U.S. patent number 3,648,454 [Application Number 05/089,593] was granted by the patent office on 1972-03-14 for timing apparatus for toy racing cars.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Marvin Glass & Associates. Invention is credited to Howard J. Morrison.
United States Patent |
3,648,454 |
Morrison |
March 14, 1972 |
TIMING APPARATUS FOR TOY RACING CARS
Abstract
A timing apparatus for use as an accessory with toy racing cars
or the like to time a car as it travels from a starting point to a
second point. The apparatus includes a frame and a timer mounted on
the frame, the timer having a visual clock indicator. An actuating
mechanism is operatively connected with the timer and includes a
time delay device to actuate the timer a predetermined time after
conditioning the actuating mechanism to permit an operator of a car
to condition the actuating mechanism and then move to his
respective car at the starting point before the timer is actuated.
A gate member is operatively associated with the timer to
automatically stop the timer when a car reaches the gate. A visual
indicating device is associated with the time delay device to
indicate the time progression of the time delay device so that an
operator of a car can observe the time within which he must ready
his car for operation.
Inventors: |
Morrison; Howard J. (Highland
Park, IL) |
Assignee: |
Marvin Glass & Associates
(N/A)
|
Family
ID: |
22218499 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/089,593 |
Filed: |
November 16, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
368/2; 124/80;
463/59; 368/97; 368/101; 968/833 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G04F
7/06 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G04F
7/04 (20060101); G04F 7/00 (20060101); G04b
005/20 (); G04f 007/10 () |
Field of
Search: |
;58/2,39.5,50,74,145R,145A,145B,152R,12E,106 ;200/33R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Wilkinson; Richard B.
Assistant Examiner: Simmons; Edith C.
Claims
I claim:
1. A timing apparatus for use with toy racing cars or the like to
time a toy racing car as it travels from a starting point to a
second point, comprising: a frame; a timer mounted on the frame and
having a visual clock indicator; actuating means operatively
associated with said timer and including time delay means to
actuate the timer a predetermined time after conditioning of the
actuating means to permit an operator of a car to condition the
actuating means and then move to his respective car at said
starting point before said timer is actuated; and means to stop
said timer automatically when a car reaches said second point.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said timer stop means includes
gate means at said second point engageable by a toy racing car.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said timer stop means includes
a stopping lever mounted on said frame and releasable on
displacement of said gate means by a toy racing car.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 including means associated with said
time delay means to indicate the time progression of the time delay
means.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 including a plurality of visual
indicating devices arranged in a series on said frame and means to
effectively energize said indicating devices seriatim during the
time period of said time delay means.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said indicating devices
comprise electric light means.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said actuating means includes a
control member mounted on said frame and associated with said timer
and with a switch means for said electric light means, the control
member being adapted to actuate said switch means to energize said
light means a predetermined time before actuating said timer.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said control member comprises a
spring powered cam drum rotatably mounted on said frame and having
a handle portion extending outwardly therefrom for grasping to cock
the cam drum.
9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said frame includes a generally
hollow portion having a plurality of apertures arranged in a
series, and said electric light means comprises an electric lamp
mounted within said generally hollow frame portion for movement
seriatim behind said apertures.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 including means at the last of the
apertures in said series to give off a green colored light when
said lamp is positioned behind the apertures.
11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said actuating means includes
a control member mounted on said frame and associated with said
timer and said electric light means to actuate said timer after
said electric lamp reaches the last aperture in said series
thereof.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said control member comprises
a powered rotatable cam drum having a first portion associated with
a switch means for said electric light means, a second portion
associated with means for moving said movable electric lamp, and a
third portion associated with said timer, said first, second and
third portions of said cam drum being arranged so that rotation of
the cam drum first will energize said electric lamp, then will
effect movement of the lamp seriatim behind said apertures, and
will actuate said timer after the lamp reaches the last aperture in
said series thereof.
13. The apparatus of claim 9 including a powered, generally hollow
cylindrical cam drum mounted on said frame for rotation generally
about the cylindrical axis of the cam drum, the cam drum having an
edge portion stepped axially and radially thereof, and including a
mounting carrier member for said electric lamp, the mounting
carrier member having a stepped cam follower portion biased against
the stepped edge of the recessed portion of said cam drum, the
stepped portion of the cam drum and the stepped cam follower
portion of said electric lamp carrier member being oriented so that
the carrier member moves said electric lamp intermittently behind
said apertures in response to rotation of said cam drum.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said cam drum is mounted on
said frame for rotation about a generally horizontal axis, said
apertures are arranged in a vertical line, and said electric lamp
carrier member is disposed above the cam drum and is biased
thereagainst by gravity whereby the lamp is lowered intermittently
in a path behind the vertically arranged apertures as the cam drum
rotates.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 including means on said frame to
guide said electric lamp carrier member in a vertical path.
