US2074207A - Game apparatus for amusement purposes - Google Patents

Description

March 16, 1937. c w L 2,074,207

GAME APPARATUS FOR AMUSEMENT PURPOSES Filed Dec. 19, 1955- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 26 J: i fixacewelz March 16, 1937. J. A. BRACEWELL I 2,074,207

GAME APPARATUS FOR AMUSEMENT PURPOSES Filed Dec. 19, 1935 a 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Mar. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES GAME APPARATUS FOR AMUSEMENT PURPosEs James A. Bracewell, Tulsa, Okla.

Application December 19, 1935, Serial No. 55,272

13 Claims.

This invention is for a game apparatus for amusement purposes and is particularly adapted to the playing of various card games.

It is a particular object of this invention to provide a machine for mechanically performing certain functions which are ordinarily manually performed in playing various card games.

It is a particular object of this invention to provide an apparatus for playing card games which will assure uniform shuffling of the cards or card substitutes and to present to the view of the players, various combinations of cards more nearly in keeping with the mathematical possibilities for the presentation of such combinations and to thus heighten the interest of the players in the particular game being played.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for retaining certain portions of card combinations and for replacing undesired portions with new portions to thereby produce new combinations in the same play period.

Still another important object of this invention is to provide, as a substitute for a standard deck of playing cards, a quantity of cubes, balls or pellets of any desired shape, equal in number to the number of cards in a standard deck of playing cards, and each of which is marked to correspond with a different one of the cards of a standard deck of playing cards.

Further object and advantages of my new invention will become apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the attached drawings which illustrate, more or less diagrammatically, one of the preferred forms of my apparatus.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation partly broken away, of my improved apparatus; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view partly in elevation taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a shifting bar forming part of the apparatus; Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of an expelling bar forming part of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, a drum or cage I is fixedly mounted on a horizontal shaft 2 which is adapted to be rotated within bearings Ia and 3b which are supported by the walls of a casing 4 which completely encloses the drum I and the major portion of the game mechanism except for a frontal portion which is cut away to provide a view of that portion of the drum which reveals the card combinations to the players as will be later described. A portion of the surface of the drum l is extended to form a longitudinally extending pocket which is divided into a series of stalls, slots or cells 5 by means of vertical partitions 5 cooperating with a radial shelf 1. A handle 8, preferably located outside the casing 4, is utilized to actuate the shaft 2 to effect rotation of the drum I. The handle 8 may be connected to the shaft 2 by any conventional mechanism, which, however, is not shown in the drawings as such mechanisms are well known to those skilled in the art. The operation of handle 8 may be coin-controlled or not as may be desired and mechanism for such control is also not illustrated as they are also well known in the art. A ratchet wheel 9 surrounding shaft 2 and fixedly attached to drum I cooperates with a pawl I0, mounted on casing 4, to limit the direction of rotation of drum I to a clockwise direction. A stop II mounted at one side of drum I cooperates with a handoperated rod I2 to bring the drum I to a stop ata point in its rotation where the slots 5 will be visible to the players through the opening in the casing 4. A spring I3 cooperates with the rod I2 and the wall of easing 4 to hold the rod I2 in the position required to always bring the drum I to a stop at the visible position for the slots 5 but permits the rod I2 to be temporarily withdrawn whenever it is desired to release the drum I for further rotation.

Within the drum I there are placed a group of playing elements or dice I4 which are preferably cubical in form but which may be balls, cylinders or any other desired shape. In the preferred form of my invention the number of these cubes is equal to the number of cards in a standard deck of playing cards, such as a bridge or whist deck, and each of the elements I 4 is marked to correspond with a different one of the cards of such a deck. The movement of the elements I4 within the drum I are in no wise hindered except that they are more or less violently agitated during the rotation of the drum I by means of baflies I5 which are mounted within drum I at spaced points therein so that as the drum I is rotated the playing elements I A will be sharply. tumbled about thereby. It should be noted that the speed of rotation of drum I is so controlled by the mechanism actuating the shaft 2 to maintain the speed such that there will be insufficient centrifugal force developed to throw the elements It tightly against the inner surface of the drum I.

