Toy block and puzzle

May 21, 1940. _c. E. gable 2,201,724

TOY BLOCK AND PUZZLE Filed July 7, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 1

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May 21, 1940. c. e. gable 2,201,724

TOY BLOCK AND PUZZLS Filed July 7, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2

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May 21, 1940.

2,201,724

C. E. GABLE

TOY BLOCK AND PUZZLE

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May 21, 1940.

2,201,724

C. E. GABLE

TOY BLOCK AND PUZZLE

Filed July 7. 1937

Sheets-Sheet 4

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INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEY.

May 21, 1940.

2,201,724

C. E. GABLE

TOY BLOCK AND PUZZLE

Filed July 7, 1937

Sheets-Sheet 5

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Patented May 21, 1940

2,201,724

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,201,724

TOY BLOCK AND PUZZLE

Charles E. Gable, Detroit, Mich.

Application July 7, 1937, Serial No. 152,333

Claims. (Cl. 273—160)

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in toys and more particularly to blocks and puzzles.

One object of the invention is to provide a series of toy blocks which are adapted to be assembled into a geometric figure. ;

Another object is to provide a series of blocks, each having several of its faces decorated with portions of several designs or pictorial representations, whereby when the individual blocks are correctly assembled to form a figure, the portions of the representations or indicia on the faces of the blocks arranged in the same plane, will collectively and conjointly form a complete design or pictorial representation.

Anothei’ object of the invention is to provide a puzzle polyhedron composed of a series of irregularly shaped solid sections or blocks formed by cutting the polyhedron into said sections, which can, as desired, be made either simple or difficult to assemble into the solid, by varying the manner of cutting the solid into the individual sections. I

This puzzle may include assembly pins serving to retain the individual sections together during, assembly to act as guides to the correct solution of the complete assembly, or to hold all sections of the puzzle together after assembly.

This puzzle polyhedron may also have its exterior faces, plain, colored, different colors or pro- , vided with pictorial representations as a further guide to its correct assembly.

A further object of the invention is to make the blocks educational, entertaining and attractive to children, and as complicated as desired for both adults and children.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means and methods for bedecking the blocks with gay and brilliant colors, flanked with a background of natural wood effects, to impart a futuristic effect quite different from tlie usual colored blocks children are accustomed to playing with.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of the application and wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of invention contemplating a series of blocks or sections, each block having each of its faces provided with a portion of a complete picture or ornamentation, which when properly assembled with the proper faces of the remaining blocks of the. series will form a complete pictorial representation.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a completely assembled figure composed on several solid sections formed by cutting the figures or cube through each of three of its faces to the opposite three faces with a single cut through each face.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of this form of cube partially assembled with the individual sections composing the block or cube.

Figs. 3α to 3z are perspective views of the separated individual sections.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of another cube having each of its three faces cut through with three cuts to the opposite faces.

Fig. &lt;5 is a perspective view of this form of cube partially assembled , from individual sections or blocks.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic figure showing a method of cutting the solid.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings and the form of puzzle shown in Fig. 1, a series of cubes are shown, which are adapted to be assembled into a complete rectangular figure, on one face of which appears a complete picture or representation formed by the exposed faces of the individual blocks which are arranged in a single plane. All other faces of the assembled cubes which are arranged in other single planes, do not form one complete pictorial representation or picture, but disconnected parts of other complete pictures which can be formed by re-arranging the cubes so as to dispose the proper faces in the same single plane to form a complete picture or representation. In this man10 ner, and when cubicle figures are used, each possessing six possible faces or sides to expose and be arranged in groups, six different ways to form. ⁴⁰ six complete pictures from the entire set.

As all of the cubes of one series are identical in shape and appearance with the exception of each face of each cube possessing a part of a com- 45 plete picture, a description of one cube will suffice for all. Each cube is designated in its entirety by the numeral 10 and is preferably a solid block of wood or other material, although it may be formed hollow from other material, such as 50 cardboard, papier mache, etc. Each cube 10 of the series of six in this instance, has each face thereof provided with approximately one-sixth part of a complete picture or design, such picture of each block being designated by the nu- W

2,201,724 ο

meral 11, so that when the proper faces of all six cubes are arranged in the same plane and in proper order, a complete picture will be formed by the six individual faces of the six cubes.

