GB2223180A

GB2223180A - Manipulative puzzles

Info

Publication number: GB2223180A
Application number: GB8921739A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Donald Lingwood Wiggins
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-09-28
Filing date: 1989-09-27
Publication date: 1990-04-04
Anticipated expiration: 2009-09-27
Also published as: GB2223180B; GB8921739D0; GB8822716D0

Abstract

A manipulative puzzle 10 comprises a stack of five members 11 of endless, hoop-like form, each defining an endless surface bearing letters. Support structure 13 holds the members 11 in juxtaposed relationship with each other whilst permitting relative movement between the member 11 aggregation, about central axis 12. In use, the members 11 are rotated relative to each other until alignment of the letters forms thirty complete five-letter words. Stepwise rotation is achieved by providing a spring-finger (35) on each member 11 for cooperation with a corrugated inner part (24) of the support 13. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO MANIPULATIVE PUZZLES BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION This invention relates to manipulative puzzles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention, a manipulative puzzle comprises a plurality of members each defining an endless surface, the members bearing symbols along their endless surfaces, and means supporting the members in juxtaposed relationship whilst permitting relative movements between the member aggregation so as to permit aligned juxtapositioning of the symbols.

The said members may be of annular, or hoop form.

The said member supporting means may then comprise structure which extends through the member aggregation so as to support the members and so as to constrain them against substantially radial and axial movements relative to one another.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the manipulative puzzle, Figure 2 is a side view of a hoop form member of the puzzle, Figure 3 is a view, partly in cross-section, taken on the lines III-III of Figure 2, Figure 4 is a cross-section through one of the two principal elements of which the supporting structure for the hoop form members is composed, Figure 5 is a cross-section through the other principal element of the supporting structure, with added details, and Figure 6 is a side view detail of the member of Figure 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference first to Figure 1, a manipulative puzzle 10 comprises a plurality (five) of members 11 and means 13 supporting the said members 11 in juxtaposed relationship whilst permitting relative movements between the member 11 aggregation, so as to permit aligned juxtapositioning of the members.

The five members 11, which are of annular, endless band or hoop form, each define an endless surface 15 bearing equi-spaced symbols therealong.

With reference to Figures 3, 4 and 5, the member supporting means 13 comprise a structure which extends through the member 11 aggregation so as to support the members 11, in their side-by-side configuration, and to constrain them against substantially radial and axial movements relative to one another.

Each cylindrical surface 15 of a member 11 has thirty equi-spaced symbols 17 therealong. In the example illustrated, the symbols 17 comprise letters of the alphabet. At least some of the letters 17 are repeated by each of the members 11.

The distribution of the alphabet letters 17 is determined by selection of thirty words each five letters long. Notionally the thirty words so selected may be regarded as being formed at the thirty corresponding stations around the five band-form surfaces 15.

The words, so formed, the five members 11 may be notionally considered to be angularly displaced relative to one another so that all semblance of desired order is destroyed. The task, then, before the user of the puzzle 10, is to angularly so displace the notionally displaced members 11 inter se with the object of reconstituting the thirty words inherent in the distribution of letters 17 thereon.

In further detail, the supporting means structure 13 comprises as the principal elements thereof, first and second co-acting elements 19a (Figure 4) and 19b (Figure 5) respectively.

The co-acting elements 19a, 19b each have a generally cylindrical skirt portion, 21a, 21b respectively, an outwardly-extending flange portion 23a, 23b respectively, and a central, axially-extending stud portion 25a, 25b respectively, projecting inwardly of the skirt portions 21a, 21b from the flange portions 23a, 23b.

Element 19a has its skirt portion 21a formed with longitudinally extending corrugations 24 and its stud portion 25a is formed with a centrally-disposed, blind-ended hole 27.

Element 19b is formed with a central passage 29 extending axially through the element from the outer surface of the flange portion 23b to the free end surface of the stud portion 25b. The passage 29 has an enlargement 29a leading from a recess 29c formed in the outer surface of the flange portion 23b. The remainder of the passage 29 is formed by a lower portion 29b of reduced diameter.

As best shown in Figure 2, the members 11 each have a rim portion 31 and, integral with the rim portion 31, a radially and inwardlyextending annular portion 33 of flange-like form.

From the annular portion 33 of each of the annular members 11 there extends a resilient finger portion 35 having a terminal enlargement 37. The members 11 are formed with transverse slots 39, one between adjacent locations of the letters 17 distributed around the endless surfaces 15.

In assembly, the co-acting elements 19a, 19b are introduced into the aggregation of hoop-form members 11. The inwards movement of the elements 19a, 19b when so inserted is limited by contact between the free end surfaces of the stud portions 25a, 25b. The stud portions 25a, 25b have a length such that, whilst preventing substantially axial movement of and between the members 11, with the said stud end surfaces in contact, the said members 11 are, nevertheless, free for rotational movement, inter se.

A male threaded fastener bolt 41 is disposed with its head in the enlargement 29a of the passage 29 through the stud 25b, its shank extending through the passage 29 and its thread engaged with a complementary formed female thread within the blind hole 27 of the stud portion 25a of the element 19a. A blanking disc 43 (Figure 1) is located within the recess 29c, to obscure the head of the bolt 41. The disc 43 is held in place by adhesive.

The configuration of the asembled parts is such that the finger portions 35, on on each hoop-form member 11, serve as spring detents, the terminal enlargements 37 thereof engaging the longitudinal concavities formed by the corrugations 24 of the element 19a of the support structure 13. The arrangement constitutes means whereby the members 11 are constrained to stepwise or indexing rotational movement about the central or rotational axis 12 of the puzzle 10. Contact between the inner peripheral surfaces of the radially inwardly extending annular portions 33 of the members 11 and the crests of the corrugations 24 of the element 19a prevents any substantial radial movement of the said members 11.

The transverse slots 39 on the members 11 serve as aids in the manual manipulation of the members.

The symbols 17 are printed on discrete pads 18 (not shown in Figure 1) formed on the endless surfaces 15.

It is desirable to produce the hoop-form members 11 and the co-acting elements 19a, 19b as plastic mouldings for reasons of economy of production.

The number of hoop form members 11 and letters thereon may be varied according to requirements.

The English alphabet symbols 17 could be replaced by other symbols.

For example, characters of the Chinese or Japanese language.

Claims

1. A manipulative puzzle comprising a plurality of members each defining an endless surface, the members bearing symbols along their endless surfaces, and means supporting the members in juxtaposed relationship whilst permitting relative movements between the member aggregation so as to permit aligned juxtapositioning of the symbols.

2. A puzzles as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the members are of hoop form.

3. A puzzle as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the said member supporting means comprise structure which extends through the member aggregation so as to support the members and so as to constrain them against substantially radial and axial movements relative to one another.

4. A puzzle as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the member supporting means structure comprises first and second co-acting elements each having a generally cylindrical skirt portion, an outwardly-extending flange portion and a central stud portion.

5. A puzzle as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, provided with means whereby the members are constrained to indexing rotational movement.

6. A puzzle as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the said means comprise resilient finger portions carried by the members, which finger portions engage with concavities formed in the member supporting means.

7. A manipulative puzzle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.