US3411783A - Helical loop racing track assembly - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 19, 1968 c. T. MONTAGNA HELICAL LOOP RACING TRACK ASSEMBLY Original Filed Oct. 23, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. (P/4215s 7. Mwvmewn Nov. 19, 1968 c. T. MONTAGNA HELICAL LOOP RACING TRACK ASSEMBLY Original Filed Oct. 23, 1964 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 RNVENTOR (x/4245s z/lmvroglvn ATTORNEYS Nov. 19, 1968 c. T. MONTAGNA HELICAL LOOP RACING TRACK ASSEMBLY 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Oct. 23, 1964 INVENTOR 620M155 KMu/vms/m BY ykwaymz ATTORNEYS QQQ u a r C. T. MONTAGNA HELICAL LOOP RACING TRACK ASSEMBLY Nov. 19, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Oct. 23, 1964 mvsm'on 61122455 7: Mas/705W ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,411,783 HELICAL LOOP RACING TRACK ASSEMBLY Charles T. Montagna, Clark, N.J., assignor to The Lionel Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Continuation of application Ser. No. 406,060, Oct. 23, 1964. This application Mar. 8, 1967, Ser. N0. 621,708 Claims. (Cl. 273-86) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A miniature racing track assembly for electrically operated toy vehicles including a pair of side by side tracks each of which has first and second portions in longitudinal alignment and in the same horizontal plane. A Y-shaped member connects the respective first and second portions with the end portions of helically shaped track loops.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 406,060, filed Oct. 23, 1964, and now abandoned.

The present invention relates to structures which are adapted to be used with toy vehicles.

In particular, the present invention relates to a structure for enabling toy vehicles to perform looping maneuvers.

Structures are already known for enabling toy cars to be raced against each other, the outcome of the race depending upon the skill with which the various participants operate the toy cars. Such toy cars are capable of being electrically driven, and the several operators of the cars are required to manipulate electrical controls for varying the speeds with which the toy cars move through various curved and straight portions of toy track assemblies, so that in this way the skill with which the operators manipulate the electrical controls determines the outcome of the race.

Up to the present time racing toys of this general type have been limited to more or less horizontal maneuvers for the racing cars, and this restriction has provided a serious limitation on the extent of possible enjoyment of the toy as well as on the extent of skill which must be employed by the various participants who manipulate the electrical controls.

It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide a racing toy of the above type which will provide far greater excitement for the participants who manipulate the controls, by causing the vehicles to execute looping maneuvers, so that far greater skill will be required on the part of the operators of the game and thus a considerably greater amount of interest and excitement will be achieved with the structure of the invention.

In particular, it is an object of the invention to provide for a toy racing car an upstanding loop assembly which will make it possible for the toy racing car when properly controlled by the operator, to carry out a faultless vertical looping maneuver during which the toy racing car moves from a substantially upright attitude upwardly through a looping path requiring the toy car to pass through a completely inverted attitude before resuming its upright attitude.

In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide an upstanding looping assembly of the above type for electrically driven toy racing cars.

Also, it is an object of the invention to provide a structure enabling upstanding looping assemblies of the above type to be incorporated into existing track structures in such a manner that the upstanding loop assemblies will merge smoothly into track assemblies which 3,411 ,783 Patented Nov. 19, 1968 "ice are substantially horizontal during use of the structure.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide an upstanding looping structure which will have a very smooth curve and which will be able to very reliably maintain its looped configuration during use of the toy.

In addition, it is an object of the invention to provide a loop assembly of the above type which is quite inexpensive to manufacture and which can be very easily assembled with existing track structures.

Primarily the structure of the invention includes an intermediate track support adapted to be situated between a pair of convenional track assemblies and having a substantially Y-shaped configuration so as to form a Y- section. A leg of the Y-section forms an extension of one track section and the arms of the Y-section terminating at their outer extremities in lateral projections which are adapted respectively to form extensions of a pair of additional track sections. In accordance with the invention each of these arms of the Y-section carries an upstanding loop assembly of the present invention, this loop assembly having a pair of bottom end portions located respectively at the extremity of the arm of the Y-section and at the lateral projection thereof, and the loop assembly extends from the extremity of the arm upwardly around through an inverted position and back down to the lateral projection of the arm, this loop assembly forming an extension of the conventional track structure so that a racing car, for example, can move onto the loop assembly at one end thereof, upwardly around the loop assembly through an inverted attitude and back down to the other end of the looping assembly and onto the adjoining track structure which forms an extension thereof.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings which form part of the application and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of one possible embodiment of a structure according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view on an enlarged scale, as compared to FIG. 1, showing the structure at the end of one of the arms of the Ysection, and in particular showing how the ends of the loop assembly are fastened thereto;

