Automatically engaging and disengaging gear box assembly

In a vehicle which includes a vehicle frame and a driven axle shaft having vehicle wheels secured to the ends thereof, a housing and gear box assembly unit secured to the vehicle's frame and providing a mounting for the axle shaft, the unit comprising:

• an output gear concentric with the axle shaft and non-rotatably connected thereto;
• a first gear mounted on the housing;
• a motor for driving the first gear;
• a second gear in driving contact with the first gear;
• a yoke providing a mount for the second gear wherein the first gear is rotatable about a rotation axis, and wherein the yoke is pivotable about the rotation axis, the yoke pivoting to one position in which the second gear engages the output gear to drive the vehicle's wheels when the motor is energized, and the yoke pivoting to another position wherein the second gear disengages the output gear when the motor is de-energized;
• at least one gear selectively connecting the second gear and the output gear;
• and
• a housing enclosing the output gear, first gear, second gear, yoke and the at least one gear.

In a toy vehicle including a vehicle frame and a driven axle shaft having vehicle wheels secured to the ends thereof:

• a first gear having a concentric pinion mounted on the frame for rotation about a first rotation axis;
• an electric motor with an output shaft mounted on the frame with the output shaft paralleling the first rotation axis and having a pinion mounted thereon in driving contact with the first gear;
• a second gear having a concentric pinion mounted on the yoke for rotation about a second rotation axis, wherein the second gear is in driving contact with the concentric pinion gear on the first gear;
• a third gear having a concentric pinion mounted on the frame for rotation about a third rotation axis wherein the third gear is in selective driving contact with the concentric pinion on the second gear;
• an output gear concentric with the axle shaft and non-rotatably connected thereto, the output gear in driving contact with the concentric pinion on the third gear;
• and
• a yoke, mounted on the frame and pivotable about the first rotation axis and providing a mount for the second gear, wherein the yoke automatically pivots to one position wherein the second gear engages the output gear when the motor is energized and the yoke automatically pivots to another position wherein the second gear disengages the output gear when the motor is de-energized.