US2610854A - Game device simulating a western rodeo - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 16, 1952 K. F. CARD 2,610,854

GAME DEVICE SIMULATING A WESTERN RODEO I Filed July 14, 1950 i :s Sheet s-Sheet 1 KENNETH F'- CARD} INVENTOR,

A TTORNE K Sept. 16, 1952 K. F. CARD 2,610,854

GAME DEVICE SIMULATING A WESTERN RODEO Filed July 14, 1950 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 62 14; L HAMP/ONCOWBOV [El 1m 2 L: Q g i k 8 3 1: g *1 J E o a; Q 2 i Q J E 2 a Q :1

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ATTORNEY,

Sept. 16, 1952 K. F. CARD GAME DEVICE SIMULATING A WESTERN RODEO 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 14. 1950 KENNETH F. CARD,

INVENTOR. WW

A TT'ORNEK Patented Sept. 16, 1952 Kenneth F. Card, Canova, Park, Calif assignor 1Q a,

of one-third to James L. Austin, Los Angeles,"

Calif., and one-third to George F Smyth,

Inglewood, Calif.

Application July 14, 1950, Serial No. 173,914

, Claims. (crews-+134 My invention relates to equipment for playin simbuck off the rider, catching cattle and calves by riding them down, or riding Brahma bulls, for a minimum length of time and the equipment of the game of my invention is intended to enable players to partake in a game which simulates such rodeo events. I

, An object of my invention is to provide equip: ment for playing a rodeo game including a miniature reproduction of a typical rodeo arena and having parts arranged and operating in a man ner to give the players an approximation of the interest and stimulation of participating at an actual rodeo. Afurther object of my invention is to provide pieces for playing the game, of sucha character. as to enable pieces to be combinedwith'others in various combinations to maintain arealistic resemblance of the course of events in arodeo.

A still further object of my invention is to provide equipment for playing a rodeo game which is simple and inexpensive to produce, yet which is very attractive because of tis accurat representation of cowboys and; cow ponies, Brahma bulls, calves and other'animals appear: ing in a rodeo and also because of its'accurate reproduction of the rails with movable. gates, pens for livestock and the other featuresof an actual rodeo, and the construction of v at least some of the cowboys so that, when not in action in] the game, they maybe set upon the rails, which is their usual position in; anactuai rodeo. Other feautres and advantages of the present invention will be hereinafter apparentfrom the following description, particularly when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in

which i 7 Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the game board. and game pieces for playing the rodeo game of my invention set up ready for use, Figure 2 is a plan view showing the arrange ment of the playing board;

Figure 3 is a front view of a cowboy playing piece showing the piece positioned on the rails enclosing the rodeo ground;

Figure 4 is a plan view of. a spinner used in playing the game;

- material.

Figure 5 is a side view of a. cowboy playing piece mounted on one form of a piece represent: ing the type ofcow pony used in some events of a rodeo simulated in playing the game;

Figure 6 is a cross section on the line 6-}6 of Figure-5, but showing the game pieces separated to more clearly illustrate the interengaging elementsthereof; and v 1. H

Figure 7 is a cross section on the .line 1- -1101. Figure3f The game of the present invention, referring now to the. drawing and more',-particularly1'to Figure 1 thereof, comprises a boardrlll upon which the component elements simulating ,a rodeo ground are mounted, preferably remove ably arranged so that the game apparatus-may be taken down and packed .into] a",.small er..bo: than would be. required ifthe. componentparts are left assembled. The board ill, of course, replresents the ground and the central portion there"- of, simulating the actual arena mayfbepoloi'ed a tan color as the usual custom is to covrthe arena .with tan bark, sand or othe 'su1"b l e The arena orfridin'g area is enclosed by fence structure as'in actual 'rodeo .c'ompetitionsand the fence, in the illustrated embodiment of the inventio'mis c' om'prisedpf posts TH. seams openings formed in the b'oard l0 and interconnected by lower and upper rails 12 and [3, respectively. The rails are preferably. made of rectangular strips ofsome suitable material andIfma'y be given anycolordes'ired. fAt'v one end of the arena, a starting gate I4 is arranged,.-and attlie ob;- posite end, an exit gate [5 is located, both' gates being hingedly mounted' Thespace'outwardly of the starting gate constitutes an area known as the,.chute and is so' labeled.

Arranged. across the"are'naf and ei'itendin tween thegates I4 and 15 are; series of spaced play .demarking "spaces ,.l 6, he rleshown as 'l'io'r'se hoof prints'arrang'ed ma somewhat sepentine pattern. These spaces are consecutively bered and the space numbered f5Tisf enclosed or circumscribed by a jagged-line, he urppse of which will be made clear'herinaftenf I The chute in actual rodeo competition is used to confine ananimal about tobe ridden'by a cowboy and in the game herein. shown, is used in substantially the same way for ,it. as Willb shown, is where the play for each event of the game commences. Th'e chute is defined by the adjacent rails of spaced apart pens li and- ,1 8,

which rails are similar'in structure -and;deS, ,gn

to the rails l2 and 3 of the main arena, The

pen I! is to be occupied during the play of the game by a game piece [3 in the form of a small replica of a calf simulating a calf which is roped and thrown in actual rodeo competition. The pen [8 is to hold a game piece 2| in the form of a Brahma bull and, as in actual rodeocompetition, ridden by game pieces representing the cowboys of the game. Adjacent the pen I! is a similar pen 22 for holding a game piece 23 which is a replica of a horse in a bucking stance;

