US2655379A

US2655379A - Table game

Info

Publication number: US2655379A
Application number: US255193A
Authority: US
Inventors: Francis C Miller
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1951-11-07
Filing date: 1951-11-07
Publication date: 1953-10-13
Anticipated expiration: 1970-10-13

Description

F. c. MILLER 2,655,379

TABLE GAME Oct. 13, 1953 Filed Nov. 7, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l I. I v .7

(3 INVENTOR.

FRANCIS C. MILLER F. C. MILLER Oct. 13, 1953 TABLE GAME 2 Sheets-$heet 2 Filed Nov. 7, 1951 JNVENTOR. FRANCIS C. MILLER ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 13, 1953 'UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,855,379 I TABLE GAME Francis 0. Miller, Red Lion, Pa. 7

Application November 7, 1951, Serial No. 255,198

Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in game apparatus and, more particularly. to game apparatus in which a game or player piece is movable upon a. miniature field or the like so as to engage a playing piece and simulate various kinds of actual games. For example, games such as hockey, tennis, baseball, football, golf and the like may be simulated realistically in miniature by using the principles of the present invention.

Various kinds of miniature game apparatus have been devised heretofore for purposes of simulating the playing of games of the nature referred to and such apparatus has included miniature playing fields, miniature game or player pieces, playing pieces, and means to move or manipulate the same. However, as far as is known, none of these previously devised apparatus have been of such nature that they realistically simulate the imitated game to a very complete extent. That is, in an actual game of hockey, a player not only moves relative to a playing field but also swings a stick so as to engage a playing piece or puck from any conceivable position on the field in an effort to shoot the same into a goal and thus score against opposing players. None of the previously devised games permit such swinging movement of a game or player piece from any position on a game board so as to engage a playing piece such as a puck or the like in a manner to shoot it toward or into a goal.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a game apparatus gincluding a miniature playing field-surface and number oi. game or player pieces which may b moved not only linearly on said field but alsotin swinging fashion to engage a playing piece and drive it toward or into a goal, for example.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a game or player piece for use in a simulated game and so construct the piece that rotation thereof may be made to effect such swinging action with a minimum of friction relative to the playing surface.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a game or player piece actuator which is manually slidable beneath the surface of a game board and so arranged that a magnetic head thereon may attract a player piece and also be rotated at will so as to effect a rotative or swinging movement of said player piece positioned anywhere on the upper surface of the game board. 4

It is a further object of the invention to provide said game piece actuator with means to position the head relative to a manually holdable handle so that the head thereon will automatically be positioned in a normal position until such time as rotation of the head is desired by a contestant manipulating the actuator.

It is a still further object of the invention to so construct the playing field, game piece. and game piece actuator of the novel game apparatus that the same are simple in construction, rugged and durable and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Details of the foregoing objects and of the invention as well as other objects thereof are set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of an exemplary game apparatus embodying the principles of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the exemplary apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a game or player piece actuator comprising part of the present invention and illustrated on a larger scale than in Figs. 1 and 2..

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the actuator shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating the manner of engagement of the actuator with a, game piece, the simulated figure on the game piece being shown in said figure in edge view.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the head of the actuator and the game piece rotated to the view shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the structure shown inFig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the game piece per se taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 but illustrat ing another embodiment of game piece.

In illustrating and describing the present invention, an exemplary game board, game pieces, playing piece, and actuators have been selected to represent a miniature ice hockey game. However, it is to be understood that the principles of the present invention could be applied readily to other similar miniature games sim'ulating, for example, baseball, football, tennis. golf, field hockey and the like.

I Referring to Fig. 1, a supporting surface III is shown which may be any suitable surface such as a card table by which the game apparatus is 3 supported. 1;-' 1he apparatus per se includes a game board l2 ,which is preferably formed from a relatively thin-and non-metallic sheet which is smooth on bdtiigfsurfaces and particularly the upper surface. A suitable lacquer coating provides a' desirable surface. ,Waxing alsoimproves the surface. The game board is provided with suitable field markings l4 and fl, goals l3, side strips 23 andends 22, the latter preferably being transparent for purposes to be described.

