US 4,781,120 A · Monorail train set

Abstract

A toy monorail set is provided including a building for containing the parts to the set and selectively being a component part of the set. The monorail vehicle, building and monorail tracks are all made of sanded hardwood or other suitable smooth and hard material. The vehicle itself includes a cutout and a pair of extension members extending outward from the bottom of the cutout. The cutout has concave sides and the extension members have a flat surface and slanted sides from the back of the cutout to the flat surface so as to allow the vehicle to traverse a curved monorail track course. A smoothing additive, such as wax or paraffin is applied over the flat surface of the extension member and the top, or riding, surface of the monorail track to allow the vehicle to slide over the monorail track. The monorail tracks have semicircular ends with a circular recessed surface on opposite sides at each end. A compressive coupling pad is affixed on each recessed surface so that the monorail tracks may be coupled together. The containing building also includes a fixed monorail track and a plurality of openings to allow the building to be used as a part of the monorail track configuration. Further, the containing building has sliding panels which allow the parts of the set to be stored within the building when the set is not in use.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A track member having a rectangular cross section and a given length bounded by two ends, said member having a pair of relatively longer sides and a narrower top and bottom, said member forming a monorail track which can be attached to a similar monorail track, the improvement comprising:

said member ends being formed in a semicircular shape with a diameter equal to the length between said top and bottom;
first and second recessed surfaces, each positioned on an opposite side and end of said member, each of said recessed surfaces extending from said top to said bottom of said member and back from the end of said member, each recessed surface terminating with a back in the shape of a circular arc of less than 180.degree. and having a diameter equal to the length between said top and bottom, said back extending from said recessed surface to said side of said member;
and
attachment means affixed to each of said recessed surfaces within the circle formed by said member ends and recessed surface back, said attachment means being of a type to be compressively attached to a corresponding attachment means affixed on another member to form an affixation therebetween.

1 more element

A track vehicle set container building and component comprising:

a curved floor above the bottom of said building and having a permanently affixed vehicle track thereon;
an plurality of openings through said building, two of which are aligned with said permanently affixed track and a third of which is below said floor;
a plurality of fixed and removable panels forming a closed volume above said floor and below said floor on both sides of said third opening for storing assemblable parts to said set, said parts being attached from one side of said permanently affixed track to the other side of said permanently affixed track and including sufficient parts to provide a track path through said third opening;
a vehicle;
and
engageable lock means, selectively affixing said vehicle to said permanently affixed track when engaged therebetween and allowing said vehicle to travel over a path defined by said assembled parts when disengaged;
wherein said track is a monorail track and has a rectangular cross section and a given length bounded by two ends, said track having a pair of relatively longer sides and a narrower top and bottom, said track forming a monorail track which can be attached to a similar monorail track, said track further including track ends formed in a semicircular shape with a diameter equal to the length between said top and bottom;
first and second recessed surfaces, each positioned on an opposite side and end of said track, each of said recessed surfaces extending from said top to said bottom of said track and back from the end of said track, each recessed surface terminating with a back in the shape of a circular arc of less than 180.degree. and having a diameter equal to the length between said top and bottom, said back extending from said recessed surface to said side of said track;
and attachment means affixed to each of said recessed surfaces within the circle formed by said track ends and recessed surface back, said attachment means being of a type to be compressively attached to a corresponding attachment means affixed on another track to form an affixation therebetween.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Monorail train set

Life of this patent

Monorail train set

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims9