TOY GRADER BLADE
United States Patent 3707054
A miniature toy road grader having an elongated body supported on front and rear ground wheels for moving the body longitudinally along a line of travel, a grader blade mounted on the body intermediate the front and rear wheels to extend laterally at a trailing angle from one side of the body to engage the ground surface, the blade being pivoted to the body on an axis substantially bisecting the angle between the blade in its lateral extension and the line of travel of the body whereby the blade may be swung upwardly and forwardly about the axis to a transport position beside the body and parallel to said line of travel.
US Patent References:
Toy road scraper
Watt et al. - February 1936 - 2031751
Snow wing for motor graders
Ulrich - March 1966 - 3241254
Snowplow and distributing attachment for road-scraping machines
Wilson - July 1926 - 1592690
Toy road scraper
Watt et al. - February 1936 - 2031751
Snow wing for motor graders
Ulrich - March 1966 - 3241254
Snowplow and distributing attachment for road-scraping machines
Wilson - July 1926 - 1592690
Application Number:
05/229297
Publication Date:
12/26/1972
Filing Date:
02/25/1972
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Assignee:
Tonka Corporation (Minneapolis, MN)
Primary Class:
International Classes:
A63H17/12; A63H17/00; A63H33/30
Field of Search:
46/39,40,41,202 172/782
Primary Examiner:
Mancene, Louis G.
Assistant Examiner:
Lever J. Q.
Claims:
Having now therefore fully illustrated and described the invention, what is claimed to be new is
1. In a toy grader,
2. The subject matter of claim 1 wherein said body has front wheels disposed on opposite sides of the body with the wheel on said one side lying laterally beyond the pivot whereby the blade is deposited between said wheel and the body when in transport position.
3. The subject matter of claim 1 wherein said obtuse angle is between 110° and 135°.
1. In a toy grader,
2. The subject matter of claim 1 wherein said body has front wheels disposed on opposite sides of the body with the wheel on said one side lying laterally beyond the pivot whereby the blade is deposited between said wheel and the body when in transport position.
3. The subject matter of claim 1 wherein said obtuse angle is between 110° and 135°.
Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Toy road graders are generally provided with a grader blade extending transversely under the front portion of the grader body or forward extension thereof and which blade may be raised and lowered relative to the ground surface and adjusted about a vertical axis between different angles relative to the line of travel. In such a structure it is necessary to limit the width of the blade in order that the toy may be packaged in a box substantially equal to the overall width of the toy. With the blade so restricted in size the grader is capable of forming only a relatively narrow path when used in sand or the like.
Where a laterally extending blade is provided adapted to rest upon the ground surface, the blade may cause damage to a floor or carpet surface when the toy is used indoors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a toy grader with a laterally extending blade adapted to engage and move sand along a relatively wide path and wherein the blade may be moved to a raised transport or packaging position beside the grader body when not in use.
With this and other objects in view the invention broadly comprises a toy road grader having a grader blade pivotally connected to an elongated grader body for movement between a laterally extending operative position and a raised stored position extending along the side of the grader body and parallel thereto.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of the toy road grader with the grader blade in operative position.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the grader with the blade in transport position.
FIG. 3 is a right side elevation of the grader with the blade in transport position.
FIG. 4 is an inverted plan view of the front portion of the grader taken along line 4--° 4 of FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now more particularly to the drawings, reference numerals will be used to denote like parts or structural features in the different views. The toy grader is denoted generally at 10 and has an elongated articulated body consisting of a power unit or rear section 11 mounted on a pair of ground wheels 12 and a front section or grader blade support unit 14 having its rear portion pivoted on a vertical axis as at 15 to the rear section 11. An operator's compartment 16 on section 14 has a pair of transversely spaced right and left side walls 17 and 18 extending downwardly therefrom.
The front end of body section 14 has diverging right and left side walls 19 and 20 which have transversely aligned apertures journaling an axle 21 having wheel members 22 press fit on the ends thereof with hub portions 24 holding the wheels 22 in spaced relation to the side walls 19 and 20. The front portion of section 14 has a top wall 25 disposed just over axle 21 and connecting walls 19 and 20.
The grader blade denoted generally at 26 forming the subject of the present invention comprises an elongated rod having an inner portion 27 journaled in openings 28 and 29 in walls 18 and 17 and an outer portion 30 which carries a grader blade 31. Blade 31 is arcuate in vertical cross section so as to form a forwardly opening slide trough when the blade is in operative position as shown in FIG. 1. The blade is permitted to swing downwardly below the bottom plane of the ground wheels so that it will drag along the ground or floor surface when the grader is pushed forwardly. When used in loose sand the blade 31 will obviously cause sand to move outwardly therealong and form a windrow at the extended end of the blade.
