US1741832A

US1741832A - Game

Info

Publication number: US1741832A
Application number: US359645A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sidney T Farrell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1929-05-01
Filing date: 1929-05-01
Publication date: 1929-12-31
Anticipated expiration: 1946-12-31

Description

Dec. 31, 1929. s FARRELL 1,741,832

GAME

Filed May 1, 929

ENTRANCE FEES RED DICEYRUNNEHS WHITE DICE RUNNERS LANE A 8 LANE A- 4 B 4 B g C 6 C J D 2 D I CLUB all

NAM E NUMBER OF TURNS OF FQR 'IMIR IN VENT OR Y BREAK IN 5TRIDE DEDUCT TWO FROM NEXT 0 BEAT GUN"ALL 5TART OVER- THIS RUNNER SET BACK ONE YARD atented Dec. 31, 1929 B IDNEY '1. FARRELL, OF NEWTQNVILLE, HASSAOHUBETTB GAME Application filed May 1, 1829. Serial No. 859,645.

. This invention relates to indoor gamesand more especially to those based on racing and involving an element of chance.

Most, if not all, of the racing games of this 8 type are open to the objection that the hrst racer to start has a substantial advantage and with an even break in luck will usually finish first. The players necessarily take turns, and consequently the last player to start has only it a small chance of winning.

The present invention deals particularly with this condition, and it aims to devise a racing game in which all of the players Wlll have approximately an even chance. In the referred embodiment of the invention this is accomplished by running the race on a time basis, each move on the game board or chart representing a given unit of elapsed time.

The invention may be embodied in a great W variety of racing games, but for purposes of disclosure the invention will be herein described as embodied in a game based on a hundred yard dash.

The nature of the invention will be readily understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, anclzghe novel features will be particularly poin ed out in the appendedclaims.

In the drawin s,

Fi ure 1 is a plan view of a chart embodying eatures of this invention;

. ig. 2 is a plan view of a chart of entrance fees;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a score card; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of dice which may be used in playing the game; and

Iiigs. 5 and 6 are lan views of markers and chips, respective y. which may also be used in the game.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the chart there shown represents a race course divided lon i tudinally into four lanes indicated at A fiB, C and D, respectively. The course also is divided by transverse lines into spaces, which in this case represent yards of distance;

.Numbers are associated with the lines to indicate the distance from the. start so that the dicated. Those figures on the

opposite margins

2 and 3 of the chart designate the ten yard intervals, and these figures preferably face in opposite directions, while additional figures located in

aisles

4, 5 and 6 between the lanes designate the intermediate yard intervals. Preferably the figures in the aisle 4 point toward the left, those in the aisle 6 toward the right, and those in the middle aisle 5 toward the bottom of the chart in order to facilitate the reading of the figures by the difi'erent players.

In a hundred yard dash the drive for the, finish occurs in the last ten or twelve yards and corresponds to what may be termed the home stretch or the last lap in some other races. For convenience this part of the course will be hereinafter referred to generically as the. home stretch in order to distinguish it from the main part of the course.

In the chart shown the home stretch is divided into twelve equal spaces and a time designation is associated with each division line or each space, the figure in each s ace indicating in hundredths of a second tie time assigned to the runner to reach the finish line from the line at tl erhottom of the respective space in which the" gure appears. Roughly the time required to cover this twelve yards of home stretch is approximately one second, and the. times assigned in the difl'erent lanes varies somewhat, as will be obvious from an inspection of thechart. For example, it will u be observed that the time designations in the home stretch of lane A are smaller than those for corresponding distances in any of the other lanes. Those in lane D are, longer than in any other lane, and those'in lanes B and C are intermediate in value. This variation in the time designations in the different lanes obviously. make some lanes more favorable for the runners than others. Certain penalties or set backs also are included in some or all of the lanes. For example, the circles 7 in the lanes. A and O designate a break in stride for which two yards are deducted from 9:

the runners distance, while the diamonds 8 in lanes B and D indicate that the runner has beat the un and will be enalized one, h h 9 ro ress of the racer can be measured and ms... ard on the new start.

a sh.

determined or originate in various ways, as for example, by dealing or selecting a card, turnin Y a spinner, throwing dice, or by any other evice involving a suitable element of chance. In the particular arrangement shown two dice X and Y are provided, the die X bearing the

numbers

9, 10 and 11, while the 'die Y bears the

numbers

8, 9, 10 and 11, these numbers designating yards of distance. Preferably these dice are of different colors, the die X being red, for example, and the die Y white. One or the other is used, depending upon the supposed rating of the contestants, the red die being slightly more favorable to the runner than the white die.

In view of the fact that certain of the lanes are more favorable to the runner than others, the chances of the players, in the long run, are made more equal by an arrangement of entrance fees which places a higher )IlCG on the more favorable lanes. The chart 10 shown in Fig. 2 illustrates a suitable arrangement of entrance fees.

It is determined prior to starting the game whether to play with the red or the white die, the deciding factor being simply the preference-of the players and being based on the ability or ratings of the runners who are supposed to compete. Assuming that the red die is in he used, the player backing the runner in lane A pays eight chips, that in lane ll tour chips, etc. The chips may simply consist of disks such as that iudica-ed at 12 in (i, or poker chips may he used.

