U.S. patent application number 13/490914 was filed with the patent office on 2013-12-12 for game board and method.
The applicant listed for this patent is Vivian B. Goldblatt. Invention is credited to Vivian B. Goldblatt.
Application Number | 20130328266 13/490914 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49714647 |
Filed Date | 2013-12-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130328266 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Goldblatt; Vivian B. |
December 12, 2013 |
GAME BOARD AND METHOD
Abstract
Removal of game pieces or tiles from the recesses of a game
board surface having a raised grid to prevent sliding of the game
pieces on the board is facilitated by providing, in one embodiment,
pivotably mounted full boards or portions of boards which are
rotated on their pivots to deposit the game pieces in a receptacle
forming the frame for the structure. Another embodiment provides a
grid with a slot under it for receiving a smooth-surfaced marked
game board surface under the grid. The game board can be pulled out
from under the grid to let game pieces fall down into a
receptacle.
Inventors: |
Goldblatt; Vivian B.;
(Paramus, NJ) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Goldblatt; Vivian B. |
Paramus |
NJ |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
49714647 |
Appl. No.: |
13/490914 |
Filed: |
June 7, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/272 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 2003/00223
20130101; A63F 2003/00943 20130101; A63F 2003/00287 20130101; A63F
2003/00258 20130101; A63F 3/0023 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
273/272 |
International
Class: |
A63F 3/00 20060101
A63F003/00 |
Claims
1. (canceled)
2. (canceled)
3. (canceled)
4. (canceled)
5. (canceled)
6. (canceled)
7. A game board structure, said structure including a. a frame for
supporting a loose game board, said frame having a bottom wall and
at least one side wall joined to said bottom wall forming a support
for said game board and forming a receptacle beneath the location
of said board b. said game board having markings defining multiple
game piece locations on said game board, c. a pivotable support
structure for pivotably supporting said loose board in said frame,
d. said pivotable support structure including at least one pivot
member extending at each of two opposite sides of said board at a
location spaced inwardly from one side edge of said board and
pivotably supporting said board on said frame, whereby said board
can be pivoted to tilt said board to dislodge said game pieces
therefrom and cause said game pieces to fall into said
receptacle.
8. A game board as in claim 7 in which said game board structure
includes a retainer structure for holding each game piece against
sideways movement at each of said locations, and in which said
pivotable support structure is located adjacent one end of said
board, said end being transverse to said opposite sides, and said
pivotable support structure includes open grooves in one of the
upper edge of said side wall of said frame and said board for
receiving said at least one pivot member to rotate in said grooves
and to permit said board to be lifted free from said frame, said
frame having a ledge onto which the end of said board opposite said
one end fits when said board rests horizontally in said frame.
9. A game board as in claim 7 in which said game board has two
separate portions which fit together and are supported edge-to-edge
at a joint with one another by a pair of said pivotable support
structures, one pair for each of said portions, whereby each
portion can be tilted about its pivot separately to deposit game
pieces into said receptacle.
10. A game board as in claim 9 in which each of said pairs of
pivotable support structures is located at a position selected from
the group consisting of (a) adjacent said joint near the center of
said frame, and (b) adjacent a wall of said receptacle remote from
said joint, and said receptacle walls have supports for said board
portions and ends of said board portions opposite said pivot rest
on said supports.
11. A game board as in claim 7 in which said receptacle has an exit
port in one sidewall for allowing egress of said game pieces from
said receptacle.
12. A game board structure comprising a frame, a grid mounted on
said frame and having a plurality of holes, each having side
barriers for impeding sideways movement of game pieces mounted in
said holes on a game board mounted underneath said grid, a slot
beneath said grid, said slot being sized and positioned to receive
a game board slide and guide said slide to move underneath and in
close proximity to the underside of said grid, a game board slide
having printed thereon a plurality of game indicia, each being
sized and positioned to register with one of said holes in said
grid, said frame having a bottom wall and at least one side wall
extending upwardly therefrom, forming a receptacle under said game
board slide, and said game board slide being slidable out from
under said grid to allow game pieces on said board to fall down
through said hales and into said receptacle when said board is slid
out from under said grid.
