US1673631A - Amusement device - Google Patents

Description

June 12, 19 28. I 1,673,631

D. H. MARX AMUSEMENT DEVI CE Filed April 15, 1927 gwvwntoz David H. Marx Patented June 12, 1928.

DAVID H. MARX, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

Application filed April 15, 1927. Serial No. 184,067.

This invention relates to an amusement device.

The device consists of inoperative or dummy matches associated with a convontional match container, the whole being 111- distinguishable in appearance from the conventional match and match container. Each match is made of wood or paper, as the case may be, and is constructed exactly like the conventional match, and each match is provided with a head which is indistinguishable in appearance from the conventional match head. The dummy or inoperative matches present an appearance which is indistinw guishable from the conventional match.

The container is preferably provided with an inoperative or dummy striking surface disposed in the conventional manner. The inoperative striking surface is made to simulate the appearance of the conventional striking surface in every respect.

The dummy match striking surface may be eliminated if desired. Or, if desired, the striking surface may be real, thus giving the informed person the opportunity to confuse the person upon whom the trick is being played. For this purpose the informed per son may actually strike a real match upon the striking surface after going through the motions of removing a match from the original container.

Devices embodying the present invention offer good natured, harmless, and pleasant amusement to all the participants. Amuse- 36 ment is derived by the person, who, with knowledge, presents the matches to a person seeking a light, by observing the discomfiture of. his friend in his vain efforts to obtain a light. On the other hand the discomliture 40 of the other person is converted into pleasurable relief when he discovers that his failure to obtain a light is not due to any fault of his own.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rough intelligence testing and measuring device. For this purpose the container is provided with a prominently displayed inscription which is suggestive of the fact that the matches are inoperative.

After one or two attempts to obtain a light or after destroying one or two matches in vain, a normal person will examine the package, and on seeing the suggestive 1nscription, he will realize that the matches are not self-ignitible. The person with a less alert mind and with less intelligence and with a. lesser power of observation will destroy a good many more matches and will make a much greater number of vain attempts before he will associate the inscription with his failures. In this manner a rough measure of a persons intelligence may be obtained; the number of attempts at obtaining a light being inversely proportional to the persons intelligence.

In the drawings, illustrating one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 1 is a perspective of the dummy matches and the partly open container. perspective rear view of the container.

In the drawings, the container 10, consists of a front portion ll, and a back portion 12. The lower edge of the back portion is provided with the forwardly and upwardly bent flange 13, the matches 14 being held between the back 12 and the flange 13. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the matches 14 are made of paper in the manner well known in the match industry, each match being provided with a head 15 Figure 2 is awhich has the same size and appearance as real matches, but which is made of inert material which will not ignite even when it is subjected to vigorous frictional movement over the striking surface on the genuine match containers. The flange 13 is preferably provided with a layer of inert material 16 which has precisely the same appearance as the strike surface on genuine match containers.

As shown in the drawings, one of the outer faces of the container, in the present instance, the back of the container, bears an inscription which suggests the idea that the matches are inert or inoperative. In the. present embodnnent of the invention the inscription is The matchless match. Vhile at first glance this inscription does not clearly disclose the inoperativeness of the matches, one or two unsuccessful trials to obtain a light will make the meaning of the phrase clear to the intelligent person, whereas the unintellig'ent person will make a great many more trials. In this manner the device serves as a test of a persons mental alertness in associating ideas, and of his power of observation, the object being to observe the number of trials the person will perform before he associates the failure of the matches to ignite with the inscription The matchless match.

If desired, the inscription may be printed on the front portion 11 of the container, or again, the striking surface may be disposed at the bottom of the back pm-nan 12 of the container and immediately below the inscription; the object being to have the inscription before the persons eyes when he is striking the match. i It will be apparent that while I have shown and described my invention in its preferred form, that many changes and n'iochiications may be made in the structure disclosed without departin from the spirit of the invention, defined in the following claims.

l'claim:

1. An amusement device comprising" a pinrality of dummy matches and a container therefor having a layer of inert material thereon indistinguishable in appearance from the strike surface of conventional match containers, the dummy matches and container being indistinguishable in appearance from the conventional matches and match container. 7

2. amusement device comprising a plurality of dummy matches having heads of inert material, the dummy matches being indistinguishable in a pearance from conventional inatches, an a container for said dummy matches having a la er of i'neit material thereon indistinguishable in appearance from the strike surface of conventional match containers. I

3. An amusen'ient device comprising a plurality of dummy matches having heads made of material indistinguishable in appearance from conventional match heads and a container therefor having a layer of material thereon constituting the striking surface of the container and indistinguishable in appearance from the striking surface of conventional match containers, the-said match heads being nonignitible under all conditions when struck upon said stri k ing surface.

4. An amusement device comprising a filerality of dummy matches having headsiniide of material indistinguishiilfile in appearance from conventional match heads, l1 container therefor having a layer of 'niaterial thereon constituting the striking snrlace of the container and indistinguisl'ialfilc 'in a p'p'ea ifa nce from the striking surface of conventional match containers, the said inatch heads he'- ing nonignitible under all 'con'ditions *tvh'tn struck upon said striking surface, Wild *a legendary inscription on said eomaiiieisuggestive of the non-igniriU-iiity 6f Silltl nnitches.

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