US3473803A

US3473803A - Device for playing the game of rock-paper-scissors

Info

Publication number: US3473803A
Application number: US614666A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward R Bodenhamer; William Chin
Original assignee: EDWARD R BODENHAMER
Current assignee: EDWARD R BODENHAMER
Priority date: 1967-02-08
Filing date: 1967-02-08
Publication date: 1969-10-21
Anticipated expiration: 1986-10-21

Description

Oct. 21, 1969 E. R. BODENHAMER ET AL 3,473,803

DEVICE FOR PLAYING THE GAME OF ROCK-PAPER-SCISSORS Filed Feb. 8, 1967 .2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I2 Edward R Bodenhamer F g- 2 BY William Chin W, 6mi I Oct. 21, 1969 R, DE H ET AL 3,473,803

DEVICE FOR PLAYING THE GAME OF ROCK-PAPER-SCISSORS Filed Feb. 8, 1967 .2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y, I I// I/I/ 17 I6 I3 flo l N F 3 I8 I g 21 H28 1 g.

C r z 8 INVENTORS 8 12 Edward R. Bodenhamer BY W'Iliam Chin.

ni'ted States Patent 3,473,803 DEVICE FOR PLAYING THE GAME OF ROCK-PAPER-SCISSORS Edward R. Bodenhamer, 15778 Via Nueva, San Lorenzo,

Calif. 94580, and William Chin, 2708 Fulton St., San

Francisco, Calif. 94117 Filed Feb. 8, 1967, Ser. No. 614,666 Int. Cl. A63f 9/12 US. Cl. 273--1 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DiSCLOSURE A mechanical amusement device including a box with a like set of at least three vertically movable indicators for each of two players and a digitally operable actuator for each indicator located at the opposite sides of the box so that the actuators for each player are hidden from the View of his opponent, the actuators being levers that permit downward retraction of the indicators into the box by gravity upon release of the actuator. The indicators for each player have relative ranks and either carry different indicia or are of different outlines or colors.

The invention relates to an amusement device in the form of a mechanical toy in which each of two or more players has a like set of diflerent symbols and each player, without knowledge of the other, selects one symbol from his own set and the several players simultaneously display the selected symbols mechanically; a player either wins or loses, depending upon the relation of the displayed symbols if they are different, or neither wins if the symbols are alike.

The different symbols within each set have different ranks, related so that each symbol outranks another and is, in turn, out-ranked by another. The game is a mechanical adaptation of the game known as Stone, Scissors and Paper, wherein the players, having their hands wellconcealed, e.g. behind their backs, form their hands into appropriate signs to represent a stone by a clenched fist, scissors by a pair of spread fingers, and paper by displaying the fiat of the hand. At a given signal the players simultaneously display their hands in front of them for comparison. The relative ranks of the symbols are evident from the understanding that a stone will break scissors, scissors will cut paper, and paper will wrap or cover a stone, so that any one symbol can win if different from the opponents; the display of like symbols results in a draw.

In summary, the amusement device of the invention comprises a base providing upright wall means (preferably in the form of a box to provide two upright walls), a plurality of at least three individually movable indicators for each of the several players mounted on the base for movement between a first and a second position, the indicators being nonnally in their first positions and being visible at least in their second positions, and a separate, manually operable actuator or key for each indicator, the actuators for each player being situated on his side of the wall means and hidden from the view of his opponent. At a signal given by one of the players, or by a third player, the opposing players simultaneously operate one of their three (or more) actuators to move one of their indicators to its second position.

When the base is in the form of a box, there are provided two spaced upright walls, and the indicators are then mounted for vertical movement between said walls, preferably being recessed below the tops of said walls in their first positions and elevate to project upwardly beyond said walls in their second positions.

The actuators may be levers mounted in the upright walls and having pivotal connections thereto and to the vertically movable indicators, e.g. by means of metallic ICC hinge pins. This construction is well adapted to fabrication of the apparatus principally out of plastic material.

The indicators carry indicia and/or may have different outlines to indicate relative ranks, although it is possible to indicate the relative ranks on the box near the indicators (or to omit all indicia and indication, relying on the positions of the indicators on the box to establish relative ranks). In a preferred embodiment, the indicators have different outlines suggestive of the three symbols used in the above-mentioned game, e.g. a rectangular field for paper, the upper part of an X for scissors, and the upper part of a circular plaque for a stone. The actuators may bear similar indicia, and in a preferred embodiment, have digitally engageable plates which are smaller than but have outlines like or suggestive of the outlines of the corresponding indicators.

The game device may be provided with counter means, comprising a rod and a plurality of beads (which may have different colors) slidable on the rod for keeping score.

The invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and showing one preferred embodiment by way of illustration, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a pictorial view of the game device;

FIGURE 2 is section taken on the broken section line 22 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 3 is a section taken on the broken section line 33 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 4 is a view partly in plan and partly in section, taken on the broken section line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the apparatus comprises a base in the form of a box 7 having a pedestal 8 ot each end, and a horizontal top wall 9, which rests on and joins the tops of the spaced, upright walls 10 and 11. The box has a bottom wall 12 and two end walls 13. Extending between the walls 13, in spaced relation beneath the central part of the wall 9, is a second, horizontal wall 14. The wall 9 has two rows of

slots

15 and 15a, situated with their inner margins above the corresponding margin of the wall 14. Extending parallel to each edge of the wall 14 and in laterally spaced relation thereto is a wooden strip 16, which is supported at its ends by transverse cleats 17 which rest on the wall 14 and are secured thereto, as by an adhesive. The horizontal interval between the margins of the wall 14 and the strip 16 is about equal to the width of the

slots

15, 15a.

