US3706456A

US3706456A - Board game apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3706456A
Application number: US107145A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph J Sesti; Ferdinand Sesti
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-01-18
Filing date: 1971-01-18
Publication date: 1972-12-19
Anticipated expiration: 1989-12-19

Abstract

Game apparatus including a number of similar game blocks having faces marked with distinctive colors, and adapted to be placed side by side to form a block structure, and a set of indicia selector cards composed of card groups equal in number and corresponding in color to the block faces. Each card bears a pair of block placement indicia matching the indicia on two selected block faces. The apparatus has pyramidal shaped blocks which are assembled in a number of tiers or plateaus to form a completed block structure with the shape of a pyramid. This apparatus has plateau boards for supporting each block plateau on the preceding plateau, scoring charts on the lowermost or base plateau board, a chance selection hood block adapted to be placed over and rotated with a game block, and a bonus scoring feature.

Description

United States Patent Sesti et a1.

[4 1 Dec. l9, 1 972 1541 BOARD GAME APPARATUS [72] Inventors: Joseph J. Sesti, 427 Reed Street, ,Covina, Calif. 91722; Ferdinand Sesti, 223 Braz iliana Drive, 'San Dimas,Ca1if.91773 22 Filed: Jan. 13, 1971 211 App1.No.: 107,145

[52] US. Cl. .....273/135 AC, 273/135 F, 273/137 R, 273/138 R, 273/148 R FORElGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Great Britain ..273/130 R Primary ExaminerDelbert B. Lowe Anorney-Boniard 1. Brown [57] ABSTRACT Game apparatus including a number of similar game blocks having faces marked with distinctive colors, and adapted to be placed side by side to form a block structure, and a set of indicia selector cards composed of card groups equal in number and corresponding in color to the block faces. Each card bears a pair of block placement indicia matching the indicia on vtwo selected block faces. The apparatus has pyramidal shaped blocks which are assembled in a number of tiers or plateaus to form a completed block structure with the shape of a pyramid. This apparatus has plateau boards for supporting each block plateau on the preceding plateau, scoring charts on the lowermost or base plateau board, a chance selection hood block adapted to be placed over and rotated with a game block, and a bonus scoring feature.

17 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures PATENTEDnmsmz 3.706.456

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' FERDINAND E577 4 /Z4 a) 22 ATTORNEY Y Y W ZZ BOARD GAME APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to the field of games and more particularly to a novel game apparatus for playing a game which involves the placement of game blocks by the players during successive turns in accordance with selector cards assigned to the players to form a completed block structure and wherein each player receives a score based on indicia on the exposed block faces in the completed structure.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art Games are becoming ever more popular as a source of amusement and mental stimulation for both adults and children. This is particularly true of games which are relatively sophisticated and require extensive use of the mental processes, especially logical reasoning. A great variety of such games have been devised. The present invention provides game apparatus for use by a number of players in playing a game of the class described.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The game apparatus of the invention includes a number of similar game blocks having faces marked with distinctive indicia, such as colors, and adapted to be placed side by side to form a block structure with one or more block tiers or plateaus, and a set of indicia selector cards composed of card groups equal in number and corresponding to the block faces. The several cards of each group bear a common group identification indicia matching that of the corresponding block face; and each card bears a pair of block' placement indicia matching the indicia on two selected block faces. The players are each assigned, by chance selection, an equal number of game blocks and a group of selector cards. In the course of the game, the players take successive turns, each involving selection of a card from the players card group, and placement of a player's game block next to a previously placed block in such a way that the indicia on the confronting block faces match the block placement indicia on the selected card. Each player receives a final score based on the total number of exposed block faces in his side of the completed block structure whose indicia match the group identification indicia of his selector cards.

The disclosed game apparatus has game blocks with pyramidal shapes which are adapted to be assembled in a number of tiers or plateaus arranged one over the other. The number of blocks in each successive plateau from the bottom to the top of the completed block structure is less than the number of blocks in the preceding plateau, such that the completed block structure has the shape of a pyramid. The blocks in the bottom plateau are placed on a base plateau board. Additional plateau boards are placed between the adjacent upper plateaus for supporting the blocks of each plateau on the blocks of the adjacent lower plateau. Preferably, these plateau boards are marked with squares or provided with other means to define the block positions in each plateau.

