US1231728A - Toy building construction. - Google Patents

Description

A. C. GILBERT.

TOY BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 26. 1914.

Patented July 3, 1917.

@Ad AN Flltl.

ALFRED C. GILBERT, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE A. C. GILBERT C0., OF NEW HAVEN, CQNNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

TOY BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1917.

Application filed January 26, 1914. Serial No. 814,533.

To all 'whomz't may concern:

Be it known that I. ALFRED C. GILBERT, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toy Building Construction, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to building construction, and more particularly to a toy building construction which simulates in appearance the modern structural steel used in building sky scrapers, and for similar purposes.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a channeled strip for the purpose indicated, which, while structurally different from the well-known commercial structural members, is adapted to be combined with a plurality of like elements 1n such a manner that a very close simulation of a modern steel framework can be readily built. More particularly, my object is to provide a channeled bar or strip which may be very readily assembled and connected with other strips to form a boXlike element simulating a box girder of structural steel. By my improvemcnts a framework formed of a plurality of such boxlike elements, or glrders, may be built from the individual members or strips, with maximum facility and convenience, and with the use of a minimum number of connecting or fastening devices, and yet the resulting structure will be very strong and rigid.

The inventlon also aims to furnlsh a separable toy box-girder or column composed of comparatively few parts, which when assembled simulates very closely a large lattice girder or column of well-known commercial type made up of a large number of parts.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is an elevation of a short box girder embodying my improvements.

Fig. 2 is a similarview taken at right angles to Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a to plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a ragmentary detail of one 01 the bars or strips from which the girder is constructed, looking toward the rear or channeled face thereof.

.Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig.

Fig. 6 shows one of the strips attached to another strip forming part of a box girder, for the purpose of continuing the construction of the girder in a lengthwise direction.

Fig. 7 is a view of the parts shown in Fig. 6 turned through 90, and i Fig. 8 is asection on line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawing. 10 is a strip or bar preferably formed of thin sheet metal, portions of which are stamped out, as shown at 11, to present truss members 12, integrally connecting side members 13 extending parallel to each other at the margins of the strip. The side members 13 are provided with flanges 14 at the side edges or the strip. The median portion of the strip. including the diagonal truss members 12, and the solid end portions 15, is bent inward out of the plane of the side members 13, as shown in Fig. 5, so as to present, in connection with flanges 14, parallel grooves, seats or channels 16, extending along the margins of the strip, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. It will be observed that the flange 1 1 is of a width substantially equal to or slightly less than the width of the channel 16, so that the flange 14 will readily fit or engage within the channel 16 to form an interlock in the manner shown in Fig. 3.

The side walls of the channel part are sloped or inclined so that the thin flexible open-work strips may be nested one within the other or overlap and interfit as shown in Fig; 8. Viewed from another standpoint,

the strip may be regarded as a substantially flat member having longitudinally extending channels therein at the same face of the strip, and at, or adjacent, the side edges thereof. Small bosses 17 are preferably punched in the side members of the strip to present projections near the junctions of the truss members, which projections simu late the rivets used in structural steel work.

For the purpose of connecting a piuralit of strips together to form a box girder, d of connecting a plurality of girders together, the solid portions 15 at the ends of the strips are provided with perforations 18. When a box girder is to be built up, the strips are assembled in the manner shown in Fig. 3. It will be noted that two strips are placed opposite each other, with the channels of and that said strips are connected by nutted bolts 19. There is one bolt at each end of the structure, passing. through the corresponding perforations 18. Between the outer oppositely located strips -just mentioned, two inner strips are set in to complete the boxlike structure. The utility of the side flanges ll and grooves 16 is now apparent, for the flanges 1a of the last named strips may be securely fitted in the grooves or channels 16 of the first named strips in the ananner shown, so that when the nuts 20 of the bolts 19 are tightened, a strong, rigid box girder is provided. Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that. the oppositely located strips 10 are clamped together by the bolt 19 on the strips 10 which serve as spacing members for the strips 10. The strips 10", on the other hand, are prevented from outward dislocation relatively to the box structure by the marginal flanges 14 of the strips 10 and said strips 10 are prevented from displacement in an inward direction relatively to the box structure by the snug engagement of the flanges 14 in the grooves 16 of the members 10". Thus,

'it will be seen that the four members of i the box structure may be firmly and rigidly interconnected by a single fastening member, such as a bolt, at each end of the structure.