An

indicator

18, 19 or 20 is vertically movable with clearance on all sides within each of the slots of the row 15, and an ndicator 18a, 19a or 20a is similarly movable within the slot of the row 15a. All indicators are guided by their respective slots in the Wall 9 and extend downwards through the slot between a margin of the wall 14 and one of the strips 16 for additional guidance. The indicators 18 and 18a have their upper parts in the form of part of a circle, representing a stone; indicators 19 and 1911 are shaped at their tops like the upper part of the letter X, representing scissors; and indicators 20 and 20a have their upper parts shaped rectangularly, to represent paper.

Each of the indicators 18-20 has a

separate actuator

21, 22 or 23, which is a lever extending through an aperture in the upright wall 10 and is pivotally mounted thereto by a metallic hinge pin 24. The hinge pin 24 passes through blocks 25 which are fastened to (or molded integrally with) the wall 10. The inner ends of the actuating levers are pivotally connected to the lower ends of the indicators by horizontal, metallic hinge pins 26 which extend through enlargements 27 fastened to (or formed at) the bottoms of the indicators. The outer ends of the actuating levers have digitally engageable plates 28, which form depressible keys and preferably have outlines corresponding to or suggestive of the outlines of the indicators connected thereto, such as a circle, a rectangle with a reentrant notch, and a complete rectangle, as such figures appear in FIGURE 4. The indicators 13a, 26a are similarly provided with individual actuating levers, of which only the lever 23a appears, these levers being similarly provided with digitally engageable plates or keys 28%;. These levers are pivotally mounted to the wall 11 and pivotally connected to the respective indicators as previously described for the levers 21-23.

The heights of the indicators are such that, when in their first or lower positions, resting on the bottom 12, their uppermost parts project a very small distance above the wall 9, so that they will be guided in their upward movement by the margins of the slots 15, a. Further, the actuating levers are so arranged that gravity causes the indicators normally to assume their first positions. When a key 28 is depressed, the corresponding indicator is raised to its second position, as is shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 1 for the indicators 19 and a and in FIG- URE 3 for the lever 21 and indicator 18. When the keys are released the indicators fall back to their first positions.

The box preferably is further provided with inclined marginal walls 29 which slope upwards from the top wall 9 and have elongated open areas or recesses 30. A bar 31 having slidable beads 32, which may be of diiferent colors, is mounted on each wall 29 within the recess. This provides a means for keeping score.

The keys 28 and 28a are situated on opposite sides of the wall means (formed in this embodiment by the walls 10 and 11) and below the top of the wall means, so that each set of three keys is hidden from the view of the opposing player. The inclined walls 29 further aid in concealing the keys or actuators from the opponent.

In one embodiment, all parts of the device except the

wooden parts

16 and 17 and the metallic hinge pins 24 and 26 (and optionally certain auxiliary positioning parts not shown) are formed of plastic material.

In playing the game, at a prearranged signal, such as the word Go announced by a player, each of the two opponents simultaneously depresses one of his keys; if the raised indicators are different the winner is determined as previously indicated and the winner registers one point on his beads 32, no score being credited if the indicators are alike. It is also contemplated that the game may be played in conjunction with a deck of cards which represent, when laid side by side, a trip say to China. A player winning a predetermined number of contests, such as ten, is entitled to draw a card from the deck and win the game upon becoming the holder of sufficient cards to complete his imaginary trip.

We claim:

1. A competitive amusement device for a plurality of players comprising, a base including two spaced upright walls and a substantially horizontal top wall extending between upper portions of said upright walls and having a plurality of slotted portions therein, a plurality of indicators for each of two players carried by said base for vertical movement between said upright Walls and in registration with said slotted portions for movement of said indicators from a concealed position beneath to an exposed position above said top wall, said indicators in exposed position being visible from both sides of said base. and a separate manually operable actuator for each indicator and connected thereto for moving the corresponding indicator from a concealed to exposed position, the actuators for one player being situated on one side and those for the other player on the other side of said upright walls and all actuators being below said top wall so as to be hidden from the view of the opposing player.

2. An amusement device according to claim 1, wherein said actuators are levers pivotally mounted in and extending to both sides of said upright Walls, said levers having pivotal connections to said indicators.

3. In combination with the amusement device according to claim 2, a pair of vertically spaced, substantially horizontal walls carried by said upright walls and provided with vertically aligned apertures for guiding said indicators.

4. An amusement device according to claim 2 wherein said walls, levers and indicators are formed of plastic material and said levers are pivotally connected to said walls and to the indicators by metallic hinge pins.

5. An amusement device according to claim 1 wherein said indicators have dififerent outlines.

6. An amusement device according to claim 5 wherein said actuators include digitally engageable keys having outlines corresponding at least in part to the outlines of the indicators.

7. In combination with the amusement device according to claim 1, counter means mounted on said base and comprising a rod and a plurality of beads slidable on said rod, for keeping score.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,628,838 2/1953 Smalley. 2,844,374 7/1958 French. 3,048,402 8/1962 Schaper 273- XR ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner PAUL E. SHAPIRO, Assistant Examiner