US2463425A

US2463425A - Pocketed game board with pivoted closures

Info

Publication number: US2463425A
Application number: US586134A
Authority: US
Inventors: James W Rendel
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1945-04-02
Filing date: 1945-04-02
Publication date: 1949-03-01
Anticipated expiration: 1966-03-01

Description

March 1, 1949. J. w. RENDEL POCKETED GAME BOARD WITH PIVOTED CLOSURES Filed April 2, 1945 Patented Mar. 1, 1949 OFFICE POCKETED GAME BOARD WITH PIVOTED CLOSUBES James W. Rendel, Gary, Ind.

Application April 2, 1945, Serial No. 586,134

Claims. 1

This invention relates to games, and has for its primary object to provide a board type of game in which a principal feature is that the game is played with playing pieces in the form of pins, preferably, which are inserted in openings having bottom closures which may be positioned so as to provide a pin support when the cover is in registry with the bottom of the holes, thus providing a support for a playing piece, and means permitting the said covers to be articulately swung aside to open the bottom of the holes, so that the playing piece will have no support whatever and fall thru into a trap below, thus resulting in the player losing one of his playing pieces.

A principal object of the game structure is to provide in a board game a series of openings the bottom of which may be left open or closed, as desired by the players, and permitting setting of certain holes in open or closed form in order to provide an element of variation and amusement to a game of this type.

Another object of the invention is to provide swingable cover members at the bottom of the board structure which will permit removal of playing pieces subsequently to their having dropped thru the trap, yet the said closure is so arranged that the board will lie fiat on a level supporting surface.

Another object of my invention is to provide a simple game structure in which the play may be variable, and a structure of such simple elemental assemblage as to warrant economical manufacture in quantity production.

Other features, objects and advantages inherent in the invention can be understood from an examination of the accompanying drawings, having particular reference to the ensuing description wherein like symbols are used to designate like parts, and in which;

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the board structure comprising an important unit of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary bottom view of Figure 2; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the playing pieces used in connection with my invention.

Referring to the various figures, 5 generally designates my invention which consists of a top board member l3, secured to two side supporting slat elements l4, and a central supporting strut element 20. The slat elements M are suitably recessed as at IS in order to accommodate the thickness of the swingable bottom closures, or covers l6, which are attached to the flexible or textile hinge element l8 which may be secured to the central strut member 20 by virtue of nails 2|. The covers it; will nest into the recesses IE on the slats l 4 to permit the composite board structure to lie flat on a horizontal supporting surface IT.

The bottom of the slat l4 may be provided with several carved out portions It to act as finger clearances in order to permit gripping the covers l6 when it is desired to open the trap 22 in order to retrieve the playing pieces or pins II that have been lost, as will, hereinafter, be more clearly apparent.

The top board section i3 is provided with a series of openings 8 and the board is of sufiicient thickness so that the light will not disclose to the opponent player whether the bottom elements 9 are in position to provide a supporting surface for the pins, or whether they have been swung outwardly on the hinges l0 providing a trap, in which event a player placing his playing piece or pin H in such a hole would lose his playing piece, because if it has no support in the hole 8 it would fall thru into the trap 22.

The swinging closures 9 are, preferably, made of a transparent material so that no refraction or reflection of light would be noticeable to players (A) and (B) sitting on opposite sides, and each one playing in one of the sections designated 6 or 1, preferably player (A) would move his playing pieces on section 6, whereas player (B) moves his playing pieces on section 1. Player (A) sets his trapping combination by moving a series of covers 9 to provide through openings for a number of holes 8 so as to trap his opponent that may make his move in those openings, whereas player (B) sets the cover of openings on section nearest to him, thus each player has conveniently near him the holes that he wishes to set for his opponent without the opponents knowledge, and at the same time each player plays the section furthest from him so no light effects of any kind will ermit the player to have vision to the bottom of the holes in which he is to make his move.

The game may be played with a number of pins assigned to each player, and the first player to lose all his pins or playing pieces will have lost the game.

The pins may also be designated with particular numerical designations or carvings, such as, for an army game, there would be privates and ofiicers and various rules may be adopted so that when one player first loses his commanding officer he has lost the game, whereas if he loses all his privates or his entire army, he may have lost the game.

The rules are subject to a great many variations. The element of interest and amusement is retained in the game in view of the fact that the player can vary the setting of the openings 8 so as to provide a number of open bottom holes, various permutations and combinations of open holes being available which may be arranged at different parts of the sections 6 and l at will, so that the opponent player will never know what will be a safe move or what move will constitute a trap, wherein he might lose one of his playing pieces. The pins H are cylindrical and are provided with a tapered portion 2 to facilitate their entry into holes 8.

Altho, I have herein described rather succinctly the nature and operation of my invention, yet it is understood that it may be susceptible of various modifications, and improvements, hence I reserve the right to all such modifications and improvements coming within the scope and spirit of my invention, as Well as those lying within the implications of the accompanying drawings, also those falling within the purview of the foregoing description.

Having thus described and revealed my invention, what I claim as novel and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A game comprising a board structure consisting of a top element subdivided into two playing zones, each zone provided with a multiplicity of drilled openings, two slat elements secured to opposite sides of the said top element, a strut element secured to the center of the said top element, flexible hinge means secured to the said strut element, covers secured to said flexible hinge means defining traps between the said slat elements and the said strut element, and independent, individual closures pivotably secured to the underneath surface of the said top ele mentbelow each of the said drilled openings.

2. A game comprising a board structure consisting of a top element subdivided into two playing zones, each zone provided with a multiplicity of drilled openings, two slat elements secured to opposite sides of the said top element, the said slat elements being grooved, a strut element secured to the center of the said top element, flexible hinge means secured to the said strut element, covers secured to said flexible hinge means defining traps between the said slat elements and 4 sures pivotably secured to the underneath surface of the said top element below each of the said drilled openings.

3. A game comprising a board structure consisting of a top element subdivided into two playing zones, each zone provided with a multiplicity of drilled openings, two slat elements secured to opposite sides of the said top element, the said slat elements being provided with grooves, the said slat elements being further provided with cut out finger clearance portions adjacent the said grooves, a strut element secured to the center of the said top element, flexible hinge means secured to the said strut element, covers secured to said articulate means defining traps between the said slat elements and the said strut element, the said covers having their free edges fit flush in the grooves in the said slat elements, and independent individual closures pivotably secured to the underneath surface of the said top element below each of the said drilled openings.

l. In a game, a board structure comprising, a top element subdivided into two playing zones, each zone provided with a multiplicity of drilled openings, two slat elements secured to opposite sides of the said top element, a strut element secured to the center of the said top element, flexible hinge means secured to the said strut element, and covers secured to the said flexible hinge means defining traps between the said slat elements and the said strut element.

5. In a game, a board structure comprising, a top element subdivided into two playing zones, each zone provided with a multiplicity of drilled openings, two slat elements secured to opposite sides of the said top element, a strut element secured to the center of the said top element, flexible hinge means secured to the said strut element, covers secured to the said flexible hinge the said strut element, the said covers having 55 means defining traps between the said slat elements and the said strut element, and independent individual closures pivotably secured to the underneath surface of the said top element below each of the said drilled openings.

JAMES W. RENDEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 237,053 Schumaker Jan. 25, 1381 626,863 Flack June 13, 1899 1,850,420 Schuldt Mar. 22, 1932 2.219546 Petersen Oct. 29, 1940