US3368316A

US3368316A - One-piece hollow block with double thickness connecting ears

Info

Publication number: US3368316A
Application number: US423134A
Authority: US
Inventors: William E Crowder
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-01-04
Filing date: 1965-01-04
Publication date: 1968-02-13
Anticipated expiration: 1985-02-13

Description

Feb. 13, 1968 w. E. CROWDER ONE PIECE HOLLOW BLOCK WITH DOUBLE THICKNESS CONNECTING EARS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 4, 1965 I NVENTOR. WILL/AM f. Cpawpm Arm/mar Feb. 13, 1968 w. E. CROWDER 3,368,316

ONE PIECE HOLLOW BLOCK WITH DOUBLE THICKNESS CONNECTING EARS Filed Jan. 4, 1965 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 r I I //0 /06 0 6 INVENTOR. W/L LIAM 25. 020mm BYj Feb. 13, 1968 w. E. CROWDER ONE PIECE HOLL OW BLOCK WITH DOUBLE THICKNESS CONNECTING EARS 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Jan. 4, 1965 INVENTOR. WILL/AM f. Clean/05R HTT ENEY United States Patent 3,368,316 ONE-PIECE HOLLOW BLOCK WITH DOUBLE THICKNESS CONNECTING EARS William E. Crowder, RD. 1, Mount Wolf, Pa. Filed Jan. 4, 1965, Ser. No. 423,134 3 Claims. (Cl. 52593) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Toy and decorative building blocks stamped from cardboard-like material and provided with side and end walls foldably connected with a top panel, said walls having positioning and connecting ears integral therewith and within the plane of'said Walls and arranged to fit sungly into complementary slots in said top panel adjacent the edges or centrally of said panel.

This invention pertains to toy and decorative building blocks and accessories and, more particularly, to such building blocks and accessories which are formed from blanks of sheet material, such as cardboard, and the like, and capable of being folded into hollow forms for use in the building of toy buildings, decorative structures, such as used in show windows, and various other types of similar arrangements. Depending upon the size of the blocks, they may be used to construct miniature types of buildings, walls, etc, or larger sizes resembling structures built from conventional sizes of cement blocks and the like.

A number of different types of blocks and similar structures of various kinds, shapes and sizes have been devised heretofore for purposes of forming a number of different types of structural configurations for use as toys and otherwise. Many of these comprise rectangular hollow objects, similar to blocks, and are capable of being arranged into walls simulating buildings and various other kinds of structures. Certain of these prior devices have included securing and positioning means on the various elements, even to the extent of forming projecting ears or tongues which are received in appropriate slots and similar openings in other elements of the same type.

One of the difiiculties of these prior elements has been the provision of tongues which must be folded from the plane of the member to which they are connected and from which they project, whereby the inherent stiffness of the sheet material in the vicinity of the tongue, especially where it is connected onto the supporting element, is weakened initially, whereupon continued use serves only to further weaken the ear until, after only relatively limited use, the ear is separated from the block or other element to which it initially was connected.

Another difficulty associated with prior devices of the type referred to has been the positioning of connecting or securing ears and slots at locations more or less centrally of certain faces of the blocks and similar elements to be connected, whereby the disposing of positioning ears within the slots to receive the same on other blocks and the like has been accompanied by difficu-lty in viewing the ears and slots to connect the same.

Still another difficulty existing in prior devices of the type referred to has consisted of the complexity of the structures enabling foldable blanks made from sheet-like material to be folded into hollow configurations of various shapes and secured in said shapes, followed by difiiculty in disassembling said folded structures to restore the same to flat condition for storage and the like.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide hollow building blocks and appropriate accessories suitable for use as toys, for decorative purposes, and the like, and formed from sheet material to provide a blank comprising various types of connected panels which, when folded into a hollow configuration, are provided with ears which project from the edges of opposite sides of said blocks and the like, within the planes thereof, perpendicularly to one face of such block and the opposite face of said block is provided with slots therein along the edges thereof for the reception of ears of other blocks when stacked thereon to secure the assembled blocks in desired position with the outer surfaces thereof flush with each other so as to permit the construction of walls and other building arrangements, said ears being planar with respect to the panels to which they are connected and thereby preserve the inherent stiffness of the sheet material to maintain the ears in vertical relationship with respect to the face of the block from which they project.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction in said blocks by which the various panels quickly and readily may be molded with respect to each other and secured against unfolding by interlocking arrangements of certain of the panels and means connected thereto, said means readily being disengageable to permit the restoration of the block to flat, unfolded position for storage and the like.

Details of the foregoing objects and of the invention, as well as other objects thereof, are set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprising a part thereof.

