US2760778A

US2760778A - Amusement device

Info

Publication number: US2760778A
Application number: US494393A
Authority: US
Inventors: David W Benton; Philip O Benton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1955-03-15
Filing date: 1955-03-15
Publication date: 1956-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 1973-08-28

Description

g- 28, 1956 D. w. BENTON ET AL AMUSEMENT DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 15, 1955 INVENTORS DAVD \N. Ban-ran BY 6/ Pmup O-BENTON g- 28, 1956 D. w. BENTON ETAL 2,7 0,773

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed March 15, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS 'DAvm W. BENTON zzemwmm v AQW ATT QNEY5 United States Patent AMUSEMENT DEVICE David W. Benton and Philip 0. Benton, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 15, 1955, Serial No. 494,393

3 Claims. (Cl. 273-131) This invention relates to improvements in game devices involving a novel game board and game pieces movable thereon.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a game in which the game pieces are movable in definite series and which provide for several variations in play.

It is another object of this invention to provide a game board which includes a main playing area and optional side playing areas which may be utilized under certain conditions in accordance with the rules of play and which require judgment and skill on the part of the players so that the game can terminate with one side or the other emerging victorious.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a game board which is of relatively simple construction utilizing noncomplicated elements which may be readily and economically produced.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description, forming the specification, and taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a game board with game pieces and fences thereon, in accordance With the present invention, as they appear at the start of play;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of one set of game pieces showing the opposite sides or faces of the pieces from that shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a set of fences used in connection with the playing of the game;

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken substantially along line 44 of Figure l; and

Figure 5 is a top plan view, similar to Figure 1, but

on a somewhat reduced scale, showing a distribution of game pieces on the game board that may result during the course of play.

With continued reference to the drawings, the illustrated device comprises a game board, generally indicated at 10, two sets of

game pieces

12 and 14, respectively, to be employed by opposing players, the sets of game pieces being of different and preferably contrasting colors, and two sets of

fence units

16 and 18, respectively, of contrasting colors corresponding to the colors of the sets of

game pieces

12 and 14 used by the opposing players.

The game board 10 is generally rectangular andprovided adjacent its

opposite ends

20 and 22 with transversely

elongated end zones

24 and 26, respectively, between the said ends and

related ends

28 and 30 of the main playing field or area. Each of the

end zones

24, 26 includes a transversely elongated

Corral area

32, 34, each consisting of a plurality of rectangular boxes in side by side relation, the Corral areas being located adjacent to opposite sides of the game board, each box of a Corral being designated by a letter of the word Corral.

The playing area, upon which the

game pieces

12 and 14 are to be selectively moved, comprises a square main playing area, generally indicated at 36, and longitudinally

elongated side zones

38 and 40 separated from the main nice area by

respective line strips

42 and 44 which extend between

opposite ends

28 and 30 of the playing area in zig-zag fashion.

The main or central playing area 36 consists of sixtyfour squares, alternate ones of the squares being of contrasting colors. Thus, the central playing area is in the form of a checker board.

The side zone 38 is composed of two longitudinally extending

rows

48 and 50 of squares of alternating colors which extend from the end 28 of the main playing area and are transversely aligned with the first six transverse rows of the main playing area 36, with a fence storage area 52 defined at the end of the side zone 38 adjacent the end 30 of the main playing area. Similarly, the side zone 40 is composed of a pair of longitudinally extending

rows

54 and 56 of squares of alternating colors which extend from the end 39 of the main playing area and aretransversely aligned with the first six transverse rows of the playing area, with a fence storage area 58 defined atthe end of the side zone 41 adjacent the end 28 of the main playing area, area 58 being at the corner of the main playing area diagonally opposite to the corner of the main playing area at which the fence storage area 52 is disposed.

In the longitudinally aligned row of squares of the main playing area 36 next adjacent the row 50 of the side zone 38 and in the longitudinally aligned row of squares of the main playing area 36 next adjacent the row 56 of the side zone 40 are blank squares 60 and 62 respectively, having keyhole shaped

designs

68 and 70, respectively, thereon of contrasting colors corresponding to the colors of the game pieces and fence units. The bar portions of the

designs

68 and 70 connect with the adjacent contrastingly colored squares of the row of the main playing area 36 next adjacent the

rows

50 and 56 of the side zones 33 and 40. Certain rules of the game provide for use of the

designs

68 and 70, as fully explained hereinafter.

