US2788974A

US2788974A - Ball-positioning game

Info

Publication number: US2788974A
Application number: US389351A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ernest A Pick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1953-10-30
Filing date: 1953-10-30
Publication date: 1957-04-16
Anticipated expiration: 1974-04-16

Description

April 16, 1957 E, A PI 2,788,974

BALL-POSITIONING GAME Filed Oct. 30, 1953 A i/V 5 State 2388574 iiALL-PosnroNiNo Ernest rick, 'New' York, N. Y. Applicationflctober so, -1953,-Serial No.-38 9,35 1 realms. 2734-15 This invention relates to a game-and more particularly to ;a ticktack-toe game.

it :is an object of this invention to provide as -a novel =article-of manufacture a novel 'ticktack-to'e game.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on line -3'3-of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a side view of a further modification broken away in part and having a fiat bottom,

Fig. is a perspective view of one of the pegs used in playing the game.

Referring to the drawing, a housing 1, preferably of plastic, is provided with a hemi-spherical bottom 2 as shown in Fig. 3 or with a fiat bottom 3 as shown in Fig. 4. The housing 1 has a cylindrical chamber disposed in its top, the chamb'erbeing defined by a flat bottom wall 4 and a circular vertical wall 5. The vertical wall 5 is provided with a set-back circular rim 6 adjacent the top of said wall.

A top circular transparent plastic plate 7 is provided with nine holes arranged in three equally spaced parallel lines and in three lines perpendicular to the first mentioned lines and spaced in the same manner. The usual ticktack-toe indicia or dividing lines are preferably disposed about said holes as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

A bottom plate 8, also of plastic, overlies, in the modification shown in Fig. 3, the bottom wall 4 and is provided with nine holes, which holes are disposed in a manner similar to those distributed on top plate 7, but preferably the holes in bottom plate 8 are set slightly off-center relative to the corresponding holes in the top plate 7 for a purpose to be described hereinafter (Figs. 1 and 2).

The plate 8 may be omitted as shown in Fig. 4, and the last mentioned holes may be provided in or may extend into the wall 4.

Eight pegs 9 are provided with each game. Each peg has a shaft 10 having a diameter adapted to be inserted in the holes of both the top plate 7 and the bottom plate 8. Each peg is provided with a top finger piece 11 of larger diameter than that of the shaft 10. The bottom of the shaft 10 is preferably slanted, or it may be pointed, for a purpose to be described hereinafter.

The housing 1 may be provided with an exterior annular flange or rim 12 as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, or this rim may be omitted as shown in Fig. l. The flange 12 is provided with two sets of opposed holes, four holes to a set. Each set of holes in the rim 12 is disposed adjacent to one of a pair of players of the game who are located facing each other. The sets of four pegs are r flta eateikat-flfi 1. .57

preferably of different colors, for example a set of four pegs belonging to onetplayermay'be-redcolored whereas the other setmay be yellow colored.

The pegs may be oflplasticor of wood and when not'in use are disposed about said rim 12 as shown in Fig.2. When-no-rim is provided for-the housing as inFig. 1, the pegs -9 are evenly distributed to each player before the start of the game.

If a bottom plate-8 is used, the uppersurfacepfthe wall-4 may have a single large cavity instead of small holes-in order to receive the ends of theipegsr9.

The game may beassembledas follows: The bottom .plate 8-is placed-upon thebottom wall 4-and asteel ball 13 of suitable diameter is placed upon the plate 8. Next the top plate 7 is placed on the rim 6, so that the assembled game has the relationship of parts shown in Fig. 3. g

-In pla-ying a gameof-ticktack toe the two players :A and B set facing each other with the hemi-sphe'rical portion -2 of-the housing '1 disposedona -flat surface such as a; table top. Player -A then tilts and manipulates the .game apiece always maintaining contact with the tabletop. until the ball '13 becomes seated in'a hole of bottom plate =8. A peg-9 of the player :is then inserted through the adjacent top hole in plate 7 and pushed vertically-downward,-and due to the slant or oblique surface 14 of the peg the ball 13 is dislodged and the -peg-:shaft 10 'enters the -hole where the ball "13 had {previously 'been seated. This peg is allowed to remain in this position until the game is completed.