S When the cubes are in this proper relationship to give one complete pictorial representation on one side of the geometric figure formed by all of the cubes, the other faces of the cubes arranged in common planes will not form a com10 plete picture or ornamentation, thereby inviting other arrangements of the cubes of the set to form different complete pictures. In other words, when the cubes are arranged to display a complete picture 11 on the exposed faces of the cubes 16 arranged in one plane, the uppermost exposed faces of the three cubes at the top of the figure will contain portions of other complete pictures, but will not of themselves, form such complete picture. For example, the top of the upper left 20 hand cube is provided with a semi-circular figure or ornamentation 12 and the other part or semicircular figure 12' forming with 12 a complete circular object will be found on the left hand face of the lower right hand cube of the series and So by arranging the proper faces 13 of the six cubes, the ornamentation 12 and 12' will form with the other four blocks a completed picture incorporating the circular figure. Thus, as each face of each cube contains different ornamentation, six 30 different complete pictures can be formed by properly arranging the series of blocks. In Fig. 1, the cubes are shown slightly separated from their complete assembled relationship for clarity, but it will be understood that when the blocks ³⁵ are completely assembled they are arranged in contact with one another so as to form the complete picture such as represented on the top faces of the six cubes illustrated in Fig. 1.

It will of course be understood that other forms 4g. of figures and geometric solids may be formed from the complete assembly of the entire series of blocks. These individual cubes of all modifications herein disclosed are of unique appearance. They are not ordinary painted blocks such 46 as are found on the market today, but present unique attractiveness by reason of each being a solid wooden cube, so as to present edge grain on four of its faces and the usual plane grain on the other two faces. Quite unique results - so have been obtained by cutting the cubes from sugar pine which is comparatively light and easily worked, and staining all six faces so as to develop the grain structure darker than the normal color of the wood. In order that the color66 ins of the pictorial representation on the block will be vivid, brilliant and attractively lasting, as well as inexpensive, I employ transfer decalcomanias which are dipped in water for a few seconds to loosen the color transfer from its base. 6© This loosened transfer is then slid face up on to the face of the block and pressed down with absorbent material. After it is dry, the face of the block is given a coat of clear shellac. These brilliant colors obtained from decalcomanias pre65 sent a unique appearance on the natural wood background and present a futuristic appearance highly attractive to children accustomed to the ordinary “A B C” blocks having the usual solid colored backgrounds. An effort has been made TO to depict this uniqueness in the blocks of Fig. 1 particularly.

My invention contemplates the formation of a unique puzzle generally of the jigsaw type but much more fascinating and entertaining because 75 it deals with solid figures rather than plain fig ures, geometrically speaking. One of the cube blocks heretofore described and ornamented as desired on any one or more of its exposed sides or faces is divided into several dissimilar irregularly shaped sections by one or more saw cuts ⁵through three adjacent faces of the cubes extending all the way through to the opposite three faces, thereby causing the saw cuts to intersect and be arranged in three different planes. In Figs. 2 and 3 I have illustrated such a cube posses- 10 sing six faces numbered 1 to 6, with or without ornamentation, depending upon how difficult it is desired to render the assembly of the individual sections. When three or more saw cuts are made through each of the three faces, so that the puzzle 15 contains 125 or more small sections, it is desirable to provide a different picture or design on each of the six faces of the cube, or color each of the six faces different colors so as to form some guide to the correct solution in order that the puzzle will 20 not become monotonously difficult to reassemble.

In Figs. 2 and 3, the cube is shown as being provided with three irregular saw cuts, one from each of the three adjacent faces all the way through the block to the corresponding opposed 26 faces, the horizontal cut from face 3 to face 4 of the cube being designated by the numeral 7, the second vertical saw cut from face 5 to face 6 being designated by the numeral 8 and the third vertical saw cut 9 extending from the face 1 through 30 to face 2 and being arranged in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane of the cuts 7 and 8. Likewise, the saw cut 8 is arranged in a plane substantially at right angles to both the cuts 7 and 9. It will also be obvious that each ³⁸of the saw cuts from one face to an opposite face also extends through the two included faces of the cube thereby dividing it into eight separate irregularly contoured solid sections or blocks, which when properly assembled, form a perfect 40 cube. The irregularity of contour of the individual sections is of course made possible by making the saw cuts 7, 8 and 9 somewhat serpentine and irregular rather than perfectly straight cuts through the block. It is not necessary that 45 all of the saw cuts be irregular as some may be perfectly straight while others are of varying curves to change the contour of the individual sections as may be desired.