In the drawings:

FIG, 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary playhouse comprising blocks, lintels, and roof panels connected together and embodying principles of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an exemplary flat blank from which a rectangular hollow block readily may be formed by folding certain of the panels into a block configuration.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a block folded from the lank shown in FIG. 2, as seen from the underside of the block when the central panel thereof is disposed lowermost.

FIG. 4 is a blank embodying the principles of the invention but arranged for purposes of being folded to form a substantially cubical block.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the type of block formed from the blank shown in FIG. 4 and illustrated in the final operation of being completely folded into such type of block.

FIG. 6 is a blank comprising a plurality of connected panels arranged to be folded into a hollow arrangement resembling a triangular block.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a block substantially completely folded into a triangular configuration from the blank shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a blank from which a lintel is to be folded in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of a lintel arranged substantially in completely folded condition as formed from a blank of the type shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a blank from which a roof panel is folded.

FIG. 11 is a perspective inverted view of a roof panel folded from the blank shown in FIG. 10.

Referring to the drawings, and in accordance with the principles of the present invention, it is contemplated that various types of play structures, such as pl-ayhouses, as well as decorative structures and arrangements, such as might be employed in display windows and the like, can be formed from a number of ditferent shapes of hollow blocks, lintels, and roof panels, of which a limited number of exemplary illustrations are shown in certain figures of the drawings, especially FIGS. 1, 12 and 13. One of the principal hollow building elements embodied in these structures is a rectangular block one of which is shown in detail in FIG. 3, the same being formed from the blank 12 shown in FIG. 2.

The blank 12 preferably is formed from cardboard of a suitable gauge, such as 50 points, or the like, which, if desired, may be ornamented, such as by having a mottled appearance or the like printed on one surface thereof and thereby permitting the folded block 10 to resemble a cement block or the like. Marbleized appearances and the like also are possible, as desired. Further, any appropriate color may be applied to said decorated surface of the blank which will be apparent on the exterior of the block 10 when folded into block configuration.

The blank 12 comprises a central panel 14 to the opposite side edges of which similar side panels 16 are foldably connected by suitable scoring, rouletting, or the like, along lines 18. Also, similar end panels are foldably connected to the opposite ends of the central panel 14 by appropriate scored lines 22 or the like. The end panels 20, for example, may be substantially half the area of the central panel 14.

Foldably connected to the opposite ends of the side panels 16 are end flaps 24 which are separated by slits 26 from the end panels 20, but are foldably connected to the opposite ends of the side panels 16 by scored lines 28 or the like.

Foldably connected to the outer ends of each of the end panels 20 by additional scored lines 30 are locking flaps 32 which are provided with semicircular openings 34 that are stamped therefrom. Similarly, the edges of the end flaps 24 adjacent the slits 26 are each provided with semicircular openings 36 but the opposite edges of the end flaps 24 are provided with preferably semicircular ears 38 which are similar in shape to the

openings

34 and 36.

Also foldably connected to the longitudinal outer edges of the side panels 16 are elongated, narrow latching flaps 40 which have notches 42 therein for purposes to be described, the flaps 40 being connected to the side panels 16 by scored lines 44 or the like.

To assemble the blank 12 into a rectangular block of the type shown in FIG. 5, the end flaps 24 are first folded upwardly from the side panels 16 and said side panels then are folded upwardly relative to central panel 14 to dispose the previously folded end flaps 24 into overlapping engagement with each other, which engagement brings the cars 38 into juxtaposition immediately adjacent each other in overlapping arrangement, thereby providing ears of double thickness and inherently rigid by reason of being unbent with respect to the plane of the end of flaps 24. The end panels 20 then are bent upwardly to overlie the overlapping end flaps 24, followed by folding the locking flaps 32 inwardly to enable the opening 34 to pass over and, in efiect, receive therethrough the upwardly projecting ears 38. Lastly, by folding the latching flaps inwardly and downwardly into the hollow rectangular block 10, notches 42 thereof will be brought into engagement with the side edges of the locking flaps 30 and thus secure the entire block into folded configuration without auxiliary means of any kind being required.

The ears 38, which are provided on the block 10, project from the same face of the block, said face being opposite the central panel 14. These ears are for the purpose of securing the block and positioning it with respect to other blocks when a plurality of such blocks and other accessories to be described hereinafter are assembled into a certain building configuration, such as the exemplary playhouse shown in FIG. 1 or the wall shown in FIG. 12. Such securing and positioning of the block with respect to other blocks is achieved by providing preferably in the central panel 14 a plurality of slots 46, which are best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. It will be seen also from these figures that the ears 38 preferably are positioned midway of the opposite sides 15 of the block 10 and, correspondingly, the slots 46 adjacent the opposite ends of the central panel 14 also are positioned midway of said ends between the scored lines 18 and along the scored lines 22. The slots 46 preferably are snugly complementary to the ears 38 so as to somewhat frictionally receive the same and thereby accurately position one block on top of another.

