US1080300A - Game. - Google Patents

Description

G. A. RICHMOND.

GAME.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 2, 1910.

1,080,300 Patented Dec.2, 1913.

2 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

tdibwases 53 342 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAFH C0,. WASHINGTON, D. c.

G. A. RICHMOND.

GAME.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 2, 1910.

1,080,300. q- Patented Dec. 2, 1913.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

. 5 lg I .33 36' CARL A. RICHMOND, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. December 2, 1910.

Patented Dec. 2, 1913.

Serial No. 595,240.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, CARL A. RICHMOND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Games, of which the following is a specification.

The principal objects of my invention are to devise a novel game ,and to provide a method and apparatus by which it maybe played. 7

Another object of my invention is to devise a game in which an end to be attained by a player or players shall become more easy of attainment as time progresses, thus tempting the player or. players to delay making an efiort toward attaining the end referred to.

Another object of my invention is to devise a game in which, as time progresses, an end to be attained shall become more easy of attainment in one respect, but more difficult of attainment in another respect, thus forcing each player .to choose between confiicting motives in selectinga time to make his efiort. l

Another object of my invention is to provide a game in which-the best time for a player to act shall be dependent on the time (unknown to him) when his competitoris planning to act.

Theseobjects will be more readily appreciated after considering a certain specific embodiment of my invention, which is described in the following specification; other objects and advantages of a game or games according to my invention will then also be readily perceived and appreciated.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown one specific embodiment of my invention, for the purpose of clearly illustrating the general principles involved.

Referring to these drawingsFigure 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are top plan views partly broken away and showing the mechanism in two different positions. Fig. 4' is a section on the line 4 of Fig. '3, looking in the direction ofthe arrow. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a gate which forms an element of the device, and Fig. 6 is a detail section of a piston which forms an element of the apparatus.

Described in a general way, the device is I a square game board with troughs 19 at the sides; round disks or chips 59 and 58 are provided to be shot or shot at by the players.

The square frame 15 is formed by gluing wooden bars together, and is closed at the bottom and top by the respective plates of laminated wood 16 and 17, the inclosed space being designated 18 in Fig. 4. The frame pieces 15 are channeled to form the troughs 19 at the sides of the board, and these troughs 19 are bounded on the outside by the rim 21 that extends all the way around the board. Wooden plates 20 overlie the corners of the frame 15 between the ends of the trough 19, the junction lines of the plate 17 and corner plates 20 being designated 22. At the ends of the troughs 19 are upwardly projecting walls 23, and within each trough 19 is a movable gate 24 shown in Fig. 5. Each gate 24 has a horizontal base part 25 and two upturned lugs 26 with holes 27 therein, and the main part of the gate 24 has a central hole 28.

An endless chain 29 extends around the board lying in the bottom of each trough 19 and passing through the hole 28 and between the lugs 26 of each gate 24, and each said gate 24 is secured to the chain 29 by a pin or bolt through a link of the chain and through the holes 27. Pulleys 30 are mounted in recesses 31 in the frame 15 at the corners thereof, and narrow channels 32 are formed to provide a passageway for the chain 29.

At the point 33 close to a gate 24 another 7 chain 34 has one end attached, the other end thereof being attached to the end of the lever 36 pivoted at 37 within the space 18. The intermediate part of the chain 34 passes about the pulley 35.

The lever 36 has the form shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and is acted upon by the tension spring 38 attached to the-lever at 40 and to the frame 15 at 39. The lever 36 carries lugs 41' which engage the plates 16 and 17 and guide the lever midway between them. The

to the frame 15. Within this cylinder 47 is a piston, and a piston rod 49 connected thereto is pivotally attached at its free end to the lever 36 at the point 48. The piston referred to comprises a soft cup shaped leather 5O clamped by a screw between two washers 51, as shown in Fig. 6. The end of the cylinder 47 behind the piston is closed except for a small inlet tube 52, having an adjustable valve with the valve stem 53 and lock nut 54. An oval opening 55 in the under plate 16 provides access to the valve stem 53 and nut 54 to adjust them.

The top surface of the board is smoothly polished and is marked centrally with a circle 56 and center spot 57. Seven wooden disks 58 serially numbered from 1 to 7 and eight more plain disks 59 are provided for playing the game, as will presently be explained. The inside face of the rim 21 is marked with an X at each of the four symmetrical points 60, as shown in Fig. l.

