US3488052A - Marble-type game device - Google Patents

Description

Ian. I 1970 I J. A. WEISBECKER flflm fii i MARBLE-TYPE GAME DEVICE Filed May 22, 1967 .2 Sheets-Sheet 1 SLIDE SLIDE SLIDE SLIDE IN I N I I I IN I N I N IN OUT IN I III OUT I N I N I N OUT OUT I N OUT IN IN I N OUT I N OUT I III OU'II' OUT I N 001" IN IN iw' ou'r IN IN om OUT IN GU'I' m IN ou'r GUT 2 OUT m m' 'I OUT IN OUT OUT OUT IN 6 w G: -4 m m a (a m Q OUT OUT OUT ATTORNEY Jan. 6, 1970 Filed May 22, 1967 J. A. WEISBECKER MARBLE-TYPE GAME DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. d ose bri 1? weaisec/zer ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,488,052 MARBLE-TYPE GAME DEVICE Joseph A. Weisbecker, 1220 Wayne Ave., Erlton, Cherry Hill, NJ. 08034 Filed May 22, 1967, Ser. No. 639,960 Int. Cl. A63b 67/00 U.S. Cl. 273--1 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A playing board having a plurality of through holes, and a plurality of apertured sheets slidable relative to said board for aligning apertures with selected holes, whereby the selected holes are opened for passing checks! or marbles therethrough. The apertures in the sheets are so arranged that only one hole is in open alignment therewith at a time.

SUMMARY It is an important object of the present invention to provide a game device of the type described which is capable of many variations in play so as to be attractive and attention arresting to persons of substantially all ages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a game device of the type described, which may be employed for great amusement without recognition of the principles involved, and alternatively utilized in view of the operating principles to afford intellectual challenge to the players.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a game device having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, which is extremely simple in construction, durable and reliable throughout a long useful life, and which can be economically manufactured for sale at a reasonable price.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FIGURES 1 and 2 thereof, the game device of the present invention is there generally designated 10 and includes an enclosure or cover 11 having an upper wall or board 12 defining a playing surface. More specifically, as seen in FIGURE 3, the cover 11 includes a generally rectangular top wall or playing board 12, and a plurality of depending side walls 13 extending peripherally about the playing board.

A central portion -15 of the playing board 12 may be raised or thickened, and is formed with a plurality of through holes 16. The holes 16 are illustrated as being sixteen in number, and respectively designated 0 through 15, as best seen in FIGURE 4. More particularly, the holes 16 are arranged in a rectangular or Square configuration of four parallel rows of holes, each row having four holes. The rectangular or square configuration of holes 16 is located conformably within the raised central playing-board portion 15, which is located con- 3,488,052 Patented Jan. 6, 1970 formably within the bounding edges of the board 12. Also, as best seen in FIGURE 4, the upper pair of horizontally extending rows of holes 16 are spaced from the lower horizontally extending pair of rows of holes 16 a vertical distance greater than the spacing between the upper horizontal pair of rows, and also greater than the spacing between the lower horizontal pair of rows. Similarly, the left-hand vertically extending pair of rows of holes 16, as seen in FIGURE 4, are spaced from the right-hand vertically extending pair of rows of holes 16 a horizontal distance greater than the spacing between the left-hand pair of vertically extending rows, and also greater than the spacing between the right-hand vertically extending pair of rows. Centrally of the holes 16, the raised portion or land 15 may be formed with an elongate, through slot 17, extending parallel to the horizontal rows of holes 16, ifdesired. Outward of the central board portion 15, the board 12 is formed, along each side edge thereof, spaced inward from the adjacent side wall 13, with a through opening 18. As best seen in FIGURE 4, the openings 18 are respectively provided with identifying indicia, as by alphabetical marking, or the like, on the upper surface of playing board 12, for example, A and B opposite to opening A, while the additional opposite openings 18 are respectively designated C and D. An opposite pair of depending side walls 13 may be formed with cutouts, as at 19, extending upwardly from the lower side wall edge.

The cover 11 may be superposed, in covering relation over a platform or base, generally designated 21, including a generally rectangular or otherwise suitably configured baseplate 22, and a generally rectangular body 23 superposed on the baseplate. The baseplate 22 may be generally congruent to the top wall or playing board 12, while the body 23 may be similar thereto, but slightly smaller, for conforming engagement within the side walls 13 of the cover 11. The upper surface of the body 23 may be provided with one or more upwardly facing recesses or cutouts 25, being shown for purposes of illustration as two in number, and arranged occupying separate halves of the body. More specifically, each recess 25 underlies half of the holes 16, and has its bottom wall sloping or declining outwardly to define a ramp. The outwardly declining ramps or recesses 25 each open laterally outwardly, as at 26 through opposite sides of the body 23, which openings 26 are in registry with respective openings 19 in the assembled condition.

