Locking medium for decorative and other blocks

Application filed December 12, 1918. Serial No. 266,410.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lindsley Schepmoes, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hasbrouck Heights, in the county of Ber5 gen and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in. Locking Mediums for Decorative and other Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to decorative and other blocks which may be used for various purposes such as tiling, inlays, marquetry, wall coverings, stencils, types, printing plates, toys, pasting stamps, decalcomania 15 and other useful, decorative or amusement purposes. Particularly, the invention has reference to a locking unit, block, member or medium capable of being used with media of the nature mentioned for positively 20 locking and interlocking with the same, and also capable of being used for the. purposes stated in the foregoing. .

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I have provided drawings 25 wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one of my locking blocks or units;

Fig. 2 is a section of Fig. 1 substantially on the line 2—2;

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing a design made up of blocks or members in the form of isosceles polygons, locked together by a plurality of the locking units or media forming an essential part of my present inven35 tion; . j

Fig. 4 is a plan view showing a plurality of the locking media or units interlocked in accordance with my invention; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3; but, 40 showing a different form of the locking or interlocking media or units, and also a different form of the blocks interlocked and held together by the locking units.

Primarily, it should be understood that 45 my present invention, from one aspect, consists of a locking or interlocking block, unit, i member or medium adapted to be used interchangeably with each other, or with filling blocks, member, units or media having co50 operative features of construction adapting them to be used interchangeably with each ^F other and with the locking units. This will be understood from the detail description which follows, and particularly with refer-. 55 ence to Figs. 1 to 4.

The locking unit consists of a member 1 of suitable thickness and area, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and may be made of any material found suitable for the particular purpose to which the unit is to be adapted, as 60 set forth in the foregoing. The locking unit 1 is so formed as to provide parallel opposite sides 2 terminating at one end in converging shorter sides 3, forming, with two still shorter sides 4, acute angles, the 65 shorter sides of which constitute the base of a substantially spear-shaped terminal 5 completed by sides 6 producing a right-angle, the vertex of which is indicated at 7. The sides 6 join the sides 4 forming therewith 70 acute angles. Thus the substantially spearshaped terminal 5 is joined to the body 1 of the unit by a narrow neck 8. At its opposite end, the body of the unit is provided with a recess or opening bounded by two sides 9 75 constituting a right-angle, the vertex 10 of which is in the longitudinal axis of the unit, in which axis the vertex 7 is also located. The two sides 9 form acute angles 11 with short sides 12 which, in turn, form acute 80 angles 13 with longer sides 14, which, in turn, form acute angles 15 with the parallel sides 2, obtuse angles 16 being formed by the latter and the converging sides 3. Thus, the large end of the block has a substantially 85 spear-head shaped opening corresponding to the spear-head terminal 5, and a neck 17 corresponding to the neck 8, and a flared opening corresponding to the shape of the body of the unit below the neck 8. Stating 90 the features of the unit otherwise, it will be seen that the opposite sides 2 are parallel, the sides 6, 3, 9 and 14 on the same side of the unit are parallel, and sides 4 and 12 on the same side of the unit are parallel. 95

The form of the unit shown is given for its locking and interlocking value, as well as to provide a symmetrical, interchangeable unit adapted to interlock with others of its kind, as.well as with filling units 19, hav- 100 ing features of construction adapting them to cooperate with, and interlock with, the said locking units at either or both ends. It will be understood, however, that the exact shape and dimensions of the various mem- 105 bers, such as the terminal tongue 5 and the terminal tongues 18, as well as the inner spear-shaped opening formed by the sides 9 and 12, may be varied in form, shape or size, provided the general conformation of the no said features of construction are maintained. An example of such variation is

J2

1,361,601 shown in Fig. 5, wherein the tongue or terminal 5^a of the locking unit is shown as being less prominent, or not quite so extensive, in the direction of the length of the unit, this 5 being also true of the inner opening bounded by the walls 9, 12 at the opposite end of the unit. To cooperate with locking and interlocking units of this different form of my invention, I liave shown variations in the 10 form of the filling blocks or units 20 which latter are shown to be longer and narrower than the filling blocks 19, of Fig. 3, or to be in the general form of equilateral triangles, in contradistinction to the general form of 15 right-angle triangles, such as shown in Fig.

3. As shown in both Figs. 3 and 5, some of the filling blocks are provided with locking tongues 21 at opposite ends of openings or grooves 22 centrally disposed oh one side 20 thereof, while others are provided with locking tongues 23 centrally disposed and bounded by the walls of end openings or grooves. 21. ’

The general forms of locking units and co25 operating filling units, examples of which are shown in the drawings, may be varied to a considerable extent without in any way departing from the general nature and spirit of my invention, the important characteris30 tics of which are illustrated in Figs. 13 and 4. ’

As shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, designs of various character can be formed by variouslydisposing the interlocking filling and 35 locking units; but, particularly referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the units can be disposed so as. to produce a design in which a great many filling units 19 are employed, and held together by only four locking 40 units 1, the latter constituting an absolute and positive lock for all the filling units and each other. The extent to which the designs and uses of my locking unit can be varied is illustrated in Fig. 5, wherein many more 45 filling units 19 are employed, with only six locking units 1, which constitute an absolute and positive lock for the filling units and for each other.

A® further illustrating the great varia50 tion in design and use of my invention, reference is made to Fig. 4, wherein the lockin»· units are shown as interlocked with each other only and as constituting a positive and absolute lock for each other. From this 55 figure, it will be seen that the. locking units. can be variously extended both lengthwise and laterally, as may be desired, accordin» to the pattern, form or use to which the unit is adapted; that is to say, the two adjacent 60 interlocked units 1 m:iy be extended laterally for- pattern or design purposes,, and the endwise interlocked⁷ units ipay be. extended lengthwise in either direction, to any desired degree, for the purpose of formin’»· 65 borders, edgings, or straight lines, in a gem era! design make-up. And it will be understood that both the designs of Figs. 3 and 5 can be extended in all directions, by the addition of other filling units and locking units, whereby to. produce any desired extent or 70 area of designs or covering surface, according to the use to which the units or blocks are put.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that my interlocking and filling 7 5 blocks may be employed for various purposes, as set forth, and that, with surface ornamentations of predetermined character, indefinite, ornamental designs and beautiful effects can be produced adapted for tiling, 80 flooring, wall-paper, wall-linings or coverings, printing types, stereotypes, lithographing plates, stencils, and, in fact, for innumerable purposes ; but, the important characteristic of my invention is that 1 have pro- 85 duced a novel form of locking unit which is a positive lock for itself when a plurality are combined, as well as for itself and each of the filling blocks when combined, regardless of number. ₉₀

Instead of making the sides of the lock-in» unit join each other to form angles, the sides may be joined by curved lines giving more or less of symmetry and legs abruptness to the outline of the features of the unit. 95