US3513588A - Toy assembly kit - Google Patents

Toy assembly kit Download PDF

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Publication number
US3513588A
US3513588A US696543A US3513588DA US3513588A US 3513588 A US3513588 A US 3513588A US 696543 A US696543 A US 696543A US 3513588D A US3513588D A US 3513588DA US 3513588 A US3513588 A US 3513588A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
coupling projection
groove
slot
toy assembly
coupling
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
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US696543A
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English (en)
Inventor
Artur Fischer
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Individual
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Individual
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Publication date
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Publication of US3513588A publication Critical patent/US3513588A/en
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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
    • A63H33/00—Other toys
    • A63H33/04—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts
    • A63H33/06—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements
    • A63H33/08—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements provided with complementary holes, grooves, or protuberances, e.g. dovetails
    • A63H33/084—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements provided with complementary holes, grooves, or protuberances, e.g. dovetails with grooves
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
    • A63H33/00—Other toys
    • A63H33/04—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts
    • A63H33/06—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements
    • A63H33/08—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements provided with complementary holes, grooves, or protuberances, e.g. dovetails
    • A63H33/082—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements provided with complementary holes, grooves, or protuberances, e.g. dovetails with dovetails

Definitions

  • a building block comprises a rigid carrier having an exposed surface, and a coupling projection extending outwardly from this surface.
  • the coupling projection is of polygonal cross-sectional configura- Patented May 26, 1970 In other words, in such applications the coupling projection received in the complementary groove may be slidable therealong, and is prevented from being withdrawn from the groove transversely of the elongation thereof, but the block and coupling projection associated therewith cannot be turned or rotated with reference to the other element in which the groove is provided.
  • the coupling projection is so configurated tion and is undercut intermediate the exposed surface of the rigid carrier and a free end face of the coupling projection remote from this exposed surface.
  • the free end face is provided with a transversely extending slot having a depth in the direction towards the exposed surface which is a fraction of the distance between the latter and the free end face.
  • the present invention relates to toy assembly kits in general, and in particular to a structural element or building block used in a toy assembly kit of the type which comprises a plurality of such building blocks provided with at least one undercut elongated groove and/or at least one coupling projection receivable in such groove.
  • building blocks for toy assembly kits which are provided in one or more faces with elongated undercut grooves whose cross sectional configuration diverges inwardly from the respective face in which they are formed
  • These blocks are connected to one another and to auxiliary building elements of the toy assembly kit, by means of connecting heads or coupling projections, which may or may not be integral with the building block, and which are configurated in a manner complementary to the crosssection of the grooves.
  • these coupling projections are also of undercut configuration so that they have a relatively narrow neck portion adjacent to an exposed surface of the building block from which the complementary projection extends, and a wider head portion carried on the neck portion. The head portion is received in the groove of another block to which the coupling projection is to be connected and the narrow neck portion extends outwardly beyond the groove.
  • Kits of this type have found wide acceptance because they are highly versatile in the erection of working models and of rather accurate replicas of buildings and other structures, and because they appeal to and can be used by children within a relatively wide age range.
  • the versatility of these kits requires that for some applications there must be provided building blocks which, when their coupling projections are received in the groove or grooves of another building block or structural element of the kit, must be non-rotatably secured thereto.
  • the present invention is concerned in particular with blocks having the type of coupling projection which makes rotation of the associated block with reference to other structural element to which the coupling projection is connected, impossible.
  • Coupling projections of the type which preclude such rotation are of polygonal cross-sectional configuration, usually of quadratic outline. It is in conjunction with this type of coupling projection that the blocks described in my aforementioned copending applications, and in other copending applications filed by me, have been found to be in need of improvement. Specifically it has been determined that children playing with this type of building block, namely the type wherein the coupling projection is of polygonal and more particularly of quadratic crosssectional configuration, will frequently attempt to turn the block with respect to the other structural element to which it is connected by its coupling projection. This may be inadvertent because the child does not realize that such turning movement is impossible because of the particular cross-sectional configuration of the coupling projection. It may also be deliberate.
  • a toy assembly kit of the type including a plurality of connectable structural elements a building block which comprises a rigid carrier having an exposed surface and a coupling projection of polygonal cross-sectional configuration.
  • the coupling projection is provided on the carrier and projects from the exposed surface thereof.
  • the coupling projection in turn has a free end face spaced from the exposed surface and is undercut intermediate the end face and the exposed surface.
  • the coupling projection In its free end face the coupling projection is provided with a transverse slot means which extends inwardly towards the exposed surface and which enables elastic deflection of the material of the coupling projection in the region of the slot, that is substantially to the extent of the depth of the slot, so that when the coupling projection is non-rotatably received in a complementarily undercut groove of another structural element, the provision of this slot enables limited turning movement of the projection in this groove.
  • the cross-sectional configuration of the coupling projection is polygonal, and will usually be quadratic.
  • the stud will extend diagonally of the quadratic outline of the coupling projection and this enhances elastic deflection of the material of the coupling projection, particularly in the region of the corners thereof.
