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.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention concerns a toy train box car having an operating mechanism for opening a door and unloading cargo. A sliding door is opened to permit discharge of items received from an internal cargo bin onto a handcart which is rotated out of the door and offloaded onto an external ramp. The handcart is returned and the door is closed to prepare for a repeat of the cycle to unload additional cargo items. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Previous devices for simulating a train car having the capability for opening a door and having a mechanism extending from the door to retrieve or deliver an item such as a mailbag include U.S. Pat. No. 2,260,460 to Klingebiel which utilizes springs and solenoids to control a bag catcher. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,634,551 to Smith relates to a toy train car storing round objects for delivery onto an unloading platform. An electromagnetic mechanism releases one article at a time onto a hand truck which shifts from the inside of the car to an edge. The hand truck has a moveable wall which is released when passing beyond the car edge so that the article rolls away from the car down the wall onto the unloading platform. Upon deenergization of the magnet, a spring returns the truck with the wall elevated into the car for release of the next item. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,813,648 to Pettit shows a toy train car which carries toy barrels to be discharged by a remote control device. A longitudinally sloping electromagnetically operated vibratory ramp shifts the barrels for ejection onto the ramp. A lockable cam controls the release of one barrel at a time. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,214,864 to Herman illustrates a toy figure on a train car simulating a baggage man moving a loaded hand truck out to a platform alongside the car. A ramp moves from an upright position when the figure is inside the car to a horizontal position when the figure and hand truck are outside the car. A solenoid, plunger and crank mechanism control movement of the figure and hand truck. 
     While these prior art devices show various mechanisms for simulating the unloading of cargo items from a toy train car onto an external ramp, none of these utilize a motor and gear drive to operate a sliding door of a toy box car or an internal cargo bin to discharge items onto a hand cart which is rotated out of the door with an ejector arm to off load the cargo onto the ramp. There also is no other device which returns the hand cart while closing the door to receive other items from the bin for another loading cycle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide a novel mechanism for simulating the unloading of cargo items from a toy train box car. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a unique mechanism for opening and closing a sliding door of a toy train box car. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide an internal cargo bin which stores items to be loaded onto a hand cart. 
     It is an additional object of the invention to provide a mechanism for loading the cargo items onto the hand cart. 
     Yet another object is to provide a mechanism for moving the hand cart out onto the loading ramp. 
     It is also an object of the invention to provide a mechanism for ejecting a cargo item from the hand cart onto the loading ramp. 
     A still further object is to provide a return mechanism for the hand cart upon closing of the door to receive another cargo item for the next unloading cycle. 
     An additional object is to provide a device for generating a cold mist to simulate unloading of cargo from a refrigerated box car upon opening of the car door. 
     These objects are achieved with a unique system including a push button control activating a microswitch and motor gear drive mechanism which moves a shuttle structure to open a sliding door and initiate transfer of cargo items from a storage bin for loading onto a hand cart. The shuttle drives a rack and pinion to move the hand cart out of the door and an ejector arm off loads the cargo item onto the external loading ramp. The cold mist generator operates in synchronism with the door opening for simulating cargo unloading from a refrigerated box car. The hand cart is returned into the car for receipt of another cargo item when the door is closed until activation of another operating cycle. Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the toy train box car with the sliding door closed and positioned on tracks alongside a ramp and platform for unloading cargo items. 
     FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the box car with the door open, a figure of an attendant holding the door open, and a second figure pushing a loaded hand cart out of the door onto the ramp. 
     FIG.  2 ( a ) is a partial view of the open door with a simulated cold mist drifting out to appear as a refrigerated box car. 
     FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the internal components of the box car with the outer shell and door removed and in an initial operating position before actuating the door opening mechanism. 
     FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the internal components as shown in FIG. 3 in an initial position with the outer shell removed. 
     FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of the internal components in the operating position with the outer door fully open. 
     FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of the internal components as shown in FIG. 5 with the door open. 
     FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of the shuttle structure operated by the drive motor and gearing to move back and forth controlling the operation of the door and various cargo and hand cart movements. 
     FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of the cargo bin which holds and releases cargo items onto the hand cart. 
