GB2058590A

GB2058590A - Toy connecting elements

Info

Publication number: GB2058590A
Application number: GB8028175A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1979-09-22
Filing date: 1980-09-01
Publication date: 1981-04-15
Also published as: SE8006557L; FR2465913A1; NL8004330A; DK388680A; DE7926904U1; AU6180080A; IT1132707B; IT8024539A0; BE884945A

Abstract

A connecting element of a toy construction kit is a regular prism (1) whose sides have an identical stub-like member (3) projecting therefrom and whose ends have a bore (6) therethrough. The members (3) may each have a longitudinal slit (5) to facilitate engagement in a bore (4) of a rod (2), or they may each have an annular groove which is locked in a rod by a U-shaped locking member. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A connecting element of a toy construction kit This invention relates to a central assembly element with connecting means for attaching rodshaped parts in order to produce star-shaped grid frameworks.

Plate-like central assembly elements have already been proposed with which star-shaped grid frameworks may be produced by placing the rodshaped parts on the central assembly element and fixing them with screw bolts or the like. In order to obtain sufficient rigidity, this type of fixing generally requires two fixing points arranged at a distance from each other, or one fixing point and an additional side guide means for the rod-shaped parts.

Furthermore, with these known central assembly elements there is the problem that the centre of gravity of the grid framework lies outside the central assembly element. Such central assembly elements are therefore unsuitable for use as hub memebers for rotating star-shaped grid frameworks, as required for example for the construction of carousel or ferris wheel play models.

An aim of the invention is, therefore, to create a central assembly element which is suitable for use as a hub member for rotating grid frameworks and offers the possibility of simple attachment of the rod-shaped parts.

This aim is achieved according to the invention by the central assembly being polygonal in section, having connecting surfaces of equal sixe on its periphery, and also having a bearing borehole; having on each connecting surface a connecting means for the attachment of the end faces of the rod-shaped parts; and by the centre axes of said connecting means intersecting with the bearing axis of the element.

As a result of the central assembly element being polygonal in section, connecting surfaces of equal size are produced on the periphery, allowing the end faces of the rod-shapes parts to be attached to the faces ofthe central assembly element and fixed by way of the connecting means. This method of attachment by the end faces results in a directional arrangement, so that one connecting surface is sufficient to connect the rod-shapes parts in a stable shape. In addition, the centre of gravity of a grid framework constructed with rod-shaped parts of equal size coincides with the centre of gravity of the central assembly element and the centre axis of the bearing borehole, so that the conditions for rotation of the grid framework are optimum.The central 'assembly element according to the innovation is therefore particularly suitable for use as a hub member for the construction of carousel or ferris wheel play models. Advantageously, the connecting surfaces are square. This condition is fulfilled if the length of the central assembly element corresponds to the length of the sides of the polygonal section.

The square connecting surface allows building rods having the same square section to be connected flush with the connecting surface.

The connecting means may be tubular in form and slit in a longitudinal direction. In order to connect the rod-shaped parts, the latter require on the end faces a corresponding borehole having a diameter which is slightly smaller than the external diameter of the connecting means arranged on the central assembly element, in order to produce a tensioning effect. This type of connection can also be made by younger children.

Should greater retaining force be required, the connecting means may be in the form of cylindrical connecting stubs with a peripheral groove. The peripheral groove offers the possibility of locking the rod-shaped part onto the central assembly element.

To achieve this it is necessary to provide the rodshaped part with a cross-borehole, which intersects the borehole intended to receive the connecting stubs, in orderthat a U-shaped locking member may be placed through the rod-shaped part to fit over the peripheral groove of the stub.

The present invention also provides a solid connecting element of a toy construction kit, the element being a regular prism, each of its sides having an identical stub-like connecting member projecting from it, and having a bore which is coaxial with the element and which opens into each of its ends, the axes of the connecting members intersecting the axis of the element at the same point.

The present invention further provides a hollow connecting element of a toy construction kit, the element being a regular prism, each of its sides having an identical stub-like connecting member projecting from it, and each of its ends having an opening coaxial with the element, the axis of the connecting members intersecting the axis of the element at the same point.

The present invention further provides a toy construction kit including a connecting element according to the invention.