The game pieces of the

sets

12 and 14 are circular discs having embossed on one face thereof a pictorial representation of a horses head in a depressed circular recess, so that the embossing will not extend above the rim of the disc. The other faces of the discs are pro? vided with embossings in the form of a single alphabetical letter of the word Corral, each set of game pieces being twelve in number, enabling a player to spell out Corral twice. Each of the fence units comprises six generally rectangular panels 72 having a cylindrical peg 74 centrally depending from one longitudinal edge thereof, to fit into openings 76 in the game board in the

storage areas

52 and 58 the openings being arranged in transversely spaced longitudinal rows in the respective storage areas 52'-and 58. Thus, each fence set of six panels may be maintained in upstanding position in the storage areas, as shown in Figure 1.

As shown in Figure 1, each of the portions of the zigzag line strip 42 is provided at its central point with an opening 82, the respective openings all lying along the line 78 constituting the line of merger of the row 50 of the side zone 38 with the first six transverse rows of the playing area 36. Each of the portions of the zigzag strip 44 is likewise provided at its central point with an opening 82, the respective openings all lying along the line 80 constituting the line of merger of the row 56 of the side zone 40 with the first six transverse rows of the playing area 36.

In the playing of the game of this invention, one set of game pieces and one set of fence panels is selected by each opposing player. The game pieces are placed on the dark squares of the first three transverse rows between the

strips

42 and 44, asshown in Figure 1. The fence panels are disposed in the

respective storage areas

52 and 58 at opposite ends of the game board, as indicated in Figure 1, and are disposed at the players right. The game pieces are moved alternately by each player. lumps are made and game pieces captured in the same manner as in a regular game of checkers. As a game piece is captured, the capturing player turns it over and places it on a related one of the squares of the Corral

areas

32 or 34. At the time the game piece is captured, the capturing player has the right to put up one panel of his fence panels along the line strips or fence line corresponding to the color of his game pieces and of his fence panels. If a player captures two or more game pieces in one jump or one series of jumps, he may still put up only one panel of his fence set, but he may also take one panel of his opponents fence set from its storage area, or he may retrieve a fence panel of his own fence set which may have been previously captured by his opponent.

A fence panel of the opposing player, captured in the manner set forth, may only be placed in the holes 84 provided in a longitudinal row at the intersections of darker colored squares 46 within the related one of the side zones which side zones may be termed Corrals for the purposes of the game. Captured fence panels are to be disposed only within the side zone or Corral of the opposing player, as shown at 86 and 88 in Figure 5. Fence panels disposed within the opponents Corral define stops to keep the opponent from moving his game pieces about Within the Corral in an effort to get out of the Corral and may thereby retrieve his own game pieces.

A retrieved fence panel is used in the same manner as before capture.

A player may sacrifice a move in order to move his captured game pieces within the Corral or out of the Corral, moving only one square at a time. However, a game piece cannot he jumped out of the Corral or jump any panel of the fence. A player can sacrifice only one move at a time.

All captured game pieces which have been retrieved or moved out of a Corral back into the main playing area are to be turned over and can then be moved in any direction, one square at a time. Also, the game pieces that reach the king-row, as in regular checkers, are to be turned over and may then be moved in any direction, one square at a time. The rules may also provide that turned checks from a Corral or side zone or from a king-row can be taken off the board by the related player, if desired, only when it is possible for the player to move such a game piece to a specifically marked blank square 60 or 62, and further provided that the game piece be actually moved to such square.

By being able to take such turned game pieces off the board, the opposing player may be prevented from completing the spelling of the word Corral which forms an important object of the game. When a players own game piece has been taken off the board in the manner hereinbefore prescribed, the game piece may be stored in the players end zone 24 or as to the left of the Corral

areas

32 or 34, as shown at 9% and 92 in Figure 5. However, a player is discounted a certain number of points, as for instance, five points in the game for each of his own game pieces that he removes in this manner.

The Corral

areas

32, 34 at the right of the players in the

respective end zones

24 and 26, may be employed for storing surplus captured game pieces not needed for the spelling of the word Corral. These captured game pieces when available, may be used to rebuild the word Corral in the event the opposing player has been successful in retrieving a game piece from the Corral or side zone at a previous time during the playing of the game.

Captured game pieces labeled C or L, if retained at the end of the game, count for a given number of points, for instance, ten points each. Other captured game pieces which are retained and can be arranged in proper spelling order forward from the letter C" or backward from the letter L can be counted at point value at ten each. An extra ten points, for instance, are gained by the completion of the word Corral. This makes a total of seventy points. These points count the same either in the Corral or side zones or the Corral

areas

32, 34.

