GB1598402A - Toy construction kit - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO A TOY CONSTRUCTION KIT 171) 1, ARTUR FISCHER, a German citizen, of D-7244 Waldachtal 3, (Tum- linger) Germany, do hereby declare the i;-ivention, for which I pray that a patent mav be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particu marly described in and by the followin statement: This invention relates to a toy construction kit.

Small children, especially, are very fond of constructing models of buildings and the challenge provided by these construction kits is all the greater the nearer the appearance of the model to be constructed to the original model. In order to achieve this some construction kits contain special window or door blocks which are provided with joining means on their outer surfaces.

However, the disadvantage of this is that, because of their special nature, these blocks, which are, moreover, very expensive, cannot be used for other purposes.

The present invention provides a toy construction kit comprising a plurality of components each component being provided with joining means in the form of ene or more undercut slots or grooves or one or more undercut tenons, the joining means enabling the components to be fastened together, at least one of the components being a hollow prismatic block, one end of the or each block being open and the other end being closed and provided with the joining means, the kit further comprising at least two caps, each cap having a cover portion and a skirt portion, the skirt portion being a push-fit within the open end of the or each block, and the cover portion being provided with a model, the model of each cap being fashioned to make it different from the model of the other cap or at least one of the other caps.

Instead of providing special blocks in the kit each of which can only be used for one purpose. the kit is provided with different cans. each having different models so that a hollow block can be used with them for different purposes. In order, for example, to give a toy building made from building blocks an appearance which is true to the original, a cap provided with, for example, a model door or window can be inserted in the open end of a hollow block. The result is that, in addition to the savings in cost, the child is given a greater freedom to arrange the blocks since, in order to alter a toy design made from the kit, he no longer needs to exchange the blocks for that purpose but only the caps.

A toy construction kit constructed in accordance with the invention, will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which illustrates an exploded view of a hollow building block and a closure cap of the kit, the block and cap being square in cross-section.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, the block 1 is of hollow prismatic form and is square in section. One end 2 of the block 1 is open and the other end is closed and is provided with two parallel undercut slots 3 (these could be undercut tenons).

The slots 3 are provided for receiving undercut tenons (or slots if the slots 3 are replaced by tenons) in the form of strips provided on other components which, together with one or more of the blocks 1, make up a toy construction kit.

The open end 2 of the block 1 can be closed by means of a closure member in the form of a cap 4, the cap having a cover portion 5 and a skirt portion 6. The skirt portion 6 has an outer peripheral surface which corresponds in form to the inner peripheral surface of the open end 2 of the building block 1 and consequently the cap can be push-fitted into the open end of the block.

The cover portion 5 overlaps the skirt portion 6 so that an annular rim is formed which when the cap is push-fitted into the block 1, engages with the edge of the block 1 at the open end 2 to prevent further inward movement of the cap 4. The lateral extent of the rim provided by the cover portion 5 is the same as the wall thickness of the hollow block 1 and consequently when the cap is inserted into the block the outer edge surface of the cover portion 4 will form a continuous extension of, and lie flush with the surface of the block 1.

The cover portion 5 of the cap 4 shown in the drawing is provided with a toy model 7 which is in the form of a toy door or window. By inserting the cap into the block 1, therefore, the block is converted into a door or window element for the construction kit. By taking the cap out of the block 1 and replacing it by another cap having a different model (for example a model oven door or oven hot plate) it will be appreciadoor or oven hot plate) ti will be appreciated that the block 1 can be converted into 9 different construction element. As a result it will be appreciated that the block 1 can be used for various different purposes with in the construction kit.

Both the block 1 and cap 4 are formed from injection moulded plastics material.

Further, the model 7 is integrally moulded with the cap 4.

The block 1 is square in cross-section but can be of any prismatic form, for example triangular in section.

WHAT I CLAIM IS:- 1. A toy construction kit comprising a plurality of components each component being provided with joining means in the form of one or more undercut slots or grooves or one or more undercut tenons, the joining means enabling the components to be fastened together, at least one of the components being a hollow prismatic block, one end of the or each block being epen and the other end being closed and provided, with the joining means, the kit further comprising at least two caps, each cap having a cover portion and a skirt portion. the skirt portion being a push-fit within the open end of the or each block, and the cover portion being provided with a model, the model of each cap being fash icned to make it different from the model of the other cap or at least one of the other cacs.

2. A toy construction kit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (2)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. outer edge surface of the cover portion 4 will form a continuous extension of, and lie flush with the surface of the block 1. The cover portion 5 of the cap 4 shown in the drawing is provided with a toy model 7 which is in the form of a toy door or window. By inserting the cap into the block 1, therefore, the block is converted into a door or window element for the construction kit. By taking the cap out of the block 1 and replacing it by another cap having a different model (for example a model oven door or oven hot plate) it will be appreciadoor or oven hot plate) ti will be appreciated that the block 1 can be converted into 9 different construction element. As a result it will be appreciated that the block 1 can be used for various different purposes with in the construction kit. Both the block 1 and cap 4 are formed from injection moulded plastics material. Further, the model 7 is integrally moulded with the cap 4. The block 1 is square in cross-section but can be of any prismatic form, for example triangular in section. WHAT I CLAIM IS:-

1. A toy construction kit comprising a plurality of components each component being provided with joining means in the form of one or more undercut slots or grooves or one or more undercut tenons, the joining means enabling the components to be fastened together, at least one of the components being a hollow prismatic block, one end of the or each block being epen and the other end being closed and provided, with the joining means, the kit further comprising at least two caps, each cap having a cover portion and a skirt portion. the skirt portion being a push-fit within the open end of the or each block, and the cover portion being provided with a model, the model of each cap being fash icned to make it different from the model of the other cap or at least one of the other cacs.

2. A toy construction kit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by the accompanying drawing.