US3145993A

US3145993A - Electrically operated solitaire ticktacktoe game

Info

Publication number: US3145993A
Application number: US228281A
Authority: US
Inventors: Andrew M Archer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-10-04
Filing date: 1962-10-04
Publication date: 1964-08-25
Anticipated expiration: 1981-08-25

Description

Aug. 25, 1964 I Filed Oct. 4, 1962 A- M. ARCHER ELECTRICALLY OPERATED SOLITAIRE TICKTACKTOE GAME 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 20 1s 24 i6 15 15 12 +5 24 16 a '22 34 30a .sob 58 4 F |G.2 w

INVENTOR ANDREW M. ARCHER BYWW A. M. ARCHER Aug. 25, 1964 ELECTRICALLY OPERATED SOLITAIRE TICKTACKTOE GAME Filed Oct. 4; 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG.6B

Aug. 25, 1964 A. M. ARCHER 3,145,993

ELECTRICALLY OPERATED SOLITAIRE TICKTACKTOE GAME Filed Oct. 4, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I r e a '26 I V 2Q United States Patent 3,145,993 ELECTRICALLY OPERATED SOLITAIRE TICKTACKTOE GAME Andrew M. Archer, Rineon Annex, Seamans Section, San Francisco, Calif. Filed Oct. 4, 1962, Ser. No. 228,281 7 Claims. (Cl. 273130) The present invention relates to the game known under the name of ticktacktoe, which is played by two persons who mark alternately circles or crosses, respectively, into the fields of a checker board with the intention of completing a row of circles or crosses, as the case may be, while preventing the opponent from doing the same.

It is an object of my invention to provide an apparatus by means of which a single person may play the described game under conditions simulating the moves of an opponent.

More particularly it is an object of my invention to provide an apparatus in the form of a checker board upon which a player may make identifying marks and which in response to such marks will automatically display marks such as an opposing player would provide to counteract the players moves and nullify his intentions.

Yet another object is to provide an apparatus, of the type referred to, that may be set to make occasional errors so that the player has a chance to win.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus, of the type referred to, that is of a simple and inexpensive construction, involves a minimum of electrical connections, and does not require relays, thermionic tubes or transistors.

These and other objects of my invention will be apparent from the following description of the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof and wherein FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the apparatus of my invention.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross section through the apparatus taken along line 2--2 of FIGURE 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrows associated with said line.

FIGURE 3 is a diagram of the control circuitry of the apparatus, drawn as viewed from the top of the apparatus.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective of one of the markers employed in playing the game to mark a cross upon the fields of the board.

FIGURES 5A and 5B are side elevations of a multiple switch mechanism employed in the control circuit of the apparatus, illustrating different operational positions thereof; and

FIGURES 6A, 6B, 6C and 6D are diagrams showing a selected part of the control circuitry of FIGURE 3 in different operational positions.

In accordance with my invention I provide a translucent checker board wherein each field is provided with a centrally located aperture, and I provide symbols or markers such as cross bars mounted upon an electrically conductive stem, with which the player may mark his fields by inserting the stem into the apertures thereof; and below the translucent checker board I arrange electric circuitry that causes a luminous sign, such as a luminous circle, to light up under a predetermined field of the board in response to the insertion, by the player, of a marker into a field of the board. In this manner the moves of an opponent are simulated by the apparatus. Depending upon the details of the circuitry below the board, the apparatus of the invention may be arranged to respond appropriately to any move on the part of the player. In such a case the player cannot win the game, he can only hope to tie the game, or may lose the game. According to a modified embodiment of the invention I arrange the electric control circuitry below the board in such a manner that the apparatus fails at times to respond in the proper manner, so that the player has a chance to win.

Having first reference to FIGURES 1 and 2, the apparatus of my invention comprises a flat rectangular box 10 whose top wall may be formed by a board 12 of wood or plastic material, that is divided into nine square fields F to E, by heavy black lines 14. Provided in each of said fields is a centrally located aperture 15 that passes through the board 12, and each of its said fields, except the center field, possesses adjacent to its aperture 15 a cylindrical hole or recess 16 of sufficient size to receive a small bulb or lamp L. Placed upon the top of the board is a stiff sheet 18 of a translucent material such as parchment paper. Said sheet may removably be held in position upon the board by inwardly turned resilient lips 20 that project upwardly from the side walls 22 of the box. Provided on the underside of said sheet in axial alignment with each of the recesses 16 are opaque circular marks 24 of a somewhat smaller diameter than the maximum diameter of said recesses. Hence, whenever one of the bulbs in said recesses is illuminated, a luminous circle seems to appear upon the translucent sheet 18.

