US4690656A — Wheel and winch assemblies utilizing identical hu…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 78 words

In a toy construction set, a block, an axle projecting from one side of said block, said axle including a pair of legs formed by a slot therebetween, a spool-shaped hub journaled for rotation on said axle, means releasably engaging said legs to maintain said hub on said axle, and shiftable locking means having a tab movable into said slot to prevent rotation of said hub and movable out of said slot to permit rotation of said hub.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 78 words

In a toy construction set, a block, an axle projecting from one side of said block, said axle including a pair of legs formed by a slot therebetween, a spool-shaped hub journaled for rotation on said axle, means releasably engaging said legs to maintain said hub on said axle, and shiftable locking means having a tab movable into said slot to prevent rotation of said hub and movable out of said slot to permit rotation of said hub.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 21 words

A toy construction set as defined in claim 1 including a resilient tire mounted on the ends of said spool-shaped hub.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 42 words

A toy construction set as defined in claim 1 including angularly spaced teeth on said hub and angularly spaced teeth on said crank unit, said respective teeth being intermeshed with each other to transmit rotation of said crank unit to said hub.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 21 words

A toy construction set as defined in claim 1 including a crank unit mounted on one end of said spool-shaped hub.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 25 words

A toy construction set as defined in claim 4 including means interengageable with said crank unit and said axle to prevent rotation of said hub.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 131 words

In a toy construction set, a block adapted to be attached to other blocks, an axle projecting from one side of said block, a hub member having a bore therein of greater length than that of the axle so that said axle extends only partway through said bore, said hub member being spool-shaped and having a cylindrical rim at each end thereof, means releasably retaining said axle within said bore, and a crank unit having means thereon engageable with one of said cylindrical rims, said means on said crank unit including a plurality of angularly spaced spring fingers extending from a crank disk inside larger diameter rim, each of said spring fingers having a lip at the free end thereof for resiliently bearing against the inner surface of said one rim.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 131 words

In a toy construction set, a block adapted to be attached to other blocks, an axle projecting from one side of said block, a hub member having a bore therein of greater length than that of the axle so that said axle extends only partway through said bore, said hub member being spool-shaped and having a cylindrical rim at each end thereof, means releasably retaining said axle within said bore, and a crank unit having means thereon engageable with one of said cylindrical rims, said means on said crank unit including a plurality of angularly spaced spring fingers extending from a crank disk inside larger diameter rim, each of said spring fingers having a lip at the free end thereof for resiliently bearing against the inner surface of said one rim.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 36 words

A toy construction set as defined in claim 6 including a plurality of angularly spaced internal teeth in said larger cylindrical rim forming spaces therebetween, said spring fingers extending into at least some of said spaces.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 26 words

A toy construction set as defined in claim 7 including locking means engageable with said crank unit and said axle to prevent rotation of said hub.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 49 words

A toy construction set as defined in claim 8 in which said crank unit includes a disc having a rectangular opening therein and said locking means has a shank extending through said rectangular opening and shiftable into engagement with said axle to prevent the rotation of said hub member.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 35 words

A toy construction set as defined in claim 9 in which said axle has a slot and said shank has a tab, said tab being shiftable into said slot to prevent said hub from rotating.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 73 words

A toy construction set as defined in claim 10 in which said shank has a longitudinal slot therein forming parallel resilient leg portions, first and second transverse ribs on each of said leg portions forming shallow notches therebetween, said first ribs being nearer said tab, said first ribs resisting removal of said locking means from said cranking unit and said second ribs resisting engagement and disengagement of said tab with said axle slot.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 47 words

A toy construction set as defined in claim 11 in which said locking means includes a circular disc, said shank projecting from one side of said disc, whereby said disc facilitates manual shifting of said shank to engage and disengage said tab relative to said axle slot.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 130 words

In a toy construction set, a plurality of special blocks adapted to be attached to other blocks, an axle projecting from one side of each of said special blocks, and a plurality of identical spool-shaped hubs having a bore therein, means for releasably engaging said axles to retain at least a portion of said axles within said bores, a tire on at least one of said hubs to provide a wheel assembly, a crank unit on another of said hubs to provide a winch assembly, and locking means having a shank portion extending through said crank unit and shiftable into obstructive through which said shank portion extends and the cross section of said shank portion also being noncircular to prevent rotation of said crank unit relative to said locking means.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 130 words

In a toy construction set, a plurality of special blocks adapted to be attached to other blocks, an axle projecting from one side of each of said special blocks, and a plurality of identical spool-shaped hubs having a bore therein, means for releasably engaging said axles to retain at least a portion of said axles within said bores, a tire on at least one of said hubs to provide a wheel assembly, a crank unit on another of said hubs to provide a winch assembly, and locking means having a shank portion extending through said crank unit and shiftable into obstructive through which said shank portion extends and the cross section of said shank portion also being noncircular to prevent rotation of said crank unit relative to said locking means.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 30 words

A toy construction set as defined in claim 13 in which said axle has a slot into which said shank portion projects to provide said obstructive engagement with said axle.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 105 words

In a toy construction set, a plurality of special blocks adapted to be attached to other blocks, an axle projecting from one side of each of said special blocks, and a plurality of identical spool-shaped hubs having a bore therein, means for releasably engaging said axles to retain at least a portion of said axles within said bores, said axles extending only partway through said bores, a tire on at least one of said hubs to provide a wheel assembly, and a crank unit on another of said hubs to provide a winch assembly, said crank unit provided for engaging a portion of said hub.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 105 words

In a toy construction set, a plurality of special blocks adapted to be attached to other blocks, an axle projecting from one side of each of said special blocks, and a plurality of identical spool-shaped hubs having a bore therein, means for releasably engaging said axles to retain at least a portion of said axles within said bores, said axles extending only partway through said bores, a tire on at least one of said hubs to provide a wheel assembly, and a crank unit on another of said hubs to provide a winch assembly, said crank unit provided for engaging a portion of said hub.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 146 words

In a toy construction set, a block adapted to be attached to other blocks, an axle projecting from one side of said block, a hub member having a bore therein of greater length than than of the axle so that said axle extends only partway through said bore, said hub member being spool-shaped having a rim at each end thereof, said hub member having an ear with a hole therein for the attachment of one end of a cord, a crank unit having means thereon engageable with one of said cylindrical rims, and means releasably retaining said axle within said bore, said releasably retaining means including an annular rib in said bore, and said axle having a longitudinal slot therein so as to form a pair of resilient legs, the free end portions of which legs have grooves formed therein for receiving segments of said rib.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 146 words

In a toy construction set, a block adapted to be attached to other blocks, an axle projecting from one side of said block, a hub member having a bore therein of greater length than than of the axle so that said axle extends only partway through said bore, said hub member being spool-shaped having a rim at each end thereof, said hub member having an ear with a hole therein for the attachment of one end of a cord, a crank unit having means thereon engageable with one of said cylindrical rims, and means releasably retaining said axle within said bore, said releasably retaining means including an annular rib in said bore, and said axle having a longitudinal slot therein so as to form a pair of resilient legs, the free end portions of which legs have grooves formed therein for receiving segments of said rib.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1990-08-31	1991-03-02	1991-09-01	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1994-08-31	1995-03-02	1995-09-01	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1998-08-31	1999-03-02	1999-09-01	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Wheel and winch assemblies utilizing identical hubs and axles in a toy construction set

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag