US2444961A - Toy railroad accessories - Google Patents

Description

2 Shets-Sheet 1 July 13, 1948.

R. G. SMITH TOY RAILROAD ACCESSORIES Filed Sept. 21, 1944 R. G. SMITH TOY RAILROAD ACCESSORIES '2 sheets-sheet 2 l INVENToR Kw1-IARD G. SM1 TH ATTORNEY VJuly 13, w48.A

Filed Sept. 21, 1944 Patented July 13, 1948 yfo FFieE Thespresentzinventionrelat'es' to. toy -railroad accessories, and isf more particularly .directed toward =ttoy"raiiroa'd accessoriesl including :tra .1 toy railroad oar whi'chrcan .befautoma-tically yunloaded preferablyzontosa:..platiormf alongside@ the. track; 1

' It". is'CuStOmaryfto f handle Smilie'. andl'creamt in canszcarried in.; expression" freightzcara'; and in such railroadxoperations. as. the cans; cannot' be tipped over or rolled on their sides, theyfare unloaded;l by I rolling them onrtheir: chimes' Afrom inside :the: carfont'oan' unloading? .platformalongsidethe'; track.

' The :presenti invention.. islunore' particularlyrd-irectedfatowardacombined toy. car. and f toy unloading .1 platform.- idesigned 'to 1 carry-1 outA opera.- tons simulating theeustornaryioperation oi'runloading milk cans from milki'cars';

, 1n carrying out .-.thez abovevr objects't'he: present invention .contemplatesA the;A inclusion.' in the track layout of''a toy-platformparried' alongside the, track layoutfinia fixed: position. relative'rtothe rails. and' havingl an` elevation 'above' the track level.B the same'asthat. ofthe-car platform. The car: which" mayy form aY partey off-a. train outiitV is provdedi with: amagazine into which. af number of articles simulating.- milk cans' maybe-inserted. As the' unloading. of? milk4 cans from: railroad: cars islaecomplished in suchfa manner that thecans themselves always rest on theirwbottoms while being unloaded, ,the A present. invention; contemplates yan arrangement whereby veach can .is moved laterally frominside .thezcarover onto the .unloading platform 'withoutbeing tipped. or tilted. .As .the unloading platormshould be spaced` some distanceJ fromthe .sides oil-'l the car body there is a space between the oarplatform and theunloadingrplatform. y

According to the .present invention the meehanismutilizedlin unloading the toy cans'is nor'- mally.. housed. inside thecar and isfirst ymoved to apositionin which the space between'the" car body. andunloa'ding platform. is' bridi=,fed;.and4 the toy milk can is at'the same time 'shifteciffrom inside the car outside the car"while-thecan is supported from underneath.. Then-aman pusher, which can be made up' to'simulatean attendant on the car; engagesv the; toy" -canfatrrd 'pushes' it quickly over ontoith'e' unloadingplatformfwhere it slides across.' the platform.

' The present' invention `contemplates f thatl the cans willv .be unload'edpner at a"tirne so long' as thereare'- cans inI thet magazine and-fone' desires toN operate the unloadingl-apparatus'. 'This-rapparatusl l'preferably' includes '-an Lelectromagnet orsolenoid for effecting:the-unloading operation andaa'restoring/springforfbringingthe' partsf'back to; normal; position:

Thee-accompanying. z drawings .,show,` -ior' pur.,- poses-l oi'.4 illustrating dthe present :invention, `an embodiment t.inrfwhichiithef. invention may take form,- 1 ittbengeunderstoodz that rthe drawings are ill'ustrativerni:a thezinvention 'rather'..thaniliuniting thezsame.

