USRE14250E - gilbert - Google Patents

Description

be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, and which said drawings constltute Original No. 1,066,809, dated July 8;1913, Serial No. T4/3,073, led '.1' anuary 20, 1913. Application for reissue v led January 29, 1914. Serial No. 815,323.

. l f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AJFRED C. GILBERT, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, SSIGNOR T0 THE A. C. GILBERT COMPANY, OI NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A lCORPOB/AIIOIIST 0F CONNECTICUT.

rror CONSTRUCTION-BLOCKS.

ToiaZZ whom z'tmay concerm' Be it known that I, ALFRED C. GILBERT, acitizenof the United States, residing at New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connectict,.have invented new and useful Improvement in Toy Con.

struction-Blocks; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with theaecompanying drawings and the characters ofl reference marked thereon, to

part of this application, and represent, in

Figure 1 a face viewof `a toy construction block constructedV in accordance .with my invention. Fig. 2`an end view of the same. Fig. 3 a" perspective View showing several blocks 'connected together, Fig. 4 av sectional View on theline a-b vof Fig. 3. Fig. 5 a perspective View of the couplingpieee, detached.

` This invention relates to animprovement intoy construction blocks, the object being to' provide blocks by which toy structures of various kinds' may be erected, the blocks' simulating what is known as steel construction; and the invention consists in the construction as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In carrying out my invention, I form the.

blocks from a strip or-plate of sheet metal 2 preferably formed onopposite sides with inwardly turned anges 3. Preferably portions of the central portion of the strip will be cut out formingopenings 4: leaving diagonal sections simulating the appearance 01' steel beams, though it is apparent that in certain aspects of the invention the/character oi the stamping may be variedrat will,

vor the strips may be left uncut. In uniting' thesestrips, 'four strips 7, 8, 9 and 10 are arranged as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings around-a U-shaped coupling piece G so as to form a rectangular block7 the lianges of the strips l7 and 8 extendingbver the face of the Strips 9 and 10, while through the strips 7 and 8 and through the sides of the coupling-piece 6 a bolt 11 is passed by which the four sections are interlocked with the coupling-piece.

asa agiter of fact adapted to form a spac- 'sp-ecifinun olf'nis'sued Letters Patent.

The coupling piece' is Reissuedaan. 16, 1er-7.

ing member for the strips of two adjacent l blocks, and to aid in coupling together the completed blocks one on top of the other, as

,shown by the dotted lines inFig. 3. Thev strips of one block are assembled around the coupling .piece 'and clamped Ain place by thebolt 11 with a part of the coupling piece projecting out 'of the open end ofv the block thus formed, and in order to couple a second block to the first, four more" stripsare grouped around the projecting end ofl the coupling piece and clamped in place by a second bolt passingl through a Asecond pair Vof pe'rforations with which the 'coupling piece is provided. The'bolt 11 may be hel in' place by a U-shaped clip 12ans clearly shown'k in Fig. 3 of the drawings, ortljiggbolt may be threaded and a. nut applied tlreto. When arranging one section at right angles to another Section, or for supporting the lower endet one section, an angle-piece 13 vmay be employed as shown in Fig. 3 of the l end and connecting them detachably toi get her a toy or miniature box girder or column of greater length than either or any ot'the component sections may be built up,

and in this ymanner the box-like structure can -be extended to any desired length. In the particular form shown in Fig. 3, a lower miniature box ginder section, composed of four sheet metal'strips arranged in bondike 'iox'nnfand having. means foiv'detachably holding said strips in assembledrelatiom'is connected endwise to an upper miniature. box guder section composed nt.: similar.

strips and having similar fastening means.

A third section arranged horizontally'and extending at right angles to the first sections is connected with Said rst sections by the angle piece 13 or similar 1neans,'as described. .In the particular form shown, the means for holding or fastening together the strips of the upper yvertical section at their lower ends, andthe means for holding or fastening together the strips of the lower 4 lzo Atates the building up and the taking down of a miniature box girderl composedof a plurality of 'different sections, as will be understood. However, ,'While this feature is vrangement o of importance in some aspects of the invention, it is unimportant in others, andvarious chan es may be made in -the arfg' the sections and thel means for. fastening together the strips Without departing from the invention.

l construction and each of which is provided with an extendedbearing surface having conveniently the centrally positioned aperture or perforation 14 for-a fastening means various structures may be erected, such as .fi-ames, for buildings, bridges, derricks, etc.