Each of the longitudinal sides of the central panel 14 also are provided with a pair of longitudinally spaced slots 46, which extend along the scored lines 18. Preferably, the central panel 14 is twice as long as it is wide and said pairs of slots 46 along the scored lines 18 are so positioned that when a similar block, for example, is disposed transveresly over one-half of the central panel 14 of another block, one of the slots 46 along the lines 18 will receive the ear 38 on one end of the second block, as when the blocks are used to form a corner construction of a wall or building, for example. In addition to the slots 46, the central panel 14 also is provided with a central slot 48 extending transversely across the central face 14 with respect to and midway between the opposite scored lines 18. The slot 48 preferably is twice as wide as the slots 46 although of the same length, whereby the slot 48 may receive a pair of the tongues 38 simultaneously from a pair of additional blocks disposed in end abutting relationship with the tongues 38 coinciding for reception within the slot 48, as when forming a staggered block arrangement similar to the pattern of conventional laid brick or blocks.

As in the laying of conventional cement blocks, bricks and the like, what might be termed half-length are provided in accordance with the principles of the present invention, an exemplary illustration of one typical construction of the same being shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Preferably, the completed block 50 is cubical, all four sides and one end thereof being closed while the sixth side or face is open. Such a block conveniently may be formed from a blank such as that shown in FIG. 4 which comprises four similar side panels 52 and an end panel 54 which, in use, functions similarly to the central panel 14 of the rectangular type block 10 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The side panels 52 are all foldably connected together by scored or rouletted lines 56 and end panel 54 similarly is foldably connected to one of the side panels 52 by another similarly scored or rouletted line 58.

A connecting flap 60 is foldably connected by a suitable scored line to the outer end of one of the outermost side panels 52, and a locking tab 62 is foldably connected to the outer end of the other outermost side panel 52, as best shown in FIG. 4. Flap 60 is provided with a slot 64 which is complementary to the tab 62 and receives the same when the four side panels 52 are foldably disposed into a square configuration. Similar edges of the side panels 52 also are provided with connecting and positioning cars 66 which function similarly to the ears 38 of the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3 and are similar in size and shape to said ears. The ears 66 are received in complementary positioning slots such as the

slots

46 or 48 of the block 10.

After the four side panels 52 have been folded into square configuration, one of the open ends of such configuration is closed by the end panel 54, opposite sides of which are provided with foldably connected flaps 68 and the scored lines by which the flaps 68 are connected thereto have elongated slots 70 formed therein intermediately of the ends of said lines, the central portion of each of the slots 70 being wider to provide an auxiliary slot 72, the latter being complementary to the crosssectional shape of the cars 66 of similar blocks or the ears 38 of the blocks 10, for example, of the preceding embodiment.

The ends of three of the connected side panels 52 opposite the ears 66 thereon are provided with foldably

connected flaps

74 and 76, the flaps '74 having slots 78 therein, which are similar to the slots 72 for the reception of positioning ears, while flap 76 has a slot 80 therein which receives a locking tab 82 on the end panel 54 when the end panel is folded into operative position, as shown in FIG. 5. Incident to folding the blank shown in FIG. 4 into the position shown in FIG. 5, the flaps 74 are inserted into the slots 70 which are complementary in length to said flaps, while the flap 76 preferably'is coextensive in length with the side panel 52 to which it is connected, but said flap is overlain by the end panel 54 when the folding of the blank is completed to comprise what may be termed a half-length block.

By means of a substantial number of the rectangular blocks and a limited number of the so-called halflength blocks 50, a reasonable number of regular configurations of walls, buildings such as playhouses, decorative I i-dimensional panels for use in window dressing of show windows and the like may be formed. To enhance the types of structures and render greater versatility to a set of toy or decorative building blocks such as comprise the present invention, it is further contemplated that triangular blocks also be provided, an exemplary blank from which the same can be folded being shown in FIG. 6, while the nearly completely formed triangular block is shown in FIG. 7. Referring to these figures in detail, it will be seen that such triangular block 84 has an outer diagonal panel 86 to opposed sides of which similar triangular panels 88 are foldably connected by scored lines 90 or the like. Also foldably connected to one edge of one of the triangular panels 88 is a so-called vertical panel 92 having a foldable end flap 94 movably connected thereto and provided with a locking slot 96 which receives a locking tab 98.