.Inithese' drawings:

Figurei 1S is ai perspective-View showinglgan unloading: platfornizandrear;r l

` Figure 2..is'.a toptplan' View of' the platform and car, the.bodyfoff-the1car.: having: beennremoved to showint'erior. construction; the parts-..beingjshown Ain thenormalfpositicni-in fulljlinesandrin dotted lines intth'e'- position y wlflere'` the -support for-f. the toy# articlebridges the-.u` space `between the i car platform andunloading/platform;

Ei'gureB l is*y r au fragmentary viewfsiziowing the partsrinfullllinesfinthe positionfzshown inzdctted linesfY inf Figure s2 i f Figure 14 4is ai fragmentary. View shcmvingg:the vparts'fin the fully.- extendedi position-` forl unloading the toy mil-k.; cam.

'i Figure Sifis faziongitudinal sectional vie-.w f on a brokenline BL-'Bof Eigure;.2;.and1

Figure 9 illustrates a modied tracks-arrangementi and -wiringf`diagram- "The: usual iwheell bearingxrailsfforftoyi railroad track layout' are! indicatedf! at*A Il), iandzthethird Vrailat' Hf. Thetraclnsection carrying. the rails indicat'eiiLi-.also .supportszan unloading -platfjor-m designatedrgenerallyby the reierencenoharacter 122-2 "It: is: secured-,to.thezatracki iniany.; convenient manner.. .fA cariKihavingthe.usual;trucksy IA' yislcariied -on the track. The car platform l5 is at the Asame yelevatiorrasftthe tup1 t6; ofiA the=unloadingplatform. The-:car: body'- lflz'hassa: loadingopeningi I8 anda discharge oriunloading-iopening f l9fin.its'..sidefwall .Hasi-indicated inr.-Fig.ure: 1'.. y

' .Car Fcarried::apparaims-; for :handling the -toy mille cansaiswhere; shown: as .beingsupported' from ,aframe20. :This frameehas; a side wall.:2 l; adapt- 'e'dftoexten lengthwisezioi-:the carealonetthefside cfztheoar havnathezropenings. lfand.A t9.. l.I1-nas razllinggopening; Figur-e8; opposite. thelling opening i's. inw therca-ribndy, sand. itsL right-hand isy adj aeent:L thefdschargee. opening.v taci zthefcanbody.

' ..-A=1`J1ate Mzis iastenedlzto theisideplate.. 2l andis ishapedito. formaflongitudinally .mitendiligr masa? zine 25 of rectangular cross section, as more clearly illustrated in Figure '7. It is adapted to receive a number of toy cans as indicated by the letter C. These cans are urged to the right, as shown in the drawings, by a spring 25 acting on a follower 21, adapted to be latched in the left position shown in Figure 8 by a catch indicated at 28.

Opposite the side wall 2| of the frame 20 is another shorter side wall 33 which supports a solenoid coil 3| having a plunger 32 surrounded by a spring 33 and acting on a short arm 34 pivoted at 35. The short arm 34 is rigidly connected to a long arm 33 which extends beyond the end of the magazine and is adapted to be swung back and forth by the solenoid and spring.

Pivoted about the same axis 35 is a plate 31 which extends over the same distance as the arm 36. The plate 31 carries an angle-piece 38 pivoted at 39. When the parts are in the position shown in Figures 2, and 6, .the vertical part 38a of the angle-piece 38 is in front of the end of the arm 33, and the horizontal portion 38h rests on the car platform I5 so that the members 36 and 37 are interlocked and must swing as a unit. The car platform has a ho-le 40 through which the arm 38h of the angle-piece 38 drops when the parts are moved to the position indicated in Figure 3, thereby releasing the arm 3Sso that it can move forwardly independent of the plate 3l.

During the initial movement of the interlocked parts 3G and 31 the latter carries with it an article support 4|' sho-wn integrally therewith. It extends across the car platform l5 and out underneath the side wall of the car where it may be bent down, as indicated at 4|', to provide a stop. It is in a position to receive the article C pushed out of the magazine by the follower 21. The toy can is received from the magazine by a figure 42 made up to simulate a man grasping a milk can. This ligure is carried on a forwardly eX- tending bracket 43 which is secured to the end of the arm 36. This bracket 43 has an opening 44 to accommodate the angle-piece 38.

