US2800743A - Toy building brick - Google Patents

Description

y 1957 c. MEEHAN ET AL I 2,800,743

TOY BUILDING BRICK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 8, 1955 INVEN TORS CLARENCE L. MEEHAN DOUGLAS PATTERSON BY. ATT'YS c. MEEHAN E1 AL 2,800,743

July 30, 1957 TOY BUILDING BRICK Filed llaroh 8. 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F,IG.8A

FIGQIO INVFNTORS CLARENCE L DOUGLAS PA EHAN RSON .ME TTE FIKDA United States Patent TOY norrnrno BRICK Clarence Leonard Meehan, Fort Credit, Ontario, and Douglas Patterson, King City, Ontario, Canada, as signers of one-fourth to Edward R. Renouf, Toronto, Untario, and enefcurth to Leslie G. Chambers, Per? Credit, Ontario, Canada Application March 8, 19%, Serial No. 4%,?39

4 Claims. (Cl. id-25) This invention relates to toy bricks for constructing miniature buildings and in particular to toy bricks of the type which interlock with one another to produce a rigid structure.

Toy building bricks as presently in common use suffer from a number of disadvantages that are overcome by the present invention. Firstly, with the conventional bricks it is impossible to join two bricks together with their adjacent faces making an angle of other than 90 or 180. In order to effect a 45 joint the more expen sive sets of bricks provide a special brick which can be used for this purpose. There are fewer of these spe cial bricks than of the standard bricks and the type of building that can be made with the set will be limited by the number of special bricks that are available. As the number of these special bricks is reduced due to loss and breakage the variety of buildings that can be built diminishes until the set is finally completely useless and is discarded. I

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a set of building bricks which makes use of only one type of block which is capable of performing all the functions of the special blocks in conventional sets.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a set of building bricks which is adapted to produce a structure in which each brick is rigidly interlocked with the adjacent bricks so that a structure built by the set is rigid and self-supporting.

It is a further object to provide a building brick, the configuration of which is adapted for manufacture by production-line methods.

In accordance with the invention a toy building brick comprises a block of generally rectangular outline and of substantially square cross-section, the length of the block being twice its width. Grooves are provided running along the length of each of three sides of the block and two lugs extend from the fourth side, the distance between the centres of the lugs being equal to one-half the length of the block and the distance from the centre of each lug to the adjacent end of the block being equal to one-quarter the length of the block.

In the accompanying drawings two embodiments of the invention are illustrated, like reference numerals referring to the same parts in each of the various views.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the block of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the block of Fig. 3;

' Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a number of blocks interlocked one with the other;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a fragment of a wall constructed with the blocks;

Fig. 7 is a cross-section of a portion of wall and roof showing how the roof is joined to the wall;

Figs. 8, 8a, 9, 9a, 10 and 10a are end elevations of blocks showing how two or more blocks may be joined together at various angles.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be seen that the preferred embodiment of the invention consists of a generally rectangular block of substantially square cross section having four side faces andtwo end faces 14 and 15. Grooves A, B and C are provided in each of side faces til, it and 12 and extend the complete length of the block. It will be seen that the grooves A, B and C divide the side faces into two parts which bear reference numerals Illa, 10b, lira, 11b, 12a and 12b. The fourth side 13 is provided with a lug L lying on a line bisecting the width of side 13, and preferably with two such lugs L. When two lugs are used, the centres of the lugs L are spaced apart a distance equal to one-half the length of the block; in any event the centre of a lug is spaced from the adjacent end of the block by a distance equal to onequarter the length of the block.

The lugs L are conical in side elevation and are circular in horizontal cross-section. Each of the grooves A, B and C is sagittate, or arrow-head shaped in cross-section and is provided with walls 16 and 17 which meet at the bottom of the groove at an angle of and extend outwardly towards side wall of the block. Shoulders 18 and 19 extend into the opening of the groove from the edges thereof to constrict the opening. It will be seen from a consideration of Fig. 2 that the lugs L are also provided with shoulders 18L to cooperate with shoulders 18 and 19 in the grooves thereby assuring that the lugs L will be positively engaged in the grooves when they are inserted therein. Holes 20 may be provided in the end faces 14- and 15 of each block to receive short pegs or dowels to enable adjacent blocks to be engaged with one another when they are placed in end to end relationship.

While the lugs L, as shown and described are conical in vertical cross-section and circular in horizontal crosssection, it is also contemplated by the invention that they be pyramid-shaped, having a square horizontal crosssection. Such lugs are equally well adapted to perform the interlocking function of the lugs but will not permit a pivoting movement of one block about the lug of another when they are interengaged.

From Fig. 2 it will be seen that grooves, A, B and C produce in corners D and E of the block, members having a cross-sectional shape and size similar to the crosssectional shape and size of each of the grooves A, B and C and of the lugs L. The corners D and E are adapted to be inserted by a sliding movement into any of the grooves of adjacent blocks. Faces 10b and 11a of corner D correspond to faces 16 and 17 of a groove and shoulders 18 and 19 extending from corner D will engage with shoulders 18 and 19 extending into the opening of a groove in an adjacent block.

In Fig. 5 a number of block are shown engaged with one another. The two blocks in the lower tier which bear reference numerals 21 and 22 are secured together by means of block 23 which is engaged by means of groove B with lugs L on blocks 21 and 22. Block 24 is secured to block 23 by means of lug L on block 23 being interlocked with groove B of block 24. If further blocks are to be added to this structure they can be engaged with the existing blocks in a similar manner.

