US1552530A - Game apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Sept 8. 1925. 1,552,530

G. A. WOODS GAME APPARATUS Filed Aug l1, 1921 Y wventor eory'eadm woods 5 MM WW wibtorfieg Patented Sept. 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES G RGE ADAMS WOODS, .Q w liE EBu A SACHU E TS- GA'ME APPARATUS.

Application filed August 11, 1921.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Gnoncn ADAMS Moons, a citizen of the United States, residing at l/Vinchester, in the county of Middlesexfand State of Massachusetts, have invented .certain new and useful Improvements iniGrame Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in games. More paiticularly it provides a game appealing to those who are interested in the :manly artof self defense. For the purpose of the game :two dummy contestants are employed; and the mechanical features involve-d are such that these contestants are automatically brought into repeated contacts with each other from which they react and make contacts with other parts of the apparatus from which in turn they react, the round being considered tobe won by that one which survives the other in state of activity. As herein illustrated the contestants are spinning tops; and these prefer-ably are set spinning by any suitable mechanical means, by two persons playing the game, each of whom manipulates one of :the tops. Further featnresof the game are that a mounting device is provided simulating the stand under the prize-ring, on which is erected a barrier of metallic wires arranged in form of a square and substantially enclosing -.a circular area whose surface is I dished, dipping slightly toward the center ion :the lines of a cone. One ozfithe. contestants having a distinctive color, asned, is assigned to one corner of the ring which s ndicated by a tablet of corresponding color 1 bearing the words used by thereteree in in- :troducing the contestants, in this corner and the name assumed for the mechanical contestant, which may be zth) name of some we'll k-nown champion. A similar corner and color scheme for the other contestant being arranged, the game is played by each person winding the mechanical top which is the actual {contestant sponsored by himself and putting it into action from his proper corner at the sound of a gong whichis provided as a part of the apparatus and which may be operated by a third-personor otherwise. The use of a mechanical device for setting the top spinning produces .an equality olopportunity in that respect which permits persons who actually have little skill in spinning a top to play this game on equal terms with those who may be more semblance of an ordinary prize ring.

Serial No. 491,386.

skilled in that respect; while there is nevertheless some margin tor the practice of other niceties in .the manner, specific place and time oifreleasing; although to be perifiectly "-falr t is desirable that both tops start at the same instant and with the same amount of driving force in order that one of them shall not, by starting later, have a likelihood of'continuing in action longer. 'During the round the tops will automatically be ,drawn by gravity into contact with each other and will reactto a distance from each other upon occurrence of a collision between them on which action oppositely moving surfaces come into contact; may then strike the side or gointo a corner ofthe enclosing :rba-rrier and react -more or less against that and return to reactlagainst each other until (one of them ceases to spin. The round is -considered,to be won by the one which-con- :tinues spinning; and the apparatus includes T a score board with two sets of scope pins, one of the colorof each contestant; and the firststage of the score is manked by lR-SQL ing space. The apparatus may in other respects be decorated and dressed to give an operative To this end .onegteature consists in providing a pedestal which raises the dished smfiace .on which the contestants operate to aiconsidei able height say, or linches above the ta- Jole or the door on which the game isplayed and this pedestal, the outside of which-may be coloredithe conven ional gre n of a prize ring may be hollow and may serve also gas a box for containing the game. Various changes may be made from the specific apparatus herein shown for illustration; and y it is intended that the patent shall cover :by suitable expression in the appended claims whatever features of patentable noyeltyex ist in-ithe invention.disclosed,

In the accompanying drawing.

Figure l is a perspective showingwthe apparatus with the game being played; and

Figure-=2 is an (elevation'in medial crosssection through a detail.

lteterring :tothe drawing the pedestal or tions may be varied greatly. Indeed, so far as the operation of the'contestants is concerned there is no need for the pedestal 10.