FIG. 3 is a transverse section of the structure of the invention, taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the structure shown in FIG. 2, taken along the line 44 of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the structure of FIG. 2 taken along the line of 5-5 of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is a partly sectional transverse elevation of a fastening means of the invention, the section of FIG. 6 being taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 7 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal section of the structure of FIG. 6 taken along the line 77 of FIG. 6 in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 8 is a transverse section taken along the line 88 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows, illustrating part of a loop assembly of the invention, and in particular illustrating diagrammatically how the racing cars are pro pelle d.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown therein a free end portion of a conventional straight track section A as well as a free end portion of a conventional straight track section B, the track section B being aligned with but longitudinally spaced from the track section A. These track sections A and B are conventional and are adapted to be used for racing electrically propelled toy racing cars.

Referring to FIG. 8, it will be seen that the toy racing car C, which is of a convetnional construction, has a pair of wheels situated at each of its opposite sides, and one of the wheels at one side and one of the wheels 12 at the other side of the toy vehicle are visible in FIG. 8. The body of the toy racing car C houses an electrical motor which, through a suitable transmission, drives the wheels 10 and 12, and in order to complete the electrical circuit through the motor the structure includes a pair of brushes 14 and 16, which are simply in the form of electrically conductive leaf springs connected into the circuit of the motor and pressing against electrically conductive strips arranged along the tracks and through which the current flows.

Thus, the track section A has a pair of vehicle guiding portions D and E each of which includes a pair of electrically conductive strips 18 and respectively adapted to be engaged by the brushes 14 and 16 of the toy racing car, and between these electrically conductive strips 18 and 20 the track section is formed with a gap or groove 22 receiving a downwardly projection guiding pin 24 of the racing car (FIG. 8). The projection 24 is of course electrically nonconductive so that it enters into the guiding groove 22 only for the purpose of forming a mechanical guide for the racing cars. The strips 18 and 20 have upper edges which project slightly above the upper surface of the plastic body of the track A, and these electrically conductive strips 18 and 20 because they extend upwardly beyond the plastic support through a slight distance not only provide a better electrical connection with the brushes 14 and 16 but in addition engage the sides of the wheels 10 and 12 of the vehicles soas to also participate in the mechanical guiding thereof.

The section B is identical with the section A and, as was pointed out above, forms an extension thereof which is, however, longitudinally spaced therefrom, as indicated in FIG. 1, so that the structure of the invention may be in terposed between these conventional track sections A and B.

The structure of the invention includes a supporting track assembly F which forms a section adapted to be interposed between and connected with the sections A and B, this section F of the track structure of the invention having a substantially Y-shaped configuration so that it is referred to below as a Y-section of the track. The Y-section F has a leg and a pair of arms a and 40b diverging from the leg 30 and determinating at outer extremities 36a and 36b in lateral projections which extend toward each other and are integral with each other to form a crossbar portion 34. Actually the crossbar portion 34 has an I configuration with the leg of the I forming the crossbar portion and with the ends of the I forming extensions 36a and 36b of parts 32a and 32b of arms 40a and 40b which are integral with the leg 30, so that in the actual construction, the Y-section F includes extensions 36a and 36b of the arm portions 32a and 32b, these extensions 36a and 36b forming the ends of the I-shaped portion 34. The portions 32a and 32b are respectively extended by the portions 36a and 36b so as to form arms 40a and 40b of the Y-section F which has at the outer ends of the arms the crossbar portion 3 4.

The leg 30 of the Y-section F forms an extension of the track section A and has the very same vehicle guiding portions D and E which also form extensions of those of the track A, but in the Y-section F of the invention these vehicle guiding portions D and E diverge from each other and extend along the arms 40a and 40b.

