U.S. patent number 3,726,527 [Application Number 05/108,271] was granted by the patent office on 1973-04-10 for world transport game apparatus.
Invention is credited to Peter P. Schauffler.
United States Patent |
3,726,527 |
Schauffler |
April 10, 1973 |
WORLD TRANSPORT GAME APPARATUS
Abstract
Game apparatus including miniature models of air or sea
transports operated in world-wide service on great-circle tracks
between international airports or seaports on an inflated plastic
globe or a flat board as directed by a radar-screen-facsimile
spinner and random-order cards. Numbered patches are affixed to the
models, and distinctively colored patches are affixed to tables
indicating related facilities such as hangars acquired by each
player.
Inventors: |
Schauffler; Peter P.
(Philadelphia, PA) |
Family
ID: |
22321226 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/108,271 |
Filed: |
January 21, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/256;
273/141R; 273/241; 273/254; 273/282.3; 273/287 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F
3/00088 (20130101); A63F 3/00634 (20130101); A63F
2003/0444 (20130101); A63F 2009/0035 (20130101); A63F
3/00006 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63F
3/02 (20060101); A63F 3/00 (20060101); A63F
9/00 (20060101); A63F 3/04 (20060101); A63f
003/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;273/134 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Lowe; Delbert B.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A world transport game apparatus involving the acquisition and
operation of game equipment including air or sea transports,
related facilities including hangars or sea transport facilities,
and franchises, in accordance with various random-order
instructions and the player's business judgement, in such manner as
to maximize the player's cash balance --including, in
combination:
miniature models of air or sea transports of various types;
distinguishably colored means for guiding said transports in
movements along routes interconnecting various airports or seaports
disposed about a game field and storing said transports at said
airports or seaports;
means for randomly determining the nature and extent of movements
and related actions of said transports;
means for specifying the receipts and payments consequent to said
movements and related actions;
means for continuously maintaining for each player a current cash
balance reflecting said receipts and payments; and
distinguishable patches, to be affixed to said game equipment for
identifying each player's game equipment.
2. A work transport game apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which
the miniature transports consist of aircraft models fitted with
standards which permit them to be held in position on the game
field.
3. A work transport game apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which
the game field consists of an inflatable plastic sphere showing
various international airport locations and inter-connecting
great-circle air routes.
4. A world transport game apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which
the means for guiding said miniature transports in movements along
said routes consist of colored folded-flange plastic tracks fixed
to said game field.
5. A world transport game apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which
the means for continuously maintaining for each player a current
cash balance reflecting said receipts and payments consists of
decimally-interlocked digital counters, each having a drum with
digit positions, and means for manually introducing individual
settings for each drum.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The increasing public use of international air and sea
transportation indicates a potential widespread interest in games
based on this theme. This invention relates to such games, and more
particularly to a game in which air or sea transports and related
facilities and franchises are acquired and operated in world-wide
service, according to instructions derived from a spinner and cards
and values derived from tables. The essence of the game lies in the
use of each player's business judgement in a succession of choices
among various transport-related options with the objective of
maximizing his cash balance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This game can be played with model air or sea transports which
follow great-circle tracks between major international airports or
seaports on an inflated plastic globe or a flat world map. The
transport movements along these tracks and related actions at these
airports or seaports can be determined in part by chance through
the use of a radar-screen-facsimile spinner and messages in
random-order card decks. Each player, however, can exercise board
discretion and business judgement in acquiring, operating and
disposing of transports and related facilities, management
agreements and route certifications. The financial consequences of
all transport movements and related actions, combining these
factors of chance and player judgement, can be determined from
tables and registered on cash-balance counters; and the game can be
won by the player who either first achieves a stated cash balance
or has the greatest cash balance at any given moment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a more detailed understanding of the invention, reference is
made in the attached description to the drawings in which:
FIG. 1A displays in perspective the inflated plastic globe and
airport and air-route arrangement which can constitute the game
field;
FIGS. 1B, 1C and 1Ca display in front and side elevations the model
aircraft and ocean liners fitted into tracks on this globe;
FIGS. 2A and 2B display in plan and side elevation the console for
the radar-screen-facsimile spinner, card trays and cash-balance
counters;
FIGS. 3A and 3B display the aircraft and airport cost and revenue
factor tables;
FIG. 3C displays the airline current-fixed-cost work sheet; and
FIG. 3D displays the airline tape for aircraft, hangar, air route,
airport, counter, table and work sheet identification.
