U.S. patent number 3,597,875 [Application Number 04/776,607] was granted by the patent office on 1971-08-10 for toy building set.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Interlego A.G.. Invention is credited to Godtfred Kirk Christiansen.
United States Patent |
3,597,875 |
Christiansen |
August 10, 1971 |
TOY BUILDING SET
Abstract
This application discloses toy building blocks of similar shape
but constructed to different modules. They are buildable together
and, to this end, the inner protrusions of the smaller blocks coact
with the outer projections of the larger blocks differently from
the coaction within the module which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
3,005,282.
Inventors: |
Christiansen; Godtfred Kirk
(Billund, DK) |
Assignee: |
Interlego A.G. (Zug,
CH)
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Family
ID: |
25754457 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/776,607 |
Filed: |
November 18, 1968 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Nov 29, 1967 [DK] |
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5973 |
Feb 3, 1968 [DT] |
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P 16 78 326.9 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
446/128 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63H
33/086 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63H
33/04 (20060101); A63H 33/08 (20060101); A63h
033/08 () |
Field of
Search: |
;46/25 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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629,732 |
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Oct 1961 |
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CA |
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890,771 |
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Mar 1962 |
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GB |
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Other References
Playthings Vol. 62 -7 (Kenner's) July, 1964, pp. 101--102 .
American Calmac' Corp. March 10, 1966, Cover (front &
back).
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Primary Examiner: Mancene; Louis G.
Assistant Examiner: Weinhold; D. L.
Claims
What I claim is:
1. A toy building set of the type comprising downwardly open,
rectangular, box-shaped building elements, each of which on the
outer surface opposite the open side is provided with an even
number, not less than four, of primary coupling studs serving to
couple the element to a corresponding element by engagement between
the sidewalls of the latter element said primary coupling studs
being arranged with their axes in the corner of squares, said toy
building set comprising at least two types of elements,
smaller-type elements and larger-type elements, the smaller-type
elements having a given basic module with respect to external
dimensions and positioning of coupling studs, having a secondary
stud arranged within the hollow space of the element centrally in
relation to each square formed by the axes of the primary studs and
so dimensioned as to engage four primary studs of another element
of the same basic module, the larger-type elements having a module
which is an integral multiple of the said basic module, its primary
coupling studs being tubular, the external diameter of the
secondary studs of the smaller-type elements being equal to the
internal diameter of said primary studs of the larger-type elements
and to the space between adjacent primary studs on such larger-type
elements whereby adjacent secondary studs of a smaller-type element
are capable of being gripped alternately within and between
adjacent primary coupling studs of a larger-type element.
2. A toy building set according to claim 1, characterized in that
the ratio of the outer radius "A" of the said tubular primary studs
to the radius "a" of the primary studs of the base element and its
wall thickness "b" is substantially as follows: A=a+(a+b) (2-
2).
3. A toy building set according to claim 1, characterized in that
in the inner face of the sidewalls of the large elements there are
recesses for receiving the primary studs of small elements.
4. A toy building set according to claim 1, characterized in that
a=b 2.
5. A toy building set of the type comprising downwardly open,
box-shaped building elements, each of which on the outer surface
opposite the open side is provided with primary coupling studs
serving to couple the element to a corresponding element by
engagement between the sidewalls of the latter element said primary
coupling studs being arranged with their axes in the corner of
squares, said toy building set comprising at least two elements, a
smaller one of which is considered as a base element of a given
basic module with respect to external dimensions and positioning of
coupling studs, said base element having at least three secondary
studs within the hollow space of the element so dimensioned as to
engage centrally four primary studs of another element of the same
basic module, a larger second element having a module which is an
integral multiple of the said basic module, its primary coupling
studs being tubular, the external diameter of the secondary studs
of the base element being equal to the internal diameter of said
primary studs of the second element and to the space between
adjacent primary studs on said secondary element, whereby adjacent
secondary studs are capable of being gripped alternately within and
between adjacent primary coupling studs of said larger element.
6. A building set comprising at least two box-shaped building
elements, a smaller one and a large one which has a module which is
an integral multiple of that of the small one, each having
sidewalls, a top wall, the large one having at least two studs on
the upper surface of said top walls and the small one having at
least three projections on the under surface of its top wall, the
studs of said larger block being hollow and having an inside
diameter equal to that of the under surface projections of the
smaller block and being so spaced that the shortest path between
the external surface of adjacent studs is substantially equal to
the outside diameter of the projections of the smaller block.
7. A toy building set of the type comprising downwardly open,
box-shaped building elements, each of which on the outer surface
opposite the open side is provided with primary coupling studs
serving to couple the element to a corresponding element by
engagement between the sidewalls of the latter element, said
primary coupling studs being arranged with their axes in the corner
of squares, each element having secondary studs within the hollow
space of the element for engagement with four primary studs of a
block of identical proportions, said toy building set comprising at
least two elements, a smaller one of which is considered as a base
element of a given basic module with respect to external dimensions
and positioning of coupling studs, a larger second element having a
module, its primary coupling studs being tubular, the external
diameter of the secondary studs of the base element being equal to
the internal diameter of said primary studs of the second element
and to the space between adjacent primary studs of said second
element, the secondary studs of the larger element having cavities
adapted to accommodate primary studs of the smaller element.