13. A game board as in claim 12 in which said receptacle has four
side walls and a bottom wall, and an exit opening in one of said
side walls shaped and sized to allow game pieces to flow out of
said receptacle.
14. A game board as in claim 13 in which said bottom wall has
downwardly-sloping sections forming a trough for feeding said game
pieces towards said exit opening.
15. A game board as in claim 13 in which said exit opening is sized
to stay within the boundaries of an inlet to a game piece container
selected from the group consisting of a cup and a bag.
16. A game board as in claim 7 in which said game board and said
receptacle are rectilinear and said receptacle has a bottom wall
and a plurality of side walls secured to and extending upwardly
from said bottom wall, and said pivot members are located between
the center of said game board and one of said side walls.
17. A game board as in claim 16 including a pair of open grooves
into each of which one of said pivot members extends, said pivot
members being removable upwardly from said grooves.
18. A game board as in claim 17 in which said markings on said game
board define square game piece locations, and including a grid of
raised barriers around each of said squares to releasably retain a
game piece.
19. A game board as in claim 16 in which said game board fits into
said enclosure when mounted therein for play, one of said side
walls having a recessed upper edge for supporting an edge of said
game board opposite said one of side side walls.
20. A game board structure comprising a. a frame for removably
supporting a game board, b. said game board having markings thereon
defining a plurality of game piece locations, c. said frame having
a bottom wall and at least one side wall extending upwardly from
said bottom wall to form a receptacle, d. said at least one side
wall forming a support adjacent the upper edge thereof for
supporting a loose game board resting thereon, e. said receptacle
having an outlet opening adjacent said bottom wall and said side
wall of a size for allowing game pieces in said receptacle to be
poured out of said receptacle into an external container.
21. A game board structure as in claim 20 in which said frame has a
plurality of side walls extending upwardly from said bottom wall,
said outlet opening being formed at said bottom wall and at an
adjacent side wall so that said side wall serves as a guide to
guide said game pieces through said outlet opening.
22. A game board structure as in claim 20 in which said game board
has a retainer grid secured to and extending outwardly from the
surface of said board and forming a barrier around each of said
game piece locations to impede sideways movement of said game
pieces on said game board.
23. A game board structure as in claim 20 in which said game board
and said receptacle are rectilinear with four said side walls, and
said game board is dimensioned to fit into said receptacle when
horizontal, and said support being positioned to support said board
in said receptacle near the upper edges of said side walls.
24. A game board structure as in claim 20 including a turntable
secured to the outside of said bottom wall to rotatably support
said frame on a horizontal surface.
Description
[0001] This invention relates to game boards, and to methods of
using them. More particularly, this invention relates to game
boards in which, during play, game pieces or "tiles" are positioned
at various locations on the game board by multiple players, such as
in "Scrabble,".TM. Chess, Checkers, Bingo, etc.
[0002] In the popular game of "Scrabble" and other games using
multiple tiles or game pieces positioned on a game board, the
players greatly desire to prevent the game pieces from moving
around after being positioned. For example, it is greatly desired
to prevent the game pieces from moving when the board or the game
pieces are accidentally hit by a player. To alleviate this problem,
a game board with ridges separating adjacent squares from one
another has been used successfully.
[0003] Some game boards are sold combined with turntables or
equivalent devices on which to rotate the game board easily to
bring the board in proper alignment with each of several players. A
game which combines these features is known as "Deluxe
Scrabble."
[0004] A problem with such game boards is that it is difficult to
remove the game pieces from the board after a game has been
finished in order to prepare for another game or to put the game
away. Because of the ridges enclosing each of the squares, the
tiles do not easily fall off when the board is tilted, with the
result that often the game pieces must be removed one-at-a-time by
hand. This is time consuming and annoying to the players. Various
attempts have been made to solve this problem in the past, with
varying but mostly moderate degrees of success.
[0005] For example, two-part game boards hinged in the middle have
been provided to enable folding of the halves of the game board
towards one another. This somewhat facilitates removal of the
tiles. However, it is still relatively slow and cumbersome to
gather the tiles from one game to ready the board for another game,
or to put the game away.
