US3376041A - Battle game apparatus wherein the targets are randomly positionable electric bulbs - Google Patents

Description

April 2, 1963 F. P. ANDERSON 3,376,041

BATTLE GAME APPARATUS WHEREIN T Filed A ril 24, 1964 TARG ARE RANDOMLY POSITIONABLE ELEC C BUL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Francis P. Anderson BY. Z4 qx W ATTORNEY United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A battle game having first and second target fields, each including coordinately arranged battle zones. Elactric bulbs having removable covers of different colors are receivable within said battle zones to serve as the targets. Power and connecting means are provided whereby each player can selectively cause energization of battle zones to thereby cause an electric bulb, if positioned within the selective battle zone, to glow, thus signifying a hit.

This invention relates generally to the well-known battleship game wherein .one player repositions the various ships of his fleet on a coordinately arranged target field, the opposing player being then afforded the opportunity of sinking those ships by attempting to correctly call off the coordinate positions thereof, the latter, of course, being concealed from the opposing player. More particularly, the present invention relates to a new and useful electrical apparatus for playing the game.

Although various types of construction have heretofore been devised for playing the battleship game, the present invention provides an apparatus uniquely improving thereover, said apparatus including means whereby individual ships may be illuminated when hit, said ships being characterized by electric light bulbs which may be manually and randomly positioned in selected battle zones of a target field by one player, whereafter the other player, visually obstructed with respect to said selected battle zones, is afforded opportunities for remotely effectuating illumination of his opponents ships to thus accomplish destruction thereof.

Accordingly, and consonant with the foregoing, the instant invention has for an object the provision of a game apparatus including target indicia removably associated with ship simulating electric bulbs to enable both identification of ship classifications and indications of hits with respect to individual ships.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the foregoing character including means for recording hits and misses with respect to an opponents target field and for recording the classifications of any ships which are hit.

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of a game apparatus including a dividing barrier for concealing the playing areas of opposing players.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a game apparatus in accordance with the foregoing wherein the dividing barrier also serves as a common supporting member for Opposing target fields.

Another general object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the described character which will be simple in structure, economical of manufacture, stimulating and amusing to play and highly effective in use.

Other objects and advantages of the instant game apparatus will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice of the invention, the same being realized and attained by means (if the structure defined and pointed out in the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings referred to herein and constituting a part hereof illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to eX- plain the principles of the invention.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the game apparatus wherein the respective target fields are integrally contained within the upstanding dividing barrier;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevational view structure;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a memory field and play selector member illustrated in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional segment of the dividing barrier taken along line 55 of FIGURE 3, an electric bulb and a target indicium cover being illus trated in separated relation;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a play recording zone taken along line 6-6 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of an alternate embodirnent of the invention; and

FIGURE 8 is a diagram of the circuitry utilized in both the preferred and alternate embodiments of the instant game apparatus.

Referring now in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, FIGURES 1-3 show said embodiment designated generally by numeral in the various positions as heretofore described.

More specifically, the game apparatus include a game board 1 having identical playing areas 2 and 4, respectively, dividing barrier 6 extending upwardly of said game board intermediate said playing areas, target fields 8 and 10 positioned upon obverse and reverse faces 12 and 14, respectively, of said dividing barrier, and memory fields 16 and 18 being disposed'on opposite sides of said barrier as shown.

The targets fields 8 and 10, it will be observed, are formed of battle zones 20 which are coordinately arranged in rows and columns. With reference to FIGURE 3, typical target field 8 is shown comprised of rows 15 and columns A-E, battle zones 20, therefore, being coordinately identifiable as 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E and so on through 5A, 5B, 5C, SD, SE, the latter grouping being designative of the battle zones comprising row numher 5 and the former grouping being designative of the zones of row number 1. Play selector members 22 and 23 are each respectively connected in series in accordance with the typical circuitshown in FIGURE 8, With individual electric bulb receiving sockets 24 disposed Within the battle zones of target fields 10 and 8, respectively. Accordingly, play selector member 22, e.g., will upon selective rotation thereof by a player, control the association of said selector member with the electric bulb receiving sockets of opponents target field 10, a similar association existing between play selector member 23 and target field 8. As further illustrated in FIGURE 8 of the drawings, individual switching contactors 26, when selectively contacted by rotor connector 28 of exemplary play selector member 22, complete a circuit which includes a play initiating switch 30, a power supply 32 and of the foregoing a particular socket 24, the latter being selected by the player on the offensive. Also observable in said FIG- URE 8, play indicating means 34 which is an electromagnetically operated buzzer or sounding device is connected in series with said power supply and said play initiating switch, and therefore will be sounded upon closure of the play initiating switch 30 which takes the form of a depressible button as shown in the drawings.

ta Pursuant to the foregoing it will be appreciated that the present game apparatus includes two individual circuits identical to the circuit disclosed in FIGURE 8, each circuit including its own components as aforedescribed. It is, however, contemplated that certain components may be commonly included or shared between both circuitry systems, as for example, a common power supply may be utilized.

In the preferred embodiment, play indicating means 34 are shown disposed within upstanding dividing barrier 6; the alternate embodiment shown in FIGURE 7, however, including a removable dividing barrier 6 and having said indicating means disposed within the base of game board 1 thereof. With further reference to said alternate embodiment, it will be seen that target fields 8 and 10 are also disposed within the base of game board 1, said target fields being respectively positioned adjacent memory fields 1'6 and 18, as shown, and represented by said electric bulbs. In the event, upon depression of a play initiating switch 30, a indicate the accomplishment of a hit, the colored cover 38 disposed thereover will be removed to thus record the destruction of a ship, the cover or covers of bulbs similarly lighted being stored so that upon termination of the game, a record may be had of the types of ships which were hit by the opponent.

