U.S. patent number 3,843,131 [Application Number 05/438,485] was granted by the patent office on 1974-10-22 for board game apparatus.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Kohner Bros. Inc.. Invention is credited to Albert Stubbmann.
United States Patent |
3,843,131 |
Stubbmann |
October 22, 1974 |
BOARD GAME APPARATUS
Abstract
Apparatus including a rectangular game board on which movable
playing pieces having distinguishing characterizations are slidably
mounted and including a die-agitating chance selector integral with
the game board and centrally located therewith for determining the
moves to be made of the playing pieces, said chance selector being
selectively controlled by each player. The game board is provided
with four fields, each field adjacent one corner of the board. The
slots disposed adjacent each playing field register and communicate
with slots on a rotatable ring member for transfer of the playing
pieces from each field, rotatable movement thereof about the board
playing area, and transfer from the rotatable ring back to their
respective field slots. Centrally of the game board within the
rotating ring member is a stationary disc member having radial
slots which also register and communicate with the slots of the
rotating ring member for transfer and "capture" of the playing
pieces in accordance with the rules of play. The playing pieces are
slidably secured in the slots of the game board apparatus.
Inventors: |
Stubbmann; Albert (Franklin
Lakes, NJ) |
Assignee: |
Kohner Bros. Inc. (Elmwood
Park, NJ)
|
Family
ID: |
23740830 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/438,485 |
Filed: |
January 31, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/248; 273/280;
273/153S |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F
3/00006 (20130101); A63F 2003/0028 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63F
3/00 (20060101); A63f 003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;273/134 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Lowe; Delbert B.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Newby; Howard J. Struzzi; Bruno A.
Hubbard; C. Garman
Claims
I claim:
1. A game board device with slidably attached playing pieces
comprising:
a. a casing having a substantially planar top panel, said top panel
provided with a centrally disposed circular aperture and a
plurality of slot-shaped apertures communicating with said circular
aperture and radially extending outwardly therefrom, said
slot-shaped openings being of equal length and closed at their ends
distal the central opening,
b. a centrally disposed circular wall projecting downwardly from
the bottom surface of the top panel, said wall having an internal
diameter equal to the distance between the closed ends of any two
diametrically opposed radially extending slot-shaped apertures in
said top panel,
c. a circular bottom planar panel parallel to the top panel and
affixed to the edge of the circular wall distal the top panel, said
circular wall, bottom panel and central opening providing a
centrally disposed well in the casing,
d. a stationary disc member having a diameter less than that of the
centrally disposed circular aperture in the top panel of the casing
and disposed within the casing well and affixed to the bottom
panel, said disc member having a central bore therethrough and a
substantially planar outer peripheral surface level with the casing
top panel, said outer peripheral surface provided with a plurality
of slot-shaped apertures oriented radially therethrough, said
slot-shaped apertures closed at their ends proximate the central
bore and open at the peripheral edge of the disc,
e. a manually rotatable ring secured within the central well of the
casing and encircling the stationary disc and slidably supported by
the bottom panel, said rotatable ring having a top planar panel
flush with the casing top panel and the stationary disc outer
peripheral surface, said rotatable ring top panel provided with a
plurality of equiangularly spaced radial slots, whereby said radial
slots are aligned with and communicate with slots in the stationary
disc and slots in the casing top panel when the rotatable ring is
rotated to indexed positions,
f. a plurality of playing pieces slidably secured to the game board
device and capable of being slidably transferred to and from said
casing top panel and rotatable ring and to and from said rotatable
ring and stationary disc when the rotatable ring is indexed,
and
g. a chance selector mounted centrally of the stationary disc
member.
2. The game board device of claim 1 wherein said rotatable ring top
panel is provided with radial slots which extend the complete width
thereof and with radial slots open only at one peripheral edge of
said rotatable ring top panel.
3. The game board device of claim 1 including means for indexing
the rotatable ring, said means comprising a spring biased pawl
cooperating with detents in the outer depending wall of the
rotatable ring whereby the rotatable ring is releasably restrained
of movement from positions whereat the radial slots in said ring
are aligned with slots in the central disc and top panel of the
casing.
4. The game board device of claim 1 wherein the chance selector is
a die-agitating chance selector constructed integral with the game
board device.