[0006] Even with smooth-surfaced game boards, it often is
cumbersome and slow to remove the game pieces and deposit them
neatly into a receptacle for reuse or storage.
[0007] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a game board and a method of using it which solve or
greatly alleviate the foregoing problems.
[0008] In particular, it is an object of the invention to provide a
game board in which game pieces or tiles can be removed from the
game board surfaces relatively quickly and easily so as to increase
the pleasure and decrease the annoyance of removing the tiles and
depositing them in receptacles.
[0009] It is a further object of the invention to provide such a
product and method which are relatively inexpensive to manufacture,
simple to use, and attractive to see.
[0010] In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention,
the game piece removal problem has been alleviated by the provision
of a flexible game board which can be removed from a frame in which
it is mounted, or it can be used separately as a stand-alone game
board, with relative ease in removing the game pieces from the
board.
[0011] The board preferably is made flexible in the manner of
flexible plastic cutting boards for the kitchen. In use, at the end
of the game, the board is removed from its frame or picked up from
a flat playing surface, it is bent by hand to form a kind of
funnel, and then the funnel-shaped board is tipped towards a game
piece container, such as a bag or cup, and the tiles are deposited
in the bag or cup by the use of gravity. Then, when the board is
released, it automatically returns to a flat shape and it is again
ready for use, either alone, or by mounting it in a frame, with or
without a turntable or the like under it.
[0012] Alternatively, the game board can have a smooth surface
instead of one having raised ridges. Its flexibility makes it
useful for forming a funnel shape which will assist in quickly
removing the game pieces from the board and, if desired, guiding
them towards a receptacle.
[0013] In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the
game piece removal problem is alleviated by the provision of a
stiff game board with a raised grid, and with a pivot mechanism to
mount it in a frame. When the game is finished, the game board is
pivoted on its pivot points and the game pieces slide under the
force of gravity downwardly into a receptacle. Preferably, the
receptacle forms part of the frame and has an exit slot or opening
which allows the game pieces to exit the receptacle in a restricted
area to guide the tiles into the mouth of a bag or other
container.
[0014] Preferably, the pivot mounting of the game board in the
frame is made easily disassemblable, so that the game board, if
desired or needed, can be removed completely from the frame to a
vertical or upside down position to better and more quickly remove
the game pieces.
[0015] It also is a feature of the invention to provide a
funnel-shaped bottom surface for the receptacle so as to funnel the
game pieces towards the exit opening from the receptacle, again to
speed and ease the exit of the game pieces from the receptacle.
[0016] In accordance with a third embodiment of the invention, the
game board with raised grid is formed from two portions, which are
mounted on a frame, on a pair of pivot axes. The axes are located
so that the two halves can be tipped to deposit game pieces towards
the center or the edges of the receptacle to quickly and easily
remove the game pieces from the board. Again, it is preferred that
the pivot structure allows each of the board halves to be removed
from the receptacle completely. An exit opening from the receptacle
and a funnel-shaped bottom also are preferred features of this
embodiment.
[0017] In the pivotable embodiments, it is preferred to make the
distance from each pivot axis slightly less than the depth of the
receptacle, at least if the pivots are secured to the frame.
[0018] Alternatively, the surfaces of the pivotal board or boards
in the foregoing pivoted board embodiments can be smooth, thus
taking advantage of the pivoted structures to facilitate removal of
the game pieces.
[0019] In a fourth embodiment, a plastic grid is secured on a frame
having a receptacle beneath it. A horizontal slot is located in the
frame at a position just below the grid. A smooth-surface slideable
game board surface member can be slid into and out of the slot to
be positioned in close proximity to the grid directly above it. The
printed matter on the surface corresponds to the game being played,
and the grid lines are aligned with the areas beneath them on the
board.
[0020] When the game is played, the game pieces or tiles fit into
the grid holes and come to rest on the surface of the game board
below it. When the game is finished, the game pieces are removed
quickly and easily simply by pulling the board out from under the
grid so that the game pieces fall through the grid and into the
receptacle below.
[0021] As in other embodiments of the invention described above, a
funnel-shaped bottom structure and an exit outlet cooperating with
that structure are used to deliver the accumulated tiles from the
receptacle into a bag or other container.
