US1541004A - Alphabetical toy - Google Patents

Description

June9, 1925. 1,541,004

G. TAYLOR ALPHABETI CAL TOY Filed March Q, 1923 il /a Patented June 9, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GRACEBEL TAYLOR, F PUENTE, CALIFORNIA.

ALPHABETICAL TOY.

Application led March 9, 1923. Serial No. 623,999.

To 'all whom 'it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GRAonBnL TAYLOR, a' citizen of the United States, and a resident of Puente, county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Alphabetical Toys, of which the following is a full, clear, and accurate disclosure.

In the present invention I have devised a toy particularly adapted for young children, with a two-fold object of providing instruction and entertainment.

It is a. device composed of a plurality of sections, in the form of straight flat bars, pivotally joined together and so arranged that by proper manipulation may be made to form the letters of the alphabet and numerals from one to nine.

Its use is particularly efficacious in kindergarten work wherein the entertaining feature of individual manipulation of the bars to form letters and numerals is a great aid to instruction. Also, formation of the letters by the individual child in this manner is conducive to more rapid learning, by compelling concentration, and affords an opportunity to visualize the mannerA of forming each letter and numeral.

My invention' is further characterized by its extreme simplicity, durability, and cheapness of manufacture; as well as its construction and arrangement permitting it to be collapsed into very compact form.

rihe details of construction and use'ofm toy will be more fully set forth in the following specification, reference being made therein to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof, and in which drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the toy in opened or extended arrangement.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof showing it collapsed;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the toy in collapsible arrangement;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 only showlng the individual members slightly separated to illustrate the relative positions of the various members when in collapsed arrangement;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail plan view showing the manner of pivotally connecting the individual members;

Fi 6 is a sectional view taken as indicate the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 75illustrates the manner in which the letters of the alphabet are formed by the toy: and v Fig. 8 illustrates the manner in which numerals from one to nine are formed by the toy.

Referring now to the drawings, and first to Fig. l, the toy is .composed of a. plurality of sections numbered from ten (10) to nineteen (19),` inclusive, of uniform width and thickness, lengths. The individual sections of which the toy iscomposed may be constructed of any suitable material; however, I prefer to use aluminum as this material combines suicient strength and rigidity with lightu ness.

The device is composed of three long sections 10, 11, and 12; and seven short sectlons 13, 14,15, 16, 17, 18, and'19. The long sections 10, 11, and 12 may be of any desired length, preferably not over five or six inches, while the sections 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 1 9, are each one-half the length of the sections 10, 11, and 12. These lengths may be measured from the centers of their pivotal points or over all lengths.

.The-long sections 10 and 12 are pivotally joined together by the intermediate long section 11 by means of rivets passing through their overlapped ends, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. The sections may be pivotally joined byv rivets, but preferably they will be joined by means of eyelets exy tending Athrough coaxial counter-sunk holes in the contiguous sections, and turned over 1jflush with the outer faces, as shown in 'Ihe h alf sections 13 and 14 are carried by the section 10; one end of the section 13 bebut of different' ing pivotally secured to the section 10 at v its center, and one eno` of the section 14 Section 13, as illustrated. Short sections 15 and 16 extend from the juncture of the long sections 11 and l2; one end of the short section 15 being pivotally secured upon the rivet which joins the sectionsV 11 and 12; one end of section 16 being pivotally joinedv to the opposite end of section 15. Short sections 17, 18, and 19 are carried upon the distal end of the section 12; one end of the section17 being pivotally secured thereto, while the section 18 connects the opposite end of the section 17 with one end of the section 19.

All of these sections are joined together,

plvotally secured to the opposite end of` be folded to overlie the section 10 in superposed relation, as will also the sections 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19 be folded to overlie the long section 12 in superposed relation..