The game board is supported by a plurality of preferably detach-able wire legs 24, the upper ends of which may be frictionally inserted within suitable holes provided within the side strips 23 and provides a sturdytype of support forthe game board notwithstanding the fact that play upon the board is frequently very active and vigorous and requires firm anchorage of the game board; A score board 28 is also provided and may detachably be secured to one of the side strips 23 by any suitable clamping means.

The game also comprises game or player pieces 30 which, in the .exemplary illustration herein simulate ice hockey players. These player pieces are rugged but simple in construction and comprise a cylindrical base 32 in the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 5 through 9. Said base may be formed from tubular fiber or synthetic resinous material or any other suitable substance but preferably the same is non-metallic. A player simulating sheet like piece 34 has a base portion which may be positioned between the inner surfaces of the base 32 so as to extend diametrically thereacross as clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 9. Cement or other means may be used to affix the piece 34 to the base 32. In the exemplary illustration, the player simulating piece 34 includes a portion representing a stick 36 which projects radially from the base 32 and comprises a playing piece engageable means. I 1

Fixed to the lower portion of the base 32 and extending preferably diametrically across the same is a metallic magnetizable member 33 which, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, comprises a bar magnet. In order to render the manipulation of each player piece 33 more effective, said bar magnet is preferably of a composition which may be strongly magnetized such as that sold in the trade under the trade name Alnico and composed of iron, aluminum, nickel and cobalt. The ends of the magnetizable member 33 are fixed to the walls of the base 32 in any effective manner such, for example, as forming holes in the sides and inserting the ends of the member 38 therethrough. Cement may also be employed either wither without the use of such holes, however.

A pivot 40 is also fixed to the member 33 intermediately of the ends thereof so as to be disposed substantially centrally of the base 32 and said pivot projects below the bottom plane of the base 32 whereby, when the player piece 32 is placed upon the game board l2 as shown in Figs. 6 and 9 particularly, the base of the player piece will engage the upper surface of the board at two points only, one of these being the pivot 40 and the other a spot on the lower periphery of the base 32. It will thus be seen that a minimum of friction will exist between the base and the upper surface of the game board l2. .Pivot 40 may be formed in various ways but in the preferred embodiment, said pivot may simply comprise a spot of cementor glue which is placed upon the ma'gnetizablemember 33 and then dipped in loose flock so as to form a somewhat felt-like pivot 43 when the cement or glue dries. Further, the stick 32 is preferably shaped so that the lower edge thereof is slightly spaced above the upper surface of the game board l2 in all positions of the player piece relative to the game board.

Another embodiment of player piece is illustrated in Fig. 10 wherein the sheet-like piece 34 simulating a player is similar to that illustrated in the embodiment shown in Figs. 5 through 9 but the base 42 of the embodiment in Fig. 10 is formed so as to be cup-shaped as shown in crosssection in said figure.

For example, the cupshaped' base 42 may be molded from synthetic resinous material and the magnetizable member 33,'which is preferablyia bar magnet, is placed within the cup so as preferably to rest upon and extend diametrically across the bottom of the 42 and is of similar nature to thepivot of the embodiment in Figs. 5 through 9.

The game further comprises a plurality of game piece. actuators which are best shown in enlarged manner in Figs. 3 through 8. These end is-bent so as to provide a pintle 52 which shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6.

extends transversally to the axis of the rod 43. Inynormal play, the pintle 52.v will be disposed vertically when-the actuators 44 are positioned adjacent the undersurface of the game board l2 as Each actuator isprovided with a head 54 which is polygonal in cross-section or plan view as shown in'Figs. 3, '7 and 8. In the preferred embodiment, the shape of the head 54 in plan view. is quadrangular, two of the opposite comers 56 are sharp' while the other two corners 53 preferably are rounded somewhat as clearly shown in said figures. A groove 53 is also provided in the upper surface of the head 54 and extends between the rounded comers 53 thereof to receive a bar magnet 62 which is also preferably of a strongly .magnetizable type formed from .the aforementioned alloy known in the trade as Alnico. The magnet 62 is fixed to the head by any suitable means such as friction or cement and projects a slight distance above the upper surface of the head 54 as clearlyshown in Figs. 5 and 6. In order to reduce friction to a minimum, a thin strip 64 of felt or other friction reducing material is ce ented to the upper'surface of the magnet 6 said strip 64 slidably engaging the under surface of the game board 12 during the operation of the actuators 44.

