US3415008A

US3415008A - Toy building kit

Info

Publication number: US3415008A
Application number: US580943A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fischer Artur
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-09-27
Filing date: 1966-09-21
Publication date: 1968-12-10
Anticipated expiration: 1985-12-10
Also published as: DK124057B; FI43151B; SE312510B; DE1478400A1; NL6612328A; NO117064B; IL26232A; BE685685A; FR1495150A; AT273747B; GB1103645A; ES331488A1; CH456421A

Description

Dec.1 0,196 8 A., -IS ;HER 3,415,008

TOY BUILDING KIT Filed Sept. 21. 1966 X Fig.3

INVENTOR.

ARTUR FISCHER BY N42 uni J: 11 y United States Patent TOY BUILDING KIT Artur Fischer, Tumlingen, Kreis Freudenstadt, Germany Filed Sept. 21, 1966, Ser. No. 580,943 Claims priority, application Germany, Sept. 27, 1965,

14 Claims. (Cl. 4626) The present invention relates to a toy building kit, and more specifically to a coupling means for coupling blocks in a toy building kit to one another for relative angular movement.

In several of my copending applications I have set forth toy building kits comprising building blocks which are provided with undercut grooves and/or projecting portions joined to the respective block by a neck of lesser maximum cross-sectional area than the projecting portion, the construction of various models being accomplished by inserting the projecting portion of one block into an undercut groove of another block so that the two blocks are secured together without danger of accidently coming apart.

Kits of this type are highly versatile in that they permit the simple construction of a great number of different models. However, they do lack one feature to attain their full potential versatility, namely the possibility of realtive angular movement of blocks which are joined together. The desirability of such a feature will be readily understandable if one considers, for example, an attempt to construct a model building having a gable roof where obviously the building blocks located at the top of the roof on opposite sides of What in an actual building would be the roof beam, must be angled relative to one another. This is not possible with the kits of this type which are known.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to enhance still further the versatility of the toy construction kits known from my presently copending applications.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a toy building kit of the general type mentioned above which includes a coupling means for coupling toy building blocks to one another with freedom of relative angular displacement.

An additional object of the invention is to provide such a toy building kit in which the coupling means is very simple to use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a coupling means such as set forth above which is simple to manufacture and inexpensive.

In accordance with one feature of my invention I provide, in a toy building kit, at least two toy building blocks which each have at least one undercut connecting portion. To achieve my objective of making possible relative angular displacement of these toy building blocks when they are connected to each other I provide coupling means which couples the toy building blocks to one another so that they have freedom of relative angular displacement. Thiscoupling means comprises two coupling sections which are each provided with at least one connecting portion adapted to mate with an undercut connecting portion of one of the toy building blocks for securing the respective toy building block fixedly to the respective coupling section. Further, the coupling means comprises joint means which joins the coupling means to one another with freedom of relative angular displacement so that the building blocks which are thus connected to the coupling sections are similarly angularly displaceable.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth is particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partially sectioned elevation of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top-plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 showing toy building blocks connected thereto;

FIG. 4 is a top-plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, also showing building blocks connected thereto, but in an arrangement differing from that of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a top-plan view, partly in section, of a second embodiment of the invention.

Discussing now the drawing in detail, and firstly FIG. 1 thereof, it will be seen that the coupling means is generally designated with reference numeral 1 and comprises two coupling sections identified with

reference numerals

2 and 3. These coupling sections are in the embodiment shown of block-shaped configuration and are provided at their free end faces with connecting portions 4 and 5, respectively. These connecting portions have been disclosed in my copending applications and are configurated to be receivable in under cut grooves provided in buliding blocks, such as those designated with

reference numerals

10 and 11 in FIG. 3, which are to be secured to the coupling means. Advantageously, each of the two

coupling sections

2 and 3 has a length corresponding to the length of the

building blocks

10 and 11; however, it should be understood that this is by no means a necessary requirement and that the length of these coupling sections can be selected at will, with the two sections even being of different lengths if so desired.

The

coupling sections

2, 3 are each provided with a plate-like projecting portion 6, 7, respectively, which together form a hinge as is evident in FIGS. 1 and 3. These portions are advantageously integral with the remainder of the section and can for instance be provided by providing the sections with suitable cutouts. The portions 6, 7 overlap one another as is evident from FIGS. 1 and 3 and are each provided with a bore. As hown in FIG. 1, the respective bores are axially aligned with one another and are internally screw-threadedl. An externally screw threaded tubular bushing 9 is screwed into these bores so that the two

sections

2, 3 can turn about this bushing 9 and thus be angularly displaced relative to one another. A shaft 8 can be inserted through the center opening of the bushing 9, if desired.

To prevent angular displacement of the

sections

2, 3 relative to one another at times when this is not desired, spring, such as a left spring 14, is placed between the abutting faces of the portions 6, 7 and has a tendency to permanently bias these portions apart. Since it thus engages the juxtaposed faces of the portions 6, 7 the friction thereby created serves to prevent undesired angular displacement of the

sections

2, 3

The

sections

2, 3 are advantageously also provided with

undercut grooves

6a, 7a corresponding to the grooves provided in the

building blocks

10, 11. This makes it possible to secure to the sections 2,. 3 such building blocks as are provided with connecting portions corresponding to the projecting heads 4, 5 provided in the

sections

2, 3. The

reference numerals

12 and 13 indicate building blocks which have been so secured to the

respective sections

2, 3.

