Wheeled toy

• US 4,173,096 A
• Filed: 11/21/1977
• Issued: 11/06/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates
• Original Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates
• Inventors: Meyer, Burton C., Jaworski, Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Shay, F. Barry
• Application Number:
  US05/853,271
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 46/65, 46/68, 46/104, 46/107, 46/204, 46/205
• US Class Current: 446/289
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 7/06 with feet formed by rotary members

Abstract

A wheeled toy is provided with a frame which includes a vertically extending post on the upper end of which is fixedly mounted an inverted cup-shaped member. The frame is supported for movement over a supporting surface by means of a pair of wheels which are journaled in the frame and are mounted nonsymmetrically with respect to said post, the frame including an elongated handle by means of which the toy may be rolled along a support surface. An inner member shaped similarly to the fixed cup-shaped member is rotatably mounted on the post and is driven directly by one of the wheels through an annular flange portion of the inner member which rests on the upper edge of said one wheel. This inner member includes a flange portion which extends outwardly beyond the bottom edge of the fixed cup-shaped member, a pair of cover members being biased to an upright position when the toy is at rest substantially to enclose the fixed cup-shaped member. As the toy is moved along a support surface, the inner member rotates and the hinged cover members open outwardly against the biasing force, due to the centrifugal force exerted thereon, so that the normally enclosed cup-shaped member becomes visible. The biasing force returns the cover members to their enclosing position when movement of the toy ceases.

Claims

1. A wheeled toy, comprising:

a frame including a vertically extending post, wheel means journaled in said frame for rollingly supporting said frame for movement over a support surface, an elongated handle connected to said frame and adapted to be grasped by a user for manually moving the toy over the support surface, a body portion fixedly connected to the upper end of said post, an inner member rotatably mounted on said post beneath said body portion and having an edge portion extending beyond the periphery of said body portion, drive means interconnecting said wheel means and said inner member so that said inner member is rotated as the toy is rolled over a support surface, at least one cover member pivotally connected to said edge portion of said inner member, and means for normally positioning said cover member over said body portion while permitting said cover member to move outwardly by centrifugal force when said inner member is rotated as the toy is moved over a support surface.

2. The wheeled toy of claim 1 which includes a pair of cover members pivotally connected to said edge portion of said inner member at diametrically opposed points thereon, and said positioning means comprising means associated with said pair for normally positioning said cover members in an upright position when the toy is at rest so that said cover members substantially enclose said body portion of said frame while permitting said cover members to move outwardly and expose said body portion by virtue of the centrifugal force exerted on said cover members when said inner member is rotated as the toy is moved over a support surface.

3. The wheeled toy of claim 1, wherein said cover member is pivotally mounted for movement about a generally horizontal axis.

4. The wheeled toy of claim 2, wherein said cover members are pivotally mounted on said inner member for movement about generally horizontal axes.

5. The wheeled toy of claim 1, wherein said wheel means includes a pair of wheels which are nonsymmetrically positioned with respect to said post, and said drive means includes an annular flange portion on said inner member which is concentrically positioned with respect to said post and is in engagement with only one of said pair of wheels.

6. The wheeled toy of claim 5, wherein said inner member is rotatably supported on said post by engagement of said annular flange portion thereof with the upper edge of said one wheel.

7. The wheeled toy of claim 6, wherein said annular flange portion is urged into engagement with the upper edge of said one wheel by virtue of the weight of said inner member and said cover member so that positive traction is provided between said one wheel and said inner member.

8. The wheeled toy of claim 7, wherein said one wheel is provided with rubber tire means, thereby to increase the traction between said one wheel and said annular flange portion of said inner member.

9. A wheeled toy, comprising:

a frame, wheel means journaled in said frame for rollingly supporting said frame for movement over a support surface, a first member mounted on said frame for rotation about a generally vertical axis, drive means interconnecting said wheel means and said first member so that said member is rotated about said vertical axis as the toy is moved over a support surface, a second member pivotally connected to the outer edge portion of said first member, and means for positioning said second member in a first position relative to said first member when the toy is at rest while permitting said second member to move outwardly by centrifugal force when the toy is moved over a support surface and said first member is rotated.

10. A wheeled toy as set forth in claim 9, wherein said last named means comprises a flexible member carried by said first rotatable member and positioned normally to engage said second member and hold said second member in said first position, said flexible member permitting said second member to move outwardly by centrifugal force when said first member is rotated and returning said second member to said first position when rotation of said first member ceases.

11. A wheeled toy as set forth in claim 9, wherein said second member is mounted on said outer edge portion of said first member for rotation about a generally horizontal axis and is provided with an inwardly extending cam portion, and said positioning means comprises a flexible member carried by said first member and positioned to engage said cam portion of said second member and hold said second member in said first position when the toy is at rest.

12. A wheeled toy, comprising:

a frame including a pair of wheels journaled in said frame at points which are unsymmetrical with respect to said post for rollingly supporting said frame for movement over a support surface, a rotatable member mounted on said frame, means defining an annular flange on said rotatable member which is concentric with said post and is in engagement with only one of said pair of wheels, and at least one cover member pivotally connected to said rotatable member, whereby rotation of said one wheel as the toy is moved over a support surface is effective to cause rotation of said rotatable member and outward pivotal movement of said cover.

13. The wheeled toy of claim 12, wherein said rotatable member is rotatably supported on said post by engagement of said annular flange portion thereof with the upper edge of said one wheel.

14. The wheeled toy of claim 13, wherein said one wheel includes a rubber tire which is in engagement with said annular flange portion of said rotatable member.