Erector Set is the trade name of a construction toy that was wildly popular in the United States during much of the 20th century. It is similar to Meccano, a slightly older British toy, and Märklin, a later, sturdier German version. All consist of collections of small metal beams with regular holes for nuts, bolts, screws, and other connectors that can be assembled into a variety of devices using pulleys, gears, and even small electric motors. The Erector beams differ from those in Meccano sets in that they have flanges, which make them more sturdy. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... Nikko Toys Meccano logo Meccano is model construction material: metal strips of various shapes, sizes and colours, perforated with equidistant holes at a standard half-inch (12. ... Märklin (or Maerklin) is a German toy company, founded in 1859. ... A nut is a type of hardware fastener with a threaded hole. ... Jump to: navigation, search Screws come in a variety of shapes and sizes for different purposes. ... A pulley is a wheel with a groove along its edge, for holding a rope or cable. ... Spur gears found on a piece of farm equipment. ... Jump to: navigation, search Electric motors of various sizes. ... Jump to: navigation, search A flange is an external or internal rib, or rim, for strength, as the flange of an iron beam; or for a guide, as the flange of a car wheel; or for attachment to another object, as the flange on the end of a pipe, steam...

The Erector Set was invented by A.C. Gilbert of Connecticut in 1913. It is said to have been the subject of the first national advertising campaign in America for a toy. Its great success made it part of American folk culture, although its popularity has faded in recent decades in the face of competition from such things as molded plastic construction toys and electronics. The A. C. Gilbert Company was an American toy company, once one of the largest toy companies in the world. ... Jump to: navigation, search State nickname: The Constitution State Other U.S. States Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport Governor M. Jodi Rell (R) Senators Chris Dodd (D) Joe Lieberman (D) Official languages English Area 14,371 km² (48th)  - Land 12,559 km²  - Water 1,809 km² (12. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1913 is a common year starting on Wednesday. ...

Dozens, perhaps hundreds, of different Erector Set kits have been made over the decades, most famously the "No. 12 1/2" deluxe kit that came with blueprints for the "Mysterious Walking Giant" robot.

An extensive collection of Erector sets, model trains, chemistry sets, radioactivity experimentation kits, microscopes, and other A. C. Gilbert Company scientific and educational children's toys is housed in the Eli Whitney Museum, in Hamden, Connecticut. This article needs cleanup. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1852 microscope Compound microscope made by John Cuff in 1750 A microscope (Greek: micron = small and scopos = aim) is an instrument for viewing objects that are too small to be seen by the naked or unaided eye. ... Eli Whitney Eli Whitney (December 8, 1765 - January 8, 1825) was an American inventor and manufacturer. ... Hamden is a town located in New Haven County, Connecticut. ...

External links

• Eli Whitney Museum Gilbert Project
• Fascinating facts about the invention of Erector Sets by A.C. Gilbert in 1913.
• official site

the memory remains