Constructional toy and apparatus for making the same
AssigneeSeven Towns Limited
InventorJohn Robert Wallis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A construction toy comprises a multiplicity of straws, wherein at least some of the straws are joined together with a first straw extending through a second straw via a pair of transversely aligned holes in the second straw. Further, at least some straws are joined together longitudinally by an end of one straw extending tightly into an enlarged socket end of another straw. The invention includes a punch for punching the transverse holes in a straw, a cutter for cutting the straws to a desired length, and an expander for forming the enlarged socket in an end of a straw.
Claims28
A construction kit comprising a multiplicity of straws;
- further comprising a punch for punching pairs of transversely aligned holes at arbitrary locations through said straws;
- said straws and said punch permitting a model to be made in which at least some of said straws are joined together with a first straw extending through a second straw via a pair of said transversely aligned holes at an arbitrary location along said second straw, each of said transversely aligned holes being surrounded by portions of said second straw and said first straw fitting tightly within said transversely aligned holes in said second straw.
A method for making a model by joining straws together, including the steps of:
- providing first and second straws;
- punching said first straw at an arbitrary position along said first straw with a punch having substantially the same external diameter as said first straw so that said first straw becomes flattened and a first pair of transversely aligned holes are formed which are separated by undamaged regions of the straw;
- allowing said first straw to recover its shape;
- and
- passing a second straw through said first pair of transversely aligned holes in said first straw to form a joint in which there is frictional resistance to axial and angular relative movement between said first and second straws.
A constructional system for making models out of straws, including a punch for punching pairs of transversely aligned holes through said straws, a cutter for cutting said straws to length, and an expander for expanding ends of said straws into receiving sockets.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.