U.S. patent number 3,593,456 [Application Number 04/832,248] was granted by the patent office on 1971-07-20 for toy vehicles.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Die Casting Machine Tools Limited. Invention is credited to Aubrey Robert Mills.
United States Patent |
3,593,456 |
Mills |
July 20, 1971 |
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.
Inventors: |
Mills; Aubrey Robert (Palmers
Green, EN) |
Assignee: |
Die Casting Machine Tools
Limited (London, EN)
|
Family
ID: |
10436914 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/832,248 |
Filed: |
June 11, 1969 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Sep 24, 1968 [GB] |
|
|
45,355/68 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
446/466 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63H
17/262 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63H
17/00 (20060101); A63H 17/26 (20060101); A63h
011/10 () |
Field of
Search: |
;46/201,221 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Mancene; Louis G.
Assistant Examiner: Weinhold; D. L.
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.
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.
* * * * *