US1030330A - Game apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

P. ROGERS. GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 1, 1911.

7 1,030,330, Patented June 25,1912.

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nnrrnn STATES PATENT oFrroE'.

BENJAMIN P. ROGERS, OF MILLVILLE, NEW JERSEY.

GAME APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN P. Roenns, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Millville, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The main objects of this invention are, to provide an improved game, .and apparatus therefor, comprising a game board and game-pieces or players, and in which the players have a greater number and a greater variety of moves than the players in the well known game of checkers, but a smaller number and variety of moves than the players in the well known game of chess, thus meeting the needs of those who find checkers too simple and chess too complicated; to provide an improved game apparatus, comprising a game board and players adapted to be used in combination in playing a new game governed by rules similar to the rules of military tactics; to provide an improved game apparatus including a game board and players, representing military men and weapons adapted to be arranged and moved upon the board; and to provide other improvements as will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a game board and players constructed and arranged inaccordance with this invention; and Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are side elevations of the various forms of players shown in Fig. 1.

One embodiment of this invention comprises a game board 1 preferably substantially square in planular outline and upon which are marked, or otherwise indicated, a plurality of playing stations, in this instance forty-one, indicated by the numerals 1 to 41 inclusive.

The stations 1 to 4L1 inclusive are arranged in a square field upon the board and in line equi-spaced rows parallelto opposite marginal edges of the board; the stations in each row being equi-spaced. Each of the outside rows and the alternate rows between the outside rows contains five stations each and each of the remaining four rows contains four equi-spaced stations. The five rows of five stations each are arranged to read five rows of five stations each parallel to any marginal edge of the board 1, and the stations in the four rows of the four stations each are arranged opposite the spaces be- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 1, 1911.

Patented June 25, 1912.

Serial No. 663,803.

tween the stations in the rows of five each and to read four rowsof four stations each parallel to any marginal edge of the board. As thus arranged, the stations also read in oblique rows of nine stations upon or along each diagonal of the board, and rows of seven, five, three, and one station respectively, upon each side of and parallel to each diagonal.

This improved game is adapted to be played by two opponents, and the same board is provided with a set of fourteen players for each opponent, the players of one set being distinguished from the players of the other set by having one set all black and the other set all light in color, or in any other suitable manner, one set being otherwise a duplicate of the other set.

Each set of players includes one player 50 representing a general, four players 51, 52, 53 and 54:, preferably alike in size and appearance, representing cannon, four players 55, 56, 57 and 58, preferably alike in size and appearance, representing mortars and five players 59, 60, 61, 62 and 63, preferably alike in size and appearance, representing musketeers or infantry-men.

In playing this improved game, the two sets of players are first arranged upon opposite sides respectively of the game board, the general 50 of each set being arranged upon the middle station of the outside row of five stations; the cannon 51, 52, 53 and 54: on the other stations of this row; the four mortars 55, 56, 57 and 58 on the neXt parallel row of four stations; and the five musketeers 59, 60, 61, 62 and 63 on the next parallel row of five stations.

According to the rules of thegame, all of the players or game-pieces may be moved diagonally. A general may be moved diagonally forwardly or rearwardly from one'station to any adjoining vacant station to escape capture or to better his position, or diagonally forwardly or rearwardly to any adjoining station occupied by an opponent player, to capture the opponent player, or may be moved either to the right or to the left parallel to the edge of the game board to an adjoining vacant station to escape capture by the opponent. For instance, a general may be moved at any one play from station 39 either to station 34 or to station 35, or from station 30 to any an opponent player located on any one of the latter stations, to avoid capture, or to better his position, and from station 39 to either station 38 or 40, or from station 35 to'either station 34 or 36 merely to avoid capture.

Any one of the cannon 51, 52, 53 and 54 may be moved diagonally from station to station, forwardly or rearwardly in a straight .line as far as there is a free path, to better its position or to avoid capture, and can capture an opponent player at any distance diagonally either forwardly or rearwardly providing the path is free between the cannon and the player. For instance, a cannon located on station 40 could move to or capture an opponent 1 player on any one of the stations 10, 15,

20, 25, 30, 35, 36 or 32 providing the path between the cannon 53 and the station or player is unoccupied.

Any one of the mortars 55 to 58 inclusive may be moved at any one play either one or two stations diagonally forwardly or rearwardly .in a straight line, jumping over an intervening player if necessary, to occupy an otherwise unoccupied station,

1 but must be moved two stations diagonally in a straight line forwardly or rearwardly, in a single play, jumping over an intervening player, if necessary, to capture an opponent player, the capture being made upon the station at the end of the move and not upon the intermediate station. For instance, a mortar may be moved in a single play from station 34 to any one of stations 24, 26, 29, 30, 38 and 39, which happens to be vacant, but a mortar on station 34 could capture an opponent player only on one of stations 24: or 26, and a mortar on station 21 could capture an opponent player only on stations 29, 31, 11 or 13.

Any one of the musketeers 59 to 63 inclusive may be moved diagonally forward one station at any one play until the musketeer reaches any one of the opponent stations 1 to 5, or 37 to 41 respectively, and When such a station is reached the musketeer is then immediately given the range of movement or, functions of a cannon, a feature of the game which is somewhat similar to the crowning of a player in the game of checkers. A musketeer may capture any one of the opponent players when the opponent player is in the range of the musketeer.

The object of the game is to capture the opponent general and the rules of the game provide that when a player has been placed in position to capture the general on the next move, unless the general is moved or otherwise protected, the

opponent should be notified immediately, preferably by using the word range, so

that he'may move the general or otherj ect to capture by an opponent player, the game is considered a draw and cannot be terminated in favor of either opponent. To terminate a game in favor of either optime is not in a position in range or sub- 1 ponent, all chance of escape must be cut 0d 1 from the general of the other opponent, and the general must be in range of an opponent player and thus compelled to surrender.

Although only a single form has been illustrated in which apparatus may be constructed in accordance with this invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific apparatus shown.

It is also to be understood that this apparatus may be used in playing other games than the one hereinbefore described and that the rules of the game may be changed or modified without departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope of the appended L claims.

Having thus fully described this inven tion, I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. A game board having forty-one play- 4 ing stations indicated thereon, in combination with game-pieces adapted for use thereon, said game-pieces comprising duplicate sets of fourteen game-pieces each, and each set being composed of four distinct kinds" of players and including one of one kind, four of another kind, four of the third kind and five of the fourth kind.

2. A game board having forty-one playing stations indicated thereon, in combination with game-pieces adapted for use thereon, said game-pieces comprising duplicate sets of fourteen game-pieces each, and each set being composed of four distinct kinds of players and including one player representing a general, four players representing cannon, four players represent-ing mortars and five players representing musketeers.

3. A game board having playing stations :7

indicated thereon, and spaced over a substantially square field, said stations being arranged in substantially parallel alternating rows of five and four stations each, and being arranged to read in alternating rows of five and four stations each, parallel to any i marginal edge of said field, all in intersecting diagonal rows and in combination With game-pieces adapted for use thereon, said game pieces comprising duplicate sets of fourteen game-pieces each, and each set being composed of four distinct kinds of players and includin one player representing a general, our players representing cannon, four players representing mortars and five players rep- 10 resenting musketeers.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of November, A. D.,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,030,330, granted June 25, 1912,

upon the application of Benjamin P. Rogers, of Millville, New Jersey, for an improvement in Game Apparatus, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line 44:, for the Word line read nine; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 23rd day of July, A. D., 1912.

[SEAL] i o. o. BILLINGS,

Acting Oomom'ssz'oner of Patents.

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