[0022] Further features and advantages of the invention will be set
forth in or apparent from the following description and drawings.
In the drawings:
[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partially schematic of a first
embodiment of the invention;
[0024] FIG. 2 is a perspective, partially schematic view of a
portion of the structure shown in FIG. 1, bent into a funnel shape
to remove game pieces from the flexible board;
[0025] FIG. 3 is an enlarged detailed view of a portion of the
structure shown in FIG. 1;
[0026] FIG. 4 is perspective view of another embodiment of the
invention;
[0027] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view take along line 5-5 of FIG.
4 and schematically illustrating other features of the
invention;
[0028] FIG. 6 is an enlarged, broken-away detail of some of the
structures shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings;
[0029] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the
invention;
[0030] FIG. 8 is a partially schematic cross-sectional view, taken
along line 8-8 of FIG. 7;
[0031] FIG. 8A is a view like FIG. 8 showing another embodiment of
the invention;
[0032] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the
invention;
[0033] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10-10 of
FIG. 9;
[0034] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view, similar to that of FIG.
10, but showing the game board structure in a different form while
it is in use to remove game pieces from the board;
[0035] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 12-12 of
FIG. 9;
[0036] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing schematically the
construction of the funnel-shaped bottom of the receptacle of the
device shown in previous figures of the drawings.
[0037] FIG. 1 shows a game board structure 20 which includes a
frame 22 with sloping sides, a game board 24 mounted in the frame,
and a turntable underneath, indicated in dash lines at 26. Also, a
plastic understructure securing the frame 22 to the turn table 26
is provided but is not shown, for the sake of simplicity of the
drawings.
[0038] In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the game
board 24 is made of flexible, resilient, plastic material like that
used to make flexible kitchen cutting boards, so that the board 24,
when removed from the frame 22, can be bent into a generally
U-shaped structure as shown in FIG. 2, and will snap back to a flat
shape when released.
[0039] When a game such as "Scrabble" is finished, and it is
desired to remove the game pieces from the raised grid on the
surface of the board 24, it is bent as shown in FIG. 2 into a
generally funnel shape and then tipped to deposit the tiles by
gravity into a bag or other container 28. The loose tiles falling
into the container are indicated at 30.
[0040] When the hand pressure applied to the board 24 to bend it as
shown in FIG. 2 is released, it returns to a flat condition. It is
returned to a recess in the surface of the frame where it rests on
ledges 34, 36, etc. (FIG. 3) and fits in a space 33 underneath each
of four corner pieces 32.
[0041] Because it is flexible, the board can be bent upwardly in
the middle to shorten it in one dimension so as to easily fit the
corners under the corner pieces 32.
[0042] Alternatively, rotatable latch members can be positioned at
the corners to engage the corners of the board 25 to hold them into
the frame, and to ensure that the board remains flat during play.
If desired, the understnicture for the board frame can have one or
more vertical support members to hold the board up in its center
(and elsewhere, if needed) to prevent sagging.
[0043] Although FIG. 1 shows the board 24 mounted on the frame, it
should be understood that it is perfectly usable as a stand-alone
game board resting flat on a supporting surface.
[0044] The structure is advantageous in that it has the highly
desirable feature of holding the game pieces during play, but
making the game pieces relatively easy to remove when the game is
finished.
[0045] Although the board preferably has a raised grid on its
surface, it also can have a smooth surface and the board can be
easier to remove the game pieces from due to the flexibility and
resiliency of the board to enable it to be formed into a funnel
shape to guide game pieces into a receptacle 28.
[0046] FIG. 4 shows another embodiment 40 of the invention in which
a stiff plastic game board 44 with a raised grid surface is mounted
in a frame which is formed by a receptacle 42. The receptacle has
four side walls 46, 48, 50 and 52, and a bottom wall 49.
[0047] The board 44 has two pins or projections 54 extending from
opposite side edges of the board 44. These projections or pins fit
into grooves or notches 56 in the opposite side walls 46 and 52 of
the receptacle which serves as a frame. A finger notch 53 is
provided in the rear wall 48 of the receptacle to allow easy access
to lift the board, and a ledge 60 extends outwardly from the inside
surface of the wall 48 and provides a recess into which the board
44 fits when it is horizontal. In its horizontal position, the
board is supported by the ledge 60 and the pins 54 resting on the
bottoms of the notches 56.
