Abstract: A toy car wash for advancing a toy car along a car washing line, applying water to the car, brushing the car, and then rapidly spinning the wet car to remove water. The water is essentially confined within the toy by use of a transparent top cover, a water capturing bottom cover or pan, and effective water removal before the toy car exits the device. The spinning mechanism includes a rotatable cradle that receives the car, and retains it without physical attachment and without further action by the user while it is being spun dry. The device provides a series of separate player-controlled operations which affords continuous user involvement and a high level of play value.

Abstract: A toy vehicle only slightly longer than a "penlight" battery, and with chassis less than twice the width of such a battery, is able (traction permitting) to climb any grade on which it will not tip over backward--grades up to about 40.degree.--and to negotiate a vertical step taller than its tire radius. The AA-battery-powered four-wheel-drive vehicle has a small electric motor with a double-ended shaft, and a symmetrical gearing system consisting of, at each end of the motor, a pinion fixed on the shaft, a spur gear driven by the pinion and driving a worm, and a worm gear keyed to a corresponding axle. The motor, pinions, spur gears and worms, and the upper portions of the worm gears, are aligned along one side wall inside the vehicle chassis, with the battery alongside them occupying the rest of the chassis. Traction and climbing characteristics are enhanced by twice-overscale tires, preferably of open foam, with highly pronounced treads.

Abstract: Several types of toy vehicles are provided which automatically lean when negotiating turns. One such vehicle is a radio-controlled toy motorcycle, which carries two outriggers with supports that extend downward from the typical positions of a rider's feet. Each outrigger pivots about two independent axes, to bank the toy for negotiating turns. The outriggers are cam-operated from the same radio-controlled steering mechanism which operates the front fork of the toy to turn it. An articulated toy rider has arms which follow the handlebar motions, and legs which follow the outrigger supports--to suggest the illusion that the rider is supporting the motorcycle with his foot on turns. The radio receiver and control electronics, as well as electric motors to drive the rear wheel and the steering mechanism, are powered by dry cells advantageously mounted in the mufflers.

Abstract: A toy hovercraft apparatus and which includes a toy hovercraft and a launcher therefor. The hovercraft comprises a frame having an outwardly flaring skirt with a downwardly projecting peripheral lip to form an air chamber therebeneath. A motor, e.g., an electric motor, supported centrally of the skirt, rotates a fan located in an upper portion of the chamber to draw in air through inlets and create a pressurized air cushion in the chamber, which, in turn, causes the hovercraft to float or hover over a floor, or other surface. One or more relatively small rechargeable batteries are also carried on the frame and connected to the electric motor for powering the motor and the batteries may be periodically recharged. The hovercraft is preferably round and is constructed so that the weight is symetrically distributed which permits the torque created by the fan to cause rapid rotation of the hovercraft in a level horizontal plane without imparting horizontal motion to the hovercraft.

Abstract: A surprise action game apparatus comprising in a presently preferred form a game board defining a plurality of pathways, one for each player, and each having a starting end and extending longitudinally therefrom to a finish line. There are a plurality of play pieces, one on each player's path for longitudinal movement therealong. The play pieces are adapted to be knocked over when engaged. The game apparatus further includes a knock-down unit which may be positioned at the starting end of any selected one of the pathways. The unit includes a movable wheeled toy striker vehicle and operating mechanism for propelling the vehicle along the selected pathway, but only after random or apparently random operation of the mechanism, to engage and knock down the play piece on that pathway. In play of the game, at each player's turn, the player places the knock-down unit at the start of his or her pathway and selectively operates the mechanism.

Abstract: A movable amusement toy in the form of a vehicle adapted for pulling, and which is also provided with a seat for a user to push the vehicle with his legs while sitting on the same. The vehicle could also be adapted for pedalling action. A "popper" or ejecting mechanism provides an action or ejecting or "popping" balls or similar objects into a chamber formed by a transparent cover on the toy vehicle during movement. The chamber transparent cover is highly visible to a child as the child rides or pulls the toy. The ejecting mechanism includes a head which is capable of simultaneously popping several of the balls or similar objects from a trough formed beneath the housing and is actuable through mechanical connection to the wheels of the vehicle so that rotation of the wheels during movement of the toy will actuate the mechanism to pop the various balls or similar objects.

Abstract: A competitive game device which comprises a frame having a rippled playing surface. The rippled surface is formed by a plurality of transversely extending spaced apart recesses separated by arcuately shaped transversely extending ridge portions. The various recesses are assigned scoring values and certain of the recesses also have higher scoring values than other recesses. Each player may have a plurality of balls bearing his indicia. For example, the balls of each player may be a different color. A ramp leads downwardly to the first recess and the players take turns releasing balls down the ramp and onto the rippled playing surface. In a preferred form, the values of successive recesses initially increase; however, if a player's ball goes past the highest value recess, he will get a lower score, by virtue of the ball landing in a lower scoring recess or other area such as a gutter.

Abstract: A slow-moving object, such as a toy vehicle car, is movable forwardly along a roadway which is extended in one direction. The roadway is extended by laying successive planks on a pair of rails. The planks are present in sufficient number to extend between opposite ends of the rails. The edges of the planks are encoded by having irregular edges. The irregular edges of only one or a few of the planks will conform to the irregular edge of the then forwardmost end of the roadway. When properly matched, the planks form a generally continuous roadway for the slowly moving vehicle. The user must properly position planks in place in advance of the arrival of the vehicle to provide a roadway for the vehicle to travel upon. If the vehicle arrives at the forwardmost end of the roadway, the movement of the vehicle may be interrupted or the vehicle may fall through the roadway.

