US3456948A - Bingo card with depressible numbered projections - Google Patents

Description

BINGO CARD WITH DEPRESSIBLE NUMBERED PROJECTIONS Filed July 18, 1966 J. BOSCO July 22, 1969 -2 Sheets-Shed 1 Fr 2 2 V INVENTOR. E v

' July 22, 1969 J. BOSCO 3,456,948

, BINGO CARD WITH DEPRESSIBLE NUMBERED PROJECTIONS Filed July 18, 1966 2 Sheets+$heet 2 QViZgZENTOR.

United States Patent 3,456,948 BINGO CARD WITH DEPRESSIBLE NUMBERED PROJECTIONS Joseph Bosco, 31 Summer St., Everett, Mass. 02149 Filed July 18, 1966, Ser. No. 566,187 Int. Cl. A63f 3/06 U.S. Cl. 273136 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to game cards which are formed of a fiat piece of transparent plastic provided with a plurality of dome-like extensions which are marked with large numerals. The numerals imprinted conform with the numerals used during the playing of a lotto game. The dome-like members are resilient to the touch and can be depressed and will retain their depressed state to the end of the game. The card upon which the dome-like extensions are formed may be open at the bottom, thus permitting access by the players hand to return the depressed members to their original position. Also the game card may be provided with a mechanical return comprising a secondary card provided with upright members and mounted under the first game card. Moving the secondary card upwardly will return the depressed dome-like extensions to their original pre-ga-me position.

The present invention relates to such games as commonly called blitz, beano, bingo or lotto, and more particularly it relates to the novel construction of the numbered card used in these games. The latter upon its upper surface is provided with a plurality of numbers which are imprinted thereon, and these are covered by a marker or a disk when a number is called as the game progresses. The primary purpose of the present invention is to eliminate the cumbersome requirement of using cover-up markers or disks when a number is called. The numbered card of the present invention also may find application in other games similar to blitz, bingo, beano and lotto.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a playing card preferably made of a flat piece of plastic or sheet rubber upon which are formed (during the process of manufacture) a plurality of convex, domeshaped members, each member appropriately marked with a large number, conforming with the numbers used under the rules of the game.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a plurality of numerals imprinted upon the convex side i of the domeshaped members, either directly upon the outer surface of said members, or upon the concave undersurface of said members.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a rectangularly shaped flat and resilient plastic or sheet rubber card which upon its upper surface may be provided with a plurality of resilient hollow dome-shaped members or shells, in a grid formation, or checkered formation, said members being of a half-spherical configuration. Such members are sufiiciently resilient to permit depression by the hand (finger). Such members retain their depressed state through to the end of the game; thus making possible the retention of the numbers called by the rules of the game to the very completion of the game.

A further object of the present invention is to provide free access to the under portion of the convex members thus permitting the insertion of the finger under said members to flex the concave members to return said members to their original convex position to permit re-use of the game card.

Another object of the present invention is to provide in said game card an automatic means by which the depressed concave members maybe returned to their original position at the end of the game.

The material from which the game card of the present invention is made may be any of the existing resilent plastics or rubberized materials, or a substance having rubber-like qualities permitting the convex side of the elastic dome-like members to be pushed manually downwardly. Likewise, said material must be hard enough to retain the new form and to remain depressed during the entire length of the game. At the completion of the game each resilient member may be again reset or pushed upwardly, pera mitting it to return to its original state. It is accordingly realized that through the mere use of the playing card of the present invention and through the medium of pressing down the protruding oval dome-like members the usual need for cover-up markers or disks is entirely eliminated. The flexibility or the elasticity of the material the card is made of is an essential requirement of the construction of the card, but the dome-shaped members may be formed of a lesser thickness than the rest of the card to improve the resiliency of said members.

In addition to the apparent advantages of my game card over cards of standard make, the utilization of my card can make the playing of the game more versatile. For example, the game may now be readily played outdoors and along the beaches or at summer resorts (winddoors and along the beaches or the summer resorts (wind blowing will not affect the enjoyment of the game outdoors). Moreover a player need not remain seated with the card, as is required when markers are used, so as not to upset the position of the markers upon th card. Neither is there the now usual danger of losing or misplacing the markers. When the dome-shaped members are depressed by the player, they will remain depressed until the game is finished. Quite often, when the game is played with the usual markers, some markers are accidentally lost and the absence of the markers from the card renders the game not playable. In addition, due to the convex protrusion of the dome-shaped members and the concavity or hollowness of the bottom side, the playing cards may be neatly stacked one upon another. The cards thus stacked cannot be lost or misplaced.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction, and the combination of parts, to be hereinafter fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, where like numerals denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIG. 1, showing a detail of the invention in an inoperative position;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3 showing the said detail of the present invention in an operative position;

FIG. 5 shows a modification;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a variation of the FIGURE 1 embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of 1 16.6;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of another modification;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view through a detail in FIG. 8 showing an operative position; and

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 showing the detail in an inoperative position.

