United States Patent
`
`[19]
`
`Charman
`
`[11]
`
`3,905,133
`
`[451 Sept. 16, 1975
`
`[54]
`
`THREAD OR THE LIKE DESIGNS,
`DRAWINGS, PICTURES, PATTERNS AND
`CREATIONS
`Inventor:
`
`Phillip Charman, 4 Thirlmere Cres.,
`Normanby, Middlesbrough.
`Teesside, TS6 OEU, England
`
`Filed:
`
`Apr. 5, 1974
`
`Appl. No.: 458,120
`
`I30]
`
`[521
`I51]
`[53]
`
`[56]
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`Apr. 10, 1973 United Kingdom ............. .. 17199/73
`
`U.S. Cl ........................ ., .............. .. 35/27; 46/17
`Int. CL2.................................. .. A63H 33/08
`Field of Search ........ .. 35/26. 27, 28; 46/16, l7;
`l6l/7
`
`References Cited
`UNITED STATES PATENTS
`
`501,675
`2,994,154
`3394.489
`3,589,034
`
`Collins .................................. .. 35/28
`7/1893
`McCaz1.
`46/l6
`8/1961
`7/1968 Martin
`46/l6 X
`6/1971
`Beccham .............................. .. 35/26
`
`3,766,960
`
`10/1973 McLaughlin ...................... .. I61/7X
`
`1-’rimur_v Examiner—Harland S. Skogquist
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Wo1f, Greenfield & Sacks
`
`ABSTRACT
`[ 5 7 ]
`A kit for making a thread design or the like comprises
`a baseboard on which can be removably attached
`thread receiving strip members each having a spine
`from one face of which project a plurality of spaced
`apart pins each having one or more enlarged portions
`spaced from the spine to retain one or more loops of
`thread around the pins. The strips are preferably of
`moulded semi—rigid plastic material having formed in-
`tegral therewith the pins and also attachment means,
`for example plugs for fitting into selected ones of a
`plurality of holes in the board to give a choice of posi-
`tions defining a work area between the strips and
`thereby change the thread design. The strips may be
`flexed in the plane of the board or perpendicular
`thereto to take different configurations temporarily.
`The kit includes one or more batches of thread or the
`like of the same or different colours.
`
`3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures
`
`Tristar Ex. 1012, pg. 1
`
`

`
`»:w£ma:; sap 1 5 ggyg,
`
`3,905,133
`
`Tristar Ex. 1012, pg. 2
`
`

`
`1
`THREAD QRVTHE LIKEi.iD:ES1G;l\_lS, DRAWINGS,
`PICTURES, PAT_Ti§RNs AND c_nEA'rl_oNs
`
`This invention relates to what can be considered gen-
`erally to be “thread.designsT_’ __WI“l_lC__I’l‘. are created by
`‘looping thread to and fro between rows of pins usuailly
`carried ‘by a base board. These thread designs cangbe
`reset for educationaland/or recreational ‘purposes and
`are becoming quite popular. ,While the expression
`thread designs has'be'cn\ used; should be pointed out
`that it is not necessary that fibrous thread be used, in-
`stead filamentary material such as plastics material fila-
`ments can be used. The designs need not be two dimen-
`sional, but usuallyiare.
`’
`j _'
`"
`"
`'
`Furthermore, the designs may b‘e_’or be considered to
`be drawings, pictures. patterns and/or creations, but
`only the expression designs will be used to ‘cover all
`these descriptions in the interests of clarityf "
`The expression “thread designs” as_used in this speci-
`fication and the appended claims is intended to mean
`designs as described injthe pre'ceding’paragraphs.
`Conventionally, .two-dimensional thread designs are
`created by pushing plain headed steel pins into a base
`board so as to form two or more rows of such ‘pins. The
`thread is loopedbetween the pins, the headsjofthe pins
`retaining the l_oops'in position in order to ‘create the de-
`sign. The components nece_ssa_i"y to create the thread
`design are usually sol'd"in kit form.” '
`I
`"
`I
`A_ disadvantage of this known arrangement is that the
`pins have to i be pushed into the board individually
`which is very "time: consuming. Moreover,‘ ‘individual
`pins tend to become lost.’