Abstract: A preschool toy amusement arcade which includes a base frame having a plurality of amusement arcade games thereon. Each of the amusement games are designed so that they are self-contained and include no loose parts. In each of the games, a moving part is tied to some part of the arcade by a flexible connector, or otherwise a moving part is contained within a completely enclosed housing. Thus, the amusement arcade may contain all game features where the moving part is located in an enclosed housing. Otherwise, the arcade may contain one or more game features where the moving part is connected to the arcade by a flexible connector. Game features which utilize a moving part connected to the game by a flexible connector may adopt the form of a simulated gun range where a simulated gun issues a projectile toward a target member located to be contacted by the projectile.

Abstract: A competitive action game apparatus including a game board having a playing surface thereon. The playing surface has a high section intermediate each of a pair of opposed player ends and extends downwardly toward each of such player ends. A goal area is located at each of the opposed player ends. A rebound frame surrounds the playing surface except at the goal areas to retain a playing piece in the form of a ball on the surface. The playing surface is generally solid and continuous and uninterrupted between each of the goal areas. Manually shiftable support members are located in front of each of the goal areas and are capable of being shifted transversely in a direction substantially perpendicular to a line extending between the opposed playing ends. A pair of actuable striker elements, which may adopt the form of flippers, are disposed on each of the support members, and are manually actuated by means on the support members.

Abstract: An action skill game including a game board with a pair of simulated aircraft shiftably mounted on the game board at each of the opposite ends thereof and each of which are operated by opponent players. The simulated aircraft are carried by a shiftable carrier mechanism which is also provided with a projectile shooting mechanism and which carrier mechanism also enables "transverse movement" of the aircraft relative to the game board and "pivotal movement" relative to the game board and the shooting mechanism. Each of the shooting mechanisms are provided with control sticks so that the opponent players can manuever the simulated aircraft as well as shoot projectiles at the other simulated aircraft. Each of the particular simulated aircraft employ a pair of moveable target elements which will shift rearwardly with respect to the fuselage of the aircraft when hit by a projectile from the opposite simulated aircraft.

Abstract: A toy game apparatus including a game playing board with a retaining wall extending around the playing board for retaining a playing surface of complex curvature with a pair of spaced apart recessed goals located at low areas in the playing board and with the game board having inclined walls leading from the center of the board and the periphery of the board to the pair of recessed goals. In this way, the portions of the game board surrounding the goal areas converge downwardly and inwardly toward the recessed goals so that a playing piece on the game board can enter the goals through arcuate paths and at any point around the entire periphery of the goals and from any direction. A goal cup is rotatably mounted in each of the goal recesses and a striker member is operatively connected to the goal cup for rotation therewith.

Abstract: A toy spray painting system which includes a hand-held manually powered spray gun along with an easel for holding a substrate such as paper to receive a paint spray from the spray gun. The hand-held spray gun includes a frame having a pistol-grip handle with a trigger for one hand operation. Squeezing of the trigger will operate a member to issue air under pressure; the member could adopt the form of, for example, an expandable and contractable bellows which is operable by squeezing the trigger. Upon squeezing of the trigger, air under pressure is ejected through an orifice in a spray head of the spray gun to create an issued air stream. The issued air stream passes over a paint outlet defined by an opening in the upper end of an upright tube which extends down into a container of liquid paint. The paint container is also held by the frame. The spray gun operates in the manner of a liquid ejector so that a portion of the liquid paint is atomized and entrained in and carried by the stream to the substrate.

Abstract: A projectile toy which may be thrown by a first player and caught by a second receiving player. The toy is designed to follow a generally horizontal stable flight path and to glide in a generally horizontal orientation, particularly through the latter portion of its flight to facilitate being caught by the receiving player. The toy includes an elongated shaft, a set of front fins mounted at the forward end of the shaft, and a set of rear fins mounted at the rear end of the shaft. Both sets of fins are circumferentially spaced around the shaft and extend outwardly therefrom. The fins are made of a readily deformable plastic material which tends to retain its deformed shape upon removal of deforming forces. The toy is of lightweight construction, particularly with reference to its weight versus fin area ratio.

Abstract: A competitive board game wherein two players propel a ball back and forth between them, each attempting to get the ball past his opponent. Each player has a mechanical energy-storing catch-and-propel mechanism which is coupled to the board for limited movement. When the ball is propelled toward a player, he attempts to catch it with his mechanism. The mechanism automatically returns the ball toward the player's opponent. Each catch and propel mechanism is manually cocked by a player after each discharge. The player directs the return to attempt to make it more difficult for the opponent to catch the ball. The play proceeds until someone misses. The players may be opposite one another with the board extending between them, or they may both face an upright wall against which the ball is rebounded. The ball is discharged automatically and essentially instantaneously each time it is caught by a mechanism. One illustrated form of the mechanism discharges the ball each time at a generally predetermined speed.

Abstract: A propeller-driven toy flying vehicle set which includes a hand-held launcher and a propeller-driven toy flying vehicle detachably mounted on the handle. The toy flying vehicle, which may be in the form of an airplane, has a body with wings and a propeller which is substantially oversized with respect to the body and wings of a conventional propeller-driven airplane. A gear-driven mechanism is included within the hand-held launcher which is actuated by pulling a member, such as a string, to impart rotation to the vehicle propeller while the toy vehicle is retentively held on the hand-held launcher. The gear train includes multiplier means, in the form of step-up gears, to increase the speed of rotation imparted to the propeller through the pulling of the string.