In continuing the construction of the box girder in a lengthwise direction, a plurality of strips of the kincl described may be connected lengthwise with that part of the girder which is already assembled. This operation is facilitated by the fact that the side members 10", shown in Fig. 3, may he slid lengthwise in the grooves 16 of the members 10. In Figs. 6 and 7. I have shown one of the strips 10 extended upwardly to a certain extent for the connection of a similar strip 10. 'This connection may be effected by a single nuttcd bolt 21, passing through the registering opening 18 in the overlapping ends of the strips, as shown. After this connection is made, the strip 10'" is lowered to the initial position. When the strips are overlapped at the ends. they are. nested together with the channels of both strips facing in the same direction, and while the strips, being identical in crosssection, will not at first conform to each other. the flexibility of the spring metal from which they are made will enable the side flanges to yield and permit the strips to conform closely to each other when they are drawn together tightly by the bolt 21, as clearly shown in Fig. r. ln constructing a long bar. formed by a plurality of channeled strips interconnected at the ends. the bar can be made quite rigid when one strip is connected to the next by a single fastening member. such as a bolt 21, for turning inove- Inent of the strips relatively to each otherv channel member or bar, made up in sections, with the use of a minimum number of fastening members, as well as a. strong but simple box girder likewise having a minimum number of fastening members. All of these features are of importance in providing aconstruction which may be readily assembled to form the numerous and. varied constructions for which this building system is intended.

It will be noted from Fig. 3 that the strips of each block or toy box girder are freely detachable at all times by the removal of the bolts; that all of the strips are alike in so far as they are interchangeable with each other; and that in forming the box girder all of the strips may be brought laterally to a definite assembled position, without the necessity of sliding any of them into place by a lengthwise movement. The outer strips 10 may be obviously used as the inner strips if desired, and may be set in between the strips 1,0 because, as stated, all of the strips are interchangeable, being of substantially the same width and having the same channels and flanges at opposite edges. Furthermore, it will be noted from Fig. 3 that while outward displacement of the inner strips is prevented by the flanges of the outer strips, inward displacement of the inner strips, which would cause collapse of the block, is prevented by the snug fit of the side flanges of the inner strips in the channels of the outer strips. The channels are all substantially of the same width as the side flanges, so that when the parts are assembled, as shown in Fig. 3, the side flanges of the inner strips cannot move either inward or outward.

I have not attempted to illustrate or describe the modifications which may be adopted within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

'1. In a toy construction block, the combination of a plurality of identical strips constituted by light sheet metal plates, each of said plates having integral bent up portions presenting longitudinal seats adjacent the side margins of the strip, two of said strips opposing each other with the seats of one strip fac ng those of the o posite strip. an other pair of said strips being arranged opposite each other between the strips of the first pair with their seats located at the inner faces thereof so as to oppose each other, the side margins of the strips of the second pair being engaged in the seats of the strips of the first pair, 30 that the stripsof said second pair are prevented from moving inward or outward relatively to the box-like structure, and fastening members passing through the ends of the strips of the first pair for securing all of said strips detachably together in box-like form; substantially as described.

2. In a toy construction block, the com bination of a plurality of identical strips constituted by light sheet metal plates, each of said strips having flanges bent up-thercfrom at both margins, and grooves adjacent the respective flanges, two of said strips having their grooved faces opposing each other and forming an outer pair, another pair of strips having their grooved faces opposing each other, and set in between the-strips of the first pair to space the latter apart, with the flanges 0f the second pair engaged with but laterally separable from the grooves of the first pair, and fastening members passing through the ends of theouter strips for securing all of said strips detachably together in box-like form, said strips being freely separable from each other in a lateral direction when said fastening members are removed; substantially as described.

3. A toy building block, comprisingfour identical and interchangeable structuralelements, each formed of a light sheet metal plate having upturned side flanges and longitudinal grooves or channels adjacent said flanges, two of said plates having their channeled faces opposing each other and forming an outer pair, another pair of plates having their channeled faces opposing each other and their flanges engaged with the channels or grooves of the plates of the first pair and means for fastening said plates together in the relation specified, comprising removable bolts passing through the ends of the plates of the first pair; substantially as described.

