Toy Vehicles

Abstract

The invention provides a toy vehicle having a resilient plate carrying tabs which straddle an axle and thereby retain it over a metal chassis. The tabs are formed with thin edges where they bear on the axle. This considerably assists the free running of the vehicle.

Description

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

This invention relates to toy vehicles and particularly to suspensions for toy vehicles.

It is desirable to provide a toy vehicle with a resilient suspension in order to make the vehicle more realistic. At the same time it is desirable that the suspension should be made of relatively few parts in order that the vehicle may be produced quickly and cheaply.

It has already been proposed to provide, in a toy vehicle, a rigid base, an axle extending transversely across and above the base and a resilient member which is secured to the base and has a part bearing on the axle to urge it resiliently down onto the base. The resilient member can straddle the axle to retain it properly in position. Constructions according to this proposal have a large bearing surface between the axle and the member; this tends to inhibit the free running of the axle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, the parts carried by the resilient member are formed with thin edges where they bear on the axle.

The provision of thin edges as bearing surfaces aids considerably the reduction of friction between the axle and the member. Conveniently the said parts are formed integrally with the member, conveniently as tabs bent at right angles to the rest of the member which is formed generally as a thin plate, preferably of the order of 0.13 mm. thick. The axle may be correspondingly small in diameter: a diameter for the axle of the order of 0.65 mm. is preferred.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a simplified side view of a toy vehicle constructed in accord with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view through the vehicle shown in FIG. 1 before final assembly; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view from above of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1, the body of the vehicle being removed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The toy vehicle shown in the drawings has a rigid metal base 10 carrying a body 11. Secured to the upper face of the base 10 by a rivet 12 is a resilient plate member 13 of bright mild steel about 0.13 mm. (0.005 inch) thick. Extending transversely across the base are front and rear axles 14 and 15 respectively, each carrying a wheel 16 at each end. For each axle the member 13 has two pairs of tabs 17 and 18 (only one pair being numbered) which are bent at right angles to the main part of the member and which straddle the respective axle. The rivet 12 is located near the center of the member 13 so that the end portions including the tabs may each bear down on the respective axle and urge them resiliently against the base 10.

The parts of the tabs bearing on the axles are thin, their width being the thickness on the axles are thin, their width being the thickness of the member.

FIG. 2 illustrates the vehicle before the member 13 is riveted to the base 10. It will be seen that after its riveting the member 13 is in a stressed condition.

A separate member 13 could be provided for each axle if desired.

Claims

I claim:

1. A toy vehicle having a rigid base, an axle extending transversely across the base on the upper side thereof and carrying a wheel at each end, a resilient member which is secured to the base and in two places spaced-apart along the axle, and carries a pair of parts which extend downwardly one on each side of the axle, said member urging the axle resiliently down onto the base, said parts being formed as tabs of which thin edge portions bear on the axle.

2. A toy vehicle according to claim 1 in which the said parts are formed integrally with the said member.

3. A toy vehicle having a rigid base, an axle extending transversely across the base on the upper side thereof and carrying a wheel at each end, resilient member which is secured to the base and carries parts straddling the axle to urge the axle resiliently down onto the base, said parts being formed with thin edges where they bear on the axle and being formed integrally with the said resilient member said parts being formed as tabs bent at right angles to the rest of said resilient member which is formed generally as a thin plate.

4. A toy vehicle having a rigid base, an axle extending transversely across the base on the upper side thereof and carrying a wheel at each end, a resilient member which is secured to the base and carries parts straddling the axle to urge the axle resiliently down onto the base, said parts being formed with thin edges where they bear on the axle and being formed integrally with the said resilient member, said parts being formed as tabs bent at right angles to the rest of said resilient member which is formed generally as a thin plate, the said resilient member and said parts being made of mild steel.

5. A toy vehicle having a rigid base, an axle extending transversely across the base on the upper side thereof and carrying a wheel at each end, a resilient member which is secured to the base and carries parts straddling the axle to urge the axle resiliently down onto the base, said parts being formed with thin edges where they bear on the axle and being formed integrally with the said resilient member, said parts being formed as tabs bent at right angles to the rest of the resilient member which is formed generally as a thin plate, said resilient member and said parts being made of mild steel said resilient member being riveted to the base.

6. A toy vehicle according to claim 1 in which the said resilient member supports by means of two sets of the said parts two spaced-apart axles over the base and is formed as a plate secured near its center to the base between the axles.

7. In a toy vehicle: a rigid metal base; an axle extending across said base, said axle having a wheel at each end; a resilient plate member having two pairs of tabs bent at right angles to the resilient plate member, each pair of said tabs straddling said axle, to urge the axle resiliently down onto the base, said tabs being formed with thin edges where they bear on the axle; and means securing said resilient plate member to said base member.