Wind-up toy vehicle with disengageable wind-up mechanism operated by rear axle rotation

Claim 1

In a toy wheeled vehicle, a. a chassis including a main frame and front and rear axles each carrying a pair of ground wheels and having upright slots in which the rear axle is journaled for movement beTween upper and lower positions, b. a sub-gear frame pivoted on a horizontal transverse axis to the chassis for fore and aft tilting movement relative to the chassis and having a portion thereof engaging the rear axle, c. a winding shaft journaled on the chassis and having a spring acting between the shaft and chassis whereby as the shaft is rotated in one direction said spring will be wound to store energy, d. first means to wind the spring when the wheels are rolled in one direction over a ground surface including a first series of gears mounted to said chassis for intermeshing and connecting the rear axle to the winding shaft when the rear axle is in its upper position to transmit rotational movement of the rear axle caused by rolling engagement of the ground wheels thereon with such ground surface to the winding shaft and further including a slip clutch to disengage the connection with said winding shaft when the wheels are rolled in the opposite direction with said rear axle in said upper position, e. second means to propel the vehicle over a ground surface including a second series of gears mounted to said chassis for intermeshing and connecting the winding shaft to the rear axle when the rear axle is in its lower position to transmit stored energy of the spring from the shaft to the rear axle as the energy is released to rotate the ground wheels on said axle, and f. spring means acting between the chassis and subgear frame biasing said frame about said pivot axis in a direction to yieldably retain the rear axle in its lower position wherein said first series of gears is not in engagement.