Patent GB-1318172-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for counting the passes of toy vehicles
IPC: A63H18/14
Filed: 1971-04-19
Abstract: 1318172 Toy counters for vehicles MATTEL Inc 19 April 1971 [10 Dec 1970] 22564/71 Heading A6S Apparatus for counting the number of times toy vehicles pass comprises counters each having an indicator and a trip to operate the indicator, and a toy vehicle track with a pair of side rails forming a wide track region connected by a funnel region to a narrow track region, the trips being disposed at different lateral positions along the narrow track region. As shown, closed track toy vehicle apparatus along which toy cars 42, &c, Fig. 2, may race includes a counter assembly 10 in which separate counters are individually actuated by one only of the racing cars as they pass, to indicate the number of laps completed by each car, the counter assembly being preceeded by a funnel region 26 having a resilient wall section 120, &c. which so operates that if two cars approach side-by-side, the one adjacent the resilient wall section is braked, allowing the other to proceed and thus preventing jamming- up of the counters. In one form, the counters each comprise a wheel 14, Fig. 5, bearing numbers such as 1-20 on their top surfaces, presented one at a time to view through a window 52 in the top of the counting apparatus 10. Each counter wheel 14 has detent teeth 62 and is biassed to rotate by a spring 56, teeth 74, 76 on an escapement mechanism engaged with the detent teeth holding the counter wheel. Each escapement 58 is journalled on trunnions 66, 68 (see also Fig. 4) and carries a trip 34, &c. located just above the car track. Each toy car 32, &c carries at its rear an upwardly extending trip contact 50 (see Figs. 2 and 8A) for engagement with one of the trips 34, &c. as the car passes through the counter 10. The trip contact 50 is mounted on an assembly 90 attached to the rear of the associated car 32, &c. and is hand-adjustable between locking posts 100 so as to align with one only of the trips 34, &c. in the counter 10. As the car passes through the counter 10, its trip contact 50 acts through the trip 34, &c. to tilt the escapement 58, so that the tooth 74 is released from, and the tooth 76 engaged with, the counter wheel 14. When the car has passed, the escapement 58 is spring-returned to its initial position, and the counter wheel (4) has turned to indicate the car has passed. In a modification, a set of chequered flags (140), &c. Figs. 9, 10 (not shown), on spring supports, so coact with the counter wheels that one flag snaps-up above the counter 10 to indicate that a race has finished and which car has won. In another form, the counter comprises four tapes 160, Fig. 11, drawn from feed spools 168 onto spring-biassed take-up spools 170 beneath windows 172 so as to show numbers printed upon them. The tapes 160 are perforated and engaged by trips 178 released as the associated car passes, to allow the tape concerned to move one step forward. The trips 178 are pivoted and raised by the passing cars, Figs. 12-17 (not shown). The resilient wall 120, Fig. 2, to prevent jamming-up of two cars 44, 46 travelling sideby-side as they approach the counter 10 through the funnel region 26, is secured at one end 122 to the track and is backed by a fixed wall 124 to limit its deflection. High friction material 128 on the resilient wall 120 slows the car 46 engaged by it, and a stop 126 may arrest the car completely. When the parallel-running car 44 has passed, the resilient wall 120 slides the car 46 clear of the stop 126, so that it may proceed.