US3867784A - Toy brick and combination of toy bricks - Google Patents

Toy brick and combination of toy bricks Download PDF

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Publication number
US3867784A
US3867784A US404763A US40476373A US3867784A US 3867784 A US3867784 A US 3867784A US 404763 A US404763 A US 404763A US 40476373 A US40476373 A US 40476373A US 3867784 A US3867784 A US 3867784A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
holding means
box
fins
toy brick
shaped part
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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US404763A
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English (en)
Inventor
Helmut Lange
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Individual
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Individual
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Publication date
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Publication of US3867784A publication Critical patent/US3867784A/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
    • A63H33/086—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 primary projections fitting by friction in complementary spaces between secondary projections, e.g. sidewalls

Definitions

  • the superstructure 2 consists of holding means or fins 7 which extend diagonally across the top 4 with their ends,8 near the sides 6. Their ends facing the corners of the base I may be V-shaped and thus pointed.
  • FIG 1 is an isometric view of a toy brick according to the invention showing the top and two sides of the brick.
  • FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the same brick of FIG. 1, but showing the bottom and all four sides of the brick.
  • FIG. 3 is a side elevation of two toy bricks fitted together. 1
  • FIG. 4 is a section on-the line IV IV of FIG. 3.
  • FIG. 5 is a side elevation of two toy bricks shown with their superstructures fitted together.
  • FIG. 6 is a section taken along the line VI VI of FIG. 5.
  • FIGS. 7a, 7b, 70 respectively illustrate three possible ways of interfitting toy bricks at an angle of 45.
  • F IG..8 is a side elevation of three toy bricks fitted together.
  • FIG. 9 is a section along the line IX IX of FIG. 8.
  • FIG. 10 is a side elevation of three differently interfitted bricks. I
  • FIG. 11 is a section along the line XI- XI of FIG. 10.
  • FIG. 12 is a view from above of a brick formed with repeatedly gapped fins.
  • the toy brick according to the invention is characterized primarily by a superstructure consisting of a plurality of narrow, symmetrically paired and elastically flexibly deformable holding means or connecting elements which can be optionally frictionally fixed together with the holding means or connecting elements of another brick as well as with its box walls.
  • the proposed toy bricks can be joined together at angles of 45". Moreover, their superstructures also interfit. This permits attractive variations to be introduced into the construction of a building from a number of toy bricks.
  • the connecting elements holding means or have the form of fins. These readily yield when several toy bricks are fitted together and they create a firm friction joint.
  • the brick according to the invention substantially consists of a base 1 surmounted by a superstructure 2.
  • the base In shape the base lis an oblong box with an open bot tom 3.
  • the top 4 of the box carries the superstructure 2.
  • the hollow interior 5 of the box is surrounded by side walls 6 and end walls 6a.
  • they may end short of the outside surface of the wall 6 to leave a space 9 between the ends and the outside surface at the sides of the brick equal to the thickness of the wall 6.
  • the fins are gapped.
  • the result is the creation of holding means or fins 7 having four inside ends 10 which face each other leaving a gap 9a between them.
  • the boxshaped base I When two such bricks are fitted together the boxshaped base I can be fitted over the superstructure 2 so that the ends 8 are received into the corners ll of the interior 5 (FIGS. 3, 4).
  • one brick may also be used to connect together two other bricks by inserting the walls 6 of two bricks between the facing inside ends 10 of the holding means or fins 7 (FIGS. 8, 9).
  • the ends 8 make frictional contact with the base I on a line which is as long as the holding means or fins 7 are high.
  • the corners 11 or the centers of the inside walls 6 will frictionally cooperate with the ends 8, 10.
  • the fins Owing to the elastic flexibility of the holding means or fins 7 which have a small base with which they are attached to the top 4 of the base, the fins are capable of adapting themselves to any irregularity in the corners 11 or on the inside walls 6.
  • the holding means or fins 7, will apply a uniform amount of pressure to the walls 6 and thus provide a good friction fit.
  • the configuration of the superstructure 2 could also be varied in any desired way, provided the elements of the superstructure are elastically flexible.
  • the holding means or fins 7 could be repeatedly gapped, the gap width in each instance being equal to 9 (FIG. 12).
  • a sinusoidal configuration of the superstructure 2 would also be feasible. In principle three fins would be sufficient for frictionally fitting two bricks together, the ends 8 of two fins ending in the corners l1 and the end 8 of the third ending either nearly in the middle of wall 6 which does not adjoin either of the corners 11 or in a third corner 11. A firm connection which would not allow relative rotation between the two bricks would still be assured.
  • the disposition of the holding means or fins 7 on the top 4 of the base may also be varied.
