GB2132905A

GB2132905A - Playing piece

Info

Publication number: GB2132905A
Application number: GB08300179A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dennis Hok-Shou Ting
Original assignee: Qualidux Industrial Co Ltd
Current assignee: Qualidux Industrial Co Ltd
Priority date: 1983-01-05
Filing date: 1983-01-05
Publication date: 1984-07-18
Also published as: GB8300179D0

Abstract

The piece, eg a mahjong tile, comprises a hollow body formed by complementary moulded plastics parts (1,2), and a surface (3) of the part (1) carrying an appropriate character (4). An insert weight (6) eg iron or lead is located close to the surface (3) to provide a centre of gravity close to that surface (3) and hence inhibit toppling of the tile when being shuffled on a table- top with the surface (3) downwards. Projecting ribs (7) and/or a filter block (8) of expanded polystyrene may be provided. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Playing piece for a game The invention relates to playing pieces which are used for playing games such as mahjong, dominoes and scrabble (RTM), and which comprise a substan tiallyflat upper face bearing one of a number of different characters. Such pieces are turned upper face downwards on a tabletop or similar surface and are slid around amongst one another to shuffle the pieces, usually at the beginning of a game. The pieces are subsequently drawn by the players with characters hidden, thereby introducing chance into the game.

During shuffling the pieces bump against one another and may catch in slight irregularities in the surface over which they are being slid, resulting in tilting of one or more of the pieces and exposure of their characters. This defeats the purpose of the shuffling which has to be recommenced. The problem is not so severe with pieces used for playing dominoes and scrabble, as the thickness of the pieces is small compared with the dimensions of the nominal upper faces of the pieces. However, in the case of mahjong tiles, the thickness of a tile frequently approaches the width of the upper face of a tile and tiles are prone to roll over sideways. In the case of a mahjong tile, stability is also important when building the wall.

In accordance with the present invention, a playing piece for a game comprises a body which has an upper face bearing a character and which incorporates, adjacent to the upper face, an insert made of a material having a specific gravity greater than that of the material from which the rest of the body is made to improve the stability of the piece when turned over and resting with its upper face downwards.

The specific gravities of the insert and of the material from which the rest of the body is made are preferably as different as possible and, taking production techniques into account, preferably, the body comprises a plastics moulding and the insert is made of metal. The metal should be of high specific gravity, such as a ferrous metal, or, most advantageously, lead.

In order to maximize the stability provided by the insert, it is preferably a metal plate located with its plane substantially parallel to the upper face of the piece and having a surface area of one of its larger faces greater than half the surface area of the upper face of the piece.

Although the insert may be embedded in the plastics moulding during the moulding process, the body is preferably a hollow body formed by two complementary moulded plastics parts, one of the parts providing a wall portion against an inner surface of which the insert is located and an outer surface of which provides the upper face of the piece. The hollow construction further increases the stability provided by the metal insert.

The insert may be located against the inner surface of the wall portion by means of projections on the insert being cast into one moulded part; or by an adhesive. Preferably, however, the insert is located by means of projections moulded integrally with the other moulded part and/or a block of expanded plastics material, such as polystyrene, which bears against an inner surface of the other moulded part.

An example of a mahjong tile constructed in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing which is a transverse cross section.

The illustrated tile comprises a hollow body formed essentially from two moulded plastics parts 1 and 2. The part 1 has a substantially rectangular surface 3 providing the upper face of the tile and indented and coloured to provide one of the conventional characters 4. Set in from the peripheral edge of the part lisa continuous downwardly depending rib5.

The part 2 is bowl shaped and provides the bottom side and end walls of the hollow body. The upper edge of the part 2 is recessed to accommodate the rib 5 in complementary fashion whereby the mating parts can be bonded together to unite the parts 1 and 2 and present a flush outer surface of the tile.

Prior to fixing the parts together a rectangular lead plate 6 is placed against the inner surface of the part 1 within the rib 5. Upon assembly of the parts 1 and 2, the plate is located in position either by projecting ribs 7 which are moulded integrally with the part 2, or by a block of expanded polystyrene 8 which rests within the part 2. In practice the rib 7 and block 8 would not both be used but for convenience both are illustrated.

It will be appreciated that when the illustrated tile is placed with the surface 3 downwards on a tabletop, it will be difficult to roll the piece over owing to its very low and central centre of gravity.

1. A playing piece for a game, the piece comprising a body which has an upper face bearing a character and which incorporates, adjacent to the upper face, an insert made of a material having a specific gravity greater than that of the material from which the rest of the body is made to improve the stability of the piece when turned over and resting with its upper face downwards.

