ct. H, 1938. N. z. PAULSON TOY BUILDING BLOCK Filed Oct. 8, 1936 ,Lnva Mos;- ma 9.

Ewen 16 3s Patented Oct. 11,1938

TOY BUILDING BLOCK Nils I. Panlson, Chicago, 111., assignor to Halsam Products Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application October 8,

2 Claims.

My invention relates to toy building blocks and it has for its object the provision of a new and improved form of arrangement of parts in a toy building block whereby there may be an im- 7 proved cooperative action between the several blocks of a set employed for building purposes so as to enable the builder to accomplish results not otherwise attainable. It is one of the principal objects of my invention to provide an improved arrangement of this type by which a block in one tier of a building may have effective cooperation with two of the blocks of the next lower tier, or with two of the blocks of the next higher tier, or both, whereby the blocks of each tier are locked together effectively so as to be held against transverse movement toward or away from each other. It is another object of my invention to provide an improved form of block ofzthis type whereby an effective lever action may be had for holding the projecting portions of an irregular structure in position and whereby truss and arch effects may be produced for increasing greatly the possibilities for Varying the form and arrangement of the structure being built without unduly cutting down the stability of the structure. To these ends, it is one of the objects of my invention to provide an improved set of blocks each comprising alternately arranged ribs and grooves adapted to have interfitting engagement with the corresponding ribs and grooves of the adjacent blocks of the adjacent tiers, the arrangement of the ribs and grooves on the corresponding faces of the severalblocks being preferably the same throughout the set whereby a maximum of ease of building operations may be brought about.

It is another object of my invention to improve blocks of this type in sundry details hereinafter pointed out. The preferred means by which I have accomplished my several objects are illustrated in the accompanying drawing and are hereinafter specifically described. That which I believe to be new and desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in the claims.

In the drawing,-

Fig. l is a perspective view of one of my improved blocks;

Fig. 2 is a face view of three of my blocks arranged together in a simple structure with the single block of the upper tier raised slightly out of'position for clearness of illustration; and

Figs. 3 and 4 are face views of other forms of structure built up from a number of my blocks for illustrating some of the possibilities of building with the blocks.

1936, Serial No. 104,692

Referring now to the several figures of the drawing, in which corresponding parts are indicated by the same reference characters-40 indicates a block, preferably of wood and of approximately cubical form, having a plurality of 5 ribs II in parallel relation to eachother across one face of the block, separated by grooves I2 of slightly greater width than the ribs. The projections of the aforesaid ribs and grooves are substantially rectangular and, in the arrangement shown, each of the ribs and each of the grooves is rectangular in cross section so as to enable the ribs of one block to have effective holding engagement with correspondingly shaped ribs on a block, or blocks, of the next higher tier or the next lower tier of a structure being built up. The block as shown is also provided with a plurality of ribs I3 on the face opposite that on which the ribs Hare located, the ribs I3 being of the same size and shape as the ribs I I and being arranged parallel with said ribs II, being separated from each other by intermediate grooves I4 of the same size and shape as the grooves I2. Along the edges of said opposite face there are grooves I5 of slightly smaller width than the grooves I4, said grooves I5 also being of greater width than the ribs II and I3. In the block as illustrated, there are an even number of the ribs II on the one face of the block and an odd number of ribs I3 on said opposite face of the block, the ribs on one face being staggered relative to the ribs on the opposite face transversely thereof.

In Fig. 2 I have shown two blocks I6 and I! arranged in face contact with each other, with a third block I8 being placed in position for its ribs II to engage the grooves I2 and I4 of the blocks I6 and I8 for locking said blocks securely together against transverse movement with respect to each other. 40

In Fig. 3, I have shown two blocks I9 and 20 arranged at some little distance from each other in one tier, with two additional blocks 2I and 22 in a second tier in overbalancing position individually with respect to the blocks I9 and 20, and with a fifth block 23 in a third tier arranged with its ribs Ii engaging the grooves I2 of the blocks 2! and 22 for holding such blocks 2I and 22 in position. In this arrangement, the blocks 2| and 22 are held from falling by the engagement of ribs II of said blocks with ribs II of the block 23, by what may be called a lever action, the structure as a whole constituting'a truss or arch in which the stability of the structure depends wholly upon the cooperation of the several blocks involved.

In Fig. 4, I have shown a structurecomprising five tiers of blocks indicated respectively by the reference characters 24 to 32. In this arrangement, the blocks 25 and 26 of the second tier are mounted in over-balancing position with respect to the block 24 of the first tier but are held firmly in position by the intermediate block 28 of the third tier, such blocks 25 and 26 being held from spreading movement transversely with re.- spect to each other by the engagement of the ribs ll of said block 28 with the ribs I3 of said two blocks. In the illustration the ribs l3 of the block 25 are shown in slightly spaced relation to the ribs l of the block 28, the frictional engagement of the blocks- 28 and 25 being sufficient for holding the block 25 in position. The ribs l l and I3 may, however, be said to be in engagement in effect, since actual contact would be established almost immediately if a slight settling effect should take place. In the same way, the block 32 holds the blocks and 3l against spreading movement transversely with respect to each other, and said blocks 30 and 3| in turn hold the blocks Hand 29 from tipping outwardly away from the block 28.

From the above description, it is seen that the ribs along the edge portions of the blocks are adapted by engagement with corresponding ribs on the adjacent blocks of the adjacent tiers to provide the necessary lever action for establishing a truss effect by reason of which the blocks can be arranged in stable structures of a type I not possible at all to be built except for the presence of the ribs. It will be appreciated also that a great variety of structures can be built up by the use of a fairly small number of blocks, the effectiveness'of the blocks for building purposes being very greatly enhanced by reason of my improved arrangement.

While I prefer to employ the form of block as shown in the drawing and as above described,

it will be understood that my invention is not limited to such arrangement except so far as it may be so limited by the claims, it being understood that changes might well be made in the form of the block as shown without departing from the spirit of my invention.

1. A toy building block defined by six faces each rectangular in outline and comprising four side faces extending between two end faces, with each of said side faces of such breadth relative to the breadth of the other side faces as to insure the block having a stable support for building purposes on any one of said four side faces, of the four side faces two oppositely disposed being each provided with a series of alternately arranged ribs and grooves extending from one end face to the other in substantially equally spaced relation to each other transversely, the projections of said ribs and grooves being substantially rectangular, said ribs and grooves being of such relative width as to enable the ribs of one block to interfit with the grooves of another similar block in any one of several laterally adjusted positions of the blocks with respect to each other. 7 I

2. A toy building block defined by six faces each rectangular in outline and all of substantially the same size so as to give the block a stable support on any one of its faces for building purposes, two oppositely disposed faces being each provided with a series of alternately arranged ribs and grooves in substantially equally spaced relation across the block in one direction with the several ribs and grooves extending from one side, of the block to the other in the cross direction, said ribs and grooves being substantially rectangular in cross section and being of such relative width as to enable the ribs of one block to interfit with the grooves of another similar block in any one of several laterally adjusted positions of the blocks with respect to each other.

NILS I. PAULSON.