[0048] An exit slot 58 is provided in the side wall 46 at a
position close to the bottom wall 49 and the right side wall 50.
The width of the slot 58 is determined by the width of the opening
to the container to be used to hold the tiles when they are not in
use. In this way, the receptacle can be tipped towards the
container to allow the tiles to slide out into the container. By
tipping the board 44 up to the angle shown in FIG. 4, the game
pieces will slide off and downwardly into the receptacle below.
[0049] Preferably, the notches 56 are open at the top so that the
pins 54 are not held in them. Thus, the game board 44 can be
removed entirely from the frame and held upright at a vertical
angle to the bottom of the receptacle, or even can be tipped upside
down, to facilitate removal of the game pieces.
[0050] As it is shown in FIG. 5, a turntable 62 is positioned under
and secured to the bottom wall 49. Alternatively, rollers or wheels
can be used instead of a turn table, as will be described in
further embodiments below.
[0051] FIG. 7 shows another game board structure 70 which is
similar to that shown in FIGS. 4 through 6. However, the game board
is divided into two portions, 72 and 74. Each portion has a pair of
pins 80, 82, 70, or 76 which fit into grooves, like the grooves 56
shown in FIGS. 4 and 6. The side edges at the center of the
structure form a joint 84. The two portions of the board fit
closely together to keep the gap 84 small. The two boards swing
downwardly into the receptacle below, as shown in FIG. 8, to remove
tiles.
[0052] The bottom structure of the receptacle shown in FIGS. 7 and
8 is different from that shown in FIGS. 4-6. A pair of sloping wall
members 86 and 88 form a funnel-shaped bottom structure so as to
funnel the game pieces towards the area 94 shown in FIG. 8 when
they fall from the two board halves.
[0053] The two board portions 72 and 74 preferably are swung
downwardly, in the directions of arrows 90 and 92 towards the
center of the receptacle 42. Referring to FIG. 7, the slot 96 is
provided to dispense the game pieces into a bag or other
container.
[0054] As in the embodiment of FIGS. 4 through 6, each of the
portions 72 and 74 of the game board with a raised grids can be
lifted completely free of the receptacle so as to more quickly and
easily dislodge the game pieces from the board.
[0055] The embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 has the advantage that
both of the board portions tip downwardly towards the center of the
receptacle so that it is unlikely that any of the tiles or game
pieces will miss the receptacle and scatter.
[0056] A further advantage of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8
is that it is believed that the manufacturing costs can be lower
due to the reduction of molding costs.
[0057] FIG. 8A shows an embodiment like that of FIGS. 7 and 8, but
in which the pivot pins 71 and 69 of the boards 73 and 75 are
located closer to the side-walls 48 and 50, than to the center of
the receptacle 42. A centrally-located stop member 77 is mounded on
the inside surface of the two side walls 52 and 46 (only wall 52 is
shown in FIG. 8A) to support the centrally-located edges 79 and 81
of the boards 73 and 75 closely adjacent to one another.
[0058] The boards 73 and 75 can be tilted to the position shown in
FIG. 8A by pushing downwardly on the board portions between the
pivot points and the left and right side walls 48 and 50 as shown
by the arrows 83 and 85.
[0059] As in the embodiments of FIGS. 4-8, the boards 73 and 75
preferably can be lifted free of the receptacle 42 because the
pivot projections fit into shallow notches or grooves in the side
walls 52 and 46.
[0060] A game piece exit slot 58 is provided, as in the FIGS. 4-6
embodiment.
[0061] As with the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-3, the pivoted
boards 44, 72, 74, 73 and 75 preferably have raised grids on their
surfaces, but alternatively have smooth surfaces, to facilitate
removal and guidance of game pieces into an external cup, bag or
other container.
[0062] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another embodiment 100 of
the invention. Like the embodiments shown in FIGS. 4-8, a
receptacle 42 is provided, and the reference numerals used in FIGS.
4-6 and 7-8 also have been used in FIGS. 9 through 13.
[0063] Mounted on the top of the frame formed by the receptacle 42
is a plastic grid 102, preferably transparent, that is used as a
replacement for the built-in grids on the boards of the
previously-described embodiments. Formed in the side wall 50 of the
receptacle 42 is a slot which contains a smooth-surfaced game board
104 with printed indicia suitable for the game being played. For
example, if the game is "Scrabble," the pattern of squares on board
104 corresponds to that for a Scrabble game. The lines of the grid
102 are aligned with the lines between the squares on the board
104.
[0064] When the game is played, the game pieces are put into the
grid openings and rest on the surface of the board 104.
[0065] When it is desired to remove the game pieces or tiles from
the board 102, one simply pulls on a tab 106 extending outwardly
from the right edge of the board 104 and pulls it to a position
such as that shown in FIG. 11. When the board 104 is thus out of
the way, all of the tiles 118 fall downwardly through the open grid
mesh 102 and fall to the bottom of the receptacle.
[0066] FIG. 10 shows a conventional turntable 62 secured to the
bottom wall 49 of the receptacle to enable the game board to be
turned to facilitate access by multiple players at a table.
[0067] FIG. 11 shows an alternative rotatable mounting scheme in
which wheels 114 are mounted on the bottom wall 49 and extend a
very small distance below the bottom surface of the wall 49 and
roll on a horizontal surface on which the game board is played, and
thus facilitate rotation of the game board.
[0068] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 12-12 in
FIG. 9 and shows one groove 112 of a pair of grooves in the
sidewalls of the receptacle in which the game board member 104
slides. FIG. 11 shows a notch 113 in the rear wall 48 which
accommodates the rear edge of the board 104 to seat it properly and
maintain proper alignment of the board 104 with the grid 102.
[0069] FIG. 13 is a perspective of the bottom panels 88 and 86
forming the funnel-shaped delivery system which facilitates
delivery of the game pieces out of the outlet 96 (see FIG. 9) into
a container such as a bag 110.
[0070] It should be understood that a post or other vertical
support can be located in or near the center of the bottom wall 49
to support the board and press it upwardly against the grid and
thus keep the board from sagging.
[0071] It also should be understood that the nature of the game can
be changed, say, from Scrabble to bingo or checkers simply by
substituting another pre-printed panel for the panel 104 and
sliding the new panel into place under the grid.
[0072] It is preferred that the embodiments shown described above
be fabricated as much as possible by plastic molding. The
techniques and materials for doing this are well-known and will not
be described in detail here.
[0073] Variations in the embodiments disclosed can be made, within
the scope of the invention.
[0074] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, preferably the distance from the
pivot axis through the pins 54 to the right edge 55 of the game
board is slightly less than the depth D (FIG. 5) of the receptacle,
especially if the pins 54 are fitted into holes closed at the top
to secure the board 44 to the frame rather than just resting in the
notches 56. This will insure that the board 44 can be rotated to a
vertical position or beyond without hitting the bottom of the
receptacle.
[0075] Similarly, referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, it is preferred that
each of the distances between the pivot axis 80-82 and the joint
84, and between the pivot axis 70-76 and the joint 84 for the game
board portions 72, 74 be less than the depth of the receptacle, for
the same purpose.
[0076] Of course, these distances can be longer, if notches are
used to receive the pins with the FIGS. 4-6 and 7-8 embodiments, so
that the boards can be lifted free of the frame.
[0077] In addition, if the game boards are mounted on pins resting
in notches, other games can be played using the same frame and
receptacle, simply by changing the game board to one for a
different game.
[0078] Another variation of the FIGS. 1-3 embodiment is to use a
wide receptacle 42 under the board 24, and bending the board to
guide the game pieces into the receptacle. This provides a larger
receptacle which is hard for the game pieces to miss when they are
dislodged from the board.
[0079] Although the invention has thus been shown and described
with reference to specific embodiments, it should be noted that the
invention is in no way limited to the details of the described
arrangements but changes and modifications may be made without
departing from the scope of the invention which is defined by the
appended claims.
* * * * *