Magnetic edifice construction toy

Abstract

This invention relates to a construction toy for building an edifice by utilizing magnetic coupling between a superstructure and the sidewall panels and roof members to form the exterior surface of the edifice. The superstructure is formed by a plurality a horizontal frame members and vertical frame members coupled to each other by two, three, four, five, and six-way couplings. Each horizontal frame member carries intermediate its ends, a magnetizable member. Each sidewall panel carries a magnet adjacent an upper or lower edge for magnetically coupling with the magnetizable member. The roof members consist of planar panels, outside and inside corner members, truncated prism members, regular pyramid shaped members, and comparable shapes to form the exterior surface of the roof. Each of the roof members is so dimensioned and proportioned to permit a magnet to be carried by an interior surface for magnetically coupling with a magnetizable member to form at least a part of the roof.

1 . A toy edifice structure having a superstructure, sidewalls, and a roof, comprising:
 a) a plurality of frame members where each said frame member has a longitudinal axis and a first end and second end;   b) a magnetizable member carried by each of a multiplicity of said plurality of frame members intermediate said first and second ends;   c) said superstructure comprising a plurality of coupling joints for captively holding a first end or a second end of each said frame member;   d) said sidewall comprising a plurality of planar panel members having an upper edge and a lower edge and having an exterior surface and an interior surface and having a parallelogram shape, each said planar panel members further having a magnet so disposed on said interior surface to permit magnetic coupling of said planar panel member with at least one of said magnetizable members   e) said roof comprising a roof corner member having an oblique pyramid shape formed by the intersection of two lateral faces at a dihedral angle of substantially ninety degrees, each said lateral face having an exterior surface and an interior surface and a base of substantially the same length as said upper edge of said planar panel member, and a lateral magnet carried by each said interior surface where said lateral magnet is so disposed on said interior surface to permit said interior surface to magnetically couple with at least one of said frame members.   
   
   
       2 . The toy edifice structure recited in  claim 1  where said multiplicity of said plurality of frame members are horizontal frame members. 
   
   
       3 . The toy edifice structure recited in  claim 1  where said plurality of frame members comprise horizontal frame members and vertical frame members where each said horizontal frame member carries a said magnetizable member. 
   
   
       4 . The toy edifice structure recited in  claim 1  where said roof further comprises an inside corner roof member, said inside corner roof member comprising two intersecting planar elements having exterior and interior surfaces forming an oblique pyramid shape, said planar elements further having bases of like dimension and a lateral edge formed by the intersection of said planar elements, said inside corner roof member further comprising a magnet carried on said interior surface adjacent said base. 
   
   
       5 . The toy edifice recited in  claim 1  where said roof further comprises a roof peak panel member comprising two intersecting planar panel elements where said intersection forms the peak of said roof peak panel, said planar panel elements further having an exterior surface and an interior surface where each said planar panel element has a bottom edge substantially parallel to said intersection, and further comprising a magnet carried by said interior surface adjacent said bottom edge. 
   
   
       6 . The toy edifice recited in  claim 1  where said roof further comprises a cornice roof panel member comprising three intersecting planar panel elements forming a truncated right triangular prism shape having a peak lateral edge and a pair of opposing lateral edges where said opposing lateral edges are of substantially the same length, said planar panel elements having interior surfaces and a magnet carried by said interior surface for magnetically coupling with said magnetizable member. 
   
   
       7 . The toy edifice recited in  claim 1  where said roof further comprises a pyramid roof member comprising four intersecting planar panel elements, said intersecting planar panel elements forming a regular pyramid shape where the lateral dimension of each base segment of said pyramid is substantially of equal length, said pyramid roof member having an interior surface and a magnet carried by said interior surface for magnetically coupling with said magnetizable member. 
   
   
       8 . The toy edifice recited in  claim 1  further comprising roof panel means for magnetically coupling with said magnetizable member and forming at least a part of said roof. 
   
