Competitive vehicle demolition game

Claim 2

A game apparatus comprising a vehicular roadway including at least two separate and independent vehicle tracks and at least one grade intersection between said tracks at which said tracks cross each other, at least two toy vehicles respectively associated with said tracks for movement only along their respective tracks and through said intersection, said intersection being formed to permit only broadside collisions between vehicles on the respective tracks as the vehicles pass through said intersection, means for controlling the time of entry of at least one of said vehicles into said intersection, and at least a first one of said vehicles including trigger means for actuation in response to a broadside impact by a second one of said vehicles passing through said intersection along its associated track and normally inoperative indicator means to generate an indication of said broadside collision, said trigger means including at least one target member located on the side of said first vehicle in position to be struck by one end of said second vehicle during a broadside collision at said intersection, whereby an indication of the broadside collision is thus generated by the indicating means of said first vehicle when it is struck on its side by said second vehicle.

Claim 3

Game apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said first vehicle comprises a plurality of discrete parts, said indicator means includes assembly means for releasably securing said parts together to form said first vehicle and operable in response to said trigger means to permit said parts to disengage whereby to simulate disintegration of said first vehicle, and said trigger means is responsive to impact on said target member to permit said first vehicle parts to disengage whereby said collision results in disintegration of said first vehicle.

Claim 4

A game apparatus as in claim 2 wherein each one of said vehicles comprises a plurality of discreet parts, trigger means located on at least one side thereof, assembly means for releasably securing said parts together to form said vehicles and operable in response to said trigger means to permit said parts to disengage whereby to simulate disintegration of said vehicle, said trigger means including at least one target member and being responsive to impact on said target member to permit said vehicle parts to disengage, and said target members being disposed on the exterior of said vehicles in position to be struck by the other of said vehicles in a broadside collision at said intersection, resulting in disintegration of the struck vehicle.

Claim 5

Game apparatus as in claim 3 wherein each of said vehicles has a front and sides, and the respective target members of said vehicles are disposed so as to respond only to impact upon a side of the respective vehicles in a broadside collision, whereby when the front of one vehicle strikes the side of another, only the vehicle struck on its side disintegrates.

Claim 6

GaMe apparatus as in claim 4 further comprising means mounting said trigger for movement in both lateral directions relative to said vehicle, said assembly means being responsive to movement of said trigger in either of said lateral directions to permit disengagement of said vehicle parts, and said target members being disposed on opposite sides of said vehicle whereby to be effective to trigger said vehicle disintegration in response to a broadside impact from either side.

Claim 7

Game apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said assembly means comprises biasing means urging said vehicle parts apart, and latch means for retaining said vehicle parts in assembly in opposition to said biasing means, said latch means being releasable in response to movement of said trigger means whereby said biasing means then abruptly disperses said vehicle parts.

Claim 8

Game apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said first vehicle parts include a roof member and a body which are assemblable and disassemblable with each other, said latch means comprises a post projecting downwardly from said roof member toward said body, said biasing means comprises a spring coiled about said post and compressed to bias said roof member upwardly out of assembly with said body, said latch means further comprises means on said post and on said trigger means vertically interengaging to prevent said upward motion of said roof member when said interengaging means are in vertical alignment, and disengaging upon lateral displacement of said trigger means during a broadside collision.

Claim 9

Game apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said trigger means comprises a central web extending transversely through said vehicle between said roof member and said body, said target member comprises at least one panel depending from said web at the side of said vehicle, an opening being formed in said web to receive said post, said interengaging means comprising a tooth formed on said post and a trigger tooth projecting from the boundary of said web opening to engage said post tooth, said web opening being large enough in the lateral direction to permit sufficient movement of said trigger means in at least one lateral direction relative to said post to dislodge said trigger means tooth from said post tooth, and said trigger being movable in at least one lateral direction relative to said roof member in response to lateral impact upon said target panel whereby to dislodge said trigger tooth laterally.

Claim 10

Game apparatus as in claim 8 wherein there are two of said target panels depending from said web at opposite sides of said vehicle, said web opening being large enough in both lateral directions to permit sufficient movement of said trigger means in either lateral direction relative to said post to dislodge said trigger tooth from said post tooth, and said trigger means being movable in either lateral direction relative to said roof member in response to impact upon respective ones of said target panels whereby to dislodge said trigger tooth laterally.