The markers or symbols 26 with which the player 0perates, comprise a stem 27 of conductive material, such as metal, which fits snugly into the apertures 15 in the center of the fields F, and upon which may be supported a pair of cross bars 28 as illustrated in FIGURE 4. Whenever the stem of one of said markers is inserted into one of the apertures 15 in the fields F, it is effective to close an electric circuit through whatever lamp L must light up to prevent the player from planting a row of three consecutive markers 26 upon the board 18.

The exemplary embodiment of the invention which I am about to explain, is based upon the assumption that every player will plant his first marker upon the center field F Insertion of the conductive stem of a marker into the aperture 15 in field F is, therefore, arranged to close an electrical power circuit through the lamp in one of the four corners of the board, say lamp L below field F so that a luminous circle appears in said fieldwhich is the proper counter move that any player of average intelligence would make. Secured to the underside of the board at either side of the aperture 15 in field F are tWo

arched lips

30a and 30b of a resilient conductive material, such as brass, that are spaced from each other (FIGURE 2), but extend with their convex sides into the space below the aperture 15. Said lips lie in, and normally interrupt, the power circuit of lamp L (FIGURE 3). This circuit includes a battery indicated at 32 that may be a simple flash light battery and which is suitably secured to the underside of the board. When the stem of a marker 26 enters the space between the

lips

30a and 30b and establishes conductive contact with both said lips, it closes said power circuit and lamp L lights up so that a luminous circle appears in field F of the board, which represents the proper counter move of an imaginary opponent (FIG- URE 3).

For simplicity of construction and cheapness, each of the lamps L comprised in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings may be engaged in an aperture provided in a common sheet metal frame 34 (FIGURE 2) that is secured to the underside of board 12 and which is permanently connected to one pole of the battery 32 and thus establishes a permanent connection of all the lamps comprised in the apparatus to said pole. The other terminals of said lamps which are usually located at the bottom of their necks are arranged to contact yieldable metal tongues which form part of individual brackets 38 that are secured to the underside of the board 12; and said brackets may individually be connected to the opposite pole of the battery 32 by insertion of a marker 26 into a hole 15 of a field F into 3 contact with the

lips

30a and 30b located below said hole.

Reverting now to the actual conduct of the game, a player intent to win the game will now place a marker onto one of the remaining free fields. Arranged below the aperture 15 in everyone of fields F F F F F F and F therefore is a pair of such normally spaced contact lips each lying in the power circuit of a lamp arranged below an opposite field. In the exemplary embodiment of the invention represented by FIGURE 3, the open contacts 30 below field F lie in the power circuit of lamp L below field F the contacts 30 below field F lie in the power circuit of lamp L the contacts 30 below field F lie in the power circuit of lamp L the contacts 30 below field F lie in the power circuit of lamp L the contacts 30 below field F lie in the power circuit of lamp L and the contacts 30 below field F lie in the power circuit of lamp L However, the contacts 30 below field F do not lie in the power circuit of the diagonally opposite lamp L for this lamp was energized by the first move of the player, i.e. by insertion of a marker into the hole below the center field F as was explained above, and insertion of a marker into the hole of field F is therefore arranged to close a second power circuit for lamp L With the connections as explained above, when the player places a marker into anyone of the (remaining) fields, a lamp in an oppositely positioned field lights up, and a circle appears in said field representing the proper counter move of an imaginary opponent, which frustrates any plan, on the players part, to complete a row of markers.

To avoid that insertion of markers into the apertures of fields F and F may close two power circuits through lamp L and thus efiect less than perfect operation of the apparatus of the invention in that it duplicates and therefore wastes a counter move, I provide below field F, a multiple switch mechanism collectively identified by the reference numeral 39 (FIGURES 2, 5A, 5B, 6A, 6B, 6C and 6D). Upon insertion of a marker stem into the aperture of field F) and resultant energization of lamp L by closure of the

contact lips

30a, 30b below field F (FIGURE 6C), this switch mechanism 39 detours the power path established by insertion of a marker into the aperture 15 of field F through lamp L Having particular reference to FIGURES 3, 5A and 6A, the power circuit of lamp L which passes through the normally disconnected

contact lips

30a, 30b below field F includes a normally closed switch that is formed by a pair of

blades

40 and 41 which are secured to the underside of board 12 and straddle the

contact lips

30a, 30b below field F Blade 41 forms a run that extends adjacent the path of a marker stem pushed through aperture 15 of field F Blade 40 forms an arch that curves (below the tip of a marker stem 27 pushed through aperture 15) into contact with the fiat side of the tip of blade 41. Above said tip the vertical run of blade 41 carries a cover 42 of insulating material that extends into the path of a marker stem pushed through aperture 15. Arranged adjacent blade 41 is another arched contact blade 44 of a conformation symmetrical to blade 4% and the tip of said blade 44 is normally spaced from the tip of blade 41, as illustrated in FIGURE 5A.