16. The apparatus of claim 14 including means to reset said
electric lamp carrier member and said cam drum to a relative
starting position with the electric lamp disposed behind the first
aperture of said series thereof.
17. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said cam drum is spring
powered and has a handle portion extending outwardly therefrom for
grasping to cock the cam drum.
18. The apparatus of claim 1 including at least one manually
movable member on said visual clock indicator to keep a record of
at least one previously timed car.
Description
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
There presently is on the market a wide variety of toy racing cars
designed for the entertainment of children, in particular, and to
enhance their dexterity and ingenuity. Many of such toy racing cars
travel at surprisingly fast speeds. The cars may travel over a
given route such as a designed track, or the like, or the cars
simply may be designed to travel at a relatively high rate of speed
from a starting point to a given or arbitrary finishing point so as
to instill competition between the individuals who operate the
cars. Various accessories are available for use with such toy
racing cars to enhance the utility thereof. The present invention
is directed to providing a new accessory for such use.
A principal object, therefore, of the present invention is to
provide a novel accessory for use with toy racing cars or the
like.
Another object of the invention is to provide a novel timing
apparatus for use with toy racing cars or the like.
A further object of the invention is to provide a timing apparatus
for use with toy racing cars or the like to time the racing car as
it travels from a starting point to a second or "finishing" point.
The timing apparatus includes a frame, a timer mounted on the frame
and having a visual clock indicator, actuating means operatively
connected with the timer and including time delay means to actuate
the timer a predetermined time after conditioning the actuating
means to permit an operator of a car to condition the actuating
means and then move to his respective car at the starting point
before the timer itself is actuated. Means are provided to stop the
timer automatically when a car reaches the second or finishing
point.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a timing
apparatus of the character described which incorporates means to
indicate the time progression of the time delay means. The
indicating means preferably comprises a plurality of visual
indicating devices arranged in a series on the frame of the
apparatus, with means to effectively energize the indicating
devices seriatim during the time period of the time delay means. In
the preferred embodiment of the invention, the indicating devices
comprise electric light means. The frame has a generally hollow
portion with a plurality of apertures arranged vertically in a
series, and the electric light means comprises an electric lamp
mounted within the generally hollow frame for movement seriatim
behind the apertures. The last of the apertures in the series may
be designed to give off a green colored light when the lamp is
positioned therebehind to indicate to the operator or operators of
the cars when the timer has started.
The apparatus includes a novel control member which comprises a
spring powered rotatable cam drum having a first portion associated
with a switch means for the time delay indicating electric light
means, a second portion associated with the movable electric lamp,
and a third portion associated with the timer, the first, second
and third portions of the cam drum being arranged so that rotation
of the cam drum first will energize the electric lamp, then will
effect movement of the lamp seriatim behind the series of apertures
in the generally hollow frame portion, and will actuate the timer
when the lamp reaches the last aperture in the series thereof. The
aforesaid stop means stops rotation of the cam drum when a car has
reached the second or finishing point.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the cam drum is a
generally hollow cylindrical member mounted on the frame generally
about the cylindrical axis thereof, the axis being arranged
generally horizontal. The cam drum has an edge portion stepped
axially and radially of the drum. A mounting carrier member is
provided for the electric lamp. The carrier member is disposed
above the cam drum, and has an edge portion stepped axially of the
cam drum and comprises a cam follower which is biased against the
stepped edge of the cam drum by gravity whereby the lamp is lowered
in a path behind the vertically arranged apertures as the cam drum
rotates. Means are provided to reset the electric lamp carrier
member back to a raised inactive position.
Another feature of the invention is the provision of a handle
secured to the cam drum and extending exteriorly of the frame, for
grasping, whereby the cam drum may be rotated against the biasing
of its power spring to cock the cam drum and thereby condition the
timer. The handle may be in the form of a starting flag or the
like.
Still a further feature of the invention is the provision of a
manually movable member on the visual clock indicator to keep a
record of at least one previous timing of a car.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become
apparent from the following detailed description taken in
connection with the accompanying drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a timing apparatus for toy racing
cars or the like, embodying the concepts of the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken
generally along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken generally along the line
3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view taken generally along the line
4--4 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of certain of the interior
components of the present invention, including the electric lamp
carrier member and control cam drum; and
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken generally
along the line 6--6 of FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings in greater detail, the timing apparatus
of the present invention, for use with toy racing cars or the like,
is a self-contained unit having a generally hollow frame or
housing, generally designated 10 in FIG. 1. The frame includes a
lower body portion 12 and an upstanding tower portion 14. Most of
the operative components of the timer are housed within the
generally hollow frame 10. Before going into the details of the
operating mechanism of the timing apparatus, it should be pointed
out generally that a visual clock or timer indicator, generally
designated 16, is disposed on the front face of the base portion 12
of the hollow housing and is operatively connected to the driving
or power mechanism housed within the frame. The timer or power
mechanism is conditioned for actuation by pressing down on a handle
18 in the form of a "starting flag." The timing apparatus has a
built in time delay means to actuate the timer a predetermined time
after depressing the flag 18 to permit an operator of a toy racing
car or the like to depress the flag and condition the timer, and
then move to his respective car at a starting point before the
timer itself actually is started. Means, generally designated 20,
is provided on the front face of the tower portion 14 of the hollow
frame 10 to indicate the time progression of the time delay means.
