U.S. patent number 3,734,497 [Application Number 05/217,795] was granted by the patent office on 1973-05-22 for apparatus for simulating cross-country driving conditions.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Midway Manufacturing Company. Invention is credited to Richard L. Brown.
United States Patent |
3,734,497 |
Brown |
May 22, 1973 |
APPARATUS FOR SIMULATING CROSS-COUNTRY DRIVING CONDITIONS
Abstract
There is disclosed herein apparatus enabling an externally
positioned operator to peer forwardly toward a light transmissive
mirror located within and generally sub-dividing an upright hollow
housing into a pair of internal chambers, a miniature vehicle in a
first chamber is adapted to travel in annular paths of remotely
controlled selectable radii through a first chamber environment
which is an inverse mirror-image superimposition by said mirror of
a diorama located in the housing second chamber. The apparatus also
preferably includes a rollable vehicle remaining in contact with a
moderately contoured shelf in the first chamber, remotely
controlled speed control means for the annularly movable vehicle,
means to sense and record proximity between the vehicle and
selected first chamber environmental features, attractive
lumination for the vehicle and the diorama while the shelf member
remains relatively visually subdued, and sophisticated means for
varying the vehicle's radial position so as to tax the operator's
depth perception and coordination.
Inventors: |
Brown; Richard L. (Bellevue,
NB) |
Assignee: |
Midway Manufacturing Company
(Schiller Park, IL)
|
Family
ID: |
22812558 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/217,795 |
Filed: |
January 14, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/442;
273/DIG.24; 472/12; 434/63; 472/57 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F
9/14 (20130101); Y10S 273/24 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63F
9/14 (20060101); A63f 009/14 () |
Field of
Search: |
;273/1E,101
;35/11,12L,12N,12W ;272/31 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Oechsle; Anton O.
Assistant Examiner: Shapiro; Paul E.
Claims
I claim:
1. Apparatus for simulating driving conditions of a self-propelled
vehicle traveling in cross-country fashion in annular paths of
selectable radii, said apparatus comprising:
A. an upright hollow housing as a frame for the apparatus and
including a rearward part with a light transmissive opening
therethrough whereby an operator positioned immediately rearwardly
of the housing at an operator's station might have a forwardly
extending view into the housing interior;
B. a transversely broad mirror of the light transmissive type
attached to the housing and located therewithin lineally forwardly
of the housing viewing opening, said mirror generally sub-dividing
the housing internal spatial volume into two spatial chambers
including a rear-space and a front-space located on opposite sides
of said mirror, a first selected of said housing chambers extending
along a reference-axis;
C. a miniature vehicle located within said first of the two housing
chambers and movably associated with the housing so as to be free
to travel annularly about said reference-axis;
D. a diorama located within the second of said housing chambers and
being optically superimposed by said mirror as an inverse
mirror-image thereof to the first housing chamber to provide a
visually apparent environment along the permitted annular paths of
the miniature vehicle;
E. velocity control means accessible from the said rearwardly
positioned operator's station for causing the annularly movable
vehicle to travel at a finite angular velocity about said
reference-axis; and
F. radial distance control means accessible from said operator's
station for varying the radial distance of the miniature vehicle
from said reference-axis thereby permitting the operator to
maneuver the vehicle with respect to the environment provided by
the optically superimposed diorama.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a shelf member having a
broadly extending riding surface located within the housing first
chamber and intersecting said reference-axis whereby the optically
superimposed diorama extends along the shelf member broadly
extending riding surface and wherein the miniature vehicle is a
rollable vehicle capable of riding along the broadly extending
surface.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the shelf member broad riding
surface includes moderately pronounced undulations capable of being
ridden-over by the rollable vehicle and corresponding in inverse
mirror-image location to moderately pronounced features of the
diorama, said vehicle including stabilization means to permit the
vehicle to stably ride-over the shelf undulate contour.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the shelf member extends
generally horizontally and is located within the housing
front-space chamber so as to intersect a vertical reference-axis
and whereby the miniature vehicle is adapted to travel annularly
about the said vertical-axis; and wherein the diorama is located
within the housing rear-space chamber in elevation below the
housing viewing opening and optically superimposed by the mirror at
the front-space shelf and viewable thereat by an operator peering
forwardly toward said mirror, said diorama including severely
pronounced features which optically extend upwardly from the shelf
member higher than the undulations thereof.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein there is a light source located
within the housing front-space, the miniature vehicle being
fluorescent to the front-space light source and the shelf member
riding surface being relatively non-fluorescent to said front-space
light source; and wherein there is a light source located within
the housing rear-space, the diorama features being fluorescent to
the rear-space light source.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein there is an ultraviolet light
