US3698124A - Construction toy - Google Patents

Abstract

A construction toy having a plurality of equilateral triangular construction elements adapted to be sequentially interlocked together to create a variety of free form constructions. Each triangle is transparent, flexible, made of resilient plastic, and has locking slots extending from the triangle vertices toward the triangle centroid. The locking slots have a working width less than the triangle thickness which allows the triangles to be firmly interlocked together. The locking slots also have a length of approximately three-sevenths of the distance from a triangle vertex to the triangle centroid.

Description

United States Patent Reitzel et al.

[ CONSTRUCTION TOY [72] Inventors: John S. Reitzel; Gail L. Reitzel, both of West Concord, Mass. [73] Assignee: Reitzel Designs, Inc., West Concord,

Mass.

[22] Filed: June 16, 1971 [2]] Appl. No.: 153,500

[52] US. Cl ..46/30, 46/31 [51 Int. Cl. ..A63h 33/06 [58] Field of Search ..46/25, 30, 31

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,564,758 2/1971 Willis ..46/25 2,63 l ,747 3/1953 Stote ..46/25 2,633,662 4/1953 Nelsonu ..46/25 51 Oct. 17, 1972 Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-Robert F. Cutting Attorney-Chittick, Pfund, Birch, Samuels & Gauthier [57] ABSTRACT to be firmly interlocked together. The locking slots also have a length of approximately three-sevenths of the distance from a triangle vertex to the triangle centroid.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PKTE'N'TEDum 11 I972 3,59 12 INVENTORS JOHN S. REITZEL GAIL L. REITZEL BY Wag 6M4, $6M 11% ATI'ORNEYS 1 CONSTRUCTIONTOY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I There have been many prior construction toys utilizing linked elements. Examples are shown in US. Pat. Nos. 927,499; 2,446,120; 3,477,188; and 3,537,706. This invention is an improvement over these construction toys and is different therefrom because of constructional features that are not readily apparent, yet which produce a vastly more pleasing aesthetic result.

It is an object of this invention to provide a construction toy which is inexpensive to manufacture, is safe for children to play with, and has long-lasting use qualities.

Another object of this invention is to provide a construction toy which is designed to be capable of producing an endless number of free form configurations that are extremely pleasing to the eye.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of the construction element of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of two construction elements, each identical to that shown in FIG. 1, interlocked together; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of eight construction elements interlocked together to form a closed ring.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED, EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows a construction element made preferably of flexible plastic material such as acetate, styrene or vinyl. Element 10 is preferably transparent and uncolored or lightly tinted although it could be opaque and/or colored.

Element 10 is an equilateral triangle measuring approximately 3 inches on a side. The centroid 12 of the triangle is shown in FIG. 1 for purposes of discussion but does not actually appear on the manufactured element 10. The construction elements are usually stamped out of larger plastic sheets or rolls and are packaged approximately 52 to a container. Obviously, a larger or smaller number of elements 10 could be packaged together.

Each construction element 10 contains three locking slots 14 which extend from the three triangle vertices toward centroid 12. The slots 14 have a width (as seen in FIG. 1) along at least a portion of the slot length of slightly less than the thickness of the construction ele' ment material. That is, the working portion of the slot nearest to the centroid is slightly narrower than the element material. The slot wallsthemselves may be parallel or may converge toward the centroid 12. The slot tips 16 and 18 adjacent to the vertices are rounded to prevent sharpness.

Locking slots 14 havea length which is less than onehalf and more than one-fourth 'of the distance from the vertex to the centroid. Preferably, the slots extend approximately three-sevenths' of the distance from the vertex to the centroid. FIG. ,1 shows the preferred construction element configuration.

FIG. 2 shows the results of interlocking two construction elements 10 together. The two elements are joined by first aligning them at their mutual slot openings and by then pushing them together to produce a force fit. This force fit is: easily accomplished despite the narrow slot widthbecause the plastic construction element material is resilient and readily yields under pressure. The result is an excellent bond between the elements which will not inadvertently loosen under .the force of gravity regardless of the orientation of the interlocked elements.

