The object of the invention is a miniature racing course for model car racing games, or more precisely racing courses for toy cars with boxes or garages for cars, which are activated automatically against advance payment and where the interim and end results of the race are evdent from the information board.

According to the international patent classification this invention belongs to A 63H 18/02, A 63H 17/44 and additionally to A 63F 9/14.

The technical problem which is solved by tirs invention is the construction of such a miniature racing course which will allow its uεe primarily in public places , gambling casinos and other premises against advance payment. The whole construction will be compact and simple and will allow garaging of remotely controlled model cars and a simultaneous visual and sound monitoring of the race, of intermediate resuits as well as of final results of model cars or competitors on a special information board.

There are several known solutions of miniature racing courses, but their common characteristics or deficiency is that they are intended exclusively for home usage, that they do not include parking boxes for model cars, they do not include an automatic activating device and an information board, that the number of circles covered and the time spent are measured by mechi, lical measuring instruments, that model cars and wire remote controls are not secured against theft, that model cars are being placed on the racing lanes

SU9STITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)

manually and are before or after the race taken off the lanes manually, and they do not include a device which would allow the activation of the racing course and the performance of the race against advance payment.

The problem which has remained unsolved is how to construct such a miniature racing course which would suit the conditions of the usage in public places against advance payment; which would allow the race of one, two, three or more model cars; which would furthermore allow the garaging of model cars in safe parking boxes as well as giving regular and exact information on the situation on the course during and after the race; and how to perform accurate measuring of the time spent and the circles covered, which mechanical measuring instruments do not allow.

The invention has solved this problem with such a miniature racing course, which has at least one, two, three or more racing lanes for the racing of at least one, two or more model cars; which has furthermore on the side lane or on the racing course itself a parking box for safe parking of model cars, and which is activated by means of an automatic activating device against advance payment. The speed and the number of circles covered are measured by optical measuring instruments, intermediate and final results are visible on a separate information board.

The invention will be described in more detail in a priority example of operation and in pictures demonstrating:

picture 1 : miniature racing course with a side lane in the ground plan,

picture 2: longitudinal section of the parking box in the first example of operation, and

picture 3: longitudinal section of the parking box in the second example of operation

In the first, priority example of operation, the miniature racing course is constituted by a racing course 1 , a side lane 2, an automatic activating device 8 and an information board 9.

The racing course 1 is constituted by one, two, three, or more racing lanes 4, with one model car 6 on each, at least two pairs of optical measuring instruments 7 and at least two, three or more remote controls 10, the number of which equals the number of the racing lanes 4.

The side lane 2 is constituted by two, three or more side tracks 5. The side lane 2 has the same number of side tracks 5 as the racing course 1 has racing lanes 4. It is furthermore constituted by a parking box 3 for parking model cars 6.

Picture 1 demonstrates a priority example of operation of a miniature racing course where there is along the racing course 1 in the same level a side lane 2, which has side tracks 5 linked or connected with corresponding racing lanes 4 on the racing course 1. The side lane 2 can be on or along whatever part of the racing course 1 depending on its design.

On the racing course 1 START and FINISH are indicated, and on each there is a pair of optical measuring devices 7 placed on the transverse plane intended for measuring the speed of model cars 6, for measuring the number of circles covered and for measuring the time each individual model car 6 has spent. On each individual racing lane 4 one model car 6 is placed, and each is operated by one remote control 10 which is primarily wireless, in another example of operation also of wire construction. In a different example of operation the side lane 2, the start and the finish as well as the optical measuring instruments 7 can be constructed and placed in a different way, as demonstrated in picture 1.

ln picturel it is also evident that the miniature racing course is ^* after the invention connected with the automatic activating device 8 in such a way that the device is linked to or with the parking box 3 on the side lane 2. In a different example of operation it can be linked to or with the racing course 1 in which case the automatic activating device 8 is constructed in such a way that it can be activated only after previous payment either with coins, tokens, payment cards and similar, which is not separately demonstrated in picture 1.

From picture 1 it is also evident that the racing course 1 is connected with the information board 9, which is placed above or next to the course in a conspicuous place. The information board 9 can be constructed in the analogue or digital form and shows intermediate as well as final results of measurings of optical measuring instruments 7.

Picture 2 shows a priority example of operation of a parking box 3, placed on the side lane 2, as is evident from picture 1. The parking box 3 is in this example of operation constructed from a safety housing 15 which is made up of a roof and of two side and front walls of optional shapes which are not described and depicted herein. In one front wall single lifting entrance door 16 is constructed and in the opposite front wall single exit door 17 is constructed. Both doors are being opened by rotating them outwards round the hinge 11 , each in the opposite direction. In a different example of operation the door (16,17) can also be opened inwards or in a combined manner and can in another example of operation be constructed as vertically lifting or vertically dropping. After arrival of a model car 6 into the parking box 3 only the entrance lifting door 16 opens and when the car is inside the door closes. When the model car 6 Ieaves the parking box 3 the lifting exit door 17 opens and closes after the exit of the car. In a different example of operation the doors (16,17) can also be opened or closed simultaneously. The parking box 3 is made of a transparent material so that model cars 6 parked in it are visible. In a different example of operation the parking box 3 can also be made of a non-transparent material.

ln picture 3 the second- example of operation of the ^' parking box 3 for parking model cars 6 is shown which is placed in the system of the racing course 1. In a different example of operation the parking box can in the same way be placed in the system of the side lane 2. In this example of operation the parking box 3 is constructed of two complexes. The first complex is made up of a roof safety housing 14 which is placed above the racing course 1 and can be constructed without or with doors (16,17) which are shown in picture 2 and have previously been described. The second complex is made up of a supporting safety bottom 12 which is placed below the racing course 1 and is inaccessibly closed from all sides.

In the area inside the parking box 3 is according to the second example of operation the racing course 1 together with the racing lanes 4 constructed separably in the transverse direction in such a manner that it can be with the help of two hinges 11 and in two dropping parts 1' dropped downwards into the supporting safety bottom 12. Each end of the dropping parts 1 ' is frontally put on each front end of the track section 13 which is fixed to the inner wall of the supporting bottom 12. When the model cars 6 leave the parking box 3, both dropping parts 1 ' of the racing course 1 are again being lifted to its level and so a seemingly inseparable racing course 1 is formed on its whole length.

After payment of the entry fee the automatic activating device 8 activates the miniature racing course according to one of the previously described methods and hooks it up to the electric power. Model cars 6 from the parking box 3 constructed in line with one of the two previously described methods, shown in pictures 2 and 3, drive up to the starting line and stop in front of it. After a certain signal competitors start the model cars 6 with the help of remote controls 10 along the racing lanes 4 on the racing course 1 and regulate their speed with the remote controls. If it is necessary model cars 6 can in the bends of the racing course 1 be secured from dropping out of the racing lane

4, with -a special safety device which is not depicted neither described. Optical measuring instruments 7 installed at the start and the finish measure accurately the speed of individual model cars 6, their average speed in the race, the number of circles covered in the race and the time spent in each circle and the total time spent after the race is finished. Intermediate results achieved can constantly be monitored by the competitors on an information board 9 of an analogue or digital form on which the final results are shown at the end of the race as well as the order individual model cars 6 have reached in the race. When the race is finished model cars 6 drive into the parking box 3 and the miniature racing course is ready for a new race. The previously described embodiment of the the racing course allows the use in public places because its functioning is completely automated and a theft of its constituent parts is practically impossible without the use of physical power. The supervision of a public gambling place in which there is a larger number of miniature racing courses is simple and cheap. With this racing course races at all levels are possible.