The upper surfaces of the head 54, in the preferred embodiment, slope slightly downward frcmthe edges of the groove 60, as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6,,in' order to facilitate only the engagement of the strip 64 with the under surtors relative to the under surface of the game board.

Each of the heads 54 has a hub 88 fixed to and depending therefrom and said hub is provided with a bearing aperture 88 which receives the pintle 52 for free rotation of the head relative to the pintle. The depth of the bearing aperture 88 is less than the length of the pintle and a stop 18 is fixed to and depends from the hub 88 so as to be-engageable with at least one side of the portion 12 of th rod 48. When disposed against said one side of said portion 12, the stop 18 will dispose the head in normal position relative to the rod 48 as shown in Figs. 5 and 7.

The head 54 isnormally rotatively biased or urged in one direction so as to dispose the stop 18 against the portion 12 of rod 48 by mechanical means comprising an elastic member 14 which may be a spring or, as illustrated in the preferred embodiment, comprises an elastic band or connected series thereof which is fixed at one end to a pin 18 projecting radially from the hub 68 and the other end of th band 14 is fixed to another pin 18 secured to the handle 48 as shown in Fig. 3.

The head 54 is manually rotated in the opposite direction by means of a flexible cord 88 which is at least partially wound around the hub 86 as shown in Figs. 3. through 8 and one end thereof is secured to the pin 18 on the hub. The other end of the cord 88 is connected to a finger engaging ring 82, said ring being movably supported relative to handle 48 by another flexible cord or string 84 as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The length of the cord 88 may be adjusted by a holding member 86 through which the cord 88 is threaded as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4 so that the member 88 frictionally engages the cord to hold any desired adjustment of the length thereof in accordance with well known principles.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that when the ring 82 is pulled by a finger of the operator or contestant as shown in Fig. 4, the head 54 will be rotated counterclockwise as viewed in Figs. 3, 7 and 8 so as to likewise rotate the magnet 62 which extends across the axis of the pintle 52. Upon releasing the ring 82 to a sufficient extent that the ring may move outward away from the handle 48, the elasticmember 14 will rotate the head 54 in the opposite direction. In playing a miniature game of ice hockey with the above described game apparatus, the game board I2 is set up in operative position and fixed by the suction cups 28 to a suitable surface l8 such as a card table. A card table is very suitable inasmuch as it is lower than an average table and when players sit on normal chairs, the playing surface of the game board I2 is in a convenient position for the players and the length of the legs 24 of the game board is preferably about 6 or 7 inches in order to provide adequate space between the table surface and the game board l2 to permit the opposing contestants to hold the actuators 44 within said space. The selected number of player pieces 38 are disposed on the board in conventional starting position for an ice hockey game. It has been found in practice that four players on each side is more desirable than the conventional number. The contestants sit at opposite ends of the table and each contestant is provided with two actuators 44 which are respectively held in his right and left hands. 'I'he.actuator held in the left hand of the player is arranged so that upon pulling the ring 82, the head 54 will be rotated clockwise as viewed in Fig. 2 whereas the actuator held in the player's right hand will be rotated counterclockwise when the ring 82 is pulled.

At the start of the game, the playing piece 88 which, in hockey, is a small hard rubber puck, is dropped upon the board near the center by one of the contestants, or someone else. Play then begins by the contestants moving their actuators beneath the desired two player pieces 38 of their respective teams. The game or player pieces 38 of each team are arranged so that two of the players have their sticks 38 extending tothe right and the other two to the left when the players are viewed face on. Once play has commenced, none of the player pieces 38 are engaged manually by either contestant and said player pieces are moved only by the actuators 44. Inasmuch as bar magnets 38 preferably are provided in the base of each player piece 38 and a bar magnet 82 is mounted in the head 54 of each actuator 44, the pushing of a head 44 cf an actuator beneath a player piece 38 will firmly attract the player piece to the head of the actuator so that the player pieces may be moved in any desired direction on the board by the actuator held by a contestant and, when it is desired to shoot the puck 88 toward the goal, the ring 82 of the actuator is pulled by a contestant in order to rotate the player piece 38 attracted to the actuator for purposes of swinging the stick 38 of each player piece and endeavoring to shoot the puck 88 into one of the goals I8. y

