# How A.C. Gilbert Designed Early Interlocking Toy Construction Blocks

> A 1913 patent by A.C. Gilbert for a system of toy building blocks designed to snap together to create structures.

- **Patent:** US 1066809
- **Original title:** Toy construction-blocks.
- **Owner:** MYSTO Manufacturing CO
- **Granted:** 1913
- **Status:** Public domain (expired)
- **Times cited:** 3
- **Field:** consumer_electronics, mechanical

## What it does

This patent describes a mechanical system for toy construction blocks that feature specific interlocking mechanisms. The design allows individual blocks to be joined together securely to form larger, stable structures. By utilizing specific protrusions and corresponding recesses on the surfaces of the blocks, the system enables children to build models that hold their shape during play.

## What it does NOT cover

- Does not cover modern plastic bricks that use friction-fit studs like LEGO
- Does not cover electronic or motorized construction sets
- Does not cover non-interlocking stacking blocks like wooden cubes

## The clever bit

The innovation lies in the specific geometry of the connectors, which aimed to balance ease of assembly for a child with enough structural integrity to keep the model from falling apart.

## Real-world examples

1. Early 20th-century wooden construction block sets
2. Mysto Manufacturing toy kits

## Why it matters

Alfred C. Gilbert was a major figure in the American toy industry, best known for his Erector Sets. This patent represents an early attempt to standardize how children could physically assemble toys, moving beyond simple stacking toward modular, structural engineering play.

## Frequently asked questions

### What does How A.C. Gilbert Designed Early Interlocking Toy Construction Blocks cover?

A 1913 patent by A.C. Gilbert for a system of toy building blocks designed to snap together to create structures.

### Who owns patent US 1066809?

MYSTO Manufacturing CO owns this patent, granted in 1913.

### When does this patent expire?

This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.

### What is patent US 1066809 cited by?

This patent has been cited by 3 later patents that build on its ideas.

### What problem does this patent solve?

Alfred C. Gilbert was a major figure in the American toy industry, best known for his Erector Sets. This patent represents an early attempt to standardize how children could physically assemble toys, moving beyond simple stacking toward modular, structural engineering play.

### What does this patent NOT cover?

Does not cover modern plastic bricks that use friction-fit studs like LEGO

**Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/1066809/erector-set-gilbert

**Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US1066809

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_Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._


## Related patents

Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus:

- [How TinkerToy's Original Wooden Construction Blocks Work](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/1113371/tinkertoy-pajeau) — A 1914 patent for a modular toy system using wooden sticks and circular hubs with holes to build complex three-dimensional structures.
- [The Invention of Lincoln Logs](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/1351086/lincoln-logs-wright) — A 1920 patent for a toy construction system using notched wooden logs to build miniature cabins and structures.
- [How the Modern LEGO Brick Design Works](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/3005282/lego-toy-brick) — The 1958 patent that defined the iconic LEGO brick with hollow tubes inside, allowing bricks to lock together firmly.
- [How the Slinky Toy Works](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/2415012/slinky-toy) — The original 1947 patent for the Slinky, a helical spring toy designed to walk down stairs through the transfer of energy.
- [How the 2x2x2 Magnetic Puzzle Cube Works](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/3655201/rotating-cube-puzzle) — A 1970 patent for a 2x2x2 puzzle cube held together by magnets that allows groups of pieces to rotate around three axes to solve a color-matching challenge.