The plate 31 carries a member 45 which is adapted to engage the side of the magazine to provide a stop for the plate 31 and its end eX- tends over the end of the magazine, as indicated in Figures 3 and 4, to close off the end of the magazine.

In order to operate the device when the car in the proper position along the track the track is provided with a supplemental contact rail 50 and the car with an insulated contact 5| connected to the coil 3| and adapted to engage this supplemental rail. Ilhe supplemental rail 50 is connected through a suitable switch so that the solenoid 3| can be energized as desired. If desired, the arrangement of Figure 9 may be employed.V

In the operation of the device a suitable number of articles simulating milk cans are placed in the magazine and the follower 2l released so as to urge the cans out of the magazine. One can will therefore be on the article support 4| and held stationary by the can pusher 42. When the coil 3| is energized all the parts movable about the pivot 35 operate in unison until the interlock between the parts 36 and 31 opens as above described. At this time the article support has been moved across the space between the car platform'and the unloading platform, the can is now out of the `car body and the magazine is closed, as indicated in Figure 3. The continued movement of the arm 36 and can pusher 42 from the position of Figure 3 to the position of Figure 4 pushes the can off its support and on to the unloading platform, and as this is accomplished at high speed the toy can slides across the platform so as to be out of the way of the next can being unloaded. The return of the parts to normal position Iis accomplished by the spring 33. 'Iihe arm 36 first moves back and brings the rear edge of the pusher 43 against a flange 52 carried by the plate 3l and this plate is then carried back to the normal position and the interlock restored to its normal position.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 9, the unloading platform Ia is carried alongside a fiverail track section 53. The Wheel bearing rails are shown at 54 and 55, theV power rail at 56, one full lengthsupplemental rail at 51 and a short supplemental rail at 58. 'Ilhese rails are connected to a controller C in the same manner as shown in the Bonanno Patent 2,232,508, of February 18, 1941. The car trucks 60 and 6| are connected to the coupler coils at 62 and 63 and contact rollers 34 and $5. These rollers are connected to unloading coil 66 which functions the same as coil 3|. The length and position of short rail 58 is such that unloading coil 66 can be energized by the controller C only when the car is in the proper' position relative to the unloading platform Ilia.

Since it is obvious that the invention may be embodied in other forms and constructions Within the scope of the claims, I wish it to be understood that the particular form shown is but one of these forms, and various modifications and changes being possible, I do not otherwise limit myself in any way with respect thereto.

What is claimed is: l

1. In combination, a toy railroad track, a toy car having the usual trucks on the track anda car platform supported above the track, a toy unloading platform at the height of the car platform and having a fixed position relative to the track whereby a space of substantial width is provided between the car platform and the unloading platform, the car having an article support laterally movable from a position above the platform of the car across said space whereby an article on the support can be moved toward the unloading platform, a pusher for pushing the article off the article support and onto the unloading platform, and common operating means for both the article support and pusher.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein the car has ya magazine for several articles, and means for urging the articles fromthe magazine to the article support.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein the car has a magazine for 4several articles, means for urging the articles from the magazine to the article support, and means movable with the article support for closing the discharge end of the magazine when the article support is moved out of its retracted position. y

4. In combination, a toy railroad track, a toy car having the usual trucks on the track and a car platform supported above the track, a. toy unloading platform at the height of the car platform and having a xed position relative to the track whereby a space of substantial width is provided between the car platform and the unloading platform, the car having an article `support laterally movable from a position above the platform of the car acrossA said space whereby an article on the support can be moved toward the unloading platform, a pusher for pushing the article oii the article support and onto the unloading platform, an electromagnet for shifting the article support and pusher toward the unloading platform, and a springfor retracting them.

5. The combination of claim 4, wherein the track and car have cooperative contacts in the circuit for the electromagnet engageable only when the article support is opposite the unloading platform.

