Building and training block and process for making

Abstract

A process for making blocks with simulated masonry faces which involves forming individual building or training block shapes and applying a decorative arrangement of mortar lines on each block surface. The decorated surfaces are etched according to the decorative line arrangement and thereafter smoothed and finished to form finished blocks bearing simulated masonry faces. The product made by the process is also included as part of the invention.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to children's building and training blocks and, more particularly, to a process for making simulated masonry blocks from wood or other materials having etched continuous mortar lines and the product made by the process.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Children's block sets have traditionally been used as toys when the infants are small and have more recently been developed as sets to enhance learning in particular areas. Children learn by playing with blocks in accordance with a particular activity. Each activity encourages problem solving, enhances fine and gross motor development, the development of math, science, language and social skills. Special block shapes such as units, pillars, columns, circles, arches, triangles and smaller specialized shapes are included in modern block sets, and activities are outlined and illustrated for use with these sets. Blocks come in different colors, and they stimulate imaginations, build coordination skills, and encourage patterning and color matching. They usually are formed from wood or plastic and may be solid or hollow and are often provided in unit block sets.

The “unit” gin unit blocks has very special dimensions. The dimensions of each block shape in a set of unit blocks is a multiple or fraction of the size of the piece designated the “unit”. The unit, in the usual embodiment, is a rectangular piece measuring 5½ inches in length by 2¾ inches in width by 1⅜ inches in height or thickness. The name of each basic rectangular block in a set is based on its size as compared to the length of the “unit, e.g., the unit block is 5½ inches long while the half unit block is 2¾ inches, the double unit block is 11 inches long and the quad unit block is 22 inches long. The dimensions of all other block shapes, including the columns, the pillars, the triangles, the curves, etc., are proportional to the length, width and height dimensions of the unit. The fixed dimensional relationship between the unit and the other block shapes creates an environment in which children develop motor skills and absorb math concepts such as length, volume and fractions while totally engaged in the creative freedom of block play. Through play activities children discover the relationship between the different standard unit block shapes and learn by playing, e.g., discovering that 2 unit triangles make a unit block, two unit pillars equal one unit block and so on. To summarize, the length of a unit is exactly twice the width, and the width is exactly twice the thickness. The other blocks are all multiples or divisions of the unit. Thus unit block sets are modular.

When children play with blocks, they are practicing mathematical skills. In selecting blocks of different sizes and shapes and comparing surface volumes and areas, they are unwittingly using classification and seriation. Cleaning up involves math too: sorting identical and dissimilar shapes and organizing by size. Because it involves measuring lengths, widths and heights (if only by eye), block play develops a child's ability to mentally visualize relationships. Such manipulations are similar to those used in geometry and algebra during the child's later school years.

New forms of blocks are being formed from time to time, and the present invention is one of the new building and training block sets that have been created.

SUMMARY AND OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION

This application is directed to a process for making training or building blocks with simulated masonry faces such as brick, stone and other common building materials and to the blocks made by the process. The process includes the steps of forming a block or wall section with one or more blocks from a larger piece of block material such as wood or plastic, applying a decorative arrangement of lines on the block or wall section surfaces surfaces, routing, etching embossing or stamping the arrangement of lines to simulate mortar lines on the block or wall section faces faces, smoothing the block or wall section faces without removing the etched decorative arrangement of lines, and finishing the block or wall section surfaces to form a finished block or wall section of simulated masonry faces on the unit block or wall section surfaces. The mortar lines displayed on all block surfaces extend consistently to adjacent block or wall section surfaces be they in the same block or wall or on separate but adjacent blocks or wall sections. Blocks may be of varying sizes but of complementing sizes on some separate block surfaces.

From the summary set forth above, it can be seen that a primary objective of the present invention is to provide a process for forming building or training blocks With simulated masonry surfaces and the building or training blocks made by the process.

Another objective of the present invention is to form simulated and etched block masonry surfaces to achieve a realistic surface design.

Yet another objective is to provide consistently matchable faces of different sized blocks or wall sections and consistently extended mortar lines to adjacent block and wall section surfaces.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of simulated brick building or training blocks used in a building block exercise;

FIG. 2 is a plan perspective view of a group of different blocks of a unit block set produced by the process of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a plan perspective view of two pieces of a unit block set combined to form yet another piece both of which are produced by the process of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational perspective view of four pieces of a unit block set combined in pairs of two's to form two additional different pieces all produced by the process of the process of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram setting forth the steps of the process for making the training blocks of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a plan and perspective view of a variety, but not a complete number, of block shapes that can be included in a unit block set made in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, a child is undertaking a building project with a set of training blocks similar to those produced by the process described hereinafter. The blocks are modular in that a unit block 10 is being used with a number of double unit blocks 12. The blocks are being stacked to form a wall or perhaps a building side in the customary manner.