The disclosed game apparatus includes additional elements and features for aiding and enlivening the game. These additional elements are scoring charts, at turn marker, a chance hood, a game block referred to as a finial, and bonus marks. The scoring charts, which are preferably printed on the base board, display different numerical values corresponding to the several exposed block face positions in the completed pyramidal block structure. These scoring values are used to compute the final players score. The turn marker is passed from player to player to designate the players turns. The bonus markings are provided on the plateau boards and game blocks to permit awarding of bonus points under certain conditions when the marked blocks are located on the marked block positions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates the completed block structure or pyramid of the present game apparatus;

FIGS. 2-6 illustrate the successive plateau boards of the game apparatus;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of one game block;

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of certain game blocks;

FIG. 9 is a bottom view of certain other game blocks;

FIG. 10 is a top view of certain game blocks on reduced scale;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the finial;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the turn marker;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the hood;

FIG. 14 illustrates the face sides of the selector cards; and

FIG. 15 illustrates the back side of one group of selector cards.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The drawings illustrate game apparatus 10 according to the invention including a number of game blocks 12 to be placed side by side by the players according to the game rules to form a completed block structure 14. In this case, the block structure has a number of tiers or plateaus 15 arranged one over the other.

Each block 12 has four faces 16, bearing distinctive indicia 18. indicia 18 may assume various forms, such as numbers, letters, insignias, colors, etc. In this disclosure, it is assumed that the indicia are the colors red, yellow, white and blue. These four colors are represented in the drawings by the letters R, Y, W, B, respectively. Preferably, these colors are arranged in different sequences about the blocks, as shown. A typical game set according to the invention, for example, may have 54 game blocks consisting of six sets of nine blocks each. The blocks of each set have the same sequence of colored faces 16. The color sequence varies from one block set to another.

The game apparatus also includes a set 20 of indicia or color selector cards 22. This card set is composed of card groups equal in number to the colored faces i.e., four) of each game block 12. The backs of the several cards of each group bear a common group identification indicia or color 24 matching the indicia or color on one block face 16. The face of each card bears a pair of block placement indicia or colors 26, 28 matching the indicia on two selected block faces. In the particular game apparatus shown, at least one of the block placement colors on each card is the same as its group identification color. These card colors are represented I060l l 0023 in the drawings by the same letters as the block faces. in a typical game set, each color selector card group contains four cards.

As will appear presently, at the start of the game, each player is assigned a number of the game blocks 12 and a group of the color selector cards 22. The identification color 24 of the card group assigned to each player is referredto as his base color. Thus, the base color of each player appears on one face of each game block and on the backs of his color selector cards. In the course of the game, the players take successive turns. During his turn, each player turns face up one of his color selector cards 22 and places one of his game blocks 12 next to a previously placed block in such a way that the colors 18 of the confronting block faces 16 match the block placement colors 26, 28 on the turned card. This action continues until the first plateau of the block structure 14 is completed, after which the second plateau is started on top of the first, and so on until the entire structure is completed. Each player is then awarded a score based on the number of exposed block faces which display the player's base color.

It is evident at this point that the game blocks 12 and the completed block structure 14 may have various shapes. in the particular game apparatus shown, the blocks and the completed structure have pyramidal. shapes. This game apparatus also has a base plateau board 30 on which are placed the blocks in the first plateau l5 and additional plateau boards 32 which are placed between the adjacent upper plateaus to support each upper plateau on the adjacent lower plateau. These plateau boards have means 34 defining the block positions in the respective plateaus. In this case, the boards have grid lines forming squares 35 which define the block positions.

The base plateau board 30 has an outer border 36 and an inner plateau game area 38 containing the squares 35 and bounded by an inner border 40. The space 41 between the outer border 36 and game area 38 provides a storage space for certain additional game pieces or elements to be described presently. Along the four sides of the base board 30 are triangular scoring charts 42 to be explained presently. In the center square of the base 30 is a mark 44, in this case a red circle. Certain additional squares of the base contain bonus marks 46 in the form of a circle within a triangle.

The upper plateau boards 32 diminish in size and are bounded by edge flanges 48 which project above and below the boards to form shoulders. Certain of these upper boards have

marks

44, 46 like the base board. Certain of the game blocks have bonus marks 49. The purpose of these marks will be explained shortly. The number of block positions or squares 35 on each successive plateau board from the bottom to the top of the block structure or pyramid 14 is less than the number of squares on the preceding board. Thus, starting with the base board 30, the plateau boards have 25, 16, 9, 4 and 1 square, respectively.