The curved sides of th cylindrical base 32 of each player piece 38 will prevent the puck 88 from being moved any appreciable distance by contact of the base 32 with the puck, thus more closely simulating an actual hockey game. In other words, effective movement of the puck is achieved only by. swinging the stick of the player piece into engagement with the puck for purposes of shooting it as desired by the contestant. Collision between the player pieces may on occasions cause an upset of one or both but the power of the magnets and the shapes of the bases 32 of the player pieces is such that they may be readily restored without requiring the contestants to use their hands to do so. Further, collision between the heads 54 of the actuators beneath the game board I2 is prevented to a great extent due to the fact that the normal position of the head 54 of each actuator relative to the rod 48 thereof disposes one of the shar corners 56 forwardly so as to comprise the leading end of the actuator and when two actuator heads collide beneath the board, they will automatically be cammed or shunted apart.

The magnetic force in themagnets 812 as well as in the magnetizable pieces 38. if magnets are used for the latter. is such that the heads of the actuators will easily attract a desired player piece 38 to the head so that it may be moved and swung thereby but, when it is desired to disengage the head from one player piece and move it into magnetic engagement with another player piece, only a very slight force is required to move the head 54 of the game piece away from contact with the under surface of the game board and move it into magnetic engagement with another player piece 38. Further, the polarity of the magnets 62 as well as the magnetic attractable members 38, if magnetized, will serve to increase the magnetic attraction between the player pieces 38 and the heads 54 of the actuators especially when it is desired to swing the player pieces about the axis of the pintle 52 of each actuator.

Further, the left hand actuator 48 will have its magnetic polarity disposed so that it will be used on the two players whose sticks project to the left, as viewed from the rear of the player at the contestants end of the game board, and the right hand actuator will have the polarity of its magnet arranged to magnetically'engage the two players whose sticks project to the right as viewed from the rear of the player at the contestants end of the game board. By this arrangement, when the head 54 of each actuator is moved into magnetic engagement with one of the two player pieces to be engaged thereby, the stick of the player piece will be suitably disposed to swing in the desired direction upon pulling the ring 82 of the actuator so as to causethe cord Ill thereof to rotate the head 54 to swing the stick of the player piece. As soon as the player piece has been swung, the release of the ring 02 will permit the elastic member 14 of the actuator to restore the head 54 to its normal position which is controlled by the stop I thereof engaging the forward portion 12 of the actuator rodadjacent the pintle 52. By the expression, releasing the ring, it is to be understood that'the ring is not disengaged by the finger of the contestant but such release is caused by the contestant merely bending his finger toward the outer end of the actuator so as to permit'the elastic member 14 to function. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any actuator can be properly used with any player piece, except that if a left-hand player piece is engaged by a right-hand actuator or vice versa, the player will be facing backward to its normal position.

If desired, rules simulating actual ice hockey may be employed with suitable slight innovations which may be required by the miniature aspect of the game. In the event fouls occur, the offending player may be manually removed from the board by one of the contestants for a stipulated penalty period. Games may be played for normal ice hockey periods or any other length of periods agreed upon. Time may be kept, for example, by a stop watch as in actual ice hockey games. Scores are recorded coveniently on the score board 28 and spirited realistic miniature games may be played with the apparatus described above to a far greater degree of enjoyment than has heretofore been possible with games obtainable on the market, due particularly to the construction of the game apparatus of the present invention permitting the rotation of the game or player pieces 30 as to simulate an actual swinging of a hockey stick 3' and consequent shooting of the puck 88 as in a realistic game.

A complete set of apparatus preferably includes a playing board l2, four detachable legs 24 with suction cups attached, four actuators 44 of, which two are left handed and two right handed, a total of eight player pieces ll of which four are decorated to represent one team and four another team and two players of each team are arranged with their sticks projecting to the left side while the other two have their sticks projecting to the right side, a playing piece or puck 88, a pair of goals 18, and a score board 28. All of these may be compactly packaged in a suitable box of convenient dimensions and only a support such as a card table is needed in addition in order to permit a realistic miniature game of ice hockey to be played by two contestants. The legs 24 are easily attached to the game board and a card table. The goals ll, if not permanently attached to the game board, may be easily amxed thereto and the score board 20 is readily clipped to one side of the game board. The player pieces are disposed in conventional starting position and the actuators are then held by the contestants as described as the puck playing piece Cl is dropped onto the table for the start of the game.