Superposed directly on the upper surface of body 23, is a guide structure 28, see FIGURE 3, which includes a generally rectangular, substantially flat plate 29 conformably overlying the body 23, and having formed centrally thereof a plurality of through holes 30, in respective registry with and beneath the holes '16 of the playing board 12. At respective corners of the plate 29, the guide structure 28 is located with a plurality of guide blocks or spacers 31 projecting above the upper surface of the plate 29. The guide blocks 31 are located outward of the apertures 30.

A plurality of apertured sheets or slides are respectively designated 32, 33, 34 and 35. Each of the sheets or slides 3245 is of generally rectangular configuration, having a cutout at one end, as at 36, 37, 38 and 39*, respectively. In the assembled condition, the several sheets 32-35 are superposed on the guide structure 28, between the guide members 31, for independent sliding movement therebetween, and beneath the playing board 12.

More specifically, the sheet 32 rests directly on the plate 29 of guide structure 28, extending in one direction thereacross, while the sheet 34 is superposed on the sheet 32, extending transversely thereacross, and independently slidable between spaced pairs of guide members 31. Superposed on the sheet 34 is the sheet 33, arranged transversely of the former sheet, so as to extend generally parallel to the lowermost sheet 32, for sliding movement in the same direction as the latter sheet. The remaining sheet 35 is superposed on the sheet 33, extending transversely of the latter sheet in substantial parallelism with sheet 35 for sliding movement in the same direction as the latter sheet. The lower-most sheet 32 is providd adjacent to its end remote from cutout 36 with an upstanding actuating member of lug 40 spacedly received in the cutout 37 of sheet 33, while the sheet 34 is provided remote from its cutout 39 with an upstanding actuating member or lug 41 spacedly received in the cutout 38 of sheet 35. Additionally, the sheets 33 and 35 are provided, remote from their respective cutouts 37 and 38 with upstanding actuating members or lugs 42 and 43. The actuating members 40-43 upstand through respective openings 18, being shiftable therein for independently sliding respective sheets, as will appear more fully hereinafter.

As best seen in FIGURE 4, the lowermost sheet 32 is provided with a plurality of through apertures 45, say equal in number to the holes 16 and of a generally overall rectangular arrangement. However, by projection in the view of FIGURE 4, it will be apparent that the righthand pair of vertical rows of apertures 45 are located for alignment with the right-hand pair of vertical rows of holes 16, while the left-hand pair of rows of apertures 45 are out of alignment with any of the holes 16. Upon leftward shifting movement of the sheet 32, the left-hand pair of vertically extending rows of apertures 45 may be moved into alignment with the left-hand pair of vertically extending rows of holes 16, which displaces the righthand pair of vertically extending rows of apertures 45 out of alignment with the right-hand pair of vertically extending rows of holes 16. Thus, the apertures of sheet 32 are arranged for alignment with either the adjacent right-hand pair of rows of holes 16, or the adjacent lefthand pair of rows of holes 16.

The sheet 33 is provided with a generally rectangular arrangement of apertures 46, which may also be sixteen in number. It will be apparent that one alternate pair of vertical rows of apertures 46 are in alignment with an alternate or spaced pair of vertical rows of holes 16, while the remaining, alternate or spaced pair of rows of apertures 46 are out of registry with the remaining alternate or spaced pair of holes 16. Upon rightward shifting of the sheet 32, the illustrated, nonregistering apertures 46 may be shifted into registry with a pair of alternate or spaced rows of holes 16, and the previously registering apertures shifted out of registry.

The apertured sheet 34 is provided with the rectangular arrangement of apertures 47, similar to that of apertures 45 in sheet 32, but shiftable transversely of the latter. This is, an adjacent pair of horizontally extending rows of apertures 47 are in alignment with an adjacent pair of horizontally extending rows of holes 16, and upon shifting movement of the sheet 34 a different adjacent pair of apertures 47 will be in alignment with a different adjacent pair of horizontal rows of holes 16.

The sheet 35 is formed with a generally rectangular arrangement of apertures 48, similar in arrangement to the apertures 46 of sheet 33. In particular, the apertures 48 have alternate or spaced horizontal rows in alignment with alternate or spaced horizontal rows of holes 16, and upon shifting of the sheet 35, different, alternate or spaced horizontal rows of apertures 48 are in alignment with different, alternate or spaced horizontal rows of holes 16.

In addition, a closure sheet or card 49 may be slidably superposed over the uppermost sheet 35, extending transversely thereof for shifting movement generally parallel to the sheets 32 and 33. The closure sheet 49 may be provided at its opposite ends with a pair of cutouts 50, and centrally with an upstanding actuating member or lug 5.1. The cutouts 50 spacedly receive respective lugs 40 and 42, while the lug 51 upstands spacedly through the slot 17 for shifting movement therein. The closure sheet 49 is further formed with a generally rectangular arrangement of a plurality of through apertures 52, in a configuration substantially identical to that of holes 16. As seen by the projection lines in FIGURE 4, the apertures 52 of sheet or slide 49 may all be in simultaneous registry or alignment with respective holes 16. Upon shifting movement of the slide or sheet 49, the apertures 52 may all be located out of or in closing relation with respect to all of the holes 16.

