US2053001A

US2053001A - Mosaic block

Info

Publication number: US2053001A
Application number: US671676A
Authority: US
Inventors: George M Haliburton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1933-05-18
Filing date: 1933-05-18
Publication date: 1936-09-01
Anticipated expiration: 1953-09-01

Description

p 1935- G. M. HALIBURTON 2,053,001

MOSAIC BLOCK Original Filed May 18, 1953 Patented Sept. 1, 1936 MOSAIC BLOCK George M. Haliburton, Roslindale, Boston, Mass.

Application May 18, 1933, Serial No. 671,676 Renewed February 3, 1936 1 Claim.

This invention consists in an assembly of mosaic blocks of novel and characteristic shape adapted for use as an amusement or an instructive device.

While many mosaic assemblies of this character have been known heretofore, I have discovered that new and unexpected results may be secured from an assembly having the exterior contour of an octagon and divided at the center by radial lines parallel to the exterior sides of the figure and each terminating in a chord of the octagon. An octagon divided in this manner presents four relatively large six-sided sections each bounded by two adjacent sides of the octagon, and four smaller symmetrical four-sided sections which complete the area of the octagon. An assembly thus divided includes a number of subgroups of blocks which are reversible in the assembly without change of exterior contour. The component blocks, moreover, may be assembled in an almost endless number of combinations presenting artistic or fantastic appearances. A device is thus provided which is intriguing as a puzzle, educational and amusing, instructive, stimulating to the imagination and serviceable as a basis for stories to children.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and. appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of the initial assembly of the blocks;

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of one of the larger sections;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of one of the smaller sections;

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of an assembly similar to that shown in Fig. 1, with certain of the sub-groups reversed in position; and

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of another assembly in which the blocks may be collected.

As shown in Fig. 1, the mosaic assembly of my invention may be made of wood, either single stock or plywood, one-quarter inch thick or thereabouts, although if desired heavy cardboard or other suitable sheet material may be employed.

The primary outline of the assembly is an equilateral octagon, the angles of which, in Fig. 1, are designated by reference characters I, 2, 3, etc. As shown in Fig. 1, the octagon is divided into four larger and four smaller sections by eight radial lines extending toward the perimeter of the octagon but each intersecting a chord extending between alternate exterior angles of the octagon. For example, the section I-2-l l-9- [0-8 is formed by the adjacent exterior sides 8-! and [-2 of the octagon, the radial lines 9-510 and 9-H and the portions 8-H! and 2-H of a chord joining the

exterior angles

2 and 8. These sections are symmetrical and symmetrically arranged in the octagon. A single section or block is shown in Fig. 2.

Completing the area of the octagon are four smaller sections bounded by two radial lines and by two lines which constitute portions of chords in the octagon. For example, the figure 9-! l- 2-l2 is bounded by two radial lines 9-H and 9-I2, and the two lines 2 -H 2-!2, which are parts of chords of the octagon. One of these blocks or sections is shown separately in Fig. 3.

It will be noted that the radial line 9-!3 is parallel and equal in length to the exterior side 5-6, the radial line Q-IB is parallel and equal in length to the exterior side 4-5, and so on throughout the figure any side of the octagon is equal in length to any one of the eight lines radiating from the center. The sub-group bounded by the lines 5-!5-9-13-4-5 constitutes a hexagon and this hexagon may be reversed in its position in the general assembly without changing the exterior contour thereof. Such a reversal of sub-group is indicated in the arrangement shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. In this case, the three sections designated in Fig. 1, 9-I6-6-I5, 9-l4-4-l3 and 9-!5- 6-5-4-44 are reversed, so that the exterior angle 5 of the larger section falls exactly at the center of the octagon and the adjacent external walls of the octagon, as shown in Fig. 4, are formed by sides of two smaller sections which were radially disposed in the arrangement of Fig. 1. For convenience, I have designated the arrangement of Fig. 4 as a Chinese Octagon and it represents one of the countless combinaticns possible with the mosaic assembly of my invention.

In Fig. 5, I have illustrated another arrangement, which in outline suggests a rose jar or a mandarin. In this arrangement, the upper and lower larger sections I-2-H-9-l0-8 and 4-5-6-l5-9-I4 remain undisturbed in the position shown in Fig. 1, but the other two large sections are reversed so that their exterior angle is brought to the center of the figure and the four smaller sections are arranged, in the manner shown, to form a rectilinear figure.

I have herein shown the larger sections formed in part by an interrupted chord of the octagon but in some cases it may be desired to extend the chord without interruption from one exterior angle to the next but one, thus dividing the larger section shown in Fig. 2 into two smaller. trian- 5 gular sections. This is particularly so in the case of assemblies of larger general dimensions, whereas for smaller sizes the division illustrated herein is generally preferable. It will be understood that they sections may be colored or ornamented 10 to appeal to the taste of the user.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pat- 57 cut is:

An assembly of mosaic blocks, octagonal in outline when initially assembled and divided into four larger sections each bounded in part by two of the exterior sides of the circumscribing octagon, and a connecting wall which includes portions converging to a vertex at the center of the octagon, the length of the converging portions being equal in length to the sides of the octagon, and four smaller sections bounded by pairs of walls converging respectively toward the center and. toward one of the exterior angles of the octagon.