  • four fins 7 could be arranged to extend from the middle of one side wall 6 to the middle of the adjoining wall 6 (FIGS. 9, 11).
  • the height of the fins 7 will more or less depend upon the nature of the material of which they are made. Generally speaking a soft synthetic plastics of which toy bricks are commonly made will be preferred. In such a case the height of the fins may be about one-third of the height of the base 1. If the choice of alternative materials results in a change in friction between different components, then the height of the fins may accordingly be increased or reduced.
  • the arrangement of the fins 7 is always such that the configurations of the superstructure 2 of two different 3 bricks can be fitted together 9FIGS. 5, 6). (FIGS. compensating flanks of two fins make frictional contact.
  • An open longitudinal joint will remain between the bases 1 of bricks thus joined, the width of the joint being equal to the height of the fins 7. The presence of this open joint introduces an aesthetic variant into the'construction of a building from bricks according to the invention.
  • FIG. 7 shows how one brick can be fitted to another brick at an angle of 45.
  • the obliquely fitted brick in the first case is held on the inside of the box by the flanks and on the outside of the box by the points of two fins 7 each.
  • the superimposed brick is located by the flanks of four fins.
  • Two pairs of two fins at an angle of 90 bear againstthe box sides 1 of the fitted brick.
  • On the inside the box-shaped base is located by the points of two fins which bear against cooperating wall faces.
  • the fitted brick is located by three fins of which two bear with their sides against the outside walls of the box, whereas the point of a third cooperates with the inside face of one of the walls of the box.
  • FIGS. 8 to 11 illustrate combinatorial possibilities which arise because the clearance gaps between the points of neighboring fins 7 are all equal. This permits two bricks placed side by side to be connected together by a third brick (FIGS. 8, 9).
  • the open box-shaped base of the coupling brick embraces one half of the superstructure of each of the two bricks that are to be coupled. The resultant frictional fit between cooperating walls 6 is sufficient to create a stable combination of bricks.
  • the provision of the same constant width clearance gap 9 between the ends 8 of the fins also permits three bricks to be fitted together 'in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11.
  • the inner ends 10 of neighboring fins 7 are used to grip the two walls 6 of two adjacent bricks.
  • This also creates a firm connection in which in contradistinction to FIGS. 8 and 9 the brick underneath couples two bricks above.
  • I Five individual bricks can be combines in a major constructional unit. It is again necessary to ensure that the gap width between the superstructures of two neighboring bricks is the width 9. The combinatorial possibilities of joining the bricks are thus preserved.
  • a mounting plate may also What I claim is:
  • a toy brick comprising a box-shaped part with side and end walls and with a top wall while being open at the bottom, and a plurality of elastically deformable holding means connected to the outside of said top wall in a symmetrically paired arrangement, at least some of said holding means being fin-shaped, said fin-shaped holding means being arranged crosswise with regard to each other with a gap between each two holding means facing each other with their adjacent ends, one end of two holding means in crosswise arrangement respectively pointing to two adjacent corners of said boxshaped part.
  • each of said holding means has a relatively long and narrow cross section.
  • each of said holding means forms a rectilinear element.
  • a toy brick according to claim 1 in which said holding means are arranged in pairs so that one end of each pair of holding means faces an adjacent end of a holding means pertaining to the same pair of holding means, while said adjacent ends define a gap therebetween.
  • a toy brick according to claim 8 in which said side and end walls have substantially identical thickness, and in which the width of said gap approximately equals twice the thickness of one of said walls.
  • a toy brick according to claim 1 in which the ends of the fin-shaped holding means are beveled so as to define a V-shaped contour.
  • said holding means form groups of four fins with the fins of each group arranged crosswise and with each two oppositely located fins of each group aligned with each other and their inner ends spaced from each other, and in which at least two walls of one box-shaped part are in frictional engagement with at least three fins of the other box-shaped part.
  • a toy brick comprising a box-shaped part with side and end walls and with a top wall while being open at the bottom, and a plurality of elastically deformable and level surface on exactly perpendicular building lines.
  • bricks may be so contrived that the base 1 carries a sloping or V-shaped roof surface. Such bricks can then be used for the construction of a roof, the V-shaped bricks being used for the construction of the ridge.
  • holding means connected to the outside of said top wall in a symmetrically paired arrangement, at least some of said holding means being fin-shaped, all of said holding means being fin-shaped and grouped in groups of four arranged crosswise with regard to each other while defining a gap therebetween and between oppositely located fins, the gap between oppositely located fins being located substantially along a straight line at least approximately parallel to said side walls.

