US2481114A - Toy wagon - Google Patents

Description

w 9 W. L. HAYHURST 2,481,1114

TOY WAGON Filed Sept. 13, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l k7 27 INVENg Q.

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6, W49. W. HAYHURST TOY WAGON 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 13, 1946 Patented Sept. 6, 1949 UNITED fS TA'TIETS PATENT F SF l-CE 2,481,114

TOY WAGON William L. Hayhurst, Chicago, 111., assignor to wlon'tgomery Ward & 00 Incorporated, Chicage, 1.11.,ascorporation of Illinois ApplicationSepteniber 13, 1946, Serial No. 696,732

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The present invention relates to improvements in the construction or toy wagons.

Toy wagons of the general type widely used by children, and often termed express wagons, are well known, 'and the present invention relates particularly to such improvements thereof as will 1 enable the manufacturer 'to supply the wagon in knocked-down form with a minimum number of pieces so that the wagon may be assembled even by a child with a minimum of tools and experience.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a toy wagon in which the axles and their supporting bolsters are preassembled at least in part so that-a quick and easy :assembly of the completed wagon may be readily accomplished.

-A further object of the present invention relates to a wagon having a-substantially one piece metal body, the inside of which i-s free from therethrough protruding bolts, nuts, or other parts which might tend to injure-a child riding therein.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a wagon of the Leo-called express type in which all the parts that support the chassis are secured to the lbody portion in such a manner as not to penetrate the same, as for example by welding.

Further objects of the invention will become apparent from the further description herein below when considered inconnection with the concurrently filedsheets .of drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the completed wagon;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of the completed wagon;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the completed wagon;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of the com-- pleted wagon with one of the wheels shown in vertical section;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the front axle bolster assembly and the handle-supporting tongue and side braces;

Fig. 6 isa detail sectional view on an enlarged scale, through the turntable and kingpin of the wagon;

Fig. '7 is a perspective view, shown in exploded form, of the kingpinaniithecastllated nut and cotterpin cooperating therewith;

Fig-8 is a perspective view-of "the means employed for securing the front axle brace 'to the bottom-of the body portion; and

Fig. 9 is 'a'pers'pective view, shown in exploded form, of the rear axle bolster assembly and the 2 means by which it is secured to the bottom of the body portion.

One of the outstanding featuresof the present invention is the provision, in awa'gonpf the type indicated, of a body portion which does nothave any bolts, nuts, screws or other fastening means present on the inside of the body, 'so that the latter is free from all obstructions which might injure a child or tear its clothing.

The wagon itself consists of a body portion M which may, for example as illustrated, consist of a single metalstamping'or drawing havingan upper peripheral bead H.

The inside of the wagon is completely "free from any protruding elements. Secured to the bottom of the wagon, 'as =ma'ybest be'seen from Figs. 2, 3 and 4, are those parts-which serve to support the front and rear axle bolsters. *Thus, for example, there is first made up 'a turntable l2, best seen in Fig.6, consisting of a substantially circular cup having a therefrom *horizontally extending annular flange P3. In the certter of the turntable there is an opening through which extends the kingpin M the head "T5 of which is rigidly secured, preferably by welding, to the bottom wall of the turntable l-2. The bottom of the turntable is provided "with a circular bead it which is concentric with thekin'gpin i i. The turntable is secured to the bottom *m of the wagon preferably by being-either welded, brazed or soldered thereto, so that' there-are no fastening means which pass through the bottom of the wagon.

In order to support the front wheels of the wagon there is provided a front 'btilster assembly broadly designated by the reference numeral [8, as shown in perspective in Fig. 5. This frorit bolster assembly consists of a 'b'ols'ter having a horizontally extending transverse fia'nged web -'or channel I9 from the ends of which depend 'integral downwardly tapering channelled legs 20 and 2| respectively. The upper portion -'of "the:

transverse web 19 is also provided with -a'c'ircular groove 36 into which the bead -16 of the'turntable 12 fits, being in sliding engagement therewith, thus serving as an accurate guide for the movements of the bolster. The legs 20 and 2! are provided near their lowerendswithsuitable holes through which extends the front axle $2. In order to hold the front axle against longitudinal movement, the same, "after insertion, is provided with small therefrom laterally extending detents 23, one of these being'sl'l'own'a t the left of'Fig. 4. They are produced by upsetting the metal after the bolster [8 has bsen assembled with the axle. The transverse web l9 of the bolster is provided with a centrally located hole 24 through which extends the aforementioned kingpin 4, the bolster being locked thereto by means of a castellated nut 25 threaded upon the lower end of said kingpin, a washer being interposed between the nut and the adjacent side of the bolster. In order to lock the nut 25 to the kingpin M, a cotterpin 2'! is employed which engages a hole 28 in the kingpin l4 (Figs. 6 and 7) and also any one of the notches in the castellated nut.

