This invention relates to a moveable toy truck having a plurality of wheel sets mounted underneath the frame or chassis thereof, and wherein the front wheels mounted underneath the cab of the truck are connected to the chassis by means of a swivel assembly which enables the front wheels to be turned to the left or right, whichever direction may be desired, in response to a force exerted by a steering wheel.
Toy trucks are well known in the art. They come in a vast array of designs, including big rigs, where a trailer is attached to a cab, and unitary vehicles such as fire trucks, pick-ups, tow trucks, wreckers and the like. Most toy trucks include at least two sets of wheels, including a set of front wheels, but the wheels, including the front wheels, are, for the most part fixed in place, and cannot be turned to the left or right. A child playing with a truck normally has to get close to the ground in order to turn it. This is a big disadvantage, as the child will often get dirty playing in the dirt, or in the sand.
It would be advantageous to have a toy truck in which the front wheels can be turned by means of pressure exerted by a steering wheel extending up and behind the cab, so that a child can play with the truck while standing up, and not have to bend down, or get down on the ground in order to enjoy his or her toy. That is the purpose of this invention.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a toy truck that has front wheels mounted on a swivel assembly that can be turned by the use of a shaft to which a steering wheel is attached thus enabling the front wheels of the toy truck to be turned, or swiveled, in a given direction while the child is standing behind the truck.
This and other objects will be apparent from the description to follow.
My invention is a toy truck that has a steering wheel attached to a shaft extending from the back of the truck cab, and front wheels that are rotatable in a left or right direction, which wheels move or swivel in response to pressure exerted by the steering wheel on the body of the truck and turn the truck in a left or right direction.
The toy truck of my invention is shown in
A shaft 34 is attached to the top of the superstructure 14 close by the cab section 16. The shaft 34 extends rearward from the superstructure 14 at an angle of approximately 45 degrees, and is sufficiently long so as to extend beyond the rear of the truck. A steering wheel 36 is mounted on the rear end 38 of the shaft. One set of wheels 40 is mounted on the underside of the chassis 12 of the truck at the rear thereof. Another set of wheels 42 is mounted on the underside of the chassis 12 at the front of the truck underneath the cab. The wheels 42 are part of a swivel assembly 44 so mounted so as to enable the wheels 42 to turn or swivel in a left or right direction independently, by means of pressure being applied by an individual grasping the steering wheel 36, and exerting pressure thereon.
The swivel assembly 44 by which the front wheels 42 are attached to the under surface of the chassis 12 is shown in
Each wheel 42, which has a hole 60 in the center thereof, is positioned between the ears 48 of the clevis 46, and secured therein by an axle 62 which extends through the holes 60 in the ears 48 of the clevis 46, and through the hole 60 in the center of the wheel 42 and which is secured in place by nut 64.
A bearing trace 66 sits on top of the top surface 68 of the clevis 46. The bearing trace 66 contains a set of bearings 70 seated therein.
A cover plate 72 overlies the bearing trace 66 and is secured to the underside of the chassis 12 by screws 74 which project through holes 76 in the plate 72 and are secured to the underside of the chassis 12. The cover plate contains a hole 78 in the center thereof through which the upper end of tube 56 projects.
Thus, when the swivel assembly 44 is assembled and attached to the undersurface of the chassis 12, pressure is exerted on the steering wheel 36 by a child or other individual, causes the wheels 42 to swivel to the left or right in accordance with the force exerted on the steering wheel 36 by the operator.
It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objectives and obtain the ends and advantages herein. Although the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments. Indeed, various modifications of the described modes for carry out the invention which are obvious to those skilled in the art are intended to be within the scope of the following claims.
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