Description
This invention relates to a toy building set of the type comprising
downwardly open, box-shaped building elements, each of which is
provided on the upper surface with coupling studs serving to couple
the element to a corresponding element by engagement between the
sidewalls of the latter element. Such building sets are constructed
so that the dimensions of each building element is an integral
multiple of a given basic module, but so that the said coupling
studs have the same dimensions and are spaced equally in all the
elements, which thus simply have different numbers of such coupling
studs according to their size.
When making a building structure from such elements it may in
certain cases be of interest to use larger elements than the
normal, i.e. elements which are both of greater height and of
greater width than the normal elements. Also to arouse the interest
of smaller children it may be an advantage that they can start
playing with a building set with larger elements which are easier
to handle for small children, who may then later on become
interested in more advanced and detailed structures composed of
smaller elements. It is therefore the object of the present
invention to provide a toy building set which is constructed to
permit small and large elements to be combined, and this has been
achieved by a building set which, besides base elements of a given
basic module with respect to external dimensions, and dimensions
and positioning of the coupling studs, comprises elements the
module of which is an integral multiple of the said basic module.
By dimensioning the elements like this it has been rendered
possible to couple small elements to large elements, and the
elements may be joined in any desired combination so that for
instance a structure commenced with large elements may be continued
and modified by adding small elements.
The invention is particularly concerned with building sets where
the base element, besides the said coupling studs, the primary
studs, have secondary studs within the hollow space of the element
for engagement between 4 primary studs disposed in the corners of a
square, which ensures a particularly efficient coupling, and in
order that this coupling may be effective both between large
elements alone, between small elements alone and between large and
small elements, the building set according to the invention may
comprise elements the module of which is twice the said basic
module and which are provided with tubular primary studs the
internal diameter of which corresponds to the external diameter of
the secondary studs of the base element. In this manner the
secondary studs of the small elements will engage the tubular
primary studs of the large elements and thus ensure an efficient
coupling.
In a specific embodiment of the invention which is based on the
theoretically correct relation between the dimensions of the
primary and secondary studs, the ratio of the outer radius "A" of
the said tubular primary studs to the radius "a" of the primary
studs of the base element and its wall thickness "b" is
substantially as follows:
A=a+(a+b) (2- 2),
though suitable tolerance must be taken into account so that the
required friction may be provided between engaging members when the
elements are joined. Moreover it will be expedient to make the
secondary studs of the large elements slightly shorter than the
height of the side walls so that these secondary studs will not be
in the way of the primary studs of a small element coupled to the
underside of the large element.
The same effect, however, may be achieved according to the
invention by providing the secondary studs of the large element
with recesses in the outermost edge of the studs and to dimension
these recesses so that they just afford space enough for the
primary studs of a small element joined to the underside of a large
element.
To further ensure an efficient coupling where a small element is
made to engage the underside of a large element, the inner face of
the sidewalls of the large element of a building set according to
the invention may be provided with recesses for receiving the
primary studs of the small elements.
By defining the ratio of the stud radii as stated above it will be
possible to make building sets not only with elements in two
different sizes but virtually, if desired, in a great number of
sizes, though the various sizes will not automatically become
proportional. If it is desired to have elements in a larger number
of sizes it will be expedient to dimension them with a=b 2. Hereby
complete proportionality will be provided between the different
sizes of elements, in that both wall thickness and the dimensions
of primary and secondary studs and the main dimensions of the
elements will have the following proportions: 1:2:4:6 etc.
The invention will be explained here with reference to the drawing,
in which:
FIG. 1 shows two assembled building elements according to the
invention, viewed in perspective, and
FIG. 2 the same elements viewed from above and in larger
measure.
The building elements 1 and 2 shown in FIG. 1 are coupled together
by means of the studs 3 on the surface of the element 1 --
hereinafter called primary studs -- which cooperate with one or
more secondary studs disposed within the hollow space of the
element 2 and in FIG. 2 designated 4. It will be seen directly from
this figure that the module of the element 1 corresponds to twice
the basic module indicated with respect to the element 2.
In FIG. 2 the two elements 1 and 2 are viewed from above, and it
will be seen that the element 1 has upwardly facing primary studs 3
and downwardly facing secondary studs 6. Correspondingly, the
element 2 has upwardly facing primary studs 5 and downwardly facing
secondary studs 4 of approximately the same external diameter as
the internal diameter of the tubular primary studs 3.
In order that a small element may also be coupled to the underside
of the large element 1, the side and end walls 1a and 1b are
provided with recesses 1c for receiving the primary studs 5.
The geometrical conditions for obtaining the desired coupling
possibilities between the elements 1 and 2 may be derived from FIG.
2:
If "a" designates the radius of the primary stud 5, "b" the wall
thickness of the element 2, "c" the outer radius of the secondary
stud 4, "A" the outer radius of the primary stud 3, "B" the
effective wall thickness of the element 1, "C" the outer radius of
the secondary stud 6, "A.sub.1 " the inner radius of the primary
stud 3, and "B.sub.1 " the reduced wall thickness of the element 1,
the following ratios between wall thickness and stud dimensions
will be obtained:
B=c=(a+b) 2-a=a (2-1) +b 2, o
A=2(a+b) -c, eller A=a+(a+b) (2- 2)
In an embodiment where A=2a the figures will be:
A=2a=a+(a+b) (2- 2) ; a=b 2
It will also be seen from the drawing that the free ends of the
secondary studs 6 are provided with recesses 7 for receiving
primary studs 5 of a small element 2 disposed under the large
element 1.
* * * * *