While the player pieces have magnets bases thereof in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the polarity of the magnets is arranged relative to the stick ll so that when the player pieces are disposed with their bases adjacent each other and their sticks in opposite directions, the magnets repel each other. If the stick side of one player piece is adjacent the opposite side of another player piece. they would normally attract but the stick of the one player piece holds the pieces sumciently apart that no effective amount of magnetic attraction takes place between them. Similarly, when the head of the actuators are in normal position relative to the handle supports thereof and the .right and left hand actuator heads should happen to contact beneath the board l2, the polarity of the magnets 62 is arranged so that the heads will repel each other.

All components of the apparatus are rugged and durable as'wellas simple, whereby the manufacturing cost thereof is not great and the game board and player pieces greatly simulate an actual hockey game in miniature. Further, the ends 22 of the game board are preferably formed of transparent material such as methyl methacrylate strips so that if the puck BI is shot to one end of the board, it may readily be seen through the ends 22 without requiring the contestant behind the end the lean forwardly in order to view the puck.

It is obvious that other games referred to above which require swinging of the player pieces to simulate actual play may be made in miniature to embody the principles of the present invention and the same are not restricted to the ice hockey game described and illustrated in detail herein.

While the invention has been shown and illustrated in its several preferred embodiments, and has included certain details, it should be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the precise details herein illustrated and described since the same may be carried out in other ways falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A game apparatus comprising in combination; an extended game board of non-metallic sheet material arranged to be positioned horizontally; a game piece movable upon the upper surface of said board, said game piece having a base provided with curved sides, a magnetizable member on said base substantially concentric with the vertical axis thereof, a pivot extending below the bottom plane of said base substantially centrally thereof, and playing piece engageable means extending laterally relative to said base; a playing piece slidably movable upon the upper surface of said game board and arranged to be engaged by the engageable means of said game piece when the latter is rotated about its pivot; and a game piece actuator manually movable relative to the under surface of said game board and including a head having a magnet fixed thereto and arranged to attract the magnetizable member of said game piece, manually holdable means supporting said head and magnet for roin the -9 tatlon, and manually operable means connected to said head and arranged to be actuated to rotate said head and game piece attracted thereto at the will of the operator, said game piece also being movable by said actuator in various paths of movement within the plane of said game board.

2. A game apparatus comprising in combination; an extended game board of non-metallic sheet material arranged to be positioned horizontally; a game piece movable upon the upper surface-of said board, said game piece having a substantially cylindrical base, a bar magnet fixed to and extending substantially diametrically across said base adjacent the bottom thereof, a pivot extending below the bottom plane of said base substantially centrally thereof, and playing piece engageable means extending radially outward relative to said base; a playing piece slidably movable upon the upper surface of said game board and arranged to be engaged by the engageable means of said game piece when the latter is rotated about its pivot; and a game piece actuator manually movable relative to the under surface of said game board and including a head having a bar magnet fixed thereto and arranged to attract the bar magnet of said game piece, manually holdable means supporting said head and magnet for rotationv about a normally vertical axis, and manually operable means connected to said head and arranged to be actuated to rotate said head and game piece attracted thereto at the will of the operator, said game piece also being movable by said actuator in various paths of movement within the plane of said game board.

3. A game apparatus comprising in combina tion; an extended game board of non-metallic sheet material arranged to be positioned hori: zontally; a game piece movable upon the upper surface of said board, said game piece having a circular base, a bar magnet fixed to and extending substantially diametrically across said base adjacent the bottom thereof, a pivot extending below the bottom plane of said base substantially centrally thereof, and playing piece engageable means extending radially outward relative to said base; a playing piece slidably movable upon the upper surface of said game board and arranged to be engaged by the engageable means of said game piece when the latter is rotated about its pivot; and a game piece actuator manually movable relative to the under surface of said game board and including a head having a bar magnet fixed thereto and arranged to attract the bar magnet of said game piece, manually holdable means supporting said head and magnet for rotation about a normally vertical axis, manually operable means connected to said head and arranged to be actuated to rotate said head and game piece attracted thereto in one direction, and elastic means operable to rotate said head and attracted game piece in the reverse direction, said game piece also being movable by said actuator in various paths of movement within the plane of said game board. v

4. A game piece comprising in combination, a base having curved sides, a magnetically attractable member fixed to said base adjacent the bottom thereof, a pivot projecting below the bottom plane of said base substantially centrally thereof. and a playing piece engageable member supported by said base and projecting substantially radially therefrom.

