US1674275A - Contact mechanism for toy railroads - Google Patents

Description

June 19, 1928.

L. CARUSO CONTACT MECHANISM FOR TOY RAIILROADS Filed May 22, 1925 JL TL INVENTOR M ATTORNEY V erly Patented June 19, 1928.

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Louis oanoso, or invineron, NEW J'nnsnY, nssrenon rotrnn IJIONEL CORPORA- TION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEWYORK.

CONTACT MECHANISM FOR TOY RAILROADS.

Application filed May 22,

The present invention relates to contact mechanisms for toy railroads. and is more particularly directed toward aform of mechanism suitable for collecting the current from the third rail of a toy railroad track so as to supply propulsion current to the motors. I

According to the most approved form of construction used in toy railroads, there is considerable flexibility between the car wheels and the track in order to care for unevenness of track and to permit the cars to go through switches and cross overs and around curves at high speed. It is therefore desirable to have a contact mechanism carried by the car which can'readily accommodate itself to unevenness of track and the irregular movements of the car truck on the track, while crossing switches and taking curves, and the present invention aims to provide a contact mechanism which is propinsulated from the car truck and which is capable of adjusting itself to the varying conditions which may arise.

An object of the present invention is to provide a movable contact for these purposes and mounting means for the same, whereby it may be carried between the wheels of the toy railroad car truck so as to effectively collect the current from the third rail.

Another object of the invention is to provide a contact mechanism for these purposes which will be flexible to a limited-degree in any desired direction. 1

Other objects of the invention are to make up the mechanism for this type out of a simple stamping and parts which will be serviceable and not likely to get out of order.

The accompanying drawings show forpurposes of illustrating the invention one of the many possible embodiments in which the present invention may take form, it being understood that the drawings are'merely illustrative of the invention, rather than limiting the same.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a car truck mountedon toy track andcarrying the present form of contactmechanismr Fig. 2 is an end elevation takenin the-direction of the arrow 2 of Fig. 1, showing a fragment of the truck frame in section;

Fig. 3 1:53 a sectional. view taken on the line 1925. serial No. 32,091.

3-3 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction.

of the arrows Fig. 4 is aview similar to Fig. 3 showing the tilting of the contact mechanism when the car has been shifted tomove the flanges of the wheels against a track rail, as in going around a curve; v v i 1 i F igx. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view takenon the line 55 of Fig. I 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and V Fig. 6 is .a fragmentary sectional View taken on -the line 66 of Fig. 2.

As ordinarily constructed ;a toy railroad track is made up in sections, each of which includes two outside or traclrrails .10 and 11 and a centrally disposed insulated third rail 12. These rails'ar'e suitably-carried'on sheet metal sleepers 13. These sections are made up of either straight or curved track and are soarranged that any numberofsections can i be interconnected to provide tangents, -turn-' outs, switches, cross-overs-and the like, so as to imitate regular railroad construction. The inventionwill be more particularly described by reference to a structure-designed to operate on such track.

Atruck' frame which :may of a casting or stamping is shown at 14. This frame has dependingside members 15 and 1G 'in which the axles 17 andlS, carryingthe wheels 19,'are mounted. The contact mechanism is carried by the truck frame-between the wheels. As [here shown, the upper bridgingportion of the truck .frame .is

slotted at 20 and 21 to accommodate theupper ends 22 and 23iofa U-shaped sheet metal stamping 24. The-central part ofthis stampe ing, as shown at25, 'is preferably-made flat as indicatedand' integral prongs .26 are bent downwardly so as to engage and securely hold a sheet of insulating. material27 .un-derneath the same. This sheet of insulating material is notched at the ends as indicated at .28 and29 so as to provide "four outwardly extending projections 30, and a contact supporting stamping 31 is .movably amounted onithe sheetof insulation. i

