Abstract: Connectors for joining a ball element having multiple facets, each facet defining a joint opening, to a toy brick include at least two projections in spaced relationship with each other mounted on a base. The projections are in releasable frictional engagement with the joint opening. A female connector frictionally engages with a male face of a brick. The female connector includes a set of four prongs, each having gripping sides, projecting symmetrically outward from the base. Adjacent gripping sides of adjacent prongs frictionally grip cylindrical protrusions of the male face. A male connector may join with a brick having a female face with symmetrically arranged gripping surfaces. The male connector frictionally engages a female side of a brick. The male connector includes a set of four prongs, projecting symmetrically downward from the base. Each of the prongs has exterior gripping surfaces for frictionally engaging gripping surfaces of the female face.

Abstract: A rod for a construction set includes an elongate strut that extends between opposed of interconnected joint elements. A cavity in each end of the strut slidably supports a clip having opposed inwardly deflectable fingers, with outwardly facing catches at their extremities, that snap fit into the joint openings in the joint element to clamp the joint element between the catches and the ends of the rods. The clips are moveable between closed positions where the fingers are engaged in the joint elements and open positions where the fingers are located completely within the cavity to allow the rod to be removed from opposed joint elements in a structure without disturbing the structure. The struts have slots in their extremities that intersect the cavities, and the fingers have protrusions that extend through the slots to facilitate deflecting the fingers inwardly to release the clips from the joint elements and in moving the clips between their open and closed positions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a tire arranged to circumscribe a spheroidal construction set joint element of the type having multiple facets located around its periphery each having a joint opening located therein. A portion of the facets circumscribe the joint element around a diametric axis and are arranged in a particularly defined pattern. The tire comprises an annular rim having a width slightly greater than the facets and is fabricated from a yieldable material so that it can be easily stretched for installation onto the joint element. The inner side of the tire includes a plurality of planar engaging surfaces, each having substantially the same shape as the joint element facets, arranged in the same pattern as the circumscribing facets. Accordingly, when the tire is placed over the joint element, the engaging surfaces mate with the facets to prevent rotation of the tire relative to the joint element.