IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR PRODUCTION OF USEFUL Toys
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Whitaker, of Brighton, in the
County of Sussex, Engineer and Machinist, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR PRODUCTION OF USEFUL
Toys."
Sealed the 2nd June 1854, and dated the 15th December 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Whitaker
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 15th December 1858.
I, BENJAMIN WHITAKER, of Brighton, in the County of Sussex,
5 Engineer and Machinist, do hereby. declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN: THE MANUFACTURE OR PRODUCTION OF
USEFUL TOYS" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in a new. manufacture of toys for children,
whereby they may derive great amusement, and at the same time be
0 instructed in the principles of the construction of buildings, &c. In
place of the ordinary wooden bricks now formed for children's amuse-

page_text: ment and use, I propose to make in wood or other convenient material,
circles, portions of circles, squares, angles, hexagons, octagons, &c.;
these may present a varied appearance, either by being made in
different woods, &c., or of the same wood, painted or stained in different
colors. In preparing these for use, large or small quantities of all the
figures would be sold in boxes. It is obvious that by the introduction
of these different forms, endless designs may be produced, affording
great amusement to children, and at the same time teaching them
the principles of drawing and of construction.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Benjamin Whitaker in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 15th June 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
BENJAMIN WHITAKER, of Brighton, in the County of Sussex, Engineer
and Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-thice, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Benjamin Whitaker, Her special license
that I, tho said Benjamin Whitaker, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Benjamin Whitaker, my executors,
administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OR PRODUCTION OF USEFUL TOYS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Benjamin Whitaker, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the

page_text: Great Seal Patent Office, within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Benjamin Whitaker, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:
My said Invention relates to the manufacture or production of toys
suitable for the amusement of children, who by this means may derive
superior amusement, and at the same time be instructed in the principles
of architectural construction. Such Invention is intended to be used
as a substitute for the ordinary wooden "bricks," as already adopted
and applied for the amusement of children. Instead of such "bricks,"
I make the building details of wood or other suitable material, in the
form of circles, seginents of circles, squares, angles, hexagons, octagons,
and other shapes; such details being made to present great variety of
appearance, either by being made of different woods or of the same
wood, painted or stained in different colors. In the preparation of these
articles for sale and use, large or small quantities of them may be put
up to be sold in boxes. It is obvious that by the introduction of these
different forms an almost endless variety of designs may be produced.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I
shall now proceed to describe the several Figures on the Sheet of
Drawings hereunto attached. These Figures represent in Figure 1 a
perspective elevation of one of the many varieties of architectural
erections of which the improved system is capable. Figures 2, 3, 4, 5,
and 6, are separate clevations of five of the more generally used details.
In erecting this particular building, eighteen base angular span-pieces
A, of the shape indicated in the detail Figure 3, are used. These pieces
are arranged in rows, upon a level surface, in such a manner as to be
all in contact one with the other, and the distance beween the separate
rows or lines is such, that arches or angular span-pieces may connect the
rows, the junction of such pieces being in a line with the centres of
the bottom pieces. In the Figure which I have selected as an illus-

page_text: -
tration, plain cylindrical columns B, with top and bottom flanges or
bases and capitals, are set upright upon the apices of the angular span-
pieces A. These columns or pillars are eighteen in number, and they in
turn answer as the bases of fifteen semicircular pieces C; each pillar,
except in the cases of the external ones, answering to carry two con-
tiguous ends of these semicircular pieces, thus forming the spring of
the arches. Over these semicircular pieces, again, are disposed a set
of twelve angular pieces D, formed with curvilinear lower sides, as at
E. These rest by their extreme ends upon the central portions of the
arches C, and the apices F answer as bases for the set of eight semi-
circles G, as marked in Figure 1 of my Drawings. The semicircular
picces G are disposed transversely, as regards the pieces D, beneath
them, each of the intermediate apices F having two ends of the semi-
circles G upon it. The next course consists of the six angular span-
pieces H, as in Figure 1, stretching across between the curved pieces G.
Six cylindrical pillars I, Figure 1, carry up the building another storey,
these pillars having for bases the apices of the angular pieces H. Above
the pillars I, are three semicircular or curved pieces J, Figure 1, the
apices of which picces J are surmounted by the three circular or
annular pieces K. These five rings K, have upon them two compound
angular and curvilinear pieces L, which again carry the two angular
pieces M, and upon the latter is a compound angular and curvilinear
piece N, the whole being finally surmounted by an annular piece O.
All the pieces of a similar form are exact duplicates of each other, so
that there can never be any difficulty in fitting the details properly
together. Many other varieties of buildings may be used, all affording
much instructive amusement for children, giving them new ideas of
architectural design, forming beautiful models for facilitating perspective
drawing, and furnishing fine objects for the stereoscope.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that I do not con-
fine or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which I
have had occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations may be
made therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features

page_text: of my said Invention, but what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent is,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of useful toys, as
herein-before described.
Second, the application and use, in combination, of curvilinear and
angular blocks or details, in the construction of useful toys as herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Whitaker, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Thirteenth day of June, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
DEA W
WHITAKER. (...)