As here shown, the sheet metal stamping 31 has two upwardlybent members-.32 and 33 whose upper ends areqbent inwardlyas shown at 34 and 35 to rest uponitheupper side of the insulating sheet27. The stampingalso'has two depending legs 36 :and 37 which support a contact, here strewn in the be in the form contact to collect the current required.

the car.

form of a contact roller 38 rotatably mounted therein. The sheet metal member. is drawn upwardly as indicated at 39 to provide a guide and support for a small expansion spring lO interposed between the insulating sheet and the body of the sheet metal stamping 31. A portion of the sheet metal stamping 31 is bent inwardly as indicated at 41 and a binding screw 42 is threaded into the same, so that one can attach a flexible lead wire {l3 to conduct the current from the contact mechanism to the motors or lights.

car is going around curves or when the 1 flanges of the car wheels have been brought against one of the rails, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the contact mechanism is moved to one side of the center of the third rail, and the mounting means for the contact permits it to tilt bodily as there indicated. This flexibility of the contact mounting provides that the full force of the spring will be utilized inpressingthe contact against the rail, and this therefore insures the making of a gofid T e prongs or projections 30 on the insulating sheet will prevent the sheet metal stamping from moving sidewise so as to slip out of place or come into contact with the running gear of the car. They will also limit the swinging movement "of the contact mechanism to such an extent as to prevent accidental contact which would short circuit It is obvious that the invention may be embodied in many forms and constructions and I wish it to'be understood that the particularform shown and described is butvone of the many forms. Various modifications and changes being possible,I do notin any Way limit myself with respect thereto. 'Iclaim:

1. In a third rail contact mechanism for toy cars, a contact roller, a sheet metal memher having depending'legs at the side supporting the roller, and upwardly bentmembers at the ends, the upper ends of the members being inwardly bent, and a binding screw carried bythe sheet metal member.

2. In a third rail contact mechanism for toy cars, a contact roller, asheet metal member having depending legs at the side supporting the roller, and upwardly bent members at the ends, the upper ends of the members being inwardly bent, a sheet of insulation carried underneath said inwardly bent ends, and an expansionspring interposed between the sheet of insulation and the sheet metal member.

3. In a third rail contact mechanism for toy cars, a contact roller, a sheet metal mem' her having depending legs at the side sup: porting the roller, and upwardly bent members at the ends, the upper ends of the members being inwardly bent, a sheet of insulation carried underneath said inwardly bent ends, and having projections engageable with the sides of the upwardly bent members, and an expansion spring interposed between the iheet of insulation and the sheet metal mem- 4. In a .third rail contact mechanism for toy cars, a contact roller, a sheet metal mem' her having depending legs at the side supporting the roller, and upwardly bent mem bers at the ends, the upper ends of'the members being inwardly bent, a sheet of insulation carried underneath said inwardly bent ends, an expansion spring interposed between the sheet of insulation and the sheet metal member. and means for fixedly supporting the insulation sheet from the truck.

5. A contact mechanism for'toy railroad cars, comprising a U-shaped strap mounted underneath the frame oflthe car, a sheet of insulation, prongs struck out from the strap and holding the insulation sheet'in place, a sheet metal member which passes upwardly through notches in the insulating sheet, the upper ends of said member being folded over to engage the upper surface of the insulating. sheet, the lower portions of said sheet metal member being bent downwardly to provide spaced bearings for a contact roller, a roller mounted therein, and a spring interposed be tween the sheet of insulation and the sheet metal member. i

6. A contact. mechanism for toy railroad cars, comprising a U--shaped strap mounted underneath the frame of the car, a sheet of insulation, prongs struck out from the strap and holding the insulation sheet in place, a sheet metal contact carrying member supported from the sheet of insulation for limited vertical movement and limited angular movement in two directions at right angles to one another, and a spring biasing said contact carrying member to apredetermined position. 1

Signed at Irvingtonin the county of Essex and State of New Jersey this 20th day of May, 1925. i

LOUIS CARUSO.

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