The board is placed on a stand or table and the players, of which there may be four, sit adjacent to the four corners. The player who sits at the corner designated 61, seizes the gate 24 at his right and draws it toward him from the position of Fig. 3 to that of Fig. 2. This pulls all the other gates in the same direction around the board by reason of their common attachment to the chain 29. It also pulls the chain 34 that passes around the pulley 35 and thus pulls the lever 36 against the tension of the spring 38. The leather piston 50 pushes toward the nearly closed end of the cylinder 47, the air escaping past it because of the backward direction in which the edge of the leather is turned. The piston'reaches the end of the cylinder 47, and the hook on the bar 42 engages the stud 44, and the gates 24 reach the ends of their respective pockets substantially simultaneously. At any time thereafter, the player at corner 61 can pull with his finger or thumb on the trigger 46, thus releasing the lever and permitting it to be drawn by the spring 38 from the position of Fig. 2 to that of Fig. 3. Such movement will be slow because the vacuum that tends to form under the piston 50 can fill only slowly through the restricted inlet 52. Thus the result of a pull on the trigger 46, as just described, is that the gates 24 move simultaneously and slowly along the respective pockets from end to end thereof, the initial and final positions being shown in Figs. 2 and 3, respectively.

The objects of giving the lever 36 the shape shown in the drawings are as follows: (1) A long spring 38 may be used so that the elongation is a small percentage of the length and thus any stretching beyond the elastic limit is avoided; (2) as the tension of the spring grows weaker by its shortening, the normal thereto from the pivot 37 increases, thus the movement of the lever is kept approximately uniform and the speed of travel of the gates is therefore also uniform; (3) a long cylinder 47 may be employed.

The following terminology may be employed in describing the game: The seven disks 58 serially numbered from 1 to 7 are plunks; the eight plain disks 59 are shooters, each player has two of these; the portion of each pocket 19 between the X at the end thereof and the gate 24 in that pocket (wherever said gate may be) is an X-pocket and may be referred to as the X-pocket of the player who sits diagonally opposite from the respective X The remaining portion of the pocket 19 is a blank-pocket; the lines are starting-lines Stated briefly and in a general way, the object of each player in this game is, while the gates are slowly moving and thus expanding the pockets behind them, to knock the lowest numbered disk on the board into a pocket behind a particular moving gate, and to do this before another player succeeds in knocking that same disk into an expanding pocket behind a different moving gate. The player is tempted to delay his effort until the gates have opened wide, the pockets behind them thus afiording him an easy mark, but if he waits too long an opponent may shoot successfully and thus deprive him of his chance. The player must choose between these conflicting considerations. The gates are set when they close the X-pockets A score (of 1 point) is made for a player when the lowest plunk on the board is driven into the players X-pocket. A play begins when the gates are set, and the trigger pulled; it ends when a score is made or all the players have shot their shooters. hen any plunk goes into a black pocket, or upon a starting line, or into a corner of the board behind a starting line or entirely off the board, it is blanked; also when a plunk that is not the lowest on the board goes into an X-pocket it is blanked. The plunks are stacked in a column on the center spot in numerical order with 1 at the bottom. Each player holds two shooters and may use both of them during the play. The gates are set by the player sitting nearest the trigger 46; then he says Ready? and waits long enough to slowly count 2. If no one objects meanwhile he then pulls the trigger and the play begins.

The object of each player during each play is to snap one of his shooters with his fingers, thereby drive it against a plunk,

and thus make a score for himself and end that play. A shooter must be kept wholly behind the players starting line before it is snapped forward. Whenever the lowest plunk on the board becomes blanked, the next higher plunk remaining on the board instantly succeeds as the object of play. After each play, the shot shooters are redistributed so each player shall have two shooters, the scoring plunk (if any) is laid aside to count for the pro er player, and each player takes the blan ed plunks (if any) off from his corner space and out of the pockets adjacent thereto (and any plunks that may have gone off the board and come to rest nearest him) and replaces them where he pleases within the circle. If there are several blanked plunks to be replaced at the end of a play, the lowest is placed first, then the next, and so on. If, during a play, all the plunks that were on the board when the play began become blanked, then the players do not recover their shot shooters, but the plunks are replaced in the circle according to the immediately foregoing rule, the gates are reset, the trigger pulled, and the play is then continued. During a play any blanked plunks or shot shooters on a players starting line or in the corner behind it may be pushed aside by him, but not picked up nor moved out across the start ing line.

The end of a game occurs when several scores have been made, and the player scoring highest is the victor. If desired, a series of games may be played until a player wins the series by scoring 13 or 26 as agreed upon at the outset.

When two persons play the game, they sit at diagonally opposite corners; four shooters are discarded; each player scores not only in the diagonally opposite X- pocket, but also in the X-pocket across the board to his right; in removing blanked plunks to replace them on the board, each player handles others than according to the terms of the foregoing rules, but the modified rules need not be detailed here.

If desired to handicap a playeror players, the gates 24 may be differently adjusted along the chain 29 so that the X- pockets shall open to different widths at the same instant of time.