In playing the game the runners and the lanes in which they are respectively to run may be selected by agreement or by rolling both dice, the higher throw ha ring first choice. T .0 individual runners are. represented by markers or checkers, such as that. indicated at 14; in Fig. 5, and they may, if desired, be named for well known sprinters. such as Paddock, Borah, and others. The

players then roll the dice in turn. the player who backs the runner in lane A starting first. Assuming that he uses the red die and the figure 11 comes uppermost, he moves the marker 14 on to the eleven yard line. The other player or players roll the dice in turn and move their respective markers on to the line corresponding to the respective figures which they turn up. Each roll of the dice represents one second of elapsed time. As suming, for example, that Paddock is running in lane A and Borah in lane B. Williams in lane C and \Vyckoif in lane D, and the. checker or marker 14 for either Box-ah or \Vyckofi should land on line 11 which, as indicated by the foot note is a penalty line in these two lanes, the race would start over and the penalized runner would be set back one yard for jumping the gun.

The players continue to roll the dice in turn and to advance their respective runners in accordance with the res ective numbers turned up at each roll, unti at the completion of the eighth turn for each player, indicating eight seconds of elapsed, time Paddock might be found in lane A on line 84, Borah in lane B on line 82, Williams in lane C on line 83, and Wyckofi in lane D on line 79. The die is again rolled for Paddock in lane A, and assuming that he gets 11 for his ninth turn or ninth second of elapsed time, this would place him on line 95. If Borah gets 10 for his ninth turn he is placed on line 92. Williams getting a 9 places him on line 92, while Wyckofi' getting, say, an 8, places him on line 87, which woud not bring him into the home stretch. He requires another turn, therefore, and if we assume that he gets 11 on a this turn he would then be on line 98 in ten turns or ten seconds. The time required for Paddock t0 finish from line 95 is shown on the chart to be six-tenths of a second; that required for Borah to finish from line 92 would be seventy-six hundredths of a second; that necessary for Williams to finish from line 92 is seventy-five hundredths of a second; while that given to Vvyckoff to finish from line 98 is thirty-two hundredths of a second. Conse' quently, the time made by each of the runners is. Paddock 9.6 seconds, Borah 9.76 seconds, lVilliams 9.75 seconds, and d yckoli' 10.32 seconds. The player hacking Paddock. therefore, would be the winner and. take all the chips or entrance fees put up for this particular race.

In order to facilitate keeping the score. score cards like that. shown at in Fig. 3 maybe used, a check mark being placed under each numbered turn as the dice is rolled for each individual player. in other respects the use of the score card will be obvious simlp'y from an inspection of it.

Any number of runners may he entered in any race, but if more than four are entered, trial heats will be necessary. For example, with cig t runners entered, two trial heats are ru and the .irst and second place winh heat qualify for the iianl heat. The winner or" each trial heat takes the chips of the men elin'iinated. The entrance fee of the runner taking second place in each trial heat is returned to him. in the final heat the winner takes all the chips.

By properly charting the race course and suitably selecting the distances and the fractions of time in the home stretch, essentially the same arrangement may he applied to a. great variety of racing games where time is a factor, such for example, as boat races, horse, automobile, airplane races, and the like.

The charts shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may be printed on paper and applied to a suitable board or backer, or they may be supported in any convenient manner.

While I have herein shown and described a typical embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that this disclosure has been made rather by way of illustration than limitation, and that the invention may be embodied in a considerable variety of forms without departing from the spirit or scope thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim as new is:

vided and bearing indicia to indicate the time required by a racer to finish from certain specified points in the home stretch, and a device for determining by chance the distance covered by a racer in a given interval of time.

3. In a game, a chart having a race course markedthereon, said course including a mam section and a home stretch section, both of said sections being divided into spaces, and time designations associated with the divisions in said home stretch.

4. In a game, a chart having a race course marked thereon, said course including a main section divided into approximately equal spaces, and a home stretch section divided into substantially equal spaces, distance designations associated with the spaces In said main section, and time designations associated with the divisions in the home stretch section and serving to indicate the time required by a racer to finish from certaln specified points in the home stretch.

5. In a game, vachart having a race course marked thereon, said course being divided into lanes each includin a main section and a home stretch section, hoth of said sections being divided into spaces, and designations associated with the divisions in the home stretch section and indicating the time reuired by'a racer to finish from certain speclfied points in the home stretch.

a 6. In a game, a chart having a race course marked thereon, said course being divided into lanes each having divisions for-indicat-.

ing the progress of the racers and a. hpme stretch divided into spaces, and designations associated with said spaces to indicate the time required by a racer to finish from certain specified points in the home stretch, the

time designations varying in the different lanes.

7. In a game, a. chart having a. race course marked thereon, said course being divided into lanes, each of said lanes including a. main section and a home stretch section, penalties in certain of said lanes, both of said sections of each lane being divided transversely into spaces, and designations associated with the divisions in the home stretch sections for indicating the time given the racer to finish from certain specified points in the home stretch, the time designations varying in different lanes.

SIDNEY T. FARRELL.