US2131132A

US2131132A - Visible bidder

Info

Publication number: US2131132A
Application number: US4333A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alderman Brayton Alphonso
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1935-01-31
Filing date: 1935-01-31
Publication date: 1938-09-27
Anticipated expiration: 1955-09-27

Description

P 1938- B. A. ALDERMAN 2, 31,132

VIS IBLE BIDDER Filed Jan. 31, 1935 fingbnAAfirman- D INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 27, 1938 VISIBLE BIDDER Brayton Alphonso Alderman, Atlanta, Ga.

Application January 31, 1935, Serial No. 4,333

. 3 Claims. This invention relates to bidding devices, and

its general object is to provide a device for silentor visual bidding, that is primarily designed for use in card games, and in which bidding is one of the features thereof, such as auction and contract bridge.

An important object of the invention is to provide a device which makes it possible to eliminate oral bidding, in that the bids of the game are properly made thereon and are clearly visible to all players, consequently confusion resulting from any reason, such as misunderstood or miscalled bids, and voice inflexion, is prevented, together with the necessity of repeating bids, and the like. Another object is to provide adevice of the character set forth, that is simple in construction,

inexpensive to manufacture, easy to operate and understand, and is extremely eflicient in use and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like a or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure l is a top plan view of the bidding device which forms the subject matter of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a front view thereof, with parts in section.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken through the device and showing the same clamped to a table or the like.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the inner or movable member, looking toward the top thereof, with associated elements carried thereby.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the inner or movable member looking toward the bottom thereof.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the outer or stationary member, with its companion member removed therefrom.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a clamp for securing the device to a table.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be noted that my visible bidding device in the form as shown includes an outer or stationary member I and an inner or movable member 2, both of which are hollow and cylindrical in shape, with the inner member fitting within the outer member for rotation in a manner and for a purpose which will be presently described.

The outer member includes a bottom 3, which has secured thereto and rising centrally therefrom a sleeve 4 that acts as a bearing for-a shaft 5 which is mounted for free rotation therein.

The shaft is looselymounted centrally through the top 6 of the inner member and extends above the top, with a knob 'l secured to the extending end. The knob may be threadedly mounted on the shaft 5, but in any event is capable of rotation thereon for a purpose which will be later described.

The inner member is removable from the outer member, and for that purpose it is supported by a collar 8 fixed on the shaft which likewise has pivotally mounted thereon between the collar and the top 6, a sliding cover 9 for an opening III in the top, whereby access may be had to the interior of the device, so that the latter can be used as an ash receiver, as will be apparent upon inspection of Figure 3.

The opening I0 is substantially triangular shape with its apex arranged adjacent to the center of the top 6 and the outer edge of the opening is curved. The cover I0 is of a size and shape to close the opening and is slldably mounted on the underside of the top, it being held for movement accordingly by thecollar 8 and headed fastening members ll secured adjacent to the ends of the curved outer edge of the cover, and the fastening members are in the form of rivets slldably mounted in a curved slot l2 arranged in the top 6, and which follows the curvature of the outer edge of the opening, as well as extends beyond one end thereof, as best shown in Figure 1, to allow the cover to be fully opened and closed. The heads of the fastening members ll provide handles for moving the cover, as will be apparent.

Due to the cylindrical formation of the members l and 2, the bottom 3 and the top 6 are of disk shape, and radiating from the center of the top 6 are division lines l3 which divide the top into eight equal triangular shaped areas, each of which has indicia thereon representing certain features of a game of cards, such as auction and contract bridge. The top 6 has circular lines l4 thereon which divide the areas to provide separate spaces therein and the outermost spaces of three of the areas have the words Pass, Redouble and Double thereon, while the remaining outermost spaces each have the numerals 1 to 7 inclusive in numerical order. In the spaces of the areas adjacent to the outermost spaces that contain the numerals, there is arranged suit characters,

namely a club, diamond, heart, spade and no trump, so that the suit characters cooperate with areas, each of which has one of the above men-' tioned bidding characters therein, as clearly shown in Figures 4 and 5. a

The cylindrical wall of the outer or stationary member I has a relatively large rectangular shaped opening or slot I 8 therein, disposed in a manner whereby any one of the bidding characters on the cylindrical wall of the inner or movable member 2 will show therethi'ough, consequently the slot It acts in the capacity as a sight opening, as will be apparent and clearly shown in Figure 2. While the: inner member 2 is mounted for rotation within the outer member for disposing any one of the bidding characters in registration with the slot 6, in order to hold the bidding characters accordingly, and to assure a fixed position thereof with respect to the slot I6, I provide substantially triangular lugs l'l formed on the bottom 3 and which receive like shaped notches I 8 in the lower edge of the cylindrical wall of the irmer member 2, as indicated in Figure 3.