Referring now to FIG. 2, it will be seen that the outer end 36a of the arm 40a is illustrated on an enlarged scale with a part of the crossbar portion 34 shown projecting laterally from the portion 36a of the arm 40a of the Y- section F. The crossbar portion 34 also extends inwardly from the outer end portion 36b of the arm 40b. Furthermore, there are illustrated in FIG. 2 the bottom ends of a loop assembly G of the present invention, a pair of such loop assemblies G being provided, as is apparent from FIG. 1. FIG. 2 shows the bottom ends of that loop assembly G which is nearest to the viewer of FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIG. 3, it will be seen that the arm 36a is formed with a slot 42 inwardly of its right side edge, as viewed in FIG. 3, this right side edge including a wall 44 extending downwardly and engaging the supporting surface of the toy track assembly. To the left of the slot 42 the arm 36a includes a horizontal web portion 46 joined at its right edge, as viewed in FIG. 3, to an upstanding web portion 48 and at its left edge to a wall 50 which forms part of a groove or gap 52 which is in fact an extension of the guiding groove 22 referred to above, so that the guiding projection 24 of the toy car C is adapted to extend along the groove 52 during movement of the toy car along the track. Beyond the groove 52, proceeding to the left as viewed in FIG. 3, the arm 36a includes a second web 54 which is a mirror image of the web 46 and which terminates at its outer side edge in a vertical web 56 identical with the web 48 and defining one side of an elongated slot 58 identical with the slot 42. From the slot 58 the arm 36a extends to its left side edge, as viewed in FIG. 3, where it is provided with a downwardly directed side wall 60 identical with and corresponding to the wall 44. The webs 46 and 54 in addition are respectively provided with grooved portions 62 and 64 which receive electrically conductive strips 66 and 68, respectively, and these electrically conductive strips form extensions of the electrically conductive strips 18 and 20 referred to above. As is clearly apparent from FIG. 3, these electrically conductive strips project slightly above the upper face of the plastic body of the track section F.

Continuing now to the left from the inner side wall 60 of the arm portion 36a of FIG. 2, a part of the crossbar portion 34 is shown, and this crossbar portion 34 includes an upper wall 70 (FIG. 3) formed with a slot 72 one side of which is defined by a side wall 74 joining a horizontal web portion 76 formed with a groove 80 receiving an electrically conductive strip 82 and then formed with an additional deeper groove 84 which also receives the downwardly projecting guiding projection 24 of the toy car C. The transverse bar portion 34 continues to another groove 86 having an electrically conductive strip 88, and this structure repeats itself in a manner providing to the left of the structure shown in FIG. 3, where the bottom left end of the fragmentarily illustrated loop assembly G is situated, a mirror image of the structure shown in FIG. 3.

The pair of loop assemblies G shown in FIG. 1 are identical, the only difference being that one of the loop assemblies is reversed with respect of the other so that the. inner ends of the loop assemblies will be adjacent to each other while their outer ends will be distant from each other, as indicated in FIG. 1. Therefore, only one of the loop assemblies will be described in detail.

As may be seen from FIG. 1, each loop assembly includes a pair of track portions 90a and 90b, and these track portions extend throughout the entire length of the loop assembly and define between themselves a gap 92 which receives the guiding projection 24 of the toy racing car C, as is apparent from FIG. 8. As may also be seen from FIG. 8, each of these track portions is of a channelshaped configuration and has a transverse web portion 96 having an exterior surface to be engaged by the wheels of the toy vehicle. In addition to the transverse web portion 96, each of the track portions 90a and 90b includes a pair of side web portions 98, and these side web portions extend away from the exterior surface of the web portion 96 to define with the interior surface of each track portion the interior of the channel. The pair of side webs 98 of each channel respectively have inturned side edges 102 situated in the interior of the channel and directed toward the interior surface 100 of the transverse web.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, these track portions 90a and 90b of each loop assembly G are maintained in connection with each other, in their predetermined spaced relationship defining the groove 92, by a fastening means which includes a plurality of fastening members H wh ch are distributed about the loop assembly 'at its exterior portion which is not engaged by the wheels of the toy racing cars. The fastening member H is itself in the form of an elongated channel member having an elongated transverse web 104 which extends transversely of the track portions 90a and 90b. The web 104 is integral at its side edges with side Webs 106 of the fastening member H, and the web 104 is formed with a notch 108 which extends through the transverse web 104 into the side webs 106 but terminates short of the outer edges 110 of the side webs 106, so that the portions of the transverse web 104 which are separated by the notch 108 are maintained in fixed and interconnected relationships by the side web 106 of the fastening member H.