Extending forwardly from the member [9 of the bolster I8 is a centrally positioned handlesupporting tongue 29 which is secured to the bolster preferably by being welded thereto at the points 30 and 3|, said tongue being of channel construction and forwardly tapering. Further to insure the rigidity of the tongue 29, side braces 32 and 33 are provided, these being connected at 34 and 35 to the forward end of the tongue 2e while the other ends of the side braces are perforated to permit of reception of the ends of axle 22. Attached to the forward end of the tongue 29 is a handle-supporting member 37 Which is formed of a suitable stamping and which is fastened to the front end of the tongue 29 by means of a bolt 38 secured by means of the therewith cooperating nut 39, the bolt passing through the two openings in the handle supporting member 31, through corresponding holes provided in the braces 32 and 33, and through holes in the flanged sides of front end of the tongue 29, thus holding all parts in assembled relationship, as can best be seen from the bottom view in Fig. 3. On the ends of the front axle 22 there are the wheels 40 which are preferably provided with solid rubber tires 4|. These wheels have a central sleevebearing 42 which surrounds the ends of the axle 22, cotterpins 43 being passed through transverse holes in the ends of the axle 22 to hold the wheels in position. The rear ends of the side braces 32 and 33 are interposed between the inside walls of the wheels 49 and the outer sides of the bolster legs 29, as best seen in Fig. 4. In order to cover up the means of connection of the wheels with the axle, suitable circular hub caps or cover plates 44 are provided, being snapped over resilient projections 45 provided on the outer wall of each wheel.

In order further to support the front axle 22 there is provided a front axle brace 46 which is secured to said axle by means of a yoke 41 which is loosely attached thereto by passing the axle through suitable holes in the yoke. The axle brace 46 is pivotally secured to the yoke 41 by means of the bolt or rivet 48. The other end of brace 46 is secured to a supporting member 49 which is illustrated in perspective in Fig. 8 and which is preferably welded, brazed or soldered to the underside of the body portion H, as can best be seen in Fig. 3. Permanently secured to and depending from the member 49 is a bolt 59 which passes through a suitable opening in the free end of the brace member 46, being secured thereto by means of the nut with the intervening washer 52 preferably of the locking type. The front axle bolster is therefore rotatable both about an axis which extends through the kingpin l4 and the pivot 48.

Suitably attached to the handle-supporting member 31 is the handle 53 which may if desired be provided with a hand hold 54. Preferably the handle 53 is welded to the supporting member 31.

The rear axle assembly is illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, and 9. It comprises two rear channel shaped bolster brackets 55 and 56 which are preferably welded, brazed or soldered to the bottom IT. The depending flanges of said brackets are provided with holes 58, 59, 69 and 6|.

The rear axle bolster, broadly designated by the reference numeral 62 (Fig. 9), comprises a horizontally extending transverse flanged web or channel 63 from the ends of which depend integral downwardly tapering channelled legs 64 and 65 which are provided with suitable openings near their ends for the reception of the rear axle 66. After the rear axle 66 has been inserted, detents 6'l are formed therein in a manner similar to that described in connection with front axle 22, in order to hold the axle against longitudinal movement in the bolster 62. The bolster is also provided with suitable holes 68, 69, 79 and H which are positioned for registration with the holes 58, 59, and 6| in the rear bolster brackets 55 and 56. When brought into such registration, connecting bolts T2, l3, l4 and 15 are pushed through the registering holes and then secured by means of suitable nuts 76, Ti, 18 and 79, thus completing the assembly of the rear bolster and axle. Wheels 49 are then attached in exactly the same manner as the forward wheels, thereby completing the assembly of the wagon.

The wagon is thus furnished to the ultimate purchaser in four sub-assemblies: A-the wagon body; Bthe front axle and bolster assembly, including the front axle braces 46; Cthe rear axle and bolster assembly; Dthe handle and handle support; and the four wheels.

All that it is necessary for the person assembling the wagon to do is to push the kingbolt |4 into relationship with the front bolster assembly 88 and to fasten the nut 25 and push the cotterpin 2? through the hole 28; to assemble the rear bolster 63 with the supports 55 and 56 and to place the bolts l2 through 15 and to tighten them up; slip the free end of the brace 46 over the bolt 50, and to secure it by means of the nut 5| and the washer 52, and then to attach the four wheels,

put the cotterpins 43 through the ends of the axles and resnap the hub caps 44, thus completing the assembling of the wagon. The handle 53 is attached by means of the bolt 33 and nut 39. It will be obvious that the caps 44 can be furnished already in place with instructions for the assembler to remove them for the purpose of attaching the wheels.

The entire wagon is preferably made from steel or iron parts. It is extremely strong and sturdy and is not likely to come apart in use. The simplicity of the manner of assembly and the welding of the various securing parts to the body are the outstanding features which characterize the invention, for which the inventor claims:

1. In a toy wagon the improvements which comprise the combination of an imperforate body and a chassis comprising a kingbolt-supporting member Welded to the bottom of said body and a front-axle-supporting bolster rotatably bolted thereto, rear-axle-bolster supports welded to the bottom of said body and a rear axle bolster bolted thereto, a front-axle-brace-securing member welded to the bottom of said body, a front axle brace bolted to said member, front and rear axles supported by said bolsters, said axle brace being secured at its lowermost end to the front axle, wheels rotatably mounted on said axles, handlesecuring means attached to said front axle-sup- 5 porting bolster, and a handle secured to said means.

2. In a readily assembled toy wagon the combination of an imperforate body, channeled bolster supports welded to the under side thereof for the reception of a rear-axle bolster, and a onepiece channeled rear-axle bolster bolted through its flange to said supports.

3. In a readily assembled toy wagon the combination of an imperforate body a cupped kingbolt-supporting member welded to the under side thereof, and a front-axle-supporting bolster rotatably secured to said member, said bolster comprising channeled transverse and depending portions and a channeled forwardly extending tongue welded to a flange of said bolster to render the same integral therewith.

WILLIAM L. HAYHURST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNI'IED STATES PATENTS

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