US2702709A - Game board - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent i GAME BOARD Willis Raymond Woolrich, Jr., and Roger La Verne Erickson, Austin, Tex.

Application April 24, 1951, serial No. 222,702

s Claims. (ci. 273-134) This invention relates to games and has for its principal object the provision of a game board so divided or patterned that a course leads from an entrance to a goal and such course is divided into paths each of two parallel lanes with spaced deectors directing a playing piece from the inner lane of a path to the inner lane of the path next nearer the goal.

An important object of the invention is to provide a board somewhat of the cribbage type in which movement from a slower lane to a faster lane is by chance.

A further object of the invention is to provide a board having an inner hollow square of l1 positions surrounding a goal and this inner square is associated with an outer hollow square of lanes having positions abreast of positions in the inner square, except for the one odd position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a game board having a goal and a number of surrounding locations, squares, or positions, preferably holes, in which a player may go out on one particular number thrown by dice or otherwise selected by chance but should the number be greater than the number required to go out, the player moves towards the goal in a much longer path.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the game board in its preferred form.

Figure 2 shows a slightly modified form suitable for use with checkers or similar men in place of using the cribbage pegs and holes as in the preferred form.

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3--3 of Figure 1.

In Figure l, the board is illustrated as a block of suitable material as, for example, wood, paper, plastic, fiber, etc. but preferably plywood with a top veneer of maple, walnut, mahogany or similar ornamental wood, either in contrasting strips such as 11 and 12 marking the paths, or all of one wood. The board is divided into a number of positions 14 which can be merely holes, as in Fig. l, or squares, circles, or other blocks as in Fig. 2. In the following description and in the claims it will be understood that the use of the words hole and position are interchangeable and either signifies an opening to receive a cribbage peg or a landing place of any kind such as a marked block or square to receive a checker or other playing piece. The latter are to be understood as embraced in the term peg As the holes or positions are in uniformly spaced ranks and tiles, and the total number of positions on each of the four outer equal sides of the playing field of the game board is always 2x, x being an odd number, each hole, with a single exception, having a paired hole abreast in the adjacent rank or iile next inward, the positions for ease in description may be considered as being divided in groups of four, denoted by the numeral 15, showing two fours side by side at the top 16 or two fours one above the other at the side 18 of the board. rihere is an uneven number of groups of four on each side 16, 17 or 18 of the board. As illustrated, there are 1l fours in each of the four outside paths, making 22 holes or positions adjacent each edge of the tield. In the outside hollow square of holes the positions are all equispaced so there is no break in the series forming what will hereafter be called the four outside lanes of the four outside paths.

The arrow 20 denoting the starting point is between the outside lane 21 of the outside path 22 and the inside lane 23 of the same, that is the outside, path. One hole in the next to the last group of four positions in the vertical left-hand path, counting down from the starting point 20 2,702,709 Patented Feb. 22, 1955 is omitted and its place is taken by a defiecting marker 25 having a point 26 and a curved portion 27, the latter directing a player coming vertically down the inside lane 23, from that lane toward the inside lane 28 of the next inner path. Running from the deector 25 at right angles to the initial path 22 is a division line 30 which terminates as at 31 just short of the point 32 of the next successive deflector which point 32 is similar to the point 26 of deiiector 25. Defining and bordering each successively inward path of two parallel lanes are similar division lines and each deflector turns the direction of movement or travel of the playing pieces at right angles, the player aclvancing from the inside lane of any path to the inside lane of the next inner path when traveling in an inner path, but not otherwise; i. e., if the player is traveling in an outer path, he will go to the right of any deector and will thereupon keep in the outer lane of the same path and the outer lane of the next path. For example: a player moving from hole 33 (near the lower right hand corner of the board) in accordance with any number selected by chance when using dice would continue to travel in the line of holes adjacent the edge 18 of the board. It will be noted that each group of four proximate detiectors are alined parallel to the nearby diagonal (not shown) of the square board and that the amounts of such offsetting are equal and are clockwise of the diagonal so that the groups of four deectors on opposite sides of the center of the playing field are not in alignment.

