US2943399A - Pocket quiz game - Google Patents

Description

July 5, 1960 w.v M. DAvls POCKET QUIZ GAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 8, 1955 www,

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INVEN TOR.

WILBUR M. DAVIS July 5, 1960 w. M. DAvls 2,943,399

POCKET QUIZ GAME Filed Novv. 8, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F/G. 8. F/G. .9.

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INVENTOR.

WILBUR M. DAVIS nited States The present invention relates to a pocket quiz game.

lt yis among the objects of the present invention to provide a compact, lightweight, readily manufactured pocket quiz game which may be readily displayed and carried and which may be sold as a lightweight, small size novelty.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a battery actuated pocket answering game which will use miniature lights and batteries to provide a quiz game.

Still further objects and advantages will appear in the more detailed description set forth below, it being understood, however, that this more detailed description is given by way of illustration and explanation only and not by way of limitation, since various changes therein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

In accomplishing the above objects it has been found most satisfactory according to one embodiment of the present invention to provide a casing or molded plastic base structure which may serve as a receptacle for a miniature battery and flashlight bulb, and which also may receive a plurality of cards serving both to supply questions and answers, and also to supply the electrical circuit and contact connections.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically described, and illustrated in the accompanying draw-ings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modicaitons can be resorted to which fall within the scope of the claims hereunto appended. l

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of the pocket quiz game of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view upon the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view upon the line 3--3 of Fig. 3 upon an enlarged scale as compared with Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view upon the line 4-4 of Fig. l upon an enlarged scale as compared with Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a rear elevational view of the lower part of Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of the device of Fig. l with the question and answer cards removed and showing the push button plate. j

Fig. 7 is a front elevational view similar to Fig. 6 with the push button plate removed showing the brass connector members for establishing the circuits.

Fig. 8 is a front elevational view of the separator card for receivng the various posts provided for in Figs. 6 and 7, and insulating the members from one another.

Fig. 9 is a yfront elevational view of the circuit plate upon which the electrical circuit may be printed or positioned by means of separated foil face channels.

Fig. l0 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional View through one of the press buttons, showing the lami- 2,943,399 Patented July 5, i960 nar structure and upon an enlarged scale as compared to Figs. l to 9.

Referring Vto Figs. 1 to 3 there are shown the plastic housing A provided with a main back card B, which may serve as a suspension.

The plastic housing has a receptacle or recess portion C receiving a small ashlight battery D.

The battery is associated with a small ashlight bulb E, and with lthe circuit connecting tabs F and G (see Figs. 3 and 7) the connecting tabs F and G are in electrical communication with the metal nger contact strips H and I (see Fig. 7).

The ngers of the contact strips H and I are actuated by means of the press button plate elements carried by the plate I (see Fig. 6).

The card or plate J will carry a series of push buttons K which may be used for establishing an electrical circuit to the bulb E.

The circuit plate L shown in Fig. 9 will carry a series of imprinted or laminated circuits.

The cover and separating plate M of Fig. 8 will be positioned on the rear of the device.

The question and answer cards` may be applied in batches or singly, as indicated at N to the front of the device.

The rear cover sheet O may be integral or one piece with the suspension sheet B.

The main body A may be molded in one piece out of plastic material. The side plates or side walls 10 carry the forwardly inturned'located tabs l1 which hold the question and answer cards M in position in a recess formed in front of the partitioning wall 12.

The partitioning wall l2 which forms part of the structure J of Fig. 6 is slotted to form a series of lingers 13, 14, l5 and i6, which may be depressed from the plane of the wall or partition 12 by reason of the resiliency arising because of the slots 17, 18, 19 and 20.

These iingers i3, i4, l5 and 16 carry the buttons K, which are positioned directly above the rows of openings 21, 22, 23 and 24 (see Figs. 6 and 8).

The plastic material has sufficient resiliency so that the buttons K may be pressed down through the openings 2l, 22, 23 and 24', to contact the iingers 25, 26, 27 and 28 shown on Fig. 7 and cause them to establish circuits on sheet L of Fig. 9.

As shown in Fig. l0, the button K when pressed inwardly will cause the metal fingers 2S to 28 to move from the openings in the insulating board M and contact conductive facing L on the board O.

It will be noted that the metal connection strips H and l, as shown in Fig. 7, are positioned directly to the rear of the partition i2 of the main structure l.

These strips H and I are held in position by means of the structural tabs or posts 2.9, 3i), 3l and 32.

it will be noted that the card M has openings 33, 34, 35 and 36 to receive said posts 29 and 30 as does also the conduit plate L, which openings are indicated at 37, 33, 39 and 4t?.