  • this elastic deflection characteristic is enhanced significantly because, owing to the undercut or inwardly tapering cross-section of the coupling projection, the coupling projection will be bisected into two portions in a region corresponding to the depth of the slot. This will become clearer in the subsequent discussion of the specific embodiment.
  • the elastic deformability that is the deflection characteristic which is to be imparted to the coupling projection by the provision of this slot, must not be so great as to permit deflection of the slotted coupling projection to the extent that the latter can be turned in the groove or can be withdrawn from the groove transversely of the elongation of the latter.
  • the deflection is to be only such as to enable limited freedom of turning movement of the coupling projection in an associated complementary groove, so that the coupling projection can withstand accidental attempts to turn it with reference to the groove. It is assumed that the child, when resistance to such turning movement increases will realize his or her error and terminate the attempt to turn the coupling projection.
  • the invention cannot guard against damage to the coupling projection if a child sets out deliberately to break the same by turning it with reference to the groove.
  • the depth of the slot be only a fraction of the length of the coupling projection, that is of the distance between the free end face thereof and the exposed surface of the block. This makes it possible to provide the desired elastic deflection without, however, increasing this particular characteristic to a point where the coupling projection could be actually rotated in the groove or be withdrawn therefrom transversely of the direction of elongation of the groove.
  • the depth of the groove will depend upon several factors, which can be readily determined by those skilled in the art, namely primarily upon the inherent elasticity of the material of the coupling projection and the width of the slot.
  • FIG. 1 is a side-elevational view of a building block incorporating my invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a top-plan view of the building block illustrated in FIG. 1.
  • reference numeral 1 identifies a building block or rigid carrier which here is assumed to be of quadratic outline.
  • the outline of the block 1 may be other than what is illustrated, as is also evident from the various different configurations which have been disclosed in my aforementioned copending applications.
  • the block 1 is provided with a plurality of undercut elongated grooves 2 Whose cross-sectional configuration is most clearly visible in FIG. 2.
  • At least one exposed surface of the block 1, namely that identified with reference numeral 3 is provided with a stud-shaped coupling projection 4 which extends outwardly beyond the surface 3. This is shown clearly in FIG. 1, and it is to be understood that the coupling projection 4 may be integral with or suitably secured to the block 1.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates most clearly that the coupling projection 4 in the illustrated embodiment is of quadratic crosssectional configuration and that it is provided in its free end face 6 with a transversely extending channel-shaped slot 7. Because of the undercut configuration of the coupling head 4, that is because the coupling head 4 decreases in cross-sectional configuration in the direction from the free end face 6 to the exposed surface 3, it is bounded by a pyramidal surface 5 (compare FIG. 1) and it will be seen that in accordance with the invention the depth of the slot 7 is such that it extends into the region of this surface 5.
  • the slot 7 extends transversely of the coupling projection 4, and FIG. 2 shows that it should more specifically be identified as extending diagonally connecting to oppositely located edges 10 and 11.
  • FIG. 1 I have illustrated in chain lines a structural element In to which the block 1 is assumed to be connected by means of its coupling projection 4. This is done to illustrate more clearly how the connection is effected and also how the invention makes possible limited freedom of turning movement of the coupling projection 4 in the undercut additional groove provided in the member 1a, this additional groove corresponding to the grooves 2 of the block 1, with the mating configuration of the additional groove and projection 4 constituting means for preventing turning movement of the latter in the former.
  • Opposite of the coupling projection 4 engage the side walls bounding the additional groove in member 1a and it will be understood that, if the member 1 is turned forcibly with reference to the member 1a, the corners 8 and 9 of the coupling projection 4 (compare FIG.
  • the depth of the slot 7 will depend upon the various factors which have been mentioned. Generally speaking, however, I have found that good results can be obtained if the depth of the groove of the slot 7 corresponds substantially to one third of the depth of that part of the coupling projection 4 which will engage the wall bounding the additional groove in member 1a. This figure may be smaller, depending upon the width of the slot 7 and upon the inherent elasticity of the material of the coupling projection 4 or it may be somewhat larger. However, it may not be significantly larger because otherwise the elastic deflection would become too great and complete turning of the coupling projection 4 in the additional groove or even withdrawal of the coupling projection from the additional groove tranversely to the elongation of the latter would become possible, and this is to be avoided.
  • a toy assembly kit including a plurality of connectable structural elements, a structural element provided with an undercut groove having an open end; a building block having an exposed surface; and an elastically deflectable stud-shaped coupling projection of polygonal cross-sectional configuration provided on said building block projecting from said surface and having a free end face and a predetermined length intermediate the same and said surface, said coupling projection being undercut complementarily to said groove intermediate said free end face and said exposed surface, said free end face being provided with a transverse channelshaped slot means extending inwardly towards said exposed surface by a fraction of said predetermined length, said coupling projection and groove having means in the form of mating configurations preventing turning of said projection in said groove whereby when said coupling projection is non-rotatably inserted in said undercut groove of structural element in longitudinal direction of such groove through said open end thereof, provision of said slot means enables limited turning movement of said projection in such groove owing to elastic deflection of the material of said coupling projection in the region of said slot means but does not allow
  • said coupling projection is of quadratic outline and is bounded intermediate said free end face and said exposed surface by a circumferential face composed of two pairs of opposite surface portions, the surface portions of one such pair being adapted to engage side walls bounding said undercut groove in said structural element on insertion of said coupling projection thereinto.
  • each of said surface portions comprises a first section closer to said free end face and a second section adjoining said first section and being closer to said exposed surface, said first section being adapted to engage said wall of said undercut groove in said structural element, and wherein said slot means extends from said free end face towards said second section.