source within the housing front-space, the miniature vehicle being
fluorescent and the shelf riding surface being relatively
non-fluorescent to the ultra-violet light spectrum; and wherein
there is a visible spectrum light source within the housing
rear-space, the diorama features being fluorescent to the visible
light spectrum.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the velocity control means is
capable of varying the annular speed of the miniature vehicle
through a selectable range of velocities; and wherein there are
proximity sensing means to record at the operator's station
proximal conditions between the annularly movable vehicle and
environmental features of the optically superimposed diorama.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the radial distance control
means includes a rotatable steering column at the operator's
station, said radial distance control means being functionable only
when the miniature vehicle is traveling annularly at a finite
velocity along the shelf member and the vehicle radial distance
change depending upon the degree of the prior rotation of the
steering column by the operator.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the annularly movable
relationship between the miniature vehicle and the housing includes
a tubular sleeve extending along the said vertical reference-axis
and rotatably secured to the housing, said tubular sleeve carrying
a radially extending leading-arm directly co-revolvable therewith;
and wherein the radial distance control means also includes a
substantially horizontal elongate trailing-arm located above the
miniature vehicle and pivotably associated with the leading-arm
radially remote of said tubular sleeve, the underlying vehicle
including an uprightly extending guide-rod rotatably secured to the
trailing-arm, the degree of rotation of the guide-rod being
initiatable at said steering column.
10. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the shelf member broad riding
surface is capable of being ridden-over by the miniature vehicle;
and wherein the diorama includes severely pronounced features which
optically extend upwardly from the shelf riding surface higher than
said vehicle's rollable capability.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the shelf member extends
generally horizontally and is located within the housing
front-space chamber so as to intersect a vertical reference-axis
and whereby the miniature vehicle is adapted to travel annularly
about the said vertical-axis; wherein the diorama is located within
the housing rear-space chamber of different elevation than the
housing viewing opening and optically superimposed by the mirror so
as to appear to exist at the front-space shelf; wherein there is a
light source located within the housing front-space, the miniature
vehicle being fluorescent and the shelf riding surface being
relatively non-fluorescent to the front-space light source; and
wherein there is a light source located in the housing rear-space,
the diorama features being fluorescent to the rear-space light
source.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the velocity control means is
capable of varying the angular velocity of the miniature vehicle
through a selectable range of velocities; and wherein there are
proximity sensing means to record at the operator's station
proximal conditions between the annularly moving vehicle and
recognizeable individual features of the optically superimposed
diorama.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the radial distance control
means includes a rotatable steering column at the operator's
station, said radial distance control means being functionable only
when a rollable miniature vehicle is traveling annularly at a
finite velocity along a shelf member and the vehicle radial
distance change depending upon the degree of prior rotation of the
steering column.
14. Apparatus for simulating driving conditions of a self-propelled
vehicle traveling in annular paths of selectable radii over an
obstacle course, said apparatus comprising:
A. an upright hollow housing as a frame for the apparatus and
extending along a vertical-axis and including an upright rearward
part with a light transmissive opening therethrough whereby a
remote operator positioned immediately rearwardly of the housing at
an operator's station might have a view into the housing
interior;
B. a simulated dioramic environment located within the housing,
said environment including pronounced individually recognizeable
features which are viewable by an operator peering forwardly
through the housing rearward opening;
C. a miniature vehicle located within and movably associated with
the housing so as to travel annularly about the housing
vertical-axis and;
D. means to cause said simulated dioramic environment to appear to
surround the said vertical -- axis whereby said miniature vehicle
will appear to travel through said simulated dioramic
environment;
E. velocity control means accessible from the said rearwardly
remotely positioned operator's station for causing the miniature
vehicle to travel at a finite velocity annularly about the housing
vertical-axis;
F. control means accessible from the said operator's station for
varying the radial distance of the miniature vehicle from the
housing vertical-axis while the vehicle remains at substantially
constant elevation thereby permitting the operator to maneuver the
annularly moving vehicle with respect to the simulated dioramic
environment; and
G. proximity sensing means to record at the operator's station the
proximity apparently existing between the annularly moving vehicle
with individually recognizeable features of said simulated
environment.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the remotely positioned
velocity control means is capable of selectively continuously
varying the speed of the annularly movable miniature vehicle about
said vertical-axis.
