Patent GB-963063-A (GB)
Title: Toy railway system
IPC: A63H19/32
Filed: 1960-08-19
Abstract: 963,063. Toys. LOUIS MARX & CO. Ltd. Aug. 19, 1960 [May 31, 1960], No. 28873/60. Heading A6S. A toy railway system comprises a main line, a siding, a track switch for connecting the siding into the main line, a train including a locomotive having a reversing means, a buffer rod for operating the reversing means, a trip on the main line for engaging the buffer rod to reverse the locomotive so that it backs the train into the siding, and means at the end of the siding for again moving the buffer rod and reversing the locomotive so that it runs from the siding on to the main line. The train travels along a track with two sidings 1, 2 and a main line trip 36 which is manually operated to raised position to contact the train which reverses along the siding 1, where car 31 uncouples, the train then runs along the main track where the trip 36 again reverses the train along the siding 2 where the car 32 uncouples. The operation is repeated, recoupling the cars in sequence. A barrel may be automatically loaded on a car when in one or both sidings. The locomotive has a battery operated motor controlled by a buffer-operated reversing switch. An enlargement 64 at the front of the locomotive strikes the trip 36 and moves a buffer rod 58 and projection 54 of a sliding element of the switch to reverse the motor. At the end of the siding a car buffer 114 strikes a stop 120 and moves aligned rods to reverse the motor. Points mechanism. The sidings have pivoted flags 121, 122 yieldably biased to the siding and main line respectively. The frog 122 is connected by a linkage and reversing lever 182 to upright posts 161, 162, which co-operate with a cam 166 on the locomotive. As the train enters siding 1 the posts move downwardly beneath the cam and after reversing are moved outwardly by the cam in a slot in the switch base 16, biasing the frog 122 to the siding 2. A spring 186 retains the linkage in position until the other post is similarly moved outwardly. A switchman may pivot with the frogs by engaging a pinion 192 on the base of the switchman with a toothed section on the direction reversing lever 182. Coupling mechanism. The cars have a coupler 70 with a dependent coupling pin 72 which engages a coupler 92, 74 on another car or locomotive respectively. The couplers 92, 74 comprise a hook pivoted for lateral movement with a downwardly inclined end carrying a finger 100, 76. The finger is deflected, when the locomotive is pushing, into contact with one side of a ramp 110 on the track to uncoupling position. A spring 86 urges the coupler 92, 74 to central position, the rounded head of the coupling pin 72 rides over the inclined end of the coupler 92 and engages the hook coupling, the two cars or a car and locomotive together. The finger may depend from the coupler 70. To load a barrel on a car at the end of the siding 2 the car strikes the lower end of a pivoted lever 210 supporting a barrel lifter 206 which releases the foremost barrel in a trough 202 from fixed stops 203 and obstructs the next barrel. The car passes beneath the lower edge of the lever and as it advances again engages the edge and pivots the lifter to its original position where the stops 203 retain the foremost barrel. A pedestal 200 supports the barrel trough and retains the stop 120.