US1245440A - Building-block. - Google Patents

Description

A. D. CONVERSE. BUILDING BLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.13.19!G.

Patentd Nev. 191?.

ATHERTON I). CONVERSE, ()F WINCHENDON, MASSACHUSETTS.

BUILDING-BLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 6, 191 *7.

Application filed December 13, 1916. Serial No. 137,047.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Arrrnn'ron D. Convnnsn, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of lVinchendon, in the county of WVorcest-er and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Building- Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to toy building blocks, and has for its object the provision of a; block of this character which may be locked securely with other blocks to form various shaped structures.

The invention consists in providing each block with a plurality of yielding headed projections and also with a T-shaped-groove adapted to receive the headed projections of another block whereby said blocks may be firmly locked together.

The invention further consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be fully understood by reference to the description of the drawings and to the claims hereinafter given.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention one preferred form thereof is illustrated in the drawings, this form having been found to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized, and that the invention ,is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Of the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a perspective of a block embodying the principles of the present invention.

Fig. 2 represents a plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 represents an elevation of the same with a portion broken in section.

Fig. 4: represents a transverse vertical section on line 4-4: on Fig. 8.

Fig. 5 represents a similar section of two blocks locked together, and

Fig. 6 represents an enlarged sectional detail showing the construction of the yielding headed projection.

Similar characters designate like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In the drawings, 10 is a rectangular block of which the side faces 11 are of equal area the tubular shank 14 of a and preferably have a length twice the width thereof.

In one or more side faces 11 of said block 10 is cut a T-shaped groovecomprising a slot 12 extending from end to end of said block and communicating centrally with a slit l3 ext-ending to an outer face 11 thereof. The slit 13 is preferably centrally located a side face 11 and is adapted to receive yielding member 15 projecting from a side face 11 of a similar block 10. r

The inner end of the shank 14 is provided with an annular flange 16 extending inwardly and surrounding the shank 17 of a securing member driven into the block 10 and having ahead 18 between which-and the flange 16 is interposed a helical-spring 19 which normally retains the end of the tubular shank 14 in contact with the face 11 of the block;

The length of the exposed surface of said shank 14. beneath the head 15 is slightly less than the width of the side walls 20 of the slit 13. The projecting members 17 with the yielding members 15 thereon are disposed in alin'ement longitudinally of the face of a block 10 and preferably midway of the width thereof.

The peripheral flange of each yielding member 15 is adapted to be positioned in the slot 12 and when thus positioned the end 16 of its shank 14 is separated from the face of the block 10, as shown in Fig. 5.

It is obvious that when the yielding member 15 is thus positioned in the T-shaped groove 12-13, the action of the spring 19 will be to force the faces of the two adjacent blocks into close contact with each other and at the same time to create suflicient friction between the two to prevent any end movement of one block relatively to the other.

While in the drawings the groove 1213 is shown as cut into only one face of a block it is self-evident that similar grooves may be cut into the faces 11 without departing from the spirit of the invention.

It is equally true that more than one face 11 may be provided with the yielding members 15 when desired.

When toy building blocks such as herein shown are used in erecting a structure the units of said structure will be locked together so firmly that the entire structure may be moved bodily without danger of the accidental displacement of any of the units thereof.

This makes a very simple construction of toy building blocks, said blocks having the advantage that they may be quickly locked together while building any structure therefrom, and be separated quickly when desired.

It is believed that the many advantages of this invention will be fully understood from the foregoing description.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A building block provided with a T- shaped groove in one face and a plurality of outwardly yielding headed projections in another face, fitting a T-shaped groove of another block and adapted to yield out- 'wardly when inserted in said groove whereby the ad acent faces of the blocks may be retained in close contact.

2. A building block provided with a T- shaped groove in one face; a plurality of alined headed nails secured in another face; a springsurrounding each nail between its head and the face of the block; and a headed member surrounding the proj eoting portion of said nailand normally held in contact with said block by means of said spring.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for 3. A building block provided with a T- shaped groove in one face; a plurality of alined headed nails secured in another face; a spring surrounding each nail between its head and the face of the block; and a tubular member surrounding the projecting portion of said nail and normally held in contact with said block by means of said spring, said tubular member having an annular flange at its outer end.

4. A building block provided with a slot extending between two faces andcommunieating with another face by a central slit narrower than said slot; a plurality of alined headed nails secured in another face; a spring surrounding each nail between its head and the face of the block; and a tubular headed member surrounding the projecting portion of said nail and normally held in contact with said block by means of said spring, the length of the shank of said headed member being slightly less than the depth of the wall of said slit.

Signed by me at 4 Post Oflice Sq,, Boston, Mass, this 4th day of December, 1916.

ATHERTON DCONVERSE. Witnesses:

WALTER E. LOMBARD, NATHAN C. LOMBARD.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0.

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