Description
Over the years, self-propelled land vehicles, such as automobiles,
trucks, bicycles, etc., have been intended primarily for speedy
travel. Hence, they are commonly and idealy employed along fairly
smooth graded roadways having a relatively narrow finite-width,
such as public roadways, oval race-tracks, etc. More recently,
however, the so-called "sports vehicles" have become increasingly
popular, which vehicles are not constructed primarily for purposes
of speedy travel along relatively smooth and narrow graded
roadways, but rather constructed primarily for unimproved
cross-country terrain, such as frozen lakes, overland fields, etc.
In particular, cross-country sports vehicles need to have a
built-in stability factor so as to conform to the unimproved and
uneven terrain, and vehicular speed is accordingly limited.
Nevertheless, driving of sports vehicles, such as snowmobiles,
dune-buggies, articulated land vehicles, etc., commands the
interest of many persons because of the opportunity to follow
various types of cross-country terrains and unencumbered by the
relatively narrow finite-width of conventional roadways. For the
more avid, cross-country annular race-ways are constructed with
barrels and similar artificial markers or obstacles. However,
because of the heavy capital expenditure associated by such sports
vehicles and because of the geographical inaccessibility to
cross-country driving areas to many urban dwellers, a great many
persons do not have the opportunity to participate in the endeavor
of driving sports vehicles over the countryside.
It is accordingly the general object of the present invention to
provide apparatus that will simulate in miniature cross-country
driving conditions whereby the apparatus operator can vicariously
and fairly realistically participate in the problems and
experiences associated with the actual driving of sports vehicles
along relatively unimproved cross-country terrains.
It is another object to provide amusement apparatus wherein the
miniature vehicle is so positioned and supported with respect to a
housed environment simulating cross-country terrain that the
vehicle is subjected to phenomena very similar to that of a
full-sized sports vehicle traversing along relatively unimproved
cross-country terrain.
It is a further object to provide apparatus that will simulate in
miniature the situation wherein a full-sized self-propelled vehicle
travels along an annular obstacle course or similar broadly
extending race-way.
It is yet another object to provide simulated apparatus having
novel constructional features so as to present unusually realistic
and challenging simulated cross-country driving conditions to the
remotely positioned operator, such that the operator can become
intensely interested and involved in the vicarious participation
offered thereby.
It is a further object to provide a housed apparatus that not only
offers amusement to the externally positioned operator, but also
tests his dexterity in controlling the speed and annular pathway of
the miniature vehicle with respect to individual simulated
environmental features, both natural and artificial variety.
It is another object to provide apparatus wherein the simulated
environment is relatively pronounced yet does not impede or damage
the vehicle.
With the above and other objects and advantages in view, which will
become more apparent as this description proceeds, the apparatus
generally comprises an upright hollow housing containing
therewithin a miniature vehicle adaptable to travel in annular
paths of selectable radii about a reference-axis through a
simulated environment, there being means accessible at the remotely
positioned operator's station for varying the radial distance of
the miniature vehicle from the reference-axis thereby permitting
the annularly movable vehicle to be maneuvered with respect to
individual features of the simulated environment.
In the drawing, wherein like characters refer to like parts in the
several views, and in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a representative embodiment of the
simulated cross-country driving apparatus of the present invention,
portions of the shell-like hollow housing being broken away to show
certain internal constructional details.
FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view taken along line 2--2 of
FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a sectional plan view taken along line 3--3 of FIG.