Pressure of the buttons K upon the respective fingers 26 to 28 will press the fingers which are brass or copper or aluminum through the openings 2l, 22, 23 and 24 to establish circuits on the card L and close the circuit between the battery and the lights.

The card L is a laminated card and the face of the card is shown in Fig. 9.

The face of the card is preferably formed of a lamination of metal foil such as aluminum foil with the separating passageways or cutouts 55., 56, 57, S8, S9, 60 and establishing the circuits 7i?, 7l, 72, 73, '74, 75, 76 and '77.

The separa-ted foil strips 70 to `77 will constitute electrical conduct paths between the metallic lingers 25 to 28 and establish a circuit to light the lamp E.

Each of the cards in Figs. 8 and 9 are provided with the bendable tabs 85 and 86, cutouts at the sides 87 and S8, and hinged at 89 and 90, and with fingernail engaged portions 91 and 92 to enable access to the battery compartment C, and replacement battery D, or of the bulb E.

By bending outwardly the tabs 85 and 86 on the bend lines 89 and 90, it is possible to obtain access to the battery D and remove it when it is exhausted.

To trace a typical circuit assume the specific button K, indicated by theV numeral 95, is pressed on the front of the device as shown in Fig. 1, and assume that the answer is over at the specic button indicated at 96 at the right in Fig. 1.

This will be a typical capital cities answer quiz where the players are to give the names of capital cities of the various states. After both buttons 95 and 96 are pressed down, they will press down the resilient tongues 13 and 16 of the main partition I, which in turn will press down Vthe metal tongues 28 and 25 of the metal strips H and I as shown in Fig. 7.

This will establish a circuit through the sheet of metal 77 between the metal strips H and I, the connections F and G, the battery D and the bulb E.

It will be noted that the posts 29 and 31 which carry the connecting elements F and G have slots 97 and 98 to correctly locate said strips F and G and incline them to establish connection with the exposed base 99 of the battery D and the brass side 100 of the bulb E.

The bulb E and the battery D will be in contact at 101.

YThe four Vposts 29 to 32 project to the rear of the cover card O and they are peened down or fused down on the washers 102, 103, 104 and 105 to form a permanent junction or seal and connection between the back cover plate O, the circuit sheet L, the separating sheet M, and the brass strips H, I and L, which are positioned directly Vin back of the mounted plastic partition sheet I.

It will be noted that the rear cover plate also has a swinging tab or door 106 with the recess 107 to correspond to the doors 8S and 86 and enable access to replace the battery D and the bulb E.

The answer and question cards N may be readily inserted and replaced and they are shown all removed in Fig. 6 better to show the buttons K and the resilient tongues 13, 14, 15 and 16.

The buttons 108 and 109 with their resilient tongues 111 and 112 positioned above the question and answer cards N in Fig. 1 serve as a test to enable determination of whether the battery D and bulb E are alive and operative. It will be noted that by pressing down on the two uppermost buttons K or upon buttons 108 or 109 shown in Fig. l, this will permit the tongues 113 and 114 to be pressed downwardly through the uppermost openings at the sides of the insulating card M and establish a circuit through the uppermost strip or metal laminations 70. These two buttons when pressed down will therefore light the light when both the battery and bulb are operatlng.

The buttons 108 and 109 enable testing of the electrical circuit and a determination as to whether the battery D and/or light E are properly functioning.

When everything is in order and when the buttons 108 and 109 are both pressed, the light E should go on. If the light does not go on it indicates a faulty or exhausted battery or light or both.

This test circuit is established across the top of circuit card of Fig. 9 and by the circuit 70, and through the metal iingers 113 and 114 of Fig. 7.

It will be noted that the same circuit also connects the button 115 with the button 116 so that the circuit 70 has a double function of being both a test circuit and a question and answer circuit.

The extension portion B may be made integral or one piece with the cover sheet A with the door or tab 106 formed thereon and it may be provided with an opening 4 117 to enable it to be hung upon a display card or board.

'Ihe front portion 118 of the card B and the portion 119 of the casing C may carry advertising messages or the name of the game, as may also the back faces 120 and 121.

In manufacturing, the central base casing may be made of plastic or metal, and it includes the receptacle C for the battery D and bulb E, as well as the plate J with the buttons K, and the, resilient tongues 13, 14, 15 and 16, the side walls 10, and the holder tabs 11.

