Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
i3~
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Creative toys which allow a child to construct various
items, such as boxes, small houses, bridges, and the like ilave
been in existence for many years. Perhaps one of the oldest
and most popular has been the so called "Erector" set which
includes a series of plates and bars with holes in them which
may be joined together with nuts and bolts. Other systems use
such things as wooden pegs to join the units together.
Prior art patents showing various construction toys include
Sherman U.S. Patent 1,860,627; Gilbert U.S~ Patent 1,996,722;
Tooms U.S. Patent 2,426,326; Fischman U.S. Patent 2,826,000;
and Onanian U~S. Patent 3,195,266.
My own prior inventions, as shown in my U.S. Patents
4,057,886, 4,104,952 and 4,110,932, show another toy construc-
tion system utilizing distensible rubber "rivets".
The present invention is an improvement upon the prior
art in that it is simple and economical to make, easy to use,
and safe in use. It does, however, require that the plates and
bars be of uniform thickness and have joinder holes o~ si~lilar
diameter.
-3- ~ j:
121~ti3~
SUMMA~Y OF THE INV~NTION
The present construction system of my invention is
one in which a child may join planar structural members~ such
as bars and plates together, to construct various objects.
The bars and plates being joined are of uniform thickness and
have one or more holes in them of uniform size. The plates or
bars are joined by use of reusable structural fasteners with
a shank having a pair of extended prongs or tines at one end
with gripping or locking "steps" on their outer surface and
sufficient flexibility to bend inwardly to allow insertion
into the holes.
The outer surface of the two prongs in the fastencr
is generally cylindrical with a diameter approximating that of
the holes in the plates. The outer surface includes steps so
spaced from one another and from an upper shoulder on the
fastener as to conform to and lock the plates togetherO The
steps normally are positioned a distance from the shoulder on
the fastener equal to the thickness of two plates and to the
thickness of three plates, The former steps are smaller than
the latter ones. The Eastener includes a head above the shoulder
of a shape and size that conforms to, and can be gripped by, a
pair of jaws on an insertion tool. These jaws allow it to be
firmly held.
The insertion and removal tool includes a pair oE jaws
with cammed outer surfaces and surrounded by a slidable sleeve
mounted in the tool handIe. Sliding the sleeve (with its inner
cammed surface) outwardly over the jaws serves to press them
:121~638
together so that they can grip the head of the fastener. The
tool holder includes a control or operating lever to move the
sleeve axially over the jaws and a spring to press the sleeve
away from the jaws in opposition to the movement of the control
lever.
When two or three plates are to be joined together,
their holes are held in alignment by the child. He places
the head of the fastener within the jaws of the insertion
tool and presses the operating lever. This moves the sleeve
outwardly over the jaws to close them about the fastener's head. ,
The prong end of the fastener is then pressed into the holes.
Since the steps have angular surfaces, this pressure serves to
press the prongs inwardly allowing the steps to pass through
the holeO When the fastener is all the way in, the prongs
snap outwardly, and the appropriate s-teps lock it in position
within the plates. At the same time, axial pressure on the
end of the sleeve surrounding the jaws, caused by pushing it
against the surface of the plate, moves the sleeve back from the
jaws and so releases the insertion tool. The fasteners can be
removed by gripping their heads with the tool and pulling on
them.
DESCRIPTION OF T~E DRAWINGS
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a partially
assembled structure made according to the toy construction
system of my invention. It shows a series of plates and bars
being held together by the fasteners.
_5_
ts,l-i~i38
FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the structure of
FIGURE 1 giving further details of the assemb]y.
¦ FIGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the
fastener itself. It shows its general cylindrical shape, itS
head, shoulder, flexible prongs, and the latching steps on
the prongs.
FIGUP~E 4 is a perspective side view, partiall~ broken
away, of the fastener used in this invention.
FIGURE 5 is a cross-section transversely of the
fastener showing the reduction in width of the prongs, trans-
verse of the prongs, which permits their insertion into the
holes of the plates and bars~
FIGURES 6, 7 and 8 are partial sectional views showing
¦insertion of the fastener into tlle aligned holes of two-plate
¦and a three-plate systemsO
¦ FIGU~E 9 is a perspective view of the insertion tool.
¦ FIGURE 10 is a sectional view of a portion of the
¦insertion tool as it grips the head of the fastenerO
~ FIGURE 11 is a sectional view of a portion of the
¦insertion tool, taken on line 11-11 of FIGUR~ 9.
¦ FIGURE 12 is a transverse sectional view, taken on
¦line 12-12 of FIGUP~E 11, showing the jaws of the insertion tool
about the head of the fastener and grasping it.
