Abstract: A top spindle designed especially for use in connection with parts of a construction toy set, to enable the assembly of spinning tops having a wide variety of inertia members. The spindle includes a main stem provided with an integral support platform. A symmetrically arranged pair of drive lugs project upwardly from the support platform. The stem includes a locating and gripping hub adjacent to the platform and adapted to receive and tightly grip the central hub opening of a construction part from the construction toy set, such parts being in the form of wheels, pulleys, gears or connector elements. Such construction parts are pressed onto the retaining hub, after being positioned such that the upwardly projecting drive lugs engage drive openings in the construction part.

Abstract: A motor for a toy construction set of the type having a plurality of connector elements and rod-like struts engageable with the connector elements to form a coherent structure wherein the connector elements have a center hub portion and a plurality of pairs of spaced-apart gripping arms adapted for lateral, snap-in engagement of the struts. The motor has a housing body and a plurality of sets of projections extending from the housing body, each of which is adapted for tight frictional engagement with a plurality of activities of the connectors. The sets of projections are located such that a connector mounted thereon can be interconnected, by said connectors and struts, to a connector mounted on another set of projections so the motor can be rigidly incorporated in an assembly comprised of a combination of the connectors and struts of the toy construction set.

Abstract: A construction toy system is provided, in which a coherent structure can be assembled from a series of rod-like struts and hub-like connectors, wherein the struts have specially contoured ends engageable by lateral, snap-in assembly with pairs of contoured gripping arms on the connector elements. Upon snap-in assembly, the struts are effectively rigidly joined with the connectors. A motor mount is provided, to which is fixed an electric drive motor. The motor mount includes spaced-apart elements, preferably struts received in guide tubes rigidly joined to the platform-like element, by which the motor mount may be secured by snap-in engagement to connector elements, to become part of the coherent structure. Spur gears and pinions can be rotatably supported in the structure using struts and connector elements providing a gear train for converting the output of the motor to driving an element of the construction toy system.

Abstract: A chain drive mechanism, especially for a construction toy system, is assembled with individual U-shaped chain link elements. The chain link elements are notched at their open ends and provided with bearing portions at their closed ends. The notched open ends are arranged for snap-fit attachment over the bearing portions of adjacent links, enabling a flexible chain of any length to be easily assembled. Drive pins, preferably coaxial with the bearing portions, project outwardly from each side of the chain links and are engagable with grooves of spaced-apart drive wheels, collectively forming a sprocket assembly. The drive wheels can be individual gear elements otherwise used in a toy construction system for gear drive mechanisms. The base portions of the U-shaped link elements are grooved transversely for the snap-fit attachment of construction toy connector parts, allowing the chain elements to carry other components.

Abstract: A construction toy system is provided, in which a coherent structure can be assembled from a series of rod-like struts and hub-like connectors, wherein the struts have specially contoured ends engageable by lateral, snap-in assembly with pairs of contoured gripping arms on the connector elements. Upon snap-in assembly, the struts are effectively rigidly joined with the connectors. A motor mount is provided, to which is fixed an electric drive motor. The motor mount includes spaced-apart elements, preferably struts received in guide tubes rigidly joined to the platform-like element, by which the motor mount may be secured by snap-in engagement to connector elements, to become part of the coherent structure. Spur gears and pinions can be rotatably supported in the structure using struts and connector elements providing a gear train for converting the output of the motor to driving an element of the construction toy system.

Abstract: A construction toy system is disclosed for the assembly of a guide track structure for a wheeled vehicle. Basic structural components, comprising rod-like struts and molded plastic connector elements adapted for snap-together attachment to the strut elements, enable support structures to be assembled. One or more guide track elements is provided, preferably in the form of a continuous, slotted flexible tube, typically formed by extrusion of plastic material. Special track-mounting connector elements are formed with track-mounting lugs which extend through the slotted side of the tubular track element to provide internal support. Track-mounting lugs are positioned at spaced points throughout the structure, providing spaced support for the track element. The flexible track element is self-supporting between mounting lugs, and conforms readily and smoothly to vertical and horizontal contours of the structure.

Abstract: A construction toy system is disclosed for the assembly of a guide track structure for a wheeled vehicle. Basic structural components, comprising rod-like struts and molded plastic connector elements adapted for snap-together attachment to the strut elements, enable support structures to be assembled. One or more guide track elements is provided, preferably in the form of a continuous, slotted flexible tube, typically formed by extrusion of plastic material. Special track-mounting connector elements are formed with track-mounting lugs which extend through the slotted side of the tubular track element to provide internal support. Track-mounting lugs are positioned at spaced points throughout the structure, providing spaced support for the track element. The flexible track element is self-supporting between mounting lugs, and conforms readily and smoothly to vertical and horizontal contours of the structure.

Abstract: A construction toy is disclosed, which includes as principle components a connector having one or more gripping sockets, and rod-like structural elements having end portions specially configured to be received in the gripping sockets. The gripping sockets are comprised of pairs of gripping arms, formed of deflectable plastic material. Outer portions of the gripping arms are provided with specially contoured surfaces adapted for the lateral, snap-in assembly of a structural element having complimentary surface portions. The gripping arms and struts are provided mutually interengaging surfaces arranged to interlockingly mate to secure the parts in a coherent assembly. The novel arrangement of gripping socket and structural element allows lateral snap-in assembly of the struts with the connector elements, with the assembled elements being secured against both lateral and axial disassembly.

Abstract: A gearing and drive mechanism is provided for a construction toy system, in which a coherent structure can be assembled from a series of rod-like struts and hub-like connectors, wherein the struts have specially contoured ends engageable by lateral, snap-in assembly with pairs of contoured gripping arms on the connector elements. Upon snap-in assembly, the struts are effectively rigidly joined with the connectors. Spur gears and pinions can be rotatably supported in the structure using struts and connector elements providing a gear train for converting the output of the motor to driving an element of the construction toy system. The construction system has a graduated progression of strut lengths, such that a first length is of a size to form a base of an isosceles right triangle for which the next length of the progression is of a size to form a hypotenuse. Spur and pinion gears have a size ratio of approximately 2.

Abstract: A construction toy is disclosed, which includes as principle components a hub-like connector having one or more gripping sockets, and structural elements, typically of strut-like configuration, having end portions specially configured to be received in the gripping sockets. The gripping sockets are comprised of pairs of gripping arms, formed of deflectable plastic material. Outer portions of the gripping arms are provided with concave grooves adapted for lateral, snap-in assembly of a structural element having complimentary cylindrical connector portions. The gripping arms also are provided, near their inner ends, with locking projections arranged to interlockingly mate with annular recesses provided near the ends of the structural elements. The end extremities of the structural elements comprise end flanges, which are received in an end cavity formed at the closed end of the gripping socket, in part by an end wall of the socket and in part by the locking projections.

Abstract: A construction toy system comprises a variety of molded plastic connector elements, arranged to be joined with rod-like struts, to form complex structural units. In the most basic form, the connector elements of the invention have one or more angularly related strut-receiving recesses, each arranged for lateral snap-in reception of a flanged strut. When a strut is snapped in place, it is held firmly against lateral and axial movement. A plurality of single socket connector elements can be connected with a succession of crosswise oriented strut elements to form an articulated structure, either endless or finite in length. Connector elements also may be joined to form connector assemblies with provision for mounting struts in several planar directions, to form a right angle corner structure, for example, or a Tee-shaped structure.