Formed on or otherwise secured to the cylindrical wall of the outer member and rising therefrom for disposal in a line midway between the ends of the slot I6 is a substantially triangular shaped ear I! that acts in the capacity as a pointer or indicator and which cooperates with arrows 2!! pointed outwardly and arranged centrally of the areas on the top 6, as shown in Figure 1, to aid the user in disposing the notches over the lugs I1, and when so disposed one of the bidding characters is arranged in true registration with respect to the slot it, as shown in Figure 2.

Cooperating with the numerals which are arranged above the slot [6 is a pointer 2| that is secured to and extends outwardly from the knob I, and it will be seen from Figure 1 that the pointer likewise cooperates with the numerals of the top 6, due to the fact the numerals above the slot are arranged to coincide with any one group of numerals on the top 6, when the inner member is disposed with a bidding character such as the club, diamond, heart, spade or no trump registering with the slot It, as indicated in Figure 2.

In order to prevent ashes and the like from retarding the movement of the inner member, or to prevent the latter from properly seating with respect to the lugs i1, an annular shield 22 is provided that is secured to and rises-from the bottom 3 and has an outwardly flared upper portion to overlie the lugs.

The outer member i has secured to the bottom thereof a socket member 23 which is of rectangular configuration for the purpose of receiving the upper arm 24 of a clamp 25, the latter including a lower arm 26 that has threaded therein a headed screw 21 provided with a handle for cooperation with the upper arm and the socket member for securing the device to a table as shown in Figure 3, and preferably at the corner thereof, and for that purpose, the vertical arm of the clamp is provided with a slot 28 for the passage of the corner therethrough. The bottom 3 has likewise secured thereto a pad 20 which may be of felt or rubber.

In practice, it will be understood that one of my devices is used by each player, preferably secured to a corner of the table, as above set forth, so that the slot I. will be directed toward the center of the table.

In the operation of the device, the player will grasp the knob I to elevate the inner member and thence rotate the same for disposing the desired biddingcharacter in registration with the slot I. In the event the bidding character is a club, diamond, heart, spade or no trump, the numerals come into use, consequently the pointer 2| is actuated through the instrumentality oi the knob 1, so that the downturned outer end thereof is directed toward the desired number, as for example in Figure 2, the bid is Two no trump.

It is also possible to set the device to what may be termed neutral points or in other words so that no bid will be indicated thereby, and that feature is accomplished by aligning any one of sequently it will be obvious when the inner member 2 is so positioned, that one-half-of two areas on the curved side thereof will show through the sight opening or slot l6, and therefore no bid will be indicated.

when it is desired to empty the ashes or other contents from the device it will be obvious that the inner member can be entirely removed from the outer member through the instrumentality of the knob 1, due to the fact that no means is provided for permanently fixing these members together, but the inner member is held centered withrespect to the outer member by the sleeve 4 and shaft 5, with the latter rotatably mounted in the former, as will be apparent upon inspection of Figure 3.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A bidding device comprising a hollow stationary member having a sight opening in the side thereof, a hollow movable member telescopically mounted in the stationary member and detachable therefrom, each member having bidding indicia thereon and some of the indicia of the movable member arranged for selective showing through the sight opening, means for holding the movable member against rotation relative to the stationary member with the selected indicia in registration with the sight opening, said holding means being releasable upon lifting the movable member, a shaft extending through and movable independently of the movable member, a collar on the shaft, a sleeve secured toand rising centrally from the stationary member, said shaft being rotatably mounted in the sleeve and cooperating therewith and the collar for supporting and centering the movable member with respect to the stationary member, a knob on the shaft, and a pointer for indicating certain of the indicia and carried by the knob.

2. A bidding device comprising a hollow cylindrical stationary member having a closed bottom and an open top and a sight opening in the side thereof, a hollow cylindrical movable member having a closed top and an open lower end and telescopically mounted for intermittent rotation in the stationary member with its top disposed the division lines IS with the pointed ear l9, conv uppermost, said movable member having indicia on the top and side wall thereof, the indicia of the side wall being selective for showing through the sight opening, companion means on the movable member and stationary member respectively, for cooperation with each other for holding the movable member against rotation with the selected indicia in registration with the sight opening, said companion means being separable from each other to allow rotation of the movable member, said stationary member having indicia thereon and cooperating with the indicia on the side wall of the movable member, and selective means for indicating certain of the indicia on the top of the movable member and the indicia on the stationary member.

3. A bidding device comprising a hollow stationary member having a sight opening therein and an open top, a hollow movable member having a closed top and telescopicaiiymounted in the movable member, bidding indicla on the side of the stationary member and cooperating with the indicia on the side of the movable member, the latter indicia being selective to show through the sight opening, selective means for indicating the remaining indicia, said movable member having notches in the lower edge thereof, lugs on the bottom of the stationary member to receive the notches for holding the movable member against movement with the selected indicia on the side thereof in registration with the sight opening, and indicating means for the holding means.

BRAYTON ALPHONSO AIDERMA