5. A game piece comprising in combination, a base having curved sides, a bar magnet fixed to and extending substantially diametrically across to said head and said base adjacent the bottom thereof, a pivot projecting below the bottom plane of said base substantially centrally thereof, and a playing piece engageable member supported by said base and projecting substantially radially therefrom.

6. A game piece comprising in combination, a base having a substantially cylindrical wall, a bar magnet fixed to and extending diametrically across said base within said wall adjacent the bottom edge thereof, a pivot projecting below the bottom plane of said base substantially centrally thereof, and a playing piece engageable member supported by said base and projecting substantially radially therefrom.

7. A game piece comprising in combination, a base having a substantially cylindrical wall, a bar magnet fixed to and extending diametrically across said base within said wall adjacent the bottom edge thereof, a pivot fixed to said magnet medially thereof and projecting below the plane of the lower edge of said wall, and a playing piece engageable member supported by said base and projecting substantially radially therefrom.

8. A game piece comprising in combination, a cup-shaped base, a bar magnet within said base and fixed to the bottom thereof and extending diametrically thereto, a pivot fixed to and'pro- Jecting below the bottom of said base substantially centrally thereof, and a playing piece engageable member fixed relative to'said base and projecting substantially radially therefrom.

9. A game piece actuator comprising in combination, a manually holdable handle unit, a head pivotally supported for movement about an axis fixed relative to one end of said handle unit, a magnet fixed to said head and extending transversely across said axis, and manually operable means interconnected to said head and operable to rotate said head about said axis.

10. A game piece actuator comprising in combination, a manually holdablehandle unit, a head pivotally supported for movement about an axis extending transversely to said unit adjacent one end thereof, a-magnet fixed to said head and extending transversely across said axis, manually operable means'interconnected to said head and operable to rotate said head in one direction about said axis, and means operable automatically upon release of said manually operable means to rotate said head and magnet in the opposite direction.

11. A game piece actuator comprising in combination, a manually holdable handle unit, a head pivotally supported for movement about an axis extending transversely to said unit adjacent one end thereof, said head being substantially quadrangular in plan view and one angular corner thereof normally extending forwardly relative to said one end of said handle unit, a magnet fixed extending transversely across said axis, and manually operable means interconnected to said head and operable to rotate said head about said axis.

12. A game piece actuator comprising in combination, a manually holdable handle unit, a head pivotally supported for movement about an axis extending transversely to said unit adjacent one end thereof, a bar magnet fixed to said head and extending substantially thereacro-ss and transversely to said axis, friction decreasing means on the upper face of said bar magnet, and

manually operable means interconnected to said 1i bination, a manually holdable handle unit, a

head pivotally supported for movement about an axis extending transversely to said unit adjacent one end thereof. a magnet fixed to said head Y and extending thereaeross transversely to said ually operable means to on release of said m2 rotate said head and agnet in the opposite direction. and a stop arranged to stop said automatic rotation of said head upon the retu thereofto its said normal position. 14. Algame piece actuator comprising in combinationfa manually/Jholdable handle unit including a shaft having a pivot pintle extending transversely thereto [at one end and normally held vertically in operative position and a handle at the other end of said shaft, a head supported by said pivot pintle tor rotation in opposite directions therearoun an elongated magnet supported by the uppe end or said head and extending transversely: across the axis or said pintle, elastic means normally biasing said head for rotation in one direction, and manually actuatable means operable to ro tatesaid head in the opposite direction against the action of said elastic means.

15. A game piece actuator comprising in combination, a manually holdable handle unit including a shaft having one end bent to extend transversely thereto to comprise a pintle and the other end or the shaft having a handle thereon, a head provided with a hub supported by said pintle for rotation References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number" Name Date 1,858,020 Linke May 10, 1932 2,318,169 Rock May 4, 1943 2,492,423

Gray Dec. 27, 1949 in opposite directions therearound, a bar magnet fixed to the upper end oi