US1852384A - Coaster and track therefor - Google Patents

Description

April 5, 1932. H. w. WALLIN COA-STER AND TRACK THEREFOR Filed May 13, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 5, 1932. H. w. wALLlN u COASTER AND TRACK THEREFOR Filed May 15, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lill(- Patented Apr. 5, y'1932 UNITED STATES HARRY W. WALLIN, OF DES MOINES, IOWA COASTER AND TRACK THEREFOR Application le May 13, 1931. Serial No. 537,079.

15 to prevent displacement of the coaster from` the track as it travels thereover.

A further object is to provide an economically manufactured track made ot a strip of sheet metal and corrugated to give it suf- 2g licient strength so that it will support considerable weight even when the sections thereof are as long as three or four feet, whereby the sections can be supported at their joints by ties.

A further object is to provide a corrugated track with upwardly opening grooves to receive the supporting wheels of the coaster whereby lateral movement of the coaster with respect to the track is prevented, and to pro- 3U vide the auxiliary wheels of the coaster mounted on brackets which extend downwardly from the base of the coaster outside of the track.

Still a further object is to provide a start .5 ing stand for the coaster with one end of the track connected therewith and to provide on the starting stand, guide means to engage the auxiliary wheels of the coaster to guide the coaster into a position of proper engageio nient with the track.

A further object is to provide brake means A further object is to provide ties for the track which are so connected with the track that they do not interfere with the auxiliary wheels of the coaster which engage the under surface of the track.

Vith these and other objects in View my inventionconsists in the construction7 arrangement and combination of the various parts ofmy device, whereby the objects content plated are attained, as hereinafter more fully sct forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated `in the `accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure lis a side elevation of a coaster and track therefor embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional View on the line 2? of Figure l showing a plan view of the starting stand.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the lino 3-3 of Figure l showing the track in section and a front elevation of the starting` stand.`

Figure 4; is a plan view of the coaster.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional View on the line 5-5 of Figure 1 showing the coaction of the coaster with the track and with the starting guides on the starting stand.

Figure 6 is a plan view of a portion of the track and a tie therefor.

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 7-7 of Figure 6 illustrating part of the joint between sections of the track.

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 8-8 ofFigure 6 showing another portion of the oint.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of adjacent ends of two sections of the track showing them separated.

Figure l() is an enlarged sectional view on the line 10-10 of Figure 4, showing the brake mechanism and its engagement with the starting lug when the coaster is on the starting stand; and

Figure 1l is a perspective view of the brake leverl and brake shoe.

On the accompanying drawings I have used the reference character A to indicate a coaster and B to indicate the track therefor. The coaster A consists of a base 10, suitably reinforced by a board l2 andhaving a seat back 14. At the front of the coaster A I provide a heel rest member 16 and spaced from the front end, I provide hand holds 18 for the convenience of the user when riding on the coaster.

Downwardly extending brackets 19 are secured to theboard 12 and support axles; 20 and stub shafts 22. Supporting wheels 24, pref'- erably of ball bearing construction with composition rims, are rotatably mounted on each shaft 20. Auxiliary wheels 26, also preferably of ball bearing constructiom are mounted on the stub shafts 22.

The track B is made of sheet metal which is longitudinally corrugated to provide a central downwardly opening groove 28 and a pair ofupwardly ope-ning grooves on opposite sidesthereof. The edge portions of the track B', as indicated at 32, may be made of any desired shape and on the drawings they are shown as outwardly extending iianges. The supporting wheels 24 are adapted to coact with the upwardly opening grooves. 3G

and the auxiliary wheels 26 are adapted tocoact with the under surfaces ofl the flanges 32.

joint is provided in the grooves 28 and 30l and a butt joint is provided for the anges 32. Thus the upper surfaces of the grooves` 30 are smooth at the joint between the sections of the track for the supporting wheels 24 and the under surfaces o-f the ianges 32 are sn'iooth for the auxiliarywheels26.

