Metal working – Means to assemble or disassemble – Spreading parts apart or separating them from face to face...
Patent
1991-11-20
1994-09-27
Watson, Robert C.
Metal working
Means to assemble or disassemble
Spreading parts apart or separating them from face to face...
29267, B23P 1904
Patent
active
053497341
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention concerns a tool for use in the separation of elements in a building set. More particularly, it concerns a tool for use in the separation of elements in a building set of the type where the elements have a surface provided with coupling means in the form of projections or depressions.
When disassembling elements in a building set of the above-mentioned type it can often be a problem to separate the individual elements, in particular when they are low so that it is difficult to get a sufficiently good grip with the fingers. If individual elements are to be disassembled from a larger structure, it may moreover be difficult, if not impossible, to grip the elements without damaging other parts of the structure.
The object of the invention is accordingly to provide a tool which can be used for disassembling elements in a building set of the above-mentioned type so that the elements can easily be separated.
This object is achieved in that in one end of a lever the tool is provided with a gripper means for cooperation with a plurality of coupling means of the element and with one side edge of the element so that the element can be tilted loose by affecting the lever. The gripper means comprises a first jaw area which engages the side edge, while a second jaw area of the gripper means engages a portion of a wall part of the coupling means facing away from said side edge. When the lever is affected, the two jaw areas affect the element with a relatively great torque owing to their mutual horizontally as well as vertically displaced position, so that the element pivots around the lower boundary of the side edge.
The gripper means may be constructed in various ways, and, according to a preferred embodiment, it comprises at least one coupling means which is complementary to said coupling means and, in addition to increasing the friction between the gripper means and the element by tilting operations, also maintains the element in the gripper means after separation, so that the element can easily be moved out of large structures after separation.
The invention will be described more fully below with reference to the drawing, in which
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the use of a tool according to the invention for separation of two elements,
FIG. 2 shows in more detail the structure of the gripper means of the tool in a preferred embodiment, and
FIG. 3 shows a tool according to another embodiment.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of two joined toy elements 1 and 2 which may sometimes be difficult to separate, in particular for children. The surface of the toy elements is provided with coupling means in the form of coupling studs 4 and 5, while the underside is formed with a complementary recess 9. According to the invention, a tool 3 may be used for separating the elements 1 and 2. This tool comprises a gripper means in the form of a first jaw area 7 engaging the side edge of the building element 2, and a second law area 8 which engages a portion of a wall part of a coupling stud 5 facing away from the side edge. When the tool 3 activated in the direction of the arrow, the element 2 is affected by a torque so as to be tilted out of engagement with the element 1, the element 2 tilting around the lower boundary of the side edge. Since the first jaw area engages the side of the element 2, this torque may be relatively great even when the engagement is effected on the side edge part disposed near the surface. It will be appreciated that a similar tool useful for separating elements from below may be manufactured according to the invention. Such a tool will likewise cooperate with the side face of the element, while a jaw area cooperates with a coupling means on the underside of the elements.
FIG. 2 shows a tool 11 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, and this tool is intended for cooperation with the upper side of a building element. The tool 11 is provided with holes 15 which fit on coupling studs on an element. The tool moreover comprises a first jaw area in the form of a projecting part 12 with a fa
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patent: 3656375 (1972-04-01), Reed et al.
patent: 3713246 (1973-01-01), Kilroy
patent: 4110932 (1978-09-01), Brass
patent: 4390112 (1983-06-01), Tysver
patent: 4522088 (1985-06-01), Berglund
patent: 4949600 (1990-08-01), Tricinella
Jensen Kurt
Michaelsen Carsten
Poulsen Ole V.
Interlego A.G.
Watson Robert C.
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