Abstract: A wheeled turbine-powered toy vehicle and launcher apparatus. The toy vehicle has at least three spaced-apart ground engaging wheels on which it is supported and a drive mechanism operatively coupled to at least one of the wheels for transmitting rotation to the wheel. The drive mechanism includes a rotatably energy storing flywheel and an air turbine operatively coupled to the flywheel. The apparatus further includes an air delivery tube having a mouthpiece open to the atmosphere for the user to place into his or her mouth and blow air into. The tube has an outlet which is disposed adjacent to the air turbine for directing air against the turbine blades to cause the turbine to rotate. The toy vehicle is designed for use alone or with a launcher.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pad for launching toy vehicles whose motors have been previously energized onto a track, comprising a plate provided with an annular runway on which the vehicles are placed, and a turnstile having arms which separate the vehicles and constitute a stop for each of them. A pawl stops the turnstile from rotating. Retraction of this pawl by action on its rod permits, due to the fact that the drive wheels of each vehicle are providing torque, rotation of the turnstile which thus releases the first vehicle. The rotation of the turnstile causes return into blocking position of the pawl whose rod is then extended in a position to be actuated by a vehicle finishing its run on the track. The invention is particularly applicable to games and toys.

Abstract: The toy vehicle launcher includes lower and upper casing units, the upper unit being slidable in a rectilinear direction relative to the lower unit. Rubber feet on the lower unit frictionally engage the playing surface onto which the toy vehicle is launched. The vehicle is acted upon by a ram having a gear rack in mesh with a relatively large circular gear. Two relatively small circular gears are in mesh with a gear rack on the lower casing unit. All three gears are mounted for rotation in unison on a shaft journaled in bearing plates integral with the upper unit. Manual actuation of the upper casing unit in one axial direction relative to the lower casing unit causes the ram to push the toy vehicle, thereby launching the vehicle.