A tie 34, 34a; or 345, as. the case may be, is provided foreach joint between the sections of' the track B. The ties. 34, 34a and 34?) are corrugated in cross section and each one has av connector member 36' atits center connected. withy the groovel 28 bybolts 38; The tie 34 is straight transversely of they trackB, while the ties 34a andl 345 are V--shaped for raising the portion of the track with which they connect for thus providing a track of irregularlongitudinal conto-ur. 11i-Figure 1 the inelines of thel track arev proportionately steep, inasmuch as the ties are spaced close togetherto` conserve space on the drawings.k

while as a matter of fact in actual practice they could be considerably farther apart so that the inclines of the track Bvwould be less therefor, 1 provide astarting standV C. The

stand C may be connected with the ties 34, 34a and 345 by a tie rod 44. The starting stand C has a top 46 with which one end of the track B is connected, a connector block 48 being provided to space the track above the top 46.

On the top 46 I provide a starting guide 50 which is` merely an upstanding flange with which the auxiliary wheels 26 may coact for guiding the coaster to the proper position for coacton of the wheels thereof with the track, as will be obvious from an inspection of Figure 5. I

On the track B 1 provide a starting lug 52. On the coaster A provide a brake mechanism comprising a brake lever 54 pivoted at 56 and a brake shoe 58.v The brake shoe 58 is. of forked construction as shown in Figure 11 so that the ends 58a thereof may straddle the groove 28 and are positioned for engagement withthe grooves 30 when the brake lever 54 is` swung on the pivot 56. A slot 60 is provided in the base 10 for the brake lever 54 to extend through and a spring 62 coacts with the brake shoe 58 to normally engage the brake lever 54 with the front end of the slot 60. Thus the brake will remain in normally non-braking position` as shown in Figure 10, butA the lever 54 may be swung rearwardly for swinging the ends 58a of the brake shoe against the track B.

Vhenthe coaster A is on thestarting stand C a forward projection 585 o-f the brake shoe 58 engages the starting lug 52 so that the coaster cannot be started to travel on the track Br except when the brake lever 54 is moved slightly toward braking position as shownl by dotted lines-in Figure-A10. vWhen' in the dotted line position, the portion 58?) of the brake shoe will clear the lug 52 and the coaster A may then proceed to travel on the track B. Since the brake shoe 58 is forked', the arms 58a thereof will clearthe starting lug 52 when the brake is in the dotted line position shown in Figure 10.

From the foregoing description it willv be obvious that I have provided' a coaster and track therefor which are of simple construction so that, from a manufacturing standpoint, they can be economically made and sold. It is safe for small children to play with, the brake being very effective to quickly stop the coaster whenever desired. The track B can be made as long and have as many humps as desired. The track B can be made of sheet metal and when corrugated in a. manner similar to that shown on the drawings, is sufciently strong to support one hundred and fifty or two hundred pounds on the coaster A. lVith slightly larger dimensions the device can be used in an amusement park and the track B can be arranged A for aligning the coaster with the t "ack when the coaster is placed on the starting stand C. lhe starting lug 52 provides a safety feature inasmuch as the coaster' cannot proceed to travel on the track B except when the rider is ready whereupon he must move the brake lever 54 rearwardly before the coaster can be unlocked from the starting lug 52.

flome changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modilied forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

l claim as my invention:

l. ln a device of 'the class described, a coaster, a track therefor, said coaster comprising a base, brackets thereon and extending downwardly therefrom, said track being longitudinally corrugated and wheels on said brackets to coact with uviwardly opening grooves of said corrugated track.

Q. ln a. device of the class described, a coaster, a track therefor, said coaster comprising a base, brackets thereon and extending downwardly therefrom, said track being longitudinally corrugated, supporting wheels en said brackets to coact with upwardly opening grooves of said corrugated track and auiziliary wheels thereon coacting with the under surface of d track.