In Fig. 6 a fragment of a wall is shown in which blocks 25, 26 and 27 are lying in end to end relationship with blocks 28- and 29 securing them together by means of groove -B engaging lugs L of the lower tier. Lugs L on blocks 28 and 29 extend upwardly in readiness to receive groove B of a third tier if it is to be applied. Alternatively, a third tier can be secured to the existing structure by means of either grooves A or C. In this case the lugs L of the blocks in the third tier will extend from the wall at an angle of 90 to enable a horizontal member to be added thereto.

InFig. 7 the method of securing a roof to a wall structure is' shown. The Wall structure W consists of a series of blocks secured together one above the other with the uppermost block engaging, by means of groove C, the lug L of the tier immediately beneath it. The roof R is constructed in a manner similar to the wall and groove C of block 30 is engaged with corner D of block 31 thereby securing the roof R to the wall W at an angle of 45. It will be appreciated that as the structure is completed the other side of the roof will be secured to the side illustrated at an angle of 90 by engaging lug L of the block at the ridge of the roof with groove C of the first block on the other side. The opposite wall can be secured to the other side of the roof in a manner identical to that illustrated in Fig. 7.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4 a second embodiment of the invention will be described. The block shown in Fig. 3 is similar to the block shown in Fig. l with the exception of the orientation of the groove A and face a with respect to the remainder of the block. Face 1011' of the block has been sloped towards the lugs L at an angle of The shoulder 19 of groove A has been moved upwardly a short distance and groove A has been tilted so as to remain at the same angle with respect to face 10a as it is in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1. Face 10b of the block is, therefore, somewhat wider than face 12a on the opposite face of the block. This can be more clearly seen in Fig. 4.

Referring now to Figs. 8, 8a, 9, 9a, 10, and 10a, the method of making use of the angled face of the block shown in Figs. 3 and 4 will be described. In the following description the blocks of the type shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are designated by reference character F and the blocks of the type shown in Figs. 3 and 4 bear the reference character G. In Fig. 8 two blocks F are shown joined together by means of lug L in one block extending into groove A of the second block. In this manner two blocks may be joined together at an angle of 90. Alternatively, lug L of one block could extend into groove B of the second block thereby joining the blocks together at an angle of 180. In Fig. 8a a block F is shown engaged with a block G, the lug L of block F being in engagement with groove A of block G. In this manner two blocks are joined together at an angle of 15 In Fig. 9 two blocks F are shown joined together with corner E of one block in engagement with groove A of the second block. In this manner the two blocks are joined together at an angle of In Fig. 9a a block F is engaged with a block G by means of corner D on block F being in engagement with groove A of block G. This results in the two blocks being joined together at an angle of 30. In Fig. 10 a block F is engaged with a block G with the corner E engaged with the groove A of block G, with the block G, in this case, having been rotated through an angle of 180 with respect to the position shown in Fig. 9a. The result is that two blocks are joined together at an angle of In Fig. 10a three blocks F1, F2 and F3 are shown engaged with a block G. The lug L of block F1 is engaged with groove C of block F2. Block F3 is in engagement with block F2 by means of lug L engaging groove A, and lug L of block F2 is in engagement with block G by means of lug L engaging groove A of block G. The result is that block F3 makes an angle with block G of while block F1 makes an angle of with block G.

It will be seen that a very great number of angles can be made by using the blocks F and G in various combinations and orientaions. As a result, an almost infinite variety of structures can be built by using the blocks of this invention.

While it is contemplated that the preferred embodiment of this invention be used to make up a set of building bricks employing only one block, it is also contemplated that sets of building bricks of the type shown in Figs 3 and 4 be supplied to be used in conjunction with the sets of the type shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A somewhat greater variety of structures can be made by employing both types of blocks. However, the type of block shown in Fig. 1 is capable of building almost any structure which follows normal building techniques.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that a building brick has been disclosed which overcomes the disadvantage of conventional sets of requiring a number of auxiliary special blocks for the purpose of making corners and angle joints.

It will also be seen that in the structures disclosed in the drawings each block is positively interlocked with adjacent blocks so that the resultant structure is rigid and self-supporting.

While the preferred form of two embodiments have been disclosed in detail it will be appreciated that minor modifications can be made in the structure and configuration of the blocks without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Atoy building block of generally square transverse sectional shape, a longitudinal groove extending centrally along each of at least three sides of said block, each of said grooves being undercut and non-circular in transverse section, the longitudinal corner portions of said block, between groves on adjacent sides thereof, being of transverse sectional shape complementary to said grooves and slidably receivable in a groove of a similar block to hold said blocks rigidly in fixed angular relationship.

'2. A toy building block as defined in claim 1 wherein said longitudinal corner portions are defined by intersecting fiat surfaces and wherein the bottoms of said grooves are] defined by intersecting flat surfaces arranged symmetrically to a medial plane normal to the corresponding side of said block.

3. A toy building block of generally square transverse sectional shape, a longitudinal groove extending centrally along each of at least three sides of said block, each of said grooves being undercut and non-circular in transverse section, the longitudinal corner portions of said block, between grooves on adjacent sides thereof, being of transverse sectional shape complementary to said grooves and slidably receivable in a groove of a similar block4o hold said blocks rigidly in fixed angular relationship, and at least one headed lug extending rigidly from the fourth side of said block, said lug having a transverse sectional shape complementary to said grooves and slidably receivable in a groove of a similar block to hold said blocks rigidly in face-abutting relation.

4. A toy building block as defined in claim 3 wherein the length thereof, measured in the direction of said grooves, is an integral number of times the width thereof, there being one of said lugs for each unit of length of said block corresponding to the width thereof.

References Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,245,440 Converse Nov. 6, 1917 1,286,462 Wesche Dec. 3,1918 1,898,297 Fox Feb. 21, 1933 2,406,759 Glukes Sept. 3, 1946

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