US3471148A

US3471148A - Card comparison game

Info

Publication number: US3471148A
Application number: US656220A
Authority: US
Inventors: Anthony T Janiszewski; Dalia E Ancevicius
Original assignee: Glass Marvin and Associates
Current assignee: Glass Marvin and Associates
Priority date: 1967-07-26
Filing date: 1967-07-26
Publication date: 1969-10-07
Anticipated expiration: 1986-10-07

Description

Oct 7, 1969 A. 1'. JANISZEWSKI ETAL. 3,

CARD COMPARISON GAME Filed July 26, 1967 l .n bill!!! vlififlllffffll a W NE 57- N6 2 d m m w 044 M E AA CEV/C/US %ORN EYS United States Patent Int. Cl. A63p 1/00 U.S. 01. 273-1 4 Claims ABSTRACT on. THE DISCLOSURE A card game including a card holding device which is adapted to support a plurality of cards. The card holding device is mounted in a framefor relative rotation and for raising and lowering movement with respect to the frame, so that the cards are initially concealed from view and as the card holder rotates and rises a greater portion of the cards is exposed until finally the entire face of the cards is seen. The device includes a plurality of .levers for stopping the rotation of the card holding device at any time. The deck of cards provided includes pairs of identical cards with some of the pairs being closely similar to, but distinguishable from, others of the pairs of cards.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION The present application is a continuation-impart of the co-pending patent application Ser. No. 522,208 which was filed on May 23, 1966 and has since become abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to game apparatus, and is particularly directed to a game involving the use of illustrated cards with a device for displaying the cards in a manner that they can be observed and recognized with a progressively decreasing degree of difiiculty, so that the players compete with each other in attempting to match cards in their hands with the displayed cards. While the use of flash cards has been known heretofore, the present invention provides a novel means for controlling the time and exposure of the cards, while providing a novel game in attempting to match up pairs of identical cards.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Game apparatus in the form of a device for holding at least one card and including a frame structure, wherein the card supporting means is mounted for rotation and for raising and lowering movement with respect to the frame structure and from a position where the card is substantially concealed from view to a position where the card is entirely exposed, and mechanism operably connected with the card holding means for effecting rotation and elevation thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the device for bolding and displaying the cards;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view generally on the line 22 of FIGURE 1, with parts broken away and in section;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in FIGURE 2, with parts broken away or omitted;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary exploded view of structure seen in FIGURE 2; and

ice

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of two of the playing cards, illustrating the similarities and differences of the pictures on the cards which are used in the game.

The cards in the deck provided for the game are arranged in pairs, the cards of each pair being identical with each other so that there will be duplicates of each card in the deck. Further, two or more pairs of cards are essentially identical but have some marked differences, such as the handbag shown in the picture to the left in FIGURE 5. The game may be played in a variety of ways, but essentially, the cards are dealt to the various players, and one of the players will place a card or cards in a concealed position within the display or holding device. When all is ready the device will be operated and the card or cards in the display device will be raised a portion at a time, as the device rotates, so as to give the players a view of such portion only. As the rotation of the device continues more of the card is exposed, and if one of the players thinks he recognizes a rotating picture as being identical to one he holds in his hand he is entitled to stop the rotation and take the card. The matched cards will be kept by the player to determine his final score. As indicated above, each pair of cards is almost but not quite identical with another pair of cards, for example, in the illustration of FIGURE 5 the figure to the left is carrying a handbag and the deck will include another identical card to this. However, the figure on the right has no bag, but otherwise is the same as the figure on the left. There would also be another card identical with the figure on the right. A variety of pictures would be present in the deck, but this scheme of almost similar pairs would be followed throughout. In the event a player guesses wrongly in his attempt to recognize a card, there should be an appropriate penalty such as the loss of card. Preferably, the display device is reloaded with four new cards from the deck after each time that the rotating device is stopped.