FIG. 4 shows how the

building blocks

10, 11 can be angularly displaced by relative movement of the

sections

2, 3 about the bushing 9, and also further by turning of the entire arrangement about the shaft 8 secured in the center bore 911 of bushing 9. Alternate positions are shown in FIG. 4 in chain lines and the arrows indicate the direction of movement of the various members.

Coming now to the embodiment of FIG. 5, it will be evident that this embodiment differs from the one shown in FIGS. 1-4 in the construction of the joint means. In FIG. 5 the joint means of FIGS. l4, namely the projecting portions 6, 7 and the bushing 9, is replaced by a ball and socket joint 23. The sections in FIG. 5 are are indicated with reference numerals and 16 and are each provided at their respective free end faces with the projecting connecting

portions

17, 18. The other end faces of the

sections

15 and 16 respectively carry a recess 21 and a projecting portion of spherical configuration, indicated with reference numeral 22. Advantageously, the section end portions located inwardly of the end faces which are provided with the recess 21 and the ball element 22 taper frusto-conically in the direction towards these end faces in which these respective elements are provided to provide for freer movement of the

sections

15, 16 relative to one another. The element 22 can be inserted into the recess 21 in various ways; for instance, it can be forced into the recess 21 if the material of section 15 has elastic properties.

In accordance with the invention the various elements and portions herein described are advantageously made from a synthetic plastic material, although other materials are also suitable for this purpose.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of a toy building kit differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in toy building kits, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a toy building kit, in combination, at least two toy building blocks each provided with at least one un- :lercut connecting portion; and coupling means for coupling said toy building blocks to one another with freedom of relative angular displacement, said coupling means comprising two coupling sections each provided with at least one connecting portion adapted to mat with an undercut connecting portion of one of said toy building blocks for securing such toy building block fixedly to the respective coupling section, and said coupling means further comprising joint means joining said coupling sections to one another with freedom of relative angular displacement, so that the building blocks connected to said coupling sections are similarly angularly displaceable.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said coupling sections are elongated and of polygonal crosssection, and wherein each of said coupling sections is provided with a substantially plate-shaped projecting portion extending therefrom in the direction of elongation of the respective coupling section, said joint means joining said projecting portions to one another.

3. A combination as defined in claim 2, wherein the respective projecting portions are each provided with a face and with a bore extending normal to the elongation of the respective coupling section, said faces being juxtaposed with said bores aligned and said joint means being received in said aligned bores.

4. A combination as defined in claim 3, wherein said bores are internally screw-threaded, and wherein said joint means is a tubular bushing externally screw-threaded and received in said bores with the screw-threads of said bores and said bushing meshing, said bushing defining an axis of rotation about which said sections pivot.

5. A combination as defined in claim 4; and further comprising friction spring means received between said juxtaposed faces in engagement with both of the same, and permanently tending to transversely displace said faces one relative to the other.

6. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said undercut connecting portions on said toy building blocks and said sections comprise undercut grooves and projecting undercut connecting heads.

7. A combination as defined in claim 2, wherein at least one of said sections including the associated projecting portion thereof is of a length corresponding to at least one dimension of at least one of said building blocks.

8. A combination as defined in claim 7, wherein the thickness of both of said projecting portions together, as seen normal to the elongation of the respective section, corresponds to the dimension of said one building block at right angles to said one dimension.

9. A combination as defined in claim 4, wherein said bushing is provided with a central passage adapted to accommodate a tubular auxiliary member, for instance an axle.

10. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said joint means comprises a ball-and-socket joint arrangement.

11. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said coupling sections are elongated and each provided with an endface, said endfaces being juxtaposed with spacing from one another; and wherein said joint means comprises a ball provided on one of said endfaces projecting therefrom and a socket recessed in the other of said endfaces, said ball being received in said socket for turning movement therewithin.

12. A combination as defined in claim 11, wherein said coupling sections each have an endportion inwardly adjacent the respective endface, and wherein said endportions taper in cross-sectional area in the direction toward the respective endface. I

13. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein at least said sections consist of synthetic plastic material.

14. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said coupling means consists of synthetic plastic material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,885,822 5/1959 Onanian 46-26 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A TOY BUILDING KIT, IN COMBINATION, AT LEAST TWO TOY BUILDING BLOCKS EACH PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONE UNDERCUT CONNECTING PORTION; AND COUPLING MEANS FOR COUPLING SAID TOY BUILDING BLOCKS TO ONE ANOTHER WITH FREEDOM OF RELATIVE ANGULAR DISPLACEMENT, SAID COUPLING MEANS COMPRISING TWO COUPLING SECTIONS EACH PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONE CONNECTING PORTION ADAPTED ATO MAT WITH AN UNDERCUT CONNECTING PORTION OF ONE OF SAID TOY BUILD-