A gate 22, shown in phantom in FIG. 1, is operatively associated
with the timer, by means to be described in greater detail
hereinafter, to stop the timer automatically when a toy car knocks
the gate out of the position shown.
Thus, with the apparatus of the present invention, a child or other
operator of a toy racing car may push down on the flag 18 to
condition the timing mechanism within the hollow frame 10, and move
to his toy racing car at a remote starting point during the
progression of the time delay means which is indicated at 20 on the
front of the housing tower portion 14 to ready his racing car
before the time delay means runs out. At the end of the time delay,
which is indicated at 20 on the housing tower portion 14, the child
releases his racing car, directing it toward the gate 22. As the
racing car moves toward the gate 22, the timer will run until the
racing car displaces the gate 22. The visual clock indicator 16
will stop, with the timing mechanism, to indicate the time it took
the child's car to move from the remote starting point to the gate
22. The timing apparatus of the present invention now will be
described in greater detail.
The timer is powered by a spring 24 (Fig. 2) which is operatively
connected through a gear train, generally designated 25, to a
governor generally designated 26 in FIG. 4. The governor is of a
conventional type which includes a star wheel 28 operatively
associated with a governor leaf 30 which has a recess 30a within
which the star wheel 28 rotates. As is conventional, the size and
angular disposition of the spokes of the star wheel 28 and the size
of the recess 30a are such that the sides of the recess prevent
continuous rotation of the star wheel 28 and require the star wheel
to rotate in discrete increments as the governor leaf 30 oscillates
in the direction of arrow A (Fig. 4). Should the governor leaf 30
be prevented from oscillating, the governor star wheel 28 will be
prevented from rotating, thereby stopping the action of the power
spring 24.
The power spring 24 is connected to a drive shaft 32. A control
member in the form of a cam drum, generally designated 34, is
mounted on the drive shaft 32 for rotation therewith. In addition
to the control functions of the cam drum 34, to be described in
greater detail hereinafter, the started flag 18 is connected
rigidly to the cam drum 34 through an arm 36 which extends through
a vertical slot 38 in the housing base portion 12. Thus, as the
flag 18 and arm 36 are depressed in the direction of arrows B
(Figs. 1 and 3), the cam drum 34 and the power spring 24 are cocked
to condition the apparatus. An arcuately-shaped gear rack 48 is
disposed about a peripheral portion of the cam drum 34 and is
adapted for meshing with a sprocket gear 50 fixed to a shaft 52
journaled in the housing base portion 12. The shaft 52 extends
through the front face of the housing base portion 12, with an
indicating arm 54 of the clock indicator 16 fixed to the exposed
front end of the shaft 52 for rotation therewith. Thus, as the cam
drum 34 is rotated in the direction of arrow B to condition the
mechanism, the indicating arrow 54 also is moved to a start
position. As the cam drum is rotated by the power spring 24, during
at least a portion of the rotary movement of the cam drum, the gear
rack 48 will cause the indicating arrow 54 of the visual clock
indicator 16 to rotate therewith to time the movement of the racing
car.
Before going into the time delay and indicating means of the
present invention, the means for stopping the timer (as a result of
the displacement of gate 22) will be described. Referring to FIGS.
2 through 4, an L-shaped stop lever, having a vertical leg 56 and a
horizontal leg 58 is pivoted within the housing base portion 12 on
a horizontal shaft 60 at the juncture between the horizontal and
vertical legs. As best seen in FIG. 2, the horizontal leg 58 of the
stop lever extends through an opening 62 at the rear of the housing
base portion 12 so that the outer end of the leg 58 may be
positioned to rest by gravity on top of the gate 22, as shown in
phantom in FIG. 2. The upper end of the vertical leg 56 of the stop
lever has a serrated portion 64 (FIG. 4) which is positioned for
movement into and out of engagement with the governor leaf 30.
Thus, when the horizontal leg 58 of the stop lever rests on top of
the gate 22, the vertical leg 56 of the stop lever is spaced from
the governor leaf 30 to permit the leaf to oscillate under the
power of spring 24 to run the timer and associated mechanism. When
a toy racing car hits the gate 22 and knocks the gate out from
under the horizontal leg 58 of the stop lever, the stop lever will
pivot about shaft 60 in the direction of arrow C (FIG. 2), because
of the weight of the horizontal leg 58, and cause the serrated
section 64 of the vertical leg 56 to move rearwardly into
engagement with the governor leaf 30 to stop the oscillation of the
governor leaf and thereby stop the timer.