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  • Toys (AREA)
  • Joining Of Building Structures In Genera (AREA)
  • Food-Manufacturing Devices (AREA)
US696543A 1967-01-25 1968-01-09 Toy assembly kit Expired - Lifetime US3513588A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DEF0051342 1967-01-25

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3513588A true US3513588A (en) 1970-05-26

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ID=7104530

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US696543A Expired - Lifetime US3513588A (en) 1967-01-25 1968-01-09 Toy assembly kit

Country Status (12)

Country Link
US (1) US3513588A (xx)
AT (1) AT280861B (xx)
BE (1) BE709730A (xx)
CH (1) CH467630A (xx)
DK (1) DK114955B (xx)
FI (1) FI49778C (xx)
FR (1) FR1552469A (xx)
GB (1) GB1161727A (xx)
IL (1) IL29365A (xx)
NL (1) NL6801043A (xx)
NO (1) NO118661B (xx)
SE (1) SE318809B (xx)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4176493A (en) * 1976-12-20 1979-12-04 Interlego A.G. Rotatable element for toy building sets
US5239803A (en) * 1991-11-07 1993-08-31 Shannon Stephen J Single-component-type structural system
USD377377S (en) * 1994-12-20 1997-01-14 Ideal Ideas, Inc. Toy construction block with symmetrically arranged T-slots
US5918999A (en) * 1998-03-27 1999-07-06 Lamarca; Guy M. Geometric spacial frame assembly
US20130165013A1 (en) * 2011-12-22 2013-06-27 Hsiao-Chieh Chin Toy building block
US20130330997A1 (en) * 2010-10-21 2013-12-12 Lego A/S Toy building set
US20170274295A1 (en) * 2016-03-24 2017-09-28 UBTECH Robotics Corp. Toy assembling apparatus
US9901841B2 (en) 2010-10-21 2018-02-27 Lego A/S Toy building set
US20190030449A1 (en) * 2016-01-21 2019-01-31 Katherine Mooney Constructional element

Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB221755A (en) * 1924-04-17 1924-09-18 Max Schaeffer Improvements in or relating to toy building blocks or bricks
FR596752A (fr) * 1924-07-18 1925-10-31 Bascou Jeu de construction
FR54584E (fr) * 1946-06-21 1950-05-04 Jeu de construction
US2800743A (en) * 1955-03-08 1957-07-30 Edward R Renouf Toy building brick
US2907137A (en) * 1955-11-24 1959-10-06 Nikocraft Ltd Toy building element
US3032919A (en) * 1960-02-22 1962-05-08 Amsler Max Building elements for toys, replicas and like articles
US3076286A (en) * 1955-07-15 1963-02-05 Stephen J Czecholinski Building blocks
US3148477A (en) * 1960-02-05 1964-09-15 Irma Fabrikerne As Building block having flexible ribs to engage a similar block
US3162973A (en) * 1961-06-27 1964-12-29 Interlego Ag Toy building element

Patent Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB221755A (en) * 1924-04-17 1924-09-18 Max Schaeffer Improvements in or relating to toy building blocks or bricks
FR596752A (fr) * 1924-07-18 1925-10-31 Bascou Jeu de construction
FR54584E (fr) * 1946-06-21 1950-05-04 Jeu de construction
US2800743A (en) * 1955-03-08 1957-07-30 Edward R Renouf Toy building brick
US3076286A (en) * 1955-07-15 1963-02-05 Stephen J Czecholinski Building blocks
US2907137A (en) * 1955-11-24 1959-10-06 Nikocraft Ltd Toy building element
US3148477A (en) * 1960-02-05 1964-09-15 Irma Fabrikerne As Building block having flexible ribs to engage a similar block
US3032919A (en) * 1960-02-22 1962-05-08 Amsler Max Building elements for toys, replicas and like articles
US3162973A (en) * 1961-06-27 1964-12-29 Interlego Ag Toy building element

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4176493A (en) * 1976-12-20 1979-12-04 Interlego A.G. Rotatable element for toy building sets
US5239803A (en) * 1991-11-07 1993-08-31 Shannon Stephen J Single-component-type structural system
USD377377S (en) * 1994-12-20 1997-01-14 Ideal Ideas, Inc. Toy construction block with symmetrically arranged T-slots
US5918999A (en) * 1998-03-27 1999-07-06 Lamarca; Guy M. Geometric spacial frame assembly
US20130330997A1 (en) * 2010-10-21 2013-12-12 Lego A/S Toy building set
US9573074B2 (en) * 2010-10-21 2017-02-21 Lego A/S Toy building set
US9901841B2 (en) 2010-10-21 2018-02-27 Lego A/S Toy building set
US20130165013A1 (en) * 2011-12-22 2013-06-27 Hsiao-Chieh Chin Toy building block
US8715030B2 (en) * 2011-12-22 2014-05-06 Hsiao-Chieh Chin Toy building block
US20190030449A1 (en) * 2016-01-21 2019-01-31 Katherine Mooney Constructional element
US20170274295A1 (en) * 2016-03-24 2017-09-28 UBTECH Robotics Corp. Toy assembling apparatus
US10029187B2 (en) * 2016-03-24 2018-07-24 UBTECH Robotics Corp. Toy assembling apparatus

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NO118661B (xx) 1970-01-19
DK114955B (da) 1969-08-18
FI49778B (xx) 1975-06-30
NL6801043A (xx) 1968-07-26
SE318809B (xx) 1969-12-15
BE709730A (xx) 1968-05-30
FR1552469A (xx) 1969-01-03
AT280861B (de) 1970-04-27
GB1161727A (en) 1969-08-20
CH467630A (de) 1969-01-31
FI49778C (fi) 1975-10-10
DE1603316B1 (de) 1972-05-25
IL29365A (en) 1971-08-25

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