2.
FIG. 4 is a sectional plan view similar to FIG. 3 showing a more
sophisticated radial steering mechanism portion for the
apparatus.
Turning initially and briefly to FIG. 1, which illustrates in
perspective view apparatus embodiment "A" for simulating
cross-country driving conditions. Apparatus "A" generally
comprises: an upright hollow housing 10 including a forward part
such as front-panel 12 and a rearward part 11 having a transversely
extending light transmissive viewing opening 11A therethrough
whereby a rearwardly externally positioned operator might peer
longitudinally forwardly through opening 11A while also operating a
radial steering means 61 for a miniature vehicle 40; a transversely
extending light-transmissive mirror 18 located within housing 10
and extending obliquely forwardly and downwardly with respect to
opening 11A whereby said mirror generally subdivides the housing
internal spatial volume into two spatial chambers including a
rear-space 18R and a front-space 18F extending along a vertical
reference-axis "V"; a generally horizontally extending shelf member
20 located within front-space 18F and supporting therealong the
miniature vehicle 40 which is movable annularly about vertical-axis
"V" as indicated by the double-headed curved arrow (solid line at
20); a diorama 32-35 physically located within rear-space 18R and
optically superimposed by mirror 18 as in inverse mirror-image
thereof to shelf 20 as a simulated environment; means (indicated by
the single-headed curved arrow at the housing roof) for causing
annular movement of vehicle 40 and controllable at the operator's
station (at 56); and means (indicated by the phantom line position
of vehicle 40 at shelf 20) for varying the radial distance of the
vehicle from reference-axis "V" and relative to pronounced
simulated environmental features, e.g. 34A, 35A.
Upright hollow housing 10 comprises a plurality of inter-connected
rectangular panels 11-16, such as horizontal roof-panel 15
overlying floor-panel 16, a vertical left-panel 13 and a vertical
right-panel 14, and a vertical front-panel 12 herein providing the
housing forward part. There is also an upright rearward part 11 for
housing 10 herein comprising three rectangular panels including an
upper-panel having a light transmissive viewing opening 11A
therethrough and a scoreboard 11B and including an oblique
dashboard 11D to which the column of steering wheel means 61 is
rotatably secured. A plurality of legs 17, herein four in number,
depend from the respective corners of floor-panel 16 to elevate the
relatively stationary housing 10 above an underlying substrate,
e.g. at 55. For reasons of optics, which will be described later,
the several housing panels 11-16, with the exception of viewing
opening 11A, are preferably visually opaque.
The miniature vehicle, e.g. 40, is located within and movably
associated with the housing so as to be free to travel annularly
about some reference-axis, such as vertical-axis "V". Annularly
movable association with the housing 10 is herein provided by a
cylindrically tubular sleeve 52 passing through roof-panel 15 along
vertical-axis "V", sleeve 52 carrying a collar 52B to permit a
rotatable relationship with roof-panel 15 about "V". Rotatable
sleeve 52 carries a radially extending arm 54 co-revolvable
therewith and vehicle 40 includes a vertically extending guide-rod
41 attached to arm 54 (herein through intervening elements 42 and
65). Thus, as sleeve 52 rotates (as indicated by the single-arrowed
curved line at 15), vehicle 40 is caused to travel in an annular
path about reference-axis "V" (as indicated by the double-arrowed
curved line at 20). There are means for causing the annularly
movable vehicle to travel at a finite annular velocity about the
reference-axis, e.g. "V", said velocity commencing from
substantially zero being controlled at the rearwardly remote
operator's station, e.g. 56. Herein, the annular velocity is caused
by an electric motor 51 attached to roof-panel 15, the motor
revolvable sprocket 51A being connected with chain 53 to a sprocket
52A co-revolvable with tubular sleeve 52. The remote control means
herein comprises a resiliently depressible foot pedal 56 pivotably
attached at 55A to a horizontal floor-plate 55. Electrical energy
is supplied to motor 51 from a remote source (not shown) via
electrical-plug 57, one of the conductor wires 59 proceeding
directly from 57 to a terminal of motor 51. Another conductor wire
57E proceeds from electrical-plug 57 to a conductive wiper blade
56E carried by foot pedal 56, blade 56E being adapted to ride along
the length of sinuous resistor element 55R extending upwardly of
floor-plate 55. Electrical lead 58 proceeds from the lower portion
of resistor 55R to another terminal of variable speed motor 51.