Without reference to the other important features of my invention, the operation of the game consists simply in rotating drum I in a clockwise direction by operation of handle 8 which cooperates with shaft 2 to produce the desired rotation, controlled, of course, as to direction by the operation of ratchet 9 and pawl III. During the rotation of drum I, the playing elements I4 are violently agitated by the assistance of the baffles I5 and the aforementioned shufiiing effectively accomplished. When the slots 5 reach the low point of rotation of drum I a number of the playing elements I4 will drop into the corresponding number of slots 5, the slots 5 being of such depth as to permit reception of only a single one of elements I4. The elements I4 will be retained in slots 5 until said slots will have reached a substantially horizontal position at which point the slots and their contents will be visible to the players through the registering opening in the casing 4. That portion of the surface of drum I which covers slots 5 will preferably be constructed of transparent material which will thus render the elements I4 contained in the slots 5 visible to the players, and the particular combination of cards may thus be read by the players. The rod I2, which at this point will cooperate with stop II to hold drum I in position for the contents of slots 5 to be read, will now be withdrawn from contact with stop I I and rotation of drum I may then be continued by again pulling handle 8 and when slots 5 have reached the high point of rotation of drum I they will discharge their contained elements I4 which will then be returned to the main group of elements I4 within drum I to be again re-shufiled before completion of that particular rotation of drum I. In this manner any number of successive combinations of cards may be presented within the slots 5 as may be desired by the players.

As a variation of the simple method of play described above, I have provided means whereby, after a first rotation of drum I has produced a particular combination of playing elements, I may retain certain ones of the playing elements I4 in their respective slots 5 while discharging the undesired ones and replacing them with new playing elements to produce a variation of the first combination, all of these steps taking place during a second rotation of drum I. Increased interest may thus be provided in the game. In combination with this varied method of play I have also provided automatic means for opening all of the slots 5 and discharging their contained playing elements I4 upon completion of the said second rotation of drum I, thus automatically preventing the return of the identical varied combination without a re-shuffling of all of the playing elements.

Means for effecting these variations and for accomplishing the aforesaid automatic features comprise a series of retaining plates or gates I6, one for each individual slot 5, which may be individually raised in position to close the respective slots 5 by the action of a corresponding series of bell cranks I'I operating through pins I8 and controlled by means of a series of push buttons I 9. When said buttons I9 are pulled outward, they will cause their respective plates I6 to move upward closing their respective slots 5 andthus retain playing elements I4 contained within said respective slots 5. When buttons I9 are pushed in, their normal position at the beginning of the game, the plates I6 will be in the lowered position permitting playing elements I4 to be received within or discharged from slots 5 as the case may be. A shifting arm 29 is mounted at the left of drum I on a fulcrum pin 2I each of the segments of said shifting arm 20 being adapted. to move backwards or forwards along a line parallel to the horizontal axis of drum I. The upper segment of shifting arm 20 is attached at its upper extremity to an element designated as expelling bar 22 which contains a series of parallel slots 23 extending at right angles across the lower side of expelling bar 22. The portions of the underside of expelling bar 22 between the slots 23, designated interim portions 24, have surfaces which slope downwardly in the direction of rotation of drum I and which are designed to clear buttons I9 only when the buttons I9 are in the in position. When buttons I9 are in the out" position the interim portions 24 due to their sloping surfaces are designed to push such buttons back into the in position. Expelling bar 22 is adapted to be reciprocated back and forth in a line parallel to the horizontal axis of drum I by the corresponding action of the upper segment of shifting arm 20 and is fitted into bearings 25a and 25b, suitably supported by casing 4 to permit of its more facile movement. A shifting bar 26, moving in bearings 21a and 21b, suitably sup ported by casing 4 is located beneath the low point of drum I and is attached at its left end to the lower segment of shifting arm 20 by the movement of which, shifting bar 26 may be reciprocated in bearings 21a and 2127 along a line parallel to the horizontal axis of drum I. A series of slots 28 are cut in the upper surface of shifting bar 26 and angle across the surface of shifting bar 26 from left to right in the direction of rotation of drum I. When buttons I9 are in the in position the location of shifting bar 26 with respect to drum I is such that all of buttons I9 will completely clear shifting bar 26. When buttons I9 are in the out position, they will pass through the openings in slots 28 and because of the angle of the slots 28, will bear against the left hand side of said slots 28 and automatically force shifting bar 26 to the left, which will, in turn, move the lower segment of shifting arm 20 to the left and this action will in turn move the upper segment of shifting arm 20 to the right, automatically moving expelling bar 22 to the right. The significance of these actions will be more fully explained hereinafter. A clearing lug 29 is mounted on the left side of drum I at a point on its surface to the rear of push buttons I9, the direction of rotation of drum I being considered forward. Clearing lug 29 has a backwardly slanting face complementary to the face of a second clearing lug 30 mounted on the upper segment of shifting arm 20. The relative positions of clearing lugs 29 and 30 when shifting arm 20 is in the initial playing position and when lug 29 has, through partial rotation of drum I, reached a position opposite lug 30 are shown in Fig. 1, lug 29 being shown dotted. The part played by these lugs 29 and 30 in the operation of the game apparatus will also be more fully explained hereinafter.

