U.S. patent number 3,756,333 [Application Number 05/109,869] was granted by the patent office on 1973-09-04 for doll carriage.
This patent grant is currently assigned to New York Toy Corporation. Invention is credited to Herbert Rubin.
United States Patent |
3,756,333 |
Rubin |
September 4, 1973 |
DOLL CARRIAGE
Abstract
A toy baby carriage which is alternatively free wheeling or of
the spring loading roll back type includes a body member frame
supported on front and rear pairs of wheels. The rear wheels are
secured to a shaft projecting through a transverse tubular member
affixed to the body frame and housing a helical windup spring which
encircles the shaft and has one end secured to the shaft and the
other provided with a stop arm. A foot actuated lever is positioned
in the tubular member and is provided with an abutment which is
selectively moved through an opening in the tubular member into the
path of the spring stop arm to restrict the rotation of the
corresponding spring end and permit the loading of the spring. In
the alternative the tubular member is rotatably supported by the
carriage frame, the opposite end of the windup spring being
attached to the tubular member and foot actuated means are provided
for releasably locking the tubular member against rotation.
Inventors: |
Rubin; Herbert (New York,
NY) |
Assignee: |
New York Toy Corporation (New
York, NY)
|
Family
ID: |
22329989 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/109,869 |
Filed: |
January 26, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
180/62; 180/166;
446/443; 180/313 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62B
9/00 (20130101); A63H 33/30 (20130101); A63H
3/52 (20130101); B62B 5/0026 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B62B
5/00 (20060101); B62B 9/00 (20060101); B62b
009/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;180/1E,1D ;280/42.3X
;46/208 ;185/10,37,39,41 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Betts; Kenneth H.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A toy vehicle comprising a body member, a shaft rotatably
mounted on said body member, a pair of traction wheels mounted on
opposite ends of said shaft and rotatable therewith, a tubular
member having an aperture formed in the peripheral wall thereof and
extending along and encircling at least part of said shaft, a
helical windup spring encircling said shaft and housed in said
tubular member and having opposite ends affixed to said shaft and
said tubular member respectively, and a lever mounted for rocking
about a relatively fixed pivot and terminating in a finger movable
with the rocking of said lever in and but of engagement with said
aperture, respectively permitting the free rotation of said shaft
and traction wheels and the winding of said spring with the
rotation of said wheels and shaft.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to improvements in toy
vehicles and it relates particularly to an improved toy vehicle
such as a toy baby carriage and the like, provided with a roll back
mechanism.
Toy vehicles are of generally two types those which are free
wheeling and those which are provided with motor driven wheels.
Among the latter type of toy vehicles are those of the roll back
type wherein a drive spring is wound or loaded with the advance of
the vehicle and upon the release of the vehicle the loaded spring
unwinds and returns the vehicle to its initial position. The roll
back type of vehicle possesses numerous drawbacks and limitations
by reason of its limited application and use. The vehicle can only
be advanced a limited distance whereupon the fully loaded spring
prevents any further advance of the vehicle and in order to effect
any further advance the spring must be unloaded. In such cases
however, the vehicle may be again advanced only to the extent
permitted by the winding of the spring and the above procedure must
be again repeated. There are many forms of vehicles, for example
toy baby carriages in which this practice is undesirable and
impractical.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an
improved toy vehicle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved
toy vehicle of the roll back type.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an
improved toy vehicle which is selectively of free wheeling or roll
back operation.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved
toy vehicle of the above nature characterized by its ruggedness,
reliability, simplicity, ease of operation, high versatility and
low cost.
The above and other objects of the present invention will become
apparent from a reading of the following description taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate
preferred embodiments thereof.
In a sense the present invention contemplates the provision of a
toy vehicle comprising a body member, wheels mounted on and
depending from the body member and including at least one traction
wheel, a windup spring, means connecting one end of the spring to
the traction wheel, and means for selectively alternating releasing
and locking the other end of the spring against rotation whereby to
respectively permit the free rotation of the traction wheel and the
winding of the spring with the rotation of the traction wheel.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention the
vehicle is in the form of a toy baby carriage which includes a
transverse stationary tubular member and a shaft extending through
and projecting beyond the ends of the tubular member, a pair of
traction wheels being affixed to opposite ends of the shaft. A
helical windup spring encircles the shaft and is housed in the
tubular member, one end of the spring being secured to the shaft
and the other end terminating in a stop defining longitudinally
extending leg. A lever is pivotly supported intermediate its ends
atop the tubular member and is provided with a depending finger
movable through an opening in the tubular member into and out of
the circular path of the spring stop leg.