It will now be apparent that selective location of all of the slides 32, 33, 34, 35 and 49 may be actuated from exteriorly of the enclosure 11, specifically through the playing board 12. Thus, the holes 16 may all be closed by movement of lug 51 in one direction, and movement of lug 51 in the other direction moves all of apertures 52 into respective alignment with all of holes 16. A great number of variations in condition may be effected by selected movement of lugs 40, 41, 42 and 43 either outwardly or inwardly, within the limits of their respective receiving openings 18. In particular, with the closure slide 49 open, the slides 32-35 may be selectively located to open any single hole 16, in accordance with the directions shown in FIGURE 5. In the illustrated condition, all of the slides 32-35, by their actuating lugs 40-43, have been shifted inward, to the condition of hole number 0 being the only one open.

By way of operation, the game device 10 is capable of many variations. For example, it is possible to guess the number a person has in mind. The operator may start with the game device 10 in the condition of FIGURE 4, but with slide 49 closed, and after asking a series of four questions, and operating the lugs 40-43 in accordance with the answers, the slide 49 may be opened and the number sought will be evidenced by falling of a marble through the correspondingly numbered hole. To facilitate such use, a generally rectangular overlay sheet or card 54, see FIGURE 3, may be employed. The card 54 may have a central opening 55, and a series of slide openings 56, so as to rest on the playing board 12 with the central area 15 received in the central opening and the side openings 56 overlying the lug openings 18. The overlay card 54 may carry suitable markings, as by way of questions for operation of the lugs 40-43 to achieve the desired result.

Another game may be played by two players or teams, wherein the slides are initially set as indicated in FIG- URE 4, and the holes 16 filled with marbles or checks. The players or teams take turns moving their respective lugs 40-43 in an attempt to open a maximum of holes 16, and collect the resultant falling marbles. The player or team having the greatest number of marbles when all have fallen through the holes 16 being the winner.

The above-described game may be played with many variations, such as utilizing differently colored marbles or checks, some of which are desirable to obtain, While others carry penalties, such as replacing marble or checks.

There are also puzzle-type games, as for one player, say where, in the starting condition, there are provided a specific arrangement of marbles in the holes 16, and it is attempted to remove the marbles by opening the holes in a minimum number of slide moves.

It will be appreciated that there are sixteen patterns or arrangements of slide positions, each opening a respective hole 16. It will therefore be apparent that the pattern of slide positions is equivalent to binary representation of the decimal hole numbers, so that binary-to-decimal-number conversion can be demonstrated for teaching purposes, if desired.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a game device which fully accomplishes its intended objects and is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A game device comprising a playing board having a plurality of through holes, and a plurality of sheets each independently slidable in facing relation with respect to said board, said sheets each having apertures movable with the respective sheet into aligned relation with certzlin of said holes, said holes being arranged in parallel rows and said sheets being slidable transversely of said rows, certain of said sheets being constrained to shifting movement in one direction and other of said sheets being constrained to shifting movement in another direction transverse of said one direction, the apertures of each sheet being spaced differently from each other and from said holes for aligning sheet apertures with diiferent holes upon shifting movement of said sheets, whereby said holes are adapted to be selectively opened upon sheet movement to predetermined positions for passing checks through said holes.

2. A game device according to claim 1, said sheets each being shiftable between a pair of limiting positions for aligning apertures with different holes in diiferent positions.

3. A game device comprising a playing board having a plurality of through holes, and a plurality of sheets each independently slidable in facing relation with respect to said board, said sheets each having apertures movable with the respective sheet into aligned relation with certain of said holes, said holes thereby adapted to be selectively opened upon sheet movement to predetermined positions for passing checks through said holes, said holes being arranged in at least four parallel rows each having at least four holes, and said sheets comprising at least four in number and each having at least four parallel rows of at least four apertures each, the apertures of each sheet being spaced diiferently from each other and from said holes for aligning sheet apertures with different holes upon sliding movement of said sheets.

4. A game device according to claim 3, in combination With an additional sheet independently slidable in facing relation with respect to said board and having a plurality of apertures located in parallel rows similar to said holes for movement of said additional-sheet apertures into and out of alignment with all of said holes.

5. A game device according to claim 3, in combination with a base underlying said board and sheets and having a ramp for gravitationally receiving and directing a rollable check passed through an aligned hole and apertures.

6. A game device according to claim 3, certain of said sheets being slida'ble parallel to said rows, and other of said sheets being slidable transversely of said rows, one of each of said certain and other sheets having its apertures arranged for alignment with adjacent holes in each position of sliding, and a remaining sheet of each of said certain and other sheets having its apertures arranged for alignment with spaced holes in each position of sliding.

7. A game device according to claim 6, in combination with an indicia card replaceably overlying said board about said holes for indicating movement of said sheets to achieve a desired aperture alignment with said holes.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,061,313 10/196'2 Greene 273-139 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner PAUL E. SHAPIRO, Assistant Examiner

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