It is understood that the present disclosure is merely for the purpose of illustration, and that there might be various modifications thereof, without departing from the spirit of the invention as herein set forth.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the game card 20, made in accordance with the present invention, and best seen in FIG. 1, comprises, in combination, th rectangular base 21; which may be formed with the pair of parallel upper and lower margins 22 and 23, respectively, and the vertical left and right parallel margins 24 and 25. It is readily discerned from FIG. 1 that the center portion 26 of the game card 20 is crisscrossed by a number of lines, some horizontal and others vertical, 27 and 28, respectively. The lines 27 and 28 may be printed or etched upon the upper surface of the game board or card 20 to give the card a checkered appearance, substantially as shown. The board or card 20 preferably may be formed of transparent plastic or sheet rubber material.

Within the squares c thus formed, the card 20 may be provided with a plurality of dome-shaped convex members 28a; with one single convex member 28a formed within each one of the squares on the game card. The dome-shaped members 28a are constructed in such a manner as to form a concave or hollow underspace. Inasmuch as the game card has a certain thickness throughout, and inasmuch as the dome-shaped convex members 28a are formed from the same material the card is made of, in a section taken through the card (see enlarged views in FIGS. 3 and 4) the dome-shaped members 28:: are convex over their outer surface and concave on the undersurface. A number of numerals It (usually printed in black ink or in other striking colors) may be imprinted or etched upon the convex outer surface of the domeshaped members. The numerals n are preferably imprinted upon the upper surface of the convex members, but also may be imprinted upon the under concave surface in the event the material the dome-shaped members 28a are made of is transparent, allowing the numerals n to show therethrough.

In a modification, it may be possible to punch the numbers n in the dome-shaped members 2811, or even to provide fillers shaped in the form of numerals which may be fitted snugly into appropriate openings punched in the dome-shaped members. Likewise it may be possible to provide colored inserts (not shown) to be mounted in holes or openings in the convex members. While the thickness of the material the card 20 is made of may be the same throughout the entire card, it is possible to reduce the thickness of the material within the dome-shaped member proper. Such a construction will provide added strength of the game card itself and may provide added flexibility and resilience of the dome-shaped convex members 28a.

The invention eliminates entirely the use of markers or disks in the playing of the game. Instead, the game card 20 is provided with the above referred to dome-shaped convex members 28a. The convex members may be slightly depressed by the player (by the finger of the right hand while the card is held in the left hand, or when the card is supported upon a table). Due to the flexibility of the material the game card is made of the depression is retained in the convex member until the completion of the game. As the various members are called (in accordance with the rules of the game) the convex members 28a are depressed. In the event that the player has received the right combination of numbers, the card is then turned over to the game-warden for inspection. Upon the completion of the game, and before a new game begins, the convex members 28a may be restored to their original pre-game non-operative position by returning the depressions 29 to their original pre-game position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4. This action may be readily accomplished by inserting a finger behind the depression 29, and applying a slight pressure in the direction opposite to that shown by the arrow. The rear end of the card is open, permitting access to the convex members 28a, and thus the operation of returning the convex members to their original non-operative position may be accomplished with ease.

FIG. 5 shows an enlarged section through a modification. Whereas in the game card shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, inclusive, each individual convex member 28a separately may be returned to its original non-operative state by the use of the finger of the player, FIG. 5 shows means whereby all convex members may be returned simultaneously to their non-operative position. This may be accomplished by the use of a game board or card 20a which is provided with a plurality of convex members 28 (similar to the members 28a shown in FIGS. 1 to 4) and in which in similar manner depressions 29a may be formed. However, for the purpose of returning the depressions 29a to their original, pre-game state, there may be provided behind the convex members 28' a plurality of sections or members 30, formed from a secondary rectangular board or card 31 which is mounted behind the first card 20a, substantially as indicated. Around its outer perimeter, the card 31 may be provided with a flanged section 32. The secondary card 31 is mounted to move or to slide vertically (up or down) in relation to the game card 20a. The flange 32 of the card 31 is turned inwardly at 33 to form an upright section 34 running around the entire perimeter of the card. The flange 34 serves as a stop for the card 31 thus preventing the latter from being disengaged from the game card 200.