Thus, as foot pedal 56 is selectively increasingly depressed, the
angular velocity of vehicle 40 about "V" is increased. If resistor
55R were replaced by a straight conductor, such as a lineal
extension of uninsulated lead 58, the vehicle angular velocity
would be substantially constant, i.e. non-variable.
The annularly movable vehicle seemingly travels through an
environment which might include natural terrestrial features such
as broadly extended fields having trees, rocks, rivers, etc., or
artificial features such as barrells, flags, bridges, etc., or
both. In the preferred situation, as exemplified by the FIGS. 1-3
embodiment, the simulated environment through which the miniature
vehicle apparently travels is a superimposed inverse mirror-image
(as by mirror 18) of a diorama located remote from the vehicle's
permitted annular pathways. This optically superimposed diorama
technique eliminates the problem of actual disabling collisions
between the moving vehicle and severely pronounced enviromental
features, such as lofty rocks, barrels, etc. There are means for
varying the radial distance of the miniature vehicle from the
reference-axis (e.g. "V") thereby permitting the operator to
maneuver the vehicle with respect to the simulated environment
through which the annular vehicle seemingly travels. In the FIGS.
1-3 embodiment, the radial distance changing means comprises a bar
65 radially reciprocatably associated along the radially extending
tubular arm 54 (members 42, 54, and 65 being of rectangular
cross-sectional configuration), vertical member 42 being securely
non-rotatably connected to bar 65. A push-pull sheathed cable
structure 62 actuatably extends from a radially extending arm 61A
of the rotatable steering column 61 to the radially movable bar 65
(herein via elements 63 and 64). For example, if the operator turns
the steering wheel 61 leftwardly (the FIG. 1 counterclockwise
direction), the miniature vehicle 40 radial distance from
vertical-axis "V" is decreased as indicated in phantom line 40 in
FIG. 1. Similarly, a rightward or clockwise turn of steering wheel
61 would increase the radial distance of the annularly movable
vehicle from "V". Herein, sheathed cable 62 proceeds from its
trailing end 62A (at arm 61A) forwardly beneath floor-panel 16,
thence upwardly along front-panel 12, thence rearwardly above
roof-panel 15, and the sheath portion leading end is secured to a
bracket 66 which is secured to roof-panel 15. As best seen in FIGS.
1 and 2, there is a bell-crank 63 pivotably attached at 63D to a
lug 52C which lug extends at a fixed downward angle from rotatable
tubular sleeve 52. Cable 62 proceeds downwardly through bracket 66
and along vertical-axis "V" within sleeve 52 whereby the cable
leading end 62B is attached to the bell-crank leg 63B. Cable 62
between bracket 66 and the upper end of rotatable sleeve 52 is
provided with a swivel joint 62S to prevent twisting and kinking of
cable 62. A generally horizontally extending auxiliary cable 64
extends from bell-crank leg 63A radially through sideward openings
52D of sleeve 52 and ultimately connected to bar 65. Thus, as
indicated in phantom line in FIG. 2, a leftward turn of steering
column 61 causes an upward movement of bell-crank leg 63B, which
causes the cable 64 to pull the vehicle 40 (and intervening
elements 65 and 41-42) radially inwardly toward vertical-axis "V".
When this happens, there is a change in spatial relationship
between the radially movable vehicle 40 and individual features
e.g. 34A,35A, etc., of the environment through which the annularly
moving vehicle seemingly travels.