These blockspr strips are readily stamped from sheet metal, and can be packed into very small spaceVv for transportation. providing the strips with the inwardly turned' flanges, the stripsjare strengthened -:and two or more strips may be connected outward displacement tion, upon the removal end to end so'as to form a long rigid strip.

It will be noted from Fig. 4 that oppo? sitely arranged, strips having marginal langes'arc connected by a single bolt, and

,that the box structure is completed by strips vse in at the sides between the first named retained against by the lian es of the strips connected by the bolt. Pregerably all of the strips of the boxlike structure will have marginal flanges, and thedlanges of each strip will overlapother strips in the manner shown. Each strip 2 is in effect a channeled barof sheet metal having continuous angular side members connected: integrally by truss members. When grouped together to form a boxlilre structure as described four of the strips constitute in effect st 'ps. The side strips are a box girder; v

',ItA will. be obvious that the strips of each be moved laterally into assembled position,l that they are freely separable/,from each other in a lateral direcof the bolts at the ends of the girder, and that allvof theV strips are interchangeablewith each other.- The strips 7, 8 which may be termed the outer l strips, inasmuch as the inner strips?, i0 are set in between them, as thel inner strips and vice versa.-

lnay obviously 'be used Outward displacement of the inner pairf of strips is prevented'by the flanges of the outer-strips,

lVith a Y y number of these strips which are of light and inward displacement of the inner strips, Which would cause the collapse of the block, is prevented by appropriate means which, in the case illustrated, is constituted by lthe spacing member 6. l girder when assembled is held against collapse under inward pressure, While the same In other words, the.

is held in the hand, and the fastening bolts are placed in position. Each bolt 11 passes through and interconnects .the 'puter-.pair of strips, and exerts inward pressure thereon to -hold them irpily in position on the edge portions of the inner strips, which, in.y turn,

`are rnily' held against the edge portions of the spacing member 6.A -In the broad aspects of the invention, howeverl do not restrict myself to a separate 'spacin member, as other provisions can be made or attaining this end.

It will be apparent, of course, that by constructing each strip from sheet metal asdel scribed, such strip is given a light flexible character which adapts it-we1l to theintended purpose, inasmuch as the strip is adapted Vto conform readily to other strips, and-is more or less self-adjusting. By preference, the light flexible sheet metal strip has side flanges which are relatively shall-ow, `as shown, so that a box girder may be readily formed from` a plurality of'such strips, and the flanges are preferably substantially coextensive with the side edges or margins of the strip. ln other Words, `the flanges run to the end of the strip, as shown in Fig. 2;, and at any rate, they will preferably extend as far toward the end of the strip .as the bolt receiving perforation at that end ofthat strip as indicated in Fig. 4;. By stamping out that portion of the strip, which is' intermediate of the ends; the girder is` given 'an openvvorlr effect .similar to that obtained in large structural work by the iuse of a large number of separate parts, .and at the same time, the strip is made light and flexible without any appreciable decrease of strength owing to the provision of vthe transverse truss members of the lattice work. However, although l have described with considerable particularity the manner in which each strip is constructed, and theinanner in which a plurality to forni a box girder, I Wish 'toV have it understood that various changes. in the details may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

1. Toy construction blocks comprising strips each having inwardly turned flanges at the sides, said strips provided at opposite I ends with perforations, combined with U- shaped coupling-pieces having perforations adapted to aline with the peiforations in" of such strips are built up whereby four strips may be connected 'with a coupling-piece.

2. In a separable toy box girder, the combination of four miniature structural ele-k ments of identical cross-section arranged in box-like form, each of said elements constituted by a sheet metal strip, the end portions of which are lprovided withl perforations, each strip provided at the side edges with means to engage the side edges of adjacent strips located laterally thereof so as to lpresent relative displacement, said Vstrips being movable laterally into the assembled position, and laterally separable from each other, two of said strips set in between the other two to space them apart, means for preventing the collapse of the structure by inward movement of the inner spacing strips, and detachable fastening means for holding the strips in assembled position, passing through the perforations in the other' strips at the respective ends of the box-like structure; substantially as described.

