Toy fork lift vehicle with improved steering

In combination in a toy vehicle for transporting transportable elements,

• a chassis,
• wheels mounted on the chassis for selectively moving the vehicle forwardly and rearwardly, turning the vehicle to the right or left and skid steering the vehicle to the right or left, the wheels constituting a pair of forward wheels and a pair of rearward wheels,
• motors mounted on the chassis for selectively rotating the wheels to move the vehicle forwardly and rearwardly, turn the vehicle to the right and the left and skid steer the vehicle to the right and the left,
• the distance between the forward and rearward wheels defining a wheelbase and the distance between the forward wheels defining a track,
• the ratio of the track having a particular ratio relative to the wheelbase to provide for a stable operation of the vehicle even during the skid turning of the vehicle,
• pairs of forklift arms mounted on the vehicle to define a substantially parallel four bar assembly and movable to lift and lower the transportable elements,
• a counterweight mounted on the vehicle to balance the forklift arms in lifting the transportable elements, and
• an additional motor operatively coupled to the pairs of the forklift arms to move the forklift arms in a vertical direction,
• a pair of gripper arms disposed on the forklift arms and movable in a lateral direction relative to each other to grip or release the transportable elements, and
• a further motor operatively coupled to the gripper arms to move the gripper arms in the lateral direction relative to each other,
• a hitch assembly mounted on the vehicle for attaching the toy vehicle to the movable member, and
• coupling members responsive to the vertical movement of the fork arms in the substantially parallel four bar assembly for providing a controlled attachment and detachment of the hitch assembly to, and from, the movable member.

In combination in a toy vehicle for transporting transportable elements and for coupling the vehicle to a movable member for movement of the movable member with the vehicle,

• a chassis,
• a pair of axles mounted on the chassis in a longitudinally displaced relationship to each other,
• wheels mounted on the opposite ends of each of the axles in the pair,
• motor means mounted on the chassis for providing selective rotations of the wheels to selectively move the vehicle forwardly and rearwardly, turn the vehicle to the right and the left and skid steer the vehicle to the right and to the left,
• fork lift arms mounted on the chassis for pivotable movements upwardly and downwardly,
• a gripper assembly mounted on the fork lift arms and including a pair of gripper arms movable in a lateral direction relative to each other to grip and release the transportable elements,
• a first motor operatively coupled to the fork lift arms for selectively moving the fork lift arms upwardly and downwardly,
• a second motor operatively coupled to the gripper assembly for selectively moving the gripper arms in the opposite lateral directions, and
• a hitch assembly mounted on the chassis and responsive to the upward and downward movements of the fork lift arms to selectively hitch and unhitch the hitch assembly to the movable member.

In combination in a toy vehicle for transporting transportable elements and for providing a controlled coupling of the toy vehicle to a movable member,

• a chassis,
• a pair of axles mounted on the chassis in a longitudinally displaced relationship to each other,
• wheels mounted on the opposite sides of each of the axles in the pair,
• motor means mounted on the chassis and operatively coupled to the wheels for providing selective rotations of the wheels to selectively move the vehicle forwardly and rearwardly, turn the vehicle to the right and the left and skid steer the vehicle to the right and the left,
• fork lift arms mounted on the chassis for pivotable movements upwardly and downwardly, the fork lift arms being disposed in a spaced relationship to define a substantially parallel four bar assembly and being movable upwardly and downwardly while maintaining the substantially parallel four bar relationship,
• a first motor operatively coupled to the fork lift arms for selectively moving the fork lift arms upwardly and downwardly,
• a gripper assembly mounted on the fork lift arms and including a pair of gripper arms for movement in a lateral direction to grip and release the transportable elements,
• a second motor operatively coupled to the gripper assembly for selectively moving the gripper arms in opposite lateral directions relative to each other to grip and release the transportable elements, and
• a hitch assembly mounted on the chassis and responsive to the upward and downward movements of the fork lift arms to selectively hitch and unhitch the hitch assembly to the movable member.

In combination:

• a remotely-controlled toy lift vehicle including an elongated chassis;
• a first work arm mounted rotationally from a first location on said chassis for rotation from a first to second position;
• a driver arm mounted movably from a second location on said chassis;
• a drive motor mounted on said chassis;
• and
• a drive mechanism coupled between said motor and said first arm and said driver arm and operative, upon activation of said motor for rotation in one direction, to rotate said first arm through a predetermined arc from said first position to a selected position without moving said drive arm, and further operative, upon continued rotation of said motor in said one direction, to move said driver arm.