   
       9 . In combination, construction elements for building a toy edifice structure having a superstructure, sidewalls, and a roof, comprising:
 a) a plurality of frame members where each said frame member has a longitudinal axis and a first and second end;   b) a magnetizable member carried by at least a multiplicity of said frame members intermediate said first and second ends;   c) a plurality of coupling joints for directionally connecting said frame members to form said superstructure;   d) a plurality of planar panel members having an upper edge and a lower edge, each said planar panel member having a parallelogram shape;   e) a plurality of magnets so carried by each of said planar panel members to permit magnetic coupling of said planar panel member with at least one of said frame members to from at least a part of said sidewall;   f) a roof corner member having an oblique pyramid shape comprised of two intersecting lateral faces where the base of each said lateral face has substantially the same dimension as said upper edge of said planar panel member; and   g) a lateral magnet carried by one of said lateral faces adjacent said base for magnetically coupling with at least one of said frame members to form at least a part of said roof.   
   
   
       10 . The combination recited in  claim 9  where said roof further comprises an inside corner roof member, said inside corner roof member comprising two intersecting planar elements having exterior and interior surfaces forming an oblique pyramid shape, said planar elements further having bases of like dimension and a lateral edge formed by the intersection of said planar elements, said inside corner roof member further comprising a magnet carried on said interior surface adjacent said base. 
   
   
       11 . The combination recited in  claim 9  where said roof further comprises a roof peak panel member comprising two intersecting planar panel elements where said intersection forms the peak of said roof peak panel, said planar panel elements further having an exterior surface and an interior surface where each said planar panel element has a bottom edge substantially parallel to said intersection, and further comprising a magnet carried by said interior surface adjacent said bottom edge. 
   
   
       12 . The combination recited in  claim 9  where said roof further comprises a cornice roof panel member comprising three intersecting planar panel elements forming a truncated right triangular prism shape having a peak lateral edge and a pair of opposing lateral edges where said opposing lateral edges are of substantially the same length, said planar panel elements having interior surfaces and a magnet carried by said interior surface for magnetically coupling with said magnetizable member. 
   
   
       13 . The combination recited in  claim 9  where said roof further comprises a pyramid roof member comprising four intersecting planar panel elements, said intersecting planar panel elements forming a regular pyramid shape where the lateral dimension of each base segment of said pyramid is substantially of equal length, said pyramid roof member having an interior surface and a magnet carried by said interior surface for magnetically coupling with said magnetizable member. 
   
   
       14 . The combination recited in  claim 9  further comprising roof panel means for magnetically coupling with said magnetizable member so as to form at least a part of said roof. 
   
   
       15 . In combination:
 a) a superstructure comprising a plurality of frame members where each said frame member has a longitudinal axis and a first and second end, said frame member further having a magnetizable member carried intermediate said first and second ends, and a plurality of coupling means for captively receiving said first end or said second end of said frame member;   b) sidewall members for removable attachment to said superstructure comprising a plurality of planar panel members having an upper edge and a lower edge, an exterior surface and an interior surface where each of said planar panel members has a parallelogram shape; said sidewall member further comprising a magnet carried by each said planar panel adjacent said upper or lower edge and so adapted to said interior surface to permit said planar panel member to magnetically couple with said magnetizable member whereby said planar panel member may be removably mounted to said superstructure; and   c) a plurality of roof elements for removable attachment to said superstructure comprising a roof corner member having an oblique pyramid shape formed by two intersecting lateral faces, said lateral faces intersecting at a dihedral angle of substantially ninety degrees where each said lateral face has an exterior surface and an interior surface and a base of substantially the same length as said upper edge of said planar panel member, said roof corner member further comprising a lateral magnet so adapted to said interior surface to permit said lateral magnet to magnetically couple with said magnetizable member.   
   
   
       16 . The combination recited in  claim 15  further comprising roof panel means for magnetically coupling with said magnetizable member so as to form at least a part of said roof.