5. The game board device of claim 1 further including a decorative
annulus-shaped panel overlaying the circular bottom panel.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to game board devices with
associated chance indicators and playing pieces. More particularly,
the invention is directed to a game board device having movable
attached playing pieces and a rotatable ring or turntable for
movement of the playing pieces about the playing area in accordance
with the dictates of a die-agitating random chance selector.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore many games have been provided for play by two or more
players which include a game board, playing pieces and a chance
selector in which the playing pieces are moved from postion to
position about the playing surface of the board toward a goal in
response to the "call" of the chance selector. Applicant, however,
is unaware of any prior game board apparatus having movable playing
pieces which are slidably secured to the game board apparatus and
which travel from their starting positions to their respective
goals via a rotatable ring or turntable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
novel game apparatus which is chance controlled and which is
enjoyable for play by two or more individuals ranging in maturity
from children to adults.
It is another object of the invention to provide a safe game
apparatus for children which utilize small movable playing piees
secured to a game board, thereby preventing loss or accidental
swallowing of the playing pieces.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a game
utilizing apparatus which is durable in use, which is relatively
few in number of parts and which is suited to mass production
techniques and thereby economically saleable at a low cost.
OTHER OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION IN PART WILL BE APPARENT AND IN PART
WILL BE POINTED OUT HEREINAFTER.
Briefly, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the
game apparatus is in the form of a rectangular game board having an
integrated chance selector located centrally of the board playing
surface. Proximate each of the four corners of the game board
playing surface is a playing field whereat a plurality of movable
playing pieces are slidably secured in their respective individual
elongated adjacent slots. The playing pieces corresponding to each
playing field are distinguished, such as by color, from the playing
pieces of the other playing fields. The adjacent slots in each
playing field are each oriented on a radial line toward the center
of the game board, are closed at their ends distal the center of
the game board and each elongated slot has an open end which
terminates adjacent the outer peripheral wall of an annulus-shaped
rotatable disc or ring having the center of the game board for its
axis of rotation. The rotatable ring has a plurality of equally
angularly spaced open ended radial slots having the same width as
the slots in the playing field which register with the open ends of
the slots of the playing fields thereby permitting slidable
transfer of the playing pieces from the playing field to the
rotatable ring. Centrally of the game board and the annulus-shaped
rotatable disc or ring is disposed a stationary disc. The
stationary disc has radiating therefrom a plurality of angularly
spaced elongated slots equal in number and width to the number and
width of the radial slots adjacent the four playing fields and in
alignment therewith. The slots in the stationary central disc are
closed at their ends directed to the center of the game board and
open at their ends which terminate adjacent the inner periphery of
the rotatable annulus-shaped disc or ring. The slots of the
centrally disposed disc, therefore, can also be registered with the
radial slots of the rotatable ring for transfer of the playing
pieces to and from the stationary central disc and the rotatable
ring.
Centrally disposed of the stationary disc is the chance indicator.
Thus, at the dictates of the chance indicator, each of the playing
pieces (although each playing piece is secured to the game board)
can be slidably transferred to and from the playing fields and
rotatable ring, can be rotated about the game board while slidably
secured in a radial slot of the rotatable ring and can be slidably
transferred to and from a radial slot in the central stationary
disc.
A series of equally spaced detents constructed in the outer
depending peripheral wall of the rotatable ring cooperates with a
spring biased pawl to releasably restrain rotation of the rotatable
ring, to register the slots of the rotatable ring with the slots of
the central stationary disc and the slots of the playing fields,
and to also audibly indicate the number of positions moved by the
rotatable ring.
The invention, therefore, consists in the features of construction,
combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be
exemplified in the device hereinafter described in detail and the
scope of which will be indicated in the appended claims; it being
understood that changes in the precise embodiments of the invention
herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed
without departing from the spirit of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
In the accompanying drawing in which is shown two of the various
possible embodiments of the invention:
FIG. 1 is a partially broken top plan view of a game apparatus as
constructed in accordance with this invention.
