GB2232358A - Books usable in raffles or games - Google Patents

Abstract

A book usable in a raffle or in playing a party game is composed of sheets 10 each having visible regions 24 bearing numbers which can be torn out and separated as tickets along perforation lines 22, 22'. The ticket-forming regions 24 have corresponding bi-leaf folded and partly sealed envelopes 27 containing the numbers related or some other information concealed inside. The envelopes 27 can also be torn out and separated along the perforation lines 22, 22' for mixing and the numbers or information revealed by tearing open the chosen envelope. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN BOOKS USABLE IN RAFFLES OR GAMES The present invention relates to a book composed of one or more sheets of special configuration.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention there is provided a book composed of one or more sheets, the or each sheet being sub-divided along weakened lines for separation into regions, wherein some of the regions bear visible indicia and other regions are in the form of envelopes containing or bearing indicia corresponding to the indicia on said some regions.

In another aspect the invention provides a raffle book composed of a plurality of sheets each sheet being sub-divided along weakened lines for separation into regions; whereon some of the regions bear sequential numbers and other regions are in the form of envelopes containing sequential numbers corresponding to the numbers on said some regions.

The weakened lines can be formed by perforations.

The envelopes are each conveniently a folded bi-leaf partly sealed by a crimped joint or adhesive strip. In contrast to conventional books of raffle tickets, numbers in the envelopes are concealed and there is no need for the folding of the retained tickets for the drawing of the raffle. Instead, the envelopes can be separated from one another, but still remaining at least partly sealed to conceal the counterfoil numbers, by simply separating along the weakened lines.

When an envelope has been selected for awarding a prize the number is easily revealed by breaking the seal or join and unfolding the sheet portions making up the envelope.

In another context, the book can be used for a party game in which case the envelopes can contain additional information or codes corresponding to performing some task or forfeit.

A further aspect of the invention provides a book for playing a game; the book being composed of at least one sheet sub-divided along weakened lines for separation into regions, each region being in the form of a closed envelope of bi-leaf form whereby the regions are correlated so that when one envelope is opened to reveal indicia this is followed by revealing indicia in the envelopes of one or more of the regions matched by positions or by external identification to the envelope.

The invention also extends to a continuous web which can be produced automatically and from which the individual characteristic sheets of the book can be separated out by severing along lines extending laterally and longitudinally.

The invention may be understood more readily, and various other aspects and features of the invention may become apparent, from consideration of the following description.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 depicts a book constructed in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 depicts another book constructed in accordance with the invention; and Figures 3 and 4 depict a continuous sheet usable to make books in accordance with the invention.

As shown in Figure 1, a finished book 2 usable, for example, in a raffle is composed of a plurality of individual rectangular sheets 10, conveniently fastened together at one corner by means of a staple 11. The sheets 10 can be coloured and can bear advertising pictures or slogans as background. Each sheet 10 is subdivided longitudinally by a perforated line 22 into a column of planar visible regions 24 bearing sequential printed numbers 30 and a column of further regions in the form of packages or envelopes 27. Further transverse perforated lines 22' separate the adjacent regions 24 and envelopes 27. Each region 24 is associated with one of the envelopes 27. The envelopes 27 are composed of superimposed upper and lower sheet portions 8, 9 defined at one lateral edge with a continuous fold line 7 and at the opposite lateral edge with a continuous seal or join 25.The seal 25 can be made by a strip of adhesive applied between the sheet portions 8,9. The seal 25 need not be at the margin of the free edge 6 of the upper sheet portion 8 and as indicated by the chain dotted line 25A the seal 25 can be positioned inwardly of the edge 6. It is also possible to replace the fold 7 with another seal or join made, for example, by a strip of adhesive so that the sheet portion 8 is fabricated separately.

The envelopes 27 also bear the same sequential numbers 30 inside as the regions 24 and the numbers are printed on one or both inner surfaces of the sheet portions 8,9. Thus, each envelope 27 acts as a concealed secure counterfoil for the associated region 24 at its right-hand side. During use as a raffle book, the regions 24 are separated by tearing along the perforated lines 22,22' and are given to subscribers as tickets in the normal way. The individual envelopes 27 are also separated by tearing along the perforated lines 22' and mixed and stored for the drawing process. When one of the envelopes 27 is selected the seal 25 is broken and the sheet portions 8,9 are unfolded about the fold line 7 to reveal the number printed inside.

