U.S. patent number 3,887,189 [Application Number 05/368,113] was granted by the patent office on 1975-06-03 for word board game.
Invention is credited to Milton Dawes.
United States Patent |
3,887,189 |
Dawes |
June 3, 1975 |
Word board game
Abstract
A game board has two like horizontal sections divided by a
vertical partition disposed therebetween and extending upwards
therefrom. Each section contains a like array of lamp receiving
sockets arranged in like rows and columns each socket being
associated with a corresponding letter of the alphabet, at least
some of the letters being associated with more than one socket.
Each socket in one section is connected in series with the
corresponding socket in the other section. The series circuits,
connected in parallel, are supplied with electric power. A set of
lamps equal in number to the number of sockets is associated with
each array.
Inventors: |
Dawes; Milton (Montreal 260,
Quebec, CA) |
Family
ID: |
23449894 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/368,113 |
Filed: |
June 8, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/238;
273/272 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F
3/00643 (20130101); A63F 3/0421 (20130101); A63F
2003/00419 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63F
3/04 (20060101); A63F 3/00 (20060101); A63B
3/00 (20060101); A63f 003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;273/1E,13AB,13D,13E,131A,131G,134A,134RB,135A,135D,136R,136W |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,142,913 |
|
Apr 1957 |
|
FR |
|
883,420 |
|
Jul 1949 |
|
DT |
|
1,286,779 |
|
Jan 1962 |
|
FR |
|
1,093,290 |
|
Nov 1967 |
|
GB |
|
Primary Examiner: Pinkham; Richard C.
Assistant Examiner: Strappello; Harry G.
Claims
Having thus described this invention, what is asserted as new
is:
1. A two person word game comprising:
a game board having two like horizontal sections divided by a
vertical partition disposed therebetween and extending upwards
therefrom, each section having a like number of lamp socket
receiving positions arranged in rows and columns, there being at
least twenty seven such positions, each section having a single
letter of the alphabet disposed adjacent each position and
associated therewith, there being more positions than letters of
the alphabet whereby at least some of the letters are associated
with more than one position;
a plurality of sockets equal in number to said positions, each
socket being disposed at a corresponding position;
means connecting each socket on one section in series with a
corresponding socket in the other section to form a corresponding
series circuit;
means connecting all of said circuits electrically in parallel;
means to supply electric power to said parallel connected circuits;
and
a plurality of lamps, at least some lamps being removable, disposed
in sockets in both sections.
2. The game of claim 1 wherein each series circuit forming means
includes an electrically powered buzzer connected in series with
the two sockets.
3. The game of claim 2 wherein the sockets in each section are
disposed in a square matrix.
4. The game of claim 3 wherein each section contains one hundred
sockets disposed into 10 like columns and 10 like rows.
5. The game of claim 4 wherein the alphabetical frequency of
letters used in each section is as follows: A-11, B-2; C-3; D-3;
E-9; F-2; G-4; H-3; I-9; J-2; K-2; L-6; M-2; N-5; O:9; P-2; Q-1;
R-7; S-4; T-5; U-3; V-1; W-2; X-1; Y-2; and Z-1.
Description
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed toward a word board game. The game is
essentially a display board with a wired circuit underneath. On the
top of the board are sockets in which flashlight bulbs can be
screwed in.
The number of sockets can be varied depending on the size of the
board and they are positioned in orderly rows and columns with
corresponding letters of the alphabet (frequency as in the word
game identified by the trademark SCRABBLE).
The players decide on how many letters they will use in a game and
then each makes a word or short sentence by screwing in bulbs at
the corresponding letters.
Object of the game is to discover the other player's word or
sentence first. Score is tallied by number of letters times
ten.
The wiring is such that when bulbs are in corresponding positions
on either side either both lamps will flash or the lamps will flash
and a buzzer will sound and a player will then know he has found a
letter.
Having found all the letters, there is still the problem of
discovering the order. Each player can ask the other whether a
particular letter is first or third, etc., 1 letter per time but
loses 10 points for each question asked.
At the start of the game there may be some buzzing as both players
may have bulbs in the same relative position; by quickly unscrewing
bulbs a player may then discover some of his opponent's letters. He
can then replace his bulb in another position (same letter).
The current for bulbs and buzzer can be supplied by flashlight
battery. When a bulb is screwed in and an opponent's letter is
discovered, the bulbs on both sides can be partly unscrewed
breaking contact and minimizing battery wear.
The board is approximately 24 .times. 12 inches with a division
placed in the middle obstructing the view of the other side of the
board.
As an additional feature, the players, by focusing not upon the
letters but upon the positions of bulbs in the grids, can design
simple geometrical shapes or representative figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my word game board;
FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail plan view of a portion of the
board;
FIG. 4 shows one letter code used in my invention, and
FIG. 5 is an illustrative circuit diagram used in my invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to FIGS. 1-5, a game board is divided into two like
horizontal sections 10 and 12 by a vertical partition 14 which
extends thereabove.
A 10 by 10 square matrix of incandescent lamp sockets 16 is
disposed on the surface of each section, each matrix containing 10
like rows and columns. Each socket has a letter 18 of the alphabet
associated therewith. There are more sockets than different letters
so at least some of the letters are associated with more than one
socket. One suggested socket-letter relationship or code is shown
in FIG. 4 but of course many other codes are available for use.
Each socket in one section associated with a particular letter is
connected in series either directly or via a corresponding buzzer
24 with a corresponding socket in the other section associated with
the same letter to form a series circuit. All such circuits,
connected in parallel, are supplied with power via on-off switch 20
from a battery or from a mains power source.
One hundred incandescent lamps 22 are associated with each section
and can be disposed in or removed from corresponding sockets as
required.
The game can then be played as previously described.
While I have described my invention with particular reference to
the drawings, such is not to be considered as limiting its actual
scope.
* * * * *