US3057624A

US3057624A - Segmented gameboard

Info

Publication number: US3057624A
Application number: US35243A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph L Bassett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-06-10
Filing date: 1960-06-10
Publication date: 1962-10-09
Anticipated expiration: 1979-10-09

Description

Oct. 9, 1962 J. BAssETT SEGMENTED GAMEBOARD 2 Sheets-Sheetl Filed June lO, 1960 f 2e 24g 26 2eS ggf as) INVENTOR JOSEPH L. BASSETT ze 2 2Q BY K, fc.

ATTORNEY Oct. 9, 1962A J. L. BASSETT SEGMENTED GAMEBOARD 2 Sheets-Sheet -2 Filed June lO, 1960 INVENTOR JOSEPH L. BASSETT ATTORNEY United States Patent Oiiice 3,057,624 Patented Oct. 9, 1962 3,057,624 SEGMENTED GAMEBARD Joseph L. Bassett, 1128 Spruce St., Philadelphia 7, Pa. Filed .lune 10, 1960, Ser. No. 35,243 Z Claims. {(Ii. 27E- 136) This invention relates to gameboards, such as checkerboards and `the like, and more particularly to a gameboard which is segmented into a plurality of interlocked pieces to permit easy portability of the gameboard.

There is frequently a need and desire by game players, such as those who play checkers, chess, and the like, for a gameboard which may be easily carried about. While it has been known to provide miniature gameboards for purposes of easy portability, such miniature gameboards are not satisfactory for many purposes, with the result that most players prefer to play on standard size garneboards. Under some circumstances, `such as tournaments, and the like, standard size `garneboards are required.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a gameboard formed of a plurality of interlocking segments which may be easily disassembled to permit carrying the gameboard -in a pocket of the player when not in use.

lt is another object of this invention to provide a segmented gameboard which when assembled is of standard size.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a garneboard formed of interlocking segments so constructed as to prevent any relative movement of the segments with respect to each other when the gameboard is in use.

In achievement of these objectives, there is provided in accordance with this invention a gameboard such as a checker or chess board of standard size and formed of a plurality of interlocking segments which may be assembled to form the complete board. Each segment includes tongue and groove interlocking means on at least two mutually perpendicular edges which are adapted to interlock with mating tongue and groove interlocking means on edges of adjacent segments to insure against relative movement of adjacent segments in directions parallel to the two mutually perpendicular edges of any given segment. Each segment also includes a top ply portion which mates with corresponding top ply portions of adjacent segments to form a smooth playing surface for the gameboard. The top ply portion of each segment also `overlies the interlocking tongue portions of adjacent interlocked segments to insure against relative movement of the segments in a plane perpendicular to that of the gameboard.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan View of the segmented gameboard in accordance with the invention in assembled relation;

FIG. 2 is an end view in vertical elevation of the gameboard lof FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a view in section along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a portion of the gameboard of FIG. 1, showing the relationship of the segments to each other;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of two adjacent segments of the gameboard; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of one of the segments of the gameboard.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a gameboard generally indicated at 10 which in the illustrated embodiment is formed of eight interlocked substantially rectangular segments respectively indicated at 12, 14, 16, 1S, 20, 22, 24, and 26. The

segments

12, 14, 16, and 18 are arranged in one transverse row, while the

segments

20, 22, 24, and 26 are arranged in a second transverse row. Each of the segments is a two ply member formed of card-board, plastic, or any other suitable material, including a base portion or bottom ply indicated at 28 and a top ply or playing surface portion indicated at 30. The bottom and

top ply portions

28 and 30 of each respective segment are secured to each other in any suitable manner, as, for example, by the adhesive indicated at 32 in FIG. 6.

The bottom ply 28 of each segment is provided along at least two of its mutually perpendicular edges with interlocking tongues and grooves which engage corresponding grooves and tongues of adjacent segments. The top ply 30 of each segment is a fiat rectangular member without tongues and grooves, and is so dimensioned as to overlie the entire main body portion of its corresponding bottom ply 28 and also to overlie the tongue-receiving slots formed in the underlying bottom ply portion 28 of its respective segment along both mutually perpendicular edges thereof.

It will be understood that it is within the scope of this invention to form segments having structure equivalent to the two plys shown in the drawings, but in a single unitary structure, rather than forming the segments of two plys which are fastened together.

An important feature of the gameboard construction is the provision on each of the segments of tongue and slot portions lying along two mutually perpendicular edges which engage corresponding slots and tongues in two adjacent segm'ents lying respectively parallel to the two mutually perpendicular edges of any given segment.

Thus, for example, segment 12 shown in FIG. 4 includes a pair of tongue portions 34 and 36 extending from the long edge thereof adjacent segment 14 which mate with corresponding slots 38 and 40, respectively, of the adjacent segment 14. Also, segment 12 includes a tongue portion 42 extending from its short edge shown in FIG. 4 adjacent segment 20 which mates with a corresponding slot 44 in the adjacent segment 20 in the lower row of segments in the view shown in FIG. 4. Similarly, segment 14 includes two

tongues

46 and 48 which respectively mate with

slots

50 and 52 of the segment 12, while the segment 20 includes a tongue 54 in the short edge thereof adjacent segment 12 which mates with a slot 56 in the adjacent short edge of segment 12.