A complete game may be played as follows: Push buttons I9 are pushed into the in position lowering plates I6, leaving slots 5 free to expel playing elements I4 which may remain therein from a previous game, and to receive new elements I4. Rod I2 is withdrawn to clear stop II to permit rotation of drum I which is then set in motion by manipulation of handle 8. At the initiation of the game shifting arm 20 is in the vertical or normal position and expelling bar 22 and shifting bar 26 are in positions such that slots 23 and 28 are in register with buttons I9. When slots 5 containing playing elements I4 reach the high point of rotation of drum I, any

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contained playing elements I4 will be discharged from slots 5-since there is at this time nothing to hold them therein, and as rotation 'of drum I proceeds to the low point thereof, new playing elements I4, which in the meantime have been thoroughly shuflled by rotation of drum I and action of battles I5, will fall into the various slots 5 and upon return of slots 5 to the horizontal or visible position, thus completing the first complete rotation of drum I, drum I being stopped at'this point by cooperation of rod I2 with stop II, a first combination of playing elements will be visible to the players and this combination noted. ,If it is now desired to vary this said first combination by retaining certain desired ones of the playing elements I4 in their respective slots 5 while replacing the remainder of the playing elements I4 with new playing elements from the major group thereof in the interior of drum I, the following manipulations are effected. If, for example, the first combination is that illustrated in Fig. 1, and it is desired to retain the playing elements I 4a. and Nb in their respective slots, 5a and 51)' while replacing the other playing elements with new ones, push buttons I91; and I9b. are pulled out thus closing slots 5a and 5b with their respective plates. I6. Rod I2 is again withdrawn from engagement with stop II and handle 8 is again pulled to begin a second rotation of drum I. As the slots 5 rotate toward the high point of rotation of drum I, the unobstructed ones of these slots 5 will discharge their contents-into the interior of drum I to be mixed with the'main group of playing elements I4 being thoroughly agitated therein. As the slots 23 in expelling bar 22 are still in register with buttons I9 those buttons I9 which are now in the out position will pass therethrough without .hindrance and will proceed in clockwise rotation with drum I. As slots 5 reach the low point of rotation of drum I, new elements I4 will fall into those of the slots 5 which have just been vacated in the described manner. All of the slots 5 containing the varied combination of playing elements I I thus obtained, proceed with the rotation of drum I toward the horizontal, visible position. Buttons I9a and I9b, which follow slots 5 and are now in the outposition engage angling slots-28, while the remainderof buttons I9 clear shifting bar 25. Buttons I9a and I9b bear against the left hand side of slots 28 and force shifting bar 29 to the left, which then forces the lower segment of shifting arm 29 to the left and this action reacts to move the upper segment of shifting arm 29 to the right and correspondingly moves expelling bar 22 to the right and slots 23' out of register with all of buttons I9. Rotation of drum I proceeds until rod I2 again engages stop II and brings drum I to a stop with slots 5 and the new combination of playing elements I4; in the visible or reading position, where the new combination is read and noted by the players. The above series of operations ,not only complete that particular game but also place the mechanism in such condition as to automatically clear the machine in the initial stages of the next game, in order that the last combination appearing in the reading position may not be returned unchanged to the reading position.