In combination:

• a remotely-controlled toy vehicle including a chassis having a longitudinal track;
• an elongated linkage member received slidably in said track and formed with forward and rearward extremities configured with a forward follower and a rearward catch;
• a first work arm mounted rotatably on one end from a forward portion of said chassis and projecting therefrom to be rotated between first and second positions;
• a drive motor on said chassis;
• a gear train coupled with said motor and including a gear meshed with said linkage member and operative upon activation of said motor in one direction, to initially rotate said first arm through a predetermined arc while leaving said linkage member at rest and to, upon continued activation of said motor in said one direction, drive said linkage member in an activation direction in said track;
• and
• a driver arm movably mounted rearwardly on said chassis and including a drive arm in the path of said catch to be moved by said linkage member as it moves forwardly and rearwardly in said track.

In combination for moving a holding member and for coupling to a movable member for movement with the movable member,

• a toy vehicle having a chassis,
• motive means mounted on the chassis for moving the toy vehicle in different directions,
• a fork lift assembly including fork lift arms mounted on the chassis for pivotable movement upwardly and downwardly relative to the chassis,
• means operatively coupled to the fork lift arms for moving the fork lift arms upwardly and downwardly relative to the chassis,
• a gripper assembly including a pair of gripper arms mounted on the fork lift arms for lateral movement relative to the fork lift arms and, including a pair of gripper members, the gripper assembly being supported by the fork lift arms for movement upwardly and downwardly with the fork lift arms,
• means operatively coupled to the gripper arms for moving the gripper arms laterally in a first direction to provide for a retention of the holding member by the gripper members and movable laterally in a second direction opposite to the first direction to provide for a release of the holding member by the gripper members, and
• a hitch assembly mounted on the chassis and responsive to the upward and downward movements of the fork lift arms to selectively hitch and unhitch the hitch assembly to the movable member.

In combination for moving a holding member and for providing a controlled coupling of the toy vehicle to a movable member,

• a toy vehicle having a chassis and having a pair of axles mounted on the chassis in a longitudinally displaced relationship to each other and having wheels mounted on the opposite sides of each of the axles in the pair,
• motive means mounted on the chassis and operatively coupled to the wheels for providing selective rotations of the wheels to move the vehicle forwardly and rearwardly and to turn the vehicle to the right and left,
• a fork lift assembly mounted on the chassis for pivotable movement upwardly and downwardly,
• first means operatively coupled to the fork lift assembly for moving the fork lift assembly upwardly and downwardly,
• a gripper assembly including a pair of gripper arms mounted on the fork lift assembly for lateral movement relative to each other and relative to the fork lift assembly and including a pair of gripper members supported by the gripper arms for gripping the holding member in first lateral dispositions of the gripper arms for movement of the holding member upwardly and downwardly with the fork lift assembly and for releasing the holding member in second lateral dispositions of the gripper arms,
• second means operatively coupled to the gripper assembly for moving the gripper arms laterally relative to each other and relative to the fork lift assembly to the first and second lateral dispositions of the gripper arms, and
• a hitch assembly mounted on the chassis and responsive to the upward and downward movements of the fork lift arms to selectively hitch and unhitch the hitch assembly to the movable member.

In combination for coupling a movable member constructed to be coupled by a hitch pin for movement,

• a vehicle having a chassis and having wheels mounted on the chassis for rotation,
• motive means for rotating the wheels to provide for movements of the vehicle forwardly and rearwardly and to provide for turning movements of the vehicle in opposition directions,
• a shaft mounted on the chassis for rotation in first and second opposite directions,
• a fork lift assembly operatively coupled to the shaft for movement of the fork lift assembly upwardly and downwardly in accordance with the rotation of the shaft respectively in the first and second opposite directions, and
• a hitch pin assembly constructed to receive a hitch pin and responsive to the rotation of the shaft in the first direction for providing for a movement of the hitch pin into coupled relationship with the movable member and responsive to the rotation of the shaft in the second direction for providing for a movement of the hitch pin into a decoupled relationship with the movable member for a movement of the vehicle and the movable member independently of each other.