The players will be disposed about the holding and displaying device, which comprises a base or frame structure 10 on which is mounted for rotation an upstanding housing 12 having a lower enlarged portion 14. Housing 12 is angular in cross section and telescopically receives therein a support or card rack 16 of a shape complementary to that of the upper portion of housing 12. Support 16 preferably has one or more sides 18 provided with side edge flanges 20 spaced slightly outwardly from the surface of sides 18, and a bottom flange or ledge 22 providing a support for the cards. A groove or recess 24 along each surface 18 facilitates insertion of the cards on the rack.

From the above it will be apparent that a card inserted between flanges 20 will be held in place by ledge 22 and move with the card rack 16. As stated, support 16 is retractable downwardly within housing 12, from the full line position shown in FIGURE 2 to the dotted position therein, whereupon a card 26 is hidden within the housing 12. Card support 16 by reason of its shape, i.e. complementary to housing 12, must rotate therewith, and if it is at the same time gradually raise-d relative to the housing, the top edge of card 26 will become visible above the upper portion of housing 12. As support 16 is raised further, more and more of card 26 will become visible and it will be possible to recognize the picture thereon in spite of the rotation. Such rotation and raising and lowering of support 16 is accomplished by suitable mechanism incorporated within base 10, housing 12, and support 16.

With reference particularly to FIGURE 2, it will be noted that the base structure 10 provides a journal for a vertically extending shaft 28 disposed centrally of the housing 12 and the lower portion of the card rack 16. The shaft includes a helical groove 30 extending from a position adjacent its upper end to a position adjacent the bottom wall 32 of housing 14. A pin 34 or the like, which is fixed to the lower part of the card display rack 16 and projecting inwardly therefrom, is disposed in engagement with the spiral groove 30. The lower housing 14 includes a circular opening 36 at its center for receiving the shaft 28 in assembly of the apparatus, and the shaft 28 and housing 14 are keyed or otherwise secured together for rotation in unison. In the illustrated embodiment, the housing 14 has a circular bearing member 38 fixed on its underside, which is also fixed to a lower, enlarged end portion 40 of shaft 28, in order to unite the shaft and housing and facilitate rotation thereof relative to the surface of the upper wall 41 of base 10.

The card display rack 16 is generally rectangular, and each of the side walls 42 (FIGURE 3) includes a pair of grooves or recesses 44 which engage a rib 46 on the interior of the lower housing portion 14, so as to provide for guided vertical motion of rack 16 relative to housing 14, while securing the two together for rotation in unison. A coil spring 48 is disposed within card rack 16 and is seated at one end on a reduced end portion 50 of the shaft 28, and the other end of the spring is bolted or otherwise secured to the under side portion of a knob assembly 52 disposed at the top of the rack 16. The coil spring 48 is further located and guided by a cylindrical bore member or sleeve 54 fixed to rack 16. The lower end of the shaft 28, which is disposed within the base 10, is formed with a one-way clutch device 53 comprising two generally

circular portions

54, 56 seen in FIG- URE 4 and having similarly inclined surface segments 54a and 56a, respectively. The bottom surface of the lowermost section 56 is serrated, as indicated at 58 in FIGURE 2, and a leaf spring 60 secured to the bottom Wall 62 of the base has its free end portion in engagement with the serrated surface 58 to provide a sound somewhat similar to a ticking noise as the shaft 28 and clutch rotate.

It is seen, therefore, that by grasping the knob 52 and depressing the card rack 16 against the biasing action of the coil spring 48, the entire card holding assembly 12 will be rotated and rack 16 will be depressed into a concealed position within the housing 14. The rotation is, of course, effected by the engagement of the pin 34 in the spiral groove on the shaft. When the knob 52 is then released, the action of the coil spring 48 will cause the rack 16 to rise within the housing 14 and will also rotate the two

housings

14, 16 in unison as the pin moves around the spiral groove. The clutch device 53 will permit the upper portion 54 to move relative to the lower portion 56 when the knob is depressed, but the two clutch surfaces 54a, 56a lock together and move in unison when the knob 52 is released to provide the upward movement of rack 16 and rotation of the assembly 12.