The above described off-set position of the holes in the plates 7 and 8 facilitates considerably the dislocation of the ball 13 which otherwise would be hardly possible. Due to this position, the inserted peg hits the seated ball more laterally and pushes the same in a lateral direction away from the hole in which the ball sits.

Now the player B tilts and manipulates the game piece in exactly the manner as described above for player A until B succeeds in having the ball 13 seated in an unoccupied hole in plate 8, whereupon B inserts one of his pegs 10 in the manner described above for player A.

Next player As turn comes again and he again manipulates the game piece until he succeeds in seating the ball 13 a second time in one of the unoccupied holes of plate 8 whereupon he inserts his second peg. Then Bs turn comes and he repeats his first performance until he also succeeds in seating the ball this second time.

The players thus alternately play until one player succeeds in arranging three of his pegs in a straight line whereupon he becomes the winner of the game.

It is thus seen the pegs serve a triple purpose, namely, to push the ball out of its seated captive state, to mark the ticktack-toe indicia for scoring and to prevent the ball from entering the same hole in the bottom plate in the same game.

The embodiment of this invention embraces a housing with or without an exterior rim and with a spherical bottom or flat bottom. When a flat bottom is used a table top need not be used as a horizontal support, since in this instance the game piece may be held in the players hands until the ball becomes seated.

The ball 13 is always imprisoned but freely movable in the chamber formed between top plate 7 and bottom plate 8. Furthermore the chamber need not be cylindrical for other chamber spaces for example spaces of oval circumference are operable. Also tapered or pointed shafts on the pegs may be used in lieu of the slanted shafts of the pegs shown.

The ofi-center relationship between the holes in the bottom plate 8 and those in the top plate 7 may be produced by using a centered bottom plate 8 and offsetting the top plate 7, or vice verse by using a centered top plate 7 and offsetting the bottom plate 8. I Also the ticktack-toe indicia may be imprinted or applied otherwise to the bottom plate 8 in lieu of the transparent top plate 7. i

It appears from the foregoing that the described game forms a combination of a ticktack-toe game requiring mental skill with a game requiring patience and manual skill.

I desire it understood that my invention is not confined to the particular embodiments shown and described, the same being merely illustrative, and that my invention may be carried out in other ways within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention as it is obvious that the particular embodiments shown and described are only a few of'the many that may be employed to attain the objects of my invention. v a t I claim: 7

l. A game device comprising a housing having a flat inner chamber, a transparent top wall over said chamber a and a bottom closing the lower side of said chamber, said top wall having a predetermined pattern of holes, said bottom having a plane upper surface interrupted by cavities extending from said chamber, each of said cavities being under one of said holes; a single ball confined in said chamber and having a diameter smaller than the height of said chamber whereby said ball is freely roll- H over which a peg has been inserted, said cavities being slightly offset laterally with respect to the associated holes whereby said ball when settled in a cavity is eccentrically hit by a peg inserted in the associated hole and is unseated laterally by eccentric push.

2. A game device comprising a housing having a flat inner chamber, a transparent top wall over said chamber and a bottom under said chamber, said top wall having a predetermined pattern of holes, said bottom having cavities extending from said chamber, each of said cavities being under one of said holes in slightly offset relation thereto; a single ball confined in said chamber and having a diameter smaller than the height of said chamber whereby said ball is freely rollable in said chamber except when settled in one of said cavities; and pegs insertable in said holes and having a length reaching, in inserted condition, into said cavities whereby said ball is prevented from settling in a cavity over which a peg has been inserted, said pegs having lower' ends tapering obliquely to one side whereby insertion of a peg into a hole and its associated cavity unseats said ball by pushing it laterally if the same is settled in the cavity over which said peg is inserted. 5

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Yerkes July 1, 1 952