A substantially rectangular broad planar mirror 18, of the
so-called "two-ways" or light-transmissive type, is located
linearly forwardly of viewing opening 11A so as to generally
subdivide the housing internal space into two chambers including a
front-space 18F (between front-panel 12 and mirror 18) and a
rearspace 18R (between rear-panel 18R and mirror 18). Mirror 18
extends from left-to-right, herein attached along the juncture 18T
of a horizontal shelf member 20 with vertical diorama plate 30, and
mirror 18 is also oblique with respect to opening 11A and to the
reference-axis e.g. "V". Herein oblique mirror 18 extends upwardly
and rearwardly from the 18T juncture line at a 45.degree. angle
with respect to members 20 and 30. The annularly movable miniature
vehicle 40 is positioned on one side of the two-ways mirror (herein
within housing front-space chamber 18F) and the diorama e.g. 32-35,
is positioned on the other side of the mirror (herein within
rear-space chamber 18R).
The diorama, which is located within the second of the housing's
internal spatial chambers, e.g.18R, is optically superimposed as an
inverse mirror image thereof by said mirror thereby providing a
visually apparent environment along the permitted annular paths of
the miniature vehicle. The diorama might include natural
terrestrial features, such as broad land or ice fields, isolated
trees, rocks, field undulations, etc., or artificial features, such
as bridges, barrels, markers, etc., or a combination of natural and
artificial environmental features. The diorama is located at an
elevation differing from that of the housing viewing opening e.g.
11A, and herein below 11A. The rearwardly remote operator peering
linearly forwardly through viewing opening 11A toward oblique
mirror 18 will see the diorama thereat which optically merges with
the annularly movable vehicle. Thus, to the rearwardly remote
operator, individual dioramic features e.g. simulated lofty barrels
34,35,etc., will appear to exist in the housing chamber 18F at
inverse mirror-image locations thereof e.g. at 34A, 35A,etc. It
might be noted parenthetically that to a hypothetical forwardly
remotely positioned operator peering rearwardly into the FIG. 1
housing 10 (as through peep-hole 12P), the dioramic features
34(34A) and 35(35A) would not appear to exist in front-space
18F.
In the preferred situation the annularly movable vehicle is a
rollable vehicle capable of riding-over moderately pronounced
environmental features (such as gently undulating terrain, etc.),
but which incapable of riding-over severely pronounced
environmental features (such as large rocks, lofty barrels,etc.).
In such preferred situation, and for purposes of providing
interesting and realistic motions to the vehicle, the miniature
vehicle throughout its permitted annular paths remains in rollable
contact with a broadly extending shelf, the shelf's uneven or
undulating riding surface depicting in inverse mirror-image
locations the moderately pronounced dioramic features. However, the
severally upwardly pronounced environmental features for the
annularly movable vehicle, which would provide insurmountable
obstacles to the vehicle, are excluded from actual physical
existence at the shelf member and only exist at the diorama located
in the other housing chamber. In this vein, the upper or vehicle
riding surface of shelf member 20 might be of a moderately undulate
(e.g. relatively low mounds 22 and 23) configuration so as to
simulate the situation of a sports vehicle traveling over
relatively rough undeveloped countryside. The herein horizontal
shelf member 20 is located between roof-panel 15 and floor-panel 16
and in constant elevation below viewing opening 11A, said elevation
herein being maintained by diorama plate 30 which extends
vertically upwardly from floor-panel 16. Shelf 20 and plate 30 are
herein of square shape and of substantially equal dimensional size.
Shelf 20 has a geometric center (at vertical-axis "V") and plate 30
has a geometric center 31, said geometric centers 21 and 31 being
spaced like distances from juncture 18T. The generally horizontal
upper surface of shelf 20 is defined by a pair of mutually
perpendicular horizontal coordinates 20x and 20y(intersecting at 21
and "V"), and the generally vertical rearward side of plate 30 is
defined by mutually perpendicular coordinates 30x(horizontal) and
30y(vertical) which intersect at 31. This, by virtue of mirror 18
along 18T and the perpendicular coordinates 30y and 20y at 18T,
dioramic features (e.g. 32-35) are optically superimposed to the
shelf upper riding surface, there being an inverse mirror-image
relationship of each with respect to coordinates 20y and 30y and
geometric centers 21 and 31. For example, the dioramic moderate
undulations 32 and 33 are at inverse mirror-image locations with
the shelf similarly pronounced undulations 22 and 23, respectively.
