U.S. patent number 3,594,004 [Application Number 04/713,492] was granted by the patent office on 1971-07-20 for game having quick prize indication.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Leonard Kaye, Howard Miller, David J. Waltzer. Invention is credited to William H. Barr, Glen L. Wesen.
United States Patent |
3,594,004 |
Barr , et al. |
July 20, 1971 |
GAME HAVING QUICK PRIZE INDICATION
Abstract
A game comprising a stacked plurality of cards, each card having
two game-playing regions by which two games may be simultaneously
played. Means are provided to instantaneously determine the winner
of the first game. The second game comprises zone slots having
indicia or light apertures, respectively, the indicia and apertures
being different for each card. All game-playing regions are
intentionally concealed. The winner of the second game is
determined by the number appearing in a stacked arrangement of the
cards.
Inventors: |
Barr; William H. (Carmel,
NY), Wesen; Glen L. (Brooklyn, NY) |
Assignee: |
Miller; Howard (Scarsdale,
NY)
Waltzer; David J. (Forest Hills, NY)
Kaye; Leonard (Westfield, NJ)
|
Family
ID: |
24866359 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/713,492 |
Filed: |
March 15, 1968 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/139 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G09F
19/00 (20130101); A63F 3/065 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G09F
19/00 (20060101); A63F 3/06 (20060101); A63f
001/18 () |
Field of
Search: |
;273/139,161,157A,155,138,135,13B,13E,13D ;283/6 ;35/48,71
;179/2AS,2CA,9CI,90 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Oechsle; Anton O.
Assistant Examiner: Kramer; Arnold W.
Claims
We claim:
1. A game comprising:
a plurality of cards of substantially equal dimensions;
each card having two game-playing regions, the game-playing regions
of each card being similarly located to the game-playing regions of
the other cards;
means removably concealing the two game-playing regions, the
removal of the concealing means exposing indicia in the first
region and a plurality of game-playing zone slots in the second
region;
the plurality of zone slots being the same for each card, some of
the zone slots of each card having indicia, the remainder of the
zone slots of each card having light-transmissive apertures;
the indicia slots and aperture slots of each card being in
differing arrangements of zone slots than the indicia slots and
aperture slots of the other cards, whereby the cards may be stacked
to reveal the cumulative indicia in the zone slots visible through
the aperture slots.
Description
Our invention relates to a card-playing game. More particularly, it
relates to a game in which a person is given a card or ticket
carrying game-winning indicia. In a specific aspect of this game,
which may appeal to the supermarket or gasoline station customer,
the customer dials into the telephone system the number on the card
and, at that time, is informed that he is an instant winner.
One of the objects of this invention is to provide a game
comprising one or more tickets in which a customer can instantly or
relatively quickly determine whether he has won a prize.
A further object of this invention is to provide a game ticket by
which two distinct games may be played substantially
simultaneously.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a game having
a plurality of tickets in which a customer wins after collecting a
plurality of tickets having predetermined indicia windows or
apertures therein, varying in position from ticket to ticket.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a game of
chance featuring a card using semiautomatic or automatic means to
almost instantaneously inform the player that he has won or lost
the prize.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a game in
which the customer learns whether he has won instantaneously,
utilizing the selective and memory capacity of the telephone system
and dialing in the winning or losing number.
One feature of this invention is the utilization of the telephone
system as a memory device having substantially instant access and
an address system which may be used to distinguish between winning
and losing numbers.
A still further object is to provide a game in which the tickets
may be neatly collected, and stacked, and the game status can be
observed by looking at the collection of tickets in stacked
form.
Briefly, in our invention, a customer receives a game-playing
ticket. This ticket comprises two concealed areas. When the
customer unveils the first concealed area, he sees a telephone
number which he, or an operator, dials into the telephone system to
determine immediately whether he has won a prize. A second area of
the game comprises a plurality of indicia zones or spaces which are
concealed by a covering device. The customer is instructed to
remove the covering device to reveal the indicia zones. These
spaces will contain numbers in some of the respective zones, and
some zones will be without numbers. The customer is further
instructed to punch, or otherwise make light transparent, the zone
space where there are no numbers thereby providing a window in each
of these zone spaces.
The customer receives and collects similar tickets at the
supermarket, etc., and follows similar instructions. His collection
of tickets will have numbers and windows in different respective
zone spaces. These tickets can be stacked together as a deck of
cards. The customer may then look through the punched out windows
and if he has won, he will see a complete telephone number. This
number can then be dialed into the telephone system which provides
a signal, here, preferably a recorded message, automatically
informing the customer as to the amount of his prize and the manner
by which it can be collected.
The above-mentioned and other features and objects of this
invention and the manner of attaining them will become apparent and
the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the
following description of embodiments of the invention taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is an illustration of the game-playing ticket as the
customer receives it;
FIG. 1a is a diagram of the ticket of FIG. 1 when the game-playing
areas are uncovered;
FIG. 1b is a diagram of the card of FIG. 1a in which certain
windows have been punched out;
FIG. 2 is a diagram of another card in accordance with this
invention;
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a different and preferred
embodiment of the first game;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the indication system in
connection with the card of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the indication system in connection
with the card of FIG. 3;
FIGS. 6a and 6b illustrate different card sections of a different
preferred embodiment of the second game; and
FIG. 7 is an enlarged diagrammatic view of one of the windows of
FIG. 6a prior to punching.
Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a game-playing card 10
having game-playing areas 20 and 30. Each game-playing area is
hidden by respective covering means 22 and 32. The covering and
concealing means may take the form of a removable strip or an ink
compound. The concealing means may also include a wash off or a rub
off material. Such materials are conventional and comprise black
material which may be removed by water or by simple rubbing. Those
skilled in the art will recognize that many forms of concealing
means may be used within the principles of this invention.
The customer receives printed instructions directly on the card to
remove these covering means. When the covering means 22 is removed,
there is disclosed a game-winning indicia or no indicia
(representing game loss), or predetermined indicia (also
representing game loss). For illustrative purposes, a telephone
number 800: 999-1000 is shown in FIG. 1a. The customer then dials
this number into the telephone system which, by appropriate means,
provides a signal, a message in words or a display, such as a
phonovision display, informing him that he has won or lost. It will
be understood that a group of letters or words could also be dialed
into the telephone system and many choices or indicia are possible.
As used herein, dialing and dial means includes pushbutton dialing,
circular dials or other telephone read-in equipment. Although not
shown, telephone read-in equipment could read automatically the
number of the card by optical or magnetic sensing. Other means may
be used to insert the indicia or number into a bank of telephone
stations, which for purposes herein, are a type of memory.
Alternatively, as another means for telling the customer that he
has lost, he could be connected to a number which is not in
service. Means provide a telephone message that the number is not
in service. By appropriate instructions on the card, this telephone
message indicates to the customer that he has lost. In this case,
the customer receives his money back because the telephone number
is not in service. Other provisions can be made to return the
customer's coin if a different telephone number is called.
The number in the game area 20 may be different from the number in
other cards, and may either represent a losing number of one of
many game-winning numbers. It may, if desired, represent a
game-winning number having a different prize. The game envisioned
here has a wide as to designation of prizes, as well as
game-winning indicia.
FIG. 4 illustrates one such system which may be used in connection
with the game of FIGS. 1 and 2. The game-playing number shown in
space 20 through a dial means 50 is read into the system. The
address station selector 60, which may be a conventional telephone
exchange, then selects one of the stations 70, 71, 72, etc.,
depending upon the number called. Each station or at least one of
the stations may have an associated signal means which may include
a message means, when connected by the address station selector
plays its output signal through a line 90 to an output device 92.
It may be understood that the output device could be the receiver
of a telephone system, or could be a display having a phonovision
display.
It will be understood that various messages may be recorded in the
message means 80, 81, 82 to tell the customer that he has won, that
he has lost, or no message at all.
In the case where only one winning number appears on the group of
cards, the dial means 50 connects directly to a single station 70
which may provide a recorded signal through message means 80
telling the customer through output 92 that the game has been
won.
A preferred embodiment of the invention related to the first game
is illustrated in FIG. 3. There is shown two game areas 100 and 101
which may have removable concealing means (not shown). The upper
space 100 discloses a telephone number 800: 999-1000 and the space
101 discloses a second group of indicia, here a telephone number,
which may be considered as the mystery number. The first number
shown at area 100 is used to select a game-playing group of numbers
or codes. For example, when the number 800: 999-1000 is dialed into
this system, the customer identifies to the operator the second
number 123-9000. The operator then utilizes a station-selecting
means and may plug into or otherwise connect to this second number.
This number or station will have associated message means, such as
a taped message and a tape recorder, which becomes operative when
connected and tells the player directly whether he has won or not.
As an alternative, the message means may only be a winning light
indication, and this winning message can be relayed by the
operator.
When the game of FIG. 3 is played, dial means 50 is connected
directly to a station 75. At this station, the operator then
receives the mystery number contained in the space 101. The
operator has at her disposal means 120 to select one or more
addresses of a memory device 130. As a practical matter, memory
device 130 can then be a series of telephone numbers which may be
connected directly by the operator. One or more of the addresses or
stations will have a message means 85, 86, etc. connected thereto
and an appropriate win or an appropriate lose message can then be
applied over line 90 to an output means 92.
If the person does not win or if the game is set up so that two
games are played simultaneously, the second game-playing area is
utilized. It will also be understood that, if desired, the card may
contain the first or second game.
The second game-playing region contains covering means 32 covering
a plurality of discrete, aligned, indicia slot areas or post
positions referred to here as slot zones. These slot zones when
fully revealed contain either a number or a space in each
respective zone. Further, when there is a space (no number), a
window or aperture which is light transmissive is formed. However,
one or both slot zones may be first color coded to assist in
following instructions. As an example, the customer may first wash
off covering means in the form of a black material and see seven
slot areas, such as circles, squares, etc. Some of these areas may
be colored or may be marked differently to define two groups of
coded slot areas. That is, the seven indicia areas are divided into
two categories by either color coding or other selective
identification means. As to the first group, the instructions will
read so that the customer merely removes the covering material and
observes a number, or one or more numbers contained therein. For
example, in one version, the instruction may read as follows:
1. Wash off the black area on the outer side of this ticket.
2. You will now see an area code, one or more numerals, a dash and
five black areas.