In combination in a toy vehicle for transporting transportable elements and for coupling the vehicle to a movable member,

• a chassis,
• a pair of axles mounted on the chassis in a longitudinally displaced relationship to each other,
• wheels mounted on the opposite ends of each of the axles in the pair, the distance between the pair of axles defining a wheelbase and the distance between the wheels on each of the axles defining a track,
• motor means mounted on the chassis for providing selective rotations of the wheels to selectively move the vehicle forwardly and rearwardly, turn the vehicle to the right and the left and skid steer the vehicle to the right and to the left,
• a fork lift assembly mounted on the chassis and including fork lift arms for pivotable movements upwardly and downwardly,
• a gripper assembly mounted on the fork lift arms and including a pair of gripper arms movable in a lateral direction relative to each other to grip and release the transportable elements,
• a first motor operatively coupled to the fork lift assembly for selectively moving the fork lift arms upwardly and downwardly,
• a second motor operatively coupled to the gripper assembly for selectively moving the gripper arms in the opposite lateral directions,
• a counter weight mounted on the chassis at the opposite end of the vehicle from the forklift arms to balance the weight of the forklift arms in moving upwardly and downwardly,
• a hitch assembly mounted on the chassis and including coupling members responsive to the upward and downward movements of the fork lift arms to selectively hitch and unhitch the hitch assembly to the movable member,
• the vehicle having a particular address,
• a plurality of hand held pads each manually operative to provide first binary indications representing the particular address and second binary indications providing commands for operating the motor means, the first motor and the second motor, and
• a central station for sending the first and second binary indications from the pads to the vehicle.

In combination for use with a holding member and for coupling to a movable member for movement with the movable member,

• a toy vehicle having a chassis and axles mounted on the chassis in longitudinally displaced relationship and wheels mounted on each of the axles in laterally displaced relationship,
• first motive means mounted on the chassis for moving the toy vehicle in different directions including spin turning the vehicle,
• a fork lift assembly including fork lift arms mounted on the chassis for pivotable movement upwardly and downwardly relative to the chassis,
• second motive means operatively coupled to the fork lift arms for moving the fork lift arms upwardly and downwardly relative to the chassis,
• a gripper assembly supported by the fork lift arms for movement upwardly and downwardly with the fork lift arms relative to the chassis, the gripper assembly including a pair of gripper arms mounted on the fork lift arms for lateral movement relative to the fork lift arms,
• third motive means operatively coupled to the gripper arms for moving the gripper arms laterally in a first direction to provide for a retention of the holding member by the gripper arms and movable laterally in a second direction opposite to the first direction to provide for a release of the holding member by the gripper arms,
• a hitch assembly mounted on the chassis and responsive to the upward and downward movements of the fork lift arms to selectively hitch and unhitch the hitch assembly to the movable member,
• a counterweight disposed on the vehicle to balance the weight of the fork lift arms in moving upwardly and downwardly,
• the distance between the wheels on each axle defining a track and the distance between the axles defining a wheel base and the ratio of the track to the wheel having a value to maintain stability in the vehicle even when the vehicle is skid turning.

In combination for use with a holding member and for coupling to a movable member for movement with the movable member,

• a toy vehicle having a chassis and axles mounted on the chassis in longitudinally displaced relationship and wheels mounted on the axles in laterally displaced relationship,
• first motive means mounted on the chassis for moving the toy vehicle in different directions,
• a fork lift assembly including fork lift arms mounted on the chassis for pivotable movement upwardly and downwardly relative to the chassis,
• second motive means operatively coupled to the fork lift arms for moving the fork lift arms upwardly and downwardly relative to the chassis,
• a gripper assembly supported by the fork lift arms for movement upwardly and downwardly with the fork lift arms relative to the chassis, the gripper assembly including a pair of gripper arms mounted on the fork lift arms for lateral movement relative to the fork lift arms,
• third motive means operatively coupled to the gripper arms for moving the gripper arms laterally in a first direction to provide for a retention of the holding member by the gripper arms and movable laterally in a second direction opposite to the first direction to provide for a release of the holding member by the gripper arms,
• a hitch assembly mounted on the chassis and responsive to the upward and downward movements of the fork lift arms to selectively hitch and unhitch the hitch assembly to the movable member,
• a counterweight disposed on the vehicle to balance the weight of the fork lift arms when the fork lift arms are moving upwardly and downwardly,
• the distance between the wheels on each axle defining a track and the distance between the axles defining a wheel base and the ratio of the track to the wheel having a value to maintain stability in the vehicle even when the vehicle is skid turning,
• the vehicle having a particular address, and
• means for addressing the vehicle with the particular address and for providing commands to the vehicle for selectively operating the first, second and third motive means to move the vehicle in any direction including skid turning the vehicle, to move the lift arms upwardly and downwardly relative to the vehicle and to move the gripper arms selectively in the first and second lateral directions.