There is preferably a vehicle stabilization means such as a
flexible joint between guide-rod 41 and vehicle 40 to permit the
vehicle to ride-over the moderately low mounts 22 and 23. In the
FIG. 2 situation, there is a universal joint connection 47-49
comprising a pivot pin 47 extending longitudinally along vehicle 40
to connect the lower end of vertical guide-rod 41 to adapter 48,
and a transverse pivot pin 49 connects adapter 48 to the body of
four-wheels vehicle 40. Thus, vehicle 40 has two degrees of freedom
with respect to guide-rod 41. If the miniature vehicle were of the
two-wheels type, such as a motorcycle, then only one degree of
freedom is appropriate and only the transverse pivot pin (49) would
connect guide-rod 41 to the vehicle. Preferably, guide-rod 41 is
vertically movable, and herein free to vertically slide within
vertical rod 42(41 and 42 being of polygonal cross-sectional shape)
as the vehicle rides-over a shelf undulation.
The actual riding surface contour of shelf 20 is devoid of those
environmental features which are so severely pronounced that would
impede the vehicle's annular path. For example, the barrel-like
severely pronounced environmental features 34 and 35, which are
herein loftier than vehicle 40, are physically present in the
rear-space diorama only and do not physically exist in the
front-space 18F. The severely pronounced dioramic features 34 and
35 are, however, optically superimposed by mirror 18 to seemingly
appear as like-identifiable environmental features at inverse
mirror-image locations (e.g.34A,35A) along shelf 20. Thus, a
"collision" seen by the remotely rearward operator to apparently
exist between the annularly moving vehicle and a severely
pronounced environmental feature is only true in the optical sense
(e.g. with 34A, 35A), no actual physical collision being
possible.
The housing front-space 18F is provided with a suitable lumination
source (e.g. ultraviolet light 29) and the vehicle located within
the same housing chamber 18F is fluorescent to said light source.
However, for the purposes of enhancing realism, the vehicle's
guide-rod 41 and the shelf's entire upper riding surface (herein
including mounds 22 and 23) are non-fluorescent to the light source
of the same chamber. Those dioramic features, which are intended to
appear as a seeming environment for the annularly moving vehicle,
are fluorescent to a suitable lumination means (e.g. visible light
39) located in the dioramic chamber e.g. 18R. Other types of
pronounced environmental features, such as lakes, rivers, bridges,
markers, etc., might be carried by plate 30 and similarly optically
superimposed to the vehicles permitted annular paths (e.g. along
shelf 20), thereby providing a multitude of selected environmental
scenes for the vehicle.
The apparatus desireably includes proximity sensing means to record
at the operator's station the optically apparent proximity attained
by the remotely maneuverable vehicle with respect to various of the
identifiable environmental features e.g. 34(34A), 35(35A), etc. In
this way, the operator's skill at maneuvering the annularly and
radially moving vehicle can be recorded or otherwise indicated at a
suitable scoreboard, such as 11B. Herein, the proximity sensing
means preferably includes electrical contacts located in some fixed
physical relationship to the individual identifiable environmental
features apparently exhibited along the vehicles paths e.g. at
shelf member 20. There are herein electrical contacts pairs 71-72
in overlying vertical registry with the apparent location of each
identifiable environmental feature e.g. 34A, 35A, and there is a
springy T-shaped electrically conductive wiper 43 carried at the
upper end of bar 42 and remaining in vertical alignment with
vehicle 40. Each of the electrical contacts pairs 71-72 is
actuatably connected, as through wiring 73-74, to record at 11B the
proximity between vehicle 40 and some specific environmental
feature. For example, as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2, assuming a
scoring program wherein the operator is to avoid environmental
feature 35 lest a penalty be recorded at 11B, then the operator
would need to turn steering column 61 leftwardly to move the
vehicle 40 radially to the phantom line position thereby keeping
wiper 43 away from the contact pair 71-72 aligned in FIG. 2 with
35A. Preferably, the several contact pairs 71-72 extend only a
short distance downwardly from a horizontal scoring-plate 70 which
intersects vertical-axis "V" at 70A, thereby allowing the springy
wiper 43 to ride continuously annularly along scoring-plate 70.
