US2776835A

US2776835A - Racing game apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2776835A
Application number: US420956A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert C Wilson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-04-05
Filing date: 1954-04-05
Publication date: 1957-01-08
Anticipated expiration: 1974-01-08

Description

Jan. 8, 1957 R. c. wlLsoN RACING GAME APPARATUS Filed April 5, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l ROBERT C. WILSON Agent:

Jan.- 8, 1957 R. c. wlLsoN RAclNG GAME APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 5, 1954 INVENTOR. ROBERT C. WILSON Agents RACING GAME APPARATUS Robert C. Wilson, Chula Vista, Calif.

Application April 5, 1954, Serial No. 420,956

12 Claims. (Cl. 273-86) The present invention relates generally to amusement devices and more particularly to a game apparatus.

The primary object of this invention is to provide for indoor entertainment of harmless yet exciting nature and to that end to provide a game apparatus for several players in which individual sets of playing pieces are erected in succession along lines on a game board and are toppled, the initiation of the toppling being simultanecus, the iirst set of pieces to be completely toppled denoting the winner.

Another object of this invention is to provide a game apparatus of the type mentioned which in use automatically and clearly indicates the winner.

Another object of this invention is to provide a game apparatus in which the sets of playing pieces are erected in prearranged marked locations on the game board.

Another object of this invention is to provide a game apparatus in which the game board is laid out to provide each individual set of playing pieces with several ditferent arrangements according to choice.

Another object of this invention is to provide a game apparatus in which certain of the playing pieces are unbalanced by concealed Weights to introduce an element of chance in the speed of toppling the pieces.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a game apparatus which may be played in the form of a race, the sets of playing pieces being toppled simultaneously by a starting device, and the iirst set whose final playing piece falls across a marked iinish line indicating the winner.

Another object of this invention is to provide a game apparatus of the aforementioned character which is inexpensive and practicable to manufacture.

With these and other objects deiinitely in View, this invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions, as will be hereinafter fully described in the specification, particularly pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the drawings which form a material part of this disclosure and wherein similar characters of reference indicate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the views of the drawings, and in which:

Fig. l is a top plan View of the game board showing one set of playing pieces in erected position, indication of coloring being used for illustrative purposes.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the start end of of the game board showing a portion of one set of playing pieces in toppled position, coloring being omitted for clarity.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective View of the finish end of the game board showing a portion of one set of playing pieces in toppled position and a portion of another set in erected position.

-'nited States Patent O Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view showing the position of the final playing pieces at the finish line at the completion of a game.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the unbalanced playing pieces, the piece being partially cut away to show the concealed weight.

Referring now to the drawings and, first, in particular to Figs. 1 5, the game apparatus includes a game board 10 comprising a baseboard 12 and a surface board 14 secured thereto, said game board being suitably hinged at the center as indicated at 16 for convenience of storage. The game board l0 as illustrated has three tracks A, B and C, which are indicated by stripes of contrasting colors such as the green, red and blue shown in Fig. l. These tracks A, B and C have divided portions, generally indi cated by the numeral 24, to provide alternative routes as will be explained hereafter.

Spaced at intervals along the tracks A, B and C are rectangular sockets 26 extending through the thickness of the surface board 14 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. These sockets 26 receive the rectangular playing pieces or tumblers 2S, the distance between the sockets being less than the height of said tumblers so that each tumbler,

in falling, strikes the next successive tumbler. At certain selected positions among the rectangular sockets 26 are circular sockets 36 which receive the cylindrical playing pieces or pillars 32. These pillars 32 are of considerably greater height than the tumblers 28, so that the spacing between each socket 3G and the next successive socket 26 may be greater than that between the individual sockets 26. ln certain positions, however, it will be seen that the sockets 30 are located between closely spaced sockets 26. ln these instances, the tumbler 26 immediately succeeding the pillar 32, it' used, is omitted when setting up the playing pieces, so that the pillar must fall across the vacant socket 26 in order to strike the nextnearest tumbler 28.