In order to selectively stop the rotation of the card display device 12 at any time during its travel, there are provided four levers 70 projecting upwardly from the base 10 and disposed at ninety degrees with respect to one another. These levers are each loosely and pivotally mounted in the base 10, and the lower end of each lever is pivotally connected with an elongated member 72 having its forward end portion 74 extending toward the center of the base 10 and closely adjacent the clutch device 53. An intermediate portion of member 72 is supported on a spring member 73 in a manner affording longitudinal movement of member 72 relative to its normal position of rest seen in FIGURE 2. Clutch 53 has a peripheral extension in the form of an eccentric boss 76 thereon in position for engagement by the end 74 of any of lever members 72. Consequently, as the exposed lever part 70 is pulled away from the center of the device, the

4 forward end 74 of the elongated member is moved inwardly to a position of blocking engagement with the eccentric boss 76 on the clutch 53 and will, therefore, stop the rotation of the shaft 28 and

housings

14, 16.

In the play of a game utilizing the described apparatus, a plurality of the cards 26 are distributed to the players and four cards are positioned in the rack 16 on each of the four sides 18 thereof. The button 52 and rack 16 are depressed to move the latter down into the lower housing 14 where the cards are then concealed from view. At such time the spring 48 is compressed and the pin 34 has moved to its lowermost position in groove 30. The rack 16 can be held in its concealed position within the housing 14 and the latter held against rotation by means of any one of the latch levers in the manner described. When the players are ready to begin the game, the latch lever 70 is moved to release part 76 from its position of engagement with boss 76, and the expansion of the spring 48 effects rotation of the housing 14 and card rack 16, as well as gradual upward movement of the card rack. As the card rack 16 moves upwardly, the upper portions of the cards supported thereon are gradually exposed. When a player thinks he has a card in his hand matching one of the cards in the rack, he can stop the rotation of the housing by pulling his lever 70 toward him. If his guess is correct, he wins the card in the rack, and the player finally having the greatest number of pairs of cards wins the game. In the illustrated embodiment, the card support is constructed so that, as the card rack moves into its uppermost position and the lower edges 22 move even with or above the upper edge of housing 14, the cards remaining in the rack 16 Will automatically fall forwardly away from the rack since they no longer have the lateral support of the lower housing. Thus, the apparatus also provides automatic ejection of the cards supported on rack 16 when the latter reaches 1ts uppermost position.

Although shown and described with respect to particular structure, it will be apparent that various modifications might be made without departing from the principles of this invention. Further, it should be understood that the described play of a game with the use of the disclosed apparatus is only by way of example and may take any of numerous other forms.

What is claimed is:

1. Game apparatus comprising a device for holding a card and including a frame structure, card supporting means mounted on said frame structure for rotation and for raising and lowering movement with respect thereto, a housing disposed on said frame in closely surrounding relation to said card supporting means, and mechanism operably connected with said card supporting means for effecting rotation thereof from a lower position wherein said card is substantially concealed from view by said housing to an upper position where said card is viewable above said housing.

2. Game apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said card supporting means is constructed to hold a plurality of individual cards so that th entire face of each card is visible when said card supporting means is in said upper position.

3. Game apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said card supporting means and said housing are so constructed and arranged as to support a card generally vertically during the upward movement of said card supporting means and so as to permit the card to fall away from said supporting means when the latter reaches said upper position. v

4. Game apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said mechanism operably connected with said card supporting means includes spring means which is biased through depression of said card supporting means to its lower position and when the latter is released from said biased position said spring means is effective to cause elevation and rotation of said card supporting means, and

manually operable latch means effective to hold said card 1,900,187 3/1933 Matter 40-68 supporting means in position against the biasing action of said spring means. ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner References Cited PAUL E. SHAPIRO, Assistant Examiner 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS CL 1,341,116 5/1920 Figueroa 40-68 40-33, 68

1,731,083 10/1929 Sigman 4033