Toy motorcycle and launcher apparatus

• US 4,526,554 A
• Filed: 02/10/1982
• Issued: 07/02/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Adolph E. Goldfarb
• Original Assignee: Adolph E. Goldfarb
• Inventors: Goldfarb, Adolph E., Everitt, Delmar K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, M.
• Application Number:
  US06/347,453
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• Field of Search: 46/206, 46/209, 46/202, 46/201, 46/72
• US Class Current: 446/429
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/21 shaped as motorcycles with or without figures
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/262 Chassis; Wheel mountings; Wheels; Axles; Suspensions; Fitting body portions to chassis
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 29/24 Details or accessories for drive mechanisms, e.g. means for winding-up or starting toy engines

Abstract

Toy motorcycle play apparatus comprising a toy motorcycle having an energy-storing drive-train mechanism, and a launcher for imparting energy to the mechanism and then releasing the motorcycle for forward movement. The motorcycle comprises aligned rotatable front and rear ground-engaging wheels and an intermediate flywheel, all rotatable about horizontal transverse axes. The energy-storing drive-train mechanism is formed by the flywheel, one of the wheels, and a gear train between them which reduces speed and increases power and duration of rotation at that drive wheel. In operation, the motorcycle is powered by the flywheel, which also serves to maintain it upright by gyroscopic action as it moves forwardly. The launcher holds the motorcycle in the desired upright orientation with the drive wheel elevated so that it can rotate freely while energy is being stored in the flywheel. Then the motorcycle is released, the drive wheel is allowed to engage the launcher platform and propel the motorcycle forwardly. In a hand-powered version, a device such as a toothed rack may be pulled by the user to impart energy to the flywheel; then the user may selectively lower and release the motorcycle.

Claims

1. Toy vehicle play apparatus comprising:

(a) a wheeled toy vehicle having;

a frame,

connection means including a projection fixed on the frame, at each side of the toy vehicle, and

at least one ground-engaging drive wheel rotatably mounted on the frame;

(b) a launcher having;

a platform,

control means for releasably supporting and holding the vehicle on the platform with the drive wheel out of engagement with the platform so that the drive wheel can rotate freely, for imparting rotation to said drive wheel, and for releasing the vehicle and allowing the drive wheel to engage the platform to propel the vehicle forwardly,

the control means comprising fixed abutment means on the platform defining at least one forwardly facing reaction surface, the abutment means comprising a spaced-apart pair of abutment members each engageable with one of the projections of the vehicle connection means,

the control means further comprising generally vertically movable retaining means on the platform, at each side of the toy vehicle when the toy vehicle is held on the platform, for engaging the respective projections of the vehicle connection means to elevate the drive wheel out of engagement with the platform and to support and hold the vehicle while rotation is being imparted to the drive wheel,

said movable retaining means comprising a pair of fingers each aligned with one of said abutment members, each associated pair of said fingers and of said abutment members being arranged and configured to cooperatively support and hold one of said projections,

the control means also comprising hand-movable rotation-imparting means engageable with the vehicle energy-storing drive mechanism and operable to urge the toy vehicle rearwardly against the reaction surface while imparting rotation to said mechanism,

the movable retaining means being separately and selectively manually operable to disengage from the connection means on the vehicle and allow the rotating drive wheel to engage the platform for launching of the toy vehicle.

2. The play apparatus of claim 1 wherein said movable retaining means extend upwardly through an opening through said platform.

3. The play apparatus of claim 2 wherein retaining means are carried on an elongated arm movably mounted on the launcher.

4. The play apparatus of claim 3 wherein said arm is biased upwardly.

5. The play apparatus of claim 4 wherein said arm is pivotally mounted on said launcher.

6. The play apparatus of claim 1 wherein said hand movable rotation-imparting means is in the form of a hand-pullable separate member which engages with said energy-storing drive mechanism on the toy vehicle while energy is being transferred, and which then disengages from said mechanism.

7. The play apparatus of claim 6 wherein the launcher includes an enlarged portion extending to at least one side which the user can place his or her hand upon to stabilize the launcher when the separate member is pulled.

8. Toy motorcycle play apparatus comprising:

(a) a two-wheeled toy motorcycle having;

a frame, and dual connection means fixed on opposite sides of the frame and comprising an outwardly extending projection at each side of said motorcycle,

generally aligned rotatable front and rear ground-engaging wheels mounted on the frame and rotatable about generally horizontal transverse axes, one of the wheels being a drive wheel,

a flywheel intermediate to the wheels and also mounted on the frame and rotatable about a generally horizontal transverse axis,

the flywheel and the drive wheel being operatively coupled together by a gear train which reduces the speed and increases the power and duration of rotation of the drive wheel,

the flywheel, gear train and the drive wheel composing an energy-storing drive-train mechanism, and

the toy motorcycle, when in operation, being powered and gyroscopically balanced by the flywheel;

(b) a launcher having;

a platform,

control means for releasably supporting and holding the motorcycle on the platform in an upright forwardly aligned position with its drive wheel out of engagement with the platform so that the drive wheel can rotate freely, for imparting rotation to the flywheel, and for releasing the motorcycle and allowing the rotating drive wheel to engage the platform to propel the motorcycle forwardly,

the control means comprising a vertically manually movable section movable between an upper and a lower position,

the movable section comprising a pair of movable-section legs disposed at opposite sides of the motorcycle and engaging one of the projections respectively, when the motorcycle is mounted on the launcher and the movable sections are in the raised position,

the movable-section legs engaging, when in the upper position, the fixed connection means on the motorcycle frame so as to elevate the drive wheel out of engagement with the platform, and so as to maintain the motorcycle in its upright position and prevent its forward movement while rotation is being imparted to the flywheel, and

the movable section allowing, when moved toward its lower position, the motorcycle drive wheel to engage the platform and the motorcycle to move forwardly.

9. The play apparatus of claim 8 wherein:

each of said movable-section legs cooperates with a stationary support section of the control means to hold the motorcycle in place when the movable section is in its raised position, said stationary support sections being fixed mounted on said launcher.

10. The play apparatus of claim 9 wherein said projections are pivotally supported by said movable section legs.

11. The play apparatus of claim 10 wherein each of said movable-section legs extends upwardly through an opening in the platform.

12. The play apparatus of claim 11 wherein said movable-section legs are biased toward the upper position.

13. The play apparatus of claim 12 where said movable-section legs are coupled to a movable lever mounted on the frame, the lever having a manually graspable portion for moving the lever so as to move the movable-section legs away from the upper position.

14. The play apparatus of claim 9 wherein said controlling means comprise manually actuated rotation-imparting means in the form of a hand pullable separate member which engages with said energy-storing drive train mechanism on the toy motorcycle while energy is being transferred, and which then disengages from said mechanism.

15. The play apparatus of claim 14 wherein said pull member comprises an elongated toothed rack having an enlarged handle at its rear end, and said motorcycle is provided with guide means for receiving the rack in engagement with the motorcycle gear train for generally front-to-back longitudinal movement while meshed with said gear train.

16. The play apparatus of claim 15 wherein said gear train includes a gear coaxial with and fixed for common rotation with said motorcycle drive wheel, said gear being engagable with said rack.

17. The play apparatus of claim 8 wherein the launcher has a spaced-apart pair of side rails defining a launching ramp for the toy motorcycle.