GB2052273A - Balance beam game - Google Patents

Abstract

In a game having a plurality of side-by-side balance beams each having a plurality of alternate playing piece positions, the object is for one player to tilt the plurality of the beams in his favour. The playing positions across adjacent beams lie in a sinuous path. A pair of dice 36 determine the number of moves a piece or pieces 30 may take. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Balance beam strategy game Background and summary of the invention This invention relates to a game in which a number of playing pieces are manipulated in such a manner so that portions of a playing board are tilted by the weight distribution ofthe playing pieces thereon. Games of this very general overall type are known and include the following U.S. Patents: &num;1,186,801 issued June 13,1916, #1,201,974 issued October 1916, &num;1,215,033 issued February 6, 1917 and &num;3,188,089 issued June 8, 1965. The games disclosed in such patents are believed representative of the type games available in this general field and their citation above constitutes applicant's Prior Art Statement. In that regard, a copy of each such patent is submitted along with this application.

Notwithstanding the possible availability of the type games as above-indicated, a novel game which incorporates weight balancing features and which necessitates strategy decisions from opposing players in an overall environment would be particularly desirable. It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide a game in which opposing players are involved in strategy decisions and wherein action results are immediately observable by the movement of portions of the game's structure.

A further object of the prevent invention is the provision of a game similar to that in the aboveindicated object in which play piece movement along opposite player paths is brought about by the disposition of a plurality of playing pieces which determine the balance and therefore the spacial relationship or tilt positions of the game apparatus such that a continued choice of playing piece disposition is forced upon the player opponents in a mildly competitive and enjoyable manner.

These and other objects of the present invention are accomplished by the provision of a game including a plurality of balance beams disposed in side by side and pivotally balanced along a generally centrally disposed line so as to divide the beams into opposed playing surfaces. Each playing surface defines a composite play path having a predetermined number of possible playing piece receiving positions such that a plurality of playing pieces may be moved therealong by the opposing players who position such pieces in order to tilt a majority of the beams to a preselected winning position.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

Description ofthe Drawings In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention: Figure lisa plan view of the game structure of the present invention; Figure 2 is an end view thereof taken from the left hand side of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a partial plan view on an enlarged scale and showing playing pieces disposed on opposite portions of one of the balance beams thereof; Figure 4 is a side sectional view taken along the line 4-4- of Figure 3 and shows the manner in which the beams are normally balanced and subject to weight imbalance by the distribution of playing pieces thereof; Figure 5 is a side view of an individual balance beam similar to Figure 4 but showing another manner in which the beam may be balanced by the weight distribution of playing pieces thereon;; Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing one manner in which the beam may be tilted on a preselected position by an unbalanced disposition of playing pieces thereon; and Figure 7 is a somewhat schematic partial plan view illustrating a preferred move option for the playing pieces.

Description of the invention Turning now to the drawings, the structure of the game 10 of the present invention includes a pair of laterally spaced upright supports 12 having a laterally extending cross bar 14 connected thereto at opposite ends thereof. The cross bar 14 includes a peaked upper surface 16 which terminates in an upper edge 18 having a smooth rounded surface so as to serve as the pivot point for a plurality of side by side parallel balance beams 20.

Each beam 20 includes an elongated body 22 having a generally flat planar upper surface 24 in turn having a plurality of circular depressions or pockets 26 equally spaced from each other along the longitudinal extent thereof. An equal number of such pockets is present on opposite sides of a centrally disposed, laterally extending, downwardly opening groove 28. The groove is in turn adapted to receive the upper edge 18 of the cross bar 14 in such a manner that each of the balance beams 20 is normally pivotally balanced thereon and free for either side of the beam to move downwardly in accordance with the weight distribution of one or more playing pieces 30 disposed therein. The playing pieces 30 are in turn in the form of discs adapted to be received in the pockets 26.Generally a flat bar 32 extends entirely across and vertically spaced from the central portions of each of the balance beams 20 and is connected at opposite ends thereof to the upright supports 12.

In addition, one of the upright supports 12 is provided with opposed elongated grooves 34 for receipt of the individual playing pieces 30 in stacked position. Also, a groove in the upper planar surface of such upright support 12 is included and in which a pair of dice 36 may rest. The dice are used to determine the number of moves that the pieces 30 of the opposing players may take in accordance with the rules of play as will hereinafter be more evident.

Spacers 38 are disposed between and contact adjacent balance beams 20 so as to prevent lateral shifting thereof during the tilting of such balance beams back and forth dependent on the weight distribution brought about by the position of the playing pieces 30 thereon.

In play, each child or other opponent is positioned nextto one of the opposing playing surfaces formed by the adjacent balance beam haives disposed on opposite sides of the cross bar 14. The adjacent disposition of such beam portions forms a continuous play path delineated as best shown in Figure 1 by the direction of the arrows 40 disposed in the bottom surface or base 42 of the pockets 26. Such arrows 40 are generally integrally formed in basrelief in such bottom surfaces 42 but may alternatively be painted or applied in other known ways.

