US1115856A - Puzzle. - Google Patents

Description

M. L. MINNS.

PUZZLE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1914.

- Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

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ing/AMT MINES ,mss EEES 1HE MORRIS PETERS COA. PH0`m-LlTl1J-, WASHINGTON. IJv C,

UNrrED srA'rus giairuivr oniricafivrAnY L. MINNs, or NEW Yemen. Y.

PUZZLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 27, 1914. Serial No. 858,866. n

ments in Puzzles, of which the following is.

a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates more particularly to a war puzzle having reference to the countries involved in the present European war. v f

One of the principal objects of theinvention is to provide an interesting puzzle in which the countries allied with each other in the present European war as well as those opposed to them are each represented by a moving element, in this instance a ball, and these balls compelled to pass by abutments or obstructions and in such a way to a certain point or place that they will indicate so far as the working of the puzzle is concerned which countries at war are or will be victorious. The puzzle ma7 also include one ory more neutral countries or countries which are likely to be involved in war and which may be made, in the working out of the puzzle, to combine with one or the other of the opposed groups or allied countries.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple puzzle which is inexpensive to manufacture and which may be worked out in different interesting ways according to the manipulation and desires of the one using the puzzle.

Vith these and other objects in view, the invention will be hereinafter more particularly described Awith reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and will then be pointed out in the claims at the end ofthe descripl tion.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of one form kof device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line II-II of Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is a transverse section of a slightly modified form of device.

The device comprises a body 10 and a cover 11, the latter being hinged, as at 12, in any suitable way to the body 10 so that it may be folded over upon the said body when not in use. The body as well as the lid or cover may be stamped from tin or may be made from any other suitable machannels 15. 'These' channels 15 may be of As shown, there arey any suitable number. eight channels forming radial raceways each having its outer'end closed,'and opposed to said channels 15 are obstructions or abutments 16 which separate the raceway kr1/1 from an inner substantially fiat space, part or pocket 18. The obstructions 16 may represents forts andy said obstructions are separated sufficient distances from each other to provide short channels 19 which communicate with the raceway 14 and the` inner space 18. lThe vobstructions 16 are of less number thangthe ychannels 15 and therefore place most of the short channels 19 out of alinement with the channels k15.

Each country at'war is represented bj a movable element, in this case a ball. The puzzle Iis intended primarily for use in con- The bottom Patented N0v.`3,`1914. y n

nection with the countries at war in Europe f 0r raceway 141,r so that those alliedrvith` each other should be all made to occupy the space 18which is intended to represent ythe place for the victorious forces indicated bythe word Victory. y In carrying out one plan of the invention, if one red ball shouldenter the space 1,8 then the other red balls should follow. c If on-the other hand the white yball yshould. first enter the space indioatedby the word Victory the other white ball should follow and also the green ball representing Italy because of the treaty of alliance with Germanyand Austria, or if Italy is alliedj with England@ France andRussia, then it shouldfollow the red balls into the said space. If Italy is neutral it may be made to follow-either the white balls or the red balls into the space 18 indicated by the' word Victory, it being understood that the arrangement may be and is changed to meet the wishes of the one using the puzzle.

It will be readily seen that considerable variations and scope can be given to the puzzle by the addition of diierent countries represented by a ball and their relation to the other countries, the main purpose of the puzzle being to get all of such countries properly allied with each other in their regular order into the space 18 without having any of the other balls representing` the opposing countries enter said space. The difficulty of manipulating the puzzle will depend largely upon the character of the channels, the raceways and the obstructions 16 which may indicate forts, as well as the number of countries represented and their general arrangement with respect to each other.

ln Fig. 3, the construction of the puzzle is the same as that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 eX- cept that instead of the body 10 having simply the base 13 with the marginal walls about the same and open at the upper surface thereof, said body 10 may be closed on the upper surface by means of a glass plate 9.3 which may be held. to the body 10 by means of a paper or other strip 2li or in any other desired way. rThe purpose of the plate 23 is to prevent access to the interior of the body 10 by the user of the puzzle.

In the lid of the box 11 may be stamped, printed, lithographed, or otherwise arranged, the name of the puzzle as well as the rules so as to indicate to the user the character and way to operate the puzzle in the manner shown. It will be understoodthat if desired the lid or cover 11 may be dispensed with and simply the body portion with or without the cover plate 23 employed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent l 1. A device of the character described, comprising a body having its bottom formed with an annular raceway and radiating channels extending outwardly therefrom and with spa-ced annularly arranged obstructions differing in number from those of the radiating channels and forming an inner space within said obstructions which communicates with the annular raceway and with said channels, and a plurality of elements representing different countries adapted to pass from the radial channels and annular raceway in certain order to the space within said obstructions.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a body having a rac'ewayV and channels extending outwardly therefrom and having spaced obstructions difering in number from. those of the outwardly extending channels, said abutments forming an inner space within the same which communicates with the raceway and with said channels, and a plurality of balls representing different countries adapted to pass from the channels and raceway to the space within said obstructions.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a body having its bottom formed with an annular raceway and radiating channels extending outwardly therefrom and with spaced obstructions forming an inner space, said channels having their outer ends closed and a plurality of balls adapted to pass from the radial channels and annular raceway to the space within said obstructions.

-1.A device of the character described, comprising a body having its bottom formed with a flat annular raceway having radiating channels extending outwardly therefrom and with spaced annularly arranged obstructions forming an inner flat space which communicates with the annular space and with said channels, said channels having their cuter ends closed and a plurality of elements representing different countries adapted to pass from the radial channels and annular raceway in certain order to the space within said obstructions.

5. A device of the character described, comprising arectangular body having its bottom formed with a raceway having channels extending outwardly therefrom and with spaced obstructions differing in number from those of the channels and forming a central space within said obstructi ns adapted to communicate with the raceway and with said channels, and a plurality of balls adapted to pass from the channels and annular raceway in certain Order to the space within said obstructions.

6. A device of the character described, comprising a body having a bottom with marginal walls and a lid adapted to form a closure for said body, said bottom having an annular raceway and radiating channels, an

tions, and elements representing different countries adapted to be arranged in certainv order within the space.

This specification signed and witnessed this twenty sixth day of August A. D. 1914.

MARY L. MINNS.

Witnesses:

TALTER' J. MINNs, ALFRED J. CULLEN.

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

Washington, D. C.

inner space, and irregularly spaced obstruc-

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