IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TOYS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
"
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TOYS."
-A communication from abroad by Louis Schmetzer, of Chicago,
in the United States of America, residing at Rothenburg, in the
Kingdom of Bavaria.
Sealed the 15th February 1876, and dated the 8th September 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 8th September 1875.
I, HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF Toys," to be as follows:-
:-
This Invention relates to that class of toys in which the articles are
composed of several pieces, which may be jointed together to form a
whole. The toys (whatever they may be intended to represent) are

page_text: composed of blocks of wood, the ends and parts of the sides of which are
formed with a double set of grooves, one set crossing the other, so as to
form a number of square pins arranged in right lines and equidistant
apart, so that the pins of any piece will fit the spaces of any other piece.
In carrying out the Invention it is preferred that the ends and edges
of the blocks or pieces should be rounded off before the grooves are cut
in them, so that the side or outer pins will be somewhat shorter than the
inner ones. By constructing the blocks in this manner, say to form a
-man,-the-limbs-may_be_inclined_to_the_right_or_left, or backward or
forward, as may be desired, and very ludicrous contortions of the limbs
and other parts of the body may be thereby produced.
The Invention is applicable to various sorts of toys, and the wooden
blocks may be made to represent the limbs of men or animals or parts
of buildings or architectural structures of various kinds, the peculiar
feature and advantage of the Invention being that the blocks or
pieces may be connected together at right angles to each other when
desired, instead of all the parts being jointed or connected together in
one plane as heretofore, when only one set of grooves parallel to the
longitudinal axis of the several pieces is used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 2
filed by the said Henry Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th March 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date-the Eighth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in
the thirty-ninth year of Her_reign, did; for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Henry Edward Newton,
Her special licence that I, the said Henry Edward Newton, my
.executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,. the said
Henry Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
2
3

page_text: 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 CONSTRUCTION OF TOYS,"
being a communication to me from abroad by Louis Schmetzer, of
Chicago, in the United States of America, but at present residing at
Rothenburg, in the Kingdom of Bavaria, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Henry Edward Newton, executors or admi-
nistrators, by an instrument in writing under or their, or one of
their hands and seals, 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 Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
•
,
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say) :—
This Invention relates to that class of toys in which the articles are
composed of several pieces, which may be jointed together to form a.
whole. The toys (whatever they may be intended to represent) are
composed of blocks of wood, the ends and parts of the sides of which are
formed with a double set of grooves one set crossing the other, so as to
form a number of square pins arranged in right lines and equidistant
apart, so that the pins of any piece will fit the spaces of any other
piece.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shown various views of toy
blocks and other articles constructed according to the Invention.
Fig. 1 is a front view, and Fig. 2, a side or edge view, of a toy man or
figure.
Fig. 3 is a side view; Fig. 4, an end view, and Fig. 4", a view of the
other end of the block; Fig. 5 is a plan of a rectangular block suitable
for use in the construction of a building.
Fig. 6 is an elevation of a finial, and Fig. 7 is a similar view of

page_text: .
Figures 6 and 7" are end views of Figures 6 and 7 respectively,
showing the square pins or studs whereby these articles are attached to
the other parts of the building.
In carrying out the Invention it is preferred that the ends and edges
of the blocks or pieces, especially those which are used to represent men
or animals, should be rounded off, as shown at Figures 1 and 2, before the
grooves are cut in them, so that the sides or outer pins will be somewhat
shorter than the inner ones. The tongues and grooves are of the same
width, and the latter may be cut toany-convenient-depth-When-the-
longitudinal grooves have been made the transverse grooves are to be
cut, when two or more lines of square pins will be produced as shewn at
Figures 4, 4, 6, and 7. By constructing the blocks in this manner, say
to form a man, the limbs may be inclined to the right or left, or back-
wards or forwards, as may be desired, and very ludicrous contortions of
the limbs and other parts of the body may be thereby produced.
The Invention is applicable to various sorts of toys, and the wooden
blocks may be made to represent the limbs of men or animals, or parts
of buildings or architectural structures of various kinds.
From the foregoing explanation of the construction of the improved
toys, and reference being had to the Drawing illustrating the same; it
will be seen that the peculiar feature and advantage of the Invention is
that the blocks or pieces may be connected together at right angles to
each other when desired; or arranged at some angle or in some line other
than one which is parallel to the face of the block, whereas when only
one set of grooves parallel to the longitudinal axis or face of the several
pieces are used, all the blocks or pieces must be jointed or connected
together in one plane, and cannot be moved out of a line parallel to the
face of the blocks.
Having now described the Invention of "Improvements in the Con-
struction of Toys," which has been communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent, and having explained the manner of carrying the same
-into-effect, I-claim-as-the-Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as
aforesaid, constructing the end or ends or ends and sides of the toy
blocks with any convenient number of rows of square pegs or pins äs
herein set forth, so that the several blocks may be connected together at
any desired angle in a plane at right angles to the face of the contiguous
blocks.as.shewn-and-described, instead of being jointed together so as to

page_text: be capable of being moved merely in a plane parallel with the face of
the blocks as heretofore.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Edward Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Seventh day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.