U.S. patent number 3,876,207 [Application Number 05/385,696] was granted by the patent office on 1975-04-08 for board game apparatus.
Invention is credited to William Jerry Jones.
United States Patent |
3,876,207 |
Jones |
April 8, 1975 |
Board game apparatus
Abstract
An amusement and educational game having a master game board
divided into a number of outlined areas with a movable chance
indicator means operable for indicating one of the outlined areas
in response to a playing operation and including a predetermined
character representation divided into a number of parts. Certain of
the outlined areas on the master game board provide a support for a
number of the separated parts of the predetermined character
representation and certain other of the outlined areas include
additional instructions which are to be performed by a player. The
game includes a number of individual player game boards having an
outline of the predetermined character representation. The master
game board and the player game boards are provided with magnetic
attraction means for maintaining the separated parts of the
predetermined character representation in predetermined positions
thereon. A game is played by each of the players receiving an
individual player game board, with each player sequentially
effecting movement of the chance indicator means and selecting a
part from an indicated area in response to the motion of the chance
indicator means ceasing and placing the selected part on the
outline of the character representation on the player game board.
Each of the players sequentially repeats movement of the chance
indicator means and selects a part until one of the players
assembles a complete character representation on his individual
player game board.
Inventors: |
Jones; William Jerry (Dallas,
GA) |
Family
ID: |
26938717 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/385,696 |
Filed: |
August 6, 1973 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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247499 |
Apr 25, 1972 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
273/239;
273/141A; 273/276 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F
3/00694 (20130101); A63F 2003/0063 (20130101); A63F
2009/1033 (20130101); A63F 2011/0016 (20130101); A63F
9/10 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63F
3/00 (20060101); A63f 003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;273/135,134,136,137,157 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Lowe; Delbert B.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Newton, Hopkins & Ormsby
Parent Case Text
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 247,499, filed Apr.
25, 1972 .
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An amusement and educational game adapted to be played by
assembling a number of separated parts to constitute an entire
unitary representation of a clown, the game including:
a. a game board including means outlining a number of areas,
certain of which are detailed to support at least one of said
separated parts and a number of which areas are detailed to support
all of said parts of a number of representations of said clown;
b. a movable chance indicator means adapted to be set in motion by
a player and including means for indicating an individual one of
said outlined areas in response to cessation of such motion, said
game being played by supporting said separated parts in certain of
said outlined areas, and by a player effecting movement of said
indicator means whereby one of said areas is indicated by said
chance indicator means, with the player selecting a part from the
indicated area, and such procedure being followed by each player in
sequence and repeated until one player assembles a complete
representation of said clown;
c. each player being provided with a support means having an
outline of said unitary clown representation, said separated parts
being adapted to be placed within and, when complete, to completely
fill said outline;
d. said game board, said support means and each of said separated
parts being impregnated with magnetic particles, whereby said parts
will be held in position on said board or support means;
e. said indicator means being constructed of a material which will
not be attracted by the magnetic particles;
f. at least one of said outlined areas not being detailed to
support parts but containing a designation indicating that a player
is entitled to select a part from any area which supports a part;
and
g. said game board containing at least one outline area indicating
that a player is entitled to a free turn at setting said indicator
in motion.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an amusement and educational device
adapted to be played by assembling a number of separated parts of a
predetermined character representation until the character
representation is completed. More particularly, this invention
includes a master game board for supporting a number of separated
parts of a clown character representation and individual game
boards having an outline of the clown character representation with
parts being selected by chance and in turn from the master game
board and accumulated on the individual player game boards until
one of the players assembles a complete representation of the
character.
A number of games have been devised which will be both amusement
and educational to the players involved. One of these games is
disclosed in the U.S. patent to West, No. 1,284,513 which includes
a player game board having a predetermined character representation
wherein the game is played by assembling separated parts of the
character representation until a completed representation has been
assembled. The individual parts of the games of West are numbered
and the parts are chosen by chance by rolling a die with the
players selecting the part indicated by the number on the die. The
disadvantages of the game disclosed in the West patent will result
in a number of parts becoming lost during playing operation which
will render the game unplayable after a period of time.
Another game which is played by completing a character
representation is disclosed in the U.S. patent to Ribkin, No.
3,419,971 issued Jan. 7, 1969. The Ribken game includes a tracing
surface on which a character representation is to be traced. The
game is played by a player setting in motion an indicator means and
completing a tracing of a portion of the character representation
indicated by the position of the movable indicator means.