In a modified form of the improved toy vehicle an axle having
traction wheels affixed thereto is rotatably supported and a
tubular member extends along the length of the axle. A windup
helical spring housed in the tubular member encircles the axle and
has its opposite ends affixed to the axle and tubular member
respectively. A lever rockable about a fixed pivot is provided with
a finger movable into and out of engagement with an opening formed
in the wall of the tubular member.
The improved toy vehicle is simple, rugged, reliable, simple to
operate and of high versatility.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the
present invention shown by full line in a roll back position and by
broken line in an advanced position;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary partially sectional view of the
drive mechanism thereof;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3 -- 3 in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 4 -- 4 in
FIG.3 3;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 2 of another
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6 -- 6 in FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7 -- 7 in FIG. 6;
and
FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8 -- 8 in FIG. 6.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawings, particularly FIGS. 1 to 4 thereof
which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention as
applied to a toy baby carriage of the collapsible type, it being
understood that it may be applied to other forms of baby carriages
and vehicles, the reference numeral 10 generally designates the
improved vehicle. The vehicle 10 comprises a body member which
includes a support frame structure 11 and a carrier section 12
suitably mounted thereon. The frame structure 11 and carrier
section 12 are of conventional construction, the latter comprising
a longitudinally extending open topped basket 13 including a
rectangular, rigid top reinforcing frame and being formed of a
flexible material so as to be collapsible, and a front collapsible
canopy 14.
The frame structure 11 comprises a forwardly downwardly inclined
inverted U-shape member 16 which includes a top handle defining
transverse cross bar 17, located above and rearwardly of basket 13
and parallel side arms 18 which extend to points below the forward
edge of basket 13. Frame structure 11 also includes a pair of
transversely spaced parallel rearwardly downwardly inclined side
arms 19 which extend from the upper forward edge of basket 13 to
points below the rear edge of basket 13 at the level of the bottoms
of side arms 18 and are pin connected to the reinforcing frame of
basket 13 and to side arms 18. Extending between and projecting
beyond the lower ends of side arms 18 and suitably affixed thereto
is a transverse axle 20 which has journalled to its opposite ends a
pair of front wheels 21.
A horizontal transverse tubular member 22 extends between the
confronting faces of the lower ends of side arms 19 and is suitably
affixed thereto, such as by welding. Extending coaxially through
tubular member 22 and journalled in openings in and projecting
beyond side arms 19 is a rotatable shaft 23 having threaded end
sections 24. The hubs 26 of a pair of opposite traction wheels 27
engage shaft threaded sections 24 and are each locked thereto by a
pair of opposing inside and outside nuts 28 engaging shaft thread
sections 24 and tightened to clamp and embrace the hubs 26, a
washer 29 being disposed between each inside nut 28 and the
confronting face of a corresponding side arm 19. Traction wheels 27
are of conventional construction including channel rims 30
connected to hub 26 by radial spokes and engaging a solid rubber
tire 32. Thus, wheels 27 rotate with shaft 23.
A helical windup spring 33 is housed in and coaxial with tubular
member 22 and encircles shaft 23, and is of a diameter between that
of tubular member 22 and shaft 23. One end of windup spring 33
terminates in an eye 34 which is affixed to shaft 23 by a rivet 36
engaging a transverse bore in shaft 23. The opposite end of windup
spring 33 is provided with an integrally formed, longitudinally
extending stop defining arm 37 which terminates in a transverse leg
38. Formed in the top face of tubular member 22 in vertical
registry with the path of stop arm 37 is an opening 39.
A pair of longitudinally spaced vertical parallel bracket arms 40
are mounted atop tubular member 22 and are transversely spaced from
opening 39. A transversely extneding foot lever 41 is rockably
supported intermediate its ends by a pivot pin 42 extending between
bracket arms 40, the foot lever 41 being tightly embraced by
bracket arms 40 to retain it in its set position while permitting
the rocking thereof by foot pressure. Mounted atop opposite ends of
lever 41 are enlarged suitably marked foot pieces 43 and 44.
Integrally formed with one end of lever 41 in registry with tube
opening 39 is a depending abutment defining finger 46 which is
movable with the rocking of lever 41 between an advanced position
in the path of spring stop arm 37 and a retracted position above
said path and above opening 39.
Considering now the operation of the toy baby carriage 10, if it is
desired to employ it in the conventional free wheeling manner the
operator merely steps on foot piece 44 to depress it and swing
lever 41 clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 3, and raise abutment finger
46 from the path of spring stop arm 46. Accordingly, as the
carriage 10 is pushed or pulled, the traction wheels 22 rotate
shaft 23 which in turn rotates spring 33, the latter being free to
rotate without any retarding thereof by the loading of spring
33.
