Patent GB-943930-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to toy monorailways
IPC: A63H18/12
Filed: 1961-05-05
Abstract: 943,930. Toys. W. H. MULLER, [trading as SCHREYER & CO.]. May 5, 1961 [Nov. 11, 1960; March 9, 1961], No. 16419/61. Heading A6S. A toy monorailway has a vehicle 1 driven by an electric motor 5 and travelling on and partly embracing a guide rail 2 the motor drives through reduction gearing rubber or like wheels 7 which are disposed in front of and behing the motor and which rest on the rail, devices for current collection and for lateral guidance and maintenance of equilibrium being pivoted on the body of the vehicle. Driving mechanism.- The electric motor 5 drives a shaft with a worm 6a at each end meshing with a worm-wheel 6 and driving a toothed ring 8 secured to each driving wheel 7. Tracks.-The rail 2, made of synthetic plastics material, has three conducting wires 3, 4 fitted in grooves in the top and sides. The tracks consist of straight sections and sections curved in one direction which may be inverted for use as rails curving in the opposite direction. Sleeves 37 surrounding one end of the wires 3 connect with pins produced by extending the ends of wires on an adjacent rail section. A notch 38 on the sleeves limits the insertion. The wires 4 have a sleeve at each end into which connecting pins 40 are inserted. U-shaped clips may engage in holes in sections to join them together. The wires 3 and 4 may be selectively engaged to propel more than one vehicle or to operate control mechanism. The guide rail may comprise two sections with a central space 27 which houses current collectors 23 spring urged to contact a conductor rail 25. The collector is pivotally mounted on the chassis. Guiding and supporting means may also slide in the space 27. The rail may be elevated on supports engaging in holes provided in the tracks. Several supports may telescope one within the other and may be adjusted by a toothed rack. Switching mechanism.-A switch blade 18, Fig. 12, may be operated manually or by means of a motor 29 which drives a threaded sleeve 20, attached to the blade on a spindle 21. At each end of its travel the sleeve contacts a spring 19 to disengage the motor drive. By means of a switch the motor can be driven in the reverse direction by a contact established by the other spring. To prevent movement of the vehicle along the track, if the lines are misaligned the current is only supplied when the blade is in the correct position. To ensure this a conducting strip 32 connected to interrupted sections of the wires contacts the blade 18 only in the aligned position of the blade. Locomotives.-The vehicle 1 has pairs of guiding devices which slidably engage the sides of rail 2. The devices are suspended by means of a screw 10a which mounts a swivelling bolster part 10 of synthetic plastics. Two shafts 17 are suspended from each part 10 and may be pivotable outwardly to allow removal of the vehicle from the rail. The shafts carry current collectors 9, guide wheels 11 and electrical conductors 12. The current collectors may comprise spring tongues and act as lateral supports. Coupling devices.-In a three coach train the middle coach may have pivots for supporting it on the two end coaches which have accordion like parts which engage the middle coach allowing freedom to run round curves.