At the finish end of the main arena formed by the rail enclosure are two pens 24 and 25 arranged to hold, respectively, a gamepiece; 28- inthe-form of a jackass and a game piece 2'1 in theiform of av horse in a running stance. The game piece 21' is preferably given a gold color for a purpose which will be hereinafter more fully apparent- I The game includes, in addition to the game pieces above described, four identical game pieces 28, one of which is shown in Figure 5, and each consists of a small replica of a horse in a running stance; The game pieces '28 are preferably formed each of a different color so tha't each may be distinguished one from the other. These game pieces are to simulate the cow ponies to be ridden by the cowboy game pieces 29 during the play of the game and the game pieces 29 simulating the cowboys are preferably formed so that they can be seated on the top rail I3 or on any one of the game pieces in the form of animals ridden in a rodeo.

For this purpose the: portion of the game piece corresponding to the buttocks of the cowboy may be formed-with a small groove 31 to receive the top rail jl 3-of the main enclosure. The game piece may then'be perched on the top rail in a very realistic-attitude to simulate the usual position of a cowboy watching his competitors complete' events in the rodeo.

To securely mount the game pieces 29 representing the cowboys to any of the game pieces simulating the animals ridden,.th e adjacent faces 32 of the cowboys legs, as' clearly shown in Figure 3, are, planar and these faces are adapted to engage with planar mug of grooves 33 formed in the opposite surfaces of each game piece simulating an animal to be ridden by the cowboys in the play of the game. This feature is best illustrated'in Figure 6 of the drawing.

'Th grooves 33 formed in theopposite surfaces ermgame pieces'simulating the animals tobe riddenare quite shallow and do not detract from the'realisticappearance ofthe game pieces and are practically invisible when the cowboy game piece is mounted thereon. I v

If desired, the game pieces 29 could be formed on the'portion corresponding to the posterior of the figure with a small peg or the like which could herece'ived' within an opening. formed in the'top surfaceof the game pieces simulating the animals tobe'ridden. Thispeg could also be used to seat the cowboy in some desired position on the rail enclosure as}. for example, by merely forming small openingjsin the top surface of theposts' I I which would receive the peg and hold the same piece in position.

The spinner with which the game, in it's now preferred embodiment, is played is shown at 36 iii Figure land comprises a small board having numerals running in a double series from 1 to 4. Preferably the circle in which they are printed isin the form of a representation of a wagon wheel, while the spinner or pointer 38 which is 'ro'tatably mounted on a vertical stem is formed of a piece of suitable material twisted to repreevent and each player must finish the event he is competing in before the next player takes his turn. The player who is able to complete the three events with the lowest number of points is the winner of the game and to this player goes the honor of riding the gold horse game piece 21: in' the nextrodeo, that is, the next series of events forming the game. The player who in each game finishes with the highest number of points is the losing cowboy, and must ride the jackass in the next rodeo.

The game pieces are moved across the arena in accordance with the number of plays indicated after operation of'the spinner and the score for each event is determined by the number of spins it takes a player to complete each event. The score for the complete game is determined by adding the points of the three events.

At the commencement of the game each player selects the game pieces representing his own cow boy and horse. In the first event, the game piece 23 which, as will be remembered, is in the form of a horse in a bucking stance, is placed in the chute and the first player positions his cowboy game piece on the bucking horse after which the player spins the spinner and, after opening the gate I4, moves the bucking horse and his cowboy the number of spaces l6 indicated by the spinner. The score for each player in this event is the number of spins of the spinner that the player takes to move the bucking horse with his cowboy up across the arena and out the exit gate. In the play of this event, if any players cowboy riding the bucking horse lands on-horse hoofprint numbered 5, that cowboy is thrown by the bucking horse and the event for that player ends. The score for the cowboy thrown is determined by adding three points to the number of spins of the spinner previously taken by that player.

In the secondor calf roping event, the game piece [9 representing the calf is taken from the pen I! and placed in the chute just in front of the cowboy game 'piece 29 which is now mounted on the game piece 28 or cowpony game piece. The 'player now spins the spinner and moves the calfthe number of spaces or prints I6 indicated by the spinner. This player then again spins the spinner and moves his horse and cowboy the number of spaces shown by the spinner. The spinner is repeatedly spun by the same player to first'move the calf and then hi horse and cowboy until his horse and cowboy catches up with or passes the calf. The event i over for each player if his horse and cowboy catches or passes the calf before the calf is moved outof the arena. If a players horse and cowboy does not catch or pass the calf before the calf moves out of the arena, that player spins the spinner until his horse and cowboy are moved across and out of the arena. Points for that player are scored by adding to the number of spins taken to move the horse and cowboy across the arena a penalty of five points. If the losing cowboy of the previous game riding the jackass in this event does not overtake or pass the calf before the calf is moved out of the arena, he 'must add to his score a penalty of ten points. If the losing cowboy riding the jackass catches or passes the calf,

he subtracts one point from his score of this event.