`'
`'i
`-
`‘
`According to the invention there are provided thread
`receiving strip members adapted for use in the creation
`or thread designs, each said member being moulded in
`plastics material and having a spine from one side of
`which projects a plurality of ‘spaced apart and ‘substan-
`tially rigid rodsior pins each having an enlarged portion
`spaced from said spine and adapted to retain a thread
`looped therearound when the member is attached to-a
`base board.
`‘
`"
`i
`"
`The member mayhave integral meansiat the other
`side thereof to enable the member toibe attached to a
`base board. Such means may be oneor moreplugs to
`be push fitted into holes in the base board.
`The said rods or pins preferably are parallel and in
`one plane and the enlarged portion of each comprises
`a head at the outer extremity of the pin.
`The said member is preferably capable of being
`flexed at least to a limited extent to desired configura-
`tions. It will normally be straight.
`Also according to the invention, there is provided a
`kit for making a thread design which comprises a base
`board, and at least two thread receiving strip members
`or one strip member which can be divided into at least
`two strip members, each strip member having a spine
`from one side of which projects a plurality of spaced
`apart and substantially rigid rods or pins each having an
`enlarged portion spaced from said spine, and adapted
`to retain a thread looped therearound, said member
`being for connection to the base board so that thread
`may be looped around and between the pins thereof to
`create a thread design.
`The invention also provides a thread design compris-
`ing a base board and at least two thread receiving strip
`members attached to the base board, each of said strip
`members having a spine from one side of which
`
`3,.9;05,l33
`
`2
`
`projects a plurality‘ of spaced apart and substantially
`rigid rods or pins each having an enlarged portion
`spaced from said’_spineH’, and includingthread looped
`round and between said" rodsor pins to create the de-
`sign.
`4
`'
`‘
`’
`The strip member or rnembers preferably is‘or are
`moulded in synthet_ic_plas_tics material.
`‘
`The strip member or members is ‘or are preferably
`provided with integral plugs to the other side thereof
`and the base board" has holes in which such plugs are
`i a friction fit to provide for theeasy connection and re-
`mosval of the strip or strips to andfrom the base board.
`The base board preferably has aplurality of said holes
`enabling the position or positions of the strip or strips
`to bejselectively changed for changing of the thread de-
`sign,
`.
`_
`F"
`‘
`The._thread_may be included in the kit and may com-
`.‘ prise a plurality of batches of different colours.
`An embodiment of the present invention will now be
`described by way_ of example.‘with reference to the ac-
`companying drawing wherein:
`» FIG. 1 is a plan view of a thread design created using
`strips and a kit according to the invention; and
`FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation illustrating how a strip
`is connected to the base board in the design of FIG. 1.
`In FIG. 1 _th'ere_.is shown in plan view a thread design
`constructed using strips and a kit according to the pres-
`ent invention. The design basically is constructed using
`three similar strips 2 arranged in a generally triangular
`configuration, to define the work area. The three strips
`may be consideredjas referenced A, B and C in order
`round the triangular configuration and as will be seen
`the adjacent ends of str_ips.A and C are spacedslightly
`._wider than the adjacent ends‘ of A and B and B and C.
`The strips 2 are firmly mounted on a baseboard 1
`-which in this example is of square configuration.'Each
`of the strips 2 is mounted on the base board in the man-
`ner shown in FIG. 2 insofaras two circular plugs 5 to
`one side of the spine of the strip 2 are engaged in suit-
`ably -dimensionedholes 6 injthe base board 1. In fact
`plugs 5 are a friction fit in holes 6 so that the strip will
`be held firmly but can be removedmanually. The board
`1 is shown as having two holes 6 for the respective
`plugs 5 of the strips shown and indeed there is a similar
`arrangement for each of the strips A, B and C, but the
`board 1 could have a multiplicity of said holes to permit
`easier repositioning of the strips depending upon the
`thread design to be constructed.
`To the other side of the spine of each strip 2 from
`plugs 5 there are spaced parallel pins or rods 4 which
`are moulded integrally with the spine and the plugs 5
`of the strip 2 and each rod 4 has an enlarged portion
`in the form of an enlarged head 4A at the outer extrem-
`ity thereof. These enlargements are to catch thread
`loops looped over the pins 4 in the construction of the
`design illustrated in FIG. 1.
