Construction toy support base

A supporting base (12) for use with a construction toy (10) modules (14) and drive shafts (18a, 18b) each having a first end portion (38) for engaging said base and a second end portion (36) for engaging at least one of the toy modules (14) to activate said at least one toy module into movement,

• the supporting base being devised for mounting the toy modules thereon and including an upper mounting surface (28) including coupling means to releasably couple a plurality of said modules (14) thereto,
• said supporting base comprising:
• a plurality of openings (32) formed through the upper mounting surface (28), each of said openings being sized to permit insertion therein of the first end portion (38) of one of the drive shafts (18a, 18b);
• a plurality of rotatable sockets (26), each of said sockets (26) being axially aligned with a corresponding one of the openings and having a size and shape complementary to those of the first end portions of the drive shafts to permit their insertion therein, and
• drive means (40, 50, 66) for activating the sockets (26) in rotational movement whereby the rotation of said sockets activates any of said drive shafts (18a, 18b) inserted therein into rotational movement to rotate said toy modules engaged by said second end portion, said drive means including a motor (66) and linkage means (40, 50) for mechanically connecting the motor to said sockets (26),
• wherein said motor (66) and linkage means (40, 50) are housed within the supporting base as a unitary unit;
• and at least one of the sockets (26) rotates through 360.degree. movement and wherein the linkage means is also devised so that on activation of the motor (66) at least one other of said sockets (26) rotates through reciprocal movement.

A construction toy comprising:

• a plurality of releasably connectable toy modules;
• a plurality of drive shafts for actuating said toy modules into movement, each drive shaft having a first end portion having a substantially polygonal cross-sectional shape, a second end portion for engaging at least one of said toy modules, and a mid-portion for engaging at least one of said toy modules, and a mid-portion located between the first end portion and the second end portion;
• a single unitary base unit for supporting said toy modules thereon, the base unit comprising:
• an upper mounting surface sized to permit a plurality of said toy modules to be erected directly thereon to form a toy structure;
• coupling means provided on the upper mounting surface to releasably couple said modules to said base unit;
• a plurality of rotatable sockets provided at the upper mounting surface, each said socket having a complementary size and shape to the first end portion of the drive shaft to permit insertion of the first end portion into the rotatable socket,
• drive means for activating the sockets in rotational movement whereby the rotation of said sockets activates any of said drive shafts inserted therein into rotational movement to rotate said toy modules engaged by said second end portion, said drive means including a motor and a linkage for mechanically coupling said motor to said sockets;
• wherein said motor and the linkage are housed within the unitary base unit;
• and wherein the linkage includes gears coupled to the sockets, said gears being arranged and sized such that on activation of the motor the linkage causes at least one of the sockets to rotate through 360.degree. movement and at least one other of the sockets to rotate reciprocally.