The clearing operation is automatically effected as follows: As noted above when the new combination has reached the reading position, ex-.

pelling bar 22'will have been pushed to the right through cooperation of shifting bar 26 with shifting arm 20 as. above described and slots 23 will be out of register with buttons I9. Buttons I9a and I91) will still be in the out position As the new game begins, rod I2 is again pulled temporarily out of engagement with stop II, handle 8 is again manipulated to start .a new rotation of drum I and slots 5 with the last contained combination of playing elements I l begin rotation toward the high point of rotation. Sinceslots 23 are now out of register with buttons I9 they will be forced to pass under interimportions 24 of expelling bar 22. As stated above, these interim portions 24 slope downward in the direction of rotation of drum I, and will not permit clearance of buttons I9 when in the "out position, in this case buttons I9a and I9b. The sloping face of interim portions 24 will therefore depress buttons I9a and I9!) into the in position as the rotation of drum I carries them under expelling bar 22, and as a result of this action slots 5a and 5b are opened and playing elements I la and Nb will be expelled by gravity from slots 5a. and 51) along with the remainder of the playing elements I4 which had not been previously held in their respectiveslots 5. When buttons I9 have passed expelling bar 22, clearing lug 29 which is following closely thereafter, now strikes clearing lug 30, which, due to the right-ward position of the upper segment of shifting arm 29, is in position to be contacted by clearing lug 29. The slanting face of clearing lug 29 striking that of clearing lug 39, forces the upper segment of shifting arm back to the left and thus pulls expelling bar back to the left into position where slots 23 will be in register with buttons I9 during the succeeding rotation of drum I. The action of shifting arm .29 will, of course, at the same time move its lower segment to the right and pull shifting bar 26 to .the right putting the openings of slots 28 again in register with buttonsv I9, prior to the time buttons I9 reach this point in the rotation of drum I. As a result of these operations all of the slots 5 will have been emptied of the previously contained playing elements I4, so that by the time slots 5 will have reached the lowpoint of rotation they may receive an entirely new combination of playing elements I4, all of which have in the meantime been subjected to shufiling and agitation within drum I. The slots 5 containing the new combination of playing elements I4 will then continue their passage to the reading position. Since all of the buttons I9 are now in the in position they will all clear shifting bar 26 and will thus not alter the position of this bar and consequently effect no change in the position of expelling bar 22. When slots 5 containing the new combination, will have again reached the reading position, the previously described operations for obtaining an altered combination of playing elements may then be again proceeded with.

It will thus be evident that my invention provides a game apparatus which provides substitutes for standard playing cards; means for offecting thorough shuiiling of said substitutes at proper intervals to enable presentation of combinations of card equivalents more nearly in for clearing the machine automatically of previously presented combinations to place the apparatus in condition for playing an entirely new game, and preventing the return of identical combinations of playing elements in the same game.

If it is desired to set shifting bar 26 and ex pelling bar 22, manually, in either the clearing or non-clearing positions, a manually operated setting handle 3| is provided in connection with the upper end of the upper segment of shifting arm 20.

Drum I may be constructed of any material suitable for resisting wear and tear resulting from the operation thereof. It may be constructed of transparent materials throughout or only partially of such materials and the interior thereof may be lined with wear resisting or shock resisting material such as rubber or felt.

As noted above the manipulation of handle 8 may be coin-controlled if desired and may be operated in combination with merchandise dispensing features as is commonly done in the art. The game features above described being utilized to give amusement to purchasers of such merchandise while effecting their purchases. No claim is made to such merchandising features or to the coin-control features per se; as such features are well known to those skilled in the art. It will be understood that while I have illustrated an apparatus useful in playing a game in which combinations of five playing elements are utilized it is equally adaptable to playing games in which other combinations of playing elements may be used. Instead of using playing elements marked to correspond with standard playing cards, such playing elements may be marked with any other type of figure or with numbers.

