Combination vehicle and launcher toy assembly

• US 4,193,597 A
• Filed: 04/27/1977
• Issued: 03/18/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Takara Co., Ltd. (TOMY Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Takara Co., Ltd. (TOMY Company Limited)
• Inventors: Ogawa, Iwakichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Shay, F. Barry
• Application Number:
  US05/791,568
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 46/17, 46/202, 46/16, 46/1 K, 46/1 R, 46/67, 46/72, 46/81, 46/249, 46/145, 46/250, 46/251, 273/101
• US Class Current: 273/405
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/002 made of parts to be assembled

Abstract

A toy including a number of snap and press-fit parts which may be configured as a race car and may be reassembled to form various other toys. In one such toy, the race car body may be disassembled to form a spring-loaded projectile launcher. Other parts may configure a second vehicle launchable by the projectile launcher. In still another variation, a wheelcover is adapted to be launched as a spinning top.

Claims

1. A plurality of toy elements comprising:

first means including a plurality of removably attachable elements for forming a first vehicle, the elements including a nose element detachable from the first vehicle;

second means configurable from said first means for forming an ejection device, said second means comprising hammer means slideably mounted in a first said element, means for biasing said hammer means toward a first position, and means for retaining said hammer means in a position displaced against said bias and for releasing said hammer means such that said bias force returns said hammer means to said first position, the ejection device adapted to secure the nose element and launch the nose element when the nose element is detached from the first vehicle, and

third means configurable from said first means for forming a top spinning and launching mechanism and for forming a mounting for said mechanism.

2. The toy of claim 1 further including a toy target and projectiles adapted to be launched at said target by said ejection device.

3. The toy of claim 1 wherein said hammer means includes first and second apertures, and said retaining means comprises:

4. The toy of claim 1 wherein said top spinning and launching mechanism comprises:

a top configured from a second element of said first vehicle forming means; and

wherein said third means for forming said top spinning and launching mechanism is in a third element of said first means and includes means for retaining said top, for permitting said top to be wound against spring bias and for releasing said top while at the same time importing the wound bias to said top to cause said top to spin.

5. The toy of claim 4 wherein said means in the third element comprises:

first and second concentric apertures in said third element;

a drive element having an activating button means extending out of said first aperture and a mounting means for said top extending out of said second aperture, and further including means for holding said button means in position while winding said mounting means against spring bias; and

ratchet means for allowing said top to be wound in a direction increasing said spring bias while preventing said toy from spinning in the direction urged by said bias.

6. A toy comprising:

a frame member adapted to mount first and second wheels;

means mounted in said frame member for launching objects;

nose member means removably attachable to said frame member and having third and fourth wheels, said nose member means being adapted for launching by said means for launching;

first and second wheels for attachment to said frame member;

first and second conically-shaped wheel covers;

tank means press-fit attachable to said frame member; and

means located in said tank means for imparting a spinning-top motion to said wheel cover and for launching it as a top in response to manual actuation.