This invention relates to steerable, motor driven model vehicles.

Toy model vehicles, particularly cars and trucks, are widely manufactured and sold throughout the world. Such toys are extremely popular with children over a very wide age range.

Within this general category, toy model vehicles may vary very widely dependent upon the price to manufacture and the age and type of the desired user; Generally speaking, however, it is desired to give such vehicles as many "working parts" as possible to enhance play interest. Thus most toy wheeled vehicles have wheels which rotate. Many have means for >rotating the wheels, for example friction motors, clockwork motors or electric motors. Further, the ability to steer' the wheels of vehicles adds substantial verisimilitude.

Albeit with an increase in cost, it is possible to design toy vehicles with steering and a .drive motor operated from a-battery, and if necessary operated by remote control. The difficulty with such designs is that they tend to be effectively usable only by older children and to require sophistication in their operator.

One known example of a steerable motor controlled toy vehicle was manufactured and sold by Mettoy Playcraft Limited under the registered trade mark

"Coπrputacar". That vehicle was capable of moving forwards or backwards and of steering to left or right under the control of a card having contoured edges which was fed through the vehicle as the vehicle - carried out a sequence of movements, the particular sequence depending on the card edge contours. ^• Although effective as a toy, the Computacar vehicle required substantial care to operate it and it was rather expensive. We have now found that it is possible to design simple and robust toy vehicles which can be easily and reliably operated even by very young children but which both drive and steer according to a predetermined programme. According to a first feature of the present invention there is- provided a model wheeled vehicle comprising a chassis, ground engaging wheels on the chassis, at least one wheel being steerable, an electric motor connected and arranged to drive at least one of the ground engaging wheels, a steering membe .connected to the steerable wheel(s), a cam follower on the steering member, and wherein the chassis includes means for receiving a steering control element, the steering control element having thereon a cam track engageable by the cam follower and means enabling the cam trackrto be moved relative to the follower by the electric motor.

The vehicle is preferably one having four wheels, a forward pai 'of which are together steerable by means of a common steering element bearing the cam follower. The vehicle preferably includes a path - extending through it along which the steering control element may be moved. The steering control element is preferably in the form of a plate, conveniently made of plastics, having therein,a groove constituting the cam track and preferably having means thereon for

engagement with drive means to enable the plate to be driven along the path. Most conveniently the plate carries evenly spaced engageable members such as teeth or per orations which may engage with a suitable drive ^• member shuch as a cog or sprocket driven by the electric motor. However, if desired, a simple friction drive e.g. with a rubber roller may be used. The' plate is conveniently formed by injection moulding from plastics material_ and may bear a plurality of cam tracks. For example a generally rectangular plate may bear four cam tracks, the track engaged by the follower being selected by the user who can vary the orientation of the plate and which end is inserted first into the path along which it is subsequently driven. Conveniently switch means are associated with the path enabling automatic actuation of the motor on insertion of a steering contfol element into the path.

Preferably the cam track is a simple groove and the follower a pin fixedly mounted on a steering control element, which is preferably a transverse track rod connected to the front pair of wheels in a four wheel vehicle.

In an alternative arrangement, instead of a: plate which is traversed through a path, the steerin . control element may be in the form of a disc mounted for rotation about its centre under th.e action of the electric drive motor, and carrying an endless cam track in which the cam follower engages. Such a vehicle may operate continuously to, carry out a ^' predetermined sequence of movements dependent upon the cam track configuration. The disc may have two sides and be placed either way up to carry out two different steering sequences.

In a further modification, the vehicle may embody switch means capable of overriding the switch means controlled by the steering control element. When ^" such switch is used to override the steering control element

controlled switch, i.e. to switch on the motor for " continuous running, the action preferably sets the steerable wheels to a position in which the vehicle moves in a straight line. This can conveniently be - achieved by a mechanical member associated with the switch and movable from a position, in which it allows the steering member to move freely when the switch is not in the override position to a position in which the steering member is fixed with the wheels steering the vehicle straight when the switch is in the override position. Such a member may furthermore be arranged to disengage the drive between motor and driven wheels (which are preferably not the same as the steered wheels) in a further position of the switch member. In yet a further development of the invention, such an override switch has associated with it a member constituting, when the switch is in the override position, the foremost portion of the vehicle and movable from that position to a more retracted position within the vehicle when the override switch is moved to a non-overriding position. Such a member ensures that, if the vehicle is driven e.g. into the skirting board or a piece of furniture, when the 1'eading edge contacts the obstacle, the switch is moved and excess current drain on the battery or current flow through the electric motor thereby avoided. This automatic switch-off feature constitutes a further - feature of the present -invention and one which may be applied to toy .motor driven' vehicles quite generally, irrespective of whether they are steerable and steered as defined above or not.