It will be understood that I do not intend to be limited in claiming my invention to the specific modification above described but desire to claim all variations thereof which come within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A game apparatus comprising a rotatable housing, a quantity of playing elements contained therein, a series of pockets in said housing adapted to receive some of said elements and to present same visibly to the view of an observer in a first rotation of said housing, means for retaining desired ones of said elements in said pockets during a second rotation of said housing while permitting undesired ones of said playing elements to be expelled from said pockets and to be replaced by different ones of said playing elements from said quantity to thereby produce an at least partially new combination of said playing elements and to present same visibly to the View of said observer, means thereafter for releasing said retained playing elements and for preventing the return of said new combination for View a second time in the course of a single game, and means for rotating said housing.

2. A game apparatus comprising a rotatable housing, means for rotating said housing, a quantity of playing elements contained within said housing, the number of said playing elements equalling the number of cards in a standard deck of whist playing cards, said elements being individually marked to correspond each with a different one of the cards of said deck, a series of pockets in said housing each of which is adapted to receive a single one of said playing elements and to present same visibly to the view of an observer, manually controlled means for retaining desired ones of said elements within their respective pockets during rotation of said housing while undesired ones of said elements are being expelled from their respective pockets and are being replaced by new playing elements from said quantity, and means co-operating with said retaining means to thereafter permit expulsion of said desired elements together with said new elements to thereby place said apparatus in condition for a new game.

3. A game apparatus comprising a rotatable housing, means for rotating said housing, a quantity of playing elements contained within said housing, a series of pockets in said housing adapted to receive some of said playing elements and to present them visibly to the view of an ob server, means for closing said pockets to permit retention of their contained playing elements during a first rotation of said housing and means co-operating with said closing means for opening said pockets during a second rotation of said housing.

4. In an apparatus of the character described a tumbling cage provided with a series of stalls visible from the exterior of the cage, a multiplicity of playing elements contained within the cage and adapted to enter or leave the stalls, the elements being marked to simulate the cards of a deck of playing cards, means for setting the cage in motion, means for halting the cage in such a position as to render the playing elements occupying the stalls, visible to an observer, means for retaining the playing elements in the stalls including operating members projecting from the cage, and means arranged exteriorly of the cage for moving said members as the cage travels in its orbit of movement.

5. In a device of the character described, a rotatable drum having a peripheral pocket divided into a number of stalls visible from the exterior of the drum, playing elements arranged in the drum and adapted to fall into or out of the stalls due to rotation of the drum, manually controlled means for retaining playing elements within selected one of the stalls, the last mentioned means including members projecting from the periphery of the drum, and means arranged in the path of movement of the drum for actuating said members during a revolution of the drum to release the selected playing elements from the stalls which they occupy.

6. In a device of the character described, a rotatable drum having a peripheral pocket divided into a number of stalls visible from the exterior of the drum, playing elements arranged in the drum and adapted to fall into or out of the stalls due to rotation of the drum, manually controlled means for retaining playing elements within selected one of the stalls, the last mentioned means including members projecting from the periphery of the drum, means arranged in the path of movement of the drum for actuating said members during a revolution of the drum to release the selected playing elements from the stalls which they occupy. and "automatic means actuated by the drum for moving the last mentioned means out of the path of movement of said members.

7. In a device of the character described a rotatable drum provided with a peripheral pocket divided into adjacent stalls visible from the exterior of the drum, playing elements contained within the drum and adapted to move into and out of said stalls due to rotation of the drum, gates associated with the stalls for temporarily to allow the passage of retaining selected playing elements within certain stalls, manually operated members for closing said gates, said members projecting from the periphery of the drum, an expelling bar having spaced inclined portions for actuating said members to open the gates when the bar is inone position and the drum is rotated, the spaces between the inclined portions of the bar being suficiently wide said members when the bar is in another position, and means actuated by said members for shifting said bar in one direction.

8. In a device of the character described a 1'0- tatable drum provided with a peripheral pocket divided into adjacent stalls visible from the exterior of the drum, playing elements contained within the drum and adapted to move into and out of said stalls due to rotation of the drum, gates associated with the stalls for temporarily retaining selected playing elements within certain stalls, manually operated members for closing said gates, said members projecting from the periphery of the drum, an expelling bar having spaced inclined portions for actuating said members to open the gates when the bar is in one position and the drum is rotated, the spaces between the inclined portions of the bar being suffioiently wide to allow the passage of said members when the bar is in another position, means actuated by said members for shifting said bar in one direction, and means actuated by the drum for shifting the bar in the opposite direction.

