US1690448A - Track for toy trains - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 6, 1928.

F. HORNBY TRACK FOR TOY TRAINS Filed March 18, 1926 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 6, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK HORNBY, or LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, AssIeNon To MEGGANO COMPANY, me,

0]? ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY,

' TRACK FOR Application filed March 18, 1828, Serial No This invention relates to toy railway outfits, specifically to an improved type of fitting for use in connection with the switch and signal operating mechanismfor toy tracks.

Great difiiculty has been experienced with toys of this character because of the inability of young boys, for whom they are primarily intended, correctly to position and firmly to secure in place the switch and signaling mechanism forming an important part of the outfits. Heretofore it has been the custom to place such mechanism directly on the floor or other surface supporting the track, and more or less effectively secure the same in position by tacks or screws. In such cases incorrect positioning will prevent smooth working of the mechanism, the surface is damaged by screw holes, and the position .of the parts can not be changed without causing further damage.

The object of the present invention is the provision of simple means whereby such mechanism may be carried bythe track it self, the means being detachable and capable of being accurately positioned at any desired point along the track and there securel held in lace, thus insuring the most e cient wor ing of the parts.

According to this invention the bell crank lever or levers for translating the motion of a rod for the switch or signal gear are mounted on a sole plate which is positioned beneath the rails of the track in the manner of a sleeper, and then secured to the rails. The plate may be detachable and carry a gripping means such as a pivoted cam element or gripping screw or screws, the cam element or the screws being adapted to close against the rail or sleepers when the plate has been fixed in the desired position and grip the rail or sleeper by pressing it against a rear abutment which may be a fin or web stamped up from the plate. This abutment may be arranged to engage one side of a rail the opposite side of which is gripped by the cam or screws, or the abutment may engage behind the opposite rail of the track. The former arrangement is preferable however, as the gauge of the rails is not disturbed by such gripping action. The bell crank or cranks are thus carried from the track itself.

In a modification, instead of a detchable sole plate for carrying the bell cranks, a

A CORIPORATION OF NEW YORK- TOY TRAINS.

. 95,521. and in Great Britain March 23, 1925.

short section of track may be provided having a special sleeper to which the cranks are pivoted, so that by interposing such section in the main track to which it is adapted readily to be coupled the crank levers may be quickly and accurately fixed near the rails in astandard position.

Apparatus in accordance with this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawi ngs in which-- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a detchable element adapted to be inserted under the track rails and gripped thereto, the element carrying two bell crank levers;

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig.- 1;

Fig. 3 an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the cam grip;

41 is a plan of a short section of track having a special fixed sleeper on which a' bell crank is pivoted at each end;

Fig. 5 is a plan of a similar short section with two bell cranks'pivotcd at one end of the sleeper; i

Fi g. 6 is a plan of a switch point operating gear showing the bell crank pivoted on. a special sleeper; and

Fig. 7 is an inverted plan special sleeper.

In carrying out the invention and referring first to the form shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the bell crank levers 1, for translating the motion of the operating rod 2 to the rod 3 on the other side of the track, are pivotediat 4 to a sole plate or sleeper element 5 which is adapted to be positioned beneath the rails 6 of the track in the manner of a sleeper. The bell cranks 1 on opposite sides of the track are connected by a.

link 11, the pivotal connections 12 being shown as working in curved slots 13.

The sleeper element is provided with any suitable means by which it may be gripped to the rails after it has been positioned as desired along the track. .In the arrangement shown, cams 7 are eccentrically pivoted at Son the sleeper element, which cams are rotatable by the tails 9. On the sleeper element 5 are abutlnents 10 which, when the View of the 1 element is a sheet metal stamping, may be be provided; the abutment engaging behindone rail while thema'mengages theothenra'il.

Such an arrangement, however, is hkel-yto operating gear, the bell cranks always being tho'same standard distance out from the track.

In the modification shown in Fig; the bell cranks l are pivoted on asole plate 5 inthe form of a special sleeper permanently secured to short lengthsot rail 6 the sleeper and these rails forming an independent short section of track: Thebellcranks l are pivoted at 4 tothe sleeper, and connected by a link 11. Such a short section oftrack may be interposed at anydesired' point in the maize traolcand'v connected 1 therewitlr in any well-known manner. Vl hen so'installed, the bell: cranks of the section wili be setat a standard distance outfrom the traeln In Fig. 5 is shown a short section like thatsof; Eig. 4, but witha doubleibell crank compensator mounted: at one. end ofithe sleeper. the pull of the rod 2 is converted intosa thrust of rod 3, or vice versa.

InzFigs; G and" 7 the: invention .issshown applied to 2D switcln point gean. Aspeeial sleeper 5" carrying a bell crank 1 pivoted at 4, at astandarddistance fromnthe track is actuatedibp the rod 2,; the other arm of the bell crank being connected atildbyalinln 111? totheswitch raib 16'whichisitselflpiizoted at; 17 'on: the next sleeper 18; Tliee-piv-- otaleonnecti'onald ofthe link ll slides in a slot 19, out, inlet-he sleeper 5.. As: the rod 2 is:actuated;insone; or the other direction; the switch rail? opens 01' closes the 1 branching; track rails-16".

With. all the: arrangements described it is ensured that the pivots 4 ofthe bellwcrank levers.-,wil1 be readily and yet, accurately set; at a; standard: distance. from.- the track rails, thus eliminating; any necessity. for

By such arrangement otthecranks carezfa'l lyplotting the posittons for sech v pivota-lconnectionsas"is necessary in tltepresent systems where the bell cranks are pivoted to the floor independentl. vof the traelq, further,

these crank pivots einm carried by the" c, y e v.

sleeper elements 0, 5 and 5" and not by the floor 01""Otl'1QI"SUIl'i1CG on which the track is laid, no damage is done to such surface; and,

in addition-to the otherJaelvan/taigesythe track with its attached elements may be moved about and put in any desired location with theassua'anceth'at the mechanism is pro erly positioned and that the paralellism o the switch and signal operatin x rods with the rails will be always maintained.

Having thus described theinvention, the

fol-lowing is'claimed:

L In combination with atrack for tog trains, a sleeperelement adapted to be s 15 i sitionedwin: any portion 015 the track neat-h therailsf and secured thereto, said element comprising a plate having pivotally mounted thereonat least onebell cranln lover a adapted tobe'c'oupledto'an operating rod 39 v for a switch, signal, or=th'e1ike; A

2'. A: detachable element for use in com? L hination with a track" for toy tea-ins (301 w prising a plate having-1v: bell crank. lever: mounted on each; end tliereof to which a 35 switch or signal: operating rod is adapted to be coupled, a connecting rod betweeir the innen arms-of said leversmnd al pivoted cam with az co-oporating abutmen b ca ri ied L by the element adapted toerip" the rails thei ebe 9o tween toseeurethe e lement to the traeln 3; A:- det aehable element tor use; inmoim bination with-a tnaek foirt'oy'trains compris--- in ga plate having! a; bellicrank lever mounted on each end thereof to which a sWitch o1sig nal operating rode is: :adapted to) be coupled, a connect-mg rodabetween thosmnei 'arms of Sitlfil levers, and" means carried by said ele 4 I niwcombinationnwith in trackfoi toy lbo trains, an element compmsing wplate'having a belhcrank lever pivoted-on each end thereof to which aswitchor:si-gnal operating roel lis r name to this specification.

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