In the third event, which is the Brahma bull riding event, the play of the game is exactly the same as that of the bronc riding event. The play of this event will, therefore, not be again described.

It will be seen now that the game of this invention does simulate in practically all details an actual rodeo competition. The game has been to be attractive to adults as well as children and in addition to {the game aspects thereof, it serves as a very entertaining toy to children too young to appreciate the playv of the game.

Although the now preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described herein, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited thereto, for it is susceptible to changes in form and detail within the scope of the appended claims. Thus, for example, all game pieces could be formed as substantially fiat elements of cardboard or other suitable material in the form of silhouettes of cowboys and animals rather than molded pieces of a plastic, and yet retain all of the features of the game pieces as herein shown and described.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for playing a game simulating a rodeo, comprising: a substantially rectangular board; a plurality of post-like members vertically projecting from one surface of said board; a plurality of rail-like members horizontally interconnecting said post-like members to form an elongate railed enclosure on said board representing a rodeo arena; a plurality of play demarking areas spacedly arranged across said arena; at least a pair of spaced apart railed pens at each end of said arena, said pens defining a starting chute at one end of said enclosure and an exit passage at the opposite end; a plurality of game pieces in the form of cowboys; means on said game pieces so constructed and as to interengage with said railed enclosure to mount said game pieces thereon during the play of said game; a plurality of game pieces in the form of animals ridden by cowboys in a rodeo; and means on said game pieces in the form of animals ridden by cowboys in a rodeo for interengaging with means carried by the game pieces in the form of cowboys to detachably hold the latter on said animal game pieces, whereby a cowboy game piece and a game piece simulating an animal ridden may be moved from one play demarking area to another as a unitary game piece.

2. Apparatus rodeo, comprising: a substantially rectangular board; a plurality of post-like members vertically projecting Irom one suriace of said board; a plurality or rail-like members horizontally interconnecting said post-like members to define a railed enclosure on said board open at both ends thereor'; a plurahty of play oem rli ar Spaceuly arranged across said enclosure and leading from one opening to the other; a plurarity or game pieces in the rorm or cowboys; means on said game pieces so constructed and arranged as to inter-en age with the upper ranlike member of said enclosure to mount said game pieces thereon; a plurality of game pieces in the term of animals ridden by cowboys in a rodeo; and means on said game pieces in the form of animals ridden by cowboys in a rodeo for interengaging with means carried by the game arranged for playing a game simulating a pieces in the form of cowboys to hold the lattei on said animal game pieces against accidental separation, whereby a cowboy game piece and a game piece simulating an animal ridden may be moved fromone play demarking area to another as a unitary game pi'ece.

3. Apparatusas set forth in claim 2 and in which the inner sides of the legs of the cowboy game pieces are formed as substantially parallel planar surfaces at least for a portion of their length, and the opposite sides of the game pieces simulating animals ridden are each formed with grooves; having a planar wall, said grooves recalving-the legs of the cowboy game pieces with the planar surfaces thereof in facewise engagement with planar wall surfaces of the grooves.

4. Apparatus for playing a rodeo game, comprising: a board; posts and rails defining an elongated enclosure positioned on said board representing a rodeo arena; railed pens spaced apart at one end orthe enclosure defining a starting chute; railed pens spaced apart at the end of the arena opposite the starting chute defining an exit passage; a plurality of game pieces in the figures of cowboys, at least some of which are formed in sitting position with knees spread apart, a slot being provided across the seat of the cowboy which is adapted to receive the top rail of the enclosure and support the cowboy thereon in sitting position, and a plurality of game pieces in the figures of horses; the legs of the cowboy game pieces being adapted to interfit with said last named game pieces, said board being marked at a plurality of points with numbered positions, the numbers increasing from the chute to the exit passage and demarking play areas across which a cowboy game piece interfittingly engaged with a horse game piece may be moved as a unitary piece.

5. Apparatus for playing a game simulating a rodeo, comprising: a substantially rectangular board; a plurality of post-like members vertically projecting from one surface of said board; a plurality of rail-like members horizontally interconnecting said post-like members to define a railed enclosure on said board representing a rodeo arena; a plurality of play demarking areas arranged across said enclosure; a plurality of game pieces in the form of cowboys; cooperating means on said game pieces and said railed enclosure for mounting said game pieces on the latter; a plurality of game pieces in the form of animals ridden by cowboys in a rodeo; and 00- operating means on said animal game pieces and the game pieces in the form of cowboys for mounting the latter on said animal game pieces to simulate a cowboy astride an animal, whereby a cowboy game piece and a game piece simulating an animal ridden may be moved from one play demarking area to another as a unitary game piece.

KENNETH F. CARD.

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

UNITED STATES messes Rottcnburg J an, 1,193;

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