Toy train box car

• US 6,554,681 B1
• Filed: 08/28/2002
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert F. Tammera
• Original Assignee: Robert F. Tammera
• Inventors: Tammera, Robert F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Banks, Derris H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABDELWAHED, ALI F
• Application Number:
  US10/229,975
• Time in Patent Office: 244 Days
• Field of Search: 446/288, 446/427, 446/428, 446/467
• US Class Current: 446/288
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 19/14 Arrangements for imitating locomotive features, e.g. whistling, signalling, puffing
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 19/15 Special types of cars
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/3044 Loading stations, e.g. with conveyors, elevators, cranes cranes, winches or the like per se A63H17/12

Abstract

A toy train box car includes an electrically operated miniature motor and gear drive which initially actuates a shuttle mechanism to open a sliding door and cause cargo items to be moved from a storage bin for loading onto a hand cart. As the door opens, a cold mist generator is energized to simulate cargo being unloaded from a refrigerated box car. The shuttle mechanism includes a rack and pinion which moves a figure pushing the hand cart out of the fully open door and an ejector arm offloads the cargo items onto an external loading ramp. The operating cycle then returns the hand cart into the car to receive another cargo item when the door is fully closed. The cycle is then completed and the motor inactivated until a new cycle is initiated.

Claims

1. A toy train box car comprising:

a base,

an outer shell having side and end walls and a roof mounted on said base, a front side wall of said shell including a front side door slidable between closed and open positions,

electrically operated drive means mounted on said base within said shell, control means connecting said drive means to an electrical power source to activate said drive means,

a shuttle mechanism within said shell driven by said drive means to initially open said side door and then return said door to said closed position,

a cargo bin mounted on said base within said shell, said cargo bin including a storage enclosure and cargo items held within said enclosure,

a movable cart receiving cargo items from said enclosure in an inner position when said door is closed and moving said items out of said door in an outer position when said door is open,

said shuttle mechanism including means to move said cart between said positions and means for loading said cargo items onto said cart when said door is closed, and means coupled to said shuttle mechanism for offloading said cargo items from said cart when said front side door is open, said drive means causing said shuttle mechanism to return said cart to said inner position when closing said door and to deactivate said control means.

2. The toy train box car of claim 1 wherein said drive means includes an electrical motor, a drive gear assembly and a main drive gear having a pin extending from an upper surface area, said shuttle mechanism extending along and slidable on said base and having a lateral slot in an upper section engaging said pin, rotation of said main gear moving said pin back and forth within said slot causing longitudinal movement of said shuttle mechanism outwardly from and returning inwardly toward said drive means, said shuttle mechanism having a notch in an upper side edge engageable with said side door for opening and closing said door.

3. The toy train box car of claim 2 wherein said control means includes a switch activating said motor and rotation of said main gear for one cycle of operation causing movement of said pin and shuttle mechanism, return movement of said shuttle mechanism deactivating said switch and motor.

4. The toy train box car of claim 3 wherein said shuttle mechanism includes a rack positioned on said base and moveable longitudinally with said shuttle mechanism, and a pinion gear coupled to said rack and rotatable in an arc, said cart having a link connected to said pinion gear and being movable therewith in an arc between said inner and outer positions, and an ejector arm having one end pivotally connected to said pinion gear and the other end overlying a surface of said cart and holding said cargo items, said ejector arm being movable with said cart and pivoting to offload said cargo items when said door is open and returning with said cart when said door is closed.

5. The toy train box car of claim 4 wherein said shuttle mechanism includes a shuttle index providing an inner lower platform supporting said cargo items within said storage enclosure, movement of said shuttle index away from said storage enclosure during the opening of said side door causing one cargo item to drop downward onto a lower surface of said storage enclosure, return movement of said shuttle index, when said door is closed causing said cart to return to said inner position to receive said one cargo item from said enclosure, and return movement of said shuttle index into said enclosure pushing said one cargo item onto said cart and providing support for remaining cargo items in said enclosure.

6. The toy train box car of claim 5 wherein said cart inner position is along a side of said enclosure, said enclosure having a lower side opening adjacent said cart, said cargo bin including a trough along an opposing side of said enclosure, said shuttle index being mounted on wheels and slidable along said trough for movement into and out of said enclosure for loading said cargo items onto said cart.

7. The toy train box car of claim 6 wherein said storage enclosure includes a rear pivotable door operable manually, said pivotable door having an open position for manually inserting cargo items into said enclosure, said items being vertically stacked and supported on said shuttle index lower platform for loading onto said cart, said pivotable door having a closed position for retaining said items in said enclosure.

8. The toy train box car of claim 7 wherein said cart includes a figure of a load handler standing on a rear of said cart with arms outstretched to appear to be pushing said cart.

9. The toy train box car of claim 8 wherein a second standing figure is secured inside an opening edge of said front side door to appear to be pushing said front side door.

10. The toy train box car of claim 9 wherein an outer shell rear side wall includes a rear side door manually slidable between closed and open positions, said rear door providing access to said storage enclosure pivotable door for inserting said cargo items therein.

11. The toy train box car of claim 10 including a cold mist generator positioned within said shell adjacent said rear side door, said mist generator being connected to said electrical power source for actuation by said control means switch, said mist generator containing a manually inserted smoke fluid generating mist upon actuation, an upper section of said shuttle mechanism positioned above said mist generator deflecting said mist out of said front side door upon opening thereof simulating an appearance of a refrigerated box car, and including a miniature light bulb activated by said switch for illuminating said mist.

12. The toy train box car of claim 1 wherein said shell and base are mounted on wheels, and toy train tracks engaging said wheels.

13. The toy train box car of claim 12 including a ramp positioned alongside said tracks for receiving said cargo items offloaded from said cart when said front side door is open.

14. The toy train box car of claim 1 wherein said outer shell, shuttle mechanism, cargo bin and cart are manually removable from said base and manually reassembleable.

15. The toy train box car of claim 14 wherein said cargo bin includes a screw securing said cargo bin to said base.