     FIGS. 9 a, b , and  c  schematically illustrate movement of cargo items from the cargo bin onto the hand cart as controlled by movements of the shuttle. 
     FIGS. 10 a, b , and  c  schematically illustrate movement of the hand cart and ejector arm in offloading the cargo items under the control of a rack and pinion mechanism. 
     FIG. 11 illustrates a cylindrical cold mist generator and light bulb simulating and illuminating the unloading of cargo items from a refrigerated box car. 
     FIG. 12 illustrates exploded sectional views of the various internal mechanisms and assembled components of the cargo unloading system including the shuttle drive, cargo bin and hand cart in a position with the door fully open. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As shown in FIG. 1, a toy train box car  10  is positioned on track  12  alongside a loading ramp  14  and platform  16 . A sliding door  18  along one side facing the ramp is in a closed position. FIG. 2 shows the box car with the door  18  open, an attendant  20  holding and riding on the door and a load handler FIG. 22 pushing a hand cart  24 , with a load  26  delivered onto the ramp  14 . FIG.  2 ( a ) shows a simulated cold mist  27  which drifts out of the door when opened to give the appearance of a refrigerated box car. This is achieved with a few drops of smoke fluid inserted into a mist generator  28  shown in FIGS. 4 and 11. 
     As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 in front and rear views, the outer shell of the car  10  with door  18  lifted and removed to expose the internal components in an initial inactive position with the door closed as in FIG. 1 prior to actuating the door opening mechanism. As shown in FIG. 12, a push button control  29  connected to a power source, closes a microswitch and lever  30  to actuate a 3 volt, direct current motor  31  and gear reduction drive  32 , shown in FIG. 4, which operate a pinion drive gear  34  and main drive gear  36 . A vertical pin  38 , shown more clearly in FIG. 12, projecting from gear  36 , engages a lateral slot  40  in an upper section of a shuttle structure  42 , shown further in FIGS. 7 and 12. Counterclockwise rotation the drive gear and pin moving down the slot from a starting central position drive the shuttle outwardly along a base plate  43  toward the other end. Door  18  includes an inner projection, not shown, which engages a notch  44  in an upper side edge of the shuttle causing the door to slide open with the movement of the shuttle. 
     FIG. 4 shows the rear view of the components before activating the motor with the load handler  22  ready to push the hand cart  24  out of the door. The mist generator  28  and a light bulb  46  are connected to the voltage source to be actuated by the microswitch  30  in synchronism with the opening of door  18 . A horizontal portion  47  of the shuttle acts as a deflector to direct the mist downward and out of the door. 
     A cargo storage bin  48 , shown in further detail in FIGS. 8 and 12, holds the load items  26  to be released through a lower bin opening  49  onto the hand cart  24  after completion of an operating cycle to be ready for unloading and delivery onto the loading ramp  14  upon the next door opening. A pivotable rear door  50  encloses a portion of the cargo bin. In order to place the load items into the rear of the storage bin, the operator lowers the rear door and the items are vertically stacked in the bin by hand. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 12, a shuttle index section  52  provides a base for the load items and moves along a trough  54  at the end of the bin. The closed rear door retains the cargo. Each time the front delivery door  18  is opened, one load item moved during the previous closing cycle onto the hand cart by the shuttle index is pushed out onto the ramp  14 . As the index then moves away in the opening cycle another item drops into position for the next operation. The shuttle index  52  is guided on roller wheels  55  within trough  54 . A fastener  57  in the trough secures the cargo bin structure to the base  43 . 
     FIG. 5 is a front view of the internal components with the door  18  in a fully open position. Drive gear  36  has moved halfway through a complete opening and closing cycle with pin  38  driving shuttle  42  to the far end. At this point load handler  22  has pushed the hand cart  24  with load  26  out of the open door  18 , as shown in FIG. 2, ready to be unloaded onto ramp  14 . FIG. 6 shows the rear view of these components and the load handler extending out of the opposite side opening. 
