US4861306A — Toy cog railway

Claim 1

Independent Claim 230 words

A toy cog railway system having a train and an associated track, said track including at least one smooth driving face and a cogging member mounted along said driving face and extending perpendicularly to said driving face, said cogging member being provided with two teeth-bearing racks transversely spaced apart from each other, said racks being disposed symmetrically with respect to said driving face, the longitudinal direction of the teeth of said rack extending perpendicularly to said driving face, said at least one smooth driving face having the form of a flat strip; said train including at least one vehicle in the form of an engine car, said engine car including at least two axles each having rimless wheels for running on said driving face, a drive motor in driving engagement with a cogwheel that engages said track cogging member, the rotating axis of said cogwheel extending perpendicularly to said axles, and means for guiding said engine car along said driving face includign at least one pair of opposed guide means formed to contact opposite sides of said cogging member, said cogwheel being laterally displaced with respect to the center line between said guide means so as to engage a single one of said racks; and means for coupling said engine car to a further vehicle, said coupling means being attached to said engine in the vicinity of said guide means.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 230 words

A toy cog railway system having a train and an associated track, said track including at least one smooth driving face and a cogging member mounted along said driving face and extending perpendicularly to said driving face, said cogging member being provided with two teeth-bearing racks transversely spaced apart from each other, said racks being disposed symmetrically with respect to said driving face, the longitudinal direction of the teeth of said rack extending perpendicularly to said driving face, said at least one smooth driving face having the form of a flat strip; said train including at least one vehicle in the form of an engine car, said engine car including at least two axles each having rimless wheels for running on said driving face, a drive motor in driving engagement with a cogwheel that engages said track cogging member, the rotating axis of said cogwheel extending perpendicularly to said axles, and means for guiding said engine car along said driving face includign at least one pair of opposed guide means formed to contact opposite sides of said cogging member, said cogwheel being laterally displaced with respect to the center line between said guide means so as to engage a single one of said racks; and means for coupling said engine car to a further vehicle, said coupling means being attached to said engine in the vicinity of said guide means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 61 words

The system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said train includes at least one further vehicle in the form of a nondriven car coupled to said engine car, said nondriven car equally including means for guiding said nondriven car along said driving face including at least one pair of opposed guide means formed to contact opposite sides of said cogging member.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 39 words

The system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said further vehicle in the form of a nondriven car includes coupling means which are attached to said nondriven car in the vicinity of said guide means of said nondriven car.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 27 words

The system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said track comprises two driving faces separated by said cogging member, said cogging member protruding above said driving faces.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 37 words

The system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cogging member is positioned in a groove between said driving faces, side faces of said groove being provided with said two racks transversely spaced apart from each other.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 34 words

The system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cogging member is elevated with respect to a track support, an upper smooth face of said cogging member forming a driving face for said train.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 47 words

The system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said track is generally U-shaped in cross section and said cogging member racks are disposed on the inner faces of the legs of said U-shaped cross section, the inner bottom of said U-shaped cross section forming said driving face.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 63 words

The system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said track has a box-like cross sectional shape formed of two opposed sides, a web extending across said sides and an open bottom defined by two legs extending towards each other, said cogging member extending downwardly from the center of said web and said driving face being disposed on the inner surfaces of said legs.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 62 words

The system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said track has a box-like cross-sectional shape formed of two opposite sides, a web extending across said sides and an open bottom defined by two legs extending towards each other, said cogging member extending downwardly from the center of said web and said driving face being disposed on the inner face of said web.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 25 words

The system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said driving face and said cogging member are formed from a single piece of synthetic plastic material.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 20 words

The system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said track is formed of segments joined together by longitudinally extending flanges.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 34 words

The system in accordance with claim 11 wherein said track includes at least one curved segment defining an arc of 45°, said curved segment having a major arcuate portion and a minor straight portion.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 36 words

The system in accordance with claim 12 wherein said track includes two joined curved segments defining together an arc of 90° and the minor straight portions are disposed at the ends of said joined curved segments.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 26 words

The system in accordance with claim 11 wherein each segment is provided with coding means in the form of recesses and protrusions at its end faces.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 33 words

The system in accordance with claim 11 wherein each segment is provided with at least two rows of electrical contacts extending longitudinally there along, said rows forming electrical contacts for said engine car.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 31 words

The system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said engine car includes a chassis to which said drive motor is mounted, said axles carrying the wheels being supported by said chassis.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 52 words

