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US 8,069,793 B2Granted
Universally mountable model train
OwnerVic G. Riceinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A model railroad train or other vehicle capable of operating in a vertical plane, inverted, or at any other desired angle of inclination.
Claims16
A model train system comprising:
- a locomotive;
- wherein said locomotive houses a motor;
- at least one additional car;
- wherein said locomotive and at least one additional car have at least one wheel;
- a track having at least one rail;
- and
- a bed supporting said track;
- wherein said locomotive includes at least one additional drive wheel capable of exerting a force parallel to said track;
- wherein said locomotive further comprises a sensor and feedback mechanism adapted to detect the direction of travel of the locomotive and to adjust power delivered to the locomotive based at least in part on the direction of travel of the locomotive;
- wherein said at least one additional car and said locomotive are adapted to be selectively magnetically coupled with said at least one rail, such that said locomotive and said at least one additional car can travel in an inverted configuration along said at least one rail, and such that when travelling in an inverted configuration, the sum of the forces acting on said locomotive and said at least one additional car in the plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of said at least one rail is substantially zero.
7 more elements
A retrofitting kit, comprising:
- a locomotive;
- wheels;
- at least one magnetic component;
- capture wheels;
- wheel trucks;
- train car couplings;
- at least one rail;
- a sensor and feedback mechanism adapted to detect the direction of travel of the locomotive and to adjust power delivered to the locomotive based at least in part on the direction of travel of the locomotive;
- and
- at least one drive wheel capable of exerting a force parallel to said at least one rail;
- wherein in an assembled configuration, said locomotive is adapted to be selectively magnetically coupled with said at least one rail, such that said locomotive can travel in an inverted configuration along said at least one rail, and such that when travelling in an inverted configuration the sum of the forces acting on said locomotive in the plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of said at least one rail is substantially zero.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.