DESCRIPTION OF ONE EMBODIMENT
One possible game apparatus embodiment is described herewith,
simply as a specific example of the general world transport game
principle to which the claims relate.
To emphasize the global nature of the subject, the field for this
game can be a beach-ball-type inflatable plastic sphere 1 (FIG. 1A)
printed as a globe with translucent land and water colors. For
convenience in game operations, the globe axis can be vertical,
with the south pole fixed to a plastic base 2. (alternatively, the
field can be a flat world map printed on a folding rectangular
board.)
Several prominent international airport locations can be indicated
by rings 3 printed on the face of the globe (or map) -- together
with the airport name and three-letter international code
identification. The distance along the great-circle route between
all desired airport pairs can be printed at the halfway point; and
graduation marks can be provided for convenient distance blocks
(say 500 miles) on each route.
Translucent plastic tracks 4 (FIGS. 1A-C) in distinctive colors can
be fixed to the surface of the globe for all such routes -- with
folded-over flanges 5 which provide a slot 6 at the center of the
track.
Small plastic aircraft models 7 in the shape of current jet
transports can each be equipped with a nose wheel 8 which fits into
the track slot 6 and a T-shaped main landing gear 9 which fits
under the folded flanges 5 -- permitting the aircraft to be slid
along the track and to stop and stay firmly in place at any desired
point.
The air-route tracks 4 can be run in a general East-West direction,
with airport locations selected to provide a broad band of multiple
connecting tracks around the globe. Where a route pattern requires
tracks to cross, the flanges on both tracks (and the base on one
track) can be interrupted so that an aircraft on either track can
be slid smoothly through the intersection. In addition to the
colored air-route tracks, each airport ring can have one or two
neutral-colored vertical stub tracks 10 for aircraft storage.
Aircraft movements can be initiated by a spinner consisting of a
yellow-green radial (antenna-direction) line 21 (FIGS. 2A-B) on a
slightly-curved clear plastic disc or bar 22 -- suspended, by a pin
23 at its center, over a gray-green circle 24 printed with
yellow-green spots and lines to resemble the
Plan-Position-Indicator screen of an air-traffic-control radar. A
plastic covered ring at the outer edge of this simulated screen can
be divided into a large number of equal-sized segments 25 printed
in a sequence of colors corresponding to the above-described
air-route track colors and assigned a sequence of numbers from 1 to
4 or more. The spinner can be used by a player to determine the
air-route track by which his aircraft should depart from an airport
and the number of blocks that the aircraft should be advanced along
this track. Occasional segments 26 in this ring sequence can be
assigned a neutral color (not identified with any track color) and,
instead of having a number, can simply direct the player to "Draw a
Card."
The introduction of special instructions for aircraft moving along
air-route tracks or positioned at airports can be accomplished by
means of two decks of cards 27A-B placed face-down in separate card
trays 28A-B incorporated in the plastic console 30 for the spinner
21 and designated, respectively, "Flight Deck" and "Ground
Deck."
The individual cards in the "Flight Deck" 27A, totalling 100 or so
in number, can be printed on one face with various messages such
as:
Hijacked to .......... (forfeit Net Flight Revenue)
Air traffic controllers' slowdown (lose One Turn and Pay for .....
Minutes of In-Flight Cost)
Passenger becomes seriously ill -- leave track if necessary to land
at nearest airport (forfeit Net Flight Revenue If Other Than
Intended Airport)
Your airline is certificated for route from .......... to
.......... (affix Airline Patch at Route Midpoint)
Baby passenger chokes on gin bottle cap. revived by stewardess.
