US1997022A

US1997022A - Advertising medium or toy

Info

Publication number: US1997022A
Application number: US668172A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ralph M Stalker
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1933-04-27
Filing date: 1933-04-27
Publication date: 1935-04-09
Anticipated expiration: 1952-04-09

Description

April 9, 1935. R. M. STALKER ADVERTISING MEDIUM OR TOY 7. Filed April 27, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR April 9, 1935.. STALKER 1,997,022

ADVERTISING MEDIUM OR TOY Filed April 27, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 9, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADVERTISING MEDIUM on TOY Ralph M. Stalker, Bogota, 4N. J.

Application April 27, 1933, Serial No. 668,172 13 Claims. (01. 46-37) The object of the present invention is to provide a novelty which may be used as a toy or as an advertising medium, and tothis end the invention comprises a plurality of tetrahedron V members or bodies flexibly connected together.

"The flexibly connected tetrahedron bodies may be formed from any'of many suitable materials. I have found that a simple form of the device for some uses can be made from a single piece of tough paper or cardboard, folded upon scored lines outlining the panels or faces which constitutethe tetrahedron bodies, and forming flexible hinge connections between the bodies. In this form of the device the overlapping parts of the scored blank are secured together by adhesive or other suitable means. Whatever the materials or means of construction employed it is characteristic of the invention that each tetrahedron body is connected to its adjoining bodies by hinge joints extending angularly to each other.

The article may be used in a continuous straight series of connectedbodies in which it has the characteristics of flexible shafting, but preferably the two ends of the series of flexibly connected tetrahedron bodies are flexibly united into an. endless series, in which form it. is possible to simultaneously rotate the connected bodies. upon their individual axes, producing an amusing and confusing manipulation having the appearanc of turning the article inside out, or the reverse. u

' The improved article of manufacture whether made of folded paper or otherwise may be employed in various forms as a toy, or it may be usedas an advertising medium and also as a toy In any of its uses, it is intended; to. decorate the outer faces of the triangular panels forming the tetrahedron bodies either with pictures or educational information or with advertising matter.

In order that the invention may be fully under.- stood, it will firstbe described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and the novelty afterwards pointed out in'the annexedyclaims.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a top perspective Viewv of the present invention in the form in which six tetrahedron bodies, formed from a folded single sheet of material, are flexibly connected in a continuous series, capable of turning inside out and vice versa. Figure 2 is a plan view of the same. Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same looking in the direction of the arrow 3 of Figure 2.

' Figure 4 is a plan view of a scored blank of sheet material, such as paper, from which the article of Figures 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 is made.

Figures and 6 areadditional views of the device of the form of Figures 1., 2 and 3, showing different positions assumed by the tetrahedron bodies when they are rotated upon their respective axes, in relation to each other.

Figure '7 is a transverse sectional view taken on the section line 'l-'! of Figure 2, showing the coupling flexible joint between the two ends to form an endless series.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a modified or line form of the folded paper article.

Figure 9 is a plan view of a scored blank. sheet from which the article of Figure 8' is produced.

In producing the folded paper form of the improved article, a.v sheet of suitable material, such as a fairly stiff, tough paper, indicated in Figure 4, is scored to outlines. plurality of series of re-- versely arranged. triangular panels, each series having five such panels extending transversely of the blank. The first, third and fifth of the transverse series of panels is each indicated by

numerals

2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 in Figure 4. The second, fourth and sixth transverse series is indicated by numerals 'l, 8, 9, l0 and H. These series of tri angular panels are continued throughout the blank, depending upon the number of tetrahedron bodies it is desired to form in the connected series. In Figure 4, it will be observed the blank has been scored to form six transverse series of uniform triangular panels, three of them being indicated by numerals 2 to 6, and the other three being indicated by numerals I to II. In producing the folded paper article ofcontinuous form, it is necessary to have an even number of tetrahedron bodies to facilitate the connecting up of the series in continuous form, but where the article is to be used in its extended line formation, it is immaterial whether there is an even or an odd number of connectedbodies, nor. how long a series is formed. I I

In the scored blank of Figure 4, the triangular panels are of the isosceles triangle shape, the shorterbases of the'triangles extending transversely of the blank and-constituting the hinge or flexible joint. lines of union between the finished tetrahedron bodies. The transverse hinge lines are indicated at l2. The elongated or side edges of the isosceles triangle panels, extending diagonally of the length of the blank, are indicated at l3 and I4 in Figure 4.

In folding the scored blank, the outer faces of those triangular panels of both series marked 2 to 5 and I to ID, constitute the outer'or' exposed faces' of the completed tetrahedron bodies. The scoring or weakening of fold lines I3 and M of the blank permits all of the outer triangles or flaps ishing size.

numbered 6 and I I to be folded inwardly upon their score lines I3 and I4, which is followed by all of the adjacent panels 5 and I being folded upon their scored lines I3 and I4,

panels

4 and 9 upon their scored lines, and 3 and 8 upon their scored lines; and the completion of the folding operation overlaps all of the outside panels 2 and 1 upon panel flaps 6 and I I. The adjacent faces of triangles,

panels

2 and 6 and I and I I throughout the series, are then securely fastened together in any suitable manner, preferably by adhesive.