As stated previously, one saw cut through each 60 of the three adjacent faces divides the cube into eight individual sections 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 3 and 3α, it will be noted that the section 14 is the upper 66 left hand corner section having a pair of vertical tongues or projections 22 and 23 and one horizontal projection 24. A pair of recesses 25 and 26 are provided by the projections 22 and 23 formed by the irregular saw cut 9. It will also be noted 60 that this section 14 is provided with a substantially straight edge 27 which is adapted to be arranged contiguous to the edge 28 of block 15 representing the uppermost corner block in Fig. 3. This section 15 also is provided by the saw cuts 65 with a pair of vertical projections or tongues 30 and 31 and one horizontal projection 29 which when assembled with section 14 slips in between the projections 23 and 24. When the section 14 is superimposed upon the section 18, it will be 70 seen that the projection 24 fits in cavity 32 of section 18 and that projection 30 of section 15 fits in depression 33 of section 19. The projection 22 of section 14 is provided with a recess 34 undercutting the projection and adapted to fit over 75

3,201,734 part of projection 35 of section 20 when the sections are properly assembled. It will be observed that the projection 35 is also undercut to form a. recess 36 for the reception of projection 31 5 i of section 16 and a recessed portion'3Kfor-the.re’ ception of projection 35 of section 20. The section 16 is also provided with recess 39 to receive projection 22 of section 14 as well as the projection 23 thereof being received in recess 40 of 10 section i6. The projection 37 is slightly undercut and extends lengthwise of the section to terminate in a projection 41.

The two sections 18 and 19 of the cube can only slide together in a plane paralleling the faces I 16 and 2, so as to locate the rib 42 in the recess or socket 43 between parallel ribs 44 and 45 of section 18. This interlocks these two sections against separation in a plane perpendicular to the face I of section 18. When properly as20 sembled, the small recess 46 registers with opening 47 in section 18 and the groove 48 of section 16 fits over the portion of the rib 42 projecting through the opening 47. A rib 49 normal to the rib 42 extends transversely of the section to align 25 with a transverse rib 50 of section 18 and over which the recesses 34 of section 14 and recess 51 of section 15 fit. Sections 18 and 19 are provided with recesses 52 and 53 respectively to receive the ribs or projections 24 and 23. When these two 30 sections are assembled, the rib 49 overlaps ribs 44 and 54 and the undercut portion 55 of rib 42 overlaps rib 45. This undercut portion 55 is in a vertical rib 56. In section 18, the rib 50 overhangs a vertical rib 57 to fit in a vertical recess ³⁸ 58 of section 20.

The sections 16 and 17 fit together by a horizontal rib 59 fitting into recess 60 of section 16, which causes the end of rib 41 to fit the curved end 61 of transverse rib 62 of section 17 and 40 causes ornamentation to be complementary to the surface ornamentation 64 on section 16 and the face 3 of the cube.

Section 20 has a vertical fragmentary rib 65 to fit in recess 38 of section 16 and to align with 45 a fragmentary rib 66 of section 21, which fits a recess, not shown, in the back of section 15. Section 20 has an undercut recess 67 which slidably receives ribs 68 of section 21 when the two sections are moved in a plane parallel to the face 50 i of the cube and the two ribs 69 and 70 of section 20 fit in recesses 71 and 72 respectively of section 2 (. The inner end of rib 68 fits in cavity 73 of rib 42 of section 19. while a projection 74 of section 20 fits in a cavity 75 of section 18. A 55 recess 76 formed by the saw cut 9 is exposed in Fig. 3 and receives a small piece or section 77 between the recesses 48 and 76, which may be left out of the puzzle to render it more baffling of solution. The ribs 65 and 66 are undercut in 50 forming a groove 78 and 79 in sections 20 and 21 respectively to receive ribs 37 and 62 of sections 16 and 17 respectively. To assist in assembling the puzzle and to retain the sections assembled, twelve pins 88 are employed. They are divided 05 into three sets of four each, one set being used for extension through the cube and individual sections from one face of the cube to the opposite complementary face thereof. One set of four pins extends through face I to face 2, another 70 set from face 3 to face 4, and the third set from face 5 to face 6. Consequently, the sets of pins are arranged in the same planes as the saw cuts and therefore in intersecting planes to pass through all individual sections of the cube and 75 tie together those sections of the cubes which are not interlocked with the internal ribs or tongues' and grooves and undercuts. Straight holes 81 for the pins through the cube sections are drilled through the three plain exterior faces of all corner blocks prior to saw cutting the cube into 5 the individual sections. By leaving certain pins in the individual sections or blocks, projecting as shown in the drawings, assembly of the sections is facilitated. Certain of the blocks or sections are illustrated with a pair of pins projecting 10 therethrough and therefrom in planes at right angles to one another to illustrate this and to serve in guiding one section into fitting relation with its complementary section.