(airline Receives $..... Donation from Grateful Father)
Intended airport closed by fog. proceed by track from there to
nearest airport (forfeit Net Flight Revenue for Additional
Mileage)
Severe turbulence. passenger injured (pay $..... Claim)
Engine fire warning light -- leave track if necessary to land at
nearest airport (forfeit Net Flight Revenue If Other Than Intended
Airport)
Strong headwind (go Back Two Blocks)
Bomb scare -- leave track if necessary to land at nearest airport
(forfeit Net flight Revenue If Other Than Intended Airport)
Strong tailwind (go Forward Two Blocks)
In-flight engine failure -- make emergency landing. aircraft is
complete loss (forfeit Net Flight Revenue and One Year's Debt
Service. Surrender Aircraft.)
Labor contact renegotiated for your airline (pay Double In-Flight
and On-Ground Costs and Collect Half In-Flight Revenue Hereafter.
Affix Your Airline Patches to Aircraft Table lines for These
Factors)
International air transport association agrees on fare increase for
routes from .......... to .........., .......... to .......... and
.......... to .......... (all Airlines Collect Double Net Revenue
for Flights on These Routes Hereafter. Affix Neutral-Colored Patch
at Midpoint of These Routes).
The individual cards in the similarly-sized "Ground Deck" 27B can
also be printed on one face with various messages such as:
Wingtip light needs replacement (lose Turn and Pay Parking and
Maintenance Fee)
25% LOAD FACTOR (Collect Half Net Revenue on Next Flight)
Aircraft fails air-worthiness inspection (forfeit One Year's Debt
Service)
Take special gem shipment to (name of Airport) (Collect $..... per
mile for shortest track route)
100% LOAD FACTOR (Collect Double Net Revenue on Next Flight)
Aircraft hit by food-service truck (lose Turn and Pay Parking and
Maintenance Fee)
Maintenance force strike (lose Two Turns and Pay Double Parking Fee
and Crew Overnight Charge)
Bomb scare -- search aircraft (lose Turn and Pay Parking Fee)
Tight money market and increased aircraft manufacturing cost (all
Airlines Pay Double Debt Service Hereafter. Affix Neutral-Colored
Patch to debt Service Line on Aircraft Table.)
Six pieces of baggage lost (pay $..... Claim)
Take urgent pharmaceutical shipment to (name of Airport) (Collect
$..... per mile for shortest track route)
Airlines agreement renegotiated at .......... and .......... (all
Airlines Pay Double Landing, Parking and Maintenance Fees at these
airports Hereafter. Affix Neutral-Colored Patches to Airport Table
Lines for these Airports)
A substantial number of cards in each deck can be blank.
The game equipment can also include:
a. A decimally-interlocked digital counter 31 for each player,
positioned in the console 30 and provided with squares 32 for
airline identification by colored tape patches, each counter drum
being equipped with a thumb wheel 33 having 10 teeth 34 which
deflect and then release a juxtaposed whisker spring 35, causing
the spring to emit an audio signal for each change in digit
position on the drum and thus permitting each player to record his
receipts and payments quickly on each turn and maintain a
constantly-visible current cash balance;
b. a plastic covered table 13 (FIG. 3A) of aircraft debt-service
and in-flight and on-ground cost and net revenue factors;
c. a plastic covered table 14 (FIG. 3B) of airport landing, parking
and maintenance and crew-overnight fees, hotel and hangar debt
service and management rentals;
d. plastic covered airline worksheets 15 (FIG. 3C) with frosted
surfaces on which each player can maintain a current total of fixed
payments due on each round to the "bank" or other airlines; and
e. several rolls of adhesive-coated plastic tape 11 (FIG. 3D),
perforated for tearing off in short patches 12, some with
distinctive airline colors by which each player's aircraft,
hangars, airports, air routes, counters, factor and fee work sheets
can be identified, and others simply with a neutral color and
serial numbers from 1 to 10.