As hereinbefore mentioned the inner portion 27 of the blade support rod is journaled for rotation in apertures 28 and 29 formed in the side walls of body section 14. These apertures are not in lateral alignment but rather aperture 28 is located rearwardly of aperture 29 so that the axis of rotation is disposed at an angle to the vertical plane which is normal to the line of travel denoted by line X-Y in FIG. 1.
The pivotal mounting of the blade 31 is to permit it to be swung between the laterally extending operative position at the drag angle denoted by line --Y in FIG. 1 and a forwardly extending transport position along line X--X with the blade resting on wall 25 as shown in FIG. 2. Accordingly, the angle of the pivot axis Z--Z is determined by the drag angle of the blade. The axis Z--Z bisects the angle between the line of travel X--X and line of drag Y--Y of blade 31. For example, the obtuse angle between lines X--X and line Y--Y in FIG. 1 is approximately 126°. Accordingly, the outwardly opening inside angle between line Y--Y and axis Z--Z is approximately 63° so that when blade 31 is swung to its transport position it will lie along line X--X representing the path of travel.
It will be understood that when the grader is packaged or used indoors, the blade 31 will be placed in the transport position of FIGS. 2 to 4.
Toy road graders are generally provided with a grader blade extending transversely under the front portion of the grader body or forward extension thereof and which blade may be raised and lowered relative to the ground surface and adjusted about a vertical axis between different angles relative to the line of travel. In such a structure it is necessary to limit the width of the blade in order that the toy may be packaged in a box substantially equal to the overall width of the toy. With the blade so restricted in size the grader is capable of forming only a relatively narrow path when used in sand or the like.
Where a laterally extending blade is provided adapted to rest upon the ground surface, the blade may cause damage to a floor or carpet surface when the toy is used indoors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a toy grader with a laterally extending blade adapted to engage and move sand along a relatively wide path and wherein the blade may be moved to a raised transport or packaging position beside the grader body when not in use.
With this and other objects in view the invention broadly comprises a toy road grader having a grader blade pivotally connected to an elongated grader body for movement between a laterally extending operative position and a raised stored position extending along the side of the grader body and parallel thereto.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of the toy road grader with the grader blade in operative position.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the grader with the blade in transport position.
FIG. 3 is a right side elevation of the grader with the blade in transport position.
FIG. 4 is an inverted plan view of the front portion of the grader taken along line 4--° 4 of FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now more particularly to the drawings, reference numerals will be used to denote like parts or structural features in the different views. The toy grader is denoted generally at 10 and has an elongated articulated body consisting of a power unit or rear section 11 mounted on a pair of ground wheels 12 and a front section or grader blade support unit 14 having its rear portion pivoted on a vertical axis as at 15 to the rear section 11. An operator's compartment 16 on section 14 has a pair of transversely spaced right and left side walls 17 and 18 extending downwardly therefrom.
The front end of body section 14 has diverging right and left side walls 19 and 20 which have transversely aligned apertures journaling an axle 21 having wheel members 22 press fit on the ends thereof with hub portions 24 holding the wheels 22 in spaced relation to the side walls 19 and 20. The front portion of section 14 has a top wall 25 disposed just over axle 21 and connecting walls 19 and 20.
The grader blade denoted generally at 26 forming the subject of the present invention comprises an elongated rod having an inner portion 27 journaled in openings 28 and 29 in walls 18 and 17 and an outer portion 30 which carries a grader blade 31. Blade 31 is arcuate in vertical cross section so as to form a forwardly opening slide trough when the blade is in operative position as shown in FIG. 1. The blade is permitted to swing downwardly below the bottom plane of the ground wheels so that it will drag along the ground or floor surface when the grader is pushed forwardly. When used in loose sand the blade 31 will obviously cause sand to move outwardly therealong and form a windrow at the extended end of the blade.
As hereinbefore mentioned the inner portion 27 of the blade support rod is journaled for rotation in apertures 28 and 29 formed in the side walls of body section 14. These apertures are not in lateral alignment but rather aperture 28 is located rearwardly of aperture 29 so that the axis of rotation is disposed at an angle to the vertical plane which is normal to the line of travel denoted by line X-Y in FIG. 1.
The pivotal mounting of the blade 31 is to permit it to be swung between the laterally extending operative position at the drag angle denoted by line --Y in FIG. 1 and a forwardly extending transport position along line X--X with the blade resting on wall 25 as shown in FIG. 2. Accordingly, the angle of the pivot axis Z--Z is determined by the drag angle of the blade. The axis Z--Z bisects the angle between the line of travel X--X and line of drag Y--Y of blade 31. For example, the obtuse angle between lines X--X and line Y--Y in FIG. 1 is approximately 126°. Accordingly, the outwardly opening inside angle between line Y--Y and axis Z--Z is approximately 63° so that when blade 31 is swung to its transport position it will lie along line X--X representing the path of travel.
It will be understood that when the grader is packaged or used indoors, the blade 31 will be placed in the transport position of FIGS. 2 to 4.