The longitudinally spaced portions of the transverse web 104 of the fastener member H each terminates at its ends in outwardly directed flanges 112 which have free ends engaging the inturned edges 102 of the track portions 90a and 9011, as shown most clearly in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, and due to the springy nature of the fastening member H, on the one hand, and the track portion 90a and 90b, on the other hand, these inturned edges 102 snap over the flanges 112 so that the fasteners H remain connected with the track portions 90a and 90b to form from the latter the assembly G. One of the web portions 104 of each fastening member H is formed with a tubular threaded portion 114 extending completely through the transverse web and receiving a threaded screw 116 which can be turned so that its free end presses against the transverse web 96 of one of the track portions of the loop assembly G, and in this way the flanges 112 are pressed against the inturned edges 102 of at least one of the track portions so as to fix the position of the fastening means H along the curved track portions. Any desired number of the fastening means H may be distributed along each assembly G in the manner indicated in FIG. 1.

As is apparent from FIGS. 6 and 7, the fastening means H is made of an electrical y non-conductive material, such as a suitable plastic, while the track portions 90a and 90b may be made of a suitable metal so as to be electrically conductive. Aluminum sheet may be rolled to have the configuration of the track portions 90a and 90b, for example.

Each loop assembly G, before it is assembled with the track section F will have substantially the looped configuration shown in FIG. 1, so that when the loop assembly is fastened to the Y-section F it is not necessary to distort the loop assembly G to any appreciable extent in opposition to its natural resilient tendency to maintain a certain curvature when it is unstressed.

Returning now to FIGS. 35, it will be seen that the inner side webs of the loop assembly are received in the gaps 52 and 84, which form the grooves for receiving the guiding projection of the toy racing car, and the outer side webs are received in the slots 42, 58, 72, and of course the'leftmost slot of the half of the assembly which is fragmentarily shown in FIG. 3. This leftmost slot is not illustrated in FIG. 3. Therefore, the webs 46 and 54 are received in the interior of the channel-shaped tr-ack portions 90a and 90b, respectively, and the end portions of the loop assembly are formed with openings to receive countersunk screws 121 which are threaded into threaded bores of integral bosses 122 of the plastic material of the track section F, and in this way the free ends of each loop assembly are directly fastened to the section F. In addition, it will be seen that the outer side walls 48 and 56 of the webs 46 and 54 extend upwardly beyond the webs 46 and 54, respectively, and the same is of course true of the outer side walls of the webs 76 and 78 which are received in the other channel-shaped end portions of the track portions 90a and 9017.

As may be seen from FIG. 3, the web 56 of FIG. 3

extends above the web 54 to form a side rib 120 which curves upwardly at its upper edge, as indicated in FIG. 4, .and which terminates in a transverse hollow supporting portion 122 having a top wall 124 directly received in the channel-shaped track portion b and having transverse side walls 126 and 128 shown most clearly in FIG. 4. In the same way the side web 48 has a portion extending upwardly beyond the wall 46 and curved in the same way as the side Wall and connected in the same way with a hollow transverse support 129 which is a mirror image of the hollow support 122 and longitudinally displaced with respect thereto, as is clearly apparent from FIG. 2. These supports are duplicated to form the supports 130 and 132 of an identical construction received in the channel-shaped track portions at the other end portion of the loop assembly G, as is apparent from FIG. 2.

The electrically conductive track portions 90a and 90b of each loop assembly G are pressed by the screws 121 against the electrically conductive strips 66 and 68, as shown for one end of the loop assembly in FIGS. 2 and 4, and in the same way the other end presses against the other conductive strips. Thus, the conductive strip 82 is shown clearly in FIG. 5 is being engaged by the transverse web of the track portion 90a, which it will be noted is supported on the transverse hollow supporting structure 130 integral with the plastic of the transverse bar portion 34, and FIG. 5 shows a part of the side wall portion 136 which extends upwardly to support the track portion 90b, this side wall 136 being integral with an end of the transverse hollow support portion 132. Thus, the track portions, by being pressed through a substantial portion of their length against the electrically conductive strips, are in electrical connection therewith. When the different track sections are placed in connection with each other, they are held together by known clips 140, as shown for example at the left portion of FIG. 4 where a clip assembly 140 is shown releasably interconnecting the portions 32a and 36a of the section F of the present invention. Similar clip assemblies are used for interconnecting the track sections A and B with the section F, as indicated for example in FIG. 5 where the track section B is shown joining to the transverse bar portion 34 of the track section F of the present invention.

