Title: Blocks for Making Model Structures

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to blocks for making model structures, and to kits incorporating such ^" blocks.

Background to the Invention

The Applicant's patent specification WO 2004/024277 discloses a construction kit comprising a plurality of building blocks formed with holes into which pegs or pins are pushed to interconnect the blocks. For stability of the construction it is desirable for the pegs to penetrate into deep holes in the blocks and it has been found preferable to make the holes through bores, extending completely through the blocks, so that the pins or pegs extend for a substantial distance into the blocks. In this case, a problem arises at an internal or external comer of the structure because it is not possible for more than two pins to be accommodated at any block interconnection. This problem can be solved by providing dedicated comer blocks but such a block is restricted to this single purpose. The invention aims to solve the problem by providing a more versatile block.

Summary of the Invention

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a linking block for use in making a model structure, the block comprising a body having three bores aligned along three orthogonal and intersecting axes x, y and z, a pair of spaced lugs projecting from the body, the lugs having holes aligned along an offset axis spaced from the x, y plane so that the linking block can be attached to a further block by virtue of the lugs embracing the further block with projections on the further block locating in the holes in the lugs.

The connection afforded by the lugs is additional to the various possibilities for connection afforded by the use of connecting pins inserted into selected ones of the three bores which are preferably through bores.

Preferably, the offset axis is parallel to, and spaced from, the x axis and intersects the z axis. The holes in the lugs may be circular, to fit over projections in the form of circular bosses on the further block.

Using the lugs to engage the further block avoids the need for a pin for this connection, making it possible to construct a corner (where three lines of blocks meet) using two pins plus the interconnection of the lugs with the further block. As will be explained, the further block can be another linking block or any block having projections to locate in the holes of the lugs.

In the case where the further block is another linking block, the external surface of the body of the linking block may have bosses (providing said projections) surrounding the y axis bore, ϋxc bosses being complementary in shape to me holes in the lugs so that the lugs of one linking block are capable of embracing the body of another linking block with the bosses of said another linking block located within the holes of the lugs of said one linking block.

The lugs may be slightly tapered at their leading ends, and may also be slightly resilient, to enable the lugs to snap onto the projections on the further block located in the holes in the lugs.

The x axis bore of the linking block may be internally splined to co-operate with a splined pin for introducing a desired angle of inclination into the structure.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a kit of parts for making a model structure, the kit comprising a plurality of linking blocks each according to said one aspect of the invention, and a plurality of core blocks each being constituted by a plurality of aligned modules having a common through bore, with each module having cross bores orthogonal to one another and to the common through bore, the openings of the cross bores

having bosses complementary in shape to the holes in the lugs so that the lugs can embrace any end module in a selected one of three possible orientations interconnect the blocks and any intermediate module in a selected one of two possible orientations, and a plurality of pins which fit within the bores of the linking blocks and the core blocks and enable the model structure to be constructed. The kit of parts may include core blocks of differing module lengths, for example a kit may include blocks having a length of two modules, four modules and six modules.

The kit of parts may include at least one variable angle block having a body one end of which has three bores aligned along three orthogonal and intersecting axes x, y and z and at the other end a through bore parallel to but spaced from the x axis, the other end having bosses which surround the openings of the through bore and which are complementary in shape to the holes in the lugs so that the linking block can be fitted to the variable angle block with the lugs embracing the other end of the body of the variable angle block.

At least one of the holes in the lug may be splined and co-operate with external ridges on one of the bosses of the variable angle block to enable the linking block and the variable angle block to occupy any one of a plurality of indexed angular positions.

Preferably, bosses are provided where the x and y bores open through the one end of the body of the variable angle block, so that this end matches a module of a core block, enabling a linking block to be connected to this end also.

Brief description of the drawings

A linking block according to the invention, together with core blocks and variable angle blocks enabling model structures to be made, wall now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of the linking block;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the linking block;

Figure 3 is a side view of the linking block;

Figure 4 is an end view of the linking block;

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line A-A of Figure 3;

Figures 6 to 8 illustrate three ways of interconnecting two linking blocks;

Figure 9 shows three core blocks of differing lengths;

Figure 10 illustrates a connecting pin;

Figures 11 to 14 illustrate four different ways of connecting linking blocks to core blocks;

Figure 15 illustrates how a structure in the form of a model sports stadium can be constructed using a kit of parts including linking blocks and core blocks;

Figure 16 illustrates the assembled portion of the model stadium;

Figure 17 is a side view of the portion of the model stadium shown in Figure 16;

Figure 18 is a detailed view, to an enlarged scale, of part of Figurel7;

Figure 19 shows a modified linking block together with a variable angle block;

Figure 20 is a sectional view on the line A-A of Figure 19;

Figure 21 illustrates the modified linking block connected to the variable angle block in an aligned configuration; and

Figure 22 illustrates how the angular orientation of the variable angle block with respect to the modified linking block can be varied.