FIG. 2 is an elevational view in section taken along line 2--2 of
FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a top plan view with playing fields, rotatable ring,
centrally disposed stationary disc and chance selector successively
broken away to show the arrangement of these elements comprising
the game apparatus.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view in elevation taken along line 4--4
of FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view in elevation taken along
line 5--5 of FIG. 3, particularly detailing the structure of a
playing piece slidably secured to the game apparatus.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now in detail to the figures of the drawing, the
reference numeral 10 generally denotes a game board apparatus
constructed in accordance with the invention. With particular
reference to FIG. 1 there are shown the principal elements of the
game apparatus including the four playing fields (A, B, C D)
adjacent each of the four corners of the rectangular board; four
equally angularly spacd elongated slots 27 adjacent each of the
four playing fields with each slot oriented on a center line
passing through the center of the board; the rotatable ring 46
having equally angularly spaced radial slots 48 which extend the
complete width of the ring and are open at both ends and also
having alternately disposed equally angularly spaced slots 50 which
extend approximately one-half the width of the rotatable ring and
are open at the inner periphery of the rotatable ring. Also shown
in FIG. 1 is the stationary centrally located disc 28 having a
plurality of elongated slots 38 constructed in the outer peripheral
portion of the disc which are also equally angularly spaced.
Centrally located of the apparatus and disposed within a through
bore of the central stationary disc is a die-agitating chance
selector 36 including a die 37.
As shown in FIG. 1 all of the slots are of equal width, and the
rotatable ring, capable of releaseable restrained rotation in one
direction (clockwise as shown by the arrows) only, afforded by a
detent 68 and pawl 62 arrangement to be described hereinafter, is
shown at an indexed position with its radial slots in registration
with the slots of the playing fields and also with the slots of the
central stationary disc. The detent and pawl arrangement provides
similar indexing of the rotatable ring as it is rotated clockwise
an angular distance equivalent to the angular spacing between
radial slots one-twentieth of a complete rotation or 18.degree..
Thus each complete move of the rotatable ring, as dictated by the
chance selector, will index the ring with its slot in registration
with slots in the playing field and slots in the central stationary
disc and permit slidable transfer of the playing pieces 52 to and
from the ring, playing fields and central stationary disc.
Preferably, the game includes 16 playing pieces slidably secured to
the game apparatus. The 16 playing pieces are divided into four
groups (corresponding to the four playing fields) of four playing
pieces, each of the playing pieces within a group having the same
identifying color characterization which is different from the
colors of the playing pieces within the other three groups. The
construction of a playing piece 52 and the method of slidably
securing it to the game board are best illustrated in FIG. 5.
Thus, as best shown in FIG. 1 in conjunction with FIG. 5, a playing
piece can be slidably transferred from a slot in the playing field
to a full radial slot in the rotatable ring provided the full
radial slot is indexed to the slot in the playing field containing
the playing piece. The playing piece can then be rotated about the
game board while retained in the full radial slot in the rotatable
ring and returned to its starting position or, alternatively, be
transferred ("side-tracked" ) to any one of the slots in the
stationary central disc according to the rules of play of the game
to be detailed hereinafter.
As an interesting variation of the structure of the game apparatus,
the rotatable ring can be constructed with all of its radial slots
as full radial slots 48 open at both ends as shown in partial
cutaway in FIG. 3. Having all of the slots in the rotatable ring as
full slots provides for relatively many more possible moves for
each playing piece.
Considering the structure of the game apparatus in detail, it is
seen (FIG. 2) that the external shell of the game board constitutes
a shallow casing 12 having an open bottom. The top panel 14 of the
casing is generally planar, with certain exceptions to be noted
hereinafter, and is bounded at its periphery by a short downwardly
extending flange 16 which terminates in a ledge 18. The plan
configuration of the casing is rectangular and here is illustrated
in the form of a square (FIGS. 1 and 3). The casing is manufactured
from a sturdy plastic material which can be subjected to abuse
without fear of breakage. For example, a suitable material is a
high impact (butadiene-modified) polystyrene. Satisfactory results
are obtained when the other working parts of the game board
apparatus are made of similar synthetic plastic materials except
for the metal spring of the chance indicator and the decorative
cardboard disc both hereinafter described.
Centrally disposed of the top panel of the casing is a circular
well defined by a sidewall 20 and a bottom circular panel 22. A
circular portion 24 of the top panel of the casing overhangs and
projects inwardly over a portion of the outer periphery of the well
in cantilever fashion. The cantilevered portion of the top panel of
the casing is molded with slots 27 oriented in four groups
uniformly spaced about the panel of the casing and located in the
proximity of the corners of the panel. Each grouping of slots
consists of four uniformly angularly spaced individual slots 27
each of which has one end closed and which terminates at the
sidewall of the circular well and the opposed end open and
terminating at the inner peripheral edge of the cantilevered
portion of the casing top panel.