By folding the triangular panels 88 perpendicularly with respect to the panel 86, and then folding the vertical panel 92 perpendicularly to the triangular panel 88 to which it is connected, the end flap 94 may be disposed adjacent the inner surface of the other triangular panel 88 and locking tab 98 is inserted into locking slot 96 to complete formation of the triangular block 84.

To secure the triangular block 84 to other building blocks of the set of related blocks comprising the present invention, each of the free edges of the

panels

86, 88 and 92 are provided with locking or positioning ears 100 which are similar to

ears

38 and 66 of the above-described blocks, such ears100 being for the same purpose as said other ears with respect to blocks upon which the triangular blocks 84 are adapted to be mounted, such as for purposes of forming gable walls, for example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 13, or for forming pinnacles or parapets, such as illustrated in FIG. 12.

In addition to the various formations of blocks illustrated in the drawings and described above, a complete set of building elements envisioned by the present invention includes a lintel 102, the blank from which the same are formed being illustrated in FIG. 8, while a fragmentary portion of a nearly completed lintel is illustrated in FIG. 9. The blank shown in FIG. 8 comprises a central web 104 which, like the block constructions described hereinabove, preferably is formed from suitable sheet material such as cardboard or the like of appropriate thickness. Foldably connected to opposite elongated edges of the central web 104 are relatively narrow side flanges 106 and spaced along the scored lines 108 which connect the same are a series of uniformly spaced ear-receiving slots 110. The width of the central web 104 preferably is approximately equal to that of the

blocks

10, 50 and 84, for purposes to be described.

Foldably connected to the outer edges of the side flanges 106 are pairs of interengageable ears 112 and 114. The ears of each pair are transversely opposite each other and said pairs are spaced longitudinally from each other as well as from the opposite ends of the central Web 104. Said ears preferably are connected to the flanges 106 by scored lines and the ears 112 have slots 116 which receive the locking tabs 118 on the ends of ears 114.

When the side flanges 106 are folded in the perpendicular relationship to the central web 104 as shown in FIG. 8 and the ears 112 and 114 are bent toward each other so as to permit reception of the locking tabs 118 within slots 116, it will be seen that the lintel 102 is a channellike arrangement which preferably is mounted with the central web 104 uppermost and the open channel-like ends thereof respectively are disposed on top of spaced blocks, such as shown in exemplary manner over the doorway 120 or window opening 122 of the exemplary structure shown in FIG. 1. There is sufficient space at the ends of the lintel 102 which is unobstructed by the ears 112 and 114 to amply permit such use of the lintels.

To facilitate the cooperation of the lintels with other blocks both above and below the same, the central web 104 is provided along the scored lines 108 with the earreceiving slots 110 and preferably extending transversely between the lines 108 is a central transverse double-width slot 124. Also, semicircular ears 126 are partially cut from the material of the blank and are foldably connected to the central web 104 so as to be bent into perpendicular relationship relative thereto, as shown in FIG. 9, for reception in positioning slots in blocks below the lintel, while positioning ears on the lower face of other blocks placed above the lintel are received in the

slots

110 and 124, thereby accurately positioning the lintel with respect to adjacent blocks associated therewith.

To complete the contemplated accessories referred to above, the present invention also contemplates a roof panel 128 which preferably is rectangular in shape and is formed from a blank cut from sheet material similar to that from which the blocks and lintels described above are formed. The blank comprising the roof panel 128 is shown in FIG. 10 and includes a central panel which preferably has a width substantially equal to the length of the rectangular blocks 10 so as conveniently to adapt the roof panels to building structures of the exemplary type shown in FIG. 1. Foldably connected to the opposite longitudinal edges of the central panel 130 are narrow strips 132, each of which have similarly spaced holes 134 therein capable of receiving fastening means such as split rivets or the like and thereby affording ready means to secure a series of said roof panels together in side-by-side relationship when the strips 132 are folded into vertical position relative to the central panel 130, as shown in FIG. 11.

Particularly for purposes of connecting the roof panels 128 to the upper portion of a simulated building struc ture, for example, one end of each roof panel is provided with a series of foldably connected

narrow strips

136, 138 and 140 of uniform length which is equal to the width of central panel 130. The ends of the connected

narrow strips

136, 138 and 140 are severed from end tabs 142 which are of the same width as strips 132 and are foldably connected thereto.