The internal arrangement of motor and drive wheels, path, cam follower and steering member may vary widely from vehicle to vehicle. The specific design will be dictated by the type of vehicle, e.g. 3-wheeler, 4-wheeler, 6-wheeler, and by the size and

- 5 - weight constraints. Generally speaking the chassis of the vehicle will include a battery compartment, usually accessible from the underneath of the vehicle, a motor, and a drive gear chain extending from -the motor to the driven wheels and having a branch extending to drive means for the steering control element.

The invention is illustrated by- way of example with reference to a specific preferred embodiment which is ^' illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In these

Figure 1 is a plan view from above of a toy vehicle according to the present invention with

• .. the upper portion removed, and with part cut away

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Figure 2 is a perspective view of the lower portion of the toy vehicle Figure 3 is a plan view of a "programme card" for use with the vehicle partly shown in Figures 1 and 2

Figure 4 is a transverse section through the vehicle along the lines 4-4 shown in Figure 1 and including the upper vehicle casing• Figure 5 is a diagrammatic plan view similar to

Figure 1 showing an alternative embodiment and Figure 6 is a partial horizontal section through one component of the, embodiment shown in Figure 5, shown in four different positions.

Referring first to Figure 1 this shows in diagrammatic plan view an embodiment of a toy vehicle in accordance with the invention having its upper portion removed. The upper portion consists of a single piece plastics moulding to simulate the' bodywork of a car, pick-up truck, tractor unit or the like.

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The upper portion fits on a lower portion containing the working parts and bearing the wheels. The upper portion may be secured to the lower by any convenient means, e.g. it may be a snap-fit

5. thereon, or may be held thereon by screws passing through lugs on the base portion.

^" The lower portion consists of a generally boxlike structure having an upper level constituting a track for a "programme card". The main chassis 1 h s an

10 upper cover 16 with slots in for moving members 21 and 29 described below .and with four lateral lugs 17 defining a track 30 for a programme card. To the side of the track is a switch device 18. Cover 16 acts to prevent articles which can easily be inserted into the

15 apertures in the upper body casing at each end of the track 30 coming to- lodge in the operative mechanism or damaging it.

The chassis supports a pair of driven wheels 3 and a pair of front steerable wheels 4. The driven ^' 0 wheels are mounted on a common axle 5 on which is fixedly mounted a spur gear 6 which is driven via an intermeshing spur gear.7 mounted on a shaft 8 on which the driven gear of a worm gear arrangement 9 is fixedly mounted. The drive gear of worm gear 9 5 is directly fixed on the output shaft of an electric motor 10.

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Power for motor 10 is supplied from a battery (single cell type AA) set in a conventional battery casing accessible from underneath the main moulding 1. 0 The roof of -the battery casing or battery compartment is denoted 11 At one end a terminal in the battery casing is connected via a tag 12 to a contact 13. A bent spring copper contact 14 lies adjacent contact 13 and is connected to motor 10. The other end of the 5 battery is connected via a tag 15 to motor 10.

If spring copper contact 14 is brought into

contact with contact 13, the circuit is completed and motor 10 drives wheels 3 via worm gear arrangement 9 _> shaft 8, spur gears 7 and 6 and axle 5.

. Also meshing with spur gear 7 is a first spur 5 gear 20 which constitutes a portion of the first in a series of three reduction gear wheels mounted for rotation about adjacent shafts and wherein the final spur gear, denoted 21 lies adjacent ^" the side of the battery■casing.. 10 The steerable pair of wheels 4 are mounted for rotation on suitable stub shaft mountings which can turn about vertical axes on pivots 25. Extending rearwards from pivot 25 each side is a short link member 26 pivotally attached at 27 to opposite ends 15 of a steering member 28 of generally *T ^T shape. The bottom of the *T* bears an upstanding pin 29. Lateral movement of pin 29 causes the angle of wheels 4 to change, a. movement of pin 29 to the left as seen in Figure 1 causing the vehicle when moving to steer 20 towards the right and vice versa.

The upper moulded portion has two slots fore and aft which, together with lid 16, define a track 30 through which a pre-programmed "steering card" may be advanced. The slot is shown dashed in Figure 4. * 25 Figure 3 shows such a steering card. It consists of an integral moulded plastics card about the shape and size of a credit card having moulded adjacent each long edge of each side a cam track 35. Each cam track has an initial' broadened out portion 3 succeeded by a 30 crooked track running towards the other end of.the card. Adjacent the cam track is a moulded rack 38 of tooth pitch matching that of spur gear 21. Each end of the ^' card bears a diagram 37 showing in plan the path which the vehicle will execute when the card is inserted 35 with that end as the leading end and ^' that diagram upwards.