`The kit may be provided with suitable instructions for
`the formation of predetermined designs. For example,
`if the pins 4 are considered to be A1, A2, A3. . .AlS,
`B1, B2, B3.
`. B15, and C1, C2, C3.
`. .Cl5 for the
`threading pattern then the pattern shown in FIG. 1 can
`be made by threading A1, B1, C1, A2, B2, C2 and so
`on. Of course other patterns will have other sequences.
`The strips 2 are one—piece mouldings and may when
`supplied in kit form be separate or be joined end to end
`ready for splitting into smaller lengths. The lengths of
`the strips used in constructing any particular design
`
`Tristar Ex. 1012, pg. 3
`
`

`
`3,905,133
`
`3
`need not be equal and furthermore the strips or some
`of them may be of curved configuration. If the plastics
`material is sufficiently flexible then the individual strips
`can be curved to desired configurations and held thus
`when applied to the board, but the pins or rods will be
`substantially rigid.
`.
`The heads 4A to the pins 4 preferably are mushroom
`shape in order to provide positive resistance to the slip-
`ping of thread loops over such heads 4A but other head
`configurations may be used.
`Preferably the strip members are made in moulded
`plastics material for utility of production and economy
`of production, but they may be formed in other materi-
`als such as metal castings.
`The thread design shown as having been formed in
`FIG. 1 is a two-dimensional design. By suitably shaping
`the strip members or suitably bending the strip mem-
`bers or providing a three-dimensional base three-
`dimensional designs can be produced. Furthermore
`strips can be arranged vertically in some cases.
`In an alternative arrangement separable clips may be
`used for attaching the strips to the base board, such
`clips being adapted to wrap round the strip spine and
`plug into the holes in the base board in a manner simi-
`lar to the plugs 5. Other methods of attachment of the
`strips to the base board may be used. For example, such
`strips may be adhered to the base board, or pinned to
`the base board by pins passing through holes in the
`spine.
`The strip connected to the base board may be pro-
`vided with more than two connecting devices such as
`the clips or plugs S which are engaged in appropriate
`holes in the base. The number of such connections with
`the base for each strip will depend upon the strip
`length.
`l
`The size of the base board will depend upon the
`thread design to be created thereon.
`Each of the pins of the strips may be provided with
`more than one enlargement, and such enlargements
`would be opened lengthwise of the pin. This enables
`the design to be built up in layers one above the other,
`for improved effects. Furthermore the strip may be
`provided with two or more rows of pins lying at a con-
`struction which may be suitable for the creation of
`three-dimensional designs.
`
`40
`
`4
`The distances between pins of any strip member need
`not be equal as shown in the drawings, but usually will
`be.
`What we claim is:
`1. A kit for making a variety of thread designs, the kit
`comprising
`1 a base board having a multiplicity of plug receiving
`holes therein,
`2 a plurality of thread receiving strip members. each
`strip member comprising
`i a resilient spine
`ii a plurality of spaced apart and substantially rigid
`thread receiving pin members attached to and
`protruding from one face of the spine, each pin
`member having a shank upon which is at least
`one enlarged portion spaced from the face of the
`spine for retaining in position a thread looped
`around the pin, and
`iii the opposite face of said spine having a set of
`strip locating plugs projecting therefrom in the
`direction opposite to said pin members, the strip
`locating plugs being adapted to be inserted into
`selected holes in the base board whereby a
`choice of different positions and relative dispo~
`sitions for the plurality of strip members is pro»
`vided which define a work area across which the
`threads extend when looped around and between
`the pin members to form a thread design. and the
`spline being adapted to flex at least in the plane
`of the board when plugged into the board.
`2. A kit according to claim 1 for making a variety of
`thread designs, wherein
`said thread receiving strip members and their pro-
`truding pin members are integrally molded from a
`material which permits the strip members to flex
`under thread tension whereby the strip members
`can be caused to assume different configurations
`by thread tension on the protruding pin members.
`3. A kit according to claim 1 for making a variety of
`thread designs, wherein the kit further includes
`3. a batch of thread for looping around and between
`the pin members and across the work area to form
`a thread design.*
`*
`
`Tristar Ex. 1012, pg. 4