It is therefore apparent that conductive strips, such as strips 18 and 20 of the track section A, will be electrically connected with the pair of track portions 90a and 90b of the loop assembly G, and these assemblies will in turn be electrically connected with the conductive strips for the vehicle guiding structure B, as is apparent from FIG. 1, so that in this way the electrical connection between the electrically conductive strips of the entire assembly is maintained.

Referring now to FIG. 8, there is diagrammatically illustrated therein a transformer 142 which is connected to any suitable source of current and which has a secondary portion 144 provided with a manually operable adjusting structure 146 capable of being tapped into the secondary coil at any desired location, so that the operator by manipulating the control 146 is capable of increasing or decreasing the speed of movement of the toy car C. The secondary is shown in FIG. 8 electrically connected with the track portions 90a and 90b only for the sake of illustrating the electrical connection to the brushes 14 and 16, which are in the form of leaf springs, as pointed out above. These leaf springs will of course press on the track portions 90a and 90b in the same way that they press on the electrically conductive strips 18 and 20 as well as those portions of the strips 66, 68 and 82, 88 which project beyond the track portions 90a and 90b of the loop assembly of the invention. Actually the secondary is connected to the strips 18 and 22, for example, and in this way the electrical circuit is completed through the vehicles so that the operator by manipulating the control 146 can direct the vehicles along the tracks.

When the vehicles come to the loop assemblies G of the invention, the operator will have to provide for each vehicle such a speed that by centrifugal force it will remain in engagement with the loop assembly G as it traverses its inverted position, at the uppermost part of the loop assembly G, and will then continue along the lower part of the loop assembly onto the track section B. Of course, the direction may be reversed so that the vehicles first progress along the track section B and engage the inner parts of the pair of loop assemblies G and then go around to the outer parts thereof and onto the track section A. However, in either event the operator will have to develop a considerable amount of skill to provide each toy racing car with such a speed that it will maneuver the loop assembly G properly while at a speed great enough to get ahead of the other racing cars, so that with the structure of the invention there is provided in an extremely simple way an inexpensive structure capable of greatly increasing the interest and excitement of, as well as the skill required for, a game where contestants operate toy racing cars, for example.

What is claimed is:

1. A miniature racing track assembly for electrically operated miniature four-wheeled toy vehicles having a downwardly projecting guide portion and downwardly projecting brush means, said assembly including a pair of miniature tracks, each of said tracks comprising a first and a second miniature track portion spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of said track assembly and having their outer extremities in substantially longitudinal alignment with each other, said first and second track portions being located substantially in the same horizontal plane, each of said tracks also comprising a substantially vertically extending miniature track loop forming substantially a turn of a helix and including two end portions which are laterally olfset with respect to each other, means for respectively fastening said end portions to said first and second track portions of the respective miniature track, each of said first and second track portions having an elongated gap therein extending substantially throughout the length thereof to receive said guide portion of said toy vehicle and each having a first surface portion which is located on one side of said gap and which extends substantially throughout the length thereof for supporting the front and rear wheels of one side of said toy vehicle and each having a second surface portion which is located on the other side of said gap and which extends substantially throughout the length thereof for supporting the front and rear wheels of the other side of said toy vehicle, each of said minia ture track loops having an elongated gap therein extending substantially throughout the length thereof from one of said end portions of the respective track to the other of said end portions thereof, each of said track loops having first electrically conductive surface means which is located on one side of said last-mentioned gap and which extends substantially throughout the length thereof for engaging the bottoms of the front and rear wheels of one side of said toy vehicle and for contacting said brush means, each of said track loops having second electrically conductive surface means which is located on the other side of said last-mentioned gap and which extends substantially throughout the length thereof for engaging the bottoms of the front and rear wheels of the other side of said toy vehicle and for contacting said brush means, each of said first and second surface portions of each of said first and second track portions having embedded therein a strip of electrically conductive means which is adapted to contact said brush means and which is electrically connected to a respective one of said first and second surface means of the respective track loop.

