Miniature toy vehicle assembly

Abstract

A toy vehicle whose body is a replica of a high performance vehicle such as a 'Corvette,' the body resting on a standardized sub-assembly composed of a rectangular chassis carrying front and rear wheel sets, the chassis fitting into the underside of the body regardless of its design. The chassis is provided adjacent either end with slotted side bearings which accommodate the axles of the front and rear wheel sets. These axles are locked into place by a flexible latching strip having a constricted neck dividing the strip into a short head section terminating in a raised step from which projects an upwardly inclined prow and a long tail section terminating in a raised step. Anchored on the bed of the chassis is a pair of parallel rails which define a longitudinal guide for the strip, the rails having upper flanges thereon forming a narrowed inlet for the neck to permit the strip to be received between the rails at an initial position at which the head section is displaced from the front axle and the tail section overlies the rear axle. By pushing the flexible strip forward to its latching position, the prow is caused to ride over the front axle to lift the head section and permit the head step to engage this axle, at which point the tail step engages the rear axle, thereby retaining the axles within their bearings.