FIGURE 13 is a t:ransverse sectional view of the
insertion tool, taken on line 13-13 of FIGURE 11 showing details
f the operatin~ lever
~1463~3 ~
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVE~ITION
The Assembly
Portions of an assembled structure, as it may have
been put together by a child, are shown in FIGURES 1 and 2~
The toy construction system 1 is made up of a series
of planar plates 2 and bars 3 of predetermined, uniform thicknessO
Each of the plates and bars lncludes a series of holes 4 of
uniform size therein.
The plates and bars are joined together with a unique
type of reusable fastener 5 (note especially FIGS. 3, 4, 6,
7 and 8). The fastener 5 has a generally cylindrical configu- ¦
rationO Fastener 5 includes a head 8, a locking shoulder 10
with a face 11, and shank portion defining a pair of resilient
prongs or tines 12. There is a space 14 between head 8 and
shoulder 10 which defines an openin~ to receive the jaws of
an insertion and removal tool. The space in this opening is
defined by the head and shoulder and is so dimensioned and
shaped as to conform to the size and shape of the jaws of an
insertion and removal tool (see below) so that the fastener
may be held securely.
Details of fastener 5 can best be seen in FIGURES 3,
4 and 5. The diameter "D" of the generally cylindrical prong
section (FIGURE 4) is approximately the diameter of the holes 4
in the plates 2 and bars 3. Diameter "D" is slightly less
than the diameter of face 11 of shoulder 1~. Prongs 12 have
two pairs of gripping or latching steps on their outer surfaces,
first or inner steps 18 and second or outer steps 20. Steps 18
ar~ at a distance Lrom face 1 e~ual to t~ice the tbickness ot
.,
~~ 38
one plate or bar 2 or 3, i.e., equal to the thickness of two
plates. Step 18 is shown at such distance from face 11 of
locking shoulder 10 by the arrow in FIGURE 4 and 7 identified
as "2X". Both steps have bevelled surfaces. Steps 20 are
removed from face ll by distance equal to the thickness of
three plates or bars, and is identified by the arrow "3X"
in FIGURES 4 and 8.
When fastener 5 is holding two plates or bars
together the plates are locked between face 11 and the pair
of steps 18; when holding three plates or bars, between face ll
and the pair of steps 20.
Steps 20 have a greater diameter than steps 18,
which in turn have a greater diameter than the outer diameter
"D" of prongs 12. The steps have angular surfaces to permit
ready insertion and withdrawal, but are sufficiently sharp to
hold the plates and bars together and sufficiently shallow to
permit removal. As can be seen in FIGURE 5, the side edges of
prongs 12 are bevelled at 25 to reduce their diameter (since
the fastener prongs do not flex in a direction parallel to the
slot 23 between the prongs).
The outer end of prongs 12 include outer bevelled
insertion surfaces 22 and, near them, inner bevelled insertion
surfaces 24. These permit easy insertion of prongs 12 of
fastener 5 into holes 4 and also serve as a bearing surface to
force the prongs 12 inwardly as they are inserted into holes 4
and press against the sides of those holes. Surface 21,
surface 26 between steps 20 and 18, and surface 28 between steps
18 and face 11 of locking shoulder 10 are coaxial surfaces.
Coaxial surface 28 has a diameter approximating the diameter of
holes 4 and surface 26 has a slightly larger diameter.
--8--
l;~i463~3
It has been found that the following dimensions for
the fastener are useful when the plates and bars have a thick-
ness of 060'i and the holes 4 have a diameter of .190": total
length of fastener .528"; slot 14 .050"; diameter of locking
shoulder .~10"; axial length of surface 28 .120"; axial
distance between face 11 and step 20 .180"' diameter "D"
.187"; diameter of step 18 .200"; diameter of step 20 .214".
The inner faces of steps 18 and 20 are 45 from the axis;
bevelled face 22 is 30 Erom the axis. If desired, bars and
plates may be of fractional thicknesses which, together, equal
the uniform thickness.
The Insertion Tool
The insertion and removal tool 32 is bes~ shown in
FIGURES 9 through 13~ As seen by the observer, tool 32 includes
a casing 34, an operating lever 36, an axially movably sleeve
38 and a pair of opposing jaws 40. In use, jaws 40 are
positioned about the head 8 of a fastener 5 (FIGURE 10), and
sleeve 38 is moved axially over the jaws, by pressing lever 36,
causing jaws to close to fit about head 8. It should be noted
the jaws 40 have outer bevelled surfaces and that the size and
shape of jaws 40 are complementary with space 14 so that, when
closed about head 8, the jaws Eit tightly within space 14
between locking shoulder 10 and head 8. T'nis permits the
fastener to be held securely while being inserted into, or
¦removed from, the holes 4.
