US2355118A - Game - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 8, 1944. E. STOREY 2,355,118

GAME

Filed March 25, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 v z/wi d'z g E. STOREY Aug. 8, 1944.

GAME

' Filed March 25, 1942 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 8, v E. O 1 I GAME Filed March 25, 1942 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 woza f Patented Aug. 8, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,355,118 GAME Everett Storey, Chicago, 111. Application March'25, 1942, Serial No. 436,112

6 Claims,

This invention relates to a game, and more particularly to a game wherein the various ac tions of naval warfare are realistically simulated. I An object of the invention is to provide "a tank which may be filled or partially filled with water and in which boats and ships may be moved about on the body of water, and guns supported at the edge of the outside of the tank may be used to fire pellets at the boats.

Another object of the invention is to provide in the game a tank containing a body of water wherein the water flows in the tank in at least a pair of channels. Still another object is to provide in the tank, a harbor at one end of each of the channels for receiving the boats and to provide agitating means for causing a flow of water through the channels.

Other features and advantages will appear from the following specification and drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the game structure; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 showing the tank construction; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a boat showing the same when maintained in positio in the anchorage in the tank.

The invention contemplates a game which realistically simulates naval warfare, including Both the guns and the planes are equipped with pellets which may be propelled or released to'fall into the body of water and splash water intothe boats to sink the same. The boats may be anchored at one end of the channel in the tank and when released will pass along the channel to the other end thereof and will be received within a harbor.

In the embodiment of the invention described herein, a tank l may be supported upon a suitable platform ll carried by a frame l2. The frame l2 may include uprights l3, horizontal members I4, and cross members l5, all secured together to provide a sturdy support for the platform II. The platform ll may be of wood or other suitable material, and is supported on the upper surface of the frame l2, preferably extending a substantial distance beyond the side walls of the tank l0.

Along the sides of the tank I0, guns 16 may be mounted on the platform H, the guns being 55 adapted to propel pellets toward the tank and into the body of water which is carried by the tank. The tank l0 may be equipped with a pair of channels I l and I8 extending longitudinally thereof, and with harbors l9 and at one end of each of the channels. 'At the other end of each of the channels are boat anchorages 2| and 22. Preferably, the tank may be provided with suitable filling material along the sides and ends thereof to form a shore line 23. On the shore thus formed may be provided any suitable type of scenery, such as a beach or mountains or the like, such scenery preferably being formed from plaster of Paris, or other'such material, and being suitably colored. Agitators 24 and 25 at opposite ends of the tank cause the water in the tank to flow through the channels I! and I8 along the lines indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Inclined wires 26, or other suitable elongated members, may be disposed above the tank and arranged to support miniature airplanes 21 thereon. The wires 26 are preferably provided with enlarged portions 28 which serve to release from the planes small pellets carried thereby which serve as bombs, and when released fall into the body of water in the tank. Both the bombs carried by the planes and the pellets propelled by the guns I6 are adapted to be aimed at ships 29 which are carried by the body of water in the tank and pass from the anchorages 2| and 22 to the harbors l9 and 20.

The tank It! may be of any'suitable construction. As seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the tank may include a bottom wall 30, side Walls 3| and 32, and end walls 33 and 34. If desired; the tank may be rectangular in shape, as shown. Preferably, the tank is of a relatively slight depth compared to its other dimensions and is adapted to receive a relatively shallow body of water 35 therein. Any suitable material may be used in constructing the tank. If desired, the tank may be made or" wood, and the joints sealed with a waterproof material, such as pitch or tar. Plaster of Paris ing the scenery, seen particularly in Figs. 2 and 3 at 36.

Within the tank, suitable partitions may be arranged to provide for the channels, the harbors, and the anchorages. As seen particularly in Fig. 2, transverse partitions 31 and 38 at the opposite ends of the tank provide a section within which may be mounted the agitating mechanism. Partitions 39 and 40 spaced from the partitions 31 and 38 respectively provide small narrow chanor other similar material may be used in form-- nels 4| and 42 at the ends of the tank. Small paddle wheels 24 and 25 are mounted on shafts 45 and 46 and extend into the small bodies of water 4| and 42 respectively. Motors 41 and 48 are connected in drive relation with the shafts 45 and 45 respectively, and are arranged to produce rotation of the paddle wheels. The motors are preferably mounted in the space between the partitions 31 and 39 and the partitions 58 and 45 and are preferably concealed by acovering 49 which extends across these sections of the tank.