For the sake of clearness and definiteness in describing the specific embodiment of my invention pictured in the accompanying drawings, I have applied the terms troughs to the depressions 19 in their entirety and have called the portions thereof on either side of the respective gates 2& by the term pockets. While this distinction is convenient in connection with this specification it is not intended to restrict these terms as employed in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a game device, a board having two pockets, gates therefor, means to open the gates so as to expose the pockets gradually, and projectiles to enter the pockets.

2. In a game device, a board having a pocket, a gate therefor, means to open the gate gradually, serially numbered projectiles, and other projectiles distinguished from the numbered ones.

4:. In a game device, a horizontal board, a.

target in connection therewith, means to gradually vary the accessibility of the target, and a projectile adapted to slide acres the board and engage the target.

5. I11 a game device, a horizontal board, a target in connection therewith, means to gradually vary the accessibilityof the target, and serially numbered projectiles adapted to slide across the board and engage the target.

6. In a game device, a horizontal board, a target in connection therewith, means to gradually vary the accessibility of the target, serially numbered projectiles adapted to slide across the board and engage the target, and other projectiles distinguished therefrom.

7. In a game device, a board having a trough extending along one side thereof, a gate in said trough, and means to move the gate slowly from one end of the trough to the other end.

8. In a. game device, a board having an approximate rectangular shape, troughs at the sides thereof, gates in the troughs, and means to gradually move the gates simultaneously.

9. In a game device, a board having an approximate rectangular shape, troughs at the sides thereof, gates in the troughs, a chain extending around the board and fastened to said gates, and means to move said chain lengthwise and thereby simultaneously move the gates in the troughs.

10. In a game device, a board having an approximately rectangular shape, troughs at the sides thereof, gates in the troughs, pulleys at the corners of the board, a chain eX- tending around said pulleys and along said troughs, the gates being fastened to this chain, and means to move said chain lengthwise and thereby simultaneously move the gates.

11. In a game device, a board having pockets at the sides, gates for said pockets, and mechanism under the board to grad ually move said gates.

12. In a game device, a board having pockets at the sides, gates for said pockets, a spring adapted to move said gates to open the pockets, and means to delay the action of the spring.

13. In a game device, a board having pockets at the sides, gates for said pockets, a

spring adapted to move said gates to open the pockets, means to delay the action of the spring, and a catch to lock the gates in closed position.

14. In a game device, aboard comprising a rectangular frame, top and bottom plates attached to the frame, troughs at the sides, gates in said troughs, and mechanism in the space inclosedby the frame and plates to move the gates.

15.' In a game device, a board comprising a rectangular frame, top and bottom plates attached to the frame, troughs at the sides, gates in said troughs, a chain extending around the frame and attached to said gates, a branch chain extending into the space inclosed by the frame and plates, and mechanism in said space attached to said branch chain to move the chain and thereby move the gates.

16. In a game device, a board, a variable target in connection therewith, achain connected to vary said target, a lever attached to said chain, a spring acting on said lever, and a dash-pot connected tothe lever to retard the action of the spring.

17. In a game device, a board with pockets at the sides, gates for said pockets, a chain extending around the board and attached to said gates, a branch chain extending toward the center of the board beneath the top surface thereof, and mechanism beneath said surface attached to said branch chain to gradually pull the same and thereby move the gates.

18. In a game device, a board with pockets at the sides, gates for said pockets, a chain extending around the board and attached to said gates, a branch chain extending toward the center of the board beneath the top surface thereof, a spring under said top surface connected to pull on the chain, and a retarder to oppose the spring.

19. In a game device, a board with pockets at the sides, gates for said pockets, a chain extending around the board and attached to said gates, a branch chain extending toward the center of the board beneath the top surface thereof, a. spring under said top surface connected to pull on the chain, and a dash-pot to oppose the spring.

20. In a game device, a board with pockets at the sides, gates for said pockets, a chain extending around the board and attached to said gates, a branch chain extending toward the center of the board beneath the to surface thereof, a lever beneath said surface, the end of the branch chain being attached thereto, and a spring and a clashpot acting on said lever.

21. In a game device, a board with pockets at the sides, gates for said pockets, a chain extending around the board and attached to said gates, a branch chain extending toward the center of the board beneath the top surface thereof, a doubly bent lever beneath said surface, the end of the branch chain being attached to the end thereof, and a spring and a dash-pot connected at the two bends of the lever.

22. In a game device, a target, means to gradually vary the accessibility of the target, a projectile, and supporting means for the projectile adapted to sustain it in movement from its initial position to said target.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

CARL A. RICHMOND. Vitnesses FLORENCE A. FLORELL, ANNIE C. COURTENAY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

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