A stationary disc member 28 is centrally disposed in the well of
the casing and rests upon the bottom circular panel as shown in
FIGS. 2 and 4. The outer peripheral surface 30 of the stationary
disc member is level with the top panel 14 of the casing and the
circumference of the disc is less than that of the inwardly
projecting circular cantilevered portion 24 of the casing top
panel, thereby providing an annular opening in the well between the
casing top panel and the central stationary disc. The stationary
disc is provided with a depending circular wall 29 which is press
fit over a circular shallow boss 42 formed centrally in the bottom
circular panel to retain the stationary disc in spaced relationship
to the cantilevered edge of the casing.
The central portion of the top surface of the stationary disc is
beveled upward 32 to a flat central surface which defines a center
opening for containing the chance indicator 36 to be discribed
hereinafter. The outer peripheral flat surface portion 30 of the
stationary disc is constructed with a plurality of slots equal in
number and angular spacing as the slots in the playing fields
(FIGS. 1 and 3). The slots in the central stationary disc are
closed at their inward ends and open at the peripheral edge of the
disc, thus, the slots in the disc correspond in number and are
aligned with the slots in the casing face but are spatially apart
therefrom.
A decorative cardboard annulus 40 overlays a portion of the bottom
circular panel 22. The outer peripheral edge of the cardboard
annulus abuts the circular wall defining the well of the casing
(FIG. 2) and the inner peripheral edge abuts the circular shallow
boss 42 formed in the bottom circular panel 22 beneath the chance
indicator. Each of two diametrically opposed notches formed at the
inner peripheral edge of the cardboard annulus mates with one of
two forwardly projecting lugs 44 disposed at the edge of the
shallow circular boss in the back circular panel to restrain the
cardboard annulus from rotary movement.
Within the well of the casing in the annulus-shaped opening between
the outer periphery of the central stationary disc 30 and the inner
edge of the cantilevered circular portion of the top panel of the
casing 24 is interposed a rotatable ring member 46 having the
center of the game board for its axis of rotation.
The top panel of the rotatable ring is constructed with a plruality
of equally angularly spaced slots. The angular spacing of the slots
in the top panel of the rotating ring is identical to the angular
spacing between the slots in a group of slots in the playing field
or between the slots in a group of slots in the stationary disc. In
one preferred embodiment alternate radial slots in the top panel of
the rotatable ring, as previously mentioned, are full radial slots
48 open at both ends whereas the remaining slots extend only from
the midpoint of the top panel of the rotatable ring to the inner
peripheral edge of the ring; these slots are identified with
numeral 50 (cf FIG. 1).
As best seen in FIG. 1, the spacing of the slots in the top panel
of the rotatable ring is such that when the ring is rotated and
indexed to a position where a full radial slot in the rotatable
ring is aligned with a slot in one of the four playing fields, all
of the slots in the central stationary disc are in alignment with
slots in the ring as are all of the slots in the four playing
fields. However, since only one-half the slots in the ring are open
to the field playing area, only one-half of the field slots are in
communication with the full radial slots in the rotatable ring.
The top panel of the annulus-shaped rotatable ring is supported by
an inner peripheral depending wall 54 and an outer peripheral
depending wall 56. Each depending wall of the ring rests upon and
is secured to spaced-apart concentric bands 58, 60. Each band has a
smooth flat lower surface which rests upon the cardboard disc in
rotary slidable contact.
The outer depending peripheral wall 56 of the rotatable ring is
constructed with a series of equally spaced openings 68 (FIGS. 1
and 5) which act as detents and cooperate with a leaf spring
cam-type pawl 62 (FIG. 1) to releasably index the rotatable ring
with its radial slots in alignment with the slots in the playing
fields and the central stationary disc. In addition to so indexing
the rotatble ring, the pawl and detent arrangement restricts
counterclockwise rotation of the rotatable ring, releaseably
restrains motion of the rotatable ring in a clockwise direction,
and audibly indicates each successive indexed position of the
rotatable ring as it is urged in a clockwise direction -- each
successive indexed position one-twentieth of a complete rotation or
18.degree.) corresponding to one of the moves of the number of
moves dictated by the chance selector. As shown in FIG. 1 the pawl
62 is pivotally secured 64 to the under surface of the top panel of
the casing and biased toward the spaced openings 68 in the outer
depending peripheral wall of the rotatable ring by the leaf spring
section 66 of the pawl member, the free end of the leaf spring
section being in contact with and restrained by the downwardly
extending flange of the casing 16.