When the stem of a marker is pushed through aperture 15 of field F and establishes conductive connection between the

contact lips

30a, 30b below said field to energize lamp L full insertion of said marker to the extent permitted by its cross bars 28 causes its stem 27 to engage the insulating cover 42 of center blade 41 and cam said blade away from and out of contact with blade 40, while at the same time moving said blade into contact with the tip of blade 44 (FIGURE 5B). This disables the power circuit of lamp L which passes through the

contacts

30a, 30b below field F (FIGURE 6C). At the same time it re-routes any power circuit established, or to be established, by conductive connection of the

contact lips

30a, 30b below field F through lamp L so that insertion of a marker stem into the aperture 15 in field F is now effective to illuminate lamp L (FIGURE 6D). Thus, insertion of a marker into the aperture of field F has a triple effect. (1) It closes a power circuit through lamp L; by conductively connecting the

contact lips

30a, 30b below field F; as illustrated in FIGURE 6C. (2) It breaks the switch formed by the

blades

40 and 41 and thus makes it impossible for insertion of a marker into the aperture of field F to energize the lamp L or it breaks any power circuit through lamp L that may previously have been established by insertion of a marker into the aperture of field F and (3) it readies a power path to lamp L causing said lamp to light up if and when a marker is planted onto field F (FIGURE 6D). If a marker should previously have been planted onto field F and cause illumination of lamp L (FIG- URE 6B), these occurrences happen in such quick succession that it appears as if lamp L continues to be illuminated uninterruptedly, and the illumination of lamp L is the direct result of the insertion of a marker into the aperture of field F (FIGURE 6D).

A similar multiple switch mechanism 39 may be provided below the aperture of field F to make it impossible for the lamp L to light up once a marker has been planted upon field F and to cause insertion of marker stems into the apertures of fields F and F to effect illumination of lamps L and L rather than lamps L and L Having reference to FIGURE 3, insertion of a marker into the aperture of field F completes a power circuit through lamp L At the same time it separates the tips of the

contact blades

40 and 41 which lies in the power circuit of lamp L so that it is impossible to illuminate lamp L whether markers are planted upon field F7 or field F or both of said fields. Insertion of a marker into the aperture of field F has the added effect, however, of bringing blade 41 into contact with blade 44 and thus establishes potential power paths to be completed by insertion of markers into the apertures of fields F and F through lamps L and L respectively. Hence, once a marker has been planted on field F later moves of the player planting markers upon fields F and/or F will not waste any counter moves of the apparatus of the invention, such as useless illumination of lamp L but will cause luminous circles to appear on still available fields of the checker board.

Thus, for whatever moves a player may make, the described arrangement will automatically provide the proper responses, without wasting moves on fields that are no longer available. In this manner the apparatus of the invention keeps up the interest of the player and will counter every one of his moves in an effective and not always foreseeable manner. Under ordinary circumstances the apparatus of the invention cannot be beaten and the game can at best be a draw. In accordance with the invention, however, I may provide one or several switches which when manipulated prior to playing a game, interfere with the proper responses of the machine to the insertion of a marker in one or several of the fields of the board. In this manner it becomes possible under certain circumstances for the player to win the game. Having reference to FIGURE 3, the numeral 50 identifies a movable switch arm that lies normally in the power circuit of lamp L below field F Ordinarily this lamp is illuminated in response to insertion of a marker into the aperture of the center field F However, upon setting said switch arm 50 tothe position indicated in broken lines in FIGURE 3, insertion of a marker into the center field F operates to illuminate lamp L so that a luminous circle appears in field F which is not the best counter move for an opposing player to ma (e. At the same time the power circuit of lamp L is permanently disabled so that the machine is unable to create a circle upon field F during the game. This is a series handicap for the machine because the player may now win the game by planting a marker upon field F (which causes the machine to produce a circle upon field F and then upon field F which completes a row of three markers so that the player has actually won the game.

While it may be of advantage to provide a multiple switch mechanism of the type illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 5B, and make suitable alternative connections below each of the fields on the board, it will usually sufiice, and may in fact render the game more irrational and therefore more interesting while keeping the apparatus simple and inexpensive, to provide such multiple switch mechanism only below fields L and L as illustrated in FIGURES 3, 6A, 6B, 6C and 6D.

The described apparatus makes it possible for a single player to play the ticktacktoe game. It is erratic in its responses, and while it will ordinarily make the proper counter moves and is therefore invincible, it may be adjusted to make occasional mistakes and let the player win. It is of the cheapest construction and its control circuit is relatively simple. It does not require relays, thermionic tubes or transistors and involves a minimum of electrical connections. It lends itself therefore ideally to use as an educational toy for the younger set.