Said memory fields 16 and 18 which are juxtapositioned with respect to aforedescribed target fields 8 and 10, respectively, serve as means whereby a player may record hits and the class of ship hit in the course of his oifensive, usually consisting of three shots per turn. That is, as shown, a memory field presents an identical representation of the target field of an opponent, the individual play recording zones 40 being in coordinate correspondence with the battle zones 20 of said opponents target field. Each play recording zone, as shown in enlarged form in FIGURES 4 and 6 of the drawings, contains a plurality of bores, bores designated by numerals 42, 44 and 46 being provided to permit recordation of a hit upon a battleship, destroyer or cruiser, respectively, bore 48 being provided to permit recordation of a miss. Play recording means 50, consisting of pegs interchangeably receivable within said bores, are utilized in conjunction with said bores to record the positions of shots and the effects thereof with respect to the types of ships, if any, destroyed as stated by the opponent, after the predetermined number of shots are made. It will be understood that other suitable play recording means may be used and arrangements may be used and the numbers of bores may be varied in accordance with the assorted types of ships desired to be employed in the game.

In operation, a first player will preposition, e.g., three blue covered, two red covered and three yellow covered bulbs representing three battleships, two destroyers and three cruisers, respectively, within selected sockets of his target field. The ships of each class are clustered Within adjacent sockets. Thus, a total of eight bulbs will occupy sockets of said target field, the remaining battle zones thereof being unoccupied. The opposing player will then rotate the rotor connector 28 of the play selector member Within his playing area to a selected coordinate position, e.g., 1A as shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawings. In the event a bulb is contained within the battle zone coordinately positioned at 1A, the bulb therein will light upon depression of play initiating member 30 within the opposing players playing area, play indicating means 34 contained within said opposing players circuit being sounded when member 30 is depressed. Said opposing player then makes two other selections with his selector member and actuates his play initiating member 30 each time. At the conclusion of said opposing players turn which consisted of three shots (this arbitrary number may be varied), the first player will state whether any hits have been made, the number thereof and the bulb lights to thus classifications of the ships, if any, that were hit. Said first player will also remove the covers 38 from the bulbs 36 that were lighted. Said opposing player will place pegs 50 within bores of his play recording zones which correspond to the types of ships hit. For example, if said opposing player selected shots 1A, 5B and 1C and a battleship was the only ship destroyed, said first player would state that a battleship was the only ship hit, whereupon said opposing player would place a peg 50 Within bores 42 and 48 of each of his play recording zones coordinately designated 1A, 5B and 1C inasmuch as he is only certain that one of these three battle zones of the first player contained a battleship, although he is not certain of which particular zone. He records a miss within each of these zones inasmuch as he knows that any one of these zones may have been unoccupied. If, for example, he had been told that he had three hits he would be certain that each of the battle zones fired upon were occupied. Unless, in the latter example, he is told that he had hit three battleships, he would place pegs into the bores corresponding to the ships he is said to have hit. That is, if he is told that he hit a ship of each class, bores 42, 44 and 46 of each play recording zone chosen would receive a peg. After the opposing player has had his turn, the first player makes his play consisting of three shots, the objective being to be the first to sink all the ships of the opponents fleet.

Both the structural and operational characteristics of the invention having been described, it will be understood that changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of parts from those disclosed herein without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the attendant advantages thereof, provided, however, that such changes fall within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A game apparatus comprising a game board having first and second playing areas, each playing area including a target field and a memory field, a fixed dividing barrier extending upwardly substantially intermediate of said game board, the memory field of said first playing area being disposed surfacedly of said game board on one side of said dividing barrier, and the memory field of said second playing area being disposed surfacedly of said game board on the other side of said dividing barrier, said dividing barrier having obverse and reverse faces, the target fields of said first and second playing areas being disposed surfacedly of said obverse and reverse faces of said dividing barrier, respectively, each target field being formed of coordinately arranged battle zones, each battle zone having an electric bulb receiving socket fixedly disposed therewithin, a plurality of electric bulbs received within a plurality of said sockets, respectively, a plurality of light-transmitting, colored target indicium covers removably and slidably secured to said electric bulbs, said covers being relatively differently colored and being interchangeably securable to each of said bulbs, each memory field having coordinately arranged play recording zones, the zones of the memory fields being in coordinate correspondence with the zones of the target fields, play recording means associated with said play recording zones, said latter zones being adapted to removably receive said play recording means, first and second play selector members juxtapositioned with respect to said first and second playing areas, respectively, said selector members being provided with a plurality of individual switching contactors, the number of said individual contactors being at least equal to the number of battle zones of each target field, the respective contactors of said first play selector member being electrically connected to said bulb receiving sockets disposed within respective battle zones of said second playing area, the respective contactors of said second play selector member being electrically connected to said bulb receiving sockets disposed within said first playing area, first and second play initiating switches and first and second play indicating means, the sockets of said second playing area being connected in series with said first play selector member, said first play initiating switch and an electrical power supply, said first play indicating means being connected in series with said power supply and said first play initiating switch, the sockets of said first playing area being connected in series with said second play selector member, said second play initiating switch and said electrical power supply, said second play indicating means being connected in series with said power supply and said second play initiating switch.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1933 Jackson 273-130 10/1936 Heath 273--130 2/ 1949 Shirey.

11/1951 Hall 273130 6/1957 Baker et a1 273-430 7/1962 Kazakevich 273--130 4/1963 Krzes 273-430 12/1963 Senick 273-130 FOREIGN PATENTS 4/ 1957 France. 5/ 1959 France. 12/1954 Italy. 6/ 1956 Italy.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

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