It will also be seen that the surface ornamenta- 15 tion on the various faces of the cube being divided by the small cuts, will aid in fitting the odd internal projecting parts of the individual sections together in assembling, and will offer an incentive to children to employ their ingenuity 20 in assembling the weird geometric shaped sections.

A puzzle cube involving the same conditions is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, and is a more involved and complicated puzzle in that each of the three 25 adjacent faces of the cube are provided with three saw cuts through the cube to the opposite complementary faces so^that each of the six faces of the cube is divided into sixteen .sections, all of which may possess surface ornamentation 30 as shown, and a plurality of internal sections 83 of varying shapes depending upon the contour or shape of the saw cuts. These internal sections 83 possess no surface ornamentation and are perfectly plain wooden sections, the only assistance 35 to their correct assembly being in their interfitting shape and the natural grain structure of the wood from which the cube puzzle is made. The individual sections 84 having exposed faces in the completely assembled cube are provided 49 with sections of surface ornamentation 85, which when the cube is properly assembled, cooperate with the surface ornamentation on the other blocks forming each face to complete a complete picture or ornamentation. The individual sec- ₄₅tions of the nine cut cube are held together and are assisted in being properly assembled by twelve pins 80' the same as the preceding form of invention, but do not pierce every block of the twelve cut cube, since the internal center sections 50 of this form and the central sections of each exposed face are not arranged in the paths of the pins. Accordingly, in this respect also the puzzle is rendered more difficult of assembly or solution.

It will be understood to be within the range of 55 my invention, to provide as many saw cuts through each face as desired and that the same number of saw cuts need not be.made through each of the faces. Further, that the saw cuts instead of being arranged normal to those ex- 59 tending through adjacent faces, may be inclined with respect to such other complementary cuts so as to increase the oddity of shape of the individual sections constituting the cube. Furthermore, the saw cuts through all faces may be of 65 such configuration as to cause all of the individual sections of the cube to be interlocked so that they can only be assembled by sliding a rib or tongue lengthwise through a complementary groove of an adjacent section. 70

Forms of the invention not requiring the pins to hold individual sections together or to aid in assembling the same, may include a single saw cut through each of three adjacent faces of the cube as in Fig. 3 with each of the three saw cuts 76

3,201,724 of serpentine form providing each individual section with one or more kinds of dove-tail projections to interlock with an adjacent section. With this kind of cut, the individual sections cannot δ be pulled apart in directions across the dovetailed projections, but can only be separated by sliding four of the eight sections as a unit parallel with the dove-tail projections, and each of said four sections-can only be separated and assembled 10 by sliding each of the two pairs of sections in a direction parallel with their own internal projections, and each of the pairs can only be separated by sliding each section of each pair in a direction normal to the direction of separation of 15 the four sections from the. other complementary four sections. Other odd internal projections for the individual sections by cutting the saw cuts through one or more faces of the cube while the cube or saw is tilted at an angle as shown in Fig.

6, so that the plane of of the saw cut is not perpendicular to the bottom face of the cube. To • make other odd internal shapes for the sections, the cube may be tilted a second time as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6 in a plane different than the 25 first tilted plane while the saw is making a single cut. Also, the saw cuts may be assorted in shapes, some being serpentine while an adjacent one or ones through the same face or other faces may be perfectly straight through the block from 30 one face to the opposite face, thereby giving rise to innumerable interior shapes and configurations for the individual sections. It may be desired to form a puzzle cube without any surface ornamentation or pin holes or pins or any other help35 ful indicia for assembling the individual pieces other than the natural grain structure of the wood from which the puzzle cube is constructed. It will also be apparent that the saw cuts extending through any one of the exposed faces may be 45 positioned to intersect each other rather than being arranged in somewhat parallel relationship.

It is to be understood that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of 45 the invention or the scope of the appended claims.