Detailed Description of the Drawings

Referring to Figure 1, the linking block 1 is integrally moulded from a synthetic plastics material and has a body with three through bores aligned along three orthogonal and intersecting axes X ₅ y and z. Two spaced lugs 2 project from the body, these lugs 2 having circular holes 3 aligned along an offset axis 4 which is parallel to, but spaced from, the x axis and which intersects the z axis.

It can be seen that the outer surfaces of the lugs 2 form planar continuations of the end surfaces of the body through which the x axis bore extends. The side surfaces of the body, through which the y axis bore extends, have projecting circular bosses 5, and the top surface of the body (through which the z axis extends upwardly out of the body) has a similar boss 6.

The x axis bore is internally splined at 7 but the other bores are cylindrical, as best seen in Figure 5.

The ends of the lugs 2 are tapered (Figure 3) and the lugs are slightly elastically resilient so that they can be separated by a small dimension, the resilience then causing the lugs to revert to their normal spacing. Also, the bosses 5 and 6 and the holes 3 are of complementary shape.

These features enable a pair of linking blocks 1 to be interconnected, with the lugs 2 of one block embracing the body of the other block and with the appropriate bosses 5 located within corresponding holes 3. Two blocks 1 can be snap fitted together in a selected one of the three orientations shown in Figures 6 to 8, i.e. aligned (Figure 6) or at right angles in either direction (Figures 7 and 8). In each of these three orientations, the blocks are prevented from relative angular movement by the shape of the blocks 1.

Figure 9 shows three core blocks 8, 9, 10 having respective lengths of six modules, four modules and two modules. Each core block has a common longitudinal bore with each module having two cross bores orthogonal to one another and to the common through bore.

For each bore block, the openings of the common bore and the cross bores have bosses 12 of the same size as the bosses 5 and 6 on the linking block so that the linking blocks can embrace the core blocks and other linking blocks in any of the ways illustrated in Figures 11 to 14. A linking block 1 can engage an end module of a core block in any one of three alternative positions, and can engage an intermediate module in any one of two alternative positions. Where necessary (e.g. at 11) a connector pin 13 of Figure 10 is used to span the aligned bores of adjacent blocks in order to interconnect them. The connector pin 13 has a length corresponding to twice the length of one module.

Each connector pin 13 has an intermediate annular rib or shoulder 14 which locates in a counterbore (e.g. shown at 15 in Figure 5) formed in the cross bores of the linking block and core block, and the external end of each pin has a small annular shoulder 16 and is bifurcated to enable the pin ends to be pushed into the bores in the blocks with the external shoulder 16 locating in an internal recess (e.g. shown at 17 in Figure 5) in the bores.

Figure 15 shows core blocks of different lengths interconnected by connector pins and linking blocks and being used at internal and external comers, Figure 16 showing the completed portion of the structure.

Figures 15 and 16 also illustrate how a stadium roof panel 20 can be incorporated in the structure. This is achieved by the use of an externally splined connection pin 22 which engages with the internal splines 7 in th.Q bore in the corresponding linking block. The inter- engagement of the splines enables the roof panel to be positioned in a selected one of a range of indexed positions, between 20° above horizontal and 20° below horizontal, as indicated by Figures 17 and 18.

A modification of the linking block 1 is shown in Figures 19 and 20 where it can be seen that the hole 3 in one lug 2 is internally splined at 23. The linking block lug 2 can engage the

bosses 24 on the ends of a through bore 25 formed in one end of a variable angle block 26, the other end of which has three orthogonal and intersecting bores x, y and z with three bosses 27, matching the configuration of a module of a core block. One of the bosses 24 is splined at 28 and these splines are complementary to the splines 23. The bore 25 is parallel to but offset from the x axis and intersects the z axis. Thus, the linking block lugs 2 can embrace the variable angle block 26, with the splines in engagement at a selected angular position afforded by the pitch of the splines, in order to interconnect the blocks 1 and 26.

Figure 21 shows the blocks 1 and 26 in an aligned configuration and Figure 22 shows a range of possible relative angular orientations, depicted by arrows 28.

It will be appreciated that the holes 2 are dimensioned to be complementary in shape to the bosses on the linking blocks, the core blocks and the variable angle blocks, and that in addition to this lug/boss connection the blocks can also be interconnected by the use of connector pins 13 inserted into ^' the bores in the blocks.