2. A track according to calim 1, in which each of said track loops comprises a pair of electrically conductive looped strips which are spaced from each other laterally in side-by-side relationship to define said gap in the respective track loop and which are electrically insulated from each other.

3. A track according to claim 1 in which the track loops of said pair of tracks are arranged in side by side relation.

4. A miniature racing track assembly according to claim 1, in which said fastening means comprise screw fasteners connecting said end portions respectively to said first and second track portions of the respective track.

5. A miniature racing track assembly according to claim 1, in which said first and second electrically conductive surface means of said track loop include downwardly depending flanges defining therebetween said elongated gap.

6. A miniature racing track assembly for electrically operated miniature four-wheeled toy vehicles having a downwardly projecting guide portion and downwardly projecting brush means, said assembly including a pair of miniature tracks, each of said tracks comprising a first and a second miniature track portion spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of said track assembly and located substantially in the same horizontal plane, each of said tracks also comprising a substantially vertically extending miniature track loop forming substantially a turn of a helix and including two end portions which are laterally offset with respect to each other, means for respectively fastening said end portions to said first and second track portions of the respective miniature track, each of said first and second track portions having an elongated gap therein extending substantially throughout the length thereof to receive said guide portion of said toy vehicle and each having a first surface portion which is located on one side of said gap and which extends substantially throughout the length thereof for supporting the front and rear wheels of one side of said toy vehicle and each having a second surface portion which is located on the other side of said gap and which extends substantially through the length thereof for supporting the front and rear wheels of the other side of said toy vehicle, each of said miniature track loops having an elongated gap therein extending substantially throughout the length thereof from one of said end portions of the respective track to the other of said end portions thereof, each of said track loops having a first electrically conductive surface means which is located on one side of said lastmentioned gap and which extends substantially through out the length thereof for engaging the bottoms of the front and rear wheels of one side of said toy vehicle and for contacting said brush means, each of said track loops having a second electrically conductive surface means which is located on the other side of said lastmentioned gap and which extends substantially throughout the length thereof for engaging the bottoms of the front and rear wheels of the other side of said toy vehicle and for contacting said brush means, each of said first and second surface portions of each of said first and second track portions having embedded therein a strip of electrically conductive means which is adapted to contact said brush means and which is electrically connected to a respective one of said first and second surface means of the respective track loop.

7. A miniature racing track assembly for electrically operated miniature four-wheeled toy vehicles having a downwardly projecting guide portion and downwardly projecting brush means, said assembly including base means, a pair of miniature tracks, each of said tracks comprising a first and a second miniature track portion mounted in said base means, portions of said first and second track portions spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of said track assembly and having their outer extremities in substantially longitudinal alignment with each other, said first and second track portions being located substantially in the same horizontal plane, each of said tracks also comprising a substantially vertically extending miniature track loop forming substantially a turn of a helix and including two end portions which are laterally offset with respect to each other, said base means being provided with opening means for respectively receiving said end portions, means for fastening said end portions to said base means adjacent the first and second track portions of the respective one of said pair of tracks, each of said first and second track portions having an elongated gap therein extending substantially throughout the length thereof to receive said guide portion of said toy vehicle and each having a first surface portion which is located on one side of said gap and which extends substantially throughout the length thereof for supporting the front and rear wheels of one side of said toy vehicle and each having a second surface portion which is located on the other side of said gap and which extends substantially throughout the length thereof for sup porting the front and rear wheels of the other side of said toy vehicle, each of said miniature track loops having an elongated gap therein extending substantially throughout the length thereof from one of said end portions of the respective track to the other of said end portions thereof, each of said track loops having a first electrically conductive surface means which is located on one side of said last-mentioned gap and which extends substantially throughout the length thereof for engaging the bottoms of the front and rear wheels of one side of said toy vehicle and for contacting said brush means, each of said track loops having a second electrically conductive surface means which is located on the other side of said lastmentioned gap and which extends substantially throughout the length thereof for engaging the bottoms of the front and rear wheels of the other side of said toy vehicle and for contacting said brush means, each of said first and second surface portions of each of said first and second track portions having embedded therein a strip of electrically conductive means which is adapted to contact said brush means and which is electrically connected to a respective one of said first and second surface means of the respective track loop.