As a further alternative, certain of the sockets on the game board it) are composite sockets 34 which each comprise a rectangular socket such as 26 and a communicating circular socket such as Sii. Thus the com posite sockets 34 may receive either a tumbler 28 or a pillar 32, to increase the various patterns in which the playing pieces may be set up.

The game board l0 as shown is arranged to represent a race track for steeplechase type horse racing and may be painted or otherwise decorated in an attractive manner to show typical or suitable scenery. .in keeping with the representation of a steeplechase, the pillars 32 are used at positions in the tracks which are decorated to indicate jumps over hedges, water hazards or the like. The tracks A, B and C are marked in a contrasting manner at these jump positions by broken or dotted portions indicated generally by the numeral 36. These broken track portions 36 extend from each socket 3i?, to indicate the general path of the pillar 32 toppling from that socket,

and continue to the next successive socket 26 which will be reached by the toppled pillar.

socket 38 in which is seated a starting gate 40. This starting gate 4u is constructed to represent a small building or the like and comprises a block 42 to which is attached a roof portion 44. Mounted on the block 42 is a gate in hinged longitudinally at its lower edge on hinge pins 45, so that said gate falls outwardly and downwardly when displaced, as shown dotted in Fig. 2. To displace the gate 445 an actuating rod 50 is slidably mounted in the block 42, said rod having an extended end 52 and resting against the inner surface of said gate when in the raised or closed position, as shown in Fig. 2. The actuating rod 50 is retained by a stop pin 54 secured `therein and enclosed in a cavity S6 in the block 42, so that the axial sliding movement of said actuating rod is limited.

Adjacent the starting gate 40 are starting sockets 58, similar to the sockets 26, from which the tracks A, B and C commence. These starting sockets 58 are in lateral alignment across the game board and equidistant from the starting gate 40, so that tumblers 28 placed in said starting sockets are struck simultaneously by the pivotally descending gate 46.

The finish end of the game board 10 is decorated with a suitable finish line 6l) adjacent which are fiag sockets 62 to receive theiinish flags 64,66 and 68. The finish fiags 64, 66 and 68 are the final playing pieces of each set and each comprise a base block 70 in which is secured an upright post 72 carrying a banner 74. The outer flag sockets 62 are angularly disposed so that the flags fall across each other as shown in Fig. 6, the purpose of which will be later explained.

The principle of a set of adjacent blocks toppling in succession when the rst block is toppled is well known, but in the game apparatus described herein, an element of chance has been introduced by providing various pre-set patterns in which the blocks or playing pieces may be erected. In addition, different types of playing pieces are used so that the actual rate of toppling may vary throughout each set. ln the event that players become familiar with the characteristics of the different track arrangements and are able to predetermine and choose the most favorable pattern of playing pieces for winning the game, a further element of chance has been introduced. Certain or all of the pillars 32 are fitted with concealed weights 76 adjacent one end only, as shown in Fig. 7, the weights being embedded in the material of which the pillars are fabricated. These weights 76 are of sufiicient mass to disturb the balance of the pillars 32, so that their rate of falling depends on the position of the weights when erected. In other words, a pillar 32 having the weight 76 at the top when erected tends to fall slightly faster than a pillar having the weight at the bottoln. The weights 76, while being of sufficient mass to unbalance the pillars 32, are too small to be detected readily by the player erecting the playing pieces. Thus the rate of toppling of a particular set of playing pieces is not readily determined in advance, with the result that the players are given equal chances to win. 'lhe various sockets are, of course, arranged so that thc toppling playing pieces are aligned to strike the successive pieces, regardless of the chosen arrangement.