3. ln a device of the class described, a coaster. a track therefor, said coaster comprising a base, brackets thereon and extending` downwardly therefrom. said track being` longitudinally corrugated with a centrally located, downwardly opening groove, an upwardly opening groove on each side thereof and ede'e 'portions along the outer sides of said u vardly opening groove, said coaster haw'ing supporting.;I wheels on the brackets thereof to coact with said upwardly opening grooves.

In a device of the class described, a coaster. a track therefor, said coaster comprising a base. brackets thereon and extending downwardly therefrom, said track being longitudinally corrugated with a centrally located, downwardly opening groove. an upwardly opening` groove on each side thereof and edge portions along the outer sides of said upwardly opening grooves. said coaster having supporting` wheels on the brackets thereof to coact with said upwardly opening` grooves, and auxiliary wheels coactino' with said edge portions. said auxiliary wheels being carried by portions of said brackets located outside of said edge portions of said track.

5. In a device of the class described, a coaster, a track therefor, said coaster coinprising a base, brackets thereon and extending downwardly therefrom, wheels on said brackets to coact with said track, said track being longitudinally corrugated and comprised of sections, an end of one section having an offset `portieri overlapping' the end of an adjacent section whereby a smooth surface is provided at the joints between said sections for said wheels.

G. In a device of the class described, a coaster, a track therefor, said coaster comprising a base, brackets thereon and extending downwardly therefrom, wheels on said ln'aekets to coact with the top and bottom of said track, said track being longitudinally corrugated and comprising sections, an end of one section having` an offset portion overlapping the adjacent end of another section whereby a smooth upper surface is provided for some of said wheels, a portion of the end of one section being cut away to provide a butt joint with the end of the adjacent section, whereby a smooth under surface is pro-vided for others of said wheels.

7. In a device of the class described, a wheeled coaster, a track therefor, a starting stand for said coaster, one end ofsaid track being connected therewith, said track extending downwardly at an incline therefrom. and then outwardly therefrom and ties for said track transversely arranged relative thereto and he ving opstanding connecting means at their centers with which said track is connected.

8. In a device of the class described, a wheeled coaster, a track therefor, a starting stand for said coaster, one end of said track being connected therewith, said track extending downwardly at an incline therefrom and then outwardly therefrom, ties for said track and a tie rod connecting said starting stand with said ties.

9. In a device of the class described, a wheeled coaster', a track therefor, ties for said track comprising transversely arranged tie members of corrugated cross section having opstanding, centrally located connectingmeans attached thereto and to said track.

10. In a device of the class described, a wheeled coaster, a track therefor, a starting stand for said coaster, one end of said track being connected therewith. said track extenddownwardly at an incline therefrom and then outwardly therefrom, and starting guides on said starting stand to engage the wheels of said coaster and guide them to proper position of engagement with said track.

l1, In a device of the class described, a cometer, a track therefor, said coaster having supporting and auxiliary wheels engaging the top and bottom surfaces of said track, a starting stand for said coaster, said track having one end connected therewith and spaced thereabove, and starting guides on said starting stand aligned with said track and engaging the auxiliary wheels of said coaster to guide the coaster toward proper engagement with the track for'travel thereon. l2. In a device of the classdescribed, a *A coaster, a starting stand therefor, a track for r"said coaster, said coaster having Wheels for coaction With said track, said track having one end connected with said starting stand, pivoted brake means on said coaster and a starting lng normally engaged by said brake means when on said starting stand, said brake means When moved toward braking position effecting disengagement from said starting lug whereby. said coaster may proceed to travel on said track.

I5? 13. In a device of the class described, a coaster, a starting stand therefor, a track for said coaster, said coaster having wheels for coaction with said track, said track having one end connected with said starting stand,

a starting lug, means on said coaster normal- 1y engaging said starting lug whereby said coaster When on said starting stand is prevented from traveling on said track, and

manually operated mechanism for disengagff ing said means from said starting` lug.

HARRY W. VVALLIN.

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