In order to provide a delay between the time the flag 18 is
depressed and the time the arrow 54 of the visual clock indicator
16 actually starts to move, the gear rack 48 on the cam drum 34
must be disposed about the periphery of the cam drum as shown in
FIG. 6 (where the cam drum is in its fully cocked position). It can
be seen that the forward end 66 of the gear rack 48 is spaced from
the gear 50 so that the cam drum will rotate angularly in the
direction of arrow D (FIG. 6) a given angular increment before the
gear rack 48 meshes with the gear 50 to start rotation of the clock
indicator arrow 54. As described above, this time delay permits a
child to condition the mechanism by pushing down on the flag 18 and
allows sufficient time for the child to move to the starting
position for the racing cars before the clock indicator arrow 54
starts to move.
Means are provided to indicate the time progression of the time
delay means described above. This means includes a plurality of
apertures 68 arranged in a vertical series through the front face
of the housing tower portion 14 behind which is disposed an
electric light means, including an electric lamp 70 (FIG. 2). The
electric lamp 70 is mounted in a carrier member, generally
designated 72, which is housed within the frame 10 for vertical
movement in the direction of arrows E to move the electric lamp
behind the vertical series of apertures 68. In order to synchronize
the movement of the lamp carrier member 72 with the rotation of the
cam drum 34, and thus the aforesaid time delay means, the cam drum
is provided with an axially and radially stepped edge portion,
generally designated 74, which is shown best in FIG. 2. The
electric lamp carrier member 72 is provided with a complementary
edge, generally designated 76, which is stepped vertically and
axially of the cam drum. The stepped edge 76 of the carrier member
72 acts as a cam follower as the cam drum 34 rotates. The carrier
member 72 is held in an upper, inactive or start position, as best
shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, by a locking lever 78 which has a tongue
portion 78a which locks under one of the first steps on the stepped
edge of the carrier member 72, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. After
the cam drum is cocked by pushing down on the flag 18 in the
direction of arrows B (FIGS. 1 and 3), and the cam drum begins to
rotate opposite the direction of arrows B the first step 80 of the
stepped edge 74 of the cam drum abuts the tongue portion 78a of the
locking lever 78 and releases the locking lever from under the
carrier member 72. The carrier member thus will be biased by
gravity against the top of the cam drum as best shown in FIG. 5. As
the cam drum 34 continues to rotate in its operating direction, as
indicated by the arrows D in FIGS. 5 and 6, the electric lamp
carrier member 72 will move intermittently downwardly as the
stepped edge 74 of the cam drum 34 successively releases successive
steps along the edge 76 of the carrier member. Thus, the electric
lamp 70 will move seriatim downwardly behind the apertures 68 in
the front face of the housing tower portion 14. The stepped edge 74
of the cam drum 34 is disposed angularly relative to the rack gear
48 so that the carrier member 72 will be in its lowermost position,
with the electric lamp 70 behind the lowermost aperture 68, when
the gear rack 48 begins to mesh with the gear 50 to start rotation
of the clock indicator arrow 54. A wall 84 between the housing base
and tower portions 12 and 14, respectively, has a T-shaped slot 85
to guide the movement of the carrier member 72. The carrier member
72 for the electric lamp 70 may be reset to its elevated position
by grasping a knob 86 (FIG. 1) which is connected to the top of the
carrier member through a slot 87 and which is exposed exteriorly of
the housing tower portion 14 and manually raising the carrier
member until the tongue 78a of the locking lever 78 pivots under
the carrier member to lock the carrier member in its elevated
position as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
Preferably, the apertures 68 are different colors. In the preferred
embodiment of the invention, the lowermost aperture is spanned by a
translucent material having a green color to indicate when the
timer will start. All of the apertures above the lowermost aperture
may be covered with a translucent material having a different color
or colors, such as yellow, the "caution" color.
The clock indicator 16 has a "record" arrow 89 which is manually
settable to keep a record of at least one previously timed car.
In order to energize the electric lamp 70 only when the mechanism
is cocked to condition the timer, and in order to deenergize the
lamp at a predetermined time thereafter, the electric lamp is
connected through batteries 88 (FIG. 2) to a pair of contacts,
generally designated 90 (FIGS. 3 and 6). The contacts 90 normally
are held open. About a portion of the periphery of the cam drum 34
is provided a raised cam portion 92 which, as best seen in FIG. 6,
closes the contacts 90 when the cam drum 34 is cocked or
conditioned and opens the contacts after the "green" light through
the lowermost aperture 68 is energized.
The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of
understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be
understood therefrom as some modifications will be obvious to those
skilled in the art.
* * * * *