. An interesting feature to note is that the use of flexible triangle material and the employment of narrow locking slots permits the two construction elements to be firmly locked together at various relative angles other than perpendicular. This can be done because when the slot is spread, usually the flexible triangle tip portions 16 and 18 on either side of the slot 14 open apart in opposite directions normal to the element plane. Thus, if an interlocked pair of transparent, flexible elements were viewed so that one element A was seen in approximate plan and the other element B was seen in approximate elevation, both tips 16 and 18 of element B would be clearly visible above and below transparent element A. Tip 16 would spread away from tip 18 not in their mutual original plane, but normal thereto. This spreading action causes the two construction elements to be interlocked at an angle other than perpendicular with respect to each other.

The non-uniformity of the interlocking angle is a feature of this invention. Also, the relatively long slot length is a feature of this invention and produces a very intricate free form configuration which is quite pleasing to the eye. Also, the flexibility of the elements is a feature which allows them to bend out of their planar shape to form unusual structures.

For example, FIG. 3 shows eight triangles interlocked together to form an intricate ring. The long slot length provides for the design of a denser arrangement of diverse planes. Many prior art constructions give the appearance of polygons linked together at their adjacent corners. FIG. 3 shows how different is the appearance of the linked elements of this invention which have a more intimate relationship.

In operation, construction elements 10 can be sequentially linked together to form chains, rings, spirals, imaginative pinwheels, trees, puzzles, birds, bridges, flowers, or various free forms. There is an endless variety of possible configurations which can be constructed with this invention.

The above description obviously suggests many possible variations and modifications of this invention which would not depart from its spirit and scope. It should be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of structure specifically described or illustrated and that within the scope of the appended claims, it may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described or illustrated.

We claim:

l. A construction toy having a plurality of identical construction elements adapted to be sequentially interlocked together to create a free form configuration, each said construction element comprising: a flexible, planar, equilateral triangle having three pairs of facing walls therein forming three locking slots extending from the three triangle vertices toward the triangle centroid, each said pair of slot walls being spaced apart, over a substantial portion of their length beginning at their centroid ends, a distance less than the thickness of said construction element wherein said initially planar construction elements when interlocked together become warped out of their initially planar configurations and are non-perpendicular to each other.

2. The construction toy of claim 1 wherein each said slot has a length less than one-half and more than onefourth of the distance from a triangle vertex to the triangle centroid.

3. The construction toy of claim 1 wherein said construction element is transparent.

4. The construction toy of claim 1 wherein said con struction element is made of resilient plastic.

5. The construction toy of claim 1 wherein said construction element slots each have a length of approximately three-sevenths of the distance from a triangle vertex to the triangle centroid.

6. The construction toy of claim 1 wherein said construction element is transparent, flexible and made of resilient plastic, and said locking slots each have a length of approximately three-sevenths of the distance from a triangle vertex to the triangle centroid.

Claims (6)

1. A construction toy having a plurality of identical construction elements adapted to be sequentially interlocked together to create a free form configuration, each said construction element comprising: a flexible, planar, equilateral triangle having three pairs of facing walls therein forming three locking slots extending from the three triangle Vertices toward the triangle centroid, each said pair of slot walls being spaced apart, over a substantial portion of their length beginning at their centroid ends, a distance less than the thickness of said construction element wherein said initially planar construction elements when interlocked together become warped out of their initially planar configurations and are non-perpendicular to each other.

2. The construction toy of claim 1 wherein each said slot has a length less than one-half and more than one-fourth of the distance from a triangle vertex to the triangle centroid.

3. The construction toy of claim 1 wherein said construction element is transparent.

4. The construction toy of claim 1 wherein said construction element is made of resilient plastic.

5. The construction toy of claim 1 wherein said construction element slots each have a length of approximately three-sevenths of the distance from a triangle vertex to the triangle centroid.

6. The construction toy of claim 1 wherein said construction element is transparent, flexible and made of resilient plastic, and said locking slots each have a length of approximately three-sevenths of the distance from a triangle vertex to the triangle centroid.

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