Claim 11

Game apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said means to control entry into said intersection comprises means under the control of said player for steering said at least one of the vehicles toward or away from said intersection along a portion of its associated track.

Claim 12

Game apparatus as in claim 10 wherein said steering means comprises switching means in said roadway for selecting a path of travel along said one vehicle''s associated track, steerable means on at least said one vehicle, and means on said one vehicle responsive to said switching means to steer said wheels.

Claim 13

Game apparatus as in claim 11 wherein each of said tracks respectively comprises at least one circuit with a configuration topologically equivalent to a figure ''''8'''' and an additional path bridging between the opposite loops of said figure ''''8,'''' and said switching means comprise a switch controllable by said player at each intersection of said bridging path with each of said figure ''''8'''' loops.

Claim 14

Game apparaTus as in claim 12 wherein each of said switches comprises a triangular member having three vehicle-diverting vertices effective (a) to determine whether said one vehicle, when approaching said switch in either direction from said figure ''''8'''' will continue along said figure ''''8'''' or be diverted to said bridging path, and (b) to determine in which direction said one vehicle will traverse said figure ''''8'''' when approaching said switch from said bridging path.

Claim 15

A simulated toy vehicle having a front and sides comprising, a plurality of releasably assemblable body elements including a lower body element and a roof element, latch means normally restraining separation of said lower body element and said roof element and being releasable in response to a broadside impact, said latch means including, trigger means having a central web extending transversely through said vehicle between said assemblable elements, and a pair of target panels depending from said web along opposite sides of said vehicle, said web being wider than said lower body element whereby said target panels are normally spaced from the sides thereof, said lower body element being formed to define a guide platform in which said web is slidably received for lateral movement in response to a broadside impact on either one of said target panels, a web retaining plate secured to said lower body element and extending across said guide platform above said web to retain said web on said platform at all times, said web and said retaining plate having centrally located apertures formed therein generally located in vertical alignment with each other, a post formed on said roof element and extending towards said lower body element, said post having a free end extending through said openings in said web and said web retaining plate in the assembled configuration of said vehicle; and a biasing spring encircling said post and being compressed between said roof element and said web retaining plate in the assembled configuration of said vehicle; said post having a first tooth formed on the free end thereof and said web having a second tooth projecting inwardly from the boundary of said web opening and located to engage said first tooth, thereby to prevent disassembly of said elements, said web opening being large enough in both lateral directions to permit sufficient movement of said trigger means in either lateral direction relative to said post to dislodge said first tooth from said second tooth upon lateral movement of said web in either direction in response to a broadside impact on one of said target panels.

Claim 16

A simulated toy vehicle having a front and sides comprising, a plurality of releasably assemblable body elements including a lower body element and a roof element, latch means normally restraining separation of said lower body element and said roof element and being releasable in response to a broadside impact, said latch means including, trigger means having a central web extending transversely through said vehicle between said assemblable elements, and a pair of target panels depending from said web along opposite sides of said vehicle, said web being wider than said lower body element whereby said target panels are normally spaced from the sides thereof, said lower body element being formed to define a guide platform in which said web is slidably received for lateral movement in response to a broadside impact on either one of said target panels, a web retaining plate secured to said lower body element and extending across said guide platform above said web to retain said web on said platform at all times, said web and said retaining plate having centrally located apertures formed therein generally located in vertical alignment with each other, a post formed on said roof element and extending towards said lower body element, said post having a free end extending through said openings in said web and said web retaining plate in the assembled configuration of said vehicle; and a biasing spring encircling said post and being compressed between said roof element and said web retaining plate in the assembled configuration of said vehicle; said post having a first tooth formed on the free end thereof and said web having a second tooth projecting inwardly from the boundary of said web opening and located to engage said first tooth, thereby to prevent disassembly of said elements, said web opening being large enough in both lateral directions to permit sufficient movement of said trigger means in either lateral direction relative to said post to dislodge said first tooth from said second tooth upon lateral movement of said web in either direction in response to a broadside impact on one of said target panels.

Claim 17

A toy vehicle as defined in claim 14 wherein said web and lower body element have cooperating slot and stop elements formed therein for limiting lateral movement of said web.