A unit block set made by the process of the present invention is shown in FIG. 2 generally as 14. Individual pieces include a unit 10, a double unit 12, triangles 16, a quad unit 18 and other assorted pieces all being multiples or divisions of the unit.

The production of building or training blocks like those described includes forming individual pieces from larger segments of the block material, preferable wood, into a number of individual pieces of appropriate sizes to build a unit block set like that shown in FIG. 2 or a larger or smaller set so long as the unit of the set is maintained. After one or more block pieces are formed from the block of larger material, each piece is decorated with an arrangement of lines on one or more surfaces of the piece simulating mortar lines. These lines are then etched with an appropriate etching tool such as a router, grinder, stamper, embossor or burner to produce three dimensional grooves in the piece surface to realistically form the simulated mortar lines by following the arrangement of lines originally applied.

The block pieces and wall segments are then coated with an appropriate child-friendly paint or stain preferably the color of natural colored brick. Once dried, the simulated mortar lines are painted or otherwise covered with a mortar color such as grey or a grey-white blend so that the final block simulates individual parts of a unit block set.

The individual unit block pieces are formed with mortar lines preferably on all faces so that all mortar lines of all pieces are compatible with these lines on all other blocks. Thus when blocks are combined in a building project, the simulated mortar lines displayed on all unit block surfaces extend consistently to adjacent unit block surfaces thereby resulting in a very realistic model of a conventional brick wall or structure.

As reflected in FIG. 6, a variety of unit block pieces are often used to permit more artistic parts or components to be included in a unit building or training block project. Any number of such parts are possible, it being only necessary to keep the modular concept consistent so that such blocks be multiples or divisions of the unit block.

Variations and modifications of the foregoing are within the scope of the present invention. It is understood that the invention disclosed and defined herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text and/or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the present invention. The embodiments described herein explain the best modes known for practicing the invention and will enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention. The claims are to be construed to include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior art, and various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A process of making building and training blocks having simulated masonry faces comprising the steps of: forming a block segment having one or more surfaces from a larger segment of material; applying a decorative arrangement of lines on the one or more block surfaces; etching out the decorative arrangement of lines to create simulated mortar lines on the one or more block surfaces; smoothing the one or more block surfaces without removing the etched decorative arrangement of lines; and finishing the one or more block surfaces to form a finished block segment of simulated masonry faces on the one or more block surfaces.

2. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the simulated mortar lines displayed on all block surfaces extend consistently to adjacent block surfaces.

3. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the block material is wood.

4. The process as claimed in claim 2 wherein the block material is wood.

5. The process as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the steps of: forming additional block pieces of varying sizes having one or more surfaces; applying decorative arrangements of lines to create simulated mortar lines on the one or more surfaces; smoothing the one or more block surfaces without removing the etched decorative arrangements of lines; and finishing the one or more block surfaces to form a finished block with simulated masonry faces on the one or more block surfaces.

6. The process as claimed in claim 5 wherein the simulated mortar lines displayed on all block surfaces extend consistently to adjacent block surfaces.

7. The process as claimed in claim 5 wherein the block material is wood.

8. The process as claimed in claim 6 wherein the block material is wood.

9. A block made by the process set forth in claim 1.

10. A block made by the process set forth in claim 5.

11. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the block material is plastic.

12. The process as claimed in claim 5 wherein the block material is plastic.

13. A process of making building and training blocks having simulated masonry faces comprising the steps of: forming a unit block having one or more surfaces from a larger segment of material; applying a decorative arrangement of lines on the one or more unit block surfaces; etching out the decorative arrangement of lines to create simulated mortar lines on the one or more unit block surfaces; smoothing the one or more unit block surfaces without removing the etched decorative arrangement of lines; and finishing the one or more unit block surfaces to form a finished unit block of simulated masonry faces on the one or more unit block surfaces.

14. The process as claimed in claim 13 wherein the simulated mortar lines displayed on all unit block surfaces extend consistently to adjacent unit block surfaces.

15. The process as claimed in claim 13 wherein the unit block material is wood.

16. The process as claimed in claim 13 wherein the unit block material is wood.

17. The process as claimed in claim 13 further comprising the steps of: forming additional unit block pieces of varying sizes having one or more surfaces; applying decorative arrangements of lines to create simulated mortar lines on the one or more surfaces; smoothing the one or more unit block surfaces without removing the etched decorative arrangements of lines; and finishing the one or more unit block surfaces to form finished unit blocks with simulated masonry faces on the one or more unit block surfaces.

18. The process as claimed in claim 17 wherein the simulated mortar lines displayed on all unit block surfaces extend consistently to adjacent unit block surfaces.

19. The process as claimed in claim 17 wherein the unit block material is plastic.

20. A unit block made by the process set forth in claim 13.

21. A unit block made by the process set forth in claim 13.

22. The process as claimed in claim 18 wherein the unit block material is plastic.