A significant problem of most of the prior art amusement and
educational games utilizing a number of separated parts is that no
means is provided for maintaining these parts in predetermined
locations and as a result, the parts often become lost during a
playing operation which renders the game unplayable at a future
date.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide an
amusement and educational game which can be played by a large age
group of players.
Another object of this invention is to provide an amusement and
educational game which can be played by a number of players.
A further object of this invention is to provide an amusement and
educational game which does not require detailed instructions on
the operation of play of the game.
A still further object of this invention is to provide an amusement
and educational game having a number of game boards with magnetic
attraction means for maintaining separated parts of the game in
predetermined locations on the game boards.
Still another object of this invention is to provide an amusement
and educational game which will teach a player to recognize shapes
and outlines of various parts of a predetermined character
representation.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide an amusement and
educational game which will teach a player to recognize color and
design illustrations of a number of separated parts.
A further object of this invention is to provide a game which will
be of amusemennt value and at the same time offer educational
opportunities to players involved in the playing of the game.
An additional object of this invention is to provide an amusement
and educational game which is simple in construction and to play,
economical to manufacture and reliable in operation.
The above stated objects are obtained and the disadvantages of the
prior art are overcome by the present invention which basically
includes a number of player game boards having an outline of a
predetermined character representation. A master game board is
provided with a number of outlined areas which contain a number of
separated parts of the predetermined character representation. A
movable chance indicator means is supported on the master game
board and operable to indicate individual ones of the outlined
areas in response to the indicator means being set in motion by a
player. The game is played by a player initiating motion of the
operable indicator means and after selecting a part from an
indicated outlined area, placing the selected part in a
predetermined location on the outlined character representation on
the individual game board. The game is played by continually and
serially effecting operation of the indicator means by a number of
players until one of the players assembles a complete character
representation of the predetermined character. One important
feature of the present invention is that the individual game boards
and the master game board are provided with magnetic attraction
means for maintaining the separated parts at predetermined
locations relative to the master game board and at predetermined
locations on the individual player game boards.
Still other objects and advantages in the details of construction
will become apparent upon reading the following description of one
illustrative embodiment of the invention with reference to the
attached drawings wherein like reference numerals have been used to
designate like parts throughout the several figures, and
wherein:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the master game board of the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is a vertical sectioned view taken along lines 2--2 of FIG.
1;
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of an individual player game board;
FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the master game board with the
separated parts of the predetermined character representation being
located at various selected positions thereon;
FIG. 5 is an exploded plan view of a number of parts of the
character representation; and
FIG. 6 is a top plan view of an individual game board with the
various parts of the character representation being assembled in
position thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings, the illustrative embodiment of the
present invention will be described with reference to a master game
board 10, a player game board 25 and a number of body parts 30 of a
clown representation.
The function of the master game board 10 is to provide a number of
outlined areas for supporting separated parts of a clown
representation and including chance indicator means for identifying
an outlined area. The function of the player game boards 25 is to
provide a means for supporting in an assembled relationship the
separated parts won by a player. The function of the parts 30 of
the clown representation is to provide separated parts to be won
and assembled in a playing operation.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the master game board 10 is constructed
or formed as a substantially square configuration presenting a
planar upper surface. Subscribed on the upper surface of the game
board 10 is a large outer circle 11. Formed on the upper surface of
the game board 10 is a smaller inner circle 12 arranged coaxially
with the outer circle 11. A number of radial lines 13 are formed on
the upper surface of the master game board. The radial lines 13
extend between the inner circle 12 and outer circle 11 and along a
radius drawn therebetween from the axis of the concentric circles
11, 12. A number of radial lines 13 are provided thereon angularly
spaced around the axis of the inner and outer circles to divide the
space therebetween into a number of angular segments. Certain of
the angular segments are detailed to provide a part supporting area
14 for supporting a number of parts 30 of a clown representation.
Certain other of the segments are detailed to define instruction
areas 15 with instructions printed thereon for a player to perform
in the process of playing the game.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the master game board 10 includes four
groups of parts areas 14 with the groups being separated by an
instruction area 15. Two of the areas 15 have printed thereon
instructions indicating a free spin and two of the areas 15 have
instructions indicating a free choice of a part.
Referring now particularly to FIGS. 4 and 5, the master game board
10 and the parts 30 of the clown representations supported thereon
are impregnated with magnetic particles 17 whereby the parts will
be attracted and maintained in position on the surface of the
master game board.
As shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, the master game board 10 is provided
with a rotatable chance indicator 20. The chance indicator 20 is
supported for rotation about a pivotal connector 21 which is
located on the master game board 10 at the axis of the inner and
outer circles 11, 12. Indicator 20 of the present invention takes
the form of the clown representation having a pointed cap which
defines an indicator point 22. The movable indicator means 20 is
constructed of a material which will not be attracted to the
magnetic particles 17 embedded in the master game board 10 so that
the movable chance indicator 20 can be freely rotated by a player
in the performance of the game. Further, the pivot element 21 is
detailed to allow free rotatable movement of the movable chance
indicator thereabout.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, a number of individual player game
boards are provided for use in playing the game. The player game
boards 25 are constructed as a substantially square configuration
having a planar upper surface. The individual player game boards 25
are also impregnated with magnetic particles 17 similar to those
impregnated in the master game board whereby the parts of the clown
representation will be attracted thereto and maintained thereon
during the process of playing the game. The individual player game
boards are provided with an outline of the clown representation
utilized in the present invention.
Referring now particularly to FIG. 3, the character representation
of the present invention takes the form of a clown which is divided
into a number of parts 30, representative of certain body portions
of the clown. The head including hat of the clown representation is
indicated by reference numeral 31. The body of the clown is divided
into two arms 32, 33 with each including an upper body portion of
the clown. Each of the arms 32, 33 is provided with a separated
hand portion 34, 35, respectively. Immediately below the arm and
body portions 32, 33 is a waist or belt portion 36. The lower
portion of the clown's body is divided into two leg portions 37,
38, with each of the leg portions having a separated foot portion
39, 40. The individual parts of the clown's body are impregnated
with magnetic materials 17 which will allow the parts to be
attracted to the surfaces of the master game board 10 and the
individual player game boards 25 whereby the parts will be
maintained in predetermined positions when placed thereon.
The parts 31-40 of the clown representation are provided with
individual coloring or marking means whereby two adjacent parts are
clearly identifiable by a player. Also, certain of the parts of the
clown are provided with design illustrations which will aid in
further identifying a part of the clown's body. The shape, color
and design characteristics of the individual parts will provide
educational value to a certain age group of players to improve
their shape and color recognition abilities. A sufficient number of
each of the parts 31-40 of the clown are provided, with the number
corresponding to the number of players in the game.
PLAYING OF THE GAME
The game is played by two or more players with each of the players
being provided with an individual player game board 25. The
separated parts 30 of the clown character representation are
separated and placed on the master game board with a number of the
clown parts being located in each of the parts areas 14. The game
could be played by placing a number of like parts in a part area 14
or by placing a number of different parts in a part area. After the
individual players have been provided with player game boards 25
and the master game board has been furnished with the individual
parts 30 of the clown representation, the game is begun by each
player sequentially taking a turn at spinning the movable clown
chance indicator means 20. After a player has spun the indicator
means 20, and after the indicator has stopped where the indicator
point 22 will be directed to an individual one of the parts areas
14, the player would select a part from the indicated parts area
and place the part in a proper aligned position on his individual
player game board.
After the first player has completed his turn, a second player
would then spin the movable clown indicator 20 allowing the
indicator point 22 to stop, indicating one of the part areas 14,
after which the second player would remove a part from the
indicated area and place on his individual player game board in a
proper aligned relationship on the outlined representation. If by
chance a player already has a part located in a parts area in which
the indicator point 22 stopped, the player would not take a part
therefrom, allowing the next player to spin the movable indicator.
If, however, the indicator point 22 of the clown should stop
indicating a free spin, the player would merely rotate the
indicator again and obtain an individual part indicated by the
second spin. Should the clown indicator point 22 stop on a free
choice area, the player may then obtain one of any part that he may
need to complete an assembly of the clown representation. The first
player that completely assembles the clown representation wins the
game.
Even though the character representation of the illustrative
embodiment takes the form of a clown, it is obvious that any shape
character representation could be provided. Further, the character
representation used in a particular game could be separated in more
or fewer parts.
It now becomes apparent that the illustrative embodiment of the
present invention is capable of obtaining the above stated objects
and advantages. It is obvious that those skilled in the art may
make modifications in the details of construction without departing
from the spirt of the invention which is to be limited only by the
scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *