The instant invention relates to toy vehicles and more particularly to a sparking toy vehicle and a launcher therefor.
Sparking toy vehicles and launchers therefor have heretofore been known in the art. In this regard, the U.S. Pat. Nos. to Kennedy No. 4,479,326 and Kakizaki No. 4,571,212 represent the closest prior art to the subject matter of the instant invention of which the applicant is aware. The patent to Kennedy discloses a toy vehicle projecting gun assembly in which the vehicle is normally latched on an inclined ramp with the rear wheels raised and free to turn. Joined to the underside of the gun is a power trigger operated by the trigger finger of the operator. On the upper side of the gun is a firing button operated by the user's thumb. Actuation of the trigger drives a gear train which in turn drives a drive gear mounted on the rear wheel axle, the drive gear being coupled to a fly-wheel. The flywheel is energized by repeated trigger actions, whereupon the player presses the firing button which unlatches the vehicle which then shoots down the ramp. The patent to Kakizaki discloses a sparking toy vehicle which is driven by a fly-wheel capable of being energized by pulling a rack gear across a pinion which is connected to the fly wheel. One of the side surfaces of the flywheel is provided with a material, which when contact by a flint, is operative for producing sparks. The flint is maintained in contact with the fly wheel surface by means of a spring-biased flint holder.
The instant invention provides a toy comprising a toy vehicle, a launching assembly, and a rotatable sparking mechanism for generating sparks before the vehicle is launched from the launching assembly. In a first embodiment, the launching assembly includes a base track having a rack gear, and a push handle including a spring biased plunger for engagement with the rear end of the vehicle. The sparking mechanism is mounted in the vehicle and a drive gear for sparking mechanism extends downwardly from the vehicle where it intermeshes with the rack gear when the vehicle is received on the base track. The push handle is slidably movable on the base track for advancing the vehicle along the base track wherein advancement of the vehicle causes rotation of the sparking mechanism thereby generating sparks, and further wherein a resistance of the sparking mechanism maintains the plunger in a depressed disposition until the drive gear disengages the rack gear. In a second embodiment, the rotatable sparking mechanism is built into the push handle wherein advancement of the push handle along the base track causes rotation of a drive gear on the push handle thereby generating sparks. The plunger is selectively maintained in a depressed position until the drive gear disengages from the rack gear. In a third embodiment, the launching assembly comprises an inclined launching surface, and a gear train including a gear extending upwardly through an aperture in the launching surface. The gear train is driven by a pivotable lever which is mounted at one end to the shaft of an actuator gear of the gear train. A cam is also mounted to the shaft of the actuator gear wherein pivoting of the lever causes the cam to engage, retract and release a spring plunger for propulsion of the car off the launcher.
Accordingly, it is an object of the instant invention to provide a sparking toy vehicle.
It is another object to provide a launcher for a toy vehicle.
It is yet another object to provide a launcher for a sparking toy vehicle which utilizes resistance between the sparking mechanism and a gear train to maintain a launching spring in a compressed position.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.