Two forms of connecting element, each constructed in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Fig. 1 shows a first connecting element with rodlike elements attached; and Fig. 2 shows a second connecting element with a rod-like element locked to it.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, the connecting element 1 shown in Fig. 1 is a triangular prism the cross-section of which is an equilateral triangle, and the side faces of which are squares.

Rod-like elements 2, each of which is in the form of an elongate square prism, are attachabie to the element 1 as shown in Fig. 1 so that an end face of the element 2 is in face-to-face contact with a respective side face of the element 1-those faces being equal in area. To allow that attachment, each side face of the element 1 is provided with a connecting means 3 projecting at right-angles to that face and each end face for an element 2 has a bore 4 for receiving the connecting means. To produce a tensioning effect in the bore 4, each connecting means 3 is tubular in form and is provided with a longitudinal slit 5; in addition, the diameter of each connection means is slightly larger than the diameter of the bores 4.Each connecting means is resilient so that its diameter can be reduced to allow insertion into a bore 4 and so that it has a friction fit in the bore 4 which withstands traction forces sufficient for simple play models which are only subjected to limited stress.

By connecting a rod-like element to each face of the connecting element 1 a star-shaped framework can be constructed which can simulate a ferris wheel, windmill or the like. The connecting element has a bearing hole 6, for receiving an axle so that element can be used as a rotary hub for the framework. This axis of the hole 6 is coaxial with the axis of the element 1 and the axis of each connecting means intersects that axis atthe same point; that point being the centre of gravity of the framework.

The connecting element 7 shown in 2 is a prism having a cross-section in the form of a regular hexagon, each side of the prism being in the form of a square. Each connecting means 8 in this case is in the form of a cylindrical connecting stub which has a peripheral groove 9 spaced from its respective side face. Rod-like elements 4, the same as those used in the Fig. 1 construction, can be attached to the connecting means 8 by inserting the connecting means into a borehole 4. A U-shaped locking member 10 is then inserted through one of the bores of a pair of cross-bores4a -which extend between each pair of parallel side faces of the element4-ofthe element 4 to engage in the peripheral groove 9 of the connecting means 8. In this way, the elements 2 can be connected to the element 7 so thatthey cannot be pulled apart, Due to the provision of the bearing bbrehole 6, the element 7 is also suitable for use as a hub for a star-shaped grid framework, for example forthe construction of carousel or ferris wheel play models.

Each ofthe elements 1 or7 can be solid or hollow; in the former case the borehole 6 extends through the element and opens into its end faces while in the latter case each end face is provided with a hole which is coaxial with the axis of the element.

Each of the elements 1,2,3,7 and 8 is formed from plastics material, preferably by injection moulding.

Claims

1. A solid connecting element of a toy construction kit, the element being a regular prism, each of its sides having an identical stub-like connecting member projecting from it, and having a bore which is coaxial with the element and which opens into each of its ends, the axes of the connecting members intersecting the axis of the element at the same point

2. A hollow connecting element of a toy construction kit, the element being a regular prism, each of its sides having an identical stub-like connecting member projecting from it, and each of its ends having an opening coaxial with the element, the axes of the connecting members intersecting the axis of the element at the same point.

3. A connecting element as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which each side of the element is square.

4. A connecting element as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which each ofthe connecting members is tubular and has a longitudinal slot in its wall which opens into the interior of the member

5. A connecting element as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which each connecting member is in the form of a rod provided with an annular peripheral groove.

6. A connecting element of a toy construction kit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawing.

7. A central assembly element with connecting means for attaching rod-shaped parts to produce star-shaped grid frameworks, wherein the central assembly element is polygonal in section, with connecting surfaces of equal size on its periphery, and also has a bearing borehole; whereas on each connecting surface a connecting means is provided for the attachment of the end faces of the rod-shaped parts; and wherein the centre axes of said connecting means intersect with the bearing axis of the central assembly element.

8. A toy construction kit including one or more connecting elements as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, and a plurality of building elements, each building element being in the form of an elongate rectangular prism, one or both ends of each building element having a bore into which a connecting member can be inserted so that the end of the building element is in face-to-face contact with a side of a connecting element.