The goal is preferably in the center of the board and is surrounded on three sides by a barrier 37 (Fig. 1) or 38 (Fig. 2) leaving an opening 40 directed toward a hole or position 41 respectively which is called the junction. The junction 41 is one of the positions in the inside lane 42 of the inside path 43 and it differs from ali of the other positions in the board in that it is located opposite the goal 36 or 36a and is spaced farther from its neighbors 73 and 74 than the normal spacing. The inside square on this one side therefore contains only three holes or positions while each of the other sides of the inside lane 43 (nearest the goal) contains four positions formed by the inside lanes of the inside paths. A barrier 45 is positioned between the junction 41 and the proximate holes 46 and 47 of the outside lane of the inner square. This outside lane of the inside path consists of six positions on a side.

Further understanding can best be obtained from a description of the method of play. The players use any chance device such as a spinner, a set of cards having different numbers one of which is drawn, but preferably the game is played with dice, usually one die of one color and the other die being of another color, this obviously, however, being optional. The players each having a peg of diiferent color start o of the board. The players throw the dice in any order and the player having the highest number moves the number of positions indicated by the dice, the first hole counting as one. He may elect the tirst hole 50 of the inner lane, as would be most natural, or he may pick the corresponding initial hole 51 of the outer and longer lane. Assuming that he threw two ves, or a six and a four, he would move to the hole 52. The second player having no option of path, because the rst player has already chosen, moves from hole 51 counting this hole as one; for example, had he thrown seven, he would move to the hole 53.

Beginning with the second go the players move straight ahead in their own lane only if the number thrown on the two dice together, or on the die of color matching his peg, if that is chosen to be the rule, is even. If the total thrown, assuming for a moment both dice are of the same color or that no other arrangement has been made, is odd; the player whose peg is now at 52 first moves to the opposite lane and then starts to count.

Under the circumstances just stated this player throwing a seven would move his peg from hole 52 to hole 55 abreast, counting this as one, and would stop at hole 56. Assuming that the second player, whose peg was at 53, should throw a nine on his second go, he would of course have first of all to change lanes because nine is an odd number; he would move his peg to hole 58 abreast of hole 53 and would then count nine down in continue in the inner lane and would land at position 60 had he thrown an eight. If a player whose peg were at hole 59 should throw an odd number, he would start counting from hole 61 abreast of 59 and if the odd number thrown were equal or greater than five, he would be forced to continue in the lane nearest the outside of the board as he turns the corner.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a player moves from any of the four outer paths such as 22 to the inner lane of the adjacent inner path near any corner provided that his peg is moving on the inside lane of such outer path as hemoves past the point 26 and curve 27 of the next deiiector 25.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2, and remembering that the only difference between the center of the board, as illustrated in this iigure, and in the preferred form is that printed blocks or squares 14 replace the holes and the numeral 36a is used in place of 36. As previously noted, the outer lane of the inside path 43 is composed of six positions on a side all equally spaced and that adjacent the barrier 45 there is a single position called the junction and numbered 41. The remaining positions in the inner lane 42 of the inside path next to the goal are numbered in order 65 to 73, and 74 beyond junction 41. The line or course of play must not cross the barriers 37 or 38 and 45. The play is always counter-clockwise. A player has his peg, man or playing piece at position 72, for example. If this player should throw a four he would Win, because he always counts the position that he is in as one and there are exactly four moves to goal 36 or 36a. Should he be one position either ahead or behind 72, he could not possibly enter the goal because there are an odd number of spaces to go but if he threw an odd number he would first have to move to the abreast position in the outer lane and then move from there. As an example, if the peg were in position 71 and an odd number were thrown, the player would move his peg first to position 77 counting this as one and then moving in the outer lane in holes or positions in the outer lane, landing at hole 47 with a throw of seven. A player beginning at position 70 could win by throwing a six but if he threw an eight he would pass 70, 71, 72, 73, 41, 74, 65 and land at 66 which would leave him still in the inside lane and give him the opportunity of going out by throwing a ten on his next turn.

It might be noted that a player starting on squares 73, 71, 69, 67 or 65 could not go out with any throw because the number required to enter the goal would be an odd number and whenever a player in an inner lane throws an odd number (except from 41), he would necessarily move to the outer lane and he could get to the inner lane only by throwing an odd number the next time.

Other rules of play have nothing to do with the structure or design of the board and are therefore omitted, for example, the penalty when the appropriate hole is already occupied, the method of play starting at the two holes 82 and 83 in the outside lane just beyond the deilector, etc.

