US3517457A - Self-propelled snow toy vehicle - Google Patents

Description

June 30,1910 w.H.PE-o 3,511,457

SELF-PROPELLED SNOW TOY VEHICLE Filed July 10. 196'? 2 She tS -Sheet 2 lo I.

INVENTOR.

7 WILLIAM H. PENO United States Patent O 3,517,457 SELF-PROPELLED SNOW TOY VEHICLE William H. Peno, Rte. 1, Rush City, Minn. 55069 Filed July 10, 1967, Ser. No. 652,306 Int. Cl. A63h 29/22 US. Cl. 46-243 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The toy includes a casing containing an electric motor motor, batteries and a switch. The switch is automatically closed when the toy is placed on a surface, such as snow, which is to be traversed, thereby energizing the motor. The motor operates an endless belt or track that provides the propulsion for the vehicle. Steering is achieved via a pair of forwardly mounted ski runners.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates generally to toys, and pertains more particularly to a battery operated vehicle that can be satisfactorily operated in snow.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Various self-propelled toy vehicles have been devised in the past. However, these toys have lacked the versatility embodied in the present invention, for they were unsuited for outdoor operation during the winter when snow is encountered in northern climates. However, the invention can be employed indoors if desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Carried within the casing is an electric motor that receives power from a plurality of batteries disposed slightly rearwardly thereof, and by means of a normally open switch the motor remains de-energized until the switch is closed. The endless belt, which is entrained about a forwardly disposed roller and a rearwardly disposed one, automatically closes the switch and starts the motor running when the vehicle is placed on the surface to be traversed, such as snow. Inasmuch as the toy is intended to be used where snow exists, steering is derived from a pair of ski runners which are rotated through a preferred angle by means of a steering column and handlebars integral therewith. Provision is also made for adjusting the rearwardly located roller so it can be easily shifted into parallelism with the forwardly disposed one. The drive means extending downwardly from the electric motor does not interfere with the pivotal suspension of the endless belt.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevated view of the toy vehicle exemplifying the invention, the endless track or belt being shown in a pivotally suspended condition prior to placing the toy on a running surface;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view corresponding to FIG. 1 but with the endless belt in the relationship it assumes when the toy is placed on a running surface;

3,517,457 Patented June 30, 1970 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now in detail to the drawings, my toy vehicle comprises a casing designated in its entirety by the reference numeral 10 and composed of a front shroud portion 12 and a rear rectangular portion 14. Surmounting the shroud portion 12 is a windshield 16 and directed forwardly from the shroud portion 12 is a lamp 18.

An upper bracket 20 is fixedly secured to the inside surface of the curved shroud portion 12. A lower panel 22 is also provided, this panel likewise being secured to the inside surface of the shroud portion 12. The bracket 20 and the panel 22 support a steering column 24 provided with handlebars 26 at its upper end. A vertical control arm 28 is oscillated when the handlebars 26 are turned. The oscillation of the control arm 28 shifts a tie rod 30 transversely. The ends of the tie rod, the tie rod being engaged by the arm 28 intermediate its ends, are connected to a pair of L-shaped shafts 32 having vertical legs that are received in bearings 34. The lower ends of the vertical legs of the L-shaped shaft 32 are attached to leaf springs 36, each of which carries a ski runner 38.

As best seen in FIG. 3, a motor support 40 is secured to the casing 10. The support 40 holds an electric motor 42 in place, the motor 42 having a shaft 44 with a pulley mounted at its free end. Passing about the pulley 46 is a drive belt 48 that inclines downwardly to a lower pulley 50 on a transverse shaft 52. The transverse shaft 52 serves as a pilot for the suspension of a frame 54 comprised of a pair of parallel side elements 56 and 58 which are connected at their forward ends by a transverse strip 60. The side elements 56 and 58 are connected at their rear ends by a U-shaped bridging member which includes a pair of upright side legs 62 and 64 and a transverse connecting strip 66. Since it is intended that the frame 54 will pivot, the means for limiting the pivoting downwardly into the position illustrated in FIG. 1 is in the form of a stop 68 that is fixedly secured to the underside of the panel 22. The transverse strip 60 merely abuts this stop 68.

Whereas the forward shaft 52 is journaled for rotation by the sides of the casing 10, more specifically the rectangular portion 14, a rear shaft 70 has its ends journaled in the rear ends of the side elements 56 and 58 of the frame 54 so that when the frame 54 is allowed to pivot downwardly as illustrated in FIG. 1, the shaft moves downwardly also.