The jaws 40 are made of resilient plastic material
¦and are normally open. As shown in FIGURES 11 and 13, jaws 40
have an inner structure consisting of a shaft 4~ which leads
to a supporting base portion 44 which is securely positioned
within slot 32 in casing 34 by guides 47 and overlapping ra~l 35.
I
1 1,
Il .
3~
Base 44 has a forwardly projecting pin 46 positioned against
the inner surface of the cap 31 secured to the forward end of
casing 34. Base 44 and pin 46 prevent axial movement of j~ws 40
relative to casing 34.
Sleeve 38 has a transverse pin 39 across the lower
porion of its inner end which is operatively engaged on each
side with slot 37 on the forward lower end of lever 36 to form
a linkage. A spring 48 is around sleeve 38 within casing 34
and presses between the lower portion of operating lever 3~
and cap 31, thus tending to force sleeve 38 inwardly to expose
jaws 40.
Operating lever 36 includes a locking notch 50
engagable with a locking detent 52 on flexible locking arm 54
~(mo~mted within casing 34). Lever 36 is pivotted on pins 58
fitting within the pivot bearing 56 in the upper portion of
cap 31~
OPERATION
Operation of this toy construction system can be
summarized as follows:
The head 8 of a fastener 5 is placed within jaws 40.
Operating lever 36 is pressed downwardly and locks in its
downward position by engagement of locking notch 50 with detent
52. At the same time, through the linkage 37 and 39, sleeve 38
moves outwardly about jaws 40. Its outer end 41 presses the
jaws inwardly into space 14 and around head 8~ The unit is so
dimensioned that sleeve 38 moves outwardly to a position slightly
beyond face 11 of locking shoulder 10. It is also so dimensioned
that,when it surrounds the jaws 40 and presses them inwardly,
the jaws are fully engaged about head 8.
-10-
63~
Either two or three plates or bars (2 and 3) are
then picked up, and one of the holes in each of them is
aligned with the hole in another (see FIGURES 6, 7 and 8).
With fastener 5 held by jaws 40, the fastener is
pressed into hole 4. Bevelled surface 22 enables fastener 5
to enter the hole easilyO If two plates are being joined, as
in FIGURES 6 and 7, fastener 5 is pressed inwardly until face 11
of locking shoulder 10 is against the surface of one plate 2.
While the fastener is being pressed axially, prongs 12 will be
flexed inwardly permitting the passage of steps 18 and 20
~hrough the holeO ~ihen the fastener is fully inserted, prongs 12
¦will flex outwardly to their normal position an~, because of
¦the dimensioning, step 18 will have just passed through hole 4
and spring outwardly, thus locking the plates or bars (2 and 3)
between shoulder face 11 and step 180
FIGU~E 8 shows fastener 5 being used to secure three
plates or bars together. In this instance the fastener can
only be inserted to the point where the second or outer step 20
pressed against the lower surface of the plates. The three
plates or bars are then locked between face 11 of shoulder 10
and step 20~ It will be noted (FIGUR~ 8) that the prongs 12
do not fully extend to their normal position when fastener 5
is used to secure 3 plates or barsO This is because inner step
18 is pressing against the inside of hole 4. For this
reason, the outer diameter of step 20 has been made greater
than the outer diameter of step 18.
When the fastener has been positioned within the holes
4 in the plates and fully inserted, the surface of plate 2
nearest head 8 is pressed against the outer end 41 of sleeve 38.
6~B
This pushes sleeve 38 and so, through the linkage of 37 and 39
releases operating lever 36 (which has been held down through
the inner engagement of detent 52 and locking notch 50).
Jaws 40 are made of a slightly flexible and elastic plastic
material having a normally open position. Consequently, when
the sleeve is pushed back from the jaws they will open, releasing
tool 32 from fastener 5. Another fastener may then be inserted
and the process repeated while a toy is constructed~
It should be noted that bevelled surface 22 and inner
surface 21 on the fastener allow a child to first insert the
tool-held fastener into the hole in one plate and so support
the plate on the fastener. He may then press the fastener into
the hole in a second plate to join the two pieces.
To remove a fastener, the process is reversed. Jaws
40 are placed about head 8 and operating lever 36 pressed
inwardly~ This serves to press sleeve 38 outwardly around the
jaws and so engage head 8 of fastener 5. Fastener 5 may then
be removed from hole 4. If one desires to remove the fastener
from tool 32 without inserting the fastener in a hole, this
may be done by pressing operating lever 36 inwardly all th~
way and quickly releasing it so thnt it slips by detent 52 and
sleeve 3 a 1l 0 ve~ lnwa rdly, releesi~ the jaws 40.
-12 -
I 1,