In order to operate the toy vehicle, a card as shown in Figure 3 is inserted into track 30 and pushed forward. As this is done, pin 29 passes through the broadened area 36 and comes into track 35. The leading edge of the card then pushes contact 14 slightly sideways as one of the,racks 38 comes to lie ^us adjacent spur gear 21. Pushing contact 14 sideways brings it into contact with tag 3 thus energising the motor, and turning the gear chain. The card is then advanced through the vehicle and as this is happening, the position of pin 29 -laterally of the vehicle is determined by the contour of track 35. As the card is ^" moved, through, so the vehicle advances steering straight ahead or to the left or right dependent upon the position of track 35. It can be seen from Figure 3 that four different paths may be traversed by such a vehicle, depending on the orientation of the card as it is inserted, and which end is inserted first. Movement of the vehicle and of the card continues until the trailing end of the card has moved sufficiently far to-let spring contact 14 move away from tag 13 ₉ whereon the vehicle comes to rest.

In the alternative embodiment illustrated i Figures 5 and 6, similar reference numerals denote similar parts. However, in this embodiment, the driven spur gear 6 is mounted axially slidably on shaft 5 which is of square cross-section. Spur gear 6 is biased . to the position shown in Figure 5 by means of a compression spring 43. On-the side opposite ■ compression spring 40, gear 6 has a boss 41 which is accordingly resiliently engaged in one of four depressions moulded in a plastics actuation member 42. Member 42 is slidably mounted for fore and aft movement in chassis 1 and the action of spring 40 -and boss 41 registers that movement into one of four discrete positions.

Member 42 has a pair of spaced upstanding projections which cooperate with spring contact 14 to move this into or out of contact with tag 13. In this embodiment, tag 13 is split into a relatively forward

5. inboard tag and a relatively rearwards outer tag. In the forwardmost position of member 42, the forward projection allows contact 14 to contact the inner tag 13. In the rearwardmost position of member 42, the rearwards.projection has moved sufficiently far back 0 to allow contact 1-4 to contact outer tag 13 when actuated by insertion of a programme card, as in the first embodiment.

Loosely slidably mounted within chassis 1 is a member 43 which is formed at its front end as a dummy 5 bumper extending from the front of the vehicle. A rearward extension 44 of member 43 abuts against a shoulder 45 on member 42. Member 42 also bears an extension piece 46 having a straight upwardly open groove 47 moulded therein adjacent a flared portion 48. 0 A pin extending downwardly from the rear end of member.28 is located in groove 37 or flared portion 48 dependent upon the position of member 42. When the pin is in groove 47, the front wheels are held straight. 5 . If desired, the base surface of groove 47 may be made relatively higher than the bottom of flared

T portion 48 and the mounting of member 28 adjacent the wheels made with sufficient play to enable the rear end of member 28 to be raised slightly when the 0 actuation member ^' 42 is in its forwards position as shown in Figure 4. In this position, a card cannot be inserted through track 30 since the rearward end .of member 28 projects into that track.

If the actuation member is pushed into its 5 frontwards position, the vehicle is driven in a straight line. If it comes to an obstacle such as a

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wall when it impacts the obstacle the leading edge of member 43 is the first part of the vehicle to touch the obstacle and the remainder of the vehicle then continues to move forwards under its own inertia. The ^" trailing end 44 of member 43 then pushes on the shoulder 45 thus moving, member 42 _. along one position ^• so that the boss 41 moves into the next depression and in this position contact between contact 14 and tag 13 is broken -and the motor is -no longer energised. This is an "off" position. If member 42 is now moved one further position back, -then boss 41 is moved axially and this unmeshes spur gear 6 from spur gear 7, so enabling the vehicle to free-wheel. In this position the motor is not energised but all four wheels are free to rotate and the vehicle may be pushed along in known fashion. The downwardly projecting pin on member 28 is still in groove 47, so the front wheels - are held straight. This feature is very useful when the battery has run out as the vehicle can still be usefully played with.

Finally, if member 42 is moved into its rearmost position, boss 41 drops into the next depression re-engaging spur gear 6 with spur gear 7 ₉ and at the same time the downwardly projecting pin on member 28 comes to lie in the flared portion 48, so wheels 4 can now move to steer the vehicle, insertion of a steering card causes the motor to be energised in a manner . analogous to that shown in Figure 1, the contacts 13 and 14 touching while the card is driven along its track ^"" and the vehicle executes a sequence of movements as determined by the particular cam track being driven past pin 29.

The switch arrangement illustrated is a particularly safe one. If the elevation of member 28 is not used to prevent insertion of a programme card-, and insertion is attempted with the member 42 in its forwardmost position,

then the card will automatically cause the motor to be de-energised; the edge of the card will push, the contact 14 away from the inner tag 13 _» thus breaking the circuit. In a further alternative, movement of member 42 to its forwardmost position may,cause some other component (not illustrated) to block track.'30 to prevent insertion of a programme card.

As. an additional safety feature, the drive train between motor 10 and the wheels 3 or spur gear 21 may include a friction override. This may prevent, for example, damage, to spur gear 21 if a card is inserted with a damaged rack 38.