The illustrated game apparatus has certain additional game elements which aid and enhance the interest and excitement of the game. These additional game elements are a game block 50, referred to herein as a finial, having a pair of simulated eyes 51, a turn market 52 and a hollow hood 54. As will be explained presently, the finial 50 is used to select the player who is to take the first turn, the turn marker 52 is passed from player to player to indicate the player having the current turn, and the hood 54 is used with the finial to select the first player and with a game block 12 to assign the base colors to the players. Normally, the finial, turn marker, and hood are contained within the base board space 41. The turn marker and hood have upper finger grips 56 to facilitate manipulation of these elements in the manner explained later. The turn marker, finial, and hood may have any distinctive colors.

At this point attention is directed to the scoring charts 42. Each of these charts has a number of triangles 58 corresponding to the exposed block faces 16 at the adjacent side of the completed block structure or pyramid 14. Within each triangle is a numerical score value 60. At the conclusion of play, the players scores are computed with the aid of these charts, as explained presently.

While the rules of the game which is played with the present game apparatus do not constitute a patentable feature of the invention, they do help 'to provide a better understanding of the invention. For this reason, a set of typical game rules is set forth below. These rules assume four players playing as individuals. As will appear presently, however, the game may be playedby two or three players with certain slight modifications of the rules, as explained later, and the players may be paired as partners.

Rule 1. One player is chosen to determine the players base colors and the player who is to have the first turn. To determine the players base colors, the chosen player places one of the game blocks on the base plateau board, covers the block with the hood and rotates the block and hood until the player to the left of the chosen player says stop with the sides of the hood facing the players. The hood is then removed to expose the game block and each player is assigned as a base color the color of the block side face facing the respective player. Each player retains this base color throughout the entire game.

Rule 2. Each player takes the group of color selector cards whose group identification color is the same as the player's base color and places the cards face down in front of him.

Rule 3. The game blocks are placed in an upright position and mixed up, whereupon the players take the same number of blocks and place the latter in front of them on the base plateau board 30. v

Rule 4. The player chosen in Rule 1 now determines the player to take the first turn by repeating the procedure of Rule 1 with the finial block in place of the game block. The player toward whom the eyes on the finial block look when the hood is removed is designated the first player. The turn marker is given to this player. A game block is placed on the red circle at the center of the base plateau.

Rule 5. Each player turns face up one of his color selector cards to expose its block placement colors.

Rule 6. The first player places one of his game blocks on the first plateau board in a square next to the center square containing the first block on the board in a manner such that the colors of the confronting block faces match the block placement colors on the first player's exposed color selector card.

l060ll 0024 Rule 7. The turn marker is then passed to the next player who repeats the procedure of Rule 6. The same procedure is repeated one player after another around the board until all of the squares of the first plateau are filled.

Rule 8. The second plateau board is placed on the blocks of the first plateau and play is resumed by placing a block on one of the red circles of the second board and repeating the procedure of Rules 4-7. The procedure of Rule 4 is performed by the player then holding the turn marker 52. If desired, this player may place the hood 54 over the first block on the second plateau and follow the same general procedure as Rule 1 to rotate the block to a chance selected position.

Rule 9. The procedure of Rule 8 is repeated for each succeeding plateau, except that at the fourth plateau only the procedure of rotating the finial under the hood is followed to select the first player, and at the top plateau the player holding the turn marker places the finial on the top plateau board and repeats the finial rotating procedure of Rule 4. The player toward whom the eyes on the finial look when the hood is removed then initiates the scoring sequence described below.

Rule 10. When the blocks upon a plateau board do not show any exposed sides bearing one of the two colors that a player must oppose in order to complete his play, the player so affected may exchange his block with one held in reserve for the third plateau if this bears a suitable combination; otherwise he must pass. No exchange of blocks is permitted between partners.

Rule 1 1. If all players are so immobilized, an impasse is declared and each player places the top card of his color selector set face down under the others and exposes the next one. This establishes a new arrangement of opposing colors and the play resumes beginning with the person who has the turn marker.

Rule 12. If, toward the end of the session, there should be only one player left to carry the action all by himself, and he also reaches an impasse, he keeps turning one card after another in the prescribed manner until a workable combination comes into view.

Rule 13. It also often happens in the game that one player or another will use all of his blocks. In such a case the player is out of the action but not out of the game. He must receive and pass along the turn marker to maintain the proper order of turns.

Rule 14. At the conclusion of the game, each player's score is computed by recording the score value in his scoring chart corresponding to each exposed block face in the adjacent side of the completed pyramid which bears the players base color and totalling these score values.