When the question cards are removed, the device will appear from the front as shown in Fig. 6, and when the rear cards M and L are removed, the device will appear as shown from the rear in Fig. 7, with the metal strips in position.

Figs. 1 to 5 show the complete assembly with the answer cards positioned in the front recess covering the face of the plate I, as shown in Fig. 6, while in Fig. 5 the rear of the assembly is shown.

These plates L, M and O, and the metal strips H and I, and the connector strips F and G will be held in permanent position by peening over the ends of the posts 29 and 32, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5 upon the rings or collars 102 to 105.

This will establish a permanent connection between the strip H and the strip F on one side, and a permanent connection between the strip I, and the strip G on the other side.

The separate plate M will normally separate the conduit plate L and metallic contact ngers 25, 26, 27 and 28, unless the buttons K are placed down to cause connections to be established through the rows of openings 21, 22, 23 and 24 between the ends of the iingers 25, 26, 27 and 28, and the circuits J70 and 77.

The bulb E is held in position to contact the strip F by the pad 122 as shown in Fig. 3.

As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 there are a varying number of answer and question cards which may be posi tioned in front of the plate I, five being shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. A wide variety of different answers and circuits may, of course, be provided.

The battery D and the bulb E may be frequently replaced through the doors 85, 86 and 101.

The entire game, as shown in Figs. 1 to 9, may be held in the hand and may be sold at newspaper stands, cigar stores, notion counters, and the like, either as an adult amusement device or as a childrens toy.

The front question cards will be aligned by the press buttons K and held in position by the tabs 11, while the rear elements or cards may be aligned by the posts 29 to 32.

There is a fixed correspondence between the question buttons at the left and the answer buttons at the right so that only one question button will correspond to one answer button with all cards of the card N having the same relationship and with the circuits being established by the metal strips laminated on the card in the manner set forth in Fig. 9.

As many changes could be made in the above pocket quiz game, and many widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, what is claimed is:

l. A pocket quiz game comprising a box-like rectangular plastic housing, said plastic housing having an open back receiving a back cardboard and having an open front receiving a plurality of superimposed answer and question cards, said open front having integrally molded inturned tabs to hold the sides of said question and answer cards in position, said housing receiving the following elements successively from front to back between en -s Said cards and said back cardboard, namely a plastic plate having frontwise projecting, yieldably and resiliently supported, push-buttons integrally formed therefrom with the cards having aligned holes through which said push-buttons project, metallic resilient conducting finger strips corresponding in position to and actuated by said push-buttons, an insulating card having a plurality of spaced openings corresponding in position to said pushbuttons and metallic strips and a metallic conducting sheet having a plurality of conductor paths electrically separated from each other extending from a position at one point under a selected push-button to another point to under a second selected push-button, a circuit being established through one of said conductor paths by pressing down upon two selected buttons which will press down said linger strips through said insulating card openings onto said point of one of said paths, a battery and lamp mounting molded integrally with said housing, a battery and lamp mounted in series in said mounting and circuit connections to place said battery and lamp in series with one of said conductor paths through which a circuit is established by said selected two press-buttons.

2. A pocket quiz game comprising a rectangular molded plastic enclosure having side walls, top and bottom walls and a front and a back, said front being open to expose question and answer cards with questions and answers printed thereon and said side walls at said front having inturned tabs molded integrally therewith and the top wall having a forwardly extending cylindrical enclosure portion accessible from the back, one end of said enclosure having an opening, a cylindrical dry cell battery and a light bulb in said enclosure with the bulb projecting through said opening, a plurality of rectangular sheet elements inserted into the enclosure behind said cards the closest one to and in contact with the cards behind an intermediate partition consisting of a plastic slotted plate having a plurality of resilient fingers carrying push buttons, said cards being provided with openings through which said push buttons project alongside the respective questions and answers printed on the cards, slotted metallic plates having resilient contact fingers one for each push button positioned in back of and in contact with the push button plate, an insulating card having a plurality of openings, one for each push button and contact linger, through which opening the buttons press the contact iingers to establish a circuit, and a circuit card having an insulating back and a plurality of separated conductor paths thereon extending between the respective questions and corresponding answers in back of and in contact with the insulating card, whereby a circuit may be established through said battery and bulbI and circuit connections from said plates to said battery and bulb.

References Cited in the lile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,149,459 Morehouse Mar, 7, 1939 2,507,215 Miltenberg et al. May 9, 1950 2,541,172 Milman Feb. 13, 1951 2,663,091 Brown Dec. 22, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 642,048 Great Britain Aug. 23, 1950 257,434 Switzerland Mar. 16, 1949

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