Race track game

Discloses a race track game for toy racing vehicles having a planar and downwardly-sloped raceway having upstanding side walls comprising a first multiple-lane starting section having upstanding ribs defining equally spaced-apart lanes for the vehicles, a second funnel-shaped section converging from the first multiple-lane starting section to a third multiple-lane section having an upstanding rib defining equally spaced-apart lanes for the vehicles and a fourth funnel-shaped section converging from the third multiple-lane section to a fifth victory section.

This invention relates to a race track game which is structurally unique 
and unique in function, inclusive of which is the object of this invention 
and its contribution to the art, in that the excitement and continued 
interest which this race track game generates and sustains arises from the 
fact that the participants do not know from the start of the race whether 
any one of the vehicles will actually finish the race.

In FIG. 1 of the drawings, reference numeral 1 generally refers to the 
invention which has a planar raceway, footed at its terminal end by means 
of a transverse support 3 and downwardly sloped by means of vertical 
support 5 at its other remote end. 
The raceway has five sections. A first starting section consisting of four 
vehicle lanes, generally referred to by reference numeral 7 in FIG. 1, 
converges by means of a second funnel-shaped section, generally referred 
to by reference numeral 9 in FIG. 1, to a third two-lane section, 
generally referred to by reference numeral 11 in FIG. 1, converges by 
means of a fourth funnel-shaped section, generally referred to by 
reference numeral 13 in FIG. 1, to a fifth victory section, generally 
referred to by reference numeral 15 in FIG. 1. 
First starting section 7 has upstanding side walls 17 and three equally 
spaced upstanding ribs 19, thereby forming four equally spaced-apart 
vehicle lanes 21, 23, 25 and 27 and guide the vehicles therein. The 
terminal portions of ribs 19 are arcuately formed, as shown more 
discernably in FIG. 3 and as indicated by reference numeral 29. 
The second funnel-shaped section 9 has upstanding side walls 31 which 
converge, as shown, from the four-lane starting section 7 to the third 
two-lane section 11. 
The third two-lane section 11 has upstanding side walls 33 and an 
upstanding rib 35 equally spaced from side walls 33 to thereby form two 
equally spaced-apart vehicle lanes 37 and 39 and guide the vehicles 
therein. One end of rib 35 is tapered, as shown more discernably in FIG. 4 
and as indicated by reference numeral 41, and the other end of rib 35 is 
arcuately formed as indicated by reference numeral 43. The tapered end 41 
of rib 35 functions as a ramp such that if a vehicle hits same, such 
vehicle will flip over and possibly leave the raceway itself. 
The fourth funnel-shaped section 13 has upstanding side walls 45 which 
converge, as shown, from the two-lane section to the fifth victory section 
15. 
The fifth victory section 15 has upstanding side and bottom walls 47 and a 
checkered victory lane 49. 
Shown in FIG. 1 on the second funnel-shaped section 9 of the raceway are 
four simulated toy racing vehicles 51. 
The game can be played by using from two to four of the racing vehicles 51. 
The object of the game is for one of the vehicles 51 to win the race by 
entering the checkered victory lane 49 first. This may or may not happen. 
Each player disposes his respective vehicle in position at the top of one 
of the preselected lanes 21, 23, 25 or 27 for release upon signal. When 
released the vehicles will travel downwardly and accelerate in lanes 21, 
23, 25 and 27, respectively. When such vehicles enter the funnel-shaped 
section 9, the vehicles in the outer lanes 21 and 27 will be constrained 
and directed by side walls 31 toward the center of the funnel-shaped 
section 9. In such funnel-shaped section 9, the vehicles 51 will either 
collide with one another or continue on their way. Moreover, should a 
vehicle hit the tapered end 41 of rib 35, such vehicle will either flip 
over or, in so flipping over, leave the raceway itself thereat defined by 
the side walls 31 of funnel-shaped section 9. Vehicles remaining in the 
race will enter one or the other of vehicle lanes 37 and 39 and continue 
down same to the funnel-shaped section 13 whose side walls 45 will 
constrain and direct such vehicles toward the center and thereby toward 
the checkered victory lane 49 of victory section 15. Of course, any of the 
vehicles traveling at the same or approximate time down vehicle lanes 37 
and 39 of the two-lane section 11 have a good chance of collision when 
they enter funnel-shaped section 13. The excitement and continued 
interest, which this race track game generates and sustains, arises from 
the fact that no one knows whether his or any other vehicle will finish 
the race.