4. A toy building element, comprising a miniature structural member constituted by a light sheet metal strip cut out to present a plurality of integral truss members, said strip having integral means bent up there? from adjacent the side margins thereof which present longitudinal seats arranged in parallelism and adapted to receive therein the marginal portions of similar strips to prevent inward and outward dis lacement thereof, said strip being provide at each end with a central perforation; substantially as described.

5. A toy building clement, comprising a miniature structural member constituted by a light sheet metal strip having flanges .l'llilning along the side margins thereof, whereby the strip is given a channeled cross-section, said strip having a central perforation at each end and being cut away throughout a considerable portion of its length to present a plurality of integral diagonals, said strip being bent up intermediate the cutaway portion and the respective side flanges to present a longitudinal groove adjacent each flange, said grooves being adapted to receive in the bottoms thereof the marginal flanges of similar strips to prevent inward and outward displacement thereof; substantially as described.

6. A toy building element, comprising a light sheet metal strip having bent up flanges extending along the side margins thereof. whereby the strip is given a channeled cross section, said flanges being slightly. divergent to facilitate the nesting of two or more strips, said strip being stamped out througlr out a considerable portion of its area to present a plurality of openings, and the strip being bent up intermediate the cut-out portion and the respective side flanges to present shoulders forming in connection with said flanges longitudinal grooves, said grooves adapted to receive in the bottoms thereof the marginal flanges of similar strips to prevent displacement thereof; substantially as described.

7. An element for use in connection with similar elements in toy building constructions, comprising a strip of thin flexible material having its body part cut out at intervals forming an open-work structure, each side of the strip having a longitudinally extending groove or channel, and the opposite walls of the channel being separated a sufiicient distance to receive therebetween the outer wall of the channel of a strip of like construction when arranged at substantially right angles tothe first mentioned strip, whereby to prevent displacement thereof.

8. In a toy building construction, an element for use in connection with elements of like construction, said element comprising an elongated strip of flexible metal having a longitudinally extending depressed portion at each side thereof forming receiving channels or grooves, the outer side walls bordering said channels being inclined in opposite directions whereby to receive therebetween inclined walls of flanges of strips of like construction.

'9. In a toy construction block, the combination of a pair of light flexible sheet metal strips, arranged-oppositely with respect to each other, each of said strips being cut away for a considerable portion of its length to present a plurality of integral diagonal members, and being provided intermediate the cut-away portion and the respective extreme side margins with integral bent portions presenting loglgitudinal seats, the seats of one strip arranged to face those of the other strip, a second pair of similar cutaway strips set in between the strips of the first pair to space them apart and having their side margins so engaged with the longitudinal seats of the first named strips that the strips of said second pair are prevented from moving inward or outward relatively to the box-like structure, and fastening members passing centrally through the ends of the first named strips for detachably clamping the same on the second strips and thereby securing all of said strips detachably together in box-like form, the first strips being free from connection with each other intermediate the end fastening members; substantially as described.

10. In a toy construction block, the combination of a pair of strips opposing each other, each strip having a pair of longitudinal seats facing a similar pair of longitudinal seats on the other strip, a second pair of similar strips set in between said first strips to space them apart, and having their side margins engaged with the longitudinal seats of said first strips, the seats of the first strips formed with bent up marginal portions cooperating with the seats to prevent inward and outward displacement respectively of said second strips, each of the strips of the first pair being provided at the respective ends with central perforations, and a. single fastening member passing through said perforations and clamping the first strips on the second strips at each end of the structure so as to secure all of the strips together in box-like form, without separate spacing members, substantially as described.

combination of two strips of flexible light sheet metal both havingbent up side flanges and presenting a channeled cross-section,

"said strips being initially of identical crosssection and having their adJacent ends overpressure of said fastening member, and .7

form in eflect a continuous thin light strip: substantially as described.

12. In a toy building construction, a pair of miniature structural channel elements arranged end to end but partly overlapping each other, both of said elements comprising light flexible sheet metal strips having bent up side flanges, said strips being initially of the same cross section, and having end open ings adapted to register, and the flanges of each strip being slightly diver ent to facilitate the nesting together of t e strips, the divergent flanges of one strip fitting within and against those of the other strip at the point where the strips overlap, and a fastening member passing through said registering openings of the strips at their over lapping ends and clamping them together; substantially as described.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand on the 24th day of January, 1914.

ALFRED C. GILBERT. Witnesses:

HENRY E. ROCKWELL, M. Omve WILLIAMS.

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