Thus, there has now been described an apparatus as embodiment "A"
for simulating cross-country driving conditions wherein a remotely
positioned operator can control the velocity and radial position of
a miniature vehicle moving annularly through a spatial chamber,
thereby permitting the operator to control the proximity of the
vehicle with respect to pronounced environmental features
apparently existing along the vehicle's permitted annular
paths.
In the FIGS. 1-3 embodiment, the vehicle radius control means is of
a relatively simple nature wherein the vehicle longitudinal axis
(e.g. 47) remains at all times tangential to the annular path being
circumscribed by the vehicle. Moreover, this simpler radius control
means is operable even when the vehicle annular velocity is zero.
However, the more sophisticated radius control means of FIG. 4 is
intended to more closely duplicate the real-situation for
operator-controlled sports vehicles wherein radius control can be
effected only when there is a finite vehicle speed and the operator
initiates a momentary non-tangential position of the vehicle
longitudinal axis with respect to the previously existing annular
pathway.
In FIG. 4 there is an elongate leading-arm 91 fixedly attached to
the lower end of revolvable tubular sleeve 52F, whereby leading-arm
91 is directly co-revolvable with sleeve 52F and remains radially
extending from vertical-axis "V". An elongate trailing-arm 92 is
pivotably attached to leading-arm 91 with pivot-pin 93D, a
bell-crank 93 being also pivotably attached to 93D. There is
another bell-crank 63F pivotably attached at 63DF to the underside
of leading-arm 91 whereby the two legs 63AF and 63BF extend
downwardly of 63DF. A springy cable 62F proceeds downwardly along
vertical-axis "V" through hole 91V of 91 and the lower leading end
62BF of cable 62F is revolvably attached to bell-crank leg 63BF.
The respective two ends of elongate linking-rod 89 are revolvably
secured to the respective bell-crank legs 63AF and 93A. The
vertical guide-rod 42F from vehicle 40 is revolvably secured to
trailing-arm 92 remote of 93D, and guide-rod 42F includes an
integrally connected ear 42FA located above trailing-arm 92. There
is another elongate linking-rod 94 located above trailing-arm 92,
the two ends of 94 being revolvably secured to the bell-crank leg
93B and ear 42FA, respectively. Thus, assuming that the tubular
sleeve 52F and the miniature vehicle 40 are traveling annularly
about "V", such as in the tri-arrowed clockwise direction of FIG.
4. Accordingly, when cable 62F is moved along "V" (as initiated
upwardly by 61A), then bell-crank leg 63AF pulls linking-rod 89
toward "V", and bell-crank 93 through elements 94 and 42FA causes
guide-rod 42F and vehicle 40 to pivot in 92 (in the FIG. 4
counterclockwise direction) whereby the vehicle longitudinal axis
(47) is made abruptly non-tangential to the prior existing
double-arrowed annular path of vehicle 40. Then, vehicle 40 riding
along shelf 20 causes trailing-arm 92 to pivot with respect to
leading-arm 91 until the longitudinal axis (47) of the radially
displaced vehicle (40) once more becomes tangential to the vehicles
new-radius annular path.
Also in the FIG. 4 embodiment, the T-shaped wiper 43F is not
vertically aligned with the vehicle, but there is a proportional
arrangement relationship between wiper 43F and the vehicle.
Specifically, wiper 43F is mounted at one end of an elongate
linking-rod 95 that is slidably disposed along an ear 91A of
leading-arm 91, the second end of 95 being pivotably secured to an
ear 92A of trailing-arm 92. The several paired contacts 71-72 when
contacted by wiper 43F are programmed through the scoring 11B to
give penalty while the similarly paired contacts 81-82 might give a
merit score if contacted by 43F. It can be seen that wiper 43F's
contacts 71-72 and 81-82 can be arranged along the scoring-plate 70
appropriate to the dioramic environmental features. For example,
the ten aligned contacts might simulate a bridge goal 81-82 over a
dangerous creek (several consecutive 71-72 pairs).
From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the apparatus
for simulating cross-country driving conditions will be readily
understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary.
However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily
occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the
invention to the exact construction shown and described, and
accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be
resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.
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