Rule 15. After completion of the scoring procedure of Rule 14, additional bonus points may be awarded each player for those blocks having exposed sides with the players base color as described in Rule 14 which have a bonus mark and are located on a square with a bonus mark.

Rule 16. When only two players are in the game, they sit opposite each other and each one takes half the game blocks. Then, after each one has drawn his own base color (according to Rule 1) the color showing on the left side of the selecting block, as the player faces this block, also becomes his. Each player thus has two base colors. The two corresponding sets of color selector cards are then shuffled together to form one pack and the two base colors mixed therein are used in the play. In this game for two the two sides of the pyramid facing the unoccupied sides of the main board do not 5 count in the final scoring.

Rule 17. When there. are three players, they take equal numbers of game blocks leaving one in reserve for the player who first runs out of blocks during the game. In this game, after the drawing of base colors (according to Rule 1) the unselected color and its related set of color selector cards are removed from the action and the side of the pyramid facing the unoccupied side of the main board does not count in the scoring. 15 What is claimed as new in support of Letters Patent 1. Game apparatus comprising:

a number of similar game blocks each having faces marked with distinctive indicia and adapted to be placed side by side to form a completed block structure having at least one plateau of blocks with exposed faces along the plateau sides,

a set of indicia selector cards composed of card groups equal in number to the marked faces of each block, and

the several cards of each card group bearing group identification indicia matching that of a selected block face and a pair of block placement indicia matching the indicia of two selected block faces.

2. Game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:

said indicia are colors.

3. Game apparatus according to claim 1 including:

a scoring chart having designated thereon numerical scoring values corresponding in their positions on said chart to the positions occupied by said exposed block faces.

4. Game apparatus according to claim 1 including:

a hood to be placed over a game block for chance assignment of said card groups to the players by rotation of the block to a position wherein the block faces face the players, respectively, and assignment to each player of the card group whose identification indicia match the indicia on the corresponding block face.

5. Game apparatus according to claim 1 including:

a base plateau board having means defining the block positions in said plateau.

6. Game apparatus according to claim 1 including:

a base plateau board having means defining the block positions in said plateau,

a scoring chart on said board having designated thereon numerical scoring values corresponding in their positions on said chart to the positions occupied by said exposed block faces, and

7. Game apparatus according to claim 1 including:

a base plateau board on which said blocks are adapted to be placed in a number of plateaus located one over the other to form a completed block structure, and additional plateau boards to be placed between the adjacent upper plateaus for supporting the blocks of each upper plateau on the blocks of the adjacent lower plateau. 8. Game apparatus according to claim 7 wherein:

each plateau board includes means defining the block positions of the supported block plateau.

9. Game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:

said blocks each have a generally pyramidal shape,

and

said blocks are adapted to be placed side by side to form a completed block structure having a number of plateaus arranged one over the other, with each successive plateau from the bottom to the top of said structure containing fewer blocks than the preceding plateau, whereby said structure has the shape of a pyramid.

10. Game apparatus according to claim 9 including: a base plateau board on which said blocks are adapted to be placed in a number of plateaus located one over the other to form a completed block structure, and additional plateau boards to be placed between the adjacent upper plateaus for supporting the blocks of each upper plateau on the blocks of the adjacent lower plateau. 2S

form a completed block structure having a number of plateaus arranged one over the other,

each successive plateau from the bottom to the top of the completed block structure containing fewer blocks than the preceding plateau, whereby said structure has the shape of a pyramid,

a base plateau board on which are to be placed the blocks of the lowermost plateau, and additional plateau boards to be placed between the adjacent upper plateaus for supporting the blocks of each upper plateau on the blocks of the adjacent lower plateau,

each plateau board includes means defining the block positions of the supported .block plateau, and

said apparatus includes a scoring chart on said base board having designated thereon numerical scoring values-corresponding in their positions on said chart to the positions occupied by said exposed block faces.

13. Game apparatus according to claim 12 including:

a hood to be placed over a game block for chance assignment of said card groups to the players by rotation of the block to a position wherein the block faces face the players, respectively, and assignment to each player of the card group whose identification indicia match the indicia on the corresponding block face. a

14. Game apparatus according to claim 13 wherein:

said indicia are colors.

15. Game apparatus according to claim 14 wherein:

certain of said game blocks have a normally concealed mark and certain block positions of at least one plateau board have a mark for awarding bonus points to the players.