3. Toy construction blocks 'comprising strips of sheet metal formed with inwardly turned edges and provided at opposite ends with perforations, Ushaped coupling-pieces around which four strips may be placed, means for interlocking said strips with the coupling-piece, and an angleiron adapted to conne'qt two or more blocks. 4. In a. toy construction block, the combination of a pair of sheet metal channeled strips arranged with their channeled faces opposing each other, a second pair of similar channeled strips having their channeled faces opposing each other, said second strips set in between said first strips at right angles thereto and spacing apart said rst strips, the strips of said second pairbeing heldfagainst outward displacement by en- I gagenient with the ilangesoi the first strips,

means for vholding said second strips from displacement in an inward direction, and means for detachably securing all of said strips together the relation specified to form a separable toy girder; substantially as described, f y 5. In a toy construction block, the combination of 'a plurality of strips, each having inwardly turned side flanges, two of said strips facing each other to forni an outer pair, -and two of said strips set in between the first strips at right angles thereto so as to space the same apart, means for spacing apartA the inner strips and preventing their displacement in an inward direction relative to the iblock, and means for securing all of said stripsdetachably together to form Aa separable toy girder; substantially as described.

6. A structural element for 'building up toy -box girders, columns and the like coinprising a miniature. structural member hav- 111g an elongated body part of flexible sheet ,ing the two sections together. 10. In a toy box girder, the combination of a girder section composed of four miniametal with opposed angularly disposed edge flanges, said body part having a plurality of cut-out sectionsvf'orming transversely disposedtruss parts, said cut-out portion terminating a considerable distance from the ends of the body part `to' form extended bearing portions, and said extended bearing portions having a substantially centrally disposed aperture for ythe reception of means for" uniting the member to another member or members whereby different composite and angularly arranged structures can be readily formed.

7. In a miniature toy form of box girder, the -combination of a plurality of flexible structural elements of identical form in box like arrangement, each of said elements composed ot, a light flexible sheet metal strip having a plurality of openings formed there in throughout a-considerable portion of its length to present transversely extending truss parts, like angularly disposed flanges at the edges of the strips for overlapping the body portions of the adjacent strips to hold the parts ofthe box like formation holding the respective strips separably together whereby a miniature girder 'can be readily formed.

8. In a toy girder construction, the combination of four like elongated flexible metal strips each strip having opposedinwardlyA extending side flanges and the said strips being arranged edge to edge to form a substantially rectangular girder with the flanges of one strip arranged to engage a side part of the adjacent strip and a single means at theend of the girder for securing all of the strips in their arranged positions.

9.,-In a toy girder construction, the combination of a. section comprising four elons gated yieldable sheet metal strips havingr cut-out parts intermediate the ends thereof to form transversely extending `truss members, the said strips being arranged edge to edge to forni a rectangular structure, and having side flangeseachof which voverlaps 'a part of the body' portion of an adjacent strip, a second section of similar construcf tion, the sections being arranged so that one constitutes a prolongation of the othenand common means for detachably securing the strips of one section in place and for secur ture structural elements each consisting of a sheet metal strip cut away throughout a considerable portion of its length so as to present integral transverse truss or'connecting members, such strips arranged in box like fori-n, ianges at the corners of thestructure arranged t overlap the body portions of the respective adjacent strips to prevent relative displacement of the partsca second box grder multaneously releasing the individual strips 1 0A section similar to the Erst and having one of atleast one section from each other. endfadjacent one end of thev first section., and In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my fastening means for holding the strips of hand on the 24th day of January, 1914.

cach section in 4assembled position at "he adl jacent ends of the section and.A at the same f ALFRED C' GILBERT stime interconnecting the two sections, said Wtnessesz.

fastening means being detachable for sepa- HENRY E. v ROCKWELL v rating the sections from each other and si- Y M. OLIVE WILLIAMS.

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