The forward shaft 52 extends through a roller 72 and the rear shaft 70 extends through an identical roller 74. Both rollers 72, 74 project slightly beneath the casing 10 as can be seen in FIG. 2. Inasmuch as a sectional view is taken through the rear roller 74 in FIG. 4, it can be discerned from this particular figure that the rollers both include a cylindrical drum portion 76 and a flange 78 at each end.

Entrained about the two rollers 72 and 74 is an endless rubber belt 80 having a width coextensive with the length of the cylindrical drum portions 76 of each of these rollers, thereby fitting between the flanges 78. Also to be learned from FIG. 4 is that the thickness of the belt 80 is substantially twice the incremental radial length of the flanges 78 as measured from the cylindrical surface of the drum portion 76 outwardly to the circular periphery of the flanges 78. Still further, cleats or knobs 82 are molded integral with the exterior surface of the endless belt 80, thereby increasing the traction of the belt.

A refinement incorporated; into the present invention is in the form of a slot 84 formed in the side element 56 of the frame 54. Actually, one end of the rear shaft 70' is slidably received in the slot 84 so that it can be advanced or retracted in order that the rear shaft 70 can be adjusted into a precisely parallel relationship with the forward shaft 52. In this way, the two rollers 70 and 72 can be adjusted into parallelism with each other for proper operation of the belt 80. In the accomplishment of this aim, a sheaded stud 86 having a flat portion 88 formed thereon is employed, the end of the shaft 70 projecting into an aperture provided in the flat portion 88. A pair of lugs 90 extend upwardly and downwardly from the flat portion 88. The flat portion 88 itself is guided for rectilinear movement by a guide loop 92, the lugs 90 limiting the rearward retraction of the threaded stud 86. In addition to the loop 92, there is an outturned ear 94, the ear 94 being integral with the side element 56. The ear 94 is apertured so the threaded stud 86 can pass therethrough and a nut 96 is mounted on the stud 86 so as to effect retraction of the stud. Since it is contemplated that the endless belt 80 be elastic, the belt itself will move the rear roller 74 toward the for-ward roller 72; therefore, a need exists only for the retraction that has been mentioned above.

A lid 98 covers the rectangular portion 14 of the casing 10, being hinged along one side as indicated by the reference numeral 100. Contained within the rectangular casing portion 14 are four batteries 102, 104, 106 and 108. These batteries serve as the power supply for the electric motor 42, a conductor 110 extending from the positive side of the battery 102 forwardly to the motor 42. A second conductor 112 extends from the motor 42 to the casing 10. In this regard, while the material for the casing 10 is susceptible to variation, it is planned that it will be stamped from sheet metal and in this way the casing itself serves as a conductor leading rearwardly. A relatively small plate 114 functions as a terminal against which the upwardly by virtue of the transverse strip 76 engaging the lower end of the plunger. The actuated or closed condition of the switch 120 is clearly shown in FIG. 4.

From the preceding description, the manner in which my self-propelled toy vehicle operates should be easily understood. However, a brief description of the manner in which the toy functions should be of assistance in appreciating the various benefits to be derived. Hence, when the casing 10 is held in a persons hand, the frame 54 gravitationally assumes the angle depicted in FIG. 1, the transverse strip 60 abutting the stop 68 to limit the down ward slope of the frame 54. When the-toy is to be operated, all the user need do is set the toy on the surface over which it is to run. Assuming the surface is snow, the placing of the toy on the snow will cause the frame 54 to assume the position pictured in FIG. 2. Such a happening will cause the transverse strip 66 to abut the lower end of the plunger 138 so the contacts 134 and 130 become engaged as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4. This completes an electrical circuit through the electric motor 42. Rotation of the motor shaft 44 drives the forward roller 72, doing so through the driving means which includes the pulley 46, the drive belt 48 and the pulley 50 wihch is fixedly attached to one end of the shaft 52.