At the end of the blank, shown in Figure 4, it will be noted that the terminal triangular flap I I has an integral flap I Ia which is presented against the inner face of a panel 8 to which it is glued alongside of the crease line that separates it from the terminal panel or flap I.

The terminal triangle or flap 'l'has an integral projecting flap I5 formed with in-turned edge flanges I6 to constitute a connecting tongue that is inserted in the slot between the base edges of

panels

6 and 4 at the opposite end of the series.

The adjacent faces of flap or tongue I 5 and panel B are secured together by adhesive, thereby producing a continuous or connected series of six tetrahedron bodies in the preferred form in which it is shown in the drawings.

Considering the illustrations in Figures 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6, it will be observedthat points marked A, B and C of the connected tetrahedron bodies may be moved inwardly and downwardly from the position shown in Figure 5 to bring them into the position shown in Figure 6, and by continuing this rotating movement upon the individual axes of the tetrahedron bodies, said points A, B and C will move to a central position, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, and from'there said points will pass beneath and then outwardly, finally arriving at the starting point referred to with reference to Figure 5. In this rotation of the tetrahedron bodies, they move upon their flexible joints or hinges which extend at right angles to each other at opposite ends of each of the bodies, producing in effect universal joints which permit continuous rotation of the bodies upon their respective axes and around an imaginary geometrical outline made up of the series of axes which are in effect arranged upon cords of arcs concen-' trio with the imaginary center around which the connected bodies are arranged.

It will be observed that the transverse flexible joints upon the lines I2 are re'enforced, these joints between panels 5, I0 and 3, 8 being in the completely formed article two plies of the material, while the flexible joints between triangles 2, I; 4, 9; and 6, II are formed by three plies of the material.

Referring to Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings, it will be observed that in this modification the series of flexibly connected'tetrahedron bodies are not of uniform size but are of graduated size from one end to the other of the series, each body, however, being made up of four uniform triangular panels, as in the preferred form. In the blank in Figure 9, the series of triangles are scored with the fold lines upon the same plan as described with reference to Figure 4, but since the triangular panels gradually decrease in size from the large end, there will be produced flexibly connected tetrahedron bodies of a similar dimin- In this formof the invention, the straight series of connected terahedron bodies may be decorated to indicate roughly a mechanical snake in which the vertical and horizontal joints provide practically universal movement between the connected sections.

While the drawings and specification illustrate and describe the invention as made from a folded sheet of material, I would have it understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to this embodiment, nor to the specific details employed in carrying out the illustrated embodiment.

In its broadest aspect the present invention comprises a plurality of connected relatively movable tetrahedron bodies arranged end to end, and

' having each body flexibly connected at its opposite ends with contiguous ends of adjacent bodies. Theimproved device may be made of one or a plurality of pieces of material, and the bodies which are flexibly connected as stated may be hollow or solid without departing from the spirit of this invention. I

I claim:- v

1. An article of the character described comprising a plurality of tetrahedron bodies'flexibly hinged together in an endless series around a common center, with the hinges at opposite ends of each body extending at an angle to each other and all of said bodiesbeing simultaneously rotatable upon their respective axes. V

2. An article of the character described comprising a plurality of tetrahedron bodies flexibly connected together end to end in an approximately circular endless series and all of said bodies rotatable simultaneously upon their respective longitudinal axes.

3. An article of the character described comprising a plurality of tetrahedron bodies flexibly hinged together end to end in an endless series.

4. An article of the character described comprising a plurality of flexibly connected hollow tetrahedron bodies formed of a single folded sheet of material having flexible joints of'integral plural ply material. 7

5. An article of the character described comprising a single sheet of material folded to form a flexibly connected series of end to end hollow tetrahedron, bodies having alternating two-ply and three-ply flexible connections uniting said bodies along contiguous edges.

6. An article of manufacture comprising a plurality of connected relatively movable tetrahedron bodies arranged end to end and having each body flexibly connected at its opposite ends with contiguous ends of adjacent bodies.

7. An article of manufacture comprising a connected series of tetrahedron bodies arrangedend to end and having opposite angularly disposed base edges of each body flexibly connected to contiguous similar angular edges of adjacent bodies. a

8. An article ofmanufacture comprising a plurality of uniform tetrahedron bodies flexibly connected together along contiguous edges in an endless series around a common center with adja- 11. An article of the character described comprising a connected series of tetrahedron bodies having uniform faces the shape of an isosceles triangle, adjacent members of said series being flexibly connected together upon their contiguous base edges.

12. An article of the character described comprising a connected series of end to end uniform tetrahedron bodies having uniform isosceles tri- 10 angle faces, said bodies having opposite angularly disposed ends defining the base lines of said triangular faces, and flexible hinge connections between contiguous ends of adjacent bodies of said series.

13. An article of the character described comprising a plurality of flexibly connected end to end hollow tetrahedron bodies having reenforced flexible joints, the whole being formed of a single folded sheet of material.

RALPH M. STALKER.