If the toy carriage 10 is to be employed in a roll back manner, the
operator steps on foot piece 43 to rock lever 41 counterclockwise
and depress abutment finger 46 through opening 39 into the path of
and in engagement with stop arm 37. When carriage 10 is then pushed
or propelled forwardly to rotate traction wheels 27, shaft 23 is
rotated and spring 33 is wound by reason of the one end thereof
being locked against rotation by the engagement between abutment
finger 46 and spring stop arm 37. Upon release of the carriage 10
the wound spring 33 is permitted to unwind and rotates shaft 23 and
wheels 32 in a reverse direction to drive the carriage 10
rearwardly. It should be noted that by reversing the windup
direction of spring 33 from that shown the spring may be wound by
pulling the carriage and propelled forwardly upon release.
In FIGS. 5 to 8 of the drawings there is illustrated another
embodiment of the present invention which differs from that first
described primarily in the construction of the wheel drive
mechanism. Specifically, the improved vehicle comprises a body
member frame including a pair of frame rear side arms 139
corresponding to side arms 19 of the vehicle 10. A transverse shaft
140 is journalled in and extends between and projects beyond the
lower ends of side arms 139 and terminates in threaded end sections
141. The hub 142 of a traction wheel, like wheel 27, engages each
threaded end section 141 and is locked thereto by a pair of
opposing nuts 143 engaging threaded section 141 and embracingly
clamping hub 142. Innermost nuts 143 are separated from the outer
faces of side arms 139 by washers 144 carried by shaft 140.
A tubular member 146, coaxial with and enclosing shaft 140, extends
between the confronting faces of side arms 139 and is rotatably
supported advantageously by a pair of annuli (not shown) secured to
the opposite ends of tubular member 146 and having central
apertures rotatably engaging shaft 140. Moreover, tubular member
146 need not extend for the full distance between side arms 39 but
may extend from one of the side arms 139 to a point short of the
other and stop means may be provided on shaft 140 to prevent any
axial movement of tubular member 146.
A helical windup spring 47 of a diameter between that of shaft 140
and the inside face of tubular member 146 encircles shaft 140 and
is housed in tubular member 146. The ends of spring 47 terminate in
eyes or loops 48 and 49 respectively. The loop 48 is fixed to shaft
140 by a rivet 45 engaging eye 48 and a transverse bore in shaft
140, rivet 45 having enlarged heads at opposite ends. The opposite
end of spring 47 is affixed to tubular member 146 by a cotter pin
50 which engages eye 49 and a pair of transversely aligned openings
52 in tubular member 146 transversely off-set from shaft 140, the
ends 53 of the cotter pin legs being upset against the outer face
of tubular member 146.
In order to releasably lock tubular member 146 against rotation
there is provided a foot actuated locking lever 54 which is
rockably supported above tubular member 146 by a pivot 56 mounted
on and projecting transversely horizontally inwardly from side arm
139. The lever 54 is separated from side arm 39 by a spacer sleeve
57 engaging pivot pin 56 and terminates at its upper rear in a
transversely extending foot piece 58. Integrally formed with the
end of lever 54 remote from foot piece 58 is a downwardly directed
locking finger 59 which is outwardly inclined to the longitudinal
axis of lever 54. An opening 60 is formed in tubular member 146 in
the plane of finger 59, and finger 59 is selectively movable to an
advanced position in engagement with opening 60, by rocking lever
54 clockwise as viewed in FIG. 7 to thereby lock tubular member 146
against rotation, and to retracted position by rocking lever 54
counter clockwise whereby to retract finger 59 from opening 60 and
release tubular member 146 for free rotation.
The vehicle last described is employed in the manner of vehicle 10
as earlier described. To activate the come back mechanism, lever 54
is advanced to bring finger 59 into engagement with opening 60 and
thereby lock tubular member 146 and one end of windup spring 47
against rotation. Thus when the vehicle is advanced the traction
wheels rotate shaft 140 and wind spring 47 which motivates the
return of the vehicle when the vehicle is released. To use the
vehicle in its normal free wheeling manner finger 59 is retracted
from opening 60 to effect the release of tubular member 146 to free
rotation so that the rotation of the traction wheels are not
retarded by the winding of spring 47 since an end of the spring is
free to rotate.
While there have been described and illustrated preferred
embodiments of the present invention it is apparent that numerous
alterations, omissions and additions may be made without departing
from the spirit thereof.
* * * * *