What I claim is:

l. A game board for playing with pegs movable in accordance with a chance device such as dice, a spinner, cards, etc., comprising a playing ield bounded by a hollow square of holes, each side of the square having an odd number of pairs of holes, each side of the hollow square forming the outer lane of an outer path, so that a playing piece may proceed continuously in said outer lane, a. second and smaller hollow square inside of said outer lane and comprising, with later named exceptions, a series of holes each abreast of a hole in the outer lane, the holes of the second hollow square forming the inside lane of said outer path, a deector replacing the third hole from the last in each of the four inside lanes of the outer path, each deflector directing a playing piece proceeding along the line of holes of the inside lane inwardly at right angles to the inside lane, a centrally located goal, and successive similar hollow squares and detiectors between said outer path and the goal, each successive inner hollow square lane starting with a hole proximate to and short of the deiiector in such inner lane and ending proximate to and short of the next successive deliector, and each outer lane of a path passing outside of the deectors in the inner lane of such path so that a playing piece in any outer lane may continually proceed in the same hollow square of four outer anes.

2. A board of the Cribbage type having equispaced parallel rows of holes, and tiles of holes at right angles thereto, each row and file consisting of twice an odd number of holes with exceptions hereinafter noted, thereby forming a square playing eld, division lines parallel to each of the four outer rows of holes consecutively shorter toward the center and dividing the board into paths of two lanes each, a goal having an opening and replacing the central group of four holes, a junction hole replacing two holes adjacent the opening of the goal, and deflectors replacing a hole adjacent the beginning of each division line.

3. A board having a playing eld formed by a hollow square of holes formed by four rows at right angles to each other, a parallel row of holes inside each of the outer rows with a hole opposite each hole of the outer row, except for the third hole from the last, a deliector where each omitted hole would be, division lines extending parallel to each of the four outer rows of holes and successively shorter toward the center of the playing lield, dividing the playing field into paths of two lanes each to a point short of the forward deector and beginning with the deflector in the adjacent inner path, and two holes in the center of the playing field, one being a junction and the other being a goal.

4. A board having a central goal, an inner square of eleven positions surrounding the goal, there being four positions on each of the three sides of said square and three positions on the fourth side of said square, an outer hollow square of twenty positions outside of the inner square and arranged six positions on a side, forming with the inner square a continuous path of two parallel lanes, and a barrier between the central position on the fourth side and the proximate positions in the outer square.

5. A board having an outer square of four lanes, each of an odd number of pairs of equispaced positions, four inner lanes parallel thereto each with a position abreast a position on the parallel outer lane, the position located at the third position from the end of each of the four inner lanes being a deector directing the player inwardly of the path formed by the two parallel lanes, a division line parallel to said path at the inner side thereof and extending forward from a rear deector to a point one position short of the forward deliector, similar paths, each four paths forming a hollow square within the outer paths and division lines, each diagonally positioned group of proximate deflectors being alined closely adjacent the diagonals of the playing eld formed by connecting opposite corners of the iirst mentioned outer square, and a goal in the center of the ield surrounded by a barrier closing the goal on three sides.

6. A game board having a series of concentric paths each comprising two parallel lanes, a goal in the center of the board, and deectors'in the inner lanes only, d iresting the playing pieces from the inner lane of one path to the inner lane of the proximate path, whereby a playing piece in an outer lane may pass all of the deectors in said path and proceed continuously in the outer lane, this lane being more distant from the goal than the inner lane.

7. The board of claim 6 in which the playing iield is square and the deectors are alined in four groups symmetrical with respect to the center of the square playing field, the defleetors of each group being equally oifset in a clockwise direction from a diagonal of the square, that is, a line from the center of the square iield to one` of the four corners thereof.

S. The board of claim 6 in which each deector has four sides, one being between the inner and outer lanes of the path in which the deiector is located, a second side being curved and meeting the rst side in a cusp and meeting a third side at a point between the inner and outer lanes of the next inward path, and the fourth side being perpendicular to the first side and lying between the outer path and the next inward path.

(References on following page) 5 References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Smith Oct. 9, 1945 Storey June 13, 1950 Barker Ian. 18, 1916 Llera Dec. 2, 1924 Holmbcr Mar. 5, 1940 Buifmire Feb. 4, 1947 6 FOREIGN PATENTS France Jan. 22, 1907 Austria May 25, 1910 Great Britain Aug. 4, 1936 France Dec. 12, 1940

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