Four wheel drive toy vehicle

Claim 1

A miniature self-powered, four wheel drive vehicle comprising: (a) a frame; (b) front wheel means and rear wheel means mounted to the frame for rotation about mutually parallel front and rear axes spaced about two inches apart, each of the wheel means having high friction peripheral surfaces; (c) an electric motor mounted on the front of the frame so that its center of mass is not behind the front axis and having a driveshaft extending outwardly therefrom toward one side of the frame in a direction which is parallel to the front axis; (d) pinion attached to an outwardly extending end of the driveshaft; (e) a first spur gear attached to the front wheel means and positioned near the side of the frame toward which the driveshaft extends; (f) a second spur gear attached to the rear wheel means and also positioned near the side of the frame toward which the driveshaft extends; (g) a propeller shaft having opposite ends thereof supported by opposite ends of the frame and positioned perpendicular to and above the wheel axes and near the side of the frame toward which the drive shaft extends and having a crown gear at one end positioned to engage the pinion, a first worm gear positioned to engage the first spur gear and a second worm gear positioned to engage the second spur gear; (h) battery holder means attached to the frame for releasably holding a standard AA size battery perpendicular to the wheel axes and approximately centered on the frame; and (i) means for electrically connecting the battery to the motor.