. Game apparatus according to claim 1 including:

described:

a game block of pyramidal shape,

the faces of 'said block bearing distinctive indicia,

and

a hollow hood of pyramidal shape having a cavity of approximately the same size and shape as said block and opening through the bottom of the hood for receiving said block, whereby said hood is adapted to cover said block, and said hood and said block when covered by said hood are rotatable in unison.

t t l lO60ll 0026

Claims

1. Game apparatus comprising: a number of similar game blocks each having faces marked with distinctive indicia and adapted to be placed side by side to form a completed block structure having at least one plateau of blocks with exposed faces along the plateau sides, a set of indicia selector cards composed of card groups equal in number to the marked faces of each block, and the several cards of each card group bearing group identification indicia matching that of a selected block face and a pair of block placement indicia matching the indicia of two selected block faces.

2. Game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein: said indicia are colors.

3. Game apparatus according to claim 1 including: a scoring chart having designated thereon numerical scoring values corresponding in their positions on said chart to the positions occupied by said exposed block faces.

4. Game apparatus according to claim 1 including: a hood to be placed over a game block for chance assignment of said card groups to the players by rotation of the block to a position wherein the block faces face the players, respectively, and assignment to each player of the card group whose identification indicia match the indicia on the corresponding block face.

5. Game apparatus according to claim 1 including: a base plateau board having means defining the block positions in said plateau.

6. Game apparatus according to claim 1 including: a base plateau board having means defining the block positions in said plateau, a scoring chart on said board having designated thereon numerical scoring values corresponding in their positions on said chart to the positions occupied by said exposed block faces, and a hood to be placed over a game block for chance assignment of said card groups to the players by rotation of the block to a position wherein the block faces face the players, respectively, and assignment to each player of the card group whose identification indicia match the indicia on the corresponding block face.

7. Game apparatus according to claim 1 including: a base plateau board on which said blocks are adapted to be placed in a number of plateaus located one over the other to form a completed block structure, and additional plateau boards to be placed between the adjacent upper plateaus for supporting the blocks of each upper plateau on the blocks of the adjacent lower plateau.

8. Game apparatus according to claim 7 wherein: each plateau board includes means defining the block positions of the supported block plateau.

9. Game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein: said blocks each have a generally pyramidal shape, and said blocks are adapted to be placed side by side to form a completed block structure having a number of plateaus arranged one over the other, with each successive plateau from the bottom to the top of said structure containing fewer blocks than the preceding plateau, whereby said structure has the shape of a pyramid.

10. Game apparatus according to claim 9 including: a base plateau board on which said blocks are adapted to be placed in a number of plateaus located one over the other to form a completed block structure, and additional plateau boards to be placed between the adjacent upper plateaus for supporting the blocks of each upper plateau on the blocks of the adjacent lower plateau.

11. Game apparatus according to claim 10 wherein: each plateau board includes means defining the block positions of the supported block plateau.

12. Game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein: said blocks each have a generally pyramidal shape, said blocks are adapted to be placed side by side to form a completed block structure having a number of plateaus arranged one over the other, each successive plateau from the bottom to the top of the completed block structure containing fewer blocks than the preceding plateau, whereby said structure has the shape of a pyramid, a base plateau board on which are to be placed the blocks of the lowermost plateau, and additional plateau boards to be placed between the adjacent upper plateaus for supporting the blocks of each upper plateau on the blocks of the adjacent lower plateau, each plateau board includes means defining the block positions of the supported block plateau, and said apparatus includes a scoring chart on said base board having designated thereon numerical scoring values corresponding in their positions on said chart to the positions occupied by said exposed block faces.

13. Game apparatus according to claim 12 including: a hood to be placed over a game block for chance assignment of said card groups to the players by rotation of the block to a position wherein the block faces face the players, respectively, and assignment to each player of the card group whose identification indicia match the indicia on the corresponding block face.

14. Game apparatus according to claim 13 wherein: said indicia are colors.

15. Game apparatus according to claim 14 wherein: certain of said game blocks have a normally concealed mark and certain block positions of at least one plateau board have a mark for awarding bonus poinTs to the players.

16. Game apparatus according to claim 1 including: a base plateau board having means defining the block positions in said plateau, and certain of said game blocks have a normally concealed mark and certain block positions of said plateau board have a mark for awarding bonus points to the players.

17. For use with game apparatus of the character described: a game block of pyramidal shape, the faces of said block bearing distinctive indicia, and a hollow hood of pyramidal shape having a cavity of approximately the same size and shape as said block and opening through the bottom of the hood for receiving said block, whereby said hood is adapted to cover said block, and said hood and said block when covered by said hood are rotatable in unison.