US1525103A - Pictorial block and method of making the same - Google Patents

Description

c. ORR

PICTORIAL BLOCK AND METHOD OF MAKING THE- SAME File'march's, 1924 2 Shets -Sheet 1 ORR Feb. .3. i925.

PICTORIAL BLOCK AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed March a, 1924 2 Sheets-sheaf 2 Patented Feb. 3, 1925.

PATENT OFFICE.

CAREY ORR,-OF WILMETTE, ILLINOIS.

PICTOBIAL BLOCK AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME.

Application filed March 8, 1924. Serial No. 697,899.

To all whom it may concern:

fie it known that I, CAREY ORR, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Wilmette, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pictorial Blocks and Methods of Making the Same, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to childrens blocks and particularly to a plurality of blocks adapted to be. so assembled as to present a view of a particular character, the ex pression or position of the character being varied by shifting the blocks.

In carrying out my invention I provide a plurality of blocks each having upon its respective faces, different views of the same portion of the anatomy or physiognomy of the character or subject. -These blocks, when assembled with the respective portionsof the anatomy-of the subject in their correct relation, present a complete view'of the subject. Each of the blocks is, however, capable of being differently positioned with the result that the appearance or expression of the subject is almost infinitely variable. This will be apparent when it is understood that if there are eleven blocks having difierent views on each of their four sides, the number of possible variations is determined by ascertaining the eleventh power of four which is 4,194,304. The only essential in the construction of I blocks of this character is that the principal lines of the respective views shall, at their juncture in the difierent blocks of the assembly, be made to register;

By reason of my novel method of constructing the blocks, the cost of manufacture is relatively slight and they may be purchased and marketed at a very low figure. The desired result is secured by displaying the difi'erent fragmentary views on a single sheet, all the views relating to the same portion of the face or figure being placed in side-by-side relation transversely of the sheet. The sheet is then secured to a rectangular wood bar and the bar severed transversely along the dividing line between the respective views. In order to increase the effectiveness and the possible variations I likewise sever the views showing the intermediate portion of the face,

thus making it possible to vary the expres-' sions of the difierent sides of the face.

view through the block shown in ,Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view. of the sheet or strip to which the difi'erent views appearing on the sides of the blocks have been applied, and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the rectangular bar onswhich the sheet has been secured.

In the adaptation of the invention shown in Fig; 1, it will be seen that I have provided for eleven blocks, numbered 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17,18, 19 and 20, the blocks being in the form of regular prisms and each bearing upon its several faces different views of the same'portion of the physiognomy of the character portrayed. The specific subject is that of Kernel Cootie, a well known cartoon subject.

In order to better understand the invention the method of making the blocks will be explained. The artist first prepares a series of drawings fragmentary in character, placing four views of the same portion of the anatomy or physiognomy of the subject in adjacent positions,'one above another. A strip containing four of each of the different portions of the face,,arranged in end to end relation, is shown in Fig. 3. It will be seen that there are eleven divisions, the face of the character being divided to this extent. The first main division, indicated by the views 21, represents the top part of the head, which views may include a hat or other head covering. The second general division includes two subdivisions 22-23, representing the eye brows. The third division is subdivided three times into the portions 24, 25, 26 and 27 representing the eyes and ears. The fourth division is divided twice, to form the portions 28, 29 and 30, representing the nose and the upper part of the-beard, while the last division 31 includes the lower portion of the beard and a part of the shoulder. The sheet, when formed as described and which, after having been prepared by the artist, may be lithographed and cheaply produced in quantities, is applied to a bar of wood 32, the strip bein of sufilcient width to exactly surround the ar. Thereafter the bar is severed on the general division and sub-division lines. This results in the formation of eleven rectangular blocks or varying lengths, the total length of the blocks composing each division being equal.

The blocks when assembled in the container or box 33 will be so disposed as to present certain views when the cover 3450f the box is removed. In order to change the expressions registered by the character it is onl necessary to displace one of the blocks an rotate it on its long axis to present anshown in Fig. 1, a slight variation is indicated in that the blocks 17, 19 showing the upper portion of the beard and the mouth lines do not correspond, the block 17 indicating a distortion of the mouth to accommodate the pipe shown in the block 20. Thus the expresslons may be varied substantially without limit.