' Resting on this pedestal is the game board 11 which in the typical specimen may be a piece of wooden board say inch thick and 8 inches square whose upper surface is dished, having a sinkage from the edge down to the middle preferably a conical surface. If the middle of this surface is 7 th of an J inch below the edges of it the apparatus illustrated will operate nicely. (This sinkange is indicated by the shade lines running from the circle 12 down to the center 13. The square ring for confining the contestants is a barrier of wires 14 suitably sup-- ported, as by other wires 15, from corner posts 16 set in socket holes which may be provided for them'in the game board 11. For

Y dis-mounting and mounting the apparatus,

hooks 15 may be arranged onwires 15 for engaging the apparatus at the end of the barrier wires 14 at one of the corners, the engagement at corresponding places at the other corners being permanent loops 15". There isinconsequence no annoyance and no complexity because of the apparatus falling apart into small pieces when not set up and yet as the joints at 15 are all loose the whole can be folded into fiat condition when the pieces 16 have been withdrawn vertically from their sockets in the board 11. contestants illustrated are the spinning members of a certain type of mechanical topl which-is well known in the market and'for- J which any other suitable type of top 1nay-' be substituted, the same being marked 1 and; 2 and being distinguished from each otherby their'coloring, green or red. The respective corners of the contestants are designated by tablets 21 and 22 correspondingly colored; and the score pins of the contestants are marked'Sl' and 32 correspondingly colored. Provision is made as at 23 for holding the card 24 on which maybe printed or written the name assigned to thecontestant belonging in the corner where the particular card is held; And these cards may be removable, for which purpose the denoting the beginning of each round a gong 25 is provided in the middle of one edge of the game board. 'A container 26 in the "other particulars.

The

form of an open metallic box is provided in the middle of another side adj acent to a score plate 27 having holes as seen in the drawing, with associated numbers signifying the number of rounds which make the match, with one hole for each round adapted to receive a peg of either color according to the winner of that round and with a hole at the end for a peg indicating the end of the match. It may be considered that the contestant which has won a majority of the rounds wins the match; and this afiords opportunity for a tie to occur which may be. settled by conof the game board is a bulletin board 28 testing another round. At the opposite edge number being conveniently indicated by a disk 29 pivoted within the bulletin board and having a series of figures on each side visible one at a time through an'opening3 0 in the bulletin board. Said board may conveniently beconstituted by providing posts 38 between which extend twothin metallic plates, together making thetwo faces of the bulletin board 28 with the wheel 29 between them. Onthe corner posts of the ring may.

and the other posts may be otherwise decor-' I ated, giving the whole a festive appearance. Although a conical sinkage 1213 is-here illustrated, the apparatus does not require that for its operation; nor is it necessary.

that the game board he made of wood,'for papier-mach or 'inetal'stamping may 'be used and variations may be made inimany And although in the specific form of the invention here illustrated the tops are drawn about by gravity, when not under influence of superior force derived from their energy of rotation, the invention ioo is not limited to that species and mayiinclude means by which the persons playing move them about, putting the skill of one against the other in this respect. I claim as my invention:

1. A game apparatus comprising two spinning tops having distinctive markings and adapted to react on contact; a board whereon both simultaneously may spin. and move about; a square inclosure for the tops while so spinning, having corners distinctively marked each in conformity with one of the tops and means adapted to cause them to contact together while so spinning; and. a

scoring apparatus having markers for the score of each top, each marker being distinctively marked in accordance with one of the tops. 7

, L '2. A game apparatus comprising two spinning tops adapted to react on contact; a board whereon both simultaneously may spin and move about; and means adapted for causing them to contact to gether while so spinning; a collapsible square barrier. en-

closing the spinning tops; and posts set in the said board sustaining said barrier at its corners.

3. A game apparatus comprising two spinning tops adapted to react on contact; a board Whereon both simultaneously may spin and move about; and means adapted for causing them to contact together While so spinning; a collapsible square barrier enclosing the spinning tops; and posts set in 10 the said boa-rd sustaining said barrier at its corners with loose joints, the joint at one of the corners being a hook joint whereby the square can be opened.

GEORGE ADAMS WOODS.

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