Toy structural support system and building elements therefore

Claim 2

An elevated toy stanchion supported track for vehicles comprising track sections, each track section having an upwardly facing vehicle support surface, said track sections being provided with downwardly extending end walls shaped to fit adjacent end walls of longitudinally aligned adjoining track sections, said end walls being shaped to be gripped by vertical supporting, track section retaining stanchions, and vertical track support stanchions having at an upper end longitudinally spaced end wall gripping fingers, each of said fingers sized to grip adjoining track end walls between the fingers for track section aligned retention across track joints and vertical track section support whereby a quickly erectable sturdy elevated toy track for vehicles is provided.

Claim 3

The elevated toy stanchion supported track for vehicles as claimed in claim 1 wherein said track section end walls are flanked by sidewalls to define downwardly facing end recesses shaped to receive the fingers of the vertical support stanchions.

Claim 4

The elevated toy track supported by stanchions as claimed in claim 2 wherein said track section downwardly extending sidewalls extend between opposite end walls of a track section to form a downwardly facing open channel extending longitudinally of the track to form lightweight sturdy track sections.

Claim 5

The elevated toy track as claimed in claim 2 wherein the stanchion fingers seat against the bottom of the end recesses to accurately align the vertical support surfaces of adjoining track sections for smooth vehicle travel across track joints.

Claim 6

The elevated toy track as claimed in claim 4 wherein the track sections end walls are shaped to fit flush with one another.

Claim 7

The elevated toy track as claimed in claim 5 wherein said track sections are made of insulator material and are each provided with pairs of longitudinally aligned laterally spaced conductors imbedded in the vertical support surface for electrification of the track, said track sections each having end located electrical connector recesses in alignment with the conductors which terminate within said recesses, and electrical connectors shaped to fit within said connector recesses to electrically engage aligned conductors in adjoining track sections.

Claim 8

The elevated toy track as claimed in claim 1 wherein said stanchion fingers are shaped to contact track section end walls over laterally extended regions for enhanced support against miSalignment of track sections in their elevated horizontal plane.

Claim 9

The elevated toy track as claimed in claim 7 wherein said fingers on a stanchion face one another across a gap sized to frictionally receive a pair of end walls with an upper region of each of said fingers bulging inwardly towards the gap for finger gripping contact at intermediate locations of end walls located in the gap.

Claim 10

The elevated toy track as claimed in claim 8 wherein each of said track section end walls are provided with a protrusion and a protrusion receiving aperture located to complementary fit within a corresponding protrusion and aperture of an adjoining end wall to provide enhanced support of aligned track sections against twisting movements of the track sections about their longitudinal axis.

Claim 11

The elevated toy track as claimed in claim 9 wherein said protrusions are sized to project through apertures of adjoined track section between the gaps between stanchion fingers below the finger bulges to provide a snap-fitting of stanchions to the track sections.

Claim 12

The elevated toy track as claimed in claim 1 wherein said stanchions are provided with a support shoulder located a predetermined distance below the fingers to vertically support toy track accessory devices.

Claim 13

The elevated toy track as claimed in claim 11 and further including a toy track accessory device provided with a downwardly open aperture sized to freely receive the fingers of a stanchion for stanchion finger protrusion into the track accessory and with said track accessory aperture further sized to seat the accessory on the stanchion support shoulder whereby track sections inserted into the accessory aperture elevatingly support the track accessory device and track sections operatively located with respect to said track accessory device.

Claim 14

The elevated toy track as claimed in claim 12 wherein said stanchions and track accessory device aperture are provided with vertical complementary fitting elements in the form of ribs and grooves with predetermined horizontal orientation to accurately align the track section and accessory device relative to one another.

Claim 15

The elevated toy track as claimed in claim 12 and further including crossmembers provided with end located stanchion engaging retainers having complementary fitting elements, said crossmembers being sized to engage with their retainers the respective stanchions for enhanced track stability.

Claim 16

An elevated toy monorail track for monorail vehicles and the like supported by stanchions comprising monorail rail sections, each rail section being provided with an upper vehicle support surface and downwardly extending end walls and smooth longitudinal sidewalls, said monorail sections having downwardly facing end recesses bounded by the sidewalls and the end walls, vertical rail section supporting stanchions having at their upper ends longitudinally spaced end wall gripping fingers, each of said fingers being sized to project into the end recesses between the sidewalls of the rail sections and grip between the fingers the adjoining end walls of longitudinally aligned rail sections, said stanchion fingers being spaced to retain rail joints in alignment and vertically support adjoining rail sections and form a quickly erectable sturdy elevated toy monorail track.

Claim 17

An elevated toy monorail track for monorail vehicles and the like supported by stanchions comprising monorail rail sections, each rail section being provided with an upper vehicle support surface and downwardly extending end walls and smooth longitudinal sidewalls, said monorail sections having downwardly facing end recesses bounded by the sidewalls and the end walls, vertical rail section supporting stanchions having at their upper ends longitudinally spaced end wall gripping fingers, each of said fingers being sized to project into the end recesses between the sidewalls of the rail sections and grip between the fingers the adjoining end walls of longitudinally aligned rail sections, said stanchion fingers being spaced to retain rail joints in alignment and vertically support adjoining rail sections and form a quickly erectable sturdy elevated toy monorail track.

Claim 18

A toy train track system capable of stably supporting a train traveling at high speed over elevated track comprising a monorail track formed of an electrically nonconductive material and having smooth lateral support surfaces and provided with a pair of parallel spaced longitudinally aligned conductors for transmitting electrical power to a train located on the track, said track being formed of longitudinally aligned open channel segments, with each segment operatively mounted with the open ends of the channel segments facing downwardly to form aligned upper and side located train supporting surfaces with other aligned track segments and track suppOrting stanchions sized and located to engage the track and elevate selected track portions to form a track with vertically slanted ramps, said stanchions being provided with upwardly extending track channel engaging members which supportively engage the open track channels to elevate the track.

Claim 19

A toy train track system capable of stably supporting a train traveling at high speed over elevated track comprising a monorail track formed of an electrically nonconductive material and having smooth lateral support surfaces and provided with a pair of parallel spaced longitudinally aligned conductors for transmitting electrical power to a train located on the track, said track being formed of longitudinally aligned open channel segments, with each segment operatively mounted with the open ends of the channel segments facing downwardly to form aligned upper and side located train supporting surfaces with other aligned track segments and track suppOrting stanchions sized and located to engage the track and elevate selected track portions to form a track with vertically slanted ramps, said stanchions being provided with upwardly extending track channel engaging members which supportively engage the open track channels to elevate the track.

Claim 20

The toy train track system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the track supporting stanchions are provided with upwardly extending track channel engaging wedging members sized to frictionally grip the open track channels for elevation of the track.