The means by which one end of each roof panel is connected to a wall structure, for example, of a simulated building comprises positioning ears 144, which are integral with and preferably within the same plane as the endmost narrow strip 140, said ears actually being cut from the intermediate narrow strip 138, as clearly shown in FIG. 10. Accordingly, when strip 140 is folded relative to intermediate strip 138, along the scored line 146, the ears will project out of the plane of strip 138. Also, to complete the formation of the roof panel 128 shown in FIG. 11 the end tabs 142 are first folded into the channel formed by the folding of the narrow strips 134 relative to central panel 130 and then, in effect, the

narrow strips

136, 138 and 140 are folded around said inturned tabs 142 so as to produce a configuration such as illustrated in exemplary manner at the left-hand end of the roof panel 128 shown in FIG. 11, whereby the positioning ears 144 project substantially perpendicularly from the general plane of the roof panel for reception in the slots 46 of blocks or '72 of blocks 50, or even of slots 110 in the lintels 102, depending upon which members are uppermost in the structure to which the roof panels are to be connected. The infolding of the end tabs 144 serves to aid in retaining the narrow strips 132 perpendicular relative to the central panel 130 of the roof panels 128. The opposite ends of the roof panels are such as to abut each other and, when the side strips 132 are connected together in the manner described above, the roof such as illustrated in FIG. 1 is relatively stable.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the various shapes and types of exemplary blocks illustrated and described herein, together with the cooperating accessories such as the lintels and roof panels, when supplied in appropriate numbers of each, permit the construction of many forms of decorative arrangements which may be used for store displays in show windows or otherwise, as well as in the construction of many types of playhouses, forts, and the like, capable of providing many hours of delight as well as constructive experience for children. All of the elements of a set of such blocks and accessories readily are foldable into operative, 3-dimensional items requiring no additional securing or attaching means with the exception of a few simple split rivets or the like for connecting adjoining roof panels together. At the end of the use of a given arrangement of such elements, they may be readily and quickly disconnected for additional use while maintained in operative condition, or, if desired, the various elements may be quickly restored to fiat condition and thus compactly stored in a suitable carton or box until the time for the next use thereof arrives. All of the parts may be suitably decorated to present an esthetic appearance when assembled in operative condition and, further, all of said parts may be formed simply and inexpensively from readily available material.

While the invention has been described and illustrated in its several preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the precise details herein illustrated and described since the same may be carried out in other ways falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A hollow building block foldable from a blank of cardboard like sheet material for use as a toy and decorative purposes and the like, said blank comprising a central panel having opposed pairs of parallel edges, side panels of similar shape to each other respectively foldably connected to one pair of said opposed edges of said central panel, end panels of similar shape to each other and of the same width as said side panels foldably connected to the other pair of said opposed edges of said central panel, end flaps foldably connected to the opposite ends of each of said side panels and of similar shape to said end panels and overlying the end panels when said side and end panels are folded perpendicularly to said central panel from the same surface thereof and when said end flaps are folded to extend perpendicularly from said central and side panels, similar ears projecting from corresponding outer edges of said end flaps when so folded and overlying each other within the planes of said fiaps, and means to secure said block in folded and erected position, and means including locking flaps foldably connected to the outer ends of said end panels and having openings complementary in shape to said ears, whereby when said locking flaps are folded over overlying pairs of said ears the latter are received through said openings to maintain said block in folded condition with said ears projecting perpendicularly from the face of said blocks which is opposite said central panel, said central panel having slots therein adjacent opposite edges thereof of a size adapted to receive the ears projecting from similar blocks when placed upon the central panel of said first-mentioned block to permit the interlocking of such blocks against relative lateral movement parallel to said central panels.

2. The building block according to claim 1 in which said central panel is rectangular and said slots therein being adjacent the end edges and along the side edges of said panel intermediately of the ends thereof.

3. The building block according ot claim 1 said securing means further including latching flaps foldabiy connected to and extending along the outer edges of said side panels and having notches therein engaging the locking flaps of the end panels to hold the same in folded locking position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,193,975 10/1916 Beardsley 46-19 X 2,292,188 1/ 1919 Wheeler 46-24 2,112,474 3/1938 Warren 4621 1,604,391 10/1926 Croy 4625 2,618,887 11/1952 Frankenstein 46-11 2,861,388 11/1958 Favaretto 46-16 3,264,021 8/1966 Artman 52594 X 2,131,349 9/1938 Kreider 46-24 2,425,729 8/ 1947 Sherbinn 46-25 2,556,323 6/ 1951 Feigelman 4621 2,751,705 6/1956 Joseph 4624 2,874,512 2/1959 Joseph et al. 46-25 FOREIGN PATENTS 642,020 5/ 1928 France.

58,080 8/ 1946 Netherlands.

F. BARRY SHAY, Primary Examiner.

L. G. MANCENE, Examiner.