3. Using a pencil, carefully punch out only the black areas.
4. You will now have one or more numbers, a dash and windows. (In
FIG. 1b, two numbers and five windows are provided.)
5. Collect more tickets and do the same.
6. Now place all tickets one on top of the other so that the
windows are lined up with each other.
7. When you see a full telephone number with the area code and all
seven digits, you have a number which you can call to find out
whether you have won.
As stated, the customer is told to punch or otherwise remove the
window material of the one coded group. In this respect, weakened
boundary means for the windows, such as die cuts or perforations,
or spaced perfs (FIG. 7), may be employed to facilitate removal of
the window material or to provide substantially light transmissive
properties. As a feature of this invention, those zones which
contain indicia and are not to be removed, may contain the same
perfing or mechanical boundary means so that from the rear, or when
using an X-ray or other "decoding" device, the cards look
identical. When the window material has been removed, the card
appears as shown in FIG. 1b. Here the first space is empty, the
second space contains the number 8, the third space is empty, the
fourth space contains the number 6, and the remaining three spaces
are empty.
Similarly, the game is played and the customer collects a second,
third, fourth, etc., card which are stacked one on top of the other
as in a card deck. When instructions are followed, this second card
appears as illustrated in FIG. 2. If the customer has the winning
number of cards there will be a number in each slot area and the
windows will expose one digit in each slot area. The total digits
comprise a telephone number. It is apparent that the area code may
be optionally printed adjacent the telephone number and may be
initially concealed or always exposed. Therefore, by looking at the
stacked array of cards, a single telephone number will appear
through the windows. This telephone number is preferably selected
as a winning number and the customer dials this number into the
telephone system. He will then be informed about his prize.
It will be understood that particular zones can be used as the hold
out. That is, the number which can determine the prize or the
amount of the prize or whether the prize has been won. For example,
a number 800: 123-1567 may win $1.00; 800: 123-2567 may win $5.00;
800: 123-3567 may win $10.00, etc., the fourth number being the
hold out.
In FIGS. 6a and 6b, there are illustrated different and preferred
embodiments of the second game. There is associated therewith an
area code and a second game-playing region 200 having a plurality
of slot zones as mentioned previously. A second card is illustrated
in FIG. 6b and numeral 210 identifies the same game-playing zones.
The background color of the card of FIG. 6a is identified by
numeral 202 and may, for example, be yellow, while the background
color identified by 212 may be a different color, for example,
blue. The slot zones here are shown as circular. When the customer
receives the cards, the numerals 1 and 3, illustrated in FIGS. 6a
and 6b, are not visible and the entire game-playing area is
covered, the same as in FIG. 1a. When the customer removes the
covering, the holes which are to be punched out are identified by a
color or any coding device, also as described previously.
FIG. 7 is an enlarged view showing the slot zone 220 prior to the
time that the window material 220' is removed. In one embodiment,
mechanical means shown as a plurality of tabs or perfs connect the
window material 220' to the remainder of the card. The spacing
between the interior or window material and the remainder of the
card is exaggerated only for purpose of illustration. Each of the
slot zones of FIG. 6a including those containing the indicia or
numbers are formed in the same way so that from any external view,
from the back or using an X-ray, etc., all of the slot zones look
the same.
As stated previously, those slot zones containing predetermined
coding means are punched out. The color in background 202 is shown
within the visible area of the space zone 230 and in FIG. 6b the
color 212 is also shown in the area of space zone 240. When the
cards, shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b, are stacked one on top of the
other, a full telephone number may appear, but the color
backgrounds for each number may be different. The game may be
played so that the winning cards have a telephone number having a
background all of the same color. Other marking devices may be used
to distinguish between sets of numbers which may appear within the
zone spaces.
Alternatively, the space zones may contain the numbers alone in a
white background and, the playing game area, as suggested by
background 202 and 212, may be colored differently. The game may be
played so that all of the winning cards must be of the same color
in the game-playing area. This adds another dimension by which
winners and losers can be distinguished.
It will be apparent that other means may be used as additional
dimensions or variables to distinguish winning from losing numbers,
such as by applying discrete coding techniques in the form of
color, shape or other indicia on the game-playing card.
It may be understood that in forming the two groups of numbers 1,
2, 3 or more, or any number, may contain digits and may contain
windows.
Further, in the second game area, the winning indicia may comprise
any word, number, symbol or group thereof which becomes apparent
when the cards are stacked.
It is, therefore, a prime object of this invention to provide an
almost or a semiinstantaneous game-winning system which immediately
informs the customer that he is a winner. The advantage to be
derived from the foregoing system is that the number which is
identified in the cards and when related to a telephone number,
allows the customer to almost instantaneously determine whether he
has won a prize.
While the foregoing description sets forth the principles of the
invention in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be
understood that this description is made only by way of example and
not as a limitation of the scope of the invention as set forth in
the objects thereof and in the accompanying claims.
* * * * *