Constructional toy and element therefor

A substantially planar element for use in building-up a structure by hingedly and detachably connecting a plurality of such elements in edge-to-edge relationship, wherein

• a. the element is substantially in the form of a triangle and has three margins,
• b. each said margin comprises at least two projections having a recess therebetween,
• an end face of one projection is formed with a shallow recessed hinge socket in the shape of a portion of a sphere,
• an end face of the other projection is formed with a protruding hinge pip also in the shape of a portion of a sphere to mate with the socket,
• an end face of one of the projections is an abutment face matable with an identical abutment face of another such element in a plane essentially perpendicular to the said margin, said abutment face located along said margin between said socket and said pip, and
• c. the margin is adapted to mate with a complementary margin of another such element with the hinge pip of each element sprung into the hinge socket of the other element and with the abutment face abutting the complementary abutment face of the other element along said plane, the projection of each margin having the abutment face including means for providing sufficient resiliency therein to maintain the hinge pip of that margin in the hinge socket of the other element and to permit removal of both hinge pips from their respective sockets upon resilient urging of the abutment faces in a direction towards one another, said means for providing sufficient resiliency including a slot dividing at least one projection to form a resilient tongue which, in said mating, allows the hinge pip of one element to be sprung into the hinge socket of the other element.

A substantially planar element for use in building-up a structure by hingedly and detachably connecting a plurality of such elements in edge-to-edge relationship, wherein

• a. the element is substantially in the form of a square and has four margins,
• b. each said margin comprises at least two projections having a recess therebetween,
• an end face of one projection is formed with a shallow recessed hinge socket in the shape of a portion of a sphere,
• an end face of the other projection is formed with a protruding hinge pip also in the shape of a portion of a sphere to mate with the socket,
• an end face of one of the projections is an abutment face matable with an identical abutment face of another such element in a plane essentially perpendicular to the said margin, said abutment face located along said margin between said socket and said pip, and
• c. the margin is adapted to mate with a complementary margin of another such element with the hinge pip of each element sprung into the hinge socket of the other element and with the abutment face abutting the complementary abutment face of the other element along said plane, the projection of each margin having the abutment face including means for providing sufficient resiliency therein to maintain the hinge pip of that margin in the hinge socket of the other element and to permit removal of both hinge pips from their respective sockets upon resilient urging of the abutment faces in a direction towards one another, said means for providing sufficient resiliency including a slot dividing at least one projection to form a resilient tongue which, in said mating, allows the hinge pip of one element to be sprung into the hinge socket of the other element.