'8. A miniature racing track assembly according to claim 7, in which said end portions are provided with downwardly depending flanges received in said opening means.

9. A miniature racing track assembly for electrically operated miniature four-wheeled toy vehicles having a downwardly projecting guide portion and downwardly projecting brush means, said assembly including at least one miniature track comprising a first and a second miniature track portion spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of said track and having their outer extremities in substantially longitudinal alignment with each other, said first and second track portions being located substantially in the same horizontal plane, a substantially vertically extending miniature track loop forming substantially a turn of a helix and including two end portions which are laterally offset with respect to each other, means for fastening said end portions respectively to said first and second track portions, said first and second track portions each having an elongated gap therein extending substantially throughout the length thereof to receive said guide portion of said toy vehicle and each having a first surface portion which is located on one side of said gap and which extends substantially throughout the length thereof for supporting the front and rear wheels of one side of said toy vehicle and each having a second surface portion which is located on the other side of said gap and which extends substantially throughout the length thereof for supporting the front and rear wheels of the other side of said toy vehicle, said track loop having an elongated gap therein extending substantially throughout the length of said track loop from one of said end portions thereof to the other of said end portions thereof, said track loop having first electrically conductive surface means which is located on one side of said lastmentioned gap and which extends substantially throughout the length thereof for engaging the bottoms of the front and rear Wheels of one side of said toy vehicle and for contacting said brush means, said track loop having second electrically conductive surface means which is located on the other side of said last-mentioned gap and which extends substantially throughout the length thereof for engaging the bottoms of the front and rear wheels of the other side of said toy vehicle and for contacting said brush means, each of said first and second surface portions of each of said first and second track portions having embedded therein a strip of electrically conductive material which is adapted to contact said brush means and which is electrically connected to a respective one of said first and second surface means of said track loop.

10. A miniature racing track assembly for electrically operated miniature four-wheeled toy vehicles having a downwardly projecting guide portion and downwardly projecting brush means, said assembly including a base, at least one miniature track comprising a first and a second miniature track portion mounted in said base, spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of said track and having their outer extremities in substantially longitudinal alignment with each other, said first and second track portions being located substantially in the same horizontal plane, a substantially vertically extending miniature track loop forming substantially a turn of a helix and including two end portions which are laterally offset with respect to each other, said base being provided with opening means for receiving said end portions, means for fastening said end portions to said base adjacent said first and second track portions, said first and second track portions each having an elongated gap therein extending substantially throughout the length thereof to receive said guide portion of said toy vehicle and each having a first surface portion which is located on one side of said gap and which extends substantially throughout the length thereof for supporting the front and rear wheels of one side of said toy vehicle and each having a second surface portion which is located on the other side of said gap and which extends substantially throughout the length thereof for supporting the front and rear wheels of the other side of said toy vehicle, said track loop having an elongated gap therein extending substantially throughout the length of said track loop from one of said end portions thereof to the other of said end portions thereof, said track loop having first electrically conductive surface means which is located on one side of said last-mentioned gap and which extends substantially throughout the length thereof for engaging the bottoms of the front and rear wheels of one side of said toy vehicle and for contacting said brush means, said track loop having second electrically conductive surface means which is located on the other side of said last-mentioned gap and which extends substantially throughout the length thereof for engaging the bottoms of the front and rear wheels of the other side of said toy vehicle and for contacting said brush means, each of said first and second surface portions of each of said first and second track portions having embedded therein a strip of electrically conductive material which is adapted to contact said brush means and which is electrically connected to a respective one of said first and second surface means of said track loop.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,152,183 8/1915 Kiansten et al 104-55 1,572,649 2/1926 Gunderman 104-55 2,392,722 1/ 1946 Burlin 104-55 2,703,534 3/ 1955 Copeland.

3,139,237 6/ 1964 Braverman.

3,206,122 9/1965 Frisbie et al 104--60 X 3,209,491 10/ 1965 Roeper 46-243 FOREIGN PATENTS 3 31,142 7/ 1903 France.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, 'Primary Examiner.

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