The user has the opportunity to twist the handlebars 76 so as to turn the ski runners 38 to the left or right. In this way, the vehicle is steered in an are or curve duriing its period of self-propulsion. If the user desires that the vehicle traverse a straight line, then he merely adjusts the runners 38 so they are parallel with the side elements 56 and 58 of the frame 54.

positive side of the battery 102 can abut, the conductor 110 being soldered directly to this particular plate 114. Similarly, a strip or plate 116 connects the negative end of the battery 102 to the positive end of the next adjacent battery 104. Another strip 118 similarly connects the negative end of the battery 104 to the positive end of the battery 106'. Still further, a strip 120- provides an electrical path between the negative end of the battery 106 and the positive end of the last battery 108. A plate similar to the plate 114 is at the negative end of the battery 108.

A conductor 114 is attached at one end to the plate 122 and extends to a normally open switch designated generally by the reference numeral 126. More specifically, the switch 126 includes a first resilient contact arm 128 carrying a contact 130 thereon, and a second resilient contact arm 132 carrying a contact 134 thereon, the arm 132 being biased downwardly. The contacts 130* and 134 are cooperable with each other. To move the contact 134 into engagement with the contact 130 is a downwardly directed plunger or button 136, the plunger 136 extending through a hole 138 in the floor of the rectangular portion 14 of the casing 10. Whereas the conductor 124 is connected to the contact arm 128, another conductor 140 connects at one end to the other contact arm 132 and extends to the casing 10. In this way, a circuit can be completed through the motor 42 whenever the contacts 130 and 134 are engaged. Since the contact 134 is carried at the end of the arm 132, the plunger 136 is responsible for effecting clo sure of the contacts 130, 134. The plunger 136 is moved When the user desires to stop the operation of the toy, he need only pick up the casing 10 and the frame 54 will automatically return to its inclined position as illustrated in FIG. 2 with the consequence that the plunger 138 is free to move downwardly by virtue of the inherent resiliency of the contact arm 132. This results in the separation of the contact 134 from the contact 130 and the circuit to the motor 42 is thereby interrupted or broken so the motor ceases rotating.

It is to be noted that the batteries 102-108 are contained above the endless belt and the weight of the batteries enhance the tractive effort of the toy as it traverses the surface on which it is placed. The batteries can be easily changed by merely raising the lid 98 and substituting new batteries when the older ones require replacement. Owing to the drive means between the motor 42 and the shaft 52, the frame 54 along with the rear roller 74 is always free to assume the sloping position pictured in FIG. 1 without interference. Actually, the few component parts needed to constitute the vehicle in this instance are such that the vehicle is relatively rugged and will withstand prolonged and rather rigorous use.

I claim:

1. A self-propelled snow toy vehicle comprising a casing, forwardly and rearwardly disposed rollers beneath said casing and projecting downwardly therefrom, an endless flexible belt entrained about said rollers, an electric motor mounted on said casing at an elevation above said rollers, battery means in said casing, a switch also in said casing in circuit with said motor and battery means, a shaft having its ends supported by said casing and mounting said forwardly disposed roller, a frame having a pair of parallel side elements pivotally carried on said shaft and extending rearwardly therefrom, a second shaft having its ends supported by the rear ends of said side elements, said second shaft having said rearwardly disposed roller mounted thereon, a pulley on the forward shaft, a pulley on said motor, a flexible belt passing about said pulleys so that propelling power is transmitted from said motor to said first-mentioned belt via said secondmentioned belt and said one roller, and a pair of ski runners mounted beneath said casing and forwardly of said first-mentioned flexible belt.

2. A self-propelled snow toy vehicle in accordance with claim 1 in which said switch is a normally open switch contained in the rear portion of said casing, and means carried on the rear end of said frame for closing said switch when the rear end of said frame is moved into adjacency with said casing.

3. A self-propelled toy vehicle in accordance with claim 2 in which each roller includes a cylindrical drum portion and a flange at each end of said drum portion, the radial increment between the cylindrical drum portion and the periphery of each flange being less than the 10 6 tracting said stud so as to adjust said rear shaft into a parallel relationship with said forward shaft and thereby impart parallelism to said rollers.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,584,512 2/1952 Strait 1809.64 X 3,023,824 3/1962 Bombardier 1805 X 3,041,485 6/1962 Jolley 46-244 X LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

Patent NO. q 17 h g7 Dated June 13, 1970 Inventot(s) William H. Peno It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 58, "elevated" should be --elevational--. Column 2, line 36, "pilot" should be --pivot--. Column 4, line 23, "wihch" should be --which--.

S EP 291-970 IS Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Ir.

Attcsting Officer WILLIAM E. suflumm; JR- L Commissioner of Patents

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