6. In combination, a toy railroad track, a toy car having the usual trucks on the track and a car platform -supported above the track, a toy unloading platform at the height of the car platform and having a fixed position relative to the track whereby a space of substantial width is provided between the car platform and the unloading platform, the car having an arm pivoted to swing about a vertical axis and extending lengthwise of the car immediately above the car platform, an article support at the end of the arm and laterally movable from above the car platform across the space whereby an article on the support may be moved toward the unloading platform, a stop limiting the movement of the arm, a pusher pivoted about the same axis, means releasably interlocking the pusher and `.arm to make them swing in unison until the stop is reached and then releasing whereby the pusher can continue its movement and push the article onto the unloading platform, and means for operating the pusher.

'7. The combination of claim 6, wherein the pusher` operating means includes yan electromagnet and a restoring spring.

8. In a toy for simulating the unloading of milk cans from a milk car, a toy milk car, a toy track, a toy milk can platform alongside the track, |a car carried figure behind an opening in the side wall of the car representing a man unloading milk cans and having a base adapted to support Ia toy milk can, means to suddenly shift the figure and toy milk can from within the car to a position above the platform with the can supporting base close to the platform and to abruptly stop the figure so that the toy mi-lk can slides off the base and onto the platform.

9. A toy car having a car body with a side opening, an article support normally inside the car in a position to support an article just inside the opening Iand laterally shiftable to transport the article beyond the outside of the car body, a pusher behind the article and interlocked with the movable article support to shift with it during its outward movement, a stop limiting the movement of the article support, means for releasing the interlock at the limiting position of the article support, and pusher actuating means for continuing the movement of the pusher to push the artic-le 01T the article support.

10, A toy car as claimed in claim 9, having a magazine for delivering articles to the article support, and a closure device movable with 'the article support for closing off the magazine when the article support is out of normal position.

11. An unloading toy vehicle having laterally shiftable means to support an article within the side Walls of the vehicle and adjacent an opening thereon, means to shift the supporting means and article through said opening, and means to impart 6 a sudden movement to the article in a direction to eject it laterally from the article support.

12. An unloading toy vehicle having laterally shiftable means to support an article within the side walls of the vehicle and adjacent an opening thereon, electromagnetic means to shift the supporting means and article through said opening and to thereafter impart a sudden movement to the article in a direction to eject it laterally from the article support, and a spring for retracting the ejecting and shifting means.

13. A toy electric railway car having a platform, a car body above the platform provided with an inlet opening and an outlet opening in one of the side walls, a magazine extending from the inlet opening to the outlet opening, a follower for pushing articles vin the magazine toward the outlet opening, a laterally movable article support positioned to receive the articles from the magazine, an article pusher against which the article is brought when discharged from the magazine, means to shift the article support and pusher laterally to shift the article outside the car, a magazine closer for stopping egress of articles from the magazine when the article support is so shifted, means to stop the article support, and means to continue movement of the pusher.

14. A toy electric railway car having a platform, a body above the platform provided with an inlet opening and an outlet opening in one of the side walls, a magazine extending from the inlet opening to the outlet opening, a follower for pushing articles in the magazine toward the outlet opening, a laterally movable article support positioned to receive the articles from the magazine, an article pusher against which the article is brought when discharged from the magazine, an electromagnet for shifting the pusher from within the car to an extended position outside the car, spring return means for the pusher, and an interlock between the pusher and support requiring them to move in unison between their inner positions and a less extended position.

15. Mechanism for discharging a toy milk can or the like from a car body enclosed supporting plate on which it is adapted to rest including an arm connected to the plate and pivoted at its remote end so that the plate moves in a direction transverse of the car body, a pusher immediately above the plate and engageable with the rear of the article, the pusher being mounted on another arm pivoted concentrically with the first arm, a solenoid acting on the second arm to swing it back and forth and shift the pusher through an extended arc, an interlock between the pusher and article support to cause them to move in unison for part of their movement and releasing the pusher so it may overtake the support and push the article off it, and a restoring spring acting on the second arm.

RICHARD G. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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