As previously mentioned, in one preferred embodiment of the
invention, the game board apparatus is provided with 16 slidably
secured playing pieces, the number of playing pieces corresponding
to the number of slots adjacent the four playing fields. As shown
in FIG. 5, each playing piece 52 is constructed with a
circumferential groove which is substantially the same width and
preferably slightly wider than the thickness of the panels of the
casing, rotatable ring and stationary disc and has a depth which
assures securing the playing piece within the slots of the
apparatus for slidable movement only.
Mounted at the center of the game board and partially enclosed
within the through bore at the center of the stationary disc is
located a preferred embodiment of a chance selector 36, as shown,
particularly, in FIGS. 1 and 2. The preferred chance selector, the
construction of which is disclosed in detail in U.S. Pat. No.
3,356,369, constitutes a die throwing device which includes a
pellucid cage 70 within which a die 37 is captively located and
through which the throw of the die is observable by the game's
players. The pellucid cage has an open bottom end which is closed
by a movable platform in the form of a broad resiliently bendable
leaf spring 72 having a snap acting portion, i.e., a cricket
spring. The pellucid cage is carried by, i.e., rests upon, the
cricket spring, and the cage and spring are maintained in said
relationship by a base which is the shallow circular boss 42
centrally located in the back circular panel 22.
When a downward thrust is applied to the cage, as by the hand of a
player, the cricket spring is depressed; when the spring is
released and returns to its idle position, the return snap
forcefully throws the die upwardly clear of the spring whereby the
die is shaken and tumbled. When the die again lands on the spring,
its upwardly turned face displays a value indicating the number of
moves to be made on the game board by the player who actuated the
chance indicator.
TYPICAL PROCEDURE FOR PLAYING A GAME
In the suggested preferred mode of the play of the game all of the
playing pieces are initially positioned in their respective
designated (as by color) slots in the top panel of the game board
adjacent the corners of the board. Thus, in the embodiment of the
invention described hereinabove each of the four different colored
groups of 4 playing pieces of like color are positioned to occupy
their respective "Start" slots.
Each player selects a group of 4 playing pieces of the same color
for his playing team and each player then activates the chance
selector by depressing (and releasing) the cage of the unit. The
player with the highest number as indicated by the die (after
coming to rest) starts the play and the other players follow, in
turn, in clockwise rotation.
The first player activates the chance selector and moves either of
two of his four playing pieces from "Start" into an open slot on
the moveable track [as shown, particularly in FIG. 1, only two
slots on the rotatable ring at any indexed position of the ring
will be open to receive (or discharge) playing pieces from the
"Start" slots of each of the four playing fields]. The player then
rotates the rotatable ring in clockwise rotation the exact number
of indexed intervals indicated by the chance selector die.
The number of indexed intervals moved will be indicated by an
audible clicking sound of the pawl-detent arrangement for each
interval the rotatable ring is rotated.
Each player, in turn, has the choice of moving any one of his four
playing pieces, i.e., he may move a playing piece from start
position onto the ring, move a playing piece off the ring or just
rotate the ring the indicated number of angular spaces. Although
the player is permitted to move either a playing piece or the
rotatable ring first he is not permitted to interpose a movement of
the playing piece either off or onto the ring during the movement
of the ring the indicated number of angular spaces.
A player, during his turn of play, is permitted to move one of his
playing pieces into a slot on the rotatable ring already occupied
by a playing piece of one of his opponents, thus "bumping" his
opponent's playing piece into an empty slot on the central
stationary disc.
The player who first is able to return all of his playing pieces to
the starting slots after each has progressed completely (at least
once) about the game board on the rotatable ring is the winner of
the game. Understandably, many variations in the above described
playing mode are possible leading to further enjoyable use of the
inventive apparatus.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the field of game boards
that the particular number and arrangement of slots and playing
pieces associated with the game board as well as the ratio of full
to half slots on the top panel of the rotatable ring can be varied
without departing from the crux of the invention.
It thus will be seen that there is provided a game board apparatus
which achieves the various objectives of the invention and which is
well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.
As various possible embodiments might be made of the above
invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiments
set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein described
or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as
illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
* * * * *