In order to play the game, each player selects one of the tracks A, B or C. The playing pieces are in sets which are colored to match the tracks, thus each player takes the corresponding playing pieces and erects them on the track of his choice in a selected pattern. The tumblers 28 and the pillars 32 may be erected in any desired pattern as dictated by the layout of the individual tracks, the divided portion 24 and the alternative use of the tumblers or pillars at certain positions providing many different combinations of playing pieces. ln Fig. l, a complete set of playing pieces is shown erected on track A to illustrate one possible arrangement. When all the playing pieces are erected, the starting `gate 40 is actuated by depressing the rod 50 with a finger as shown in Fig. 2. The gate 46 `is thus displaced, striking the tumblers 28 placed in the starting sockets 58, the remainder of the playing pieces being toppled in succession, as shown on track A in Figs. 4 and 5. As the wave of toppling motion reaches the ends of `the tracks, the fiags64, 66 and 65 fall across the Vfinish line y6() in order, the first ag to lfall being underneath the `others as shown in Fig. 6. ln this manner, `the winner may be readilyfdetermined by examining the relative positions of the flags, the actual motion of the toppling pieces normally being too fast for the eye to follow accurately.

The playing pieces may be constructed from various materials such as wood, plastic, or the like according to requirements. It is understood that minor variations from the form of the invention disclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the .specification and drawing are to be considered as merely illustrative rather than limiting. For example, although the game board 10 is illustrated as having three distinct tracks A, B and C, it should be understood that more or less tracks may be used within the scope of the appended claims. By way of further example, the pillars 32 may be non-circular in crosssection. and the

sockets

30 and 34 may be of corresponding configuration. Many other minor variations from the disclosed form of the invention may be made.

'Further description would appear to be unnecessary.

I claim:

l. In a game apparatus, a game board having a plurality of individual sets of sockets linearly spaced along said board, a plurality of playing pieces of varying configurations erected in said sockets, each of said sets including a first socket and a last socket, the first sockets being generally aligned at one end of the board and the last sockets defining a finish line at the other end of the board, said playing pieces including first playing pieces in said first sockets and last playing pieces in said last sockets, and means for toppling said first playing pieces simultaneously whereby each playing piece topplcs the next successive playing piece in each set.

2. In a game apparatus, a game board having a plurality of individual sets of sockets linearly spaced along said board, marked tracks interconnecting said sockets to define the sets, said tracks having divided portions to provide alternative arrangements of each of said sets, a plurality of playing pieces erected in said sockets, said sets having first sockets in alignment at one end of said board, and last sockets in general alignment at the other end of said board, said playing pieces including first playing pieces in said first sockets and last playing pieces in said last sockets, and means for toppling said first playing pieces simultaneously whereby each playing piece topplcs the lnext successive playing piece in each set.

3. In -a game apparatus, a -game board having a plurality of individual sets of sockets linearly spaced along said board, marked tracks interconnecting said sockets to define the sets, said tracks having divided portions to provide alternative arrangements of each of said sets, a plurality of playing pieces erected `in said sockets, said sets'having tirst sockets in alignment at one end of said board, and last sockets in general alignment at the other end of said board, said' playing pieces including first playing'pieces in said first sockets and last playing pieces in said last sockets, and a manually operable starting mechanism adjacent said first sockets for toppling said first pieces simultaneously, whereby each playing piece topplcs the next successive playing piece in each set.

4. ln a game apparatus, a game board having thereon a plurality of marked tracks, said tracks having divided portions, a plurality of individual sets of playing pieces erected in spaced succession along said tracks, said playing pieces including rectangular tumblers, and cylindrical pillars interspaced with said tumblers,certain of said pillars having one weighted end, each of said sets having a first playing piece adjacent a common end of said board, and means for toppling said first pieces simultaneously whereby each playing piece topples the next successive playing piece in each set.

5. In a game apparatus, a game board having thereon a plurality of marked tracks, said tracks having divided portions, a plurality of rectangular sockets spaced successvely along said tracks, and circular sockets nterspaced with said rectangular sockets, a plurality of individual sets of playing pieces including rectangular tuinblers erected in said rectangular sockets, and cylindrical pillars erected in said circular sockets, certain of said cylindrical pillars having one Weighted end, each of said sets having a rst playing piece adjacent a com mon end of said board, and means for toppling said first pieces simultaneously whereby each playing piece topples the next successive playing piece in each set.