As seen particularly in Figs. 1 and 3, the tank may also be provided with longitudinal partitions 50 and which divide the tank into a pair of channels indicated at H and i8. Preferably, the

partitions 50 and 5| are of a height less than the depth of the body 35 of water within the tank and thus permit communication between the two channels since the water is permitted to flow across the top of the partitions. Moreover, this arrangement permits the partitions to be at least partially concealed by the body of water. The partitions 5E! and 5| are preferably made of a transparent material, such as cellulose acetate,- and are thus substantially invisible in the body of water. These partitions may be mcunted in the tank in any suitable manner.

The partition 5| extends into and connects with a partition 52 at one end of the channel H, the partition 52 being arranged to form an enlarged harbor provided with a narrow neck 53. At the other end of the channel ill, a partition 5 1 pro-' vides a narrow channel which leads to the anchor" age 22 and the agitator 25. I

Similarly, the channel I 8 is provided. with a harbor formed by the partition 55 and with a partition 56 which provides a channel leading to the anchorage 2| and agitator 24. The harbors l9 and 20 are equipped with suitable gates 57 and 58 at the end of the harbor for permitt'ng the flow of water from the harbor to the agitators. These gates, while permitting the flow of water, prevent the passage of the boats, beyond the gates.

The anchorage 2| may consist of a flat member or plate 59, having a plurality of apertures 60 therein, the apertures being adapted to releasably receive pins which may be used to secure the boats in position beneath the anchorage. The anchorage 22 issimilarly constructed. A switch 6|, mounted on the platform ii, controls the operation of the motors which drive the agitators 24 and 25.

The guns I6, mounted along the sides of the tank, may be of any suitable type or construction for propelling pellets or bullets toward the ships on the body of water in the tank. g

The pellets should be of a material heavier than-water so that they will sink in the water. Preferably, these pellets are made of a resinous plastic material. 7

The boats are preferably constructed of a material which is heavier than water so thatwhen the interior of the boat is filled with water, the boat will sink; On the other hand, the construction of the boat in the form of a hollow shell makes its density less than that of water when the interior of the boat is not filled with water, and the boat will thus float on the surface of the water. The material used in constructing the boats is preferably a resinous plastic, and additional material may be added to the interior of balance the same in the water. For example,

small particles of wax may be placed in the interior of the boat for this balancing action.

In operation, the boats 29 are placed in the anchorages 2| and 22 and the agitators 24 and 25 set in operation. The movement of the paddle wheels or agitators 24 and 25 causes the water to flow through the channels I1 and H! from the anchorages 2| and 22 toward the harbors 20 and 9 respectively. The boats are secured in the anchorages by engagement of the pin 8| with the aperture 8!] in the upper surface of the boat. The head 82 of each of the pins may be lifted to release the boat and permit it to be carried by the flowing stream of water through the adjacent channel and on to the harbor at the opposite end of the channel. While the boats are passing through the channels, the guns l6 may be fired at the boats, the guns on the side I82 of the platform I :being aimed at the boats in the channel I! and the guns on the side I03 of the platform being aimed'at the boats in the channel l8. By rotating the crank arm 15 of the gun, the pellet '|2 is propelled from the barrel H and falls in the water in the tank I ll- If the gun is properly aimed, the pellet will fall sufficiently close to a boat 29 that the splash caused by the falling of the pellet will throw water into the boat 29 through the apertures in the upper surface thereof. When a small quantity of water has been splashed into the interior of the boat 29, the boat will sink.