The game is completed when one player has exhausted his supply of game pieces upon the main playing area 36 of the board, or when he cannot a move with the pieces on the board without being captured. The player with the highest number of points in the Corral and in the related

area

32 or 34 after the deletion of points for game pieces removed from the board, is declared the winner. in addition, to other points, the player may be given a certain number of points, for instance, five points to reach uncaptured game piece remaining on the game board.

Other rules are applicable when playing a series of games, with regard to gaining and totaling points to determine a Winner.

It Will be apparent that the

fence panels

16 and 18 may be disposed by the players along the line strips or

fence lines

42 or 44 of the colors corresponding to the colors of the fence panels so as to restrict movement of the

game pieces

12 or 14, as the case may be, into and out of the side zones 38 and 3, which side zones define Corrals.

What is claimed is:

1. In a game, a rectangular game board having a square main playing area, longitudinal side playing areas at opposite sides of said main area and extending from opposite sides of said main area to the sides of the playing surface, transversely elongated end zones at opposite ends of said main area, said main area and said side playing areas having longitudinal and transverse rows of alternately colored squares, said rows being longitudinally and transversely aligned with each other, said main playing area being composed of the same number of longitudinal rows as transverse rows, and said side playing zones being composed of fewer longitudinal and transverse rows than said main playing area, means separating the main playing area from said side playing areas, two sets of game pieces arranged to be moved in opposition on squares of the rows of the main playing area, a set of movable fence panels for each side playing area, and means for supporting the sets of fence panels of the sets initially along said separating means and subse quently and individually within related side playing areas, said panels serving at times to block moves of game pieces from squares of the main playing area to squares in the side playing areas and between squares of the side playing areas.

2. In a game, a rectangular game board having a square main playing area, longitudinal side playing areas at opposite sides of said main area and extending from opposite sides of said main area to the sides of the playing surface, transversely elongated end zones at opposite ends of said main area, said main area and said side playing areas having longitudinal and transverse rows of alternately colored squares, said rows being longitudinally and transversely aligned with each other, said main playing area being composed of the same number of longitudinal rows as transverse rows, and said side playing zones being composed of fewer longitudinal and transverse rows than said main playing area, means separating the main playing area from said side playing areas, two sets of game pieces arranged to be moved in opposition on squares of the rows of the main playing area, a set of movable fence panels for each side playing area, and means for supporting the sets of fence panels of the sets initially along said separating means and subsequently and individually within related side playing areas, said panels serving at times to block moves of game pieces from squares of the main playing area to squares in the Side playing areas and between squares of the side playing areas, said separating means comprising line strips arranged zig-zag fashion extending along the opposite sides of said main playing area, said lines having successive oppositely angulated portions intersecting said sides of the main playing section and extending diagonally with respect to and into adjacent squares of the main and side playing areas.

3. In a game, a rectangular game board having a square main playing area, longitudinal side playing areas at opposite sides of said main area and extending from opposite sides of said main area to the sides of the playing surface, transversely elongated end zones at opposite ends of said main area, said main area and said side playing areas having longitudinal and transverse rows of alternately colored squares, said rows being longitudinally and transversely aligned with each other, said main playing area being composed of the same number of longitudinal rows as transverse rows, and said side playing zones being composed of fewer longitudinal and transverse roWs than said main playing area, means separating the main playing area from said side playing areas, two sets of game pieces arranged to be moved in opposition on squares of the rows of the main playing area, a set of movable fence panels for each side playing area, and means for supporting the sets of fence panels of the sets initially along said separating means and subsequently and individually within related side playing areas,

said panels serving at times to block moves of game pieces from squares of the main playing area to squares in the side playing areas and between squares of the side playing areas, said separating means comprising line strips arranged in zig-zag fashion extending along the opposite sides of said main playing area, said lines having successive oppositely angulated portions intersecting said sides of the main playing section and extending diagonally with respect to and into adjacent squares of the main and side playing areas, said supporting means comprising first holes at the intersections of said angulated portions of the lines and the sides of the main playing area, second holes in the side playing areas, and pegs on the fence panel removably engageable in said first and second holes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 694,509 Winckfield Mar. 4, 1902 895,875 Mercer Aug. 11, 1908 1,279,691 Hayes Sept. 26, 1918 1,312,315 Emmons Aug. 5, 1919 1,674,533 Templeton June 19, 1928 1,772,583 Barrett Aug. 12, 1930 2,098,124 Yancey Nov. 2, 1937 2,637,934 Manoil May 12, 1953