The play path may thus be seen to be continuous from a starting point adjacent the central portion of that balance beam 20 proximal to the storage area of the play pieces 30 and ending at the outer end of that balance beam located most distal therefrom. The play path for each opposing play surface thus takes a sinuous form and is repeated over and over again, if necessary, at the starting point.

Preferably the number of playing pieces 30 for each player is equal to the number of balance beams 20, nine of each being shown in the illustrative drawings, however it should be readily understood that a greater or lesser number of both the playing pieces 30 and the balance beams may be included in the game structure 10. Additionally, the individual piece receiving pockets 26 of each balance beam 20 are spaced from one another along the longitudinal extent thereof such that a single piece in the outermost pocket as shown in Figure 5 may be balanced by two pieces disposed in the innermost and central pocket positions.A playing piece disposed in any one of the pockets on one side of a balance beam which is unbalanced either by the absence of a playing piece on the other side of the beam or by reason of a greater moment art effect caused by the particular distribution of such playing piece will cause the beam to tilt in the direction of the greater weight distribution effect as shown by the direction of the arrow in Figure 6 of the drawings.

The overall object of the game is to position one's playing pieces in such a manner that a majority of the balance beams are tilted in your direction, i.e. to a preselected downwardly tilted winning position and in that regard it is preferable that an odd number of balance beams 20 be provided in the overall game structure 10.

Play may proceed as follows: each player uses a die or a pair of dice to determines the number of moves one or more of his pieces 30 may take. The pieces of each player may be contrasting color or otherwise readily distinguishable from each other although each player's pieces are normally limited to positions on his side of the beams. Upon the roll of the die the player moves one of his pieces that number of spaces displayed along his or her sinuous play path as directed by the arrows in each of the pockets 26 or by other known delineation mchanisms. Play turns are alternated for the remainder of the game which continues until one of the players causes five or more, i.e. a majority of the balance beams to be tilted in his direction.

Generally the play rules include that play pieces 30 cannot land on one another but may move over an intermediate play piece. For instance, as illustrated in Figure 7, the playing piece (a) cannot move either three or five spaces since such would involve landing on another piece and accordingly, if such denomination is indicated by the roll of the die, then another or combination of playing pieces must be moved to equal the total number of moves indicated.

For instance, either playing pieces (b) or (c) could move three pieces. Various other rules to determine the manner in which the pieces 30 may move or their' move sequence may also be utilized.

It is accordingly believed that a game structure 10 which accomplishes the overall objects of the present invention in an interesting, enjoyable and exciting game environment is produced.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (11)

1. A game comprising a plurality of balance beams disposed side by side and pivotally balanced along a generally centrally disposed line so as to divide said beams into opposed playing surfaces wherein each of said surfaces has at least one portion for receiving a playing piece thereon, each of said plurality of beam opposed playing surfaces defining a composite play path having a predetermined number of possible playing piece receiving positions thereby defining the number of possible move positions, a plurality of playing pieces for each play path and means for determining playing piece moves along their respective play paths such that opposing players may position said playing pieces in order to tilt said beams to a preselected winning position.

2. The game of claim 1 wherein said playing pieces are of equal weight and wherein the opposed playing surfaces of at least some of said beams includes a plurality of playing piece positions.

3. The game of claim 1, said opposed play paths being of a generally continuous sinuous configuration.

4. The game of claim 2 wherein there is an odd number of balance beams and wherein the object of the game is to position one's playing pieces so as to tilt a majority of said beams to said preselected position.

5. The game of claim 1 having a frame and wherein said beams are of elongated configuration having an upper generally planar surface, said frame including a cross bar underlying and supporting said beams such that a weight unbalance on either side thereof as by the positioning of one or more playing pieces on said planar surface will tilt the beam.

6. The game of claim 5, each of said beam portion playing surfaces including a plurality of equally spaced playing piece receiving positions aligned along the longitudinal extent of each of said opposed beam paths such that weight imbalance may be caused either by the effect of the number of pieces supported on a beam or the effect of the relative movement arm force determined by the relative positioning thereof or a combination of both said effects.

7. The game of claim 6, said playing piece receiving positions being depressed pockets and said playing pieces being discs.

8. The game of claim 7, said move determining means being a die or a pair of dice.

9. The game of claim 5, said frame including a pair of laterally spaced supports, said cross bar disposed between said supports and a cover member connected to said supports at opposite ends thereof, said cover extending over and spaced in fixed vertical position above each of said beams.

10. The game of claim 4, wherein each of said playing piece positions includes a direction marker for defining the continuity of its respective play path, said play paths being of sinuous configuration moving in opposite directions along adjacent beam playing surfaces and wherein play is initiated at the first beam in the side by side row thereof,

11. Game apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.