US3284946A

US3284946A - Toy building structure including a framed window

Info

Publication number: US3284946A
Application number: US354011A
Authority: US
Inventors: Christiansen Godtfred Kirk
Original assignee: Interlego AG
Current assignee: Interlego AG
Priority date: 1963-03-26
Filing date: 1964-03-23
Publication date: 1966-11-15
Anticipated expiration: 1983-11-15
Also published as: FR1385254A; DE1967601U; DK100765C; GB1042413A; OA00254A; BR6457302D0; CH409741A

Description

Nov. 15, 1966 G. K. CHRISTIANSEN 3,284,946

TO BUILDING STRUCTURE INCLUDING A FRAMED WINDOW Filed March 23, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l I I I I I I I I I II II II I] II\ III II INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Nov. 15, 1966 G. K. CHRISTIANSEN 3,284,946

TOY BUILDING STRUCTURE INCLUDING A FRAMED WINDOW Filed March 23, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Godfl'red K0726 Gizrzlsiz'amem United States Patent 3,284,946 TOY BUILDING STRUCTURE INCLUDING A FRAMED WINDOW Godtfred Kirk Christiansen, Billund, Denmark, assignor to Interlego A.G., Zug, Switzerland Filed Mar. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 354,011 Claims priority, application Denmark, Mar. 26, 1963, 1,365/ 63 3 Claims. (Cl. 46-49) The invention relates to a model or toy building set having a plurality of modular building elements of the type comprising a hollow, box shaped block having side walls, end walls and a bottom, the external surface of said bottom being provided with projections for engagement with the cavity of one or more superimposed building elements. When assembling toy or model buildings by means of elements of the said type it is essential for obtaining a realistic reproduction of modern buildings that the window structures should be adapted to the style of the building and at the same time provide possibilities of substantial variations of dimensions and location of the Windows and like openings. It is the object of the present invention to provide a frame construction for windows and the like that solves these problems.

The frame construction according to the invention can readily be fitted in any location of-the building and in any desired dimension and shape. It requires only posts and associated frame elements in various standard lengths adapted to the dimensions determined by the module of the building elements. These several elements are especially suitable for windows, but may also be used for partitions, wainscotting and the like. The plate or sheet which is inserted in the grooves in the posts and the associated elements representing the glass pane of the window further serves to sustain the other elements and may be cut to requirements from a transparent or an opaque sheet, as desired, or it may be provided in standard sizes.

The construction and assembly of the frame structure will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 shows a window structure made from a frame arrangement according to the invention,

FIG. 2 an exploded view of the elements constituting the window structure of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the bottom plate 2, showing the structure in somewhat greater detail.

FIG. 1 shows part of a wall built up of building elements 1 of the type referred to and with an opening for the insertion of a window. The subjacent row of building elements 1 is engaged by a lower frame member 2, corresponding to the sill and along the vertical side of the window opening there is a post 3 which together with a second post 4 and an upper frame member 5 disposed above the posts, define the pane area. Above the upper frame member 5 which functions also as a lintel, additional building elements 1 continue the wall structure.

The details will appear clearly from FIG. 2, which shows that the lower frame member 2 is provided with a groove 21 for engagement with primary or external projections 11 on building elements 1. The upper frame member 5 is provided with primary projections 51 similar to the projections 11 on the building elements 1.

The lower frame member 2 is provided on the upper face with a longitudinal groove 23, and the upper frame member 5 has a similar longitudinal groove 53 in the under face thereof. The post 3 has a smooth face on the side adjacent the wall and engages the wall closely, while in "ice the side facing the window opening there is provided a longitudinal groove 33. The other post 4 is provided in both sides with grooves 43 but otherwise may be similar to post 3. The

grooves

23, 33, 43 and 53 serve to engage the edges of a window pane 6, and it is seen clearly from the drawing that the post 4 is adapted to support a window pane at both sides, whereby it is possible to assemble a plurality of windows in side-by-side relation.

The upper frame member is provided with apertures 52 extending through the top face between the primary projections 51 and with slots 52 at the ends. These slots and apertures form end and intermediate recessesfor engaging projections on the posts as explained below. A projection 42 may be provided at the upper end of post 4 for engagement with the recesses 52 to sustain and stabilize the structure. The lower frame member 2 is further provided at the ends with slots 22 for engaging the

projections

31 and 41 at the lower end of the two posts 3 and'4. In addition, apertures 22 are provided in groove 23 at intervals corresponding to those of the upper member 5. These recesses, like those on upper member 5, serve to engage projections on the side elements or posts.