The blocks ma be produced by many different methods but in the one disclosed I have eliminated all unnecessary steps and the success of the method depends entirely l upon the care and accuracy exhibited by the workman. If the strips are firmly glued to the wood bar, and if a fine toothed saw is employed for the severing operation, there will be no mutilation of the design at the joints. The division line will be substantially exactiy the width of the saw out.

One of the novel features consists in so arranging the intermediate division lines that they are out of'register; that is, do not coincide. Thus no block is of exactly the same length as a block in an adjacent row. Therefore the box of blocks may be held in a vertical, or inclined vertical position; that 1s, in the same position as when the sheet containing Fig. 1 is held vertically before the user,'and any block (except the bottom block) may be removed and replaced without a block in an. upper row dropping down or interfering in any way.

Other divisions than those indicated may be made if desired, and other subjects or figures may be employed and the inventive i ea may be modified in many particulars without departure from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. Rectangular blocks each having on a plurality of sides varied fragmentary views of the same portion of the physiognomy of a character, said blocks being adapted to be placid in 'uxtaposition and to present a complete picture of the face of the char acter, the blocks being adapted to be rotated to present other sides thereof to view and thereby to change the expression of the character. 7

2. Rectangular blocks each having on its sides fragmentary views of the same portion of the face of a character and adapted to be assembled to present a complete view of said face, the blocks being separately rotatable to present different views of the respective portion of the face represented by said block, the blocks representing the intermediate portion of th face 'bein divided whereby the expressions registered by the sides of the face may be separately varied.

3. Rectangular blocks each'hav-ing on its sides fragmentary views of the same portion of the face of a character and adapted to be assembled to present a complete view of said face, the blocks being separately rotatable to present different views of the respective portion of the face represented by said block, the blocks representing the intermediate portion of the face being divided'whereby the expressions registered by the sides of the face may be separately varied, the blocks representing the to and bottom of the head being respectively in one piece but likewise containing on their sides different views of that portion of the head.

4:. The combination with a plurality of blocks, of an open topped container therefor within which said blocks are closely fitted, said blocks being of such size as to form transverse rows of uniform width, the blocks composin such rows being of different lengths in adjacent rows, whereby with the container in a vertical osition a single block may be displaced and replaced without interferencefrom a block in the vertically adjacent row.

5, The combination with a plurality of blocks, of acontainer therefor within which said blocks are confined in a desired relation in transverse and longitudinal rows, the dividing line between the blocks composing adjacent transverse rows being out of register, whereby with the container held in such position that the longitudinal rows are in a vertical position an individual block may be displaced and replaced without interference from a block in a vertically adjacent row.

6. The combination of a plurality of blocks and an open top box within which said blocks are fitted in juxtaposition, said blocks having correlated views on their different faces, said different faces being exposed by displacing, rotating and replacing said blocks, the bottom wall or fioor of the box having apertures, one beneath each block, thereby enabling separate blocks to be displaced upwardly by pressure from beneath.

7 The combination with a plurality of rectangular blocks, of a container therefor within which said blocks are closel to present an exposed plane surface aring correlated devices, said container having a wall on which the blocks are supported, said wall having openings at a point beneath the blocks, thereby permitting individual blocks to be displaced upwardly by. pressure ap- 10 plied to the bottom of a block.

8. The method of making pictorial blocks,

which consists in preparing a sheet having thereon separate fragmentary views of a subject, then attaching said sheet to a bar. rectangular in cross section, then transversely severing the bar at the dividing line be- I tween respective views.

9. The method of making pictorial blocks, which consists in preparing a sheet having thereon separate fragmentary views of a subject, a plurality of views of the same portion of the anatomy of the subject being arranged one above the other transverely of the sheet, then securing the sheet around a rectangular bar, and then severing the bar fitted transversely at the dividing line between the respective views.

10. The method of making blocks, which consists in placing on a sheet a plurality of varied fragmentary views of a face, the varied'views of the same portions of the face being-placed one above the other, the wrapping around and securing the sheet to a rectangular bar and then severing the bar transversely-at the line between respective .sets of views. v

11. The method of making blocks, which consists in placing on a sheet a lurality of varied fragmentary views of a ace, the varied views of the same portion of the face being placed one above the other, then wrapping around and securing the sheet to a raztangular bar and then severing the bar transversely at the line between respective sets of views, the views representing the intermediate portion of the face being severed midway of the len h as well as at their ends.

Signed at'C icago, Illinois, this 5th dayof March, 1924. I

CAREY ORR.

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