Figure 2 depicts a similar book in which like reference numerals are used to Figure 1. The book shown in Figure 2 is provided with an additional printed region 26 with a column of numbers corresponding to the numbers on the regions 24 onto which the names and addresses or other identities of the subscribers can be written. This is useful where not all the subscribers are present at the draw.

Figures 3 and 4 show a continuous web 50 which can be used to construct a number of books. The web 50 is perforated at lines 22, 22' and printed with numbers 30 in areas 24A, 24B corresponding to the regions 24 and an inner surface 5 of the eventual envelopes 27A, 27B of the book 2. Conveniently, the sheet 50 is folded along transverse fold lines 51 corresponding to the separation lines between the sheets 10 of the books 2. Adhesive strips are applied along the join lines 25 and the areas 27A, 27B folded over at 53 to provide the envelopes 27 as shown in Figure 4. Thereafter, the folded sheet 50 is severed along the lines 51 and along a central line 52 to provide the sheets 10 of the individual books 2.

In the modified arrangement discussed previously, the web 50 has side edges 54 terminating the sheet portions 9 and separate pieces forming the sheet portions 8 are superimposed and bonded to the sheet portions 9 with adhesive strips along the lines 25,53.

The books 2 can be used in other applications, for example, in party games or similar entertainments. In this case, the envelopes 27 corresponding to the numbers 30 on the separate tickets could contain information representing directly or indirectly some task or instruction instead of merely a corresponding number. In this application, the numbers can be provided on the outside surface of the envelopes 27. The draw would then identify the holder of a numbered ticket corresponding to the number on the sealed envelope 27 and the envelope 27 would be opened to reveal the nature of the task or some instructions such as a code allocated to the holder of the ticket.

In other analogous applications, the book may be used in a question and answer quiz and the sheets of the book would be divided by the lines 22,22' into regions 24,27 which are all in the form of envelopes. One selected envelope containing a question can then be matched by visible external number or colour or simply by position with two envelopes, one containing the correct answer and an instruction and the other an instruction for an incorrect answer. A sequence of numbered cards can be drawn to provide a player with a random number representing the question envelope for selection.

Alternatively, the question envelopes can be drawn in sequence.

Claims (13)

1. A book composed of one or more sheets, the or each sheet being sub-divided along weakened lines for separation into regions, wherein some of the regions bear visible indicia and other regions are in the form of envelopes containing or bearing indicia corresponding to the indicia on said some regions.

2. A raffle book composed of a plurality of sheets each sheet being sub-divided along weakened lines for separation into regions; whereon some of the regions bear sequential numbers and other regions are in the form of envelopes containing sequential numbers corresponding to the numbers on said some regions.

3. A book according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the weakened lines are perforations.

4. A book according to claim 1 wherein all the regions are in the form of envelopes.

5. A book according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the envelopes are formed from superimposed sheet portions connected together with a fold line and by a separable join or seal or by several separable joins or seals.

6. A book according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the envelopes are of part-sealed, bi-leaf configuration.

7. A book according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the envelopes are of part-sealed, folded bi-leaf configuration.

8. A book according to claim 5, 6 or 7. wherein the or each join or seal is formed by an adhesive strip.

9. A book according to claim 2, or according to any one of claims 5 to 8 when appended to claim 2, wherein there is further region on each sheet on which there are numbers corresponding to the sequential numbers and on which the identity of subscribers can be recorded.

10. A book for playing a game; the book being composed of at least one sheet sub-divided along weakened lines for separation into regions, each region being in the form of a closed envelope of bi-leaf form whereby the regions are correlated so that when one envelope is opened to reveal indicia this is followed by revealing indicia in the envelopes of one or more of the regions matched by positions or by external identification to the envelope.

11. A book substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 1 or 2 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A continuous longitudinal web severable along longitudinal and lateral lines to produce sheets for a book according to any one of the preceding claims.

13. A web according to claim 9 and substantially as described and as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.