The aircraft and airport tables 13, 14 and airline cards 15 can
each have squares 16 in which to indicate, with colored tape
patches, the airlines involved in cost and net revenue changes (in
accordance with card instructions) and inter-airline payments (in
accordance with inter-player agreements).
(As an alternative to the counter thumb wheels 33 (FIGS. 2A-B) for
registering cash payments and receipts, this operation can be
accomplished by spring-loaded buttons and ratchets on each side of
each counter drum; or as a substitute means of financial score
keeping, the game equipment can include make-believe money in
appropriate denominations.)
The game can be played by any number from two upward, depending on
the size of the globe 1 (FIG. 1A), the number of cash-balance
counters 31 (FIGS. 2A-B), and the number of distinctive colors of
airline-identification tape 11 (FIG. 3D).
At the beginning of the game, the "Flight" and "Ground" card decks
27A-B (FIGS. 2A-B) can be shuffled and placed face down in their
respective trays 28A-B; the starting-point airport 3 (FIG. 1A) and
the order of playing can be agreed upon; airline tape colors 11
(FIG. 3D) can be assigned; and all counters 31 (FIGS. 2A-B) can be
set with a standard opening cash balance. Each player can then
select his first aircraft 7 (FIGS. 1A-C) from among two or more
types (with corresponding debt service, in-flight and on-ground
cost and net-revenue-per-flight factors as set forth in the
aircraft table 13 (FIG. 3A)) and can identify his aircraft and a
counter and airline work sheet 15 (FIG. 3C) with colored patches 12
(FIG. 3D) of his airline tape, adding a neutral-colored "1" patch
to the aircraft.
The first player can spin the radar-screen disc 22 (FIGS. 2A-B),
insert his aircraft at the starting-point airport 3 in the
air-route track 4 (FIG. 1A) corresponding to the color of the
segment 25 (FIG. 2A) at which the radial antenna-direction line 21
stops, move the aircraft along the track a distance (in blocks)
corresponding to the number on this segment, draw a face-down
"Flight Deck" card 27A from its tray 28A, place it face-up in its
discard tray 29A and follow the instructions (if any). In
accordance with the factors for that type of aircraft in the
aircraft table 13 (FIG. 3A), the player can thereupon pay the
required per-round debt service to the "bank" and collect the
appropriate net flight revenue (based on the mileage to the next
airport indicated on that track) by a simple net adjustment of his
cash-balance counter 31 (FIGS. 2A-B).
If the radial line stops at a neutral-colored (un-numbered) ring
segment, the player can simply turn over a card from the face-down
"Ground Deck" 27B, place it face-up in its discard tray 29B and
follow the card's instructions -- receiving or making payment as
required.
If the player's spin places his aircraft on the first block of a
departure track, the aircraft can become subject to departure
air-traffic delays and the player must refrain from drawing a card,
lose one turn and pay for a specified number of minutes of
on-ground cost as set forth for that type of aircraft in the
aircraft table 13 (FIG. 3A).
The second and subsequent players can follow this same procedure in
turn.
When a player's turn comes again, he can apply his spin to his
first aircraft (advancing it by the number of blocks indicated and
drawing a card from the "Flight Deck" -- or "Ground Deck" if this
spin takes him into the next airport); or, if he prefers, he can
select a second aircraft (marking it with a "2" patch and a patch
of his airline tape) and can use the spin to place it in service
through the above-described procedure. Thereafter, he can apply his
spins to any of his in-service aircraft or introduce additional
aircraft at the starting-point airport as he chooses.
As an aircraft approaches an airport, it is subject to arrival
air-traffic delays and can land only when the player spins the
exact number necessary to take it into (and not beyond) this
airport. The player thereupon can insert it in the airport storage
track 10 (FIG. 1A) and pay a landing fee, depending upon the
airport and type of aircraft, as set forth in the airport table 14
(FIG. 3B). (For each unsuccessful spin, the player can refrain from
taking a card and be required to pay for ..... minutes of in-flight
cost as set forth in the aircraft table 13 (FIG. 3A).)
For each aircraft that crosses the Equator or the Greenwich
Meridian or International Date Line, the player can receive a
"line-crossing bonus" of $...... ...... Additional bonuses can be
provided for flying over points of particular interest anywhere on
the globe. If a player striving for any of these bonuses or for
high-revenue routes makes a spin at an airport which directs his
aircraft onto an unfavorable track, he can purchase the opportunity
to ignore that spin and make an additional spin at a price of
$..... per spin.
The passing of two aircraft on one track, going either in the same
or in opposite directions, can be accomplished by tilting the
passing aircraft upward until its nose wheel 8 (FIGS. 1B-C) is
clear of the track slot 6, rotating it 90.degree., pulling its
T-shaped main landing gear 9 out of the slot and inserting it and
rotating it 90.degree. in the slot on the other side of the
aircraft being passed. If a player spins a number which would put
his aircraft in the same block as another aircraft, he can place
his aircraft one block short of this point.
A player who fails to move an aircraft from an airport on his next
turn after its arrival can be required to pay a parking fee and
crew overnight charge per turn as specified for that size of
aircraft at that airport in the airport table 14 (FIG. 3B).
A player can purchase a maintenance hangar at any airport 3 (FIG.
1A) at which he lands an aircraft, at the debt service per round
set forth in the airport table 14 (FIG. 3B), and affix a patch 12
(FIG. 3D) of his airline tape next to the storage track 10 (FIG.
1A) for that airport. Thereafter, he need not pay any maintenance
fee at that airport in accordance with card instructions and can
collect the fee from any other player so instructed who does not
have his own hangar at that airport. A similar arrangement
(identified by double tape patches) can apply with respect to
airport hotels and payment of the crew overnight charge.
A player can also obtain (and subsequently dispose of) a complete
management agreement for any airport at which he lands an aircraft,
at a rental per game round as specified in the airport table 14
(FIG. 3B). The player can thereupon affix a patch of his airline
tape to the center of the airport circle and can collect the
landing and parking fees for all aircraft at this airport and the
maintenance and crew-overnight fees for all such aircraft except
those of airlines with maintenance hangars and hotels at this
airport.
When a player turns up a card which awards a particular air-route
certification to his airline, he can affix a patch of his tape to
the globe at the midpoint of this route 4 (FIG. 1A). Thereafter, he
can collect the net flight revenue for any aircraft flying this
route without its own certification.
Players can lease aircraft, hangars, hotels, airport-management
agreements and air-route certifications to and from each other, and
arrange secured or unsecured loans with each other, upon any
mutually-agreeable terms. Players can also arrange unsecured loans
from the "bank" at an interest rate of .....% per round. A current
total of the fixed payments which a player must make on each round
to the "bank" and to other airlines, based on his current holdings
and borrowings, can be conveniently maintained by pencil entries in
the frosted blanks on a plastic covered airline work sheet 15 (FIG.
3C).
Players with a substantial cash balance can be assumed to invest
these funds and collect $..... in interest on each round for each
$..... in unused cash balance. Any player who exhausts his cash
balance, and cannot replenish it through loans or leases, must
forfeit all of his aircraft, hotels, hangars and franchises and
leave the game. (The opening cash-balance allotment can be varied
as desired to increase or decrease this likelihood.)
The game can be won by the player whose cash balance first exceeds
an agreed-upon figure; or the game can be ended at any agreed-upon
point, with the player with the highest cash balance at that point
considered the winner.
The above description represents one possible embodiment of the
world-transport-game invention. Although specific terms and
procedures are described, they are used in a generic and
illustrative sense and not for the purpose of limiting the scope of
the invention.
As an alternative or supplement, for instance, the game can be
played with models of ocean liners 7a (FIG. 1Ca) having brackets
8a, 9a which permit them to operate along ocean-route tracks
between major world ports -- with cost and net revenue levels and
card instructions appropriate for waterborne commerce.
While a particular embodiment of the invention and certain
modifications have been described, other modifications may be made.
The following claims are, therefore, intended to cover any such
modifications within the true spirit and scope of the
invention.
* * * * *