The system in accordance with claim 16 wherein said coupling means includes at least one coupling yoke having two angled arms pivotally mounted to said chassis at a height approximate that of said cogwheel and in the longitudinal direction proximate to a vertical plane containing the center of gravity of the chassis.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 14 words

The system in accordance with claim 16 wherein said chassis has exactly two axles.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 16 words

The system in accordance with claim 16 wherein said chassis is formed of interconnected building blocks.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 90 words

The system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said train includes at least one vehicle having a nondriven pivoted bogie including means for guiding said nondriven pivoted bogie along said driving face including at least one pair of guide means formed to contact opposite sides of said cogging member and including a coupling yoke having two angled arms pivotally mounted to said bogie at a height approximate that of said guide means and in the longitudinal direction proximate to a vertical plane containing the center of gravity of said bogie.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 28 words

The system in accordance with claim 20 wherein said bogie includes a pivot pin and said vehicle includes a platform having means therein for receiving said pivot pin.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 14 words

The system in accordance with claim 20 wherein said bogie has exactly two axles.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 16 words

The system in accordance with claim 20 wherein said bogie is formed of interconnected building blocks.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 68 words

The system in accordance with claim 17 or claim 20 wherein said coupling yoke is provided with a member connecting said arms and a slot positioned in said member and wherein at least one of said vehicles includes a platform having an elongated tongue member extending from an end thereof whereby said tongue member may be engaged in said slot to thereby couple said vehicle to said member.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 24 words

The system in accordance with claim 24 wherein said tongue member is provided with a cam-like surface and said slot has a corresponding recess.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 28 words

The system in accordance with claim 24 wherein said slot is rectangular and said tongue member has a rectangular cross-sectional shape whereby to preclude movement within said slot.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 36 words

The system in accordance with claim 24 wherein said tongue member, in cross section has a shape different from that of said slot whereby to permit limited rotational movement of said tongue member within said slot.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 23 words

The system in accordance with claim 24 wherein said coupling yoke further includes a rotatable magnet mounted to said member connecting said arms.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 88 words

A track for a toy cog wheel railway, said track including at least one smooth driving face and a cogging member mounted along said driving face and extending perpendicularly to said driving face, said cogging member being provided with two racks transversely spaced apart from each other, said racks being disposed symmetrically with respect to said driving face, the longitudinal direction of the teeth of said racks extending perpendicularly to said driving face, and said at least one smooth driving face having the form of a flat strip.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 88 words

A track for a toy cog wheel railway, said track including at least one smooth driving face and a cogging member mounted along said driving face and extending perpendicularly to said driving face, said cogging member being provided with two racks transversely spaced apart from each other, said racks being disposed symmetrically with respect to said driving face, the longitudinal direction of the teeth of said racks extending perpendicularly to said driving face, and said at least one smooth driving face having the form of a flat strip.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 108 words

An engine for a toy cog wheel railway, said engine including at least two axles each having rimless wheels, a drive motor in engagement with a cogwheel for engaging a track cogging member having a pair of racks on opposite sides thereof, the rotating axis of said cogwheel extending perpendicularly to said axles, and means for guiding said engine along a driving face of said track including at least one pair of opposed guide means formed to contact sides of said cogging member, said cogwheel being laterally displaced with respect to the center line between said guide means so as to engage a single one of said racks.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 108 words

An engine for a toy cog wheel railway, said engine including at least two axles each having rimless wheels, a drive motor in engagement with a cogwheel for engaging a track cogging member having a pair of racks on opposite sides thereof, the rotating axis of said cogwheel extending perpendicularly to said axles, and means for guiding said engine along a driving face of said track including at least one pair of opposed guide means formed to contact sides of said cogging member, said cogwheel being laterally displaced with respect to the center line between said guide means so as to engage a single one of said racks.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 69 words

The engine in accordance with claim 30 wherein said engine includes a chassis supporting said drive motor and means for coupling said engine to another vehicle, said coupling means including a coupling yoke having two angled arms pivotally mounted to said chassis at a height approximate that of the cogwheel and in the longitudinal direction approximate that of a vertical plane containing the center of gravity of said chassis.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1992-08-28	1993-02-27	1993-08-29	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1996-08-28	1997-02-27	1997-08-29	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2000-08-28	2001-02-27	2001-08-29	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Toy cog railway

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