US1415753A - Toy railroad-gate set - Google Patents

Description

C. W. Wl-RTH.

TOY RAILROAD GATE SET. APPucATloN FILED sEPT.1o, 1920.

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Patented May 9, 1922.

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*o Nn 0.2 ww Q in iu ATTOR N EY C. W. WIRTH.

TOY RAILROAD GATE SET* APPLICATION man SEPT. 10. 1920.

Patented May 9', 1922-.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Ua/fles WWL'TL INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEY ed at its ends to links 34. A link rod 35 is pivot-ally connected to the end of one of the links 34 and is in `turn secured to the crosspiece 31. The rod 35 has considerable length, extending parallel with the track two feet or more. The extremity of the rod 35 is bent at right angles, as indicated at 36, and is joined to a pair of flanges 40 provided on a slide 39. The slide moves in a guideway 38 provided on a plate 37 which may form an extension of the base or may be secured to the track, lioor or other support. A pin 41 passes between the flanges 40, and a fla-t spring 42 is secured at one end to the slide 39 vand extends underneath the end 36 of the rod 35. The opposite end: of the spring 42 presses upon one arm of a trip 43, pivoted, as at 45, to swing between the flanges 40. The spring 42 tends to hold the other arm of the trip in a-vertical positiomas shown in Fig. 5. This last-mentioned arm has a right-angular extension 44 providing convenient means which a lug orprojection on the engine may strike.

A'trip entirely analogous to the one shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, is provided at the opposite end of the base 10, with the trip guided by the slot 13 and slidable the length thereof. The first-described trip is designed to make the gates lower simultaneously in advance kof the passage `of the train over the toy set. The trip, which is movable in the slot 13, is designed to be engaged byr a. lug or projection on the last car of the toy train, whereby the gates will be raised only after the train has passed completely over the set. The direction in which the train must travel relativeto the 'device of the invention is indeated by the arrowhead in Fig. 1.

When either extension arm 44 is struck, the trip 43 will slide in its guideway and thus pull the respective links 34, afterwards bending and giving way. The two links 34, being joined together and being connected to the cross-piece 31, it will be clear that movement of either trip will cause sliding of the cross-piece 31 longitudinally of the base 10, thus effecting simultaneous longitudinal sliding of the rods 29. Movement of the rods 29 will cause the weights 26 to move to one end or the other of the platforms 23. The housings for the raised portions 18 of the base 10 will. provide room for sliding of the weights 26 in the base and along the'platform.

`As will be noted from Fig. 3, the disposition of the crank arms 21, links 22, and platforms 23, is such that when the sliding weights 26 move as a pair to the left, as viewed in this ligure, the gates 14 will rise, while if the weights are slid to the right, the gates will simultaneously fall until they assume the position illustrated in Fig. 2.

The device is adapted to provide much entertainment for children, is designed so as to aid in making an effective window display by dealers in electrical toys, and has a mechanism which, because of its extreme simplicity, is not likely to get out of order. Other railroad gates are operated by hydraulic or air pressure, or even by electrical power, and are expensive to build, besides being liable to get out of order. The provision of sliding weights on a swinging platform, as in the present invention, makes the set easy to build and simple to repair.

llllliat is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, a gate mounted to swing on a horizontal axis, a pivoted platform connected to the gate so that the gate and platform swing together, said platform having guiding means, a weight slidable on the platform and guided by said means, and mechanism .for .shifting the position of the weight.

2. ln a device of the class described, a gate mounted to swing about a horizontal axis, and means for causing said swinging, said means including a pivoted platform, a weight slidable on the platform to either side of the pivot thereof, means connected to the weight for effecting sliding of the same, and means joining the platform to the gate so that the latter swings synchronously with the platform.

3. ln a device of the class described, a pair of gates mounted to swing about horizontal axes, the two gates extending in opposite directions toward each other. a supporting rod secured to each gate, a pivoted platform for each gate, a link and crank connection between one end of each platform and the respective gate supporting rod, a weight slidable on each platform, the two platforms always having the same inclination, means connecting the two weights together, and means whereby the weights are slid.

4. In a device of the class described, pairs of gates oppositely mounted to swing on horizontal axes, a swingably mounted platform beneath each gate, mechanism connecting each platform with its gate whereby a relatively small swinging of the former causes a swing of the latter through an are of at least ninety degrees, and means for simultaneously shifting the center of balance of the platforms whereby all the gates rise and fall together.

5. In a device of the class described, a gate mounted to swing on a horizontal axis, a pivoted platform located near the gate and. connected thereto so that the gate and platform must swing together, said platform having guiding flanges upstanding from its longitudinal edge, a weight slidable on the platform between the flanges, and mechanism for shifting the positions of the weight.

6. ln a device of the class described, pairs ofgates oppositely mounted to swing on a .horizontal axis, the gates of each pair eX- the weights on the platforms of each pair of gates, and means connecting the rods ton gether so that the WeiUhts all move together.

ln testimony, that claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aliixed my signa` ture.

CHARLES WILLIAM WIRTH.

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