How TinkerToy's Original Wooden Construction Blocks Work
A 1914 patent for a modular toy system using wooden sticks and circular hubs with holes to build complex three-dimensional structures.
Original patent title: “Toy construction-blocks.”
A 1914 patent for a modular toy system using wooden sticks and circular hubs with holes to build complex three-dimensional structures. Granted to Individual in 1914 with 41 forward citations, and it is now in the public domain.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The invention describes a construction toy consisting of wooden sticks and circular discs or hubs. The hubs feature multiple holes drilled around their perimeter and center, allowing the sticks to be inserted to create rigid geometric shapes. By connecting these components in various configurations, children can build structures like windmills, bridges, or towers. The system relies on the friction between the stick ends and the hub holes to hold the assembly together without needing glue or screws.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover plastic construction systems like LEGO which use interlocking studs.
- Does not cover magnetic construction sets that use poles and metal spheres.
- Does not cover motorized or electronic building kits.
- Does not cover blocks that rely on gravity or stacking alone without mechanical insertion.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The innovation was the use of a standardized circular hub with multiple radial holes, which allowed for non-linear, multi-directional connections that were not possible with simple rectangular blocks.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Original wooden TinkerToy sets
Classic mid-century educational building kits
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent marks the origin of the TinkerToy brand, which became a staple of early 20th-century American childhood. It represents an early shift toward modular, open-ended play systems that encouraged engineering and spatial reasoning skills in children.
Filed
July 8, 1914
Granted
October 13, 1914
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
The TinkerToy brand is currently owned by Basic Fun!, which continues to produce updated versions of the construction system. Modern STEM toy manufacturers often reference these modular connection principles in their own building sets.
Market impact
This patent helped establish the construction toy category, proving that modular, reusable parts could be a successful commercial product. It set a precedent for how toy companies design systems that grow in complexity as a child learns to build.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The invention describes a construction toy consisting of wooden sticks and circular discs or hubs. The hubs feature multiple holes drilled around their perimeter and center, allowing the sticks to be inserted to create rigid geometric shapes. By connecting these components in various configurations, children can build structures like windmills, bridges, or towers. The system relies on the friction between the stick ends and the hub holes to hold the assembly together without needing glue or screws.
The clever bit
The innovation was the use of a standardized circular hub with multiple radial holes, which allowed for non-linear, multi-directional connections that were not possible with simple rectangular blocks.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover plastic construction systems like LEGO which use interlocking studs.
- Does not cover magnetic construction sets that use poles and metal spheres.
- Does not cover motorized or electronic building kits.
- Does not cover blocks that rely on gravity or stacking alone without mechanical insertion.
Patent Journey
From filing to expiry
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
32/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
0/20
Narrow claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$14K – $46K
Midpoint $29K · expired or expiring · industry ×1.6
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Pajeau, C. H. (1914). How TinkerToy's Original Wooden Construction Blocks Work (U.S. Patent No. 1,113,371). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/1113371/tinkertoy-pajeau
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How TinkerToy's Original Wooden Construction Blocks Work cover?
A 1914 patent for a modular toy system using wooden sticks and circular hubs with holes to build complex three-dimensional structures.
Who owns patent US 1113371?
Individual owns this patent, granted in 1914.
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 1113371 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 41 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent marks the origin of the TinkerToy brand, which became a staple of early 20th-century American childhood. It represents an early shift toward modular, open-ended play systems that encouraged engineering and spatial reasoning skills in children.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover plastic construction systems like LEGO which use interlocking studs.
Same assignee
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