GB1596371A - Constructional game - Google Patents

Description

(54) CONSTRUCTIONAL GAME (71) I, STUART NEVILLE MARCUS, a British Subject, of Swaffham, Norfolk do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following state ment: - The invention relates to a constructional game.

According to the invention there is provided a constructional game, comprising a board, a plurality of discrete parts each with plane parallel surfaces and perforated by a through hole extending between those surfaces, and a plurality of devices which are elongate, have a body for passing through the hole and a head which is wider than the maximum lateral extent of the holes, the body being longer than the distance between the plane parallel surfaces and terminating in a non-sharpened end opposite the head whereby when a part is placed on the board and a device is inserted into the hole and a repeated pressure is applied to the head, the device penetrates the material of the board releasably to secure the part in position on the board.

A constructional game embodying the invention is hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, which shows the parts of the constructional game and shapes made using the game.

Referring to the drawing there is shown a constructional game comprising a board 1 or block made of fibre board, a plurality of discrete parts comprising separate plastics shapes 2 (some of which only are shown) and blunt devices in the form of nails 3 which have nonsharpened ends opposite heads 7. The fibreboard 1 is penetrable by the blunt nails 3 when pressure is applied to the head of the nail as by repeated tapping with a wooden mallet.

In use to construct a desired shape such as a ship 5, shapes 2 such as two large triangles, two smaller triangles and two oblong pieces are selected and combined together on the board to which they are each secured by a respective blunt nail 3, inserted in the hole 6 and tapped by the mallet 4 so as to penetrate the board 1 and to be secured thereto. The shapes are thus held in position. They can however easily be removed by pulling upwardly (as viewed) in a direction away from the board.

Heads 7 of the nails have a lateral extent such that they do not pass through the holes 6 which are situated centrally of the shapes. The nails are removed automatically when the shapes 2 are raised.

It will be understood that the nails which will penetrate fibre-board or the like but will not penetrate wood, plastics, laminate, veneer or the like on tapping pressure being applied.

Each nail 3 is non-sharpened in the sense that it does not have a recognisable point, though it does have an area of reduced section at the end opposite the head.

It will further be understood that the invention above described may be modified. There may be more than one nail per shape or each shape 2 may have more than one hole 6 through it each for receiving a nail. Furthermore, the board 1 may be made of any suitable paper-, chip-, or cardboard provided it is penetratable by nails 3 on application of light tapping pressure.

The constructional game embodying the invention and above described with reference to the drawing provides a manipulative game for children, particularly from four years old and is educative in that it teaches them hand and eye coordination as well as aesthetic appreciation in that they can learn to assemble different shapes in a desired combination to make recognisable things.

The game is put in a box for sale. In a typical set there will be eleven square, three oblong, two large and two small circular, two large triangular, two small triangular, two large and two small trapezoidal, and two semicircular shapes. The shapes may be wooden or of plastics, and if plastics they may be moulded as by injection moulding. The moulding process may be designed so that several shapes, for example those for the ship 5 are connected together by integral, rupturable, connectors which can be ruptured to free the individual shapes should a user require them for another composition. The shapes may have a variety of colours, and the whole game may be put for sale in a box in which there is a printed template or guide showing different compositions that can be made.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A constructional game, comprising a board, a plurality of discrete parts each with plane parallel surfaces and perforated by a through hole extending between those surfaces, and a plurality of devices which are elongate, have a body for passing through the hole and a head which is wider than the maximum lateral extent of the holes, the body being longer than the distance between the plane surfaces and terminating in a non-sharpened end opposite the head whereby when a part is placed on the board and a device is inserted into the hole and repeated pressure is applied to the head, the device penetrates the material of the board releasably to secure the part in position on the board.

2. A constructional game according to claim 1, including a mallet.

3. A constructional game according to claim 2, the mallet being wooden.

4. A constructional game according to any preceding claim, the hole in each part being positioned centrally of the part.

5. A constructional toy, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

1. A constructional game, comprising a board, a plurality of discrete parts each with plane parallel surfaces and perforated by a through hole extending between those surfaces, and a plurality of devices which are elongate, have a body for passing through the hole and a head which is wider than the maximum lateral extent of the holes, the body being longer than the distance between the plane surfaces and terminating in a non-sharpened end opposite the head whereby when a part is placed on the board and a device is inserted into the hole and repeated pressure is applied to the head, the device penetrates the material of the board releasably to secure the part in position on the board.

2. A constructional game according to claim 1, including a mallet.

3. A constructional game according to claim 2, the mallet being wooden.

4. A constructional game according to any preceding claim, the hole in each part being positioned centrally of the part.

5. A constructional toy, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.