9. In a device of the character described a rotatable drum provided with a peripheral pocket divided into adjacent stalls visible from the exterior oi the drum, playing elements contained within the drum and adapted to move into and out of said stalls due to rotation of the drum, gates associated with the stalls for temporarily retaining selected playing elements within certain stalls, manually operated members for closing said gates, said members projecting from the periphery of the drum, an expelling bar having spaced inclined portions for actuating said members to open the gates when the bar is in one position and the drum is rotated, the spaces between the inclined portions of the bar being sufficiently wide to allow the passage of said members when the bar is in another position, means actuated by said members for shifting said bar in one direction, and manually operated means for shifting the bar in either direction.

10. In a device of the character described, a rotatable drum having a peripheral pocket divided into a number of stalls visible from the exterior of the drum, playing elements arranged in the drum and adapted to move into or out of the stalls due to rotation of the drum, said playing elements being marked to simulate the cards of a playing deck, a gate associated with each stall for retaining a playing element within the stall, manually operated means including push buttons for closing said gates, an expelling bar arranged parallel to the axis of the drum' and having spaced inclined portions adapted to occupy positions in the path of movement of the push buttons while the latter are in projected positions, for depressing said buttons, the spaces between the inclined portions of the bar being sufficiently wide to permit the push buttons to pass between said portions whenthe bar is in one position, a second bar arranged parallel to the axis of the drum at a position substantially diametrically opposite to that of the first mentioned bar, a pivotally mounted lever operably connected to the bars for shifting them simultaneously in opposite directions, the second bar having inclined grooves adapted to receive said push buttons when the latter are projected for automatically shifting the second bar whereby the first mentioned bar is moved to a position in which the spaces of the first mentioned bar register with the positions of the push buttons.

11. In a device of the character described, a rotatable drum having a peripheral pocket divided into a number of stalls visible from the exterior of the drum, playing elements arranged in the drum and adapted to move into or out of the stalls due to rotation of the drum, said playing elements being marked to simulate the cards of a playing deck, a gate associated with each stall for retaining a playing element within the stall, manually operated means including push buttons for closing said gates, an expelling bar arranged parallel to the axis of the drum and having spaced inclined portions adapted to occupy positions in the path of movement of the push buttons while the latter are in projected positions, for depressing said buttons, the spaces between the inclined portions of the bar being sufficiently wide to permit the push buttons to pass between said portions when the bar is in one position, a second bar arranged parallel to the axis of the drum at a position substantially diametrically opposite to that of the first mentioned bar, a pivotally mounted lever operably connected to the bars for shifting them simultaneously in opposite directions, the second bar having inclined grooves adapted to receive said push buttons when the latter are projected for automatically shifting the second bar whereby the first mentioned bar is moved to a position in which the spaces of the first mentioned bar register with the positions of the push buttons, and means actuated by the drum and engageable with the lever for shifting the bars in certain directions.

12. A game apparatus comprising a rotatable drum, a quantity of playing elements loosely contained therein, said playing elements being individually marked with characteristic markings, a series of pockets in the peripheral portion of said drum arranged parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum, all of the pockets communicating with the interior of the drum so that any one of the playing elements can enter any one of the pockets, said pockets being visible from the exterior of the drum, means for retaining an element in any of the pockets independently of an element in any other one of the pockets, manually actuated members arranged exteriorly of the drum for controlling the last mentioned means, and means for rotating the drum. 13. A game apparatus comprising a rotatable drum, a quantity of playing elements contained in the drum, said elements being substantially equal in number to the number of cards in a standard deck of whist playing cards, said elements having plane surfaces individually marked to correspond each with a difierent one of said cards, a series of visible pockets in the peripheral portion of the drum arranged parallel to the axis of rotation of the latter and communicating with the interior of the drum to allow any one of the playing elements to enter any one of the pockets, manually controlled means for retaining any one of the elements within a pocket independently of an element in any other one of the pockets, and means for rotating said drum.

JAMES A. BRACEWELL.

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