Race game with randomly driven reel drive means

Claim 2

A race simulating game comprising: a plurality of readily detachable track sections defining a race track, said detachable track sections including a starting end section, a finishing end section, and at least one or more intermediate runway sections whereby the number of intermediate sections disposed between said start and finishing end sections renders the length of the race track variable, a plurality of racing figures mounted for movement along said track of connected sections, means for effecting independent drive for each of said racing figures, said latter means including a plurality of winding means mounted on said finishing sections, and a corresponding number of rewinding means mounted on said start section, a variable length cord extended between corresponding winding and rewinding means whereby said cord can be readily extended or distended to traverse the track formed of a predetermined number of sections, said racing figures being frictionally secured to each of said cords to slip relative thereto when a resistance to movement thereto exceeds said frictional forces therebetween, and means operatively associated with said winding means for independently varying the winding rates of the respective winding means in a random unpredictable manner to vary the speed at which the associated racing figure traverses said race track from the start to finish end sections.

Claim 3

The invention as defined in claim 1 and including means to impart animation to said racing figures.

Claim 4

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said track means comprises a channelway, an elongated slot communicating with said channelway and extending along said track means, said racing figure including a base portion receivable in said channelway, and a pedestal portion connected to said base portion and extending upwardly through said slot.

Claim 5

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said rewinding means includes: a rewind shaft rotatably journaled on said starting end section, a plurality of rewinding reels frictionally coupled to said shaft to rotate relative to said shaft in one direction and driven by said sHaft in the opposite direction, and said winding means including a winding shaft rotatably journaled on the finishing end portion, and a plurality of corresponding winding reels mounted on said winding shaft, and said rewinding reels being frictionally coupled to said rewind shaft whereby the frictional coupling force of said winding reels to said winding shaft is less than the frictional coupling force between said rewind reels and the rewind shaft.

Claim 6

The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said latter means include cam means, and guide means being responsive to said cam means to effect lateral displacement of said cord relative to the nonuniform hub of an associated winding reel means during a winding operation.

Claim 7

The invention as defined in claim 4 and including means for effecting the uni-directional drive of said rewind shaft in the rewinding direction only.

Claim 8

The invention as defined in claim 6 wherein said uni-directional drive means comprises a ratchet wheel journaled to said shaft, and a ratchet pawl operatively associated with said ratchet wheel to permit rotation of said ratchet wheel in the rewind direction only.

Claim 9

The invention as defined in claim 4 and including a motor means operatively connected to said winding shaft to effect the drive thereof.

Claim 10

The invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said winding reels include a pair of spaced apart flanges and a tapered hub interconnected between said flanges, one of said flanges having circumferentially spaced gear teeth formed thereon, a driving gear fixedly secured to said winding shaft, and a clutch gear pivotally mounted on said finishing end section for connecting said geared flanges of said winding reels into and out of driving relationship with said driving gear.

Claim 11

The invention as defined in claim 8 and including a switch means operatively connected in circuit with said motor, a switch actuator operatively associated with said switch means disposed in the path of each of said racing figures whereby said motor is deactivated when any of said racing figures effects the operation of said actuator to immediately stop the action of all the racing figures as the first figure crosses a simulated finish.

Claim 12

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for independently varying the winding rates of the respective winding reels comprises a cam means rotatably journaled on said finishing end portion, and a guide means responsive to the movement of said cam means to effect lateral displacement of said cord along the tapered hub of an associated winding reel.

Claim 13

A race simulating game comprising: means defining a race track including a starting end section, a finishing end section, and an intermediate runway section, each of said sections being separate, readily detachable sections, a plurality of racing figures, means for effecting the independent movement of said racing figures, said moving means including a rewind shaft and a plurality of rewind reel means mounted on said rewind shaft, means for frictionally mounting each of said rewind reel means for independent rotation on said rewind shafts on said starting end portion, means for effecting the uni-directional drive of said rewind shafts and associated rewinding reel means in the rewind direction only, a winding shaft and a plurality of winding reel means mounted on said winding shaft on the finishing end section, means for frictionally mounting said winding reel means for independent rotation on said winding shaft, a flexible cord connected between corresponding winding and rewinding reel means for winding and unwinding said cord therebetween, said winding reels being frictionally coupled to the winding shaft with a frictional force less than the frictional coupling force of said rewind reels and their rewind shaft, said racing figures being connected to said cord for movement along said track as said cord is wound and unwOund about said reel means, said figures being frictionally secured to said cord to slip relative thereto when a resistance to the movement of said figure exceeds the frictional force between said figure and its associated cord, a drive means operatively connected to said winding reel means to effect the winding of the cord thereon to advance said associated racing figure along said track means, and means operatively associated with said winding reels for varying the winding rate of the cord upon the respective winding reel means to randomly vary the linear movement of an associated racing figure along said track means in an unpredictable manner.

Claim 14

A race simulating game comprising: means defining a race track including a starting end section, a finishing end section, and an intermediate runway section, each of said sections being separate, readily detachable sections, a plurality of racing figures, means for effecting the independent movement of said racing figures, said moving means including a rewind shaft and a plurality of rewind reel means mounted on said rewind shaft, means for frictionally mounting each of said rewind reel means for independent rotation on said rewind shafts on said starting end portion, means for effecting the uni-directional drive of said rewind shafts and associated rewinding reel means in the rewind direction only, a winding shaft and a plurality of winding reel means mounted on said winding shaft on the finishing end section, means for frictionally mounting said winding reel means for independent rotation on said winding shaft, a flexible cord connected between corresponding winding and rewinding reel means for winding and unwinding said cord therebetween, said winding reels being frictionally coupled to the winding shaft with a frictional force less than the frictional coupling force of said rewind reels and their rewind shaft, said racing figures being connected to said cord for movement along said track as said cord is wound and unwOund about said reel means, said figures being frictionally secured to said cord to slip relative thereto when a resistance to the movement of said figure exceeds the frictional force between said figure and its associated cord, a drive means operatively connected to said winding reel means to effect the winding of the cord thereon to advance said associated racing figure along said track means, and means operatively associated with said winding reels for varying the winding rate of the cord upon the respective winding reel means to randomly vary the linear movement of an associated racing figure along said track means in an unpredictable manner.

Claim 15

The invention as defined in claim 12 wherein each of said winding reel means includes a hub of identical nonuniform diameter.

Claim 16

The invention as defined in claim 12 and including movable guide means operatively associated with each of said winding reel means to laterally guide said cord about the nonuniform hub of the associated complementary reel means.

Claim 17

The invention as defined in claim 12 and including a clutch means interconnecting the drive means with the respective complementary reel means.

Claim 18

The invention as defined in claim 12 and including a means operatively connected to said rewind reel means to reset the racing figures to their starting positions after each race.

Claim 19

The invention as defined in claim 12 including an electric drive motor operatively connected to said winding shaft to effect the drive thereof, and a clutch means for connecting said winding reels in driving connection with said winding shaft when said motor is actuated to effect the operation of said racing figures.

Claim 20

The invention as defined in claim 17 wherein said latter means includes a driving gear connected to said winding shaft, a complementary driven gear operatively associated with each of said winding reel means, a longitudinally extending clutch gear pivotally mounted on said finish end portion, and means for effecting the movement of said clutch gear into and out of engagement with said driving and driven gears.

Claim 21

A race simulating game comprising: a plurality of readily detachable track sections defining a race track, said detachable track sections including a starting end section, a finishing end section, and one or more intermediate runway sections whereby the number of intermediate sections renders the length of said track variable, a plurality of racing figures mounted for movement along said track, means for effecting independent movement of said racing figures at variable, random, unpredictable rates of speed, said latter means including a rewinding shaft rotatably journaled on said starting end section, a uni-directional drive means operatively connected to said shaft to effect the drive thereof in the rewinding direction only, a plurality of rewind reels frictionally journaled on said rewind shaft to rotate independently of said shaft in the unwinding direction, a winding shaft rotatably journaled on the finishing end section, a corresponding number of winding reels frictionally coupled to said winding shaft to rotate relative to said shaft, said winding reels being frictionally coupled to said winding shaft with a frictional force which is less than the frictional force coupling said rewind reels to said rewind shaft, a flexible cord interconnected between corresponding winding and rewinding reels, said racing figures being frictionally secured to their respective cord to permit slippage therebetween to slip relative thereto when a resistance to the movement of said figures exceeds the frictional force therebetween, an electric motor drivingly connected to said winding shaft, a driving gear journaled on said winding shaft to rotate therewith, said winding reels including a geared flange and a tapered hub about which said cord is wound and unwound, the tapered hub of each winding reel being siMilarly constructed, a clutch gear pivotally mounted on said finishing end section for selectively coupling said motor into and out of driving relationship with each of said winding reels, cam means operatively associated with each of said winding means, guide means operatively connected with said cam means to laterally guide said cord about the hub of an associated winding reel to vary the relative linear speed of the figure attached to said cord, said cam means being connected in driving relationship to said winding shaft, means operating on said cords to impart a frequency of vibration thereto to impart animation to the racing figures attached thereto, a switch connected in circuit with said motor, a switch actuator disposed in the path of each of said racing figures adjacent the finishing end portion whereby the motor is deactivated when contact is made by the first of said racing figures reaching the finishing end section thereby halting all of the respective game figures in their relative race ending positions.

Claim 22

A race simulating game comprising: a plurality of readily detachable track sections defining a race track, said detachable track sections including a starting end section, a finishing end section, and one or more intermediate runway sections whereby the number of intermediate sections renders the length of said track variable, a plurality of racing figures mounted for movement along said track, means for effecting independent movement of said racing figures at variable, random, unpredictable rates of speed, said latter means including a rewinding shaft rotatably journaled on said starting end section, a uni-directional drive means operatively connected to said shaft to effect the drive thereof in the rewinding direction only, a plurality of rewind reels frictionally journaled on said rewind shaft to rotate independently of said shaft in the unwinding direction, a winding shaft rotatably journaled on the finishing end section, a corresponding number of winding reels frictionally coupled to said winding shaft to rotate relative to said shaft, said winding reels being frictionally coupled to said winding shaft with a frictional force which is less than the frictional force coupling said rewind reels to said rewind shaft, a flexible cord interconnected between corresponding winding and rewinding reels, said racing figures being frictionally secured to their respective cord to permit slippage therebetween to slip relative thereto when a resistance to the movement of said figures exceeds the frictional force therebetween, an electric motor drivingly connected to said winding shaft, a driving gear journaled on said winding shaft to rotate therewith, said winding reels including a geared flange and a tapered hub about which said cord is wound and unwound, the tapered hub of each winding reel being siMilarly constructed, a clutch gear pivotally mounted on said finishing end section for selectively coupling said motor into and out of driving relationship with each of said winding reels, cam means operatively associated with each of said winding means, guide means operatively connected with said cam means to laterally guide said cord about the hub of an associated winding reel to vary the relative linear speed of the figure attached to said cord, said cam means being connected in driving relationship to said winding shaft, means operating on said cords to impart a frequency of vibration thereto to impart animation to the racing figures attached thereto, a switch connected in circuit with said motor, a switch actuator disposed in the path of each of said racing figures adjacent the finishing end portion whereby the motor is deactivated when contact is made by the first of said racing figures reaching the finishing end section thereby halting all of the respective game figures in their relative race ending positions.