     As shown in FIGS. 7,  10   a, b  and  c , and FIG. 12, the movement of the hand cart  24  and load  26  are controlled by a rack  56  secured to an inner bottom wall section of shuttle  42 . A pinion gear arc  58  is positioned on the base  43  and meshes with rack  56  to move in synchronism with the shuttle. The inner end of the hand cart is connected by a link  60  to an inner end  62  of the pinion gear and moves outward in an arc as the shuttle advances the rack  56  and turns pinion  58 . An ejector arm  64  having a flat outer end positioned on the platform of the hand cart is pivotally linked at the other end to the inner end  62  of the pinion gear  58  and moves with the hand cart, as shown in FIG.  10 ( b ). The final movement of the hand cart onto the loading ramp is limited by the position of the rack while the ejector arm continues to pivot beyond the end of the cart as in FIG.  10 ( c ) to push the load off onto the ramp  14 . A tab or stop  66  secured on base  43  limits outer movement of the ejector arm. In the return cycle when the shuttle moves back to close the car door  18 , the rack  56  moves the pinion gear  58  in the opposite direction to return the ejector arm and hand cart to the original position as in FIG.  10 ( a ). Another fixed tab or stop  68  locks the ejector arm in that position until the next cycle of operation. 
     The complete sequence of loading the load items  26  from the storage bin  48  onto the hand cart  24  is illustrated in FIGS. 9 a, b  and  c . In the initial inactive condition shown in  9 ( a ) with the car door  18  in a closed position, the load items  26  are stacked vertically in the bin  48  supported by the shuttle index section  52 . Hand cart  24  holds a previously released item. Upon actuation of the drive motor and gear to move the shuttle and open the door  18  as in  9 ( b ), the index section  52  moves away to release the lower load item  26  onto a bottom support area  70  while the hand cart  24  has moved the previous item out of the door. When the shuttle index and hand cart return during the door closing operation as in  9 ( c ), the index pushes the next load item onto the hand cart ready for the next cycle of operation. 
     The entire sequence of operation of the various mechanisms can be described in connection with the components shown in FIG. 12 in a mid cycle position with the door fully open. One complete cycle of operations is initiated by pressing push button  29  to close micro-switch and lever  30  which applies direct current to drive motor  31 . The motor operates a pinion drive gear  34  and main drive gear  36 . A vertical pin  38  projecting from gear  36  engages a lateral slot  40  in the closer end of the shuttle structure  42  which initially would be positioned over the pinion gear  34  prior to opening door  18 . Counterclockwise rotation of the drive gear causes pin  38  to move downward from a center position in slot  40  which drives shuttle  42  in a linear direction outwardly toward the other end. This movement initiates the opening of door  18  and the operation of the cold mist generator  28  and bulb  46 . Shuttle index  52  moves away to drop a load item  26  onto the bottom of cargo bin  48 , the hand cart  24  moves out of the open door with a previously loaded item as rack  56  drives pinion gear  58 . After one half cycle of a complete revolution of drive gear  36 , pin  38  will have traveled down to the end of slot  40  and then back up to the midpoint of the slot as shown in FIG.  12 . Door  18  is now in a fully open position as in FIGS. 2 and 5 with the shuttle having reached its limit of movement. At this point the ejector arm  64  will have pivoted outwardly to push the load off hand cart  24  onto loading ramp  14 . 
     On the return half cycle of the complete counterclockwise revolution of drive gear  36 , pin  38  continues to travel up to the other end of slot  40  and then back down to the mid starting point. During this portion, the door  18  is closed, the hand cart  24  and ejector arm  64  are returned to their original starting positions, shuttle  42  moves back to its original position and shuttle index  52  pushes the next load item onto the hand cart for the next cycle of operation. Finally the shuttle engages the microswitch and lever arm  30  to open the circuit to the power source and stop drive motor  31 . The mechanism thus operates unattended for one complete cycle of a 360 degree rotation of the drive gear with the system automatically shut down until another cycle is initiated by again pressing the push button control. 
     As shown in various figures, the major component parts such as the outer car shell, the shuttle, the cargo bin and hand cart are readily removable manually and easily reassembled, with only one screw securing the cargo bin to the base plate. The drive motor and gearing are more permanently secured. 
     While only a single embodiment has been illustrated and described, variations may be made in the particular components and mechanisms without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.