Steerable toy vehicle

• US 4,573,941 A
• Filed: 08/23/1984
• Issued: 03/04/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Buddy L Corporation
• Original Assignee: Buddy L Corporation
• Inventors: Holden, John, Colombrito, Sam, Jeffreys, Arthur H.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/643,394
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 446/451, 446/468, 446/465, 446/431, 446/437, 446/460, 446/454, 446/469
• US Class Current: 446/451
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/38 actuated by hand

Abstract

A four-wheeled toy vehicle provided with a driver'"'"'s cab and a steering post therebehind which extends above the body of the vehicle and makes it possible for a player to steer the vehicle from its exterior. Each front wheel has a short axle which extends transversely through a bearing that is pivotally supported on a vertical axis at right angles to the axle whereby the wheel is steerable. The steering post passes through the chassis and terminates in a crank at right angles to the post at the underside of the vehicle. The crank is pivotally connected to the leg of a T-shaped lever having arms extending outwardly from opposite sides of the leg, the lever fulcrum being at the junction of the leg and the arms whereby rotation of the crank in one direction by the steering post causes the arms to swing in the opposite direction. Each arm is pivotally connected to the bearing of a respective front wheel to effect steering thereof as the arms swing.

Claims

1. A steerable, four-wheeled toy vehicle comprising:

A. right and left front wheels and right and left rear wheels supported for rotation on the chassis of the vehicle;

B. a vertical steering post having a handle secured to the upper end thereof at a raised position with respect to the body of the vehicle so that it can be manipulated by a player, the post extending through the chassis and terminating in a crank at the underside of the vehicle at right angles to the post;

C. a T-shaped lever having a leg pivotally connected to the crank and right and left outstretched arms on either side of the leg, the fulcrum of the lever being at the junction of the leg and the arms, whereby when the crank is turned by the post in one direction, the arms of the lever are caused to swing in the opposite direction;

D. a bearing provided with axially extending end pivots for each of the front wheels for receiving a short wheel axle anchored in the hub of the related front wheel, the pivots of said bearings being journaled at fixed points on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, each for rotation about a respective vertical axis normal to the wheel axle, the bearing for the right front wheel being pivotally coupled to the right arm and the bearing for the left front wheel being pivotally coupled to the left arm of the lever, each bearing having a lateral lug with a slot therein which receives a pivot pin on the associated lever arm whereby when the steering post is turned by the handle, the front wheels are steered so that they both assume the same angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle but do not otherwise shift with respect to said fixed points;

E. A two-piece box secured to the underside of the vehicle and enclosing the crank, the lever and the pivoted couplings between the bearings and arms, said box defining the journals for the pivots of said bearings.

2. A vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein said vehicle has the appearance of a pick-up truck having a driver cab, said post being disposed behind said cab.

3. A vehicle as set forth in claim 2, wherein said handle is a handle bar having simulated light signals thereon.

4. A vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein said crank has a slot at its free end, and said leg has an end pin which is received in said slot.