2. A piece according to claim 1, to which the body comprises a plastics moulding and the insert is made of metal.

3. A piece according to claim 2, in which the metal insert is a plate located with its plane substantially parallel to the upper face of the piece and having a surface area of one of its larger faces greater than half the surface area of the upper face of the piece.

4. A piece according to claim 2 or claim 3, in which the body is a hollow body formed by two complementary moulded plastics parts, one of the parts providing a wall portion against an inner surface of which the insert is located and an outer surface of which provides the upper face of the piece.

5. A piece according to claim 4, in which the insert is located against the inner surface of the wall

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Playing piece for a game The invention relates to playing pieces which are used for playing games such as mahjong, dominoes and scrabble (RTM), and which comprise a substan tiallyflat upper face bearing one of a number of different characters. Such pieces are turned upper face downwards on a tabletop or similar surface and are slid around amongst one another to shuffle the pieces, usually at the beginning of a game. The pieces are subsequently drawn by the players with characters hidden, thereby introducing chance into the game. During shuffling the pieces bump against one another and may catch in slight irregularities in the surface over which they are being slid, resulting in tilting of one or more of the pieces and exposure of their characters. This defeats the purpose of the shuffling which has to be recommenced. The problem is not so severe with pieces used for playing dominoes and scrabble, as the thickness of the pieces is small compared with the dimensions of the nominal upper faces of the pieces. However, in the case of mahjong tiles, the thickness of a tile frequently approaches the width of the upper face of a tile and tiles are prone to roll over sideways. In the case of a mahjong tile, stability is also important when building the wall. In accordance with the present invention, a playing piece for a game comprises a body which has an upper face bearing a character and which incorporates, adjacent to the upper face, an insert made of a material having a specific gravity greater than that of the material from which the rest of the body is made to improve the stability of the piece when turned over and resting with its upper face downwards. The specific gravities of the insert and of the material from which the rest of the body is made are preferably as different as possible and, taking production techniques into account, preferably, the body comprises a plastics moulding and the insert is made of metal. The metal should be of high specific gravity, such as a ferrous metal, or, most advantageously, lead. In order to maximize the stability provided by the insert, it is preferably a metal plate located with its plane substantially parallel to the upper face of the piece and having a surface area of one of its larger faces greater than half the surface area of the upper face of the piece. Although the insert may be embedded in the plastics moulding during the moulding process, the body is preferably a hollow body formed by two complementary moulded plastics parts, one of the parts providing a wall portion against an inner surface of which the insert is located and an outer surface of which provides the upper face of the piece. The hollow construction further increases the stability provided by the metal insert. The insert may be located against the inner surface of the wall portion by means of projections on the insert being cast into one moulded part; or by an adhesive. Preferably, however, the insert is located by means of projections moulded integrally with the other moulded part and/or a block of expanded plastics material, such as polystyrene, which bears against an inner surface of the other moulded part. An example of a mahjong tile constructed in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing which is a transverse cross section. The illustrated tile comprises a hollow body formed essentially from two moulded plastics parts 1 and 2. The part 1 has a substantially rectangular surface 3 providing the upper face of the tile and indented and coloured to provide one of the conventional characters 4. Set in from the peripheral edge of the part lisa continuous downwardly depending rib5. The part 2 is bowl shaped and provides the bottom side and end walls of the hollow body. The upper edge of the part 2 is recessed to accommodate the rib 5 in complementary fashion whereby the mating parts can be bonded together to unite the parts 1 and 2 and present a flush outer surface of the tile. Prior to fixing the parts together a rectangular lead plate 6 is placed against the inner surface of the part 1 within the rib 5. Upon assembly of the parts 1 and 2, the plate is located in position either by projecting ribs 7 which are moulded integrally with the part 2, or by a block of expanded polystyrene 8 which rests within the part 2. In practice the rib 7 and block 8 would not both be used but for convenience both are illustrated. It will be appreciated that when the illustrated tile is placed with the surface 3 downwards on a tabletop, it will be difficult to roll the piece over owing to its very low and central centre of gravity. CLAIMS

5. A piece according to claim 4, in which the insert is located against the inner surface of the wall portion by means of projections moulded integrally with the other moulded part.

6. A piece according to claim 4 or claim 5, in which the insert is located against the inner surface of the wall portion by means of a block of expanded plastics material which bears against an inner surface of the other moulded part.

7. A mahjong tile substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.