While I have explained my invention with the aid of a particular embodiment thereof, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific constructional details and the specific circuitry shown and described by way of example which may be departed from without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A game apparatus comprising a board having a surface divided into fields, said fields having recesses and adjacent thereto apertures, lamps located in said recesses, and a power circuit for each lamp including normally spaced contact members adjacent to an aperture in a field opposite to the field wherein the lamp is located.

2. A game apparatus comprising a board having a top surface divided into fields, said fields having recesses and apertures, lamps located in said recesses, a translucent sheet placed upon said top surface, said sheet having opaque areas of lesser compass than said recesses in axial alignment with said recesses, and a power circuit for each lamp including normally spaced contact members adjacent to an aperture in a field opposite to the field wherein the lamp is located.

3. A game apparatus comprising a board having a top surface divided into fields, said fields having recesses and apertures passing through the board to the underside thereof, lamps located in said recesses, a translucent sheet arranged upon the top surface of said board and having opaque areas of lesser compass than said recesses located above said recesses, and a normally interrupted power circuit for each of said lamps including a pair of normally spaced contact members secured to the underside of said board adjacent to an aperture passing through a field located opposite to the field wherein the lamp is located.

4. A ticktacktoe game apparatus comprising a board having a top surface divided into square fields, said fields having circular recesses and adjacent thereto apertures passing through the board to the underside thereof, lamps located in said recesses, a translucent sheet arranged upon the top surface of said board and having in axial alignment with said recesses opaque circular areas of lesser diameter than said recesses, and a normally interrupted power circuit for each lamp arranged below said board and including a pair of spaced contact members secured to the underside of said board adjacent to an aperture passing through a field located opposite to the field wherein the lamp is located, to be conductively connected by insertion of a conductive stem into the aperture into conductive contact with said members to illuminate the lamp and display a luminous circle through said translucent sheet in the field above said lamp.

5. In a game apparatus of the type described, an arrangement for avoiding duplication in the responses of the apparatus to the insertion of markers into different fields of a board, said arrangement comprising a first lamp in a first field, a second lamp in a second field, a third field having an aperture for the insertion of the conductive stem of a marker, a fourth field having an aperture for the insertion of the conductive stern of a marker, a first power circuit for said first lamp including spaced conductive contact members located adjacent the aperture in said third field and adapted for conductive connection by insertion of a marker stem into the aperture in said third field, a second power circuit for said first lamp including a pair of spaced conductive contact members located adjacent said aperture in said fourth field and adapted for conductive connection by insertion of a marker stem into the aperture in said fourth field, and means rendered effective by insertion of a marker stem into the aperture in said fourth field for shunting said first lamp from said first power circuit and routing said first power circuit through said second lamp.

6. In an automatic ticktacktoe game apparatus of the type described, an arrangement for avoiding duplication in the responses of the apparatus to the insertion of markers into different fields of a board, said arrangement comprising a first lamp in a first field, a second lamp in a second field, a third field having an aperture for the insertion of the conductive stem of a marker, a fourth field having an aperture for the insertion of the conductive stern of a marker, a first power circuit for said first lamp including a pair of normally spaced conductive contact members located adjacent the aperture in said third field and adapted for conductive connection by insertion of a conductive marker stem into the aperture in said third field and a pair of yieldable contact blades in conductive contact with each other adjacent the aperture in said fourth field and adapted for separation from each other by insertion of a marker stem into the aperture of said fourth field, a second power circuit for said first lamp including a pair of spaced conductive contact members located adjacent the aperture in said fourth field adapted for conductive connection by insertion of a conductive marker stem into the aperture in said fourth field, and a power circuit for said second lamp including said normally spaced contact members adjacent the aperture in said third field, one of the normally closed contact blades adjacent the aperture in said fourth field and a contact member adjacent to and normally spaced from said last mentioned contact blade in a position to be contacted by said last mentioned contact blade when said normally closed contact blades are separated from each other by insertion of a marker stem into the aperture in said fourth field.

7. Arrangement according to claim 6 wherein said last mentioned contact blade has an insulating cover extending into the path of a marker stem inserted into the aperture in said fourth field.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 655,264 Nichol Aug. 7, 1900 2,302,849 Frank et al. Nov. 24, 1942 2,670,208 Wales Feb. 23, 1954 2,811,359 Haufe Oct. 29, 1957 2,844,374 French July 22, 1958 2,877,019 Keister Mar. 10, 1959 2,923,800 Borde et a1 Feb. 2, 1960 2,951,703 Arnold Sept. 6, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 646,542 Canada Aug. 14, 1962