GB2139909A - Toy railway track - Google Patents

Abstract

A toy railway track section comprises at each end a pair of laterally separated transverse channels (c) facing respectively in opposite directions whereby one such section is connectable in co-planar abutment with a like section by juxtapositioning the sections in different planes having a common axis coinciding with the longitudinal axes of the sections and rotating one section relative to the other about that axis until their respective channels interengage one another. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Toy railway track This invention relates to a toy railway track of the kind comprising straight and curved lengths or sections made of synthetic plastics material and adapted to be coupled together end to end.

The invention has been devised with the general object of enabling the track sections to be quickly and easily connected together whilst ensuring that the track sections cannot readily be disconnected afterthetrack has been laid upon a suitable base surface, such as a floor or table top.

In accordance with the present invention therefore, it is proposed that a toy railway track section should comprise at each end a pair of laterally separated transverse channels facing respectively in opposite directions whereby one such section is connectable in co-planar abutment with a like section byjuxtapositioning the sections in different planes having a common axis coinciding with the longitudinal axes of the sections and rotating one section relative to the other section about that axis until their respective channels interengage one another.

To enable the nature of the invention to be understood, a preferred embodiment is hereinafter described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In these drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of a typical track section; Figure 2 is an inverted plan view of the track section shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is an end elevation of the same track section; Figure 4 is a fragmentary section on line 4-4 of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a perspective view of two track sections shown at a preliminary stage of connection; and Figure 6 is a plan view showing the same two sections finally connected to one another.

Referring now to the drawings, each of the track sections T shown therein is made by moulding from a hard slightly resilient synthetic plastics material.

The sections Tare of "I" shaped cross-section in order to provide a rail rat each side irrespective of whether the section is laid right way up or upside down. The central part of each section T is moulded on each side to simulate sleepers sand ballast b.

At each end and on each side the track section T has an integrally formed connector which essentially consists of a forward projection h which is of L-section and defines between itself and a central recessed end part of the base section a transverse channel c. It is to be noted that at each end of the section the projections h and therefore the channels (c) face in the opposite directions and are spaced at an equal distance one on each side of the longitudinal centre axis of the section. As shown most clearly in Figures 3 and 5, the corners of the projections h are chamfered in order to facilitate interengagement of the projections of one section with the projections of an identical section in a connecting operation.

The track sections, which may be straight or curved, are connected to one another by first causing them to adopt the relative positions illustrated in Figure 5 and then pushing them together and rotating one relative to the other about its longitudinal centre axis as indicated by the arrow R until the respective channels interlock and the sections are in the same plane (Figure 6).

To detach the sections one from another the above described movements are reversed and performed in reverse sequence.

1. Atoy railway track section comprising at each end a pair of laterally separated transverse channels facing respectively in opposite directions, whereby one such section is connectable in co-planar abutment with a like section by juxtapositioning the sections in different planes having a common axis coinciding with the longitudinal axes of the sections, and rotating one section relative to the other section about that axis until their respective channels interengage one another.

2. A toy railway track section as claimed in claim 1, in which the channels at each end of the section are formed by L-section projections integral with and extending from a recessed end part of the base of the section.

3. A toy railway track section as claimed in claim 2, in which the corners of projections are chamfered in order to facilitate interengagement of the channels.

4. A toy railway track section constructed substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.

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

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Toy railway track This invention relates to a toy railway track of the kind comprising straight and curved lengths or sections made of synthetic plastics material and adapted to be coupled together end to end. The invention has been devised with the general object of enabling the track sections to be quickly and easily connected together whilst ensuring that the track sections cannot readily be disconnected afterthetrack has been laid upon a suitable base surface, such as a floor or table top. In accordance with the present invention therefore, it is proposed that a toy railway track section should comprise at each end a pair of laterally separated transverse channels facing respectively in opposite directions whereby one such section is connectable in co-planar abutment with a like section byjuxtapositioning the sections in different planes having a common axis coinciding with the longitudinal axes of the sections and rotating one section relative to the other section about that axis until their respective channels interengage one another. To enable the nature of the invention to be understood, a preferred embodiment is hereinafter described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. In these drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of a typical track section; Figure 2 is an inverted plan view of the track section shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is an end elevation of the same track section; Figure 4 is a fragmentary section on line 4-4 of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a perspective view of two track sections shown at a preliminary stage of connection; and Figure 6 is a plan view showing the same two sections finally connected to one another. Referring now to the drawings, each of the track sections T shown therein is made by moulding from a hard slightly resilient synthetic plastics material. The sections Tare of "I" shaped cross-section in order to provide a rail rat each side irrespective of whether the section is laid right way up or upside down. The central part of each section T is moulded on each side to simulate sleepers sand ballast b. At each end and on each side the track section T has an integrally formed connector which essentially consists of a forward projection h which is of L-section and defines between itself and a central recessed end part of the base section a transverse channel c. It is to be noted that at each end of the section the projections h and therefore the channels (c) face in the opposite directions and are spaced at an equal distance one on each side of the longitudinal centre axis of the section. As shown most clearly in Figures 3 and 5, the corners of the projections h are chamfered in order to facilitate interengagement of the projections of one section with the projections of an identical section in a connecting operation. The track sections, which may be straight or curved, are connected to one another by first causing them to adopt the relative positions illustrated in Figure 5 and then pushing them together and rotating one relative to the other about its longitudinal centre axis as indicated by the arrow R until the respective channels interlock and the sections are in the same plane (Figure 6). To detach the sections one from another the above described movements are reversed and performed in reverse sequence. CLAIMS

1. Atoy railway track section comprising at each end a pair of laterally separated transverse channels facing respectively in opposite directions, whereby one such section is connectable in co-planar abutment with a like section by juxtapositioning the sections in different planes having a common axis coinciding with the longitudinal axes of the sections, and rotating one section relative to the other section about that axis until their respective channels interengage one another.

2. A toy railway track section as claimed in claim 1, in which the channels at each end of the section are formed by L-section projections integral with and extending from a recessed end part of the base of the section.

3. A toy railway track section as claimed in claim 2, in which the corners of projections are chamfered in order to facilitate interengagement of the channels.

4. A toy railway track section constructed substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.