting the cylinders to pivot with respect to each other.

1 0. An amusement device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by, the accompanying drawings.