As soon as the boats are received within the harbors l9 and 251, they may be picked up and placed within the anchorage 2| or the anchorage 22 and are ready for another trip along the channel. The water which flows from the anchorage 22 through the channel I! to the harbor l9 passes through the gate 5'! and to the agitator 24 from whence it is caused to flow into the channel I8 and to the harbor 2E]. The flow of the water carries the boats from one end of the channel to the other. The partitions 5 and 5| in the central portion of the tank prevent boats from passing from one channel to the other, but at the same time permit sufficient flow of water between the channels to prevent any head of water from accumulating in either of the channels with respect to the other.

Although the invention has been described in connection with particular embodiments, it will be apparent that changes and modifications may be readily made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:-

1. A game comprising a tank containing a body of water, partition means in said tank for providing a pair of channels in said body of water, said channels being in communication'with each other, .partition means carried by said tank for providing at one end of each channel a harbor with an open neck, said partition being provided with an opening communicating with the adja cent channel and permitting the passage of water thereinto from the harbor while the partition prevents the passage of boats in said harbor into said adjacent channel, and agitator means for causing water in each of said channels to flow toward the harbor at the'end thereof.

2. A game comprising a tank containing a relatively shallow body of water, longitudinal partitions in said tank dividing the same into at least a pair of channels, the height of said partitions being less than the depth of the water in the tank whereby the portions of the body of water in each of said channels are in communication with each other, a partition carried by the tank at one end of each channel forming in the tank an enlarged harbor bounded by said partition, said harbor having an opening in communication with the adjacent channel permitting the passage of water thereinto while the partition prevents boats floating on the water in the harbor from passing into the adjacent channel, and an agitator at the other end of each channel for causing the water in said channel to flow toward the harbor.

3. A game comprising a tank containing a body of water, partition means in said tank for providing a pair of channels in said body of water, said channels being in communication with each other, partition means carried by said tank for providing at one end of each channel a harbor with an open neck, said partition being provided with an opening communicating with the adjacent channel and permitting the passage of water thereinto from the harbor while the partition prevents the passage of boats on the water in said harbor into said channel, a boat releasably anchored at the other end of each of said channels, and agitator means-for causing water in each of said channels to flow toward the harbor at the end thereof whereby the flow of Water carries the boats from the anchorage along the channel and to the harbor.

4. A game comprising a tank containing a relatively shallow body of water, longitudinal partitions in said tank dividing the same into at least a pair of channels, the height of said partitions being less than the depth of the water in the tank whereby the portions of the body of water in each of said channels are in communication With each other, a partition carried by the tank at one end of each channel forming in the tank an enlarged harbor bounded by said partition, said partition being provided with an opening communicating with the adjacent channel and permitting the passage of water thereinto from the harbor while the partition prevents the passage of boats floating on the water in said harbor into said adjacent channel, a plurality of boats carried by the body of water, each of said boats Ibeing equipped with an aperture in the upper portion thereof, an anchorage frame at the other end of each of said channels, and pins movably mounted in said anchorage frame for releasably engaging the aperture in each of the boats to secure the boats to the anchorage frame.

5. A game comprising a tank containing a relatively shallow body of water, longitudinal partitions in said tank dividing the same into at least a pair of channels, the height of said partitions being less than the depth of water in the tank whereby the portions of the body of water in each of said channels are in communication with each other, a partition carried by the tank at one end of each channel forming in communication with the channel and in the tank an enlarged harbor bounded by said partition, said partition being provided with an opening communicating with the adjacent channel and permitting the passage of water thereinto from the harbor while the partition prevents the passage of boats floating on the water in said harbor into said adjacent channel, a plurality of boats floating on the body of Water, the draft of each of the boats in the Water being greater than the distance between the top of said longitudinal partitions and the upper surface of the body of water whereby the boats when placed in a channel are retained in the channel, an anchorage frame at the other end of each of said channels, and means carried by said frame for releasably engaging each of the boats to releasably secure the boats to the anchorage frame.

6. A game comp-rising a tank containing a body of water, partitioned means in said tank for providing a pair of channels in said body of water, said partition means being disposed beneath the surface of said body of water, said channels being in communication with each other at the ends thereof to provide an endless path for the circulation of water therein, and agitator means for causing water in said channels to move in opposite directions and to flow from the outlet end of each channel into the inlet end of the other channel.

EVERETT STOREY.

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