Each of the sections end in a somewhat pointed section 300, the latter contacting the undersurface of the depressed portion 29a, substantially as shown in FIG. 5. It is obvious from the foregoing that when the card 31 (with its sections 30) is slightly moved in the direction indicated by the arrow, the points 30a will contact the depressions 29a. Further motion of the card 31 will apply pressure against the depressed surfaces 29a to return the latter to their original pro-game state, shown in dotted lines. From the foregoing, it becomes clear that while in the case of the card shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, inclusive, each depressed section 29 had to be returned individually to its pro-game position, the modification shown in FIG. 5 permits the return of all depressions simultaneously to their original non-operative position. The latter design provides means of preventing mistakes and assures the player that all depressed surfaces are returned to their original state prior to the beginning of a new game.

FIGS. 8 to 10, inclusive, illustrate an additional modification. In the latter case the game card 20b may be provided with a plurality of dome-shaped convex members 28b similar in construction to the members 28a (see FIG. 2). A number of upright fingers 35 may be formed upon a secondary rectangular card 36 which is appropriately mounted under the first card 20b. A fiange 37 running the entire outer perimeter of the card 20b forms a hollow space into which is fitted snugly the secondary card 36 which is permitted to slide up and down in a vertical plane in respect to the first card 20b. The card 36 has a stiffening flange 38a and the ends of the flange 37 may be turned degrees to form a stop, substantially as shown. By means of the secondary card 36 the fingers 35 are brought into direct contact with the undersurface of the depressions 29b (see FIG. 9). Further sliding motion of the secondary card 36 (in a vertical plane) will apply pressure against the depressions 29b to return the latter to their original non-operative pre-game position shown in FIG. 10. By this means all depressed sections 29b may be returned simultaneously to their original pre-game position. Also, by this means, mistakes in returning sections 29b to their pre-game position may be avoided.

A careful examination of the foregoing description in conjunction with the drawings will enable the reader to obtain a clear understanding of the alleged features of merit and novelty, sufficient to clarify the construction of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Minor changes in shape, size and materials, and rearrangement of parts, may be resorted to in actual practice, as long as no departure is made from the invention claimed.

Having described my invention, what I claim is the following:

1. A game card comprising, in combination, a flat rectangular sheet of transparent plastic, having an upper and a lower surface, upon its upper surface said sheet being subdivided by markings into a plurality of rectangular sections, a dome-like member being formed in each section thus formed, said dome-like member rising above and beyond the upper surface of said sheet to form a convex extension, a hollow concave space being formed under each of said dome-like members, and numbers being imprinted under said dome-like members in said concave space to show through the transparent plastic, said sheet being open under its lower surface to provide free access to the undersurface of said convex members, said dome-like members being so dimensioned and constructed that they may be deformed by the application of pressure to form a centrally located concave depression, and will remain in such deformed condition when pressure is removed, but being capable of being restored to their original form by the application of pressure to the inner surface of the depression.

2. The combination according to claim '1; said sheet being of even thickness throughout its entire cross section, said dome-like members being formed of lesser thickness than the thickness of said sheet.

3. A game card including, in combination, a sheet having hollow dome-shaped members for-med thereon and said sheet having numerals imprinted upon each of said dome-shaped members, said dome-shaped members being formed of a cross section of lesser thickness than the remainder of the sheet to flex under pressure so as to form a centrally located concave depression, and means for flexing the depression thus formed to return it to its original convex position, said latter means comprising a secondary sheet mounted below the first sheet, said secondary sheet having risers, said risers adapted to contact the undersurface of the concave depressions, the movements of said secondary sheet toward the first sheet causing said risers to apply pressure to said depressions to return the latter to their original convex form.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,038,062 9/1912 Albert 273- 2,970,385 2/1961 Bringmann.

FOREIGN PATENTS 70,217 11/1949 Denmark. 389,722 7/ 1908 France. 787,287 12/1957 Great Britain.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner

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