In Figure 7 I have diagrammatically il-- lustrated the manner in which the letters of the alphabet are formed by manipulating the several sections of the toy, while in Fig. 8 I have illustrated the manner in which the numerals from one to nine, inclusive, are' likewise formed. In thus diagrammatically illustrating the manner of formation of these letters and numerals it is to be understood thatjust those sections which principally form the letter or numeral, as the case may be, have been designated by reference numerals, and that thelother sections of the toy not used informing the letter are folded into proper superposed relation to extend in alinement and parallel with the letter forming sections. No attempt has been made to designate how or in what manner these folded or unused sections are concealed, as this is thought to be obvious from a reference to the several gures of the drawing. It is to be observed that in forming these letters and numerals that the toy may be turned upside down or side to side, but the reference characters clearly indicate when this is done.

The reference characters clearly indicate how the various letters and numerals are formed by manipulating the several sections of the device; for instance, the letter A is formed by the long sections 10 and 12, and short section 13; while lvthe letter 'B is formed by proper manipulation of the long sections 12, forming the back, short sections 15 and 16 forming the lower loop of the letter and short sections 17 18, and 19 forming the upper portion of the letter. In the case of the letter A long section 12 is folded parallel with the long section 11 and short sections 15, 16, and 17 18', and

19 are folded upon the section 12 to likewise extend parallel with the section 11; and short section 14 is folded to extend -parallel with the short section 13. In the case of the letter B long sections 10 and 11 are folded to overlie and extend parallel with the long section 12 and short sections 13 and 14 are likewise folded to lie upon and extend along the long section 10. This scheme of manipulation is carried out in the case of formation of the letters and numerals in the manner illustrated.

Thus I have produced a toy by means of which all of the letters of the alphabet, as well as numerals from one to nine, may be formed; and the formation of these letters not only provides entertainment but serves as a means of more indeliblyl fixing the individual letters and numerals'in the childs mind.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A toy of the class described comprising a plurality of long and short bars; the long bars being pivotally joined together end to end, and the short bars being likewise pivotally joined together end to end, the said short bars being pivotally mounted in groups upon the long bars by pivotally joining one end of one of each group thereto; the whole being arranged to be manipulated to form letters of the alphabet and numerals from one to nine.

2. A toy of the class described comprising a plurality of long and short bars, the long bars being substantially twice the length of the short bars; the long bars being pivotally joined.` together end to end and the short bars being likewise pivotally joined together in groups; one group of two Short bars being pivot-ally mounted at the end of one upon one of the end long bars at its center; another group of two short bars being likewise pivotally mounted at the pivotal juncture of two of the long bars; and another group of three short bars bein likewise pivotally joined to the distal enrgl of the other end long bar; the whole being arranged to be manipulated to form letters of the alphabet and numerals from one to nine.

3. A toy of the class described comprising a plurality of long and short bars pivotally joined together, the long bars being substantially twice the len h of the short bars; three of said long ars being pivotally joined together end to end and the short bars being likewise joined together in groups of two, two and three; one of said groups of two short bars being pivotally joined at the end of one to one of the end long bars at its center; the other group of two short bars being likewise joined to the long bars at the pivotal juncture between the intermediate and other end bar; and the group of three short bars being likewise joined to the distal end of the last mentioned end long bar, substantially as described.

4. A toy of the class described comprising a plurality of pivotally joined long bars, and a plurality of groups of shortl bars, joined iirend to end pivotal relation, one of said groups being pivotally joined to one of the long bars and a plurality of groups being pivotally joined to another of said long bars; the whole being arranged to be manipulated to formletters of the alphabet and the digits.

5. A toy of the class described comprising a plurality of pivotally joined long bars, a plurality of groups of pivotally joined short bars, there being one group of short bars for each long har; and means pivotally connecting each of said groups to its companion long bar; the whole being arranged to be manlpulated to form letters of the alphabet and the digits.

6. A toy of the class described embodying a plurality of pivotally joined long bars which are foldable upon one another, a plurality of groups of pivotally joined short bars, the bars in each oup being foldable upon one another, an

sald groups being pivotallyV mounted on said lon bars and foldable thereover without inter erence; the Whole lbeing arranged to be manipulated to form letters of the alphabet and the l5 GRACEBEL TAYLOR. Witness: l

WM. L. CONNOR.

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