' 6. ln a game apparatus, a game board having thereon a plurality of marked tracks, said tracks having divided portions, a plurality of rectangular sockets spaced successively along said tracks, circular sockets inter-spaced with certain of said rectangular sockets, and composite rectangular and circular `sockets interspaced with certain of said rectangular sockets, a pluralityof individual sets of `playing pieces including rectangular turnbers erected in said rectangular sockets and cylindrical pillars erected in said circular sockets, certain of said cylindrical pillars having one weighted end, each of said sets having a first playing piece Vadjacent a common end of said board, and means for toppling said first pieces simultaneously whereby each playing piece topples the next successive playing piece in each set. p n

7. In a game apparatus, a game board having thereon a plurality of marked tracks, said tracks having divided portions, a plurality of rectangular sockets spaced successively along said tracks, circular sockets interspaced with certain of said rectangular sockets, and composite rectangular and circular sockets interspaced with certain of said rectangular sockets, a plurality of individual sets of playing pieces including rectangular tumblers erected in said rectangular sockets and cylindrical pillars erected in said circular sockets, certain of said cylindrical vpillars having one weighted end, said tracks having first sockets in alignment at one end of said board, land last sockets in general alignment at the other end of said board, iirst playing pieces in said first sockets, and last playing pieces in said last sockets, and a manually operable starting mechanism adjacent said first sockets for toppling said iirst pieces simultaneously, whereby each playing piece topples the next successive playing piece in the corresponding set.

8. Againe apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said starting mechanism includes a block having a hinged flap, and a manually slidable actuating rod in said block positioned to displace said flap against said rst pieces.

9. In a game apparatus, a game board having thereon a plurality of marked tracks, said tracks having divided portions, a plurality of rectangular sockets spaced successively along said tracks, circular sockets interspaced with certain of said rectangular sockets, and composite in said circular sockets, certain of said cylindrical pillars having one weighted end, said tracks having first sockets in alignment at one end of said board, andl last sockets in general alignment at the other end of said board, first playing pieces in said first sockets, and flags in said last sockets, a block at the end of said board adjacent to said first sockets, a ap pivotally mounted on said block and a manually slidable actuating rod in said block positioned to displace said flap against said rst pieces.

l0. A game apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said flags each comprise a block having an extended upright post therein, and a banner on said post, said last sockets being disposed so that said banners fall with said posts in overlapping position when said playing pieces are toppled.

ll. In a gaine apparatus, a game board having a plu- A rality of individual sets of sockets linearly spaced along said board, a plurality of playing pieces erected in said sockets, each of said sockets being spaced from the preceding sockets slightly less than the erected height of the preceding playing piece in that socket, each of said sets including a first socket and a last socket, the first sockets being generally aligned at one end of the board and the last sockets defining a finish line at the other end of the board, said playing pieces including iirst playing pieces in said tirst sockets, and last playing pieces in said last sockets, each last playing piece comprising a post with a banner element thereon, said last sockets being located close together and directionally related to the immediately prior sockets in each set so that said banners fall with said posts in overlapping position when said playing pieces are toppled.

l2. In a game apparatus, a game board having a plurality of individual sets of sockets linearly spaced along said board, marked tracks of contrasting colors interconnecting said sockets to define the sets, a plurality of playing pieces erected in said sockets, said playing pieces being similarly coloredrin sets to match said tracks, each of said sets including a rst socket and a last socket, the first sockets being generally aligned at oneend of the board and the last sockets defining a finish line at the other end of the board, said playing pieces including first playing pieces in said iirst sockets and last playing pieces in said last sockets, and means for toppling said first playing pieces simultaneously whereby each playing piece topples the next successive playing piece in each set.

References Cited in the file of this patent Gardner June 18, 1946