If desired, post 3 can also be provided with such a top projection. However, since the upper frame member is sustained by the pane 6 filling in the grooves 53, projections on the upper ends of the posts are not necessary and may be omitted.

The length of the frame members and the posts must necessarily be adapted to the module of the building elements so that the wall can be built up around the window with a whole number of courses. It should be noted that a post of a type corresponding to the post 4 may also be used horizontally as a parting strip between the upper and lower panes of a Window, in which case it is used without end projections, or the vertical posts can be provided with recesses to engage such projections.

The frame elements herein disclosed may be made of various materials, including'metal and cardboard or fiber. However, it is advantageous for manufacturing and merchandising reasons that they be made of a suitable synthetic plastic.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosure relates to only preferred embodiments of the invention and that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the examples of the invention herein chosen for the purposes of disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a toy building set of the type including a plurality of hollow open-faced building elements comprising blocks, each said block having on the upper face projections proportioned for frictional engagement with the open faces of other superimposed ones of said building elements, a window structure comprising a lower frame member having a groove means extending longitudinally thereof for engaging projections of subjacent ones of said building elements and with end and intermediate recesses spaced longitudinally along said member, adjacent ones of said intermediate recesses being spaced from each other by the same distance as the said projections of the building elements, an upper frame member provided with projections corresponding to the said projections of the building elements, a pair of posts adapted to form the side elements of said frame, each of said posts having a projection means on at least one of its ends for engagement in said recesses of the other frame members, the said lower and upper frame members and posts being provided with longitudinal groove means for engaging the edges of a plate whereby J said plate forms a window pane framed by the upper frame member, the lower frame member and the two posts.

2. A toy building set according to claim 1 in which at least one of said posts is provided with longitudinal grooves on two opposite sides thereof for engaging a second plate in side-by-side relation with the first mentioned plate.

3. A toy building set according to claim 1, in which the upper frame member is provided with recesses for engaging projections at the end of the posts adjacent to the upper frame member.

4 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,204,908 11/1916 Schwartz 46-19 1,23 6,896 8/1917 Anderson 46-25 2,461,535 2/1949 Erhardt 4619 X FOREIGN PATENTS 242,955 2/ 1960 Australia.

10 RICHARD c. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

F. BARRY SHAY, Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A TOY BUILDING SET OF THE TYPE INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF HOLLOW OPEN-FACED BUILDING ELEMENTS COMPRISING BLOCKS, EACH SAID BLOCK HAVING ON THE UPPER FACE PROJECTIONS PROPORTIONED FOR FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OPEN FACES OF OTHER SUPERIMPOSED ONES OF SAID BUILDING ELEMENTS, A WINDOW STRUCTURE COMPRISING A LOWER FRAME MEMBER HAVING A GROOVE MEANS EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF FOR ENGAGING PROJECTIONS OF SUBJACENT ONES OF SAID BUILDING ELEMENTS AND WITH END AND INTERMEDIATE RECESSES SPACED LONGITUDINALLY ALONG SAID MEMBER, ADJACENT ONES OF SAID INTERMEDIATE RECESSES BEING SPACED FROM EACH OTHER BY THE SAME DISTANCE AS THE SAID PROJECTIONS OF THE BUILDING ELEMENTS, AN UPPER FRAME MEMBER PROVIDED WITH PROJECTIONS CORRESPONDING TO THE SAID PROJECTIONS OF THE BUILDING ELEMENTS, A PAIR OF POSTS ADAPTED TO FORM THE SIDE ELEMENTS OF SAID FRAME, EACH OF SAID POSTS HAVING A PROJECTION MEANS ON AT LEAST ONE OF ITS ENDS FOR ENGAGEMENT IN SAID RECESSES OF THE OTHER FRAME MEMBERS, THE SAID LOWER AND UPPER FRAME MEMBERS AND POSTS BEING PROVIDED WITH LONGITUDINAL GROOVE MEANS FOR ENGAGING THE EDGES OF A PLATE WHEREBY