The two inside

segments

14 and 16 in the top row of segments with respect to the view shown in FIG. 4, and the

inside segments

22 and 24 in the bottom row of segments, are each respectively provided with tongues and slots along each of their longer edges mating with corresponding tongues and slots of the longer edges of the adjacent segments, while the four

outside segments

12, 18, 20 and 26 are provided with slots and tongues along only one of their respective longer edges, while the other long edge of each of the

respective segments

12, 18, 2.1()5 and 26 lies along the outer boundary of the gameboard.

Each of the

segments

12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26 has tongue and groove portions lying along only one of its short edges to mate with corresponding tongue and groove portions of the abutting short edges of the segments in the adjacent transverse row of segments.

It will be seen that the provision of the interlocking tongues and slots along at least one of the long edges of each of the segments and interlocking with corresponding slots and tongues along the long edge of an adjacent segment or segments prevents any relative movement of adjacent segments in a direction parallel to the adjacent long edges of the segments; similarly, the interlocking tongue and grooves provided along the short edge of each segment, mating with a corresponding tongue and groove on the short edge of an adjacent segment in the opposite row of segments, prevents any relative movement of the segments in a direction parallel to the short edges of the segments. Furthermore, the overlying top ply 30 which forms a part of each segment and which is so dimensioned as to overlie the slots formed in both the long and short edges of each respective segment, and thus to overlie the tongues of the adjacent interlocked segments when the gameboard is in assembled relation as shown in FIG. 1, prevents any tendency of the tongues to move in a direction perpendicular to the plane f the gameboard out of the slots with which they are interlocked.

Thus, it will be seen that the provision of the interlocking tongues and slots along the long and short edges of each segment, together with the overlying relation of the top ply of each respective segment to the interlocking tongues of the adjacent segments, prevents any relative movement of the segments with respect to each other in three different directions, and provides a three-dimensionly interlock of the assembled segments when the gameboard is in use. Furthermore, when the plurality of segments are assembled in interlocked relation as shown in FIG. 1 the plurality of top plies are in directly abutting relation to each other to form a smooth, continuous gameboard surface.

In the illustrated embodiment, `and as will best be seen by reference to FIG. 5 of the drawings, most of the tongue portions are substantially in the shape of a parallelogram having one edge 58 extending parallel to the respective edge of the segment in which it lies, and a pair of opposite

spaced edges

60, 62 inclined at an angle A of approximately 30 degrees with respect to edge 58. The outer tip of each tongue, as for example, at the junction of

edges

58 and 62 of the tongue, is blunted as indicated at 64 in FIG. 5, to avoid breakage of the tips of the tongues which might occur if the outer corner of the tongue were brought to a sharp point. The slots which receive the tongue portions are shaped to mate with the tongue members just described. The tongue portions adjacent the upper and lower margins of the gameboard, with respect to `the view shown in FIG. 1, have an inclined edge only at the end thereof disposed away from the margin of the gameboard.

The inclined parallelogram shape of the interlocking tongues and slots facilitates the easy assembly and disassembly of the segments of the gameboard, since the inclined shape of the tongues and mating slots permits ad jacent segments to be easily slid into or out of engagement with each other.

While there has been shown and described a particular Cil l embodiment of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes may be made therein without `departing from the invention and, therefore, it is aimed to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A gameboard comprising a plurality of detachable linterlockecl segments of generally rectangular shape, each of said segments including a lower ply having two mutually perpendicular edges lying in a common plane, interlocking means carried by the respective mutually perpendicular edges of the lower ply of each segment which engage mating interlocking means carried by the lower plies of adjacent segments to hold said gameboard in assembled relation, and an upper ply carried by each segment, the upper plies of the plurality of segments directly abutting each other to form a smooth continuous playing surface when the gameboard is assembled.

2. A gameboard comprising a plurality of detachable interlocked segments of generally rectangular shape, each of said segments including a lower ply having two mutually perpendicular edges lying in a common plane, interlocking means carried by the respective mutually perpendicular edges of the lower ply of each segment which engage mating interlocking means carried by the lower plies of adjacent segments to hold said gameboard in assembled relation, and an upper ply carried by each segment and so dimensioned as to overlie the interlocking means carried by at least one of the mutually perpendicular edges of the respective segment and also to overlie the interlocking means of at least one of the adjacent segments mating with the interlocking means of the respective segment, to thereby resist disengaging movement of said segments in a direction perpendicular to said common plane, the upper plies of the plurality of segments directly abutting each other to form a smooth continuous playing surface when the gameboard is assembled.

1References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 150,735 Whitcomb May 12, 1874 176,144 McDougall Apr. 18, 1876 841,366 Yorke Jan. 15, 1907 2,418,287 Bennett et al, Apr. 1, 1947 2,497,341 Bisson Feb. 14, 1950