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US404763A 1972-10-07 1973-10-09 Toy brick and combination of toy bricks Expired - Lifetime US3867784A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE7236854 1972-10-07

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3867784A true US3867784A (en) 1975-02-25

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US404763A Expired - Lifetime US3867784A (en) 1972-10-07 1973-10-09 Toy brick and combination of toy bricks

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US3867784A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
BE (1) BE805735A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CH (1) CH558194A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2202448A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
IT (1) IT7360921U1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
NL (1) NL7313093A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (27)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0204016A1 (de) * 1984-06-04 1986-12-10 VEB PLASTICA Plastspielwaren und Plasterzeugnisse Baustein
US4676762A (en) * 1983-03-28 1987-06-30 Ballard Larry N Toy building block kit and pieces thereof
US4728310A (en) * 1986-01-23 1988-03-01 Costante Valtolina Toy construction device
US4731041A (en) * 1983-03-30 1988-03-15 Ziegler James T Connectable polygonal construction modules
EP0427698A1 (en) * 1989-10-10 1991-05-15 Ronald L. Lyman A toy construction set formed from plural building blocks
US5022885A (en) * 1989-10-10 1991-06-11 Lyman Ronald L Toy construction set featuring radiating face and complementary edge connectors
US5238438A (en) * 1990-12-11 1993-08-24 Connector Set Limited Partnership Construction toy and adapter
US5259803A (en) * 1991-04-09 1993-11-09 Lyman Ronald L Toy construction set featuring gears and radiant connectors
USD365857S (en) 1994-10-24 1996-01-02 Dart Industries Inc. Toy construction block
USD382920S (en) * 1996-09-17 1997-08-26 Interlego Ag Toy building element
US5725411A (en) * 1994-03-25 1998-03-10 Ideal Ideas, Inc. Construction beam block toy with selective angular interlock
USD467286S1 (en) 2000-06-09 2002-12-17 Gordon Haas Modular building blocks
USD545922S1 (en) 2006-07-07 2007-07-03 Connector Set Limited Partnership Construction toy piece
USD566201S1 (en) 2006-12-01 2008-04-08 K'nex Limited Partnership Group Construction toy piece
CZ300380B6 (cs) * 2007-09-18 2009-05-06 Paluda@Stanislav Stavební prvek, zejména pro detskou stavebnici
USD610628S1 (en) * 2008-05-02 2010-02-23 3L-Rask Aps Toy building brick socket
US20100178838A1 (en) * 2009-01-13 2010-07-15 Lin Hsiu-Ho Toy Brick Structure
US20100210173A1 (en) * 2009-02-13 2010-08-19 Mattel, Inc. Toy building blocks
RU2424030C2 (ru) * 2008-12-18 2011-07-20 Николай Николаевич Конотоп Система укладываемых блоков
US20130165013A1 (en) * 2011-12-22 2013-06-27 Hsiao-Chieh Chin Toy building block
WO2014054962A1 (ru) * 2012-10-04 2014-04-10 Sokolov Dmitriy Andreyevich Элемент конструктора (варианты)
EP2777789A4 (en) * 2012-11-22 2015-11-25 Dmitriy Andreyevich Sokolov ELEMENT OF A BUILDING GAME (AND VARIANTS) AND BUILDING GAME
US9675900B2 (en) 2013-06-07 2017-06-13 Dmitriy Andreyevich Sokolov Construction-set elements
US9737826B2 (en) 2013-03-10 2017-08-22 Pai-Chen Cheng Pairing block set and toy block thereof
USD809610S1 (en) * 2016-11-15 2018-02-06 Ka Lun Chan Block
USD936745S1 (en) * 2018-11-01 2021-11-23 Lynn Herring Game
US20220225743A1 (en) * 2019-08-05 2022-07-21 Jeanne Sutton Configurable Storage Container and Compartments

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DK112194A (da) * 1994-09-29 1996-03-30 Lego As Stableklodssystem

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1604391A (en) * 1925-08-22 1926-10-26 Harry C Croy Toy building block
US2262199A (en) * 1939-06-06 1941-11-11 Halsam Products Company Toy building brick
US3148477A (en) * 1960-02-05 1964-09-15 Irma Fabrikerne As Building block having flexible ribs to engage a similar block
US3405479A (en) * 1966-04-01 1968-10-15 Playskool Mfg Company Toy building block
US3570170A (en) * 1967-11-18 1971-03-16 Yoshihiro Kishi Toy block with internal lattice and lobes

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1604391A (en) * 1925-08-22 1926-10-26 Harry C Croy Toy building block
US2262199A (en) * 1939-06-06 1941-11-11 Halsam Products Company Toy building brick
US3148477A (en) * 1960-02-05 1964-09-15 Irma Fabrikerne As Building block having flexible ribs to engage a similar block
US3405479A (en) * 1966-04-01 1968-10-15 Playskool Mfg Company Toy building block
US3570170A (en) * 1967-11-18 1971-03-16 Yoshihiro Kishi Toy block with internal lattice and lobes

Cited By (32)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4676762A (en) * 1983-03-28 1987-06-30 Ballard Larry N Toy building block kit and pieces thereof
US4731041A (en) * 1983-03-30 1988-03-15 Ziegler James T Connectable polygonal construction modules
US4886477A (en) * 1983-03-30 1989-12-12 Novation Design Ltd. Connectble polygonal construction modules
EP0204016A1 (de) * 1984-06-04 1986-12-10 VEB PLASTICA Plastspielwaren und Plasterzeugnisse Baustein
US4728310A (en) * 1986-01-23 1988-03-01 Costante Valtolina Toy construction device
EP0427698A1 (en) * 1989-10-10 1991-05-15 Ronald L. Lyman A toy construction set formed from plural building blocks
US5022885A (en) * 1989-10-10 1991-06-11 Lyman Ronald L Toy construction set featuring radiating face and complementary edge connectors
US5238438A (en) * 1990-12-11 1993-08-24 Connector Set Limited Partnership Construction toy and adapter
US5259803A (en) * 1991-04-09 1993-11-09 Lyman Ronald L Toy construction set featuring gears and radiant connectors
US5725411A (en) * 1994-03-25 1998-03-10 Ideal Ideas, Inc. Construction beam block toy with selective angular interlock
USD365857S (en) 1994-10-24 1996-01-02 Dart Industries Inc. Toy construction block
USD382920S (en) * 1996-09-17 1997-08-26 Interlego Ag Toy building element
USD467286S1 (en) 2000-06-09 2002-12-17 Gordon Haas Modular building blocks
USD545922S1 (en) 2006-07-07 2007-07-03 Connector Set Limited Partnership Construction toy piece
USD566201S1 (en) 2006-12-01 2008-04-08 K'nex Limited Partnership Group Construction toy piece
CZ300380B6 (cs) * 2007-09-18 2009-05-06 Paluda@Stanislav Stavební prvek, zejména pro detskou stavebnici
USD610628S1 (en) * 2008-05-02 2010-02-23 3L-Rask Aps Toy building brick socket
RU2424030C2 (ru) * 2008-12-18 2011-07-20 Николай Николаевич Конотоп Система укладываемых блоков
US20100178838A1 (en) * 2009-01-13 2010-07-15 Lin Hsiu-Ho Toy Brick Structure
US20100210173A1 (en) * 2009-02-13 2010-08-19 Mattel, Inc. Toy building blocks
US8382548B2 (en) * 2009-02-13 2013-02-26 Mattel, Inc. Toy building blocks
US8961259B2 (en) 2009-02-13 2015-02-24 Mattel, Inc. Toy building blocks
US8715030B2 (en) * 2011-12-22 2014-05-06 Hsiao-Chieh Chin Toy building block
US20130165013A1 (en) * 2011-12-22 2013-06-27 Hsiao-Chieh Chin Toy building block
WO2014054962A1 (ru) * 2012-10-04 2014-04-10 Sokolov Dmitriy Andreyevich Элемент конструктора (варианты)
EP2777789A4 (en) * 2012-11-22 2015-11-25 Dmitriy Andreyevich Sokolov ELEMENT OF A BUILDING GAME (AND VARIANTS) AND BUILDING GAME
US9579588B2 (en) 2012-11-22 2017-02-28 Dmitriy Andreyevich Sokolov Construction elements and construction toy
US9737826B2 (en) 2013-03-10 2017-08-22 Pai-Chen Cheng Pairing block set and toy block thereof
US9675900B2 (en) 2013-06-07 2017-06-13 Dmitriy Andreyevich Sokolov Construction-set elements
USD809610S1 (en) * 2016-11-15 2018-02-06 Ka Lun Chan Block
USD936745S1 (en) * 2018-11-01 2021-11-23 Lynn Herring Game
US20220225743A1 (en) * 2019-08-05 2022-07-21 Jeanne Sutton Configurable Storage Container and Compartments

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
BE805735A (fr